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South Carolina Weekly Saltwater Fishing Report - 10/27/2008
October 27, 2008
Little River
- Grand Strand - Charleston - Hilton Head - Tides - S.C. marine recreational fishing regulations (PDF file). Saltwater Fishing License site.
Fishing trends courtesy www.SCFishingReport.com. Check the site for recent updates and detailed reports.
- Spottail bass: Very good. Very large red drum are available at the Little River jetties, but a series of windy fronts have kept many inshore anglers from going after them. Fish the incoming tide with large chunks of cut bait, or live mullet and menhaden.
- Black Drum: Very good. Cut shrimp are productive in the Dunn Sound area, and black drum are plentiful in the 15 to 18 inch range.
- Trout: Slow. Try live shrimp under a popping cork against grass, or Gulp shrimp imitations.
- Cherry Grove Pier: Overall the bite has slowed down as the first wave of the spot run has passed. Pompano, including some very nice fish in the 1.5 to 2 pound range, are being caught, and snapper bluefish continue to be common.
- Black Drum: Excellent. Lots of 14 to 27 inch eating size fish. These can be caught on cut, whole dead, or live shrimp, as well as on crabs (effective for trying to avoid pinfish bites).
- Trout: Very good. The trout action down around the Georgetown area has been outstanding, particularly around shell banks. The bite around the jetties is a bit slower than expected, although it should pick up throughout the fall and winter. Gulp! soft plastics and live shrimp have both been very effective.
- Bluefish: Very good. Bluefish are being caught right off the beaches and piers on cut bait or shiny lures.
- Flounder: Good. The large flounder should turn on and feed voraciously, in preparation for moving offshore, from about the middle of October until the middle of November when cold temperatures will push them out of the creeks and inlets.
- Spottail Bass: Good. The very largest drum have not yet arrived at the jetties, but puppy drum are prolific off the beach and slot sized fish are being caught in the creeks. Use live bait beneath a popping float, or Gulp grubs, in the creeks.
- Pier Report: The Spanish mackerel run has tailed off, but a very good run of spot is underway and schools are slowly making their way down the coast. Black drum are also prolific off the piers, and whiting and snapper sized bluefish are still abundant. Pompano are being caught in good numbers, too. The Second Avenue Pier in Myrtle Beach reports summer trout (weakfish) being caught in good numbers, and winter trout (spotted sea trout) are occasionally being caught off most Grand Strand Piers.
- Trout: Very good. Best trout fishing is coming using live or DOA shrimp under a rattling float against grass and around creek mouths on moving tides; also look for oyster beds and fan cast around them. Slow trolling along shorelines is also productive. Fishing around lighted docks at night is also very productive.
- Spottail Bass: Good. Small redfish in the 15 to 20 inch range are prolific in the creeks right now, particularly around docks, oyster bars, and rockpiles. Fish live shrimp under a popping cork for these fish. Large spottails in the 22 to 32 inch range have been widely reported tailing on high tides.
- Sheepshead: Good. Sheepshead fishing is very strong against pilings and jetties using fiddler crabs.
- Flounder: Fair. Most fish are being caught on live mud minnows or finger mullet fished around jetties and around feeder creek mouths, and some are being caught against shellbanks.
- Folly Beach Pier: The main catch is small whiting, small black drum, and snapper bluefish.
- Spottail Bass: Very good. Red drum in the rivers are the hot bite. Fish around the edges of the main river channels, including very close to the boat landings, using live or cut mullet or live menhaden if you can get them. The bite will continue into December but as the season progresses fish will move further out into the sound.
- Trout: Good. Nice trout are being caught floating live shrimp under rattling floats around grass, and also casting soft plastics around oyster beds. Fish moving tides.
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South Carolina Saltwater Fishing Trends - 9/29/2008
September 29, 2008
Little River - Grand Strand - Charleston - Hilton Head - Tides - S.C. marine recreational fishing regulations (PDF file). Saltwater Fishing License site.
Fishing trends courtesy www.SCFishingReport.com. Check the site for recent updates and detailed reports.
- Bluefish: Good to very good. Bluefish around the jetties. These fish are concentrating on schools of mullet; dead finger mullet, cut bait, or shiny lures.
- Spanish mackerel: Good. Spanish mackerel around the jetties. Throw Gotcha Plugs, Hopkins Spoons, or live mullet under a float to hook up.
- Spottail bass: Fair. Fish live shrimp or minnows in the creeks beneath a popping cork.
