There are a couple of saltwater fish remaining on my bucket list and the time is right to start looking for them.
“Tripletail start showing up as the water warms up so we’re getting into the right time,” said fishing guide John Irwin of Fly Right Charters.
But there are a lot of challenges in catching tripletail. First of all, they’re not easy to spot. They are shaped like giant freshwater bream and get their name because their dorsal and anal fins extend almost to their tail, giving them the appearance of a fish with three tails.
Tripletails are usually found hanging around structure and often blend in with their surroundings. If they are sitting around a crab pot, they can look like a piece of trash hanging off the crab pot rope. And their coloration depends on where you find them. In a lot of Lowcountry waters they are very dark, almost black. If you see them further out in Sargassum they take on the bright gold color of the seaweed.
The tripletail fishery has long been established in Georgia waters and has gradually made its way northward. They are frequently targeted in the waters around Beaufort County and in recent years have started showing up in the Charleston area. Common places to look for tripletails are crab pot markers, buoys, obstructions and the Jetties. The tidelines, where the incoming and outgoing tides meet, also are a good spot to look for tripletails. But they can be found, and caught, almost anywhere.
And because they have become a frequent target, the state enacted protective measures in early 2020. There is a three-fish per angler limit with a limit of nine per boat. The tripletails must measure at least 18 inches in total length.
The state record is a 33-pound, 8-ounce catch made in the Hilton Head area in 2005, but the average South Carolina tripletail weighs around six pounds. The world record is 42 pounds, 5 ounces and was caught in South Africa.
Irwin’s preferred tactic for catching tripletail is freelining a live shrimp on a 1/0 Owner SSW J-hook. If the fish is hanging around structure he will add a section of 30-pound test fluorocarbon leader. They also can be caught by fly fishing. Irwin said he prefers a fly that floats.
If you want to be successful, though, you must be willing to put in the time. Irwin said many anglers check a couple of buoys and if they don’t see fish they lose interest.
“They’re kind of like tarpon. You have to put in a little bit of time and find them if you want to catch them,” Irwin said.
Which brings me to another species on my bucket list. I’ll be looking for the tripletail until the heat of the summer and then maybe I’ll get a shot at a tarpon. But my best bet at fulfilling either of those bucket list items would be to hire a top fishing guide.
America’s Boating Club
America’s Boating Club Charleston will hold boating safety classes June 12 and June 26 at 1376 Orange Grove Road, Charleston. The classes begin at 9 a.m. and end around 4 p.m. Successful participants earn the S.C. Department of Natural Resources Boater Education Card. The cost is $25 for adults and youth 12-18 are free. Call 843-312-2876 or email lynes@tds.net.
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