# South Carolina Questions



## bjtripp83 (Aug 10, 2015)

loooootttttssss of water. lots of fish. lots of varied communities. i got a top spot map and have lived in downtown beaufort for 2 months now. still not 100% where best place to buy property would be for me, but im having no trouble finding fishing spots w/ just a canoe. for a seasonal place that is out of the way, some great prices for houses on the water on St. Helena and Lady's islands. cant buy sight unseen though, stuff is too inconsistent from one lot/road to another.


----------



## mtoddsolomon (Mar 25, 2015)

I work for Pulte homes and we have a lot of Del Webb communities down there. Check out Sun City Hilton Head, Baynard Park, and Hampton Lake


----------



## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

Thanks for the responses. I'll look at those communities and I agree that you have to be cautious where you buy. 

Time for a road trip...any other suggestions appreciated.


----------



## flysalt060 (Aug 5, 2012)

The fishing is great in the area. A little learning the area and you will see. If you move on St Helena the Fripp island traffic right now and at holidays is a pain. North of town off of hwy 21 is somewhat better. At least it is 4 lane. Now Bluffton,the traffic is no different than here in Atlanta, thanks to Hilton head. Heard they are still some deals in Brays island plantation.


----------



## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

Luckily we would only be there during the winter months and will be avoiding all the summer Hilton Head traffic nightmares.....


----------



## fishn&flyn (Oct 23, 2015)

We moved to Beaufort from SW Florida 2 years ago and love it. This move originally was due for work and I wasn't sure how long we would be there but my wife and I absolutely love the area for its beauty and small town southern charm! We found a neighborhood called Habersham which is located about 10 minutes from downtown Beaufort. This is a Southern Living inspired community and we have a boat ramp and dock, community pool, tennis courts, and a handful of awesome restaurants in the marketplace that we love. Most people drive golf carts around. Downtown Beaufort also has great restaurants and an awesome fly shop Baystreet Outfitters. The guys at Bay Street are awesome and have helped me a ton with learning how to fish the area. There is also a large community of fly anglers in the Sea Island Fly Fishers club which meets 1 a month at Bay Street, again awesome group of guys and gals. As far as the fishing it has been great when I get the tides right, there is about 7 feet of swing on a normal day so 5 feet more than I'm used too! The red fishing has been great though and there's more water than you could fish in 2 lifetimes. My whipray has been awesome getting back in the creeks and poling the skinny low tide flats. My main issue is time, or not enough of it to really get dialed in. I have also heard there is a sleeper giant jack crevalle and tarpon fishery but I'm not in the know and have not been able to spend the time to figure it out yet, but I'm trying! I am also a big upland and waterfowl hunter and I have found several great places to take my dog and hunt. This is a very beautiful area with lots of very nice people and southern charm. Like what was posted above I think the Bluffton/Hilton Head area is very busy especially during the season but I can tell you this, the busiest day I have seen on the water here was like the slowest day I've ever seen in Charlotte Harbor and that part I love. If you have any specific questions or want to grab a beer when you are visiting let me know. Good luck in your search!


----------



## fishn&flyn (Oct 23, 2015)

One other thing, make sure you ask about plantation owners fees/homeowners dues. Some of them are outrageous.


----------



## flysalt060 (Aug 5, 2012)

At Brays they disclose fees. But what you get is pretty good. At least that is what someone I know and bought in there recently told me.


----------



## fishn&flyn (Oct 23, 2015)

I would love the opportunity to hunt and or shoot clays at Brays but living there is waaaayyy outta my budget!


----------



## flysalt060 (Aug 5, 2012)

Yes this fellow did well during his working years that was telling me about it. Waaay outta my budget also. My cousin keep one of her lots that is behind it and waterfront. Maybe one day she will build.


----------



## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

fishn&flyn said:


> One other thing, make sure you ask about plantation owners fees/homeowners dues. Some of them are outrageous.


Thanks for the good information. You're right on the fees...it looks like the Plantation Communities (Palmetto Bluff, Oldfield, Brays) all charge + $6k-$7.5k a year in HOA fees...wow.

Sounds like you found yourself a little piece of paradise with the fishing around Beaufort and the folks at Bay Street and Sea Island Fly Fishers. From others I've talked to, it seems the area from Brays to Hilton Head has less fishing pressure than up around Charleston.


----------



## Megalops (Oct 23, 2011)

Net, I'd rent first go see if it's your cup of tea. My dad wintered on St.Simons/Jekyll in GA and Murrells inlet in SC- it gets dang cold!


----------



## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

Megalops said:


> Net, I'd rent first go see if it's your cup of tea. My dad wintered on St.Simons/Jekyll in GA and Murrells inlet in SC- it gets dang cold!


I'm curious just how cold it got when he was there? 