- Flounder: Slow. Use a standard Carolina rig with a live mullet and the lightest possible weight to hold the bottom. Look for fishing to improve in the next few weeks.
- Cherry Grove Pier: Bluefish action has been very good. A few king mackerel have been caught, for the first time in a few months, and a few black drum and flounder are still being picked up.
- Bluefish: Very good. Large schools are running in the surf, and can also be caught in good numbers around the jetties. Use dead finger mullet fished on the bottom.
- Sheepshead: Good. Fiddler crabs and live or cut shrimp on a Carolina rig fished vertically are producing.
- Spottail Bass: Fair. At the jetties on most any live bait - mullet, mud minnows, or shrimp.
- Flounder: Slow. Carolina rigged mullet or mud minnows in the Murrell’s Inlet area.
- Springmaid Pier: Slow. A few bluefish, pompano, and whiting are being caught.
- Second Avenue Pier: A few puppy drum, flounder, sheepshead, and Spanish have been caught, as well as some whiting and pompano.
- Myrtle Beach State Park Pier: Slow, but whiting, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, and very occasional pompano are being caught sporadically.
- Apache Pier: A few very large Spanish have been caught in the last week, and mullet schools are running. Bluefish, spot, and whiting are all around.
- Surfside Pier: Slow, but a few Spanish mackerel and some bluefish are being caught.
- Garden City Pier: A few bluefish, whiting and pompano are being caught.
- Tarpon: Very good. Fish the jetties, the north end of Bulls Bay, Stono Inlet and around the north of Edisto Inlet. Fish large live mullet, blue crabs, or menhaden in 6 to 15 foot deep slews between the sandbars.
- Trout: Good. Very early in the day topwater action is hot for spotted sea trout.
- Sheepshead: Good. Most any structure, from nearshore wrecks to the jetties to inshore piers and bridges. Fish fiddler crabs, clam pieces, or cut shrimp.
- Spottail Bass: Fair. Use live or cut bait and Gulp! shrimp or jerkshad around older docks with heavy barnacle growth on the pilings and especially those with deep holes underneath.
- Folly Beach Pier: A few trout, black drum, whiting, and pompano were all caught but everything was on the small side.
- Spottail Bass: Very good. Look for productive fishing in the evenings later this week and over the weekend.
- Trout: Good. Early morning topwater action is very good, and some big trout are being caught on lures such as Spooks. Good fishing is coming under docks or on the outgoing tide where feeder creeks are emptying into bigger water. Shrimp and mud minnows fished under Cajun Thunder rattling bobbers, or Gulp grubs, are producing.
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South Carolina Saltwater Fishing Trends - 9/22/2008
September 22, 2008
Little River - Grand Strand - Charleston - Hilton Head - Tides - S.C. marine recreational fishing regulations (PDF file). Saltwater Fishing License site.
Fishing trends courtesy www.SCFishingReport.com. Check the site for recent updates and detailed reports.
- Bluefish: Good to very good. The hottest action right now is for 12 to 18 inch bluefish, which are prolific around the jetties.
- Spanish mackerel: Good. Around the jetties good Spanish mackerel continue to be caught, although action has slowed down from earlier this summer. Throw Gotcha Plugs, Hopkins Spoons, or live mullet under a float to hook up.
- Spottail bass: Fair. Fish live shrimp or minnows in the creeks beneath a popping cork.
- Flounder: Slow. The water has gotten hot, and the flounder bite has really slowed down. Target the incoming tide around creek mouths, and look for areas that have lots of surface current movement which indicates highly oxygenated water.
- Cherry Grove Pier: Bluefish action has been very good for the last week and is keeping pier anglers happy; schools of mullet are in the water and fish are keying on these. A few king mackerel have been caught, for the first time in a few months, and a few black drum and flounder are still being picked up.
- Bluefish: Very good. Large schools of 12 to 18 inch bluefish are running in the surf, and can also be caught in good numbers around the jetties. Use dead finger mullet fished on the bottom.
- Sheepshead: Good. Large numbers of sheepshead continue to be caught at the Murrells Inlet and Georgetown jetties. Fiddler crabs and live or cut shrimp on a Carolina rig fished vertically are producing.
- Spottail Bass: Fair. Slot and on up sized drum are being caught at the jetties on most any live bait - mullet, mud minnows, or shrimp; fish the incoming tide right after the tide turns against the North Jetty walls.
- Flounder: Slow. Try Carolina rigged mullet or mud minnows in the Murrell’s Inlet area.
