Why Is Charleston the Best Winter Spot for Redfish, Great Eats, and Southern Charm?

Here’s some inside information for anyone thinking about fly fishing the Lowcountry for redfish — and then exploring the world-class city that Travel + Leisure readers ranked the No. 1 city in the U.S. for twelve consecutive years.

Come in the Wintertime

I live in Charleston. Winters here aren’t like winters in most of the country — especially early winter. It's not cold, but it has definitely cooled off. The demon-spawned bugs are gone, the weather is consistent, and the city finally slows to a southern pace.

Quality All the Way Around

Charleston is a rare combination — a world-class city directly connected to a quality fishery. You can spend your morning sight-fishing for redfish in glassy marshes and your evening dining at one of downtown’s James Beard Award–winning restaurants. There aren’t many places in the world, let alone the U.S., that can claim that kind of balance.

Why the Fly Fishing Is So Good

Winter is prime time for redfish in the Lowcountry. Ask local guides, and most will tell you it is their favorite time of the year to fish. The water clears, the crowds thin, and the fish start to school up — sometimes by the hundreds — pushing bait fish and shrimp against the banks. It can turn into a mass feeding blitz.

Capt. Conner Bryant with a big redfish he caught fly fishing in Charleston, SC — Big reds in cool weather is fly fishing Charleston, SC, in the winter. | photo provided by Conner Bryant

Why Not Summer?

Summers in Charleston can be brutal. Try standing in a skiff all day with no clouds in the sky and the sun beating straight down on you. The humidity hovers near 100%, the bugs treat you like a pincushion, and the boat traffic — from anglers, party boats, and tour operators — turns the waterways into highways. Add one foot of visibility in the water and, for me, that’s a hard pass.

A City You Can Walk or Take Horse Carriages

The same shift happens in town. Charleston is best explored when the oppressive summer heat and humidity are gone — along with most of the crowds. Downtown becomes relaxed, walkable, and alive with character. The traffic is manageable, your clothes aren’t soaked in sweat after walking a block, and the restaurants hum instead of roar.

The Beauty of Charleston's Historic District

Food is a sport here, and the restaurants are flat-out incredible. If you’re up for exploring, the streets and alleys are lined with old brick, small shops, and art galleries. The city sits on a peninsula surrounded by water, and as the sun sets, it is wrapped in a Lowcountry light that Charleston is famous for.

A redfish with a strikingly blue tail about to be released into the Charleston Lowcountry waterways. — A redfish with a strikingly blue tail about to be released. | photo provided by Conner Bryant

A Fly-Fishing Trip Already Planned

Lowcountry guide Capt. Conner Bryant turned me on to fly fishing for reds during the winter a few years ago, and since then, he's put together a packaged trip for other anglers who would like to get in on some sight fishing and exploring one of the coolest cities in the U.S.

The Travel and Logistics Made Easy

If you want to fish the Lowcountry, all you need to do is show up. He’s arranged oceanfront lodging at The Tides Hotel on Folly Beach, three full days of guided fishing, and all the details — breakfast, lunch, and gear — handled. Bring a rod or don’t; Capt. Conner can outfit you with everything you need.

A fly angler releasing a redfish during a beautiful sunset in Charleston, SC. — It's hard to beat Charleston in the winter for fly fishing for redfish. | photo by Ken Baldwin

A Worthy Winter Vacation

As someone who calls Charleston home, I can tell you this: winter is when the city shines. The fishing is prime, and the city feels alive but never crowded. And the food scene is one of the best in the country. KB - Connect with me and follow Fly Fishing On SI's Facebook page for more of my take on fly fishing.

"Slow down...listen to the hoppers...be patient with yer wife...eat sardines with hot sauce... catch “Gagger” trout!!!" –Flip Pallot