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S.C. Saltwater Fishing Trends - 11/10/2008
November 10, 2008
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. In the creeks and estuaries puppy drum are prolific right now; fish the main channel of the salt marsh with cut shrimp.
- 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. Little trout action has been reported, but things should be improving as the water temperature drops. 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.
- Spot: Excellent. Spot have flooded into Murrells Inlet for the first time in three years, and boats are so thick you can almost walk across the water. Fish cut shrimp or blood worms on small hooks and look for the crowds.
- Black Drum: Very good. Large numbers of black drum are being caught around jetties, piers, and sea walls, with 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).
- Sheepshead: Very good. Pressure on sheepshead is very light, but anglers targeting them at the Murrells Inlet jetties are still doing very well. Fish fiddler crabs vertically on a Carolina rig.
- Spottail Bass: Good to very good. The very largest drum have arrived at the jetties and can be caught using cut mullet or menhaden, and slot sized fish are being caught in the creeks. Use live bait beneath a popping float, or Gulp grubs, in the creeks.
- Trout: Good. Trout action is strong in the creeks behind Pawley’s Island. Fish live shrimp or Gulp imitations. Flounder: Good. Flounder fishing has dramatically improved since a month ago, although smaller fish are still making up the largest part of the catch. The large flounder should turn on very soon and feed voraciously until the middle of November when cold temperatures will push them out of the creeks and inlets.
- Surf and 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. For a few days anglers were shoulder to shoulder on the Garden City Pier catching spot by the buckets, but those fish have moved on. Black drum are prolific off the piers, and whiting and snapper sized bluefish are still abundant. Pompano are being caught in good numbers, too, and seem to be grouped in schools that are very small or very large (1 to 2 pound) for pompano. 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. Winter trout fishing will improve as temperatures continue to moderate.
- Trout: Excellent. Fantastic trout catches are being reported in the North Edisto River, Wando River, and ICW north of Charleston. Target shell banks in 3-7 feet of water on moving tides, and particularly the incoming tide. DOA shrimp, Gulp Jerk Shads, and Z-Man Chatter Baits and Chatter Shrimp have all been effective, and live shrimp fished below a popping cork will of course work too. Troll or fan cast with lures to locate fish and then work the area thoroughly.
- Spottail Bass: Very 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, or cast artificial grubs or plugs, for these fish. Large breeder sized red drum are being caught in the surf, particularly in the inlets north of Charleston and in Bulls Bay.
- Sheepshead: Good. Sheepshead fishing continues to be productive at the jetties and against inshore structure. For now fiddler crabs are the bait of choice, but as these crabs go into hibernation live shrimp will become an effective bait.
- Folly Beach Pier: Fishing should improve in the next few weeks, but for now the main catch is small whiting, small black drum, and snapper bluefish.
- Spottail Bass: Very good. Big red drum are on the verge of getting really hot, and as soon as the huge tailing tides are over the bull drum will be thick out in the Port Royal Sound over live bottom areas. Small redfish about 14 or 15 inches long are abundant in the feeder creeks when water drains out of the grass, and they can be caught on live shrimp or mullet as well as Gulp shrimp and minnows. Tailing action is also very good.
- Trout: Good. Lots of small trout are being caught with live shrimp fish against the grass, and some better fish are mixed in, too. Fish two hours each side of high tide; when the really high tides pass and the water clears up fishing will get even better.
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S.C. Saltwater Fishing Trends - 11/3/2008
November 3, 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: Pompano, including some very nice fish in the 1.5 to 2 pound range, are being caught, and snapper bluefish continue to be common. No king mackerel have been caught in the last week despite October being a traditionally strong month for kings.
- Spot: Excellent. Spot have flooded into Murrells Inlet for the first time in three years. Fish cut shrimp or blood worms on small hooks and look for the crowds.
- Black Drum: Very good. Large numbers of black drum are being caught around jetties, piers, and sea walls, with 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.
- Sheepshead: Very good. Pressure on sheepshead is very light, but anglers targeting them at the Murrells Inlet jetties are still doing very well. Fish fiddler crabs vertically on a Carolina rig.
- Spottail Bass: Good to very good. The very largest drum have arrived at the jetties and can be caught using cut mullet or menhaden, and slot sized fish are being caught in the creeks.
- Trout: Good. Trout action is strong in the creeks behind Pawley’s Island. Fish live shrimp or Gulp imitations.
