North Myrtle Beach July 12, 2012
Time Ward, of Statesville, NC, with a red drum he hooked at the Sunset Beach bridge on a live mullet while fishing with Capt. Patrick Kelly of Capt. Smiley's Fishing Charters.
Patrick, of Capt. Smiley’s Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are catching fish despite the tough conditions presented by hard SW winds and blazing hot temperatures last week.
Much of the action lately has been in and around Tubbs Inlet, where anglers are hooking up with red and black drum, speckled trout, and flounder. The fish are feeding around docks, oyster beds, and grass lines, and live shrimp fished under float rigs are producing most of the action.
The shrimp remain numerous in the local creeks, so anglers should have little difficulty catching enough bait for the day with a cast net. Lower tides offer the best shrimping possibilities.
Red drum are also feeding around oyster bars in Bonaparte Creek, with rising tides producing the best fishing. Live shrimp and finger mullet or Gulp baits will tempt bites from the reds, and fishing them on jigheads or under popping corks has been the best strategy recently.
There’s also been a good red and black drum bite around Sunset Beach Bridge and in the backwaters nearby, where live shrimp and Gulp baits are tempting bites from both drum.
Billy Berg, of North Myrtle Beach, with a 31" red grouper he hooked on a cigar minnow while bottom fishing in 110' of water off Little River Inlet with his father Bill on the "Fin Addict IV."
Mark, of Shallow Minded Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are connecting with some red and black drum around the Little River jetties (with black drum to 12-14 lbs. and reds to 32”). Live shrimp and peanut menhaden are producing most of the action with the drum.
There’s also been a good black and red drum bite in the Ocean Isle canals (with smaller fish). Live shrimp and Gulp baits are producing results in the canals.
Both drum species are also feeding near Sunset Beach Bridge, but big numbers of boats are there looking for them, too.
Large schools of menhaden are cruising just off Little River Inlet, and big numbers of spanish mackerel are following and feeding on them. Casting metal lures like Deadly Dicks or live baiting with smaller menhaden will tempt bites from the spaniards.
Blacktip sharks are also traveling in the company of the menhaden, and they will attack large cut baits for anglers looking to hook one of the big predators.
Randy Hughes, of Pickens, SC, with 15" and 18" flounder he hooked on live finger mullet while fishing the Jim Caudle Reef with his son Jamie.
The flounder bite is still going in Tubbs Inlet, and anglers caught some solid flatfish in Little River Inlet last week as well (with flounder to 4 lbs. in both areas). Live finger mullet, menhaden, and mud minnows or Gulp baits will tempt bites from the flatfish.
Lily, of Cherry Grove Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with some sea mullet and spot on double-hook rigs baited with shrimp and bloodworms. Some black drum have been in the mix in recent days as well.
Sheepshead fishing was solid for anglers in the know earlier in the week, with most of the fish falling for barnacles and sand fleas.
