North Myrtle Beach June 7, 2012
Frank Sells with a 7 lb. speckled trout that attacked a live shrimp at the Little River jetties while he was fishing with Capt. Patrick Kelly of Capt. Smiley's Fishing Charters.
Mark, of Shallow Minded Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that there are big numbers of sea bass (many 14-16”) feeding around the Jim Caudle Reef and at other structure within 5 miles of Little River Inlet. Bottom rigs or spec rigs baited with shrimp, squid or cut baits will attract plenty of attention from the bass.
Gray trout and flounder (some 3-4 lbs.) are feeding in the same spots. They’ll take an interest in the spec rigs, but larger baits will help anglers target the bigger fish.
Some cobia are cruising the nearshore structure, and they have a hard time turning down a live bait or a bright bucktail jig with a soft plastic trailer.
Spadefish are schooled up around the General Sherman and other high-relief structure. Dropping a few cannonball jellyfish on a rope, downrigger, or heavy rod and slowly retrieving will often bring the spades to the surface, where anglers can use small pieces of the jellies as hook baits to tempt them to bite.
Anglers trolling Clarkspoons off Little River Inlet are connecting with good numbers of spanish mackerel, but it’s more fun to cast Deadly Dicks or other small, shiny metal lures in areas where they’re feeding and hook up on lighter tackle.
Inshore, some smaller rat red drum and speckled trout are feeding around Bonaparte Creek and in the Calabash cut-through. Live shrimp or soft plastic imitations will tempt both to bite.
Patrick, of Capt. Smiley’s Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are connecting with some healthy (many 18” on up to 5 lbs.) speckled trout and red drum in Dunn Sound. Live shrimp under popping corks have been fooling both lately.
The live shrimp are showing up in the creeks, where anglers willing to devote a bit of time and effort with the cast net should be able to catch enough for a day’s fishing. Gulp shrimp in the new penny color have also been effective lately.
Capt. Mark Dickson, of Shallow Minded Inshore Fishing Charters, with an 18", 3.8 lb. sea bass that bit a spec rig in 30' of water at the Jim Caudle Reef off Little River Inlet.
More specks (though most are smaller) are feeding in the ICW and falling for shrimp and Bass Assassin soft plastic baits.
Flounder, black drum, and speckled trout are feeding around the Little River crossroads and Calabash River, where live and Gulp shrimp are also on the menu.
The flounder action in Tubbs Inlet remains consistent many days. Live mud or tiger-side minnows and Gulp shrimp will attract attention from the flatfish.
Ronnie, of Cherry Grove Pier, reports that anglers bottom fishing with live minnows and shrimp are hooking some black drum (to 4 lbs.) and red drum (most over-slot fish of 25-28”). Some fat (3-4 lb.) flounder are also falling for the mud minnows.
A few sea mullet are taking an interest in fresh shrimp on bottom rigs.
Chopper bluefish are still biting live baits on king rigs.
