StrikeTracks

Coastal conditions

Folly Beach Fishing Pier

Shore · South Carolina · Southeast Atlantic / Charleston / Folly Beach

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Location Snapshot

Folly Beach Fishing Pier is a Charleston-area oceanfront fishery extending over sandy Atlantic surf and nearshore water. Red drum and whiting are principal targets, with bluefish and Spanish mackerel adding mobile coastal-pelagic opportunity along the beach and pier.

Current Coastal Rating

Fair · 63

Beta

Conditions are fair, but confidence is reduced because some coastal inputs are partial or prediction-based.

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

Should I Go?

Trip conditions only. Target-species activity and seasonal fishery patterns are not yet included.

Consider

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

Medium confidence — The recommendation is usable, but one or more inputs are regional, proxied, stale, or incomplete.

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.

Service Status

Degraded

Coastal conditions are partial, stale, or predictions-only.

Recommended window

Tuesday · 9:00 AM–12:00 PM EDT

Window score

81

Max wind
11 mph
Max gust
23 mph
Daylight
100% of window
Tide state
rising

Why

  • Strong daylight coverage supports the evaluated window.

Watch for

  • Tide timing uses a nearby prediction proxy.

Coastal conditions can change quickly. Review official alerts and current conditions before heading out.

Current Readings

No recent observations are available.

Past 7 Days

No recent observations are available.

Nearby coastal destinations

Predicted Tides

Predicted

Falling

Next low tide

Oct 20, 2026, 9:26 AM

In 3 hr 25 min

1.4 ft MLLW

Previous

High · Oct 20, 2026, 3:51 AM · 5.0 ft MLLW

Following

High · Oct 20, 2026, 4:29 PM · 5.7 ft MLLW

Tide prediction proxy

Folly River, north, Folly Island · NOAA 8666467

This nearby station is used for tide timing. Predicted height does not represent exact water depth or exposed-flat conditions at this destination.

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

Folly Beach Fishing Pier fishery

A Charleston County Park Atlantic ocean fishing pier at Folly Beach.

Fishery type
  • Ocean pier surf
Fishing modes
  • Shore
Habitat and structure
Folly Beach County Park Fishing Pier deck and pilings · Adjacent Folly Beach surf

Static seasonal guidance · Last reviewed Aug 23, 2026

Not a live bite forecast.

Fishery Targets

Red drum, spotted seatrout, Spanish mackerel, and bluefish are representative Folly ocean-pier 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 illustration

    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 surf and pier fishing.

  • Spotted seatrout illustration

    Spotted seatrout

    Primary

    Cynoscion nebulosus

    No seasonal pulse known

    Surf, creek-mouth, and nearshore fishing.

  • Spanish mackerel illustration

    Spanish mackerel

    Secondary

    Scomberomorus maculatus

    Typical seasonal opportunity: SPRING — FALL

    Warm-season pier and surf fishing.

  • Bluefish illustration

    Bluefish

    Secondary

    Pomatomus saltatrix

    No seasonal pulse known

    Coastal migratory fishing.

Typical Seasonal Targets

  • Red drum — AUGUST — NOVEMBER
  • Spanish mackerel — SPRING — FALL

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

How to Fish Folly Beach Fishing Pier

Typical October approaches include pier and surf casting for Red drum.

  • Pier and surf casting

    Cast jigs, paddle tails, and swimming plugs along the pier, wash, and bait seams.

    Best for

    • Red drum

    Modes

    • Shore

    Setup

    • Ocean-pier casting setup

Common Tackle Setups

  • Ocean-pier casting setup

    Shore spinning tackle for pier and adjacent surf.

    Rod
    Medium to medium-heavy spinning rod long enough to clear pier railings.
    Reel
    Spinning reel with a reliable drag.
    Main line
    Braided main line with abrasion resistance near pilings.
    Leader
    Fluorocarbon or abrasion-resistant leader.
    Terminal tackle
    Jig heads matched to current and wind.
    Presentation
    Use the Current Coastal Rating for conditions.

    Used for

    • Pier and surf 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 fishing pier at Folly Beach County Park. Confirm Charleston County Park hours, fees, and pier rules.

Primary hazards

Ocean swell and pier spray.

Fishery considerations

  • Onshore wind steepens the wash. 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 (opens in a new tab)

Location and Access

Shore · South Carolina

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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

Planning limitation

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

  • Bounded Folly Beach County Park ocean fishing pier. This is not Charleston Harbor and not Folly River creek interior.
  • Charleston 8665530 is not at-location Folly ocean evidence.
  • Wind, gust, and wave observations are not available for this location.