North Myrtle/Little River – August 2026
John, of Dave’s Outpost, reports that anglers have been catching some summertime trout. A slip cork setup with live shrimp has been the top producing setup.
Red drum are around and will also strike the same live shrimp. They’re also feeding on live mullet fished on the bottom.
Out in the surf zone, anglers are catching whiting, red drum, croakers, and some pompano.
The local piers are seeing the same action, along with speckled trout falling for the slip cork setup and black drum being caught on both live and fresh cut shrimp.
Offshore action has been mostly about the bottom fishing, with some cobia mixed in around the 20-25 mile range.
Chris, of Fine Catch Fishing Charters, reports that plenty of bait is in the creeks now, with finger mullet on just about every shoreline and oyster bar, as well as shrimp around almost every mud flat on low tide.
In the ICW, a good class of red drum are staged up around docks and creek mouths. The best tactic is to throw out a live finger mullet and let it soak.
Plenty of flounder, as well as some smaller trout, are mixed in these same areas. The flounder have been eating finger mullet, but the trout prefer a live shrimp.
Anglers fishing live shrimp can find sheepshead and black drum, though the trash species (pinfish and croakers) will also want that shrimp.
The jetties are producing a good class of over-slot red drum, especially around the turns of the tide. For these bigger reds, go with larger finger mullet or smaller menhaden.
Some decent trout and sheepshead can be found along the jetty rocks when floating live shrimp.
Brennan Witman, of PA, landed this red drum from the Myrtle Beach surf on a cut mullet head.
Curtis, of Captain Smiley Fishing Charters, reports that for speckled trout, the best technique has been floating live shrimp along the deeper grass banks.
Black drum fishing has been picking up. Target oyster bars, docks, and little drop-offs in the 6-8’ range. Fresh cut or live shrimp on a Carolina rig is a simple setup that produces.
Sheepshead will be hanging on structure, with live fiddler or mud crabs being the best bait options.
A bunch of flounder are around, but the bite has been a bit finicky. Anglers targeting flatfish will do best with live finger mullet (3-4” size), though artificials are also having some success. Most of the flounder can be found up against grass banks.
The majority of the red drum have been smaller (to 14”). These “rats” are coming from either shrimp or small finger mullet under a float or on the bottom.
Bob, of Strange Magic Fishing Charters, reports that flounder have been the best inshore action, with fish falling mostly for Gulp or Z-Man soft plastics. A large live mullet will also attract a flounder, particularly on a high tide in the ICW.
Some speckled trout are in the mix, but anglers have to commit to getting out at the crack of dawn. Topwater plugs and live shrimp under a popping cork are the favorite options for the trout.
For red drum action, target creek mouths and ICW banks with either soft plastics or live minnows and shrimp.
Black drum can be found in deeper holes in the backs of creeks or around docks. Fresh shrimp works best, as a live shrimp on the bottom won’t last long.
Kevin Lail, of Lincolnton, NC, reeled in this 27” red drum from the Cherry Grove surf on an outgoing tide. The fish bit fresh shrimp.
Bevan, of Chilly Water Fishing, reports that the trolling action has slowed down with all the water from the beach to the stream above 85 degrees. The better tactic will be to focus on bottom fishing action until September. September is when the fall wahoo bite starts to pick up.
Luckily, the bottom fishing action has been really strong. The 85-120′ range is covered with vermilion snapper. They are stacked up on just about any ledge, rock pile, or artificial reef in that depth.
The black sea bass have been staged around the 100′ areas in tight groups. Anglers are either catching a lot or none at all.
Triggerfish have been around that 100′ mark as well, with squid or cut bait the best options.
Gag grouper have been cooperating in the 90′ depths when dropping down live menhaden.
Anglers looking for scamps have been finding them a little deeper (in the 115’+ range).
Larry, of Voyager Fishing Charters, reports that though gag grouper season has closed, anglers bottom fishing will be finding scamp grouper, graysbys, and strawberries.
Also mixed in the bottom action are any variety of almaco jacks, amberjacks, black sea bass, vermilion snapper, and triggerfish.
The drift lines are producing some king mackerel and the occasional cobia.
Closer to the beach, black sea bass and plenty of porgies are chewing.
Josh, of Little River Fishing Fleet, reports that scamp grouper are being found in the 44-50 mile range. This deeper bottom is also holding a bunch of large triggerfish and jumbo black sea bass, and anglers are finding pretty easy limits of vermilion snappers.
Other good catches have been Key West porgies, big white grunts, and patches of rudderfish in the 40-45 mile range.
Cobia have been popping up out to 50 miles.
The mahi bite has slowed down a good bit, but anglers are still catching one or two here and there on the drift lines.
Lynn, of Apache Pier, reports that anglers have enjoyed strong flounder fishing, with plenty of keepers around (to 21”+).
Other bottom fish action has included croakers, good-sized whiting, speckled trout, black drum, pompano, and sheepshead.
Those casting are catching spanish mackerel with Gotcha plugs.
Bradley, of Cherry Grove Pier, reports that flounder fishing has been excellent, with plenty of keepers being caught in close around the surf zone.
The bottom rig setups are producing the typical summertime mix of whiting and croakers.
Anglers throwing plugs are catching spanish mackerel.