- Flounder: Good. The large flounder should turn on very soon and feed voraciously until the middle of November when cold temperatures will push them out of the creeks and inlets.
- Surf and 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 prolific off the piers, and whiting and snapper sized bluefish are still abundant. Pompano are being caught in good numbers, too, and seem to be grouped in schools that are very small or very large (1 to 2 pound) for pompano. 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: Excellent. Fantastic trout catches are being reported in the North Edisto River, Wando River, and ICW north of Charleston. Target shell banks in 3-7 feet of water on moving tides, and particularly the incoming tide. DOA shrimp, Gulp Jerk Shads, and Z-Man Chatter Baits and Chatter Shrimp have all been effective, and live shrimp fished below a popping cork will of course work too.
- Spottail Bass: Very 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, or cast artificial grubs or plugs, for these fish.
- Sheepshead: Good. Sheepshead fishing continues to be productive at the jetties and against inshore structure. For now fiddler crabs are the bait of choice, but as these crabs go into hibernation live shrimp will become an effective bait.
- Folly Beach Pier: Fishing should improve in the next few weeks, but for now the main catch is small whiting, small black drum, and snapper bluefish.
- Spottail Bass: Very good. Red drum are on the verge of getting really hot, and as soon as the huge tailing tides are over the bull drum will be thick out in the Port Royal Sound over live bottom areas. Small redfish about 14 or 15 inches long are abundant in the feeder creeks when water drains out of the grass, and they can be caught on live shrimp or mullet as well as Gulp shrimp and minnows.
- Trout: Good. Lots of small trout are being caught with live shrimp fish against the grass, and some better fish are mixed in, too. Fish two hours each side of high tide; when the really high tides pass and the water clears up fishing will get even better.
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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 - 8/11/2008
August 11, 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.
- Flounder: Very good. Even though the water is starting to get very warm flounder continue to be caught in Cherry Grove and 53rd area creeks using mud minnows. Flounder are also being taken at the Little River jetties.
- Spottail bass: Very good. Fish Clark Spoons or other heavy, fast dropping lures deep against the rocks at the jetties for big red drum. Fish can be caught on most any tide - the key is getting the spoons deep. Cut mullet or menhaden weighted down may also work.
- Sheepshead and black drum: Excellent. The sheepshead bite has gotten hot. Sand fleas and fiddler crabs are both very productive around the jetties and any inshore pilings.
- Spanish mackerel: Very good. Big Spanish mackerel are being caught near the jetties. 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.
- Offshore: Wahoo and king mackerel are both being caught when boats can get offshore. The dolphin bite has really slowed.
- Cherry Grove Pier: Whiting up to half a pound and black drum up to three pounds are both being caught on cut pieces of shrimp. A few small sheepshead are also being reported caught, and occasional 16 inch flounder are being landed.
- Spottail Bass: Good. Slot sized spottails are being taken at the south end of Murrells Inlet in the backwaters and creeks as well as by flounder fishermen drifting or trolling the main inlet. Mud minnows, live or cut mullet, and cut shrimp are all producing. Large drum continue to be caught at the jetties; fish the incoming tide right after the tide turns against the North Jetty walls.
- Trout: Sporadic. Occasional reports continue to come in of some very large trout being caught at the jetties, but these are few and far between. Use live shrimp, finger mullet, or mud minnows or fish Gulp.
- Flounder: Slow. With the very hot water flounder catching has slowed to almost non-existent. Some anglers continue to troll Murrells Inlet, but few fish are being landed.
- Sheepshead: Excellent. Large numbers of sheepshead are being caught at the Murrells Inlet jetty, but the bite is even hotter down at the Georgetown jetties. Fiddler crabs and live or cut shrimp on a Carolina rig fished vertically are producing. Perry’s Bait and Tackle reports that sheepshead sell as fast as they can catch them.
- Surf report: Snapper bluefish are prolific as well as good numbers of whiting. Pompano are also around in good numbers - August and September are traditionally the best months for sheepshead in the area. Large, 5 to 7 pound Spanish mackerel are abundant in the surf.
- Springmaid Pier: Some good sized flounder have been caught, as well as fair numbers of pinfish and spots. Ribbonfish have been prolific, and no kings have been caught recently. Second
- Avenue Pier: Flounder action is pretty hot; 15 or so are being caught each day, up to 3 or 4 pounds. A few black drum are being caught as well as some Spanish by jig fishermen. Pinfish, whiting, and croaker are also around.
- Myrtle Beach State Park Pier: Occasional flounder are being caught, as well as whiting, bluefish, and Spanish mackerel.
