North Myrtle Beach Winter 2012-2013
Capt. Mark Dickson, of Shallow Minded Inshore Fishing Charters, with a fat speckled trout that fell for a live shrimp near Little River.
Mark, of Shallow Minded Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that the area’s red drum have moved into their winter haunts in the area’s shallow backwaters, and they aren’t alone. Anglers are also connecting with flounder, black drum, and speckled trout while casting Gulp baits and other scented soft plastics to slightly deeper potholes in the shallow creeks and flats. Fly fishermen have also found solid action while working Clouser Minnows and other patterns in the same areas.
The reds are also feeding up on the flats and offering anglers an occasional sight-casting opportunity, but the best action in terms of numbers has come while blind-casting into the potholes. Anglers can expect the reds to be holding in the same shallow areas through the winter.
The speckled trout bite remains good around Little River, with some of the best action around docks and the swing bridge. Anglers are hooking the specks both while trolling hard and soft baits and on casting lures like D.O.A. shrimp.
Black drum are feeding around the Little River jetties in force, and live and cut shrimp or clam baits are getting their attention. More reds and some larger speckled trout are also looking for meals around the rocks, but the black drum are beating most of the reds and specks to the baits.
Marley Welsh, from Greensboro, NC, with a black drum that bit a live shrimp near Little River while she was fishing with Capt. Patrick Kelly of Capt. Smiley’s Fishing Charters.
Patrick, of Capt. Smiley’s Fishing Charters, reports that there’s been some excellent mixed bag fishing in the area lately. Sunset Beach and Tubbs Inlet have been hosting some of the best action, where anglers are hooking up with red and black drum, flounder, and speckled trout. Most of the fish are coming from areas around docks and oyster rocks, and both fresh shrimp and Gulp baits have proven effective lately.
Similar action has been taking place around the Little River Crossroads.
Anglers seem to be finding the best action with quality specks right now around Coquina Harbor, where Bass Assassin soft plastics and D.O.A. and Halo shrimp are tempting bites from good numbers of fish to 18-20”.
The trout action should remain reliable for weeks to come barring any extremely cold weather, and a mild winter could have the fish active until spring.
The cooling temperatures have fish moving into the area’s shallow water creeks and bays, where anglers can find red drum along with some speckled trout, flounder, and black drum feeding in deeper potholes (4-5’). Gulp baits and fresh shrimp are again the top baits.
The reds will be feeding in the shallows all winter long.
