04/20/2024 to 12/10/2024
Get DirectionsFish with help from certified SCDNR instructors.
The Lowcountry has a plethora of water, much of it salty. And fishing is a top coastal activity that all ages can enjoy together.
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources sponsors two different types of events to help you learn how to fish like a pro.
Saltwater Pier Fishing
First up, they offer special times where SCDNR experts are available for advice and guidance as you fish off of area piers. Locations vary and include places like Folly Beach, Edisto, Beaufort, Huntington Beach, Georgetown, Botany Bay and Murrells Inlet. The most convenient to the Isle of Palms is the Mount Pleasant Pier at Waterfront Park, underneath the Ravenel Bridge. It’s a prime spot to catch fish in Charleston Harbor and is located at 71 Harry Hallman Boulevard in Mount Pleasant.
There’s no need to register, just show up and look for the SCDNR expert in the blue shirt. You can bring your own fishing gear, or rent it from the store at the pier.
Sessions last from 8:30 till 10:30 a.m. Check the schedule for the latest info.
Saltwater Family Fishing Clinics
SCDNR also sponsors introductory saltwater family fishing clinics that teach you basic fishing skills, like how to tie fishing knots, how to rig a rod and reel, how to cast… in other words, how to fish.
If you don’t have the basic fishing tackle and materials, they’ll be glad to furnish you with them. Typical materials include a spinning rod and reel, fishing line, fishing hooks, splitshot, popping cork, egg sinker, plastic beads, swivels, clippers, casting plugs and practice hooks.
Classes take place all over the Lowcountry. In Charleston, they often happen at SCDNR Marine Resources Division, 217 Fort Johnson Road in Charleston, just west of the Ashley River. Some clinics have specific themes, including military family, bilingual, women's, surf fishing, pier fishing, and more. There is no charge, but you must register in advance. Get all the info on the website.