- Apache Pier: Fishing has slowed, but some summer trout and flounder are being caught as well as occasional pompano. A 30.8 pound king mackerel was landed a couple of weeks ago.
- Surfside Pier: Fishing remains off, and only sharks, stingrays, and sea robins are being caught in good numbers.
- Garden City Pier: Whiting and pinfish are being caught in decent numbers, and lots of small bluefish in the 11 to 13 inch size are being landed. A few pompano are being landed and some Spanish are also being jigged up. No king mackerel have been caught recently.
- Offshore: Offshore fishing has slowed down, but some grouper are being reported caught at the wrecks and reefs. The hottest bite is big king mackerel - a 35 pounder was recently caught trolling a reef 15 miles out, and lots more approaching that size are also being taken.
- Spottail Bass: Very good. Haddrell’s Point reports that redfish are scattered across all of the lowcountry estuaries, and anglers continue to have best luck fishing under docks with deep holes and plenty of shade. These fish are being caught on live or cut bait, Gulp, or Rattle Traps. Fishing in the flats is also strong, and spottails are in schools of 5 to 30 fish and being caught on flukes fished on flutter hooks. Bull drum are also schooled up in the harbor, and fish up to 40 pounds or more can be caught on bottom rigs with cut bait. The same method also works at the jetties.
- Trout: Very good. Early and late in the day topwater action is hot for spotted sea trout. Use topwater lures like Zara Spooks and “walk the dog” around oyster shells and feeder creeks on moving tides. Strong action is also coming fishing shrimp, minnows, or artificial shrimp under a popping cork at high tide. Good action is also coming fishing around points with oyster beds on tides where bait is being pulled in or pushed out; trout will ambush prey from the back side of these points.
- Flounder: Good. Flounder fishing continues to improve over the last few weeks, and best results are coming fishing around the edges of rock piles and creek mouths. Fish live finger mullet or mud minnows on a Carolina rig.
- 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, clam pieces, or cut shrimp.
- Tarpon: Good. Decent numbers of tarpon are still hanging around the inlets and jetties, and shark fishermen report picking some up accidentally. Fish large live mullet or menhaden in 6 to 15 foot deep slews between the sandbars on the outside of most any Charleston area inlet.
- Spanish mackerel: Good. Nice catches of Spanish mackerel continue to be made in the Harbor. Fish Gotcha plugs or spoons.
- Folly Beach Pier: A mixed bag continues to be caught at the pier, including whiting, bluefish, trout, Spanish mackerel, red drum, and sheepshead. Anglers are not having hot action on any one species, but action is pretty consistent for something.
- Offshore: Grouper and snapper action is good using butterfly jigs and cigar minnows in 85 to 150 feet of water. King mackerel fishing is hot from the shipping channel out to 120 feet of water. Snakes are abundant in 60 to 90 feet; troll sea witches with small ballyhoo, drone spoons, and diving plugs to ensure plenty of action. Dolphin fishing has generally slowed, but Ryan Riggs landed a new state record dolphin weighing 77.5 pounds and measuring 65 inches aboard the “Daymaker” on July 24 while fishing the Governor’s Cup out of Bohicket Marina. He caught the fish just inshore of the 226 hole trolling a naked ballyhoo rig on a circle hook. A few wahoo continue to be caught in 130 to 180 feet. The hottest bite continues to be billfish and particularly sailfish. Sailfish are balling bait in 250 to 300 feet of water, and boats heading deep are getting 5 to 10 shots a day at them. Blue marlin are being sighted less frequently, but several boats have released them in the last few days.
- Spottail Bass: Very good. First thing in the morning redfish are hitting topwater; when the sun is higher fish deeper with Gulp Shrimp. Tailing action is strong around high tide and will continue 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 to very good. Early morning topwater action is very good, and some big trout are being caught on lures like 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.
- Flounder: Good. Flounder fishing has improved slightly, and anglers are catching flounder using traditional flounder rigs with a bobber to float the mud minnows off the bottom. Best fishing is around low tide in the same areas as the spottails and trout, or in the mouths of creeks and inlets.
- Tarpon: Read about tarpon fishing in the Beaufort report.
- Offshore: High fuel prices and windy conditions have slowed offshore fishing. Nearshore Spanish mackerel, bluefish and jack crevalle are being caught just outside the Port Royal Sound and at the Gaskins and Whitewater reefs. For more offshore information read the Beaufort report.