North Myrtle Beach August 5, 2010
Rick Snowden, from Pittsburgh, PA, with a red drum he hooked on a live shrimp pinned to a Mission Fishin' jighead while he was fishing in Dunn Sound with Capt. Mark Dickson of Shallow Minded Inshore Fishing Charters.
Mark, of Shallow Minded Inshore Fishing, reports that the area’s inshore bite has improved over the past week, especially around Little River Inlet.
Drifting through the inlet has been offering anglers shots at some sizeable red drum (10-12+ lbs.), black drum (some just as large), gray and speckled trout, flounder, whiting, bonnethead sharks, and other species. Incoming tides are producing the best bite by a large margin, and anglers are hooking the fish on live finger mullet, pogies, and shrimp.
Some even larger reds (20-25 lbs.) are working their way towards the inlet on their way inshore to breed, so anglers should have shots at them soon. These larger fish are brawlers, so anglers should use at least 20 lb. tackle in order to avoid fighting the big reds for so long they cannot recover.
Inshore, falling tides have been producing action with black drum and some smaller reds in Dunn Sound and at creekmouths off the ICW. Live shrimp are fooling both.
The nearshore flounder bite is on at structure like the Jim Caudle Reef, and anglers are hooking some solid flatfish while dropping live baits to the bottom.
Patrick, of Capt. Smiley’s Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are picking up some speckled trout in Bonaparte Creek on live shrimp beneath popping corks.
Red drum are feeding around the Little River crossroads, and anglers are also finding some in the 3-4’ potholes in the area’s shallow creeks. Live shrimp are fooling the reds, and Gulp shrimp are also effective when the pinfish are too bad to use live ones.
Drifting around the Little River jetties has been producing plenty of action with a mixed bag catch of gray and speckled trout, croakers, whiting, red drum, and more. Live shrimp are attracting the most attention, and the best bite’s been on the incoming tides.
Brian, of Fish-On Outfitters, reports that the flounder bite is still a bit slow in the heat of the days, but anglers are catching decent numbers on live baits in the Cherry Grove marshes.
The speckled trout action, however, seems to be turning on in Cherry Grove, and anglers are hooking up with most of the specks on live baits as well.
Bait is showing up well inshore, and anglers should have little trouble catching some finger mullet and shrimp in their cast-nets.
Off the beaches, the spanish mackerel and shark fishing is still excellent.
Mike, of Cherry Grove Pier, reports that anglers fishing live mud minnows and shrimp from the pier are hooking up with gray and speckled trout and some better-sized flounder (most keepers).
A few over-sized red drum are mixed in as well.
Bottom fishermen baiting up with cut shrimp are putting together good catches of whiting.
Anglers fishing smaller live baits from the pier have been hooking up with some sizeable spanish mackerel.
