A brief narrative on fishing from the Folly Beach Pier


Tackle: I used two rods, your 8’ Zebco heavy action spincast combo w/ 20 lb. test line and a 7’ Browning medium action rod w/ an ABU-Garcia baitcast reel with 8 lb. test line. Because of it’s lack of sensitivity, I found that the Zebco was best suited to “static” use; allowing the fish, sharks for the most part, to hook themselves. The lighter action Browning offered a more active approach. I held it and attempted to set the hook when fish (whiting, blues, pompano) hit.

Hook Size: I found your smallest hooks to be too large for the small fish most commonly being caught. Large hooks, heavy line and a heavy rod combined to produce a lot of lost bait. Larger hooks do have their place, as I will note later.

Bait: As with all fishing gear and regalia a large variety exists to please the real and imagined needs of every fisherman. The reality is this. Shrimp is the main food source present in the area and thus the best bait. Eschew squid, mullet, chopped up whitefish and pink shrimp. The frozen “green” shrimp sold at the pier are of acceptable quality, the head-on (or off) fresh green shrimp sold from “the shrimp guy’s” pickup truck are better.

Tear off the head, tear off the tail, and place the hook longitudinally, along the back, through the flesh, so that the hooks barb protrudes amidst the shrimp’s lifeless feet. If bait is at a premium due to cost or supply you may choose to bait the hook sideways, in and out of the shell twice, thus better securing the bait.

“Old man told me if you use that pink shrimp you ought not even cast your line out” -Cracker Boy, Folly Beach Pier, July 2003

Sinkers: While a 4 oz. sinker may be necessary to anchor a rig against the current and surf when fishing from the beach it is not when pier fishing. I found a 1 oz. weight to be adequate for my lighter Browning rig but continued to use the 4 oz. sinkers for the Zebco rig, however 3 or even 2 oz. would be worth experimenting with. The advantage of using 4 oz. from the pier is the ability to place the rod in a holder and tighten it until the rod bends slightly, this allows for a better visual indication of activity at the terminal end of the line. The downside of the additional weight is a decrease in sensitivity when the rod is actually in-hand. That didn’t sound right…

Pier Location: During the morning and early afternoon it is best to be at the end of the pier in the deeper clearer water. When fishing at the end of the pier the possibility exists for hooking a large game fish (mackeral, tarpon) so a larger hook, especially on the Zebco rig, would be in advisable. As evening approaches fishing may be better closer to shore, just past the surf, as fish move toward shore to feed. Periods of high tide and calm, clear water are considered best. Keep your eyes on the water as muddy clouds can move through making a move prudent. I also found it useful to keep an eye on other fishermen and/or to have a member of our party occasionally walk the pier to see if the fishing is better elsewhere. Do not hesitate to change spots frequently.

Summary: I settled on the following procedure. I used a 4 oz. sinker and your smallest hooks on the Zebco. I cast it out as far as I could, let the sinker find purchase in the sand, placed the rod in the rod holders provided and snugged up the line. This line was mostly intended to catch sharks, rays or, hopefully, large game fish. My Browning was rigged with some smaller hooks a kid from Georgia gave me and a 1 oz. weight. I would either a) cast the line out as above and hold the line tight while waiting for a hit or b) drop the line straight down next to the pier and slowly bounce it near the bottom, again waiting to set the hook if I felt activity. Between addressing activity on both lines, catching fish and checking and changing bait I was able to stave off boredom and feel as if my fishing trip had been productive.