Time on the Water | Capt. Ryan Howard, Redfin Charters
When tides start swinging hard and the Lowcountry warms up in late spring, redfish spread out across the flats and the bait shows back up.
Mud minnows. Mullet. Fish that were stacked up all winter, are now scattered across acres of grass and oyster beds.
That's what makes spring in Charleston so special… and how you move the boat matters as much as how you fish it.
For this edition of Time on the Water, Capt. Ryan Howard of Redfin Charters breaks down the boat, the pole, and the techniques he relies on to get within fly-rod range of redfish.
Ryan's Skiff Setup
For the Lowcountry, Ryan keeps things light, dry, and quiet.
- Boat: Chittum Mangrove 18
- Engine: 60 hp Mercury
- Hull: Carbon Fiber
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Push pole: 24-foot graphite Stiffy Guide
The carbon hull floats high, gets on plane fast in skinny water, and is one of the quietest boats you'll ever fish out of. Pair it with a long, light graphite pole, and you can get into water nothing else will float in — without giving yourself away.
Takeaway: A real skiff isn't about size. It's about draft and sound. A light hull and a quiet pole are two essential pieces of gear for Lowcountry fishing.
Why a Push Pole Beats Everything Else
Trolling motors hum. Outboards thump. Both put off pressure waves a redfish can feel from a long way off.
A push pole is silent. It gets you into water motors can't reach, holds you when you need to stop, and lets you steer the boat in range of a fish without giving it a reason to leave.
Takeaway: In skinny, clear water, stealth wins. The right push pole makes all the difference.
Picking the Right Pole
Ryan's rule on length is simple: at least three feet longer than the boat.
- 20-foot pole: Hard minimum
- 20- to 23-foot pole: Skinny-water flats fishing
- 24-foot pole: Deeper presentations — tarpon in six feet of water
Every pole has three parts to know:
- Wrap: Grip in the middle so your hands don't slip on a long day
- Foot: Wide, blunt end for soft bottom — won't sink into mud
- Point: Narrow end for hard bottom, oyster, and rock — where the foot wants to slide
Takeaway: Match the length to the boat and the depth — and match the end of the pole to the bottom you're on.
The Stance
Most of the power happens in the upper body, but the platform setup matters before you ever take a stroke.
- Feet close together, centered on the platform
- Pole held on one side of your body — don't switch sides
- Sun at your back
- Wind at your back
Sun behind you lights up the water in front of your angler. Wind behind you means the boat is doing some of the work for free.
The Stroke
- Keep the pole in a small half-circle right behind the engine
- Hold it at a slight angle behind the boat
- Make small, controlled pushes — not big dramatic ones
Power comes from the upper body, not from yanking. Quiet in, quiet out.
Turning the Boat
To swing the bow left, plant the pole hard on the left side of your body and push. One or two strong strokes will spin the boat through a complete circle. Same move, opposite side, to swing right.
Takeaway: Keep the pole on one side of your body. Switching every stroke is noisy and kills your boat control.
Approaching the Fish
Once a fish is spotted, the approach is everything.
- Read which way the fish is looking, and set up so the angler can cast in front of it
- Keep the boat slow — running up on a fish is the fastest way to blow the shot
- Judge the wind and let it help; you can sail right into a fish without poling
- Stop early — stake out and let the fish come to you when you can
What Spring in the Lowcountry Really Demands
Charleston in late spring is a different game than the dead of winter.
- Winter: hundreds of reds stacked up tight
- Spring: those schools break up and spread out across the flats
- Bait: mud minnows and mullet start showing back up
- Flies: minnow-style presentations — Ryan's go-to color is black and purple
There's no one-size-fits-all in spring. Fish are scattered, conditions shift every tide, and the wind plays a bigger role than it does in winter.
If there's one mistake to avoid? Running up on fish.
Takeaway: Slow is fast on a skiff. Every extra stroke you don't take is one less chance to spook the fish.
Show Up Ready
Long days on a platform demand quiet, comfortable gear that moves with you, not against you. Ryan keeps it simple:
- Cold mornings: Huk Pro Series Jacket & Bib
- Sun-up: Huk Airweight Hoodie
- Warm days: Huk Icon Pants
- Footwear with Traction: Huk Rogue Island Flip Flops
- Accessories: Hat, polarized lenses
On a quiet boat, what you wear is part of your stealth game.
Ryan's Take
Poling a skiff isn't a shortcut. It's a skill that builds one tide at a time — and the better you get at it, the more shots you'll have at the fish other anglers can't reach.
Whether you're stalking tailing reds in the spartina or pushing into a flat at dead low, dialing in the boat, the pole, and the approach is what puts you in position when it counts.
Pole quiet. Stay low. Trust the stalk.
Then go put yourself in front of one of the most rewarding fish on the flats.
Book a trip with Capt. Ryan Howard at Redfin Charters in Charleston: https://inshorefishingcharters.com/
