Added on Thursday, July 24, 2008  Gary Hurley

Myrtle Beach July 24, 2008

Mark, of Shallow Minded Guide Fishing, reports that speckled trout action has been good around the Little River jetties lately, with most of the fish falling for Gulp baits fished on 1/8 oz. jigheads.

Flounder are feeding along the sandbars in Little River Inlet, and anglers are hooking up with them while drifting with Carolina-rigged finger mullet. Most of the fish have been 17-25″, and the rising tide has been producing the most action. The flounder bite is good in Tubbs Inlet as well, but the fish there are averaging much smaller, with only about one in five over the legal size.

Ribbonfish are feeding heavily in Little River Inlet, sometimes making it difficult to get a bait to the flounder. Anglers who want to catch ribbons for king mackerel baits should have no trouble while baiting up with cut mullet or casting a Rattletrap.

Some big red drum (some 40+”) are feeding at the jetties, and anglers are hooking them on cut and live baits. While it may be tempting to go after the big reds on light tackle, anglers should use a minimum of 15 lb. test in order to bring the fish in quickly, as long fights reduce their post-release survival in the warm water.

Docks and other structure in the ICW are producing action with smaller red drum and flounder.

 

Patrick, of Capt. Smiley’s Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are finding solid flounder action around the Sunset Beach Bridge and in ICW drains, landing flounder up to 6.5 lbs. last week. Carolina-rigged finger mullet will attract the flounder’s attention.

There has also been a good speckled trout bite around the bridge, and anglers are catching the specks on finger mullet or the shrimp they can catch in the creeks at lower tides.

Anglers are also hooking good numbers of speckled trout around the jetties on 3-4″ long finger mullet fished on split-shot rigs. Gulp baits fished under floats or on jigheads are also producing some action.

Giant red drum are looking for meals around the Little River jetties, and live baits will tempt them to bite.

Smaller reds are feeding along grass edges in the ICW and in Bonaparte Creek.

 

Drew, of Crowd Pleaser Sport Fishing, reports that amberjacks are schooled up on bottom structure like the BP 25, Gary Ennis, and other structure in 60+’ of water. They’re taking live baits meant for king mackerel, and anglers are also hooking the jacks while vertically butterfly jigging.

Dropping the jigs toward bait anglers are marking on the bottom and slowly working them to the surface is producing king mackerel strikes.

Further offshore, jigging around the Twin Cities and rockpiles, live bottoms, and reefs in 100′ or more is producing action with groupers and snappers.

The sailfish bite is good, with the fish spread out from nearshore king mackerel spots to the Gulf Stream. The Atlantic Ledge produced some sailfish action recently. There has been a lot of live bait like cigar minnows, pogies, and some goggle eyes around lately, and anglers shouldn’t be afraid to dangle some live baits from a kite for the sails instead of trolling rigged ballyhoo for them. Chumming will attract the sails and other fish in the area.

Not many boats have been fishing the Gulf Stream lately, but there are likely still some blue marlin and other gamefish feeding in the deep water.

 

Ronnie, of Cherry Grove Pier, reports that flounder fishing has been good recently (with anglers landing fish as large as 7.2 lbs. last week). Live baits are fooling the flatfish.

Anglers bottom fishing with shrimp are hooking some spot, whiting, and a few black drum.

Some bluefish are falling for mackerel trees.

The water is up to 86 degrees.