Coastal conditions

Charleston Harbor Entrance

Harbor · South Carolina · Southeast Atlantic / Charleston Harbor

Location Snapshot

Charleston Harbor Entrance is a South Carolina harbor fishery shaped by deep channels, jetties, tidal current, and the meeting of river-influenced harbor water with the Atlantic. Red drum, spotted seatrout, sheepshead, and southern flounder are the principal supported targets.

Current Coastal Rating

Good · 76

Beta

Conditions are generally good for the evaluated window.

Scores are model-specific and are not directly comparable across water types.

Should I Go?

Consider

Trip conditions may be workable, but important cautions or data limitations remain.

High confidence in the evaluated inputs — observational coverage is partial. — Required data sources were available and the key inputs were current.

Evaluates trip conditions using weather, tides, currents, waves, daylight, and active alerts.

This coastal rating is in public beta.
Missing waves are not calm. Forecast is not an observation. Prediction is not an observation.
Because this rating is in public beta, recommendations are capped at Consider when evidence is limited.

Recommended window

Tuesday · 10:00 AM–1:00 PM EDT

Window score

Max wind: 9 mph
Max gust: 19 mph
Daylight: 100% of window
Tide state: rising

Why

Strong daylight coverage supports the evaluated window.

Current Readings

Updated Oct 20, 2026, 7:44 AM

NOAA Station

Source

NOAA CO-OPS
Charleston station
0.0 mi from destination

Water level: 3.9 ft MLLW
Water temperature: 70.2°F
Wind: N · 11 mph
Wind gust: 15 mph

Past 7 Days

NOAA Station

Water level

Window Oct 13, 2026, 7:44 AM – Oct 20, 2026, 7:44 AM (rolling 168 hours)

Readings decreased over the available period.

1679 observations · from Oct 13, 2026, 7:48 AM · to Oct 20, 2026, 7:36 AM

NOAA CO-OPS · Charleston · Station 8665530
Station at destination
Approximately 0.0 mi from destination
Observation type: observed
Unit: ft
Datum: MLLW

Nearby coastal destinations

Isle of Palms County Park8 mi
South Carolina · Southeast Atlantic / Charleston / Isle of Palms · Shore
Approximately 8 miles away
Folly Beach Fishing Pier8.8 mi
South Carolina · Southeast Atlantic / Charleston / Folly Beach · Shore
Approximately 8.8 miles away
Charleston Offshore Live Bottom25.2 mi
South Carolina · Charleston offshore live-bottom / permitted reefs · Offshore
Approximately 25.2 miles away

Predicted Tides

Predicted

Falling

Next low tide

Oct 20, 2026, 9:31 AM

In 1 hr 46 min

1.5 ft MLLW

High · Oct 20, 2026, 3:27 AM · 4.9 ft MLLW

Following

High · Oct 20, 2026, 4:05 PM · 5.5 ft MLLW

Tide station at destination

Charleston (Customhouse Wharf) · NOAA 8665530

Predicted Tidal Current

Predicted

Tidal-current predictions are not available for this destination.

Tidal-current timing can differ from high and low tide timing.

Fishery Profile

Fishery Overview

Charleston Harbor entrance fishery

A bounded Charleston Harbor / Cooper River entrance fishery at the Customhouse / Battery harbor.

Fishery type: Jetty inlet pass
Fishing modes: Shore
Inshore boat
Habitat and structure: Charleston Harbor entrance and Battery / waterfront public fishing · Cooper River entrance exchange

Static seasonal guidance · Last reviewed Aug 23, 2026

Not a live bite forecast.

Fishery Targets

Red drum, spotted seatrout, sheepshead, and southern flounder are representative Charleston Harbor targets. Seasonal timing varies by species.

Species images are AI-generated illustrations for visual reference and may simplify natural variation. Fishery records are based on the cited agency and editorial sources. About fish illustrations

Red drum
Primary
Sciaenops ocellatus
Also called Redfish
Currently in a typical seasonal window
Typical seasonal window: AUGUST — NOVEMBER
May also be present outside this peak window.
South Carolina inshore and structure fishing.
Spotted seatrout
Primary
Cynoscion nebulosus
No seasonal pulse known
Sound, creek, and pier-adjacent water.
Sheepshead
Secondary
Archosargus probatocephalus
No seasonal pulse known
Pier piling and rock structure.
Southern flounder
Secondary
Paralichthys lethostigma
No seasonal pulse known
Sand and channel edges.

Typical Seasonal Targets

Red drum — AUGUST — NOVEMBER

Seasonal presence is general guidance and does not indicate current fish activity.

How to Fish Charleston Harbor Entrance

Typical October approaches include inlet jetty and current-seam casting for Red drum.

Inlet jetty and current-seam casting
Cast jigs and swimming plugs along jetties and moving-water seams.
Best for
- Red drum
Modes
- Shore
- Inshore boat
Setup
- Inlet casting setup

Common Tackle Setups

Inlet casting setup
Shore or boat spinning tackle for inlet jetties.
Rod
Medium-heavy spinning rod; a longer rod helps lift rigs over granite.
Reel
Spinning reel with a reliable drag.
Main line
Braided main line with abrasion resistance near rock.
Leader
Abrasion-resistant leader.
Terminal tackle
Jig heads matched to inlet current.
Presentation
Use the Current Coastal Rating for conditions.
Used for
- Inlet jetty and current-seam casting

Typical October Lures and Flies

Common lure and fly families associated with this month’s techniques.

Minnow-style swimming plug
Lure
- Red drum
Shallow to midwater · Steady, twitch, pause
Cast across seams and let the plug track with the current
Soft-plastic paddle tail
Lure
- Red drum
Shallow, Midwater, Variable · Steady, twitch, jig
Swim steadily through seams or hop lightly near bottom transitions
Bucktail jig
Lure
- Red drum
Shallow, Midwater, Bottom, Variable · Jig, twitch, steady, drift
Hop, swim, or drift depending on depth and current speed

General seasonal guidance, not a live recommendation, product endorsement, or guarantee of success.

Access, Safety and Regulations

Access

Public harbor-edge fishing includes Waterfront Park / Battery access where posted. Confirm City of Charleston rules. Folly Beach Pier is a separate ocean.

Primary hazards

Harbor current, ship traffic, and slick bulkheads.

Fishery considerations

No qualified interval harbor-throat current is registered.
Onshore wind steepens the bar. Missing waves are not calm. Forecast is not an observation.

Regulations

Size limits, seasons, and possession rules change. Verify the current official regulations before fishing.

View current recreational saltwater regulations

Fishery Sources

Editorial and agency sources supporting this fishery profile. Live and predicted conditions use the separate Data Sources section.

South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Marine Resources (opens in a new tab)
South Carolina DNR
SCDNR saltwater piers and bridges (opens in a new tab)
South Carolina DNR

Location and Access

Harbor · South Carolina

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Get Directions to Map Location

The map marker represents the cataloged waterbody or monitoring location and may not indicate legal parking or public access. Confirm access through the official information before visiting.

Data Sources

NOAA CO-OPS · Charleston (Customhouse Wharf) · Station 8665530
Tide predictions, water level, water temperature, wind
Tide station at destination

Planning limitation

Coastal conditions can vary over short distances. Predictions and remote observations are planning information, not guarantees of access or safety.

Bounded Charleston Harbor / Cooper River entrance identity at the Customhouse / Battery harbor station. This is not Folly Beach, not Isle of Palms, and not a generic Charleston County mashup.
South Florida harbor-entrance and modified port-channel methods do not apply here. This entrance is the Charleston Harbor entrance.