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South Carolina Saltwater Fishing Trends - 9/15/2008

September 15, 2008



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South Carolina Saltwater Fishing Trends - 8/11/2008

August 11, 2008

South Carolina Saltwater Fishing Trends - 8/11/2008Little 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.

Little River

  • 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.

Grand Strand

  • 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.

Charleston

  • 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.

Hilton Head

  • 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.


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North Carolina Saltwater Fishing Report - 8/3/2008

August 3, 2008

Northern District  Dare, Hyde, Currituck, & Beaufort Counties

For the 2008 fishing year, all owners/operators of vessels recreationally fishing for and/or retaining regulated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) (Atlantic tunas, sharks, swordfish and billfish) in the Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, must obtain an Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling permit. This permit has replaced the Atlantic tunas Angling category permit. In North Carolina, additional HMS harvest reporting requirements are also in place.

Please Note: Anglers sometimes confuse small king mackerel with Spanish mackerel. King mackerel and spanish mackerel have different size and catch limits. Make SURE you properly identify the mackerel you are catching. (Tips here)

A recreational Recreational Fishing License went into effect Jan. 1, 2007 for all of the state’s coastal and ocean waters. Tagged Red Drum: Download PDF with reward details.
 
Ocean: Offshore activity was slow with only a modest increase in catch rates.  Dolphin made up the bulk of the catches with a few wahoo and king mackerel mixed in. Tuna were scarce, with only a few being caught this week.  Billfish anglers had moderate-good success on all species.  Midrange success improved somewhat with catches of triggerfish, black seabass, blueline tilefish, and both vermilion and red snappers being caught in the 8-10 mile offshore range.  King mackerel and striped bass were caught with increased regularity in the 5-6 mile range.  Inshore anglers caught some very nice flounder in the 0-2 mile range with most specimens being in the very near shore surf zone.  Sand fleas (mole crabs) were the bait that worked best.  Bluefish and Spanish mackerel were caught in this same region in short term/high volume blitzes.

Inlets/Sounds/Bays: Flounder catches were good throughout the area.  Shallow areas near the various islands at Oregon Inlet produced the bulk of them with a few citation-size ones being recorded this week.  Spotted seatrout and weakfish catches were very much improved. Most of them were caught in the Roanoke Sound underneath the Washington Baum Bridge opposite Pirates Cove Marina.  Croakers, kingfish, spot, pinfish, and others were also caught. 

Piers/Shore: Flounder in the near shore surf zone continued to be the primary target of these anglers with similar results to the inshore boaters.  Spanish mackerel and bluefish catches were good as well.  Unlike boaters, pier and shore anglers did not have to wait for calm seas to access them and catches were very good on a daily basis regardless of surf conditions.  Cobia catches from piers lessened somewhat, but a few nice specimens were caught at night.  Bell Island Pier, just west of Swanquarter, produced some very nice spotted seatrout and a few flounder. 

General Overview: Fishing success rates improved across the board with the exception of offshore ocean fishing.  Water temp in the surf (Kill Devil HIlls) the day of this report was 76 degrees with favorable conditions expected for the coming week.
 
Central District  Pamlico, Craven, Carteret, & Onslow Counties

Please Note: Anglers sometimes confuse small king mackerel with Spanish mackerel. King mackerel and spanish mackerel have different size and catch limits. Make SURE you properly identify the mackerel you are catching. (Tips here)

A recreational Recreational Fishing License went into effect Jan. 1, 2007 for all of the state’s coastal and ocean waters.

Tagged Red Drum: Download PDF with reward details.
 
Ocean:  Anglers caught wahoo at the # 14 Buoy. Billfish and a few dolphin were caught offshore. The charterboat fishing was rather slow. Gags were caught at the 240 Rock.

Inlets/Sounds/Bays: There were plenty of flounder at Drum Inlet  and there were also some nice black drum. At the Cee Bee Marina nice flounder, spotted seatrout and black drum were measured.  Sheepshead are still around all bridges in the county. Two anglers in Carteret county caught 12, four of which weighed five pounds or so. Spanish mackerel were caught around Beaufort and Bogue inlets and off the beaches. Bluefish are swimming with the Spanish. Redfish are still in the Newport River.

Piers/Shore:  Anglers reeled in a mixed bag of small bluefish, kingfish and Spanish.

