North Myrtle Beach/Little River – May 2022
Patrick, of Captain Smiley Fishing Charters, reports that speckled trout fishing has been good both at the jetties and around inshore drop-offs along the ICW. Live shrimp, Vudu shrimp, and Gulp baits are all having some success. The key to trout fishing has been to fish areas of current.
Anglers at the jetties are also catching some redfish, with smaller groups back in 3-4’ holes of inshore creeks, too. The low and rising tide cycles have had the best bite.
Black drum are being caught with cut or live shrimp fished around the rocks. Some sheepshead will also feed on these live shrimp, with fiddler crabs being another great bait choice for both species.
Flounder fishing has returned, and these fish are staged just about everywhere as they flood back in. Live mud minnows and Gulp soft plastics work great for flatfish action.
A smaller class of bluefish have arrived in the inshore areas, out around the jetties, and beyond.
Spanish mackerel fishing is turning on for anglers sight casting spoons, and anglers fishing the nearshore reefs are catching plenty of gray trout on jigs while bumping the structure.
Dargon Grigg, of Myrtle Beach, with a yellowfin tuna that fell for a rigged ballyhoo while trolling offshore of Ocean Isle. He was fishing with Capt. Brant McMullan of Ocean Isle Fishing Center.
Bob, of Strange Magic Fishing Charters, reports that flounder have started to move in from their offshore wintering areas and are ready to feed. They are falling for everything from live minnows to a variety of Gulp or Z-Man soft plastics. Whites, chartreuse, and silver sparkle color patterns have seemed to be the top producers.
Target these flounder around creek mouths, deeper marsh drains, and around ICW docks. The lower tide cycles have been better for finding more concentrations of fish, as the higher tides have the fish more spread out.
Redfish have largely broken out of their wintering schools and have been in small groups or traveling alone. Patrol the creek banks on higher tides. Then with lower water, target the deeper holes. Docks are also great structures to target.
Black drum are in many of these same places, and they’re feeding on fresh shrimp, fiddler crabs, or sections of crab.
Speckled trout and now bluefish are staged up in many of the more typical trout holes. Shell banks with nearby structure and mainland creeks are the best places to target these fish. The same soft plastics used for flounder are also producing plenty of trout and bluefish strikes.
Chris, of Fine Catch Fishing Charters, reports that nearshore action has started to come alive with the arrival of spanish mackerel in the area. Anglers have had success trolling mackerel trees behind a #1 planer or casting gold/silver spoons at surface-feeding schools.
Bottom fishing the nearshore reefs with larger structure has been producing some good gray trout. Fishing live mid minnows or soft plastics on a heavier 3/8 oz. jig head has worked well. The top color patterns for plastics recently have been white, chartreuse, and pink.
A few flounder are staged in these same areas. Carolina-rigged finger mullet bounced up and down around the larger structure should produce strikes.
Anglers fishing the jetties have found some speckled trout hitting live shrimp floated down the rocks. Keeping baits in the 5-10’ range has been the ticket.
Red drum and black drum are being caught with the same method, as well as dropping cut shrimp to the bottom against the rocks.
Sheepshead anglers are having success with fiddler crabs rigged on 1/4-1/2 oz. jig heads.
Backwater anglers are finding a mix of flounder, red drum, speckled trout, and black drum.
Red drum are still in deeper holes back in the mainland creeks hitting Gulp or Vudu artificial shrimp. Live mud minnows, mullet, or shrimp will also get strikes.
Flounder are in these same holes, and all the similar baits are getting action.
Speckled trout and black drum have been located more along the shell-lined banks of the main creeks. Using slip cork rigs to drift live shrimp or mud minnows a couple feet off the bottom along these banks has worked well. This same tactic is also producing action around creek mouths and shell bottoms in the ICW.
Targeting docks along the waterway, especially with creek mouths nearby, with shrimp imitation baits (Vudu or Gulp) or live bait is producing red drum and flounder.
Bevan, of Chilly Water Fishing, reports that spring wind patterns have been relentless and have keept many anglers fishing closer to shore. However, water temperatures are warming, and more bait is arriving into the area, so the fishing should really pop off once the windy trend subsides.
Bottom fishing has remained strong, with some good black sea bass action out in the 100’ range.
Getting out over structures in 100+’ has added triggerfish and vermilion snapper to the landings.
Larry, of Voyager Fishing Charters, reports that large black sea bass, beeliners, and plenty of porgies have been caught on the offshore bottom fishing trips.
Grouper season opens this month, and anglers anticipate action to kick off right away.
Trolling trips have been catching king mackerel and false albacore.
Gulf stream trips have found blackfin tuna and scattered wahoo, and mahi will be showing up at some point this month.
Thomas Hendricks, of Pittsburgh, PA, caught (and released) this 23″ speckled trout that fell for live shrimp in the Little River area. He was fishing with Capt. Chris Ossmann of Fine Catch Fishing Charters.
Scott, of Apache Pier, reports that spanish mackerel and bluefish have become more commonplace as we move into late spring fishing. Sight casting jigs at schools that are feeding on bait has been producing most of the action.
Anglers fishing bottom rigs have been catching decent numbers of whiting.
Andrea, of Cherry Grove Pier, reports that anglers have been catching spanish mackerel while sight casting jigs at surface-feeding frenzies. Bluefish are mixed in this jigging action.
Bottom fishing has been producing whiting, pufferfish, and croakers.