- Springmaid Pier: A few bluefish, pompano, and whiting are being caught.
- Second Avenue Pier: A few puppy drum, flounder, sheepshead, and Spanish have been caught, as well as some whiting and pompano.
- Myrtle Beach State Park Pier: Fishing has been very slow, but whiting, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, and very occasional pompano are being caught sporadically.
- Apache Pier: A few very large Spanish have been caught in the last week, and mullet schools are running. Bluefish, spot, and whiting are all around, but no flounder have been caught recently.
- Surfside Pier: Overall conditions have been slow, but a few Spanish mackerel and some bluefish are being caught. Occasional flounder are also being picked up.
- Garden City Pier: Water temperatures are still warm at about 86 degrees, and fishing slowed with the storms last week. A few bluefish, whiting and pompano are being caught.
- Flounder: Good. Most fish are being caught on live mud minnows or finger mullet fished under piers and around feeder creek mouths and some are being caught against shellbanks.
- Trout: Good. Best trout fishing is coming using live or DOA shrimp under a rattling float against grass and around creek mouths on moving tides; look for oyster beds.
- Spottail Bass: Fair to good. Spottail bass continue to be in a summer pattern, scattered throughout the creeks and estuaries. Use live or cut bait and Gulp! shrimp around docks with heavy barnacle growth on the pilings and especially those with deep holes underneath.
- Tarpon: Fair. Tarpon reports continue to come in from the north end of Bulls Bay, Stono Inlet and around the north of Edisto Inlet. Fish large live mullet, blue crabs, or menhaden in 6 to 15 foot deep slews between the sandbars.
- Folly Beach Pier: Fishing is slow, and only occasional whiting and small black drum are being reported.
- Spottail Bass: Very good. Tailing action around high tide continues to be strong; look for productive fishing on tailing tides over the next couple of weeks.
- Trout: Good. Early morning topwater action is still good, and some big trout are being caught on lures such as Spooks. Good fishing is coming under docks or on the outgoing tide where feeder creeks are emptying into bigger water. Shrimp and mud minnows fished under Cajun Thunder rattling bobbers, or Gulp grubs, are producing.
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South Carolina Saltwater Fishing Trends - 7/21/2008
July 21, 2008
Fishing trends courtesy www.SCFishingReport.com. Check the site for recent updates and detailed reports.
- Spottail Bass: Good. Anglers are catching spottail bass along structure in the ICW, around creek mouth drains, and in the upper creeks using live mud minnows and Berkeley Gulp.
- Flounder: Excellent. Flounder continue to be caught in Cherry Grove and 53rd area creeks using mud minnows.
- Sheepshead: Very good. Sand fleas and fiddler crabs are both very productive around the jetties and any inshore pilings.
- Spanish mackerel: Very good. Look for feeding birds and motor slowly towards the fish; throw Gotcha Plugs, Hopkins Spoons, or anything else with a treble hook to land fish.
- Bluefish: Very good. The Cherry Grove beaches are particularly good; use cut bait.
- Cherry Grove Pier
Nice flounder are being caught off the pier. Black drum and sheepshead are both feeding very well on fiddler crabs.
- Spottail Bass: Very good. Lots of reds are being caught on the flats and in the backwaters and creeks as well as by flounder fishermen drifting or trolling Murrells Inlet. Mud minnows, live or cut mullet, and cut shrimp are all producing.
- Trout: Fair. There are isolated reports of trout being caught in the creek behind Litchfield, as well as on the outside of the jetty walls. Try Mirrolures, Gulp shrimp, or live shrimp.
- Flounder: Good to very good. Drift or troll live mud minnows in Murrells Inlet or the Tubbs Inlet area.
- Black Drum: Very good. Target deep holes in the creeks, such as the hole off the end of the Murrells Inlet (old Veterans) Pier. Cut shrimp, live shrimp, and crabs are all productive.
- Sheepshead: Excellent. At both the Murrells Inlet and Georgetown jetties the sheepshead seem to be ravenous. Fiddler crabs and live or cut shrimp on a Carolina rig fished vertically are producing. Pompano: Good. Fish with sand fleas in areas that have not been dredged for best results.
- Bluefish: Good. Schools of nice sized bluefish are beginning to show up again in the surf, and anglers are doing well fishing cut bait on the bottom or on bluefish rigs.
