North Myrtle Beach May 12, 2011
Tori Boysen, from Winston-Salem, NC, with a 29" red drum she hooked on a Gulp jerk shad in the backwaters near Little River while fishing with Capt. Patrick Kelly of Capt. Smiley's Fishing Charters.
Mark, of Shallow Minded Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that the flounder bite in Tubbs Inlet is still excellent. Anglers are catching most of the flatfish on live mud minnows, but the majority are still small. Some redfish and black drum are feeding in Tubbs as well.
The reds will take an interest in the same baits as the flounder, and shrimp will attract attention from the black drum.
There’s been even better flatfishing in the Cherry Grove marshes, where anglers are hooking up with bigger numbers of keepers on live mud minnows and Gulp baits, both from boats and while walking the banks.
The high-tide red drum bite in the grass has slowed dramatically, likely because the water temperatures are getting a little warm, but the low-tide drum fishing around creek drains and other structure off the ICW is still excellent. Crab chunks, live baits, and Nemire Buzz Spoons are all producing results with the reds.
There’s also been a good red bite in the causeway canal on the same baits.
Speckled trout are feeding around many of the typical spots in the ICW (though most are fairly small). Adding a Clouser Minnow or other fly above the soft plastic shrimp or other lures that anglers traditionally use for trout will increase their hookups and catches on the smaller specks.
Brandon Wilson with a bull dolphin that fell for a skirted ballyhoo in the Gulf Stream off Ocean Isle Beach while he was fishing with Capt. Brant McMullan of the Ocean Isle Fishing Center.
Patrick, of Capt. Smiley’s Fishing Charters, reports that there’s still solid red drum action taking place in the oyster beds in Bonaparte Creek.
Some reds are also feeding on the grass flats and in the shallow creeks, where anglers will need a flats boat to get to the fish without spooking them. Fresh blue crabs cut into quarters are attracting plenty of attention from the redfish.
Tubbs Inlet is still hosting an excellent flounder bite, with increasing numbers of keeper fish. Live mud minnows will attract bites from the flatfish, but Gulp shrimp and particularly jerk shads have been proving even more effective lately.
Steve, of Cherry Grove Pier, reports that anglers are still decking plenty of bluefish and spanish mackerel on Gotcha plugs and gold hook/diamond jig rigs.
Bottom fishermen have been connecting with some black drum and pompano while baiting up with shrimp.
Live baiters hooked a king mackerel last week, so they’re starting to make a spring appearance as well.
The water is 71 degrees.
