North Myrtle Beach August 17, 2006
Mark, at Shallow Minded Guide Fishing, reports that excellent flounder fishing is taking place on the nearshore reefs. Fish are hitting live mullet and ranging 18 to 26 inches.
Bluefish and gray trout are also hitting live baits on the reef bottoms, and light lining a bait on the reefs will give you a shot at a spanish or king mackerel. Several kings (10 to 14 pounds) have been caught this week using this method.
The jetties have been off and on with the redfish and flounder, but there have been good days using live shrimp. The reds have not been the real big ones yet, but they are 22 to 27 inch class fish.
The reds are also biting very well if you can find them holding on docks in the ICW.
Patrick, at Captain Smiley’s Fishing Charters, reports that inside the waterway has been productive for redfish in the 6 pound range and the occasional speckled trout. Live shrimp, mullet, or Berkley Gulp has been the best baits.
Black drum and small croakers are being caught on live shrimp in the Bonaparte Creek area.
The jetties have been hit or miss on spawning red drum in the 27 to 34 inch range. The full moon tides have made it difficult to fish for them, but live pogies fished on a slack tide have been the most productive if you can avoid the ribbonfish and bonnet head sharks.
The Jim Caudle reef has been a good spot to try for flounder out in the ocean, and they should hit either pogies or live mullet.
Steve, at Sea Hunt Charters, reports that not much has changed this week. There should continue to be a good grouper bite in 80+ feet of water, so there is not much need to look elsewhere unless you go deeper for more variety.
Kings and dolphin are biting in the same areas, and they will hit trolled baits or light lined live baits while you’re grouper fishing.
