North Myrtle/Little River – July 2024
Chris, of Fine Catch Fishing Charters, reports that anglers have been enjoying a local striped bass bite around some of the swing bridges near Little River. Topwater plugs fished around structure early have been the main tactic.
Red drum action has been really good, with sizes scattered from smaller (13”) fish to over-slot (30”) reds. The ICW docks or shell banks along shorelines have been the top areas.
These same docks and oysters are also holding sheepshead.
Flounder fishing has been excellent in the (northern) South Carolina waters. Carolina rigs with live mud minnows, menhaden, or mullet are all enticing strikes from the flatfish.
The Little River jetties are producing sheepshead when casting baits up against the rocks. Anglers targeting something bigger can find over-slot red drum (30-36”) by fishing menhaden on the bottom on the higher tide cycles.
Nearshore runs to the local reefs and live bottoms are producing flounder, bluefish, spadefish, plenty of sharks, and the occasional cobia (the cobia are more on the deeper nearshore areas).
Clay Butler, of Little River, hooked this flounder on the Cherry Grove Pier using live shrimp.
Buddy, of Captain Smiley Fishing Charters, reports that speckled trout are biting for anglers that are drifting live shrimp or mud minnows under slip corks.
A bunch of smaller black drum (with keepers mixed in) are hitting the same live shrimp. In general, the low to rising tides have produced the best action.
Redfish are scattered all around the area, from grass lines to ICW banks to creek mouths. The reds seem to be the most active on higher tides, both high rising and high falling, and they’re hitting live mud minnows or live mullet on Carolina rigs or jig heads.
Plenty of flounder are in the area.
Bob, of Strange Magic Fishing Charters, reports that red drum have been staged up all around structure, and they’re aggressively hitting anything from live mud minnows and shrimp to soft plastics on a jig head. Anglers will do best targeting areas that have the three B’s: bait, birds, and boils (mud puff stirs).
Flounder are holding in the same marsh and creek drain areas as the red drum. The flatfish don’t follow the tide as much as the red drum, but they will stage up at bait ambush areas.
Speckled trout are around and will hit better in the very early morning or very late evening hours. Topwater baits are a fun way to target the trout around shell banks.
Black drum are hanging around ICW docks and other hard structure. They will readily bite fresh shrimp and fiddler crabs on a Carolina rig or weighted jig head.
Nearshore, the ARs are seeing good action from larger flounder, black sea bass, gray trout, sand sharks, and the occasional cobia.
Trolling for spanish mackerel with Clarkspoons has been productive both over the nearshore Ars and all along the beachfronts.
Giovanni, of Daves Outpost, reports that surf anglers have been catching a bunch of croakers, pinfish, and bluefish. These species make up most of the typical summertime surf activity.
Some sheepshead are being caught both in the surf and on the inside around hard structures. Inshore, anglers are finding decent numbers of red drum and a ton of flounder.
Bevan, of Chilly Water Fishing, reports that fish are really locked into their summer patterns offshore. So while the trolling action is slowing down, anglers are still picking up the occasional dolphin or king mackerel (if you can get away from all the barracuda).
A bunch of vermilion snapper are being caught from 80’ to as deep as you’re able to fish.
Triggerfish have been pretty consistent in the 110-120’ range, with cut squid working best. Some keeper scamp grouper have also been holding in that same 110-120’ depth, and they’re hitting cigar minnows or menhaden.
Keep an eye out, as it’s not uncommon to have a school of small mahi show up when you’re bottom fishing anywhere from 70-120’. Always keep some cut bait and a pitch rod within reach while on these bottom fishing trips.
Daniel Crouch, of Bedford, VA, found this mahi 60 miles out of Little River Inlet using a skirted ballyhoo. He was fishing with Capt. Bevan Hunter of Chilly Water Fishing Charters.
Larry, of Voyager Fishing Charters, reports that the offshore bottom fishing has been excellent and is one part of the fishery that doesn’t see a slow-down moving into these hot summer months. Anglers getting out on the full day trips are catching grouper, vermilion snapper, grunts, triggerfish, amberjacks, and cobia.
This time of year, there should always be a bait out on a drift line while bottom fishing, as king mackerel and mahi show up fairly often.
King mackerel action, in particular, has been really good in the 30-mile range, with anglers getting plenty of strikes while pulling Drone spoons or ballyhoo with skirts.
Closer to the beach, the shallow water bottoms are holding plenty of black sea bass, porgies, and tons of Atlantic sharpnose sharks.
Calvin, of Apache Pier, reports that anglers have been landing a bunch of black drum. One angler recently landed a citation black drum, which is uncommon for this time of year.
Bottom fishing is producing good numbers of whiting and some flounder.
Spanish mackerel fishing has been fair, with anglers mostly having success casting plugs at fish feeding on the surface.
Tony, of Cherry Grove Pier, reports that anglers have been catching a lot of flounder on live bait.
Bottom fishing with shrimp has produced good numbers of black drum, spot, croaker, and some large whiting.