I've been looking over the past yearly averages and it seems the winter months can vary from the low 40s & 50s at night up to mid 70s at day with lots of combinations in between. I think I could deal with cold snaps that last a couple/few days as long as it got into the 60s & 70s enough to keep the winter coats in the closet.

I have noticed a bunch of the guides from Charleston are wearing coats and hats in a bunch of their web photos


----------



## mtoddsolomon (Mar 25, 2015)

I live in Charleston and we get a couple of 30-40s days. Most of the winter is between 40-60. It's not too bad, February is about the only month where i notice a huge difference than when I lived in Tampa. Well February and August. August in Charleston is the most humid hot place I've ever been.


----------



## Palmetto3584 (Jun 21, 2012)

The weather does vary a lot in the winter. You have some days that are in the 70's but you get some days with a high in the 30's. The predominant temperature is probably mid to high 50's as a high and mid to high 40's as a low. You can't use last winter as an indicator, we had unusually high temperatures.

Winter fishing is great. Less people on the water and the fishing is still good. If it gets to cold the fish will shut down but usually for only a day or two then they will start eating again.


----------



## Palmetto3584 (Jun 21, 2012)

I do spend more time fishing in the winter with a jacket/gloves on than with a long sleeve t-shirt. But maybe I just have thin blood because I'm a Lowcountry native!


----------



## flysalt060 (Aug 5, 2012)

It may feel colder around and on the water but up the bank it is comfortable. This year was warmer than normal down here. End of Jan I got away with just a long sleeve Floodtide cotton shirt on the water. #goodcleanlivin. Normally temps drop around thanksgiving and feb is the extreme.


----------



## Megalops (Oct 23, 2011)

Net 30 said:


> I'm curious just how cold it got when he was there?
> 
> I've been looking over the past yearly averages and it seems the winter months can vary from the low 40s & 50s at night up to mid 70s at day with lots of combinations in between. I think I could deal with cold snaps that last a couple/few days as long as it got into the 60s & 70s enough to keep the winter coats in the closet.
> 
> I have noticed a bunch of the guides from Charleston are wearing coats and hats in a bunch of their web photos


Well my Dad had a place on St.Simons for about 6 years and wintered 2 years in Murrells Inlet. He'd arrive around Thanksgiving and stay til March/April. We'd visit a lot and I mostly remember it being cold, windy, and rain - ie. wearing a jacket, jeans, etc. Both areas were beautiful for sure. There's a larger version of no seeums up there too. My Dad has now done the reverse, lives in Apollo Beach and summers up north. But golfing is his thing.


----------



## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

Thanks of all the responses.....

The weather things def. has me a bit concerned but then again, I grew up fishing in the North East for winter flounder in March/April and Stripers into December when temps were in the 20s & 30s. If Feb. really sucks in SC, it gives me a great excuse to rent a house for the month in the Keys or West Coast of FL....tough problem to have! My wife has really missed the change of seasons stuff.

I've really enjoyed the FL winters but I'm beginning to think the pooch is screwed when it comes to the health and quality of our local waters...sad. My youngest boy is off to college this August, I sold my business and now time for me and momma to enjoy and get over that empty nest stuff.


----------



## bjtripp83 (Aug 10, 2015)

two years ago i was kayak fishing in charleston in mid december. dropped my anchor pole in the water. got in up to my waist w/ swim shorts and wading boots. seemed like the water temp was warmer than the air! people wear long clothes in winter bc youre motoring around. thats boating 101.  when I'm stopped--and sight fishing mid day under clear skies---cold has not been an issue thru Dec. Jan and Feb would be the worst, but i cant see a string of more than 4 days that you might worry about going out due to cold/overcast weather.


----------



## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

bjtripp83 said:


> i cant see a string of more than 4 days that you might worry about going out due to cold/overcast weather.


Those are pretty good winter conditions. Even living in south central FL, sometimes in the winter you have to wait a few days for the wind to lay down or weather to clear. As long as it makes up into the high 60s and low 70s I think my pussy adversity to cold could handle that with pretty well.


----------



## Palmetto3584 (Jun 21, 2012)

im not trying to be a Debbi Downer, but it does get cold down here in the winter. I just want you to be as informed as possible. The last couple of winters have been very mild (which is great for fishing but sucked in the woods during deer/duck season with all the snakes).

There are definitely days like bjtripp said which are in the 70's and you can get by in light clothing. But that is not always the case. I can promise you that the end of December to the end a February there are more days with a high in the 50s than the 70s. Even the beginning of March can be iffy.

But the colder weather does have its benefits, it keeps the masses of the water. If it was 70 degrees every day in the winter people would be on the water year round like I'm sure it is in South Florida. Winter is one of my favorite times to fish because the fishing is very productive and there is 1/10th the amount of people on the water. There have been plenty of days when I get to the boat landing and there are only one or two trailers there. In the summer there might be 50.

