This time of year is ripe for angler success

October marks the transition of seasons, and both fish and weather have a tendency to be more friendly. With milder temperatures showing during the past week, anglers spent more time on the waters. Fish were cooperating, and although a few winds kicked up later in the week, the catch was not interrupted.

Slot catches seemed to be the general rule for many species, but every now and then a true heavyweight happened along to pump up the adrenalin. Some very nice spottail bass were taken from the creeks and surf reaches using cut mullet. With the abundant mullet in the surf, good quantities of bluefish have been running the ditch lines and breaks. Along the surf reaches and outer drops, a few Spanish mackerel have been bending rods and keeping anglers interested.

Areas of good bottom, from the outer reaches of the islands and sandy beach areas showing tapered banks, have produced some nice catches of flounder. Again, mullet and live mud minnows are showing better results. From these same areas and along the bridge and pier structures, whiting have made a good impression on anglers using light spinning gear and plenty of shrimp. Sheepshead continue to frustrate those who have restricted their pursuits to bridges and piers.

Activity from rock formations has come rather easy with less headaches and stray fiddlers. Black drum have reached good proportions and are showing in the deeper creeks, around structure and close to bridge pilings in deeper waters.

Trout remain active, with both natural and artificial baits producing.

Better areas to concentrate your efforts: Calibogue Sound, Capers, Skull Creek, Station Creek, Bay Point and Mackays Creek.

CCA REDFISH TOURNAMENT

The Beaufort Chapter of the South Carolina Coastal Conservation Association is holding a redfish tournament the entire month of October. Proceeds go directly to CCA.

Five tagged fish will be released in coastal waters around Northern Beaufort County. First tagged fish caught wins a 17-foot Key West from Key West Boats and Butler Marine. Second fish wins an ATV from Bass Pro Shops.

The cost is $25 for CCA members and $50 for non-members, with $25 going towards the membership.

Awards will be given at a banquet in Beaufort on Nov. 7. Call 843-986-7807 for more information.

SHELLFISH SEASON OPENS

The 2009-10 season for harvesting oysters and clams opened Thursday. The delayed opening was based on public health recommendations from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. Two cases of Vibrio parahaemoliticus illness were confirmed this spring in South Carolina as a result of oyster consumption. Vibrio parahaemoliticus is a bacterium that may cause gastrointestinal illness, however it is usually not life threatening. Since warm coastal waters create higher concentrations of the bacterium, the opening was delayed until Oct. 1 to allow for cooler water temperatures.

Oyster and clam seasons will remain open through May 15, unless conditions warrant extending or shortening the seasons. Season dates apply to both recreational and commercial shellfish harvesting.

Shellfish harvesters may begin gathering oysters and clams in designated areas 30 minutes before official sunrise until 30 minutes after official sundown. Harvesters should be aware that DHEC will close shellfish beds by specific coastal county if the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) places the area under a hurricane warning.

DNR DIRECTOR ELECTED

The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies recently elected S.C. Department of Natural Resources director John Frampton its new president during the association's annual meeting in Austin, Texas. Frampton has more than 35 years of experience with the state natural resources agency, where he started his career as a field biologist.

"I attended my first annual meeting in 1981, and I don't think I have missed a meeting since then," Frampton said. "I would not be the director of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources if it weren't for this association."

TACKLE TIP

A good many surf fishermen are stuck to one mind-set. They refuse to experiment, thinking the conventional approach is the only way to go. They couldn't be further from the truth. If there is one place experimentation is applicable, it is in the surf. There are no hard and fast rules, only results.

Take for instance a recent trip to Pritchards. I ran across three anglers who had been fishing for two hours and the only thing they had to show for their efforts were a few stingrays. Not 20 yards away, another angler had caught bluefish, spottail bass and two nice flounder.

The difference in their approach was in the weights they were using. The losing trio stayed with heavy pyramid sinkers, although the area they were fishing had a mild current, as they were fishing the inside of a break. The other angler had changed to a flat (pancake) sinker. Fishing the same general area, he was using the lightest sinker that would still grab the bottom. With minimal winds and currents, the lighter weight allowed his rig to slide across the bottom when a current or wave forced it to move, or it was manipulated by his actions.

Taking a different approach, he stayed in the catch zone and was not stuck to the bottom where only stragglers seem to congregate. Allowing your bait to move with the current while still under control brings better results and less frustration.