- Springmaid Pier
Early and late in the day Spanish are being caught. Whiting, small bluefish, and pinfish are also abundant. - Second Avenue Pier
Flounder and spottail bass are being caught. Lots of sheepshead are also being landed fishing fiddler crabs vertically around the pilings. - Myrtle Beach State Park Pier
The bluefish bite has slowed down, but Spanish are still being caught in good numbers by fishermen jigging. Small bluefish and decent sized whiting are also being landed. - Apache Pier
The bluefish being caught are small now, but some nice Spanish up to 3.5 pounds are being caught. Some nice catches of flounder are being reported, and black drum up to 10.4 pounds are being caught. - Surfside Pier
Fishing is slow, although white and sharks are still being caught. - Garden City Pier
While bluefish and Spanish mackerel have slowed some are still being caught, although the Spanish are mainly in the 11-13 inch range and being caught jigging. Bluefish the same size are also being caught. Whiting and a few pompano are being taken, and beyond the breakers in the middle of the pier flounder are being caught.
- The harbor is full of bait - tons of mullet, menhaden, and some shrimp have arrived.
- Spottail Bass: Very good. Tailing action is starting to get hot on the flats. Also, around low tide fishing for really big reds in the same areas using cut menhaden and crabs has been red hot. Lots of fish are also being caught in the ICW, creeks, and Wando River.
- Trout: Good to very good. Trout prefer clean water, and fishing is best in the Wando River, the Intracoastal around Wild Dunes, and most of the inlets, especially around high tide. Both live bait and artificials are productive at times, and the topwater bite has been strong recently.
- Flounder: Good. Target flounder using live mud minnows fished slowly on the bottom in the inlets and creeks. Giggers are reporting good numbers of fish caught.
- Sheepshead: Very good. Most any structure, from nearshore wrecks to the jetties to inshore piers and bridges, is holding hungry sheepshead right now. Fish fiddler crabs or cut shrimp.
- Spanish Mackerel and Jack Crevalle: Very good. Most anything shiny and fast should draw strikes. Many fishermen are concentrating around the Castle area, and fishing the ebb tide when water is pushing the bait out.
- Folly Beach Pier
Some Spanish mackerel up to 5 pounds are being caught, as well as occasional kings. Bluefish and whiting are also very common, and spottails, trout, pompano, and sheepshead have all been caught recently.
- Spottail Bass: On the incoming tide fish the edges of the grass with rattle floats and natural colored Gulp Shrimp to catch slot sized fish as well as larger ones. Also use brown Gulp Swimming Minnows, or mud minnows.
- Trout: Good. Outgoing tide has been strongest for the last couple of weeks, and most trout are being caught up against the grass or in areas where oyster beds abut grass. Shrimp and mud minnows fished under Cajun Thunder rattling bobbers, or Gulp grubs, are producing.
- Flounder: Fair. Best fishing is around low tide in the same areas as the spottails and trout, or in the mouths of creeks and inlets.
- Spottail Bass: Very good. The best spottail fishing is for tailing reds feeding in the flooded grass around high tide; these can be sight-fished for by lure or fly fishermen.
- Trout: Few reports. Flounder: Good. Fish mud minnows along the bottom.
- Cobia: Fair. The tail end of the Broad River cobia fishing season has arrived.
- Bluefish and Ladyfish: Good. Bluefish and ladyfish are present in the Broad River and feeding on the large menhaden schools.
- Paradise Pier
Some decent whiting have been caught as well as black tip sharks and stingrays. Sheepshead are also available around high tide when the water is slackest. The biggest catch is blue crabs which are being caught by the 5 gallon bucketful around low tide.
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South Carolina Saltwater Fishing Trends - 6/23/2008
June 23, 2008
Fishing trends courtesy www.SCFishingReport.com. Check the site for recent updates and detailed reports.
- Spottail Bass: Fair. Anglers are catching spottail bass along structure in the ICW, around creek mouth drains, and in the upper creeks using live mud minnows and Berkeley Gulp.
- Flounder: Excellent. Flounder continue to be caught in Cherry Grove and 53rd area creeks using mud minnows.
- Sheepshead: Very good. Sand fleas and fiddler crabs are both very productive around the jetties and any inshore pilings.
- Spanish mackerel: Very good. Spanish are being caught just off the jetties in good numbers.
- Spottail Bass: Good. Spottails are being caught on the flats and in the backwaters and creeks, and many drum are being caught by flounder fishermen drifting or trolling Murrells Inlet. Mud minnows, live or cut mullet, and cut shrimp are all producing.