Here is link to the Wikapedia page for the Climate for South Carolina.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_South_Carolina

As you cans see the average high for January and February is in the high 50s and December is 60, so it does get chilly. But, if your willing to bundle up a little the fishing is definetly worth it!


----------



## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

Palmetto - appreciate the honest assessment of the weather and I agree that crappy weather can keep folks off the water.

I might just have to bring the family to your house and stay for a month or two to get a good read on the weather and fishing......


----------



## Palmetto3584 (Jun 21, 2012)

Come on! We got room. Just bring your fishing equipment and some extra clothing. The great thing about fishing in the winter is the cold water kills the algae bloom and the water gets surprisingly clear. We mainly sight fish for schooled up spottail at low tide. It's about as close to bonefishing in the Keys/Bahamas as you can get in South Carolina. But instead of enjoying cold Kaliks, it's hot coffee!


----------



## Dawhoo (Oct 27, 2015)

Palmetto... You must either be in the real estate business or a transplant yourself. You might be first person otherwise I have ever heard encourage more to migrate to SC.... I kid, I kid.


----------



## Palmetto3584 (Jun 21, 2012)

Ha! No, not a transplant. I was born and raised in Charleston, unfortunately unlike most of the people here now. 

But I'm not the bad guy, I'm the one who is trying to let Net 30 know that it may be to cold in the winter for his liking. All the other guys are trying to play it up like its 75 degrees and sunny everyday from December to March.

Just kidding. I think we can make an exception for Net 30. He seems like a nice guy who is very helpful on this board. Besides, with half the state of Michigan and most of Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey already moved down here, what is one more?

I really think this time of year I see more Ohio license tags than SC tags driving around. To bad the website gobacktoohio.com isn't still around....


----------



## Dawhoo (Oct 27, 2015)

Palmetto3584 said:


> Ha! No, not a transplant. I was born and raised in Charleston, unfortunately unlike most of the people here now.
> 
> But I'm not the bad guy, I'm the one who is trying to let Net 30 know that it may be to cold in the winter for his liking. All the other guys are trying to play it up like its 75 degrees and sunny everyday from December to March.
> 
> ...


"These times they are a changing"


----------



## mtoddsolomon (Mar 25, 2015)

Hey Palmetto, I'm on your page, I said most of the winter is between 40-60. My wife is from Bradenton, FL originally and her first winter up here (Charleston) was in her words "unbearable" but coming from a guy who went to App state, it's very mild. This past winter was a fluke, and duck season was terrible with it being 75 at Christmas.


----------



## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

Dawhoo said:


> Palmetto... You must either be in the real estate business or a transplant yourself. You might be first person otherwise I have ever heard encourage more to migrate to SC.... I kid, I kid.


If I do make the move, I truly promise to: Only fish during the week & never on holidays, Keep my usage of local ramps down to 4 days a week, Release all fish caught for the first 2-years and Never post pics showing where I found fish.


----------



## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

Anyone have information about the noise of the airbase near Beaufort SC? 

I talked to a local realtor and he said he had to disclose the "issues" with the Marine Jets and the noise they create. He said you have to sign a disclosure form at closing: *Air Installation Compatible Use Zone (ACUIZ) form is a mandated disclosure to the potential purchaser.*


----------



## flysalt060 (Aug 5, 2012)

Net 30 said:


> Anyone have information about the noise of the airbase near Beaufort SC?
> 
> I talked to a local realtor and he said he had to disclose the "issues" with the Marine Jets and the noise they create. He said you have to sign a disclosure form at closing: *Air Installation Compatible Use Zone (ACUIZ) form is a mandated disclosure to the potential purchaser.*


yes it is loud. But it depends on where you are in the flight path. My grandfather had a place for years on Paukie island. It was was at the end of the runway. The airbase was quite busy during the Vietnam war and is now. Supposedly a certain owner of many media companies lands his personel jet there and goes across hwy21to his plantation on the Broad river. If looking at Beaufort, look out toward lady's island and st Helena.


----------



## mtoddsolomon (Mar 25, 2015)

Agreed, can be pretty noisey. They fly the FA18s and if you've never heard fighter jets they have their own distinct sound. Depends on how close you are though.


