Charles C. Haigh Jr. Fishing Pier

The Charles C. Haigh Jr. Fishing Pier is Hilton Head’s public saltwater fishing pier: a fixed county pier beside the C.C. Haigh Jr. Boat Landing, at 2 William Hilton Parkway. It sits on Pinckney Island, the last stretch of US 278 before the bridge onto Hilton Head, so you pass it on the way in. Fishing is free, parking is free, and it is open all year. It is one of the fishing piers on Hilton Head, and the one to pick for a proper session.

The Pier

The pier runs about 150 feet out over Mackay Creek and ends in a 45-foot T, so a small group can spread out without crossing lines. It stands to one side of the boat ramp, which means you can keep fishing while boats launch. The water is deep and moves hard on the tide, and the creek opens onto the Intracoastal Waterway, so dolphins and pelicans are regular company.

What You Can Catch

Anglers here catch redfish, whiting, black sea bass and small sharks, and blue crabs come up on a baited line. The bite is best around the turn of the tide, when the current slows: check the Hilton Head tide chart and plan to arrive an hour or so before high or low water. Bring more weight than you would use on a lake, because the current will carry a light rig straight under the pier.

The Pinckney Island Fishing Pier Name

You will also see it called the Pinckney Island fishing pier, because the landing is on Pinckney Island and Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge is just across the road. It is the same pier. The refuge has its own trails and rules, and it is worth the short walk for the birds once you are done fishing.

The Boat Ramp and Parking

The landing has two launch lanes, courtesy docks and room for about 90 vehicles, with a separate grass lot for cars and a gravel loop for trucks and trailers. Some fishing charters and boat tours meet their guests at the dock. There is a portable toilet and nothing else, so bring water.

Before You Go

Anyone 16 or older needs a South Carolina saltwater fishing license here, because it is a free public pier rather than a licensed one. Crabbing with three or fewer drop nets, traps or hand lines is exempt. Bring bug spray for dusk, since the marsh breeds mosquitoes, and watch for boats around the ramp when you cast. For smaller water and crabbing with children, House Creek Fishing Pier is the other public pier; for charters and surf fishing, see the Hilton Head fishing guide.