This page covers white marlin fishing from Folly Beach, the Charleston County island port reached through Stono Inlet. White marlin are not documented from Folly Beach specifically, so what follows applies what holds along the Carolina and Lowcountry coast and ties it to this port’s inlet and water. The Atlantic Southeast white marlin guide (see also the wider Atlantic Southeast guide) carries the regional detail, and the Folly Beach port page covers the port itself.
When the species is around the port
Along the Carolinas, white marlin follow the summer pattern. Off Charleston the Gulf Stream runs far offshore, so fish pass through on the run along the Stream rather than settling close in. The window is longer farther south, and no month for Folly Beach is documented. The Stream’s position from week to week is the better guide.
Where boats run
Folly Beach boats reach the ocean through Stono Inlet, which crosses a shifting bar between Folly Island and Kiawah Island. The entrance buoys are left off the chart because they are moved often, and the buoyed Folly River channel, about 2.3 miles long from Bird Key, changes too. Depths over the bar may differ from the chart on a given day, so check conditions yourself before you run, and consider a higher stage of the tide. Waters east and southeast of Charleston Harbor are used heavily by the Navy for training, so check current notices before heading that way. Along the Lowcountry, the Stream sits a long run out, roughly 60 to 80 miles off Hilton Head by local accounts.
How white marlin are fished out of the port
No Folly Beach method is documented, so the regional approach applies. Run a tight spread with ballyhoo and teasers. When a fish shows on the teaser, pull the teaser away and offer a small bait on a circle hook. Let the hook find the corner of the jaw and come tight steadily. For the edge itself, look at the Charleston Bump, a raised bottom that deflects the Stream offshore. The eddies and upwelling it sets up gather bait, and the fish work that bait. Release fish in the water when you can.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a white marlin season at Folly Beach?
No month is documented for this port. Along the Carolinas the summer pattern applies, and the Stream’s position decides the week.
Do white marlin count with roundscale spearfish?
Yes, for landing limits. The two look close, so check the vent against the anal fin before you count a fish.
Is most of the fishing here inshore?
Much of the local trade is inshore marsh fishing. White marlin are an offshore fish that follows the Gulf Stream, and the run from the inlet to them is a long one.
