North Myrtle Beach April 12, 2012
Todd Helf with a 3 lb. speckled trout that bit a soft plastic bait at the Little River jetties while he was fishing with Robert Hughes.
Mark, of Shallow Minded Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that the high tides and dirty water made the usual red drum bite a little tough last week, but switching gears and targeting the fish on flooded grass flats produced some excellent days of fishing. Chunks of softshell or papershell (just harder than softshell) crabs on light jigheads and Carolina rigs are excellent choices for the reds when the water’s a bit dirty, as the reds will find them by scent instead of sight.
Along with the reds, black drum have been feeding in the shallows (some fish 10-15 lbs.), and they’ll also take a strong interest in a chunk of crab sitting on the bottom.
The flounder bite is still going in Tubbs Inlet (with plenty of small fish but a few more keepers now than earlier in the year). Live mud minnows and Gulp baits are top choices for the flatfish.
Speckled trout are feeding in the ICW closer to Little River, with action coming from Coquina Harbor and the area around the swing bridge last week. Chartreuse D.O.A. shrimp have been tempting bites from the trout.
Patrick, of Capt. Smiley’s Fishing Charters, reports that flounder are still feeding in Tubbs Inlet, but the bite’s been up-and-down in recent days. Live mud minnows and Gulp Swimming Mullet on jigheads are both solid choices for the flounder. A few bluefish are in the same area and will readily strike the same baits.
Speckled trout are feeding around ICW structure near Sunset Beach, and they’ve been responding well to D.O.A. shrimp imitations.
The canals around Sunset Beach are holding good numbers of red drum. Chunks of softshell crabs and live mud minnows have been producing plenty of action with the reds lately.
More reds and some black drum are looking for meals around the Little River Crossroads, where anglers have been tempting them to bite Gulp baits and live mud minnows.
Jeff and Isaac Geyer, of Washington, DC, with a pair of red drum they caught and released near Sunset Beach while fishing with Capt. Patrick Kelly of Capt. Smiley's Fishing Charters.
Steve, of Cherry Grove Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are connecting with some solid catches of sea mullet on double-hook rigs baited with shrimp. Anglers also hooked decent numbers of flounder and an over-slot red drum on shrimp last week.
Bluefish have shown up in good numbers, and anglers are hooking them while working gold hook rigs and Gotcha plugs from the planks. The first spanish mackerel of the spring have also shown up and are taking an interest in the same lures as the blues.
The water is 64 degrees.
