North Myrtle Beach May 21, 2009
Kimberly Robbins, of Bolivia, NC, with a pair of speckled trout (the larger one 5.5 lbs.) caught on live shrimp at the Little River jetties. She also hooked and released red drum and bluefish.
Mark, of Shallow Minded Inshore Fishing, reports that flounder fishing has been solid near the area inlets lately, with an especially solid bite near Tubbs. There are still big numbers of sub-legal flatties in the mix, but more and more keepers are coming by the day (and some fish approaching 5 lbs. are beginning to show up). Live mud minnows will attract plenty of attention from the flounder, but fishing with pogies will help reduce the number of shorter fish that anglers will have to weed through. There have been a good number of pogies inshore in the area, but some are too big for flounder baits.
Red drum are still feeding around the Little River jetties and at inshore structure throughout the area. Cut baits and chunks of blue crab will attract attention from any reds in the area.
Black drum are also holding around structure like the Sunset Beach Bridge, and chunks of crab should prove deadly on them as well.
A few trout are around all the inshore areas where anglers are fishing for flounder and drum. Billy Bay Halo shrimp fished under popping corks are producing most of the action with the trout.
Spanish mackerel are feeding in the ocean around the inlets, and anglers can cast or troll to hook up with the spaniards.
Spadefish have shown up at the General Sherman and similar nearshore structure, where they’ll take up residence for the majority of the summer. Chumming and baiting the fish with pieces of cannonball jelly will fool the spades.
King mackerel are moving towards the beaches, and a good bite was reported around the Jungle last week.
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Tripp Hooks, from Ocean Isle and demonstrating the proper method of holding a speckled trout, with a pair of black drum as well. The fish fell for shrimp around docks and other structure inshore at Ocean Isle while Tripp was fishing with his father, Capt. David Hooks.
Cameron, of Little River Fishing Fleet, reports that offshore bottom fishing has been solid when the boats have made it out. One trip last week produced good numbers of gag and scamp grouper, along with some fat beeliners (2-3 lbs.), jumbo black sea bass, and a variety of other bottomfish. Squid, sardines, and other baits have been productive for all the bottom feeders, and the bite’s been good in around 100′ of water about 35 miles offshore.
Divers in the 100′ depths have been finding good visibility and seeing some big hogfish and American red snapper.
Nearshore trolllers are catching plenty of spanish mackerel and bluefish on Clarkspoons at structure within a few miles of the beaches, and some kings have moved into the same areas. The kings will fall for Clarkspoons, but larger Drone spoons are even better.
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Mike, of Cherry Grove Pier, reports that anglers have been catching good numbers of spanish mackerel and bluefish on Gotcha plugs and mackerel trees.
There’s been a pretty good flounder bite lately, and finally it seems most of the fish are keepers (including a 3.5 lb. fish weighed in last week). Live mud minnows are producing most of the flounder action.
Bottom fishermen are finding action with black drum (up to 7 lbs. last week) along with some whiting and pompano. Shrimp are top baits for the bottom feeders.
The water is 75 degrees.
