North Myrtle Beach April 23, 2009

Ed Heilig, Mike Haggie, Rita Rule, and Grant MacKinnon with the results of a day of blue water trolling off Holden Beach near the Blackjack Hole with Capt. Keith Logan of Stand N' Down Charters. They caught wahoo, amberjacks, blackfin tuna, dolphin, and king mackerel while trolling skirted ballyhoo.

Mark, of Shallow Minded Inshore Fishing, reports that when the wind has laid down over the past week, the fishing’s been excellent. Around the Little River jetties, anglers are hooking up with some stout redfish (most 20-30″, with a few larger) and big speckled trout (several in the 4-7 lb. range). Live shrimp fished under floats are the best baits, but they can be difficult to find. Other live baits-like mud minnows, finger mullet, and peanut pogies-are working when anglers can’t find the shrimp.

When the wind’s howling, anglers are still finding some solid action at ICW spots like the Sunset Beach Bridge. Black drum and some smaller reds and specks are feeding around the bridge and other inshore structure. Again, live shrimp are the best baits, although the black drum will fall for dead ones pinned to bottom rigs, too.

The area’s flounder bite is picking up, and anglers have been landing a few per trip while targeting the reds and specks. Most are still undersized, but a few keepers are hitting the cooler. Anglers have reported big numbers of flounder in the Cherry Grove area, but, again, they’re weeding through plenty of short fish to get to the keepers.

Patrick, of Capt. Smiley’s Fishing Charters, reports that there’s been some good fishing in the ICW around Sunset Beach Bridge and other structure lately, with anglers finding steady fishing for speckled trout and red and black drum. The specks have been falling for live shrimp beneath float rigs drifted along the drop-offs near the structure. The reds have been holding tighter to ICW docks, oyster rocks, and other structure, and they’re also taking an interest in live shrimp.

The black drum are feeding close to the bridge itself, and falling for crab and dead shrimp baits fished on split-shot rigs.

When the weather’s been calm enough to fish the Little River jetties, the red and trout bite has been on there as well.

Flounder are beginning to bite well throughout the area. Most are smaller fish, but one angler did land a 5 lb. flattie on a Gulp bait in the ICW last week, so a few doormats are already around, too.

Cameron, of the Little River Fishing Fleet, reports that Gulf Stream bottom fishing is still solid when the boats can get out. The grouper bite has improved a bit, and one trip last week produced some nice scamps (up to 20 lbs.).

In addition to the grouper, bottom fishermen are filling coolers with beeliners, big black sea bass, triggerfish, and other bottom dwellers. Squid and sardines have been producing most of the action with the bottomfish.

Inshore bottom fishing is producing a few keeper sea bass.

Some trollers fished the 30 mile area last week and caught false albacore, but they found no action with kings or other fish.

The water has made it to 63 degrees and is finally clearing up at nearshore dive spots like the Sherman, and anglers can expect the spanish, kings, and other fish to show up once it reaches 65, which shouldn’t be far off.

Larry, of Cherry Grove Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are decking good numbers of nice whiting (many over 1 lb.), along with plenty of sharks and stingrays. Some small flounder and a few small bluefish are making up the rest of the catch.

Shrimp are producing most of the action.

The water is 62 degrees.

by Fish Post