- Trout: Good. Trout fishing is hot at the Sunset Bridge. Try Mirrolures, Gulp shrimp, or live shrimp. Flounder: Very good. Drift or troll live mud minnows in Murrells Inlet or the Tubbs Inlet area.
- Black Drum: Very good. Target deep holes in the creeks, such as the hole off the end of the Murrells Inlet (old Veterans) Pier. Cut shrimp, live shrimp, and crabs are all productive. Bluefish: Good. Some large bluefish are being caught in the creeks. Cut bait fished on the bottom or on “bluefish rigs” is producing.
- Sheepshead: Excellent. Fiddler crabs and live or cut shrimp on a Carolina rig fished vertically are producing. Pompano: Very good. with sand fleas in areas that have not been dredged for best results.
- Piers: The Spanish mackerel and bluefish run has slowed down, and the blues being caught now are small.
- Springmaid Pier: Early and late in the day Spanish are being caught. Some bluefish are still being caught, with a few good ones mixed in.
- Myrtle Beach State Park Pier: Spanish are still being caught in good numbers by fishermen jigging. Small bluefish and decent sized whiting are also being landed.
- Apache Pier: Speckled trout, red drum and black drum are all being taken, as well as some nice catches of flounder.
- Surfside Pier: Occasional bluefish are still being caught, and fishermen continue to jig up some Spanish mackerel.
- Garden City Pier: Whiting are being caught with some pompano mixed in. Beyond the breakers in the middle of the pier flounder are being caught.
- Offshore: Spadefish are prolific at the near shore reefs, such as the Sherman wreck, and large numbers are being caught using jelly ball teasers to draw the fish up and then fishing with pieces of cut jelly balls. The 3 mile reef has been very good. King and Spanish mackerel are stacked up at Belkie Bear and Paradise Reef.
- Spottail Bass: Very good. Lots of fish are also being caught in the ICW, creeks, and Wando River. Some monster spottails are being caught out around the Charleston jetties fishing cut bait.
- Trout: Good. Both live bait and artificials are productive at times, and best fishing is coming to the north of Charleston.
- Black Drum: Good. A surprising number of black drum are being caught in deep holes in the creeks. Live and cut shrimp and crabs are all working.
- Flounder: Good. Target flounder using live mud minnows fished slowly on the bottom in the inlets and creeks. Giggers are reporting good numbers of fish caught. Sheepshead: Very good. Fish fiddler crabs or cut shrimp.
- Spanish Mackerel: Very good. The Harbor is full of Spanish mackerel right now. Use most anything shiny and fast.
- Folly Beach Pier: Nice black drum are being landed, and a dozen or so trout have been caught in the last week. An occasional flounder is being pulled up, and whiting are still prolific.
Offshore: Spadefish are swarming at nearshore reefs and wrecks, and Haddrell’s Point says they’ve never seen so many jelly balls - use pieces of these for bait. Wahoo fishing is still good, although not as strong as last year.
- Spottail Bass: Tailing action is strong around high tide and will continue to improve all summer. On the incoming tide fish the edges of the grass with rattle floats and natural colored Gulp Shrimp to catch slot sized fish as well as larger ones. Also use brown Gulp Swimming Minnows, or mud minnows.
- Trout: Good. Trout fishing continues to be surprisingly strong in the marshes and backwaters. Incoming to high tide is the best time to fish. Shrimp and mud minnows fished under Cajun Thunder rattling bobbers, or Gulp grubs, are producing.
- Flounder: Fair. Best fishing is around low tide in the same areas as the spottails and trout, or in the mouths of creeks and inlets.
- Offshore: Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and jacks are all being caught in the Gaskins Bank reef area. Troll shiny spoons and plugs or sight cast at baitfish busting the surface.
- Spottail Bass: Good. Fish are spread out and feeding aggressively on the large mullet schools. Flounder: Good. Flounder are in the inlets and beginning to be caught throughout the creeks. Fish mud minnows along the bottom.
- Cobia: Very good. Fish are being caught on all types of baits, such as menhaden, eels, squid, and whiting. Sight fishing with plugs has been off and on, and the fish have been willing to take flies at times, too. Puglisi fly patterns have worked the best.
- Paradise Pier: Some decent whiting have been caught as well as black tip sharks and stingrays.
- Offshore: Black Sea bass and snapper are still available at offshore reefs, although guides report catching lots of snapper before they get a legal 20 inch keeper. Out at the 20 mile mark kings and Spanish mackerel are being caught, as well as cobia.
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