North Myrtle Beach September 26, 2013
Jim Butler with a gag and a scamp grouper that bit dead cigar minnows in 100′ of water while he was fishing on the “Voyager” off Little River Inlet.
Patrick, of Capt. Smiley’s Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are finding big numbers of red drum schooled up in the shallow backwaters between Little River and Sunset Beach (with most 22-26”). Most of the action has been around oyster bars, potholes, and grass banks in the creeks, with both tides producing recently. There have been plenty of finger mullet schooling inshore, and the mullet have been the best producers on the reds.
Some larger red drum are still feeding in Little River Inlet. Drifting through the inlet with live finger mullet and menhaden is fooling most of the big reds.
Spanish mackerel and ladyfish are also feeding in Little River Inlet and will fall for live finger mullet or casting lures worked around surface activity or diving birds.
Speckled trout are beginning their fall patterns. Anglers found good numbers feeding around oyster rocks and along grass banks in the creeks and marshes last week. The rising tides have been producing the best speck action, with live shrimp drifted under float rigs the baits of choice. A variety of artificials will fool them as well.
Mark, of Shallow Minded Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are still catching solid numbers of red drum (including some to 20+ lbs.) in Little River Inlet. Drifting through the inlet with live or cut menhaden and mullet is producing most of the reds.
Laine Dickson with a bull red drum she hooked on a live mullet in Little River Inlet while she was fishing with her husband, Capt. Mark Dickson of Shallow Minded Inshore Fishing Charters.
There’s also been some solid drum action in the backwaters, including fishing for tailing reds on flooded grass flats during last week’s lunar tides. When the tide’s lower, anglers can find the fish feeding around oyster rocks and potholes in the marshes and creeks.
Live mud minnows, finger mullet, and shrimp along with Gulp baits and other artificials will get attention from the reds inshore.
Some large spanish mackerel have been feeding just off Little River Inlet and at nearshore structure like the Caudle Reef. When they’re chasing bait on the surface, anglers can cast metal lures like Deadly Dicks and even topwater plugs to hook up.
Matt, of Cherry Grove Pier, reports that anglers have been hooking good numbers of red drum from the planks (from under to over-slot). Live baits, cut baits, and shrimp are all tempting bites from the reds.
Bottom fishermen are also hooking some sea mullet (many 1+ lb.) and other panfish on shrimp and bloodworms.
There’s been an excellent bluefish bite with a few spanish mackerel mixed in for anglers working Gotcha plugs and mackerel tree rigs from the pier.
Live-baiters landed a 23 lb. king mackerel from the end of the pier last week.
The water is 81 degrees.
Brian Costello, of team “Fish On Outfitters,” with the 5.78 lb. flounder and 4.18 lb. red ddrum that earned the crew Grand Prize and First Place Aggregate in the Bud Grand Slam Tournament, held September 21 out of the Myrtle Beach Yacht Club.
