North Myrtle Beach June 10, 2010
Chandler Rose and Alex Anderson with a dolphin Anderson hooked on a skirted ballyhoo while trolling offshore of Holden Beach on the "Sarcastic."
Mark, of Shallow Minded Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that the fishing has been hit-or-miss with the shifting winds over the past week, but the fish that anglers are catching have been larger than normal.
Fishing in Dunn Sound with live shrimp, peanut pogies, and finger mullet has been producing bites from some healthy speckled trout (to 3.5 lbs.). Good numbers of smaller red drum have been mixed in on many days.
The flounder bite is still on in Tubbs Inlet, and anglers also caught some keepers around Sunset Beach Bridge last week. Live peanut pogies and finger mullet have been producing the better fish, while mud minnows are drawing more bites, but generally from the smaller flatties.
Some speckled trout have also been mixed in at the bridge, and anglers fishing live shrimp for the trout are picking up some black drum as well.
Patrick, of Capt. Smiley’s Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are picking up big numbers of flounder throughout Dunn Sound, but most are on the small side, with a few keepers in the mix. Red drum (18-27”) are also feeding in the sound, but the bite is on one day and quiet the next. Gulp baits and curlytail grubs on jigheads are producing most of the action, and they allow anglers to fish a little faster and cover more water than when fishing live baits.
Craig Apple, from McLeansville, NC, with a 39.9 lb. gag grouper that fell for a Blue Water Candy Roscoe jig at some bottom structure in 120' of water off Holden Beach. He was fishing with Capt. Keith Logan of Feedin' Frenzy Charters.
Anglers are also picking up some flounder and drum while fishing docks, creek drains, and other likely spots in the ICW.
The flounder bite is still solid in Tubbs Inlet as well, where anglers are picking up plenty of bluefish and a few speckled trout on the side.
Not much has been happening at the Little River jetties recently.
Live shrimp are finally around (in cast-net size), and they seem to be getting larger by the week. The shrimp are the most effective baits for the area’s speckled trout, and fishing them on split-shot rigs or beneath popping corks around oyster beds and marsh edges has been the most consistent way to hook up with the specks lately. Like the reds, the trout bite has been a bit unpredictable, so anglers should fish a spot for no more than 15 minutes before moving on in order to find some actively feeding fish.
Bryan, of Fish-On Outfitters, reports that the flounder bite is still solid in the Cherry Grove marshes. Live mud minnows and other smaller live baits are producing the lion’s share of the action.
Some red drum are also feeding in the area, and they will fall for the same baits.
Speckled trout fishing has been best around the Sunset Beach swing bridge lately, and live shrimp are the best baits when anglers can get their hands on them. D.O.A. shrimp under popping corks are producing some bites when the real thing is unavailable.
Wesley Brown, of Cherryville, NC, with a pompano he hooked on shrimp while fishing from Oak Island Pier.
Tyler, of Cherry Grove Pier, reports that anglers are seeing better numbers of red and black drum while bottom fishing with shrimp. A few pompano, lookdowns, and whiting are mixed in, along with plenty of sharks.
Anglers are picking up some flounder on small live baits.
Sheepshead are feeding around the pier’s pilings, but not many anglers have been targeting them lately.
Plug casters are hooking up with some bluefish and spanish mackerel when the clean water is close enough to the beach.
The water is 80 degrees.
