June 29, 2009
Saltwater Fishing Trends:

Little River - Grand Strand - Charleston - Beaufort - Tides - S.C. marine recreational fishing regulations (PDF file). Saltwater Fishing License site.

Fishing trends courtesy www.SCFishingReport.com. Check the site for recent updates and detailed reports.

Little River

Captain Michael Rutenberg reports that water temperatures are rapidly rising and the fish have turned on.
Spottail bass: Very good. Redfish are thick in the Intracoastal Waterway close to docks. Cast plastic jigs, shrimp, or mud minnows into 4-6 feet of water mid way through the tide.
Trout: Good. Trout are being caught close to the inlet and in the creeks; fish the first hour of the falling tide.
Flounder: Fair to good. Captain Rutenberg reports that flounder have mainly been undersized so far this season but the upcoming mullet migration will bring the larger fish into Little River.
Cherry Grove Pier: The water has cleared up in the last couple of days and catches have improved. Last weekend thirteen king mackerel between 8 and 22 pounds were caught off the pier, but that bite has slowed as has jigging for Spanish mackerel. Some spot and flounder are being caught as well as good numbers of 2-3 pound black drum. A few small bluefish are also around.

Grand Strand

Flounder: Very good. Perry's Bait and Tackle reports that the flounder bite continues to be very strong and lots of large fish are being caught in Murrells Inlet-area creeks. Mud minnows trolled in the inlet are producing well and there are also good flounder being caught around the jetties. Both standard Carolina rigs and double rigs will work.
Sheepshead: Very good. Sheepshead catches around the Murrells Inlet jetties or most any inshore structure remain strong, but black drum fishing has tailed off in the last week. Fiddler crabs available at Perry's Bait and Tackle and fished vertically on a Carolina rig are the best bait.
Spottail Bass: Good. Around low tide spottails will be found cruising in shallow water around oyster beds, and on higher tides they will move alongside and then into the grass. Mud minnows, live mullet and cut shrimp will all work.
Trout: Good. Trout have suddenly turned on in the Murrells Inlet area creeks, and particularly in the morning nice fish are being caught on live shrimp fished below a popping cork alongside grass. Large trout are being caught at the jetties.
Surf and Pier Report: With water temperatures in the high 70s surf and pier fishing has slowed significantly but a mix of fish including bluefish, some pompano, croaker and whiting, a few spots, and occasional trout and redfish are still being landed. Springmaid Pier in Myrtle Beach reports that the water has been cloudy for the last few days and Garden City Pier reports that small sharks are around.

Charleston

Haddrell's Point reports that action is hot around the Charleston jetties.
Trout: Very good. For the first couple of hours in the morning there has been good topwater action fishing around oyster shell rakes with moving water. When the sun gets higher fishing Carolina rigged live or cut menhaden or live shrimp around structure in 4-8 feet is working for trout as well and spottails and flounder.
Spottail Bass: Good to very good. The redfish bite is strong around creek mouths with oyster rakes.
Tarpon: Good. Tarpon are arriving in the Lowcountry and being caught in areas like Bull's Bay, the jetties, Deveaux Bank and of course in inlets such as Stono Inlet. Anchor in 4 to 10 feet of water and fish between slews or sandbars funneling into the inlets.
Flounder: Good. As water temperatures rise the flounder bite continues to get hotter. Fish around the edges of rock piles in the inlets and along the edges of sand flats near creek mouths, and use live minnows or finger mullet on Carolina rigs. As the summer moves along fish will move further back into the creeks.
Folly Beach Pier: Fishing has slowed but a few whiting, pompano and black drum are still being caught off the piers.

Beaufort

Spottail Bass: Good. Bay Street Outfitters reports that spottail bass fishing is slowing down during the heat of the day but especially earlier in the day the bite is still strong. At low tide gold spoons and spinnerbaits are working, and on higher tides fish around the grass using a popping cork baited with mud minnows or shrimp. Good tailing action should continue all summer and Captain Tuck Scott says Dupre Spoon Flies, Redfish Toad Flies and artificial crabs are all working.
Trout: Good. Fish along the grass at higher stages of the tide with live shrimp, mud minnows, or artificials such as Gulp! or DOA shrimp.
Tarpon: Fair. While tarpon have not showed up in good numbers yet they are beginning to arrive and several have been hooked in the last week. Anchor live menhaden on the bottom around sandbars and inlet slews and chum like crazy. Captain Dan "Fishin' Coach" Utley reports a 90 to 100 pound early season tarpon hooked on his boat this week that leapt five times, almost spooled the reel and then threw the hook.
Cobia: Slow. Captain Tuck Scott at Bay Street Outfitter reports that a few cobia have been caught in the last week but the season is winding down.
Flounder: Fair. Flounder are back in the inlets and spreading out.
Paradise Pier: Fishing is slow but some whiting, dogfish, and small flounder are being caught. Crabbing is a little off as well.

June 29, 2009 Saltwater Fishing Trends:

June 29, 2009
Saltwater Fishing Trends: