North Myrtle Beach April 1, 2010
Marietta McEachern, of Cherry Grove Beach, with a big red drum she caught and released on a live finger mullet while fishing with Dennis Harold on the "Hot Spot" just outside Hog Inlet.
Mark, of Shallow Minded Fishing Charters, reports that the recent unstable weather and nightly lows in the 40’s have slowed the inshore bite a bit, but with spring upon us, it won’t be long until things are back on track.
Anglers are finding some speckled trout action in typical springtime spots off the ICW, like the Ocean Isle canals, but many of the fish are smaller. April is typically one of the best months for big trout in the area, so anglers can expect to see some better action with larger fish at spots like the Sunset Beach Bridge and Little River jetties very soon.
Live shrimp are the best trout baits, but they are still a little hard to come by much of the time. Live mud minnows and D.O.A. and other shrimp imitations will draw bites when anglers can’t find the real thing.
The area’s red drum have moved out of the shallows where they spent the winter, and these fish are now heading towards spots along the ICW like docks, the Sunset Beach Bridge, and other structure. The fish can be a little tough to find while they’re on the move, but they’ll be feeding in consistent and more predictable areas as April wears on.
When anglers find the fish, live mud minnows or chunks of blue crab pinned to Carolina rigs or light Mission Fishin’ jigheads will tempt them to bite.
Robert Hughes, of Sunset Beach, with a big speckled trout he hooked on a live shrimp at the Little River Jetties.
Patrick, of Capt. Smiley’s Fishing Charters, reports that inshore fishing in the area has been somewhat tough lately as the fish transition from winter to spring feeding patterns. The wild winter bite in the shallows has slowed as the fish move out of the creeks and the backwater areas to deeper spots along the ICW.
Gulp baits and D.O.A. shrimp are fooling most of the reds that anglers are finding now. As the water temperature continues to climb, the fish should become easier to find as they lock into their warmer weather habits.
Anglers are picking up a few speckled trout at ICW spots like the Sunset Beach Bridge. And, like the reds, the trout fishing should improve dramatically as April progresses. D.O.A. shrimp, whether fished on their own or under a popping cork, have been fooling most of the specks recently, as live shrimp have been tough to come by. Inshore trawlers are starting to find some shrimp, so it should be easier to find the trout’s favorite baits over the next few weeks as well.
Lou Bevilacqua, of Murrell's Inlet, SC, with a red drum he hooked in less than 2' of water in a creek near Sunset Beach. The red fell for a Gulp shrimp while he was fishing with Capt. Patrick Kelly of Capt. Smiley's Fishing Charters.
Mike, of Cherry Grove Pier, reports that anglers are still primarily finding action with whiting and sand sharks at the moment.
The water is still around 56 degrees at the pier. Once it hits 60 (which shouldn’t take long with the current forecast), anglers can expect action with whiting, bluefish, and more.
