North Myrtle Beach/Little River – April 2022
Patrick, of Captain Smiley Fishing Charters, reports that speckled trout fishing has been best for anglers fishing ledges along the ICW. A good method has been to anchor up in 5-6’ of water with a flat on one side and a deeper drop-off to around 13’ of water on the other. Cast baits into the current and let them naturally run the ledge. Live shrimp under a slip cork is a hard setup to beat, with anglers also getting strikes with Vudu shrimp and paddle tail grubs. Using Pro-Cure shrimp scent on the artificial lures has helped bite numbers.
Red drum action has been steady in the tidal marsh areas. The reds are mostly in their bigger schools getting ready to transition into their smaller spring groups. Fishing around the lower tide cycles, either falling or just rising, has been best. A variety of cut shrimp, mud minnows, and Gulp soft plastics are all getting strikes.
A few scattered flounder are holding in deeper holes in these same tidal areas.
Anglers fishing out at the jetties are catching redfish while drifting live shrimp under slip corks in the 20’ range. A few reds are also falling for swim baits.
Running out to nearshore structure is producing a mix of black sea bass, black drum, bluefish, and sheepshead all feeding on split-shot rigs with shrimp (or fiddlers for sheepshead).
Harold Rohrback, of Little River, SC, with the speckled trout he hooked on live shrimp in the Little River ICW. He was fishing with Capt. Patrick Smiley of Captain Smiley Fishing Charters.
Bob, of Strange Magic Fishing Charters, reports that redfish have starting to break out of their larger schools in the backs of creeks and are now cruising the banks in smaller groups. Soft plastics on jig heads work great, with anglers having the most success working them fairly slowly with mild jigging action. As water temperatures rise, anglers can increase retrieval speed.
Speckled trout are getting frisky as they start to move into a spring spawning pattern. Areas along the ICW where shell banks transition to grass are producing best, especially those with deep water access nearby. Gulp and Z-Man soft plastics, or mud minnows under a popping cork, have produced most of the strikes.
The first flounder of the season have been caught by anglers fishing live minnows or Gulp baits with a slow retrieve. Target creek mouths and draining marsh channels during a falling tide. The mullet and other bait are stacked up in the backwaters, and as the tide progresses down, these flatfish are staged up looking for an easy meal.
Black drum are still in holes back in creeks and around docks.
Striped bass are also in the mix, mostly in areas of lower salinity. Areas near the public ICW boat ramp in North Myrtle have produced some action by anglers working soft plastics and mud minnows along the bottom. Action has been best after periods of rainfall in the area.
Chris, of Fine Catch Fishing Charters, reports that nearshore anglers are finding quite a few black drum and mixed sheepshead out on the reefs as these species get ready to push inshore. Bottom rigs with cut shrimp, fiddler crabs, and sand fleas are all producing strikes.
There is a bunch of black sea bass on these structures. At times, these aggressive feeders make it difficult to get baits down to black drum and sheepshead targets.
Gray trout are starting to move onto these reefs now that the black drum are thinning out. The key for getting action is to position the boat over structure and let the bait drift back onto the reef. White- or chartreuse-colored grubs on 1/4 or 3/8 oz. jig heads will both work great in getting strikes.
Fishing around the jetties has been producing a good class of slot to over-slot red drum and large speckled trout. For both species, drifting live shrimp on a slip cork up and down the rocks will produce action. If you can’t find live shrimp, a variety of pinfish, finger mullet, and baby croakers will produce.
Redfish in the backwaters haven’t started to break out of their larger winter schools just yet. Anglers target these schools by looking for their wakes pushing on shallow flats. Stealthily approaching and casting Z-Man soft plastics, Vudu shrimp, or Gulp shrimp and then working these baits slowly is the best tactic. Scent also dramatically helps the bite ratios.
Speckled trout and some scattered reds have made a big move into the ICW. Most seem to be holding in small schools, so be prepared to move a lot. Target the grassy banks and creek mouth areas with Vudu, D.O.A., or live shrimp drifted with current along the banks.
Live bait fished along these ICW stretches have also produced a few rockfish.
Bevan, of Chilly Water Fishing, reports that anglers fishing nearshore structure in the 65-75’ range are finding plenty of nice black sea bass. This action is holding all the way out to the 100’ depths where triggerfish and vermilion snapper will also be mixed in. Bottom rigs with squid have worked well in getting action from all three species.
A variety of grunts and white porgies are also part of the mixed bottom fish bags.
Larry, of Voyager Fishing Charters, reports that big black sea bass have been plentiful both near the beach and on the longer-range trips.
A mix of porgies and snapper are also being caught by the bottom fishing anglers.
False albacore will be starting to push nearshore with the arrival of bait.
King mackerel are still holding offshore, but they will be more active where the water temperature has a 68 degree break.
Bradley, of Cherry Grove Pier, reports that a mixed bag of croakers, puffers, and good-sized whiting are being seen in coolers.
Some of the first bluefish and a couple flounder have started to show up. They’re mostly feeding on the cut shrimp offerings.
Norma, of Apache Pier, reports that anglers have been catching some good-sized whiting, pufferfish, and a few croakers.
