North Myrtle Beach May 31, 2012
Isaac Briglio (age 7), from Myrtle Beach, with his first fish, a red drum he caught on a live mud minnow near the Sunset Beach bridge while fishing with Capt. Patrick Kelly of Capt. Smiley's Fishing Charters.
Mark, of Shallow Minded Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are catching big numbers of flounder in Tubbs Inlet (with plenty of small fish, but keepers in the mix, too). Live mud minnows, tiger-side minnows, and menhaden are producing plenty of bites from the flounder, with the tigers seeming to attract larger fish lately.
Some healthy (4-5 lbs.) bluefish are also feeding in the inlet and biting the live baits.
Speckled trout fishing is improving, and anglers found hungry specks in the Calabash River and around Tilghmans Dock last week. Live shrimp drifted under popping corks are far and away the best baits for the specks.
Some smaller “rat” red drum are feeding in the creeks off Bonaparte Creek, and live mud minnows or Gulp baits on light jigheads will get their attention.
Some larger reds (24-27”) are looking for meals around the Little River jetties, and anglers are hooking them on live mud minnows and other baits, although big numbers of pesky sea bass are making keeping a bait in the water a bit tough.
Patrick, of Capt. Smiley’s Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are finding some mixed bag action with speckled trout, red drum (most around 18”), and black drum (some to 7 lbs.) in Dunn Sound. Live shrimp under popping floats are producing most of the action, and the shrimp are starting to show up in numbers that make them worth cast-netting for bait.
There have also been a few trout and some flounder feeding around the Little River Crossroads, where live shrimp are also producing results.
Flounder fishing in Tubbs Inlet is still one of the best things going in the area. Anglers are catching big numbers of flatfish (with decent numbers of keepers) while fishing live mud minnows, tiger-side minnows, or Gulp shrimp at drift or anchor. Whether mud minnows or tiger minnows, anglers should use the largest baits they can get their hands on to weed out some of the smaller flounder.
Stevie and Mike Keena, from Supply, NC, with a 31" red drum they caught and released under an Ocean Isle dock while fishing with Capt. Jeff Williamson of Get Busy Charters. The red fell for a 4" Gulp pogy.
Steve, of Cherry Grove Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are connecting with some sea mullet, black drum, and spadefish on double-hook rigs baited with shrimp.
Those fishing smaller live baits under the pier are catching good numbers of flounder (but many are on the small side).
Some large chopper bluefish (to 12 lbs.) are biting live baits on king rigs off the end of the pier.
