Frigid water causes die-off of trout and redfish

On Daniel Island, snow is a very unusual thing. However, this week, a strong winter storm covered our island community with over 5 inches of snow. Watching the snow fall, I got to wondering if I could catch a fish in a snow storm. Rather than continuing to wonder, I called Elliott and we decided to give fishing a try. Many people gave us odd looks as we passed them with the skiff in tow. Others simply shook their heads in disbelief.

To tell the truth, once on the water, I shook my head in disbelief as well. It was bitter cold. A layer of ice on the deck made falling into the water a distinct possibility. Elliott and I agreed this was not one of our better ideas. But, we decided to fish for a few minutes anyway. Just before hypothermia and frostbite set in, we caught a trout. It was a tiny, but Elliott and I were elated. After a quick selfie, we released the fish and went straight home.

While the snow was fun, it also had a downside for our local fishery. Water temperatures in Ralston, Beresford and Horlbeck Creeks plunged into the middle 30-degree range. The coldest water temperatures I have ever recorded in these creeks. Sadly, the frigid water caused a die-off of trout and redfish. It will be a few weeks before the full extent of the die-off is known. However, I expect trout to be hit particularly hard.

The forecast is for normal temperatures to return this week. Hopefully, this will bring the water temperatures up and out of the death-zone for trout. Until this happens, I will be taking a break from fishing. When I stop fishing, you know it is bad. Heck, I even fished in a snow storm!

Contact Captain Greg Peralta at captgregp@gmail.com or call (843) 224-0099.