Added on Thursday, July 31, 2008  Gary Hurley

North Myrtle Beach July 31, 2008

Mark, of Shallow Minded Guide Fishing, reports that speckled trout action has been excellent over the past week. Most of the fish aren’t huge (16-18″), but anglers are landing double digit numbers on most days, especially in the mornings. Live shrimp fished on split shot rigs and beneath floats are producing most of the bites.

The action has been best around the Little River jetties, where anglers are also hooking up with gray trout, flounder, bluefish, and a few reds while drifting near the structure. A 10 lb. sheepshead and some black drum have also taken an interest in the shrimp lately.

Anglers also hooked some bonnethead sharks and a tarpon while fishing the inlet with live finger mullet last week.

Just outside the inlet on the shoals, ladyfish have been feeding with abandon. Topwater plugs have been producing plenty of action with the ladies, and anglers are also hooking some big spanish mackerel on the topwaters, too.

Creek mouths off the ICW have been producing some action with red drum.

 

Patrick, of Capt. Smiley’s Fishing Charters, reports that the Sunset Beach Bridge trout bite has been a little slow this week, but anglers are still finding some red drum around the bridge pilings. Finger mullet have been very plentiful in the area lately, and the mullet have been producing plenty of action with the reds.

Red drum and speckled trout are also feeding in Bonaparte Creek, where anglers are hooking them with live shrimp and finger mullet on popping corks and split shot rigs.

The Little River jetties have been producing plenty of action over the week, and anglers are hooking up with speckled trout, bluefish, sea bass, and some spanish mackerel while casting live shrimp on split shot rigs near the rocks. Gulp baits will also draw bites out at the jetties.

Both live shrimp and mullet are plentiful in the creeks, and anglers should easily be able to cast net some baits at lower tides.

 

Drew, of Crowd Pleaser Sport Fishing, reports that the king mackerel bite has been solid over the week at the Jungle and other spots in the 60-80′ depth range. Live pogies have been producing the best action, and there have been plenty of them on the beach near the Sunset Beach Pier.

A good number of sailfish have been feeding in the same areas as the kings, and boats have been hooking them on live pogies as well.

Amberjacks are holding on wrecks and other high relief-structure offshore, and vertical jigging will attract plenty of attention from them.

At ledges and other structure in around 85′, anglers are hooking big beeliners and sea bass on Lucanos Jigs.

Further out, jigging around live bottoms and ledges in 110′ has been producing a lot of scamp groupers lately. The scamps are running up to 15 lbs., and Shimano and Braid jigs have been tempting them to bite.

 

Brendan, of Cherry Grove Pier, reports that anglers are hooking a few bluefish on mackerel tree rigs.

Bottom fishermen are catching some black drum and pompano on cut shrimp.

Anglers baiting up with live finger mullet are landing some flounder.