North Myrtle Beach June 9, 2011
Dominic Plastina with a large spanish mackerel he reeled in after it attacked a Drone spoon while he was fishing with Capt. Randy Atwood of SeaQuest Charters 25 miles off Little River Inlet.
Mark, of Shallow Minded Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that the flounder fishing is still excellent all over the area, with good catches coming from Tubbs Inlet and the Cherry Grove marshes. Anglers are also picking up flatfish around the Little River jetties and at structure like docks off the ICW. Live mud minnows and tiger-side minnows are responsible for most of the action, but the fish are also taking an interest in Gulp baits and other soft plastics.
Red drum are also feeding along the jetties at Little River and will pounce on the same baits that anglers are using for flounder. Some black drum, sheepshead, and speckled trout are also looking for meals along the rocks, and live shrimp drifted under floats will attract attention from all three.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are feeding in the inlet and just offshore. Boaters can hook up while trolling Clarkspoons or casting metal lures like Deadly Dicks at fish they see feeding on the surface.
Spadefish are schooled up on the General Sherman and other nearshore structure. Finding jelly ball jellyfish is key to success with the spades. Once anglers gather a few, stringing them on a rope and dropping them below the boat will lure the spades to the surface, where small pieces of the jellies will get them to bite anglers’ hooks.
Patrick, of Capt. Smiley’s Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that the flounder bite is superb. The best action has been in Tubbs Inlet when incoming tides move clean water inshore. Anglers are still weeding through some short fish to get to those they can take home, but there are plenty of keepers in the mix.
The flatfishing has also been good in Bonaparte Creek and around the Little River crossroads. Live mud minnows and Gulp minnow/croaker and swimming mullet soft baits have all been attracting attention from the flounder.
Red drum are feeding in many of the same areas as the flounder and in the shallow creeks in the area, and Gulps, chunks of crab, and live baits will all attract attention from the reds.
Live shrimp are becoming more abundant in the creeks and the inshore waters of the area, so anglers shouldn’t have much trouble cast-netting some for bait.
Steve, of Cherry Grove Pier, reports that anglers are hooking up with some spadefish and black drum on bottom rigs baited with shrimp.
A few sheepshead were caught near the pilings last week.
Anglers fishing small live baits on the bottom are connecting with some keeper flounder.
Spanish mackerel and plenty of bluefish are falling for Gotcha plugs and other metal lures anglers are working from the pier.