----------



## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

Did a little more research and it looks like the Marines have now expanded the flight training to include the F-35B:

_"According to Best4Beaufort, a coalition of concerned neighborhoods who opposed the training center, some reports state the noise level will be as much as four times higher than the current F-18′s stationed at MCAS. This could be problematic since the F-35B training program will create a 71% increase in flight operations, which translates into 431 flight ops per day. Officials have no comment and the Navy still has not disclosed the F-35B noise decibel level since the center was announced in 2010"._


----------



## TheFrequentFlier (Feb 17, 2016)

Net 30 said:


> Did a little more research and it looks like the Marines have now expanded the flight training to include the F-35B:
> 
> _"According to Best4Beaufort, a coalition of concerned neighborhoods who opposed the training center, some reports state the noise level will be as much as four times higher than the current F-18′s stationed at MCAS. This could be problematic since the F-35B training program will create a 71% increase in flight operations, which translates into 431 flight ops per day. Officials have no comment and the Navy still has not disclosed the F-35B noise decibel level since the center was announced in 2010"._


I'm a F-18 pilot out of Beaufort. You're certainly right that there can be considerable noise in the surrounding areas, especially with the new F-35 in town, but it really depends on where you live in relation to the approach/departure procedures into the airfield. I'd stay away from habersham and the upper portion of Lady's island if you're concerned about her noise. Check out Cat Island for a great waterfront community with optional ammenities and no HOA fees. Good spot without the jet noise, except rarely. PM me if you have more detailed questions and I'd be more than happy to give you all the info you need.


----------



## mtoddsolomon (Mar 25, 2015)

tgjohnso said:


> I'm a F-18 pilot out of Beaufort. You're certainly right that there can be considerable noise in the surrounding areas, especially with the new F-35 in town, but it really depends on where you live in relation to the approach/departure procedures into the airfield. I'd stay away from habersham and the upper portion of Lady's island if you're concerned about her noise. Check out Cat Island for a great waterfront community with optional ammenities and no HOA fees. Good spot without the jet noise, except rarely. PM me if you have more detailed questions and I'd be more than happy to give you all the info you need.


Coolest job on the forum award!


----------



## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

tgjohnso said:


> I'm a F-18 pilot out of Beaufort. You're certainly right that there can be considerable noise in the surrounding areas, especially with the new F-35 in town, but it really depends on where you live in relation to the approach/departure procedures into the airfield. I'd stay away from habersham and the upper portion of Lady's island if you're concerned about her noise. Check out Cat Island for a great waterfront community with optional ammenities and no HOA fees. Good spot without the jet noise, except rarely. PM me if you have more detailed questions and I'd be more than happy to give you all the info you need.


Thanks! Agree that being a F-18 pilot is pretty cool and it must have added benefits of finding schools of fish for the next days skiff trip!


----------



## Seabass (Aug 23, 2016)

I'm from Rincon Ga. Which is about 20-25min from Savannah, and about 35-45 min an hour tops from Beaufort, Hilton Head. Lived and commuted in this area my entire life ( 40 years old next month) Traffic is terrible around any of these areas during the week in the afternoons and early mornings due to the mass of people who travel back and forth between lower South Carolina and Savannah for work, and it's year round. It is a great place to live with many many fishing opportunities both saltwater and freshwater. Tides are way more intense than in Florida and the Gulf. But it only takes a while to learn the good times and bad times. Weather is crazy humidity is even crazier. Hottest months and roughest fishing is from June till mid sept at worst with occasional long sept heat. Falls and winters are not terrible with occasional cold cold winters. Coldest months are usually mid January til March. And that even varies. All in all a great place to live and a great place to fish, but like most of us in the world we always want to fish somewhere else, never satisfied with what's around us.... Lol. Which is a good thing. Keeps the competitive edge up I guess.


----------



## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

Thanks Seabass & tgjohnso.

I think I'm gonna focus my search in the area between Bluffton and Beaufort. Not too concerned with the traffic issues cause I just sold my business and I won't be commuting....can pick when I need to travel and go out. The SC home will be used primarily November thru May so I hope to avoid most of the high humidity stuff.

I guess the smart move is to bring the skiff & rent for a month this coming winter and see it all first hand.


----------



## flysalt060 (Aug 5, 2012)

Farmer's almanac calling for a cold and wet winter for the entire south.


----------



## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

I just spent a few days in the Bluffton area and liked it. Curious if the Oakatie River near Oldfield is close to any good redfish grounds or do you have to go closer to the May River and Palmetto Bluff?


----------



## mtoddsolomon (Mar 25, 2015)

Everything in that area is salty and holds redfish. My boss used to live near Oakatie and he often talks about how much easier it was to find fish down there than it is up here in Charleston.


----------



## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

mtoddsolomon said:


> Everything in that area is salty and holds redfish. My boss used to live near Oakatie and he often talks about how much easier it was to find fish down there than it is up here in Charleston.


Thanks...that's what I was hoping to hear. Took a little water ride with a local and he pointed out a few spots where's found reds and tarpon in-season. Area looked fishy and full of potential.


----------



## mtoddsolomon (Mar 25, 2015)

It's beautiful down there and very fishy. Looking like that area will be my next move with my job


----------



## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

mtoddsolomon said:


> It's beautiful down there and very fishy. Looking like that area will be my next move with my job


My wife has already set up a trip to preview real estate she liked it that much. I'm getting tempted to sell the HB, copy you and get an EVO x if we relocate.


----------