Southern District  Pender, New Hanover, & Brunswick Counties

Please Note: Anglers sometimes confuse small king mackerel with Spanish mackerel. King mackerel and spanish mackerel have different size and catch limits. Make SURE you properly identify the mackerel you are catching. (Tips here)

A recreational Recreational Fishing License went into effect Jan. 1, 2007 for all of the state’s coastal and ocean waters.

Tagged Red Drum: Download PDF with reward details.
 
Ocean: Very few reports from boats fishing offshore. Bottom fishing in the 35 to 55-mile range should be producing some grouper, mostly reds along with some scamps and gags. Closer to shore, there are some kings biting, nothing great but there are some fish around. Places that have been producing some fish are the shark hole and jungle down south, and the 23-mile rock area. There were a good many sailfish caught last week, with some fish coming as close as a couple miles off the beach. There are good numbers of tarpon being reported on the south end of Topsail Island. Near/shore reefs have been producing some decent flounder catches of late. John’s Creek has been a good spot to try.

Inlets/Sounds/Bays: Inshore, fishing has remained fairly good. Flounder are being caught in the river in decent numbers along some nice trout. Most trout are coming out of the southern part of the river. Sheepshead and black drum are biting well at places such as the ADM dock and Snow’s cut.

Piers/Shore: Fishing is somewhat slow. There are some keeper flounder being caught along with some sea mullets, pompano, and bluefish. Topsail Island piers saw a good many tarpon last week.



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South Carolina Weekly Saltwater Fishing Report - 7/28/2008

July 28, 2008

Fishing trends courtesy www.SCFishingReport.com. Check the site for recent updates and detailed reports.

Little River

Grand Strand

  • Spottail Bass: Very good. Fishing for big red drum has taken off, and bull drum are being caught on the incoming tide right after the tide turns against the North Jetty walls. Mud minnows, live or cut mullet, and cut shrimp are all producing.
  • Trout: Very good. Good catches are coming in deep holes in the creeks on high tide, and at lower tides fish seem to back out of the smaller creeks into the bigger water and the jetty area.
  • Flounder: Good. Drift or troll live mud minnows in Murrells Inlet or the Tubbs Inlet area.
  • Black Drum: Good. Cut shrimp, live shrimp, and crabs are all productive.
  • Sheepshead: Excellent. At both the Murrells Inlet and Georgetown jetties the sheepshead continue to be ravenous. Fiddler crabs and live or cut shrimp on a Carolina rig fished vertically are producing.
  • Springmaid Pier: Ribbonfish and croaker are both abundant. Occasional flounder, spottails, and whiting are also being caught.
  • Second Avenue Pier: Both flounder and spottail bass are still being caught. Good numbers of spottails, between 15 and 20 a day, are being landed, and flounder up to 6.5 pounds have been taken.
  • Myrtle Beach State Park Pier: Pompano, a few Spanish mackerel, croaker, and small whiting are all being caught. The best catch, though, is blue crabs, which are being caught by the bucketful.
  • Apache Pier: Fishing has slowed, but some summer trout and flounder are being caught as well as occasional pompano.
  • Surfside Pier: Fishing is off, and only occasional spadefish, bluefish, and flounder are being caught.
  • Garden City Pier: Fishing is slow at the pier, although whiting are being caught in decent numbers. Bluefish and Spanish mackerel are being caught occasionally but they are few and far between.

Charleston

  • Spottail Bass: Very good. Haddrell’s Point reports that redfish are scattered across all of the lowcountry estuaries, and anglers are having 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.
  • Trout: Good to very good. The best action is coming fishing shrimp, minnows, or artificial shrimp under a popping cork at high tide.
  • Flounder: Good. 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 or cut shrimp.
  • Folly Beach Pier: Trout fishing is good with a dozen or more fish up to 3 pounds or more being caught each day. Bluefish up to a pound or two are common, and whiting and a few flounder are also being caught.

Hilton Head

  • 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 to improve all summer.
  • Trout: Good to very good. Best 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. Best fishing is around low tide in the same areas as the spottails and trout, or in the mouths of creeks and inlets.
  • Jack Crevalle: Very good. Huge jacks are being caught around Daufuskie Island.


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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.

Little River

Grand Strand

  • 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.

Charleston

  • 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.

Hilton Head

  • 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.

Beaufort

  • 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 Fsihing Trends - 7/14/2008

July 14, 2008

Little River - Grand Strand - Charleston - Hilton Head - Beaufort - 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.

Little River

Grand Strand

  • 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 c