North Myrtle Beach August 22, 2013
Jason Wolfe, of Cherry Grove, SC, landed this 75 lb. wahoo while fishing 30 miles off Little River Inlet with Voyager Fishing Charters.
Patrick, of Capt. Smiley’s Fishing Charters, reports that more rain and wind have dirtied the water around Little River, but anglers are still finding some decent action, especially around the inlets. Drifting through Little River Inlet has been producing mixed bag action with red drum (some to 10+ lbs.), flounder (to 5 lbs.), pompano, and plenty of other fish. Live mullet and menhaden are fooling most of the reds, while shrimp are tempting bites from the pompano and other smaller bottom feeders. The drift-fishing has been best on the rising tides recently.
Tubbs Inlet also seems to have had better water clarity and, consequently, fishing lately, and anglers are connecting with the reds and flounder there as well. Live finger mullet and shrimp, along with Gulp baits, are getting attention in Tubbs.
There are still some fish feeding inshore around the creeks, marshes, and grass banks, but the bite’s been inconsistent with the recent dirty water.
Mark, of Shallow Minded Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are still hooking some larger red drum in Little River Inlet while drifting live and cut mullet and menhaden along the bottom on rising tides.
Sheepshead are feeding along the rocks at the Little River jetties. Anglers can tempt them to bite barnacles or fiddler crabs fished tight to the structure.
Jacob Stevens (age 11), of Kernersville, NC, with his first saltwater fish, a 19″ flounder that bit a live finger mullet near an Ocean Isle dock while he was fishing with his uncle.
Anglers are also seeing some solid flounder action in the inlet while fishing with smaller live baits.
The flatfish bite is also going strong at nearshore structure like the Jim Caudle Reef. Live menhaden have been the best bets for the nearshore flounder, but they’ve been a bit scarce lately. Mullet will also produce, but anglers seem to be hooking more (and larger) flatfish and less bycatch on the menhaden, so it may be worth the trouble to find them.
Spanish mackerel (some 18-20”) and bluefish are feeding around the inlet and along the beachfront, where anglers can hook them casting small suspending plugs or metal jigs like Deadly Dicks.
Some jack crevalle have been feeding alongside the spanish and blues, and anglers are hooking the jacks on the same lures.
Ronnie, of Cherry Grove Pier, reports that anglers are catching bluefish and a few spanish mackerel while working Gotcha plugs and mackerel tree rigs from the pier.
Some spot, sea mullet, and smaller bottom feeders are taking an interest in bottom rigs baited with shrimp, and anglers are also hooking a few red drum on shrimp.
The water is 80 degrees.
