Bonnethead Sharks and a Lesson in Humility: Fly Fishing the Charleston Lowcountry

A stud of a bonnethead patrolling Folly Beaches shoreline

This is a fun story about heartbreak on the flats and a reminder from the fish gods that I’m a guide, not a god.

Not long ago, I had a client on board for a fly fishing trip around the waters of Kiawah and Folly Beach. He had a strong background in fly fishing and was sharp on the bow from the first cast. We launched early, just before sunrise, trying to beat the heat. Water temperatures have been hanging in the upper 80s, and most fish have been sluggish during the day.

After a short ride through some of my favorite back water creeks near Charleston, we found a decent school of redfish. There were probably a few dozen working a stretch of oyster beds as the tide fell. You could see the big head wakes pushing water, the tails creating swirls, and grass shrimp popping out of the surface as the fish moved through.

I started poling from a good distance to keep from spooking them. As we got closer, my client started laying down some beautiful casts with a small black and gray Clouser. He made several solid presentations, slow stripping the fly in front of cruising redfish. After a few perfect casts and no interest from the fish, we pulled off to regroup.

Having spent my life fishing these Charleston waters, I’ve learned a few tricks. I added a three-foot piece of twelve-pound tippet to his leader and switched him to a weightless shrimp pattern. We moved back in toward the school. The sun had started to rise, casting a sharp glare across the surface. It was a beautiful scene, with tails tipping and shrimp flicking in every direction, but the glare made it tough to spot fish under the water.

Just as we got into range again, four oversized redfish came around the corner of the oyster bar. He made a perfect cast. The fly landed ahead of the fish, and he started stripping slowly. It looked just like a grass shrimp drifting naturally through the current. This was the kind of shot that gets your blood pumping.

But nothing happened. The fish swam right by it without even flinching.

I pulled the skiff away again. That’s when my client turned to me and said he was open to targeting something else. He understood redfish have their moods, and he wasn’t dead set on chasing them the whole day.

So, we made a move.

A few Bonnet Blue's waiting to be added to the box

Onto the Next Move, Taxing the Tax Man

Only a few minutes later, we pulled onto one of my favorite bonnethead shark flats near Folly Beach. These flats are usually productive in the summer, especially when the tide is right. Almost immediately, we spotted three bonnetheads cruising through the shallows. They were working between a channel edge and an oyster bed.

As I started explaining how to present the fly, one of the sharks swam right under the boat. He didn’t flinch or speed up, just cruised straight past like we weren’t even there. That’s one of the things I love about bonnethead sharks. They usually don’t care about the skiff. That up-close look gave my client a perfect visual of how they move and behave.

We went into hunting mode and began following a big shark that looked like it was tracking a small stingray across the flat. I positioned the boat for a clean angle, and he dropped the fly right where it needed to be. The shark spotted it immediately and began following. Each strip of the line brought the fish closer. You could see its body angle shift, head down, swimming faster, locked in on the fly.

It followed the fly all the way to the boat, but never ate. At the last second, it turned off and disappeared into deeper water. Another ego check.

Before we had time to even talk about what went wrong, a much bigger bonnethead came out of nowhere, cruising straight toward the boat. We saw it late. By the time we noticed, it was only a few feet off the bow in four feet of water.

My client didn’t hesitate. He dropped the fly into the water like he was cane-poling. As soon as it landed, the shark turned hard and locked in. From the poling platform, I had a front-row seat. Watching the shark rise toward the fly, mouth open, was like something out of Shark Week.

He charged the fly, head turned slightly to the side, jaws wide open, ready to eat.

And then it happened.

Right as the shark closed its mouth around the fly, my client set the hook like he was trout fishing. The fly popped out before it ever stuck.

You could feel the heartbreak. He stood there for a second, stunned, trying to figure out what just happened. Sight fishing for sharks at close range will mess with anyone’s nerves, no matter how experienced they are.

The good news? These sharks will be around Charleston, Kiawah, and Folly Beach through the rest of the summer. And he’s already planning to come back for a rematch.

Ready to Chase Bonnethead Sharks on the Fly in Charleston?

Sight fishing for redfish and bonnethead sharks in the shallow waters around Charleston, Folly Beach, and Kiawah is one of the most exciting things you can do with a fly rod. Whether you're a seasoned angler or just getting started, the Lowcountry offers one of the most unique saltwater fly fishing experiences on the East Coast.

If you’re ready to book a guided fly fishing trip in Charleston, reach out to Tidal Waters Guide Service and let’s get on the water.

Thanks for reading,

Capt. Conner