Hilton Head Island may be best known for golf, tennis, biking, restaurants, and miles of beautiful beaches, but there is much more to do for those willing to dig beneath the surface. The Hilton Head fishing scene is nearly legendary among serious fishermen. Although it can be relaxing to fish onshore, the variety of fish available in the lakes, lagoons, estuaries, and ocean shallows is good but still somewhat limited. Those who want to take advantage of the huge variety of fish that can be caught near Hilton Head need to go offshore, taking advantage of the huge varieties of fish that can be found once you leave the shore. While you can rent a boat and go with some friends, for the best fishing experience it is important to take advantage of what the Hilton Head charter fishing scene has to offer. There are many Hilton Head charter fishing companies with experienced captains who know where the best fishing is available and who also know how to avoid running aground during low tide. When you are unfamiliar with an area it is always best to go fishing with those who are in the know.

If you decide to go charter fishing, that does not always mean that you will be going far from shore. Many Hilton Head charter fishing companies specialize in inshore and near shore fishing. Inshore fishing refers to fishing within the island’s boundaries by setting up anchor in one of the rivers, creeks, or sounds. Only smaller charter fishing boats are allowed in these waters, so most of these trips will involve no more than four passengers on a single boat. Some of the species which can be found in these waters include flounders, sheepshead, shark, sea trout, and red drum. Some other fish which are occasionally found include cobia, jacks, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, and ladyfish.

For an entirely different Hilton Head charter fishing experience, near shore fishing is highly recommended for the increased variety of available fish. Near shore locations are near the beach, including sandbars and artificial reefs which are located within a few miles of the shoreline. Nearshore boats usually can accommodate up to 6 passengers and because of the location only a half-day charter is needed. Some of the fish available include flounder, bluefish, ladyfish, red drum, black drum, cobia, Spanish mackerel, king mackerel, jack crevalle, sheepshead, tarpon, lemon sharks and blacktip sharks.

If you want to experience Hilton Head charter fishing at its absolute best, however, offshore fishing is strongly recommended. You need to plan for a longer trip because of the time it takes to get to ideal offshore fishing locations such as ship channels and artificial reefs. Fishing can be done by trolling with a variety of baits or by drift fishing. Some of the fish that can be caught offshore include barracuda, cobia, king mackerel, amberjack, Spanish mackerel, small tuna, grouper, small snapper, black sea bash, sharks, and spadefish. One other option offered by some Hilton Head charter fishing companies is Gulf Stream fishing, which is best from May through September. The trip will last all day or overnight, so plan ahead. Some of the fish that can be caught include dolphin, tuna, wahoo, sailfish, white marlins, and blue marlins.

Anyone who is serious about fishing owes it to themselves to experience one or more of the options offered by Hilton Head charter fishing companies. Be sure to research the Hilton Head charter fishing company you are interested in using to make sure it has experienced captains who can meet your needs and get you to the right location to fish for the type of fish you are interested in. Some of them also offer additional services such as cleaning the fish for you, so be sure to do your homework so that you can find the Hilton Head charter fishing company that is right for you.

Choosing the perfect vacation spot can be very difficult with so many great places to choose from throughout the United States. However, anyone who has ever visited Hilton Head Island will tell you that Hilton Head vacations offer something truly unique for anyone who loves the ocean, beaches, tennis, golf, biking, water sports, fishing, world-class dining, shopping, and relaxation. There are so many things to do on the island that you could take several Hilton Head vacations every year and do something markedly different each time you go. With the island’s many unique shops and restaurants, you can spend the entire vacation avoiding any place you’ve been to before, or alternately you can take advantage of the presence of many national chains and stick to the places you know and feel comfortable with. For many people with a variety of tastes, Hilton Head vacations are the perfect getaway.

One of the first stops for the many people who enjoy Hilton Head vacations every year is the beach. The island boasts 12 miles of beautiful beaches, which have impressive widths of up to 600 feet at low tide. The ocean views from the beaches are nothing short of breathtaking, and many of Hilton Head Island’s hotels and resorts are located beachfront, giving their guests full view of the ocean and quick beach access to maximize their vacation time.

Oddly enough, many people go on Hilton Head vacations every year and pretend the beach doesn’t exist, not even looking at it unless the tennis court or golf course they are playing at happens to have an ocean view. There is a very good reason for this, because the island’s golf courses and tennis resorts are some of the best in the nation. The annual Verizon Heritage golf tournament is played every year at the Harbour Town Golf Links course, which is fully open to the public. Many other golf courses of equal quality can be found throughout the island. Four of Hilton Head’s tennis resorts are nationally ranked, including the Sea Pines Racquet Club, the Port Royal Racquet Club, the Rod Laver Tennis Center, and the Van der Meer Racquet Club.

If the tennis, golf, and beaches aren’t enough to convince you that Hilton Head vacations are top-notch, the island also boasts more than 200 restaurants. Dining experiences range from casual dining to family restaurants to fine dining and more. There are Italian restaurants, Greek restaurants, French restaurants, Thai restaurants, Mexican restaurants, Chinese restaurants, and Japanese restaurants. There are restaurants owned by celebrity chefs (Robert Irvine’s eat!) and local favorites such as The Studio, The Crazy Crab, and Michael Anthony’s Cucina Italiana.

Hilton Head vacations offer something for everyone, from the island’s beautiful beaches to fine restaurants, world-class golf and tennis, and so much more. The island also offers extensive shopping, water sports, fishing, biking, and a variety of seasonal events, all of it enhanced by the island’s natural beauty.