Beaufort Year-Round Fishing Tournament

Standings in the Beaufort year-round fishing tournament (species, boat, angler, weight):

OVERALL

Amber Jack: My Time Out, Ralph Worrell, 62.22

Barracuda: Full Tilt, Travis Plair, 34.9

Black Drum: Simpler Times, Chris Kozma, 10.58

Blackfin Tuna: Holdin On, Mike Perry, 29.38

Black Sea Bass: Mikes Marine, Ralph Worrell, 3.16

Bluefish: Sticker Shock, Kym Harrington, 2.56

Cobia: No Name, Roy Talley, 69.5

Croaker: Capt. Worrell, Ralph Worrell, 0.42

Dolphin (Dorado): Kelsea, Tim Ferris, 34.82

Flounder: Lil Loo-er, Kristin Kirby, 5.32

Grouper (All Legal Species): No Worries, Joshua Martin, 20.28

Jack Crevalle: Hammer Down, Chris Bates, 29.72

King Mackerel: Happy Dog, Jason Ward, 38.7

Ladyfish: Capt Worrell, Tyler Childress, 3.2

Little Tunny: Top Gun 5, Ross Holquist, 13.5

Red Drum: Reel Contol, James Vincent Sr., 4.74

Red Snapper: No Worries, Joshua Martin, 29.76

Sheepshead: Little John, John Mucha, 10.96

Spadefish: Happy Dog, Ross Holquist, 10.4

Spanish Mackerel: Miss Match, John Gould, 6.08

Spotted Seatrout: Seas So Shallow, Steve Roll, 5.6

Spots: Capt. Worrell, Ralph Worrell, 0.48

Toadfish: Holdin On, Brian McCaffree, 2.38

Triggerfish: No Worries, Steve Roll, 11.26

Vermillion Snapper: No Worries, Mike Sackman, 5.12

Wahoo: Top Gun 5, Taylor Thomas, 26.64

Weakfish: Capt Worrell, Ralph Worrell, 1.2

Whiting: No Name, Chris Long, 1.18

FEMALE

Amber Jack: Happy Dog, Alice Houston, 44.86

Barracuda: Sticker Shock, Kym Harrington, 21.2

Black Drum: Froggy Daddy, Carol Currin, 3.52

Black Sea Bass: Mikes Marine, Heather Spade, 2.18

Bluefish: Sticker Shock, Kym Harrington, 2.56

Cobia: No Worries, Caitlin Sackman, 32.6

Croaker: Froggy Daddy, Carol Currin, 0.52

Dolphin (Dorado): My Time Out III, Phyllis Gibson, 19.2

Flounder: Lil Loo-er, Kristin Kirby, 5.32

Jack Crevalle: Froggy Daddy, Carol Currin, 3.04

King Mackerel: No Name, Maci Dean, 24.96

Ladyfish: Captain Bo, Amber Von Harten, 2.8

Little Tunny: Top Gun V, Lauren Graham, 10.08

Red Drum: Mikes Marine, Heather Spade, 4.52

Red Snapper: Mikes Marine, Heather Spade, 19.6

Sheepshead: No Worries, Debra Coffeen, 7.0

Spanish Mackerel: Miss Fripp, Patti Brown, 3.26

Spotted Seatrout: Froggy Daddy, Carol Currin, 2.38

Spots: Froggy Daddy, Carol Currin, 0.54

Toadfish: Froggy Daddy, Carol Currin, 1.42

Triggerfish: Mikes Marine, Heather Spade, 2.64

Vermillion Snapper: Mikes Marine, Heather Spade, 1.22

Weakfish: Capt Worrell, Kelly Childress, 0.74

Whiting: Froggy Daddy, Carol Currin, 1.08

YOUTH

Barracuda: Sticker Shock, Kaitlin Kindwall, 23.4

Black Sea Bass: Mikes Marine, Brice Spade, 2.08

Bluefish: Sticker Shock, Allison Kindwall, 1.26

Cobia: No Worries, Caitlin Sackman, 32.6

Croaker: Capt. Worrell, Jack Worrell, 0.4

Dolphin (Dorado): Tort Teaser, Kipper McIntosh, 19.94

Jack Crevalle: Capt. Worrell, Tyler Childress, 0.92

King Mackerel: No Slack, Dillon York, 16.94

Ladyfish: Capt. Worrell, Tyler Childress, 3.2

Red Drum: Mikes Marine, Brice Spade, 3.86

Red Snapper: Mikes Marine, Brice Spade, 15.76

Spanish Mackerel: Sea Wolf, Alex Pompei, 4.12

Toadfish: Mikes Marine, Brice Spade, 1.68

Vermillion Snapper: My Time Out, Kane Thorp, 1.1

Weakfish: Capt Worrell, Tyler Childress, 0.6

Whiting: Foreclosure, Lauren Graham, 1.04

10x10 YOUTH

Bluefish: Capt. Worrell, Tyler Childress, 1.0

Croaker: Capt. Worrell, Jack Worrell, 0.4

Flounder: Seassoshallow.com, Steve Roll, 1.94

Jack Crevalle: Capt. Worrell, Tyler Childress, 0.92

Ladyfish: Capt. Worrell, Tyler Childress, 3.2

Spotted Seatrout: Capt. Worrell, Tyler Childress, 0.82

Spanish Mackerel: Miss Fripp, Kane Thorp, 1.9

Spots: Capt. Worrell, Tyler Childress, 0.34

Toadfish: Capt. Worrell, Tyler Childress, 1.3

Whiting: No Name, Chris Long, 1.18