North Myrtle September 15, 2011
Martine Williams with a shallow-water red drum she hooked on a sight-cast Berkely Gulp jerk shad while fishing near Little River with Capt. Mark Dickson of Shallow Minded Inshore Fishing Charters.
Mark, of Shallow Minded Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are starting to see some action with large red drum (to 30+ lbs.) around Little River Inlet. The bite isn’t on fire yet, and higher tides in the mornings have been offering anglers their best odds of hooking up with one of the big reds. Menhaden, mullet, and crab baits are all effective on the reds.
Drift-fishing Little River Inlet with live shrimp has been producing action with red and black drum, ladyfish, speckled trout, bonnethead sharks, and more.
Spanish mackerel are chasing bait in and just outside the inlet. Casting topwater plugs and suspending MirrOlures or free-lining live finger mullet will tempt exciting surface strikes from the spaniards.
The high full moon tides last week led to some excellent sight-casting action for reds feeding in flooded marsh grass. Tossing live finger mullet or Gulp baits on to the fish is the way to go. Light Carolina rigs or “knocker” rigs (where the sinker slides all the way to the hook) have been the most effective.
Patrick, of Capt. Smiley’s Fishing Charters, reports that anglers have been finding red drum feeding on flooded grass flats at higher tides lately. Sight-casting live shrimp or Gulp baits on jigheads to the fish has been the most productive tactic. There are a lot of oyster shells and other debris in the areas where they’re feeding, so using a float to suspend the bait just off the bottom will often keep anglers from fouling their rig before a red can bite it.
Ladyfish, more reds, and flounder are on the feed around Calabash, and anglers are hooking all three on live shrimp and Gulp baits on jigheads.
Anglers are also catching some reds and a few black drum at the Little River Crossroads on live shrimp.
Kathy and Jeter Allred with a 19 lb. gag grouper Kathy landed after it bit a squid/cigar minnow combo in 70' of water off Little River Inlet. They were fishing on the "Navigator" out of Calabash.
Steve, of Cherry Grove Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with some sea mullet and pompano on bottom rigs baited with shrimp.
Some flounder and a few red drum are falling for small live baits fished on the bottom near the pier.
Anglers are hooking bluefish and spanish mackerel while working Gotcha plugs and gold hook rigs from the planks.
Sheepshead are feeding around the pilings, and anglers are catching a few on barnacles and sand fleas.
The water is 82 degrees.
