Warm Charleston water keeps redfish and snook in play

What's biting

What's next

Expect little change in water temperature over the next few days. Readings in the high 70s mean fish stay active, so the best bite should still come at first light and again in the last hour or two before dark, when baitfish are most exposed and midday heat is less of a factor.

The fall mullet run, described by Saltwater Sportsman as running along the Atlantic coast from September well into November, is the main driver to watch. Redfish stack up wherever mullet and other baitfish are pushed out of creeks and the harbor on falling water, so plan around the outgoing tide. Tide times for the stations were not available in this update, so check a local tide table and focus on the first half of the ebb.

The waxing crescent moon means darker evenings and modest tidal swings. Expect good low-light feeding at dawn and dusk rather than a strong moon-driven push. A popping cork is a versatile way to cover shallow water for redfish, per Salt Strong. Snook are a warm-water fish, so the current temperatures keep them catchable around structure and warm shallows, and they should stay active until water cools noticeably.

Context

Mid-October in the Charleston area is typically a transition period. Summer patterns are fading, bait is moving out of the marshes, and redfish are usually among the most reliable inshore targets of the year. Water in the high 70s is on the warm side for the date, which tends to delay the full cool-water shift and can keep warm-water species such as snook around longer than usual. As temperatures drop through November, expect fish to move toward deeper, slower water and for slower baits to become more productive. Check state regulations for current size and bag limits before keeping any fish.