Morning surface water temperatures are around 76 degrees inshore around Little River, and there are a ton of shrimp and finger mullet in the creeks. In the ocean the big mullet are running.
It was a good week for fishing at the top of the Grand Strand, but Captain Patrick “Smiley” Kelly (843-361-7445) reports that yesterday when the wind started to gust a little and they could tell a storm was coming the bite began to slow. After the storm the fishing should get hot again.
The flounder fishing has been good for most of the past week, and the North Carolina season will close to harvest again on Saturday. However, the bite on this side of the line has also been pretty good. Fish are mainly in the main creek channels and around the mouths of smaller creeks, and 3-8 feet has been the target range. The rocks in the inlet have also held some fish.
Mullet and Gulp! are both working.
Black drum have also been plentiful, and on the outgoing tide they are catching fish around oyster bars and docks. Live and fresh cut shrimp are both working.
The big bull red drum have been a little hit-or-miss in the inlet, but they can be caught around the rocks on mullet or menhaden. Slot reds have not been great either, but they are in the usual places and especially creek mouths. Live shrimp, cut mullet, and live finger mullet are all working.
Trout have been slow.
Inshore there have been a surprising number of small gag grouper, and even though they usually only get 3 or 4 all year they are catching a couple most places they stop and 10 or so per day. They are in the creeks in shallow water. Release them with care because they still have a lot of growing to do!
Despite the weather Cherry Grove Pier (843-249-1625) reports that today they have been catching a lot of spot, croaker and whiting. Last Sunday they had three kings and there are plenty of Spanish being caught every day the water is clear. There is a lot of life close in right now.
Nearshore out at the Caudle Reef there have been abundant flounder, and Spanish mackerel are also around.
