Area Fishing Report

SALTWATER

Estuary

Look For | Red drum, spotted seatrout, black drum, sheepshead.

Comments | Capt. Mark Dickson of Shallow-Minded Inshore Charters had a solid trip on Sunday in the Little River vicinity, landing spotted seatrout and red drum. While Dickson recommends using live shrimp, he had success with Billy Bay Halo shrimp. Winter mode has arrived for both species with the water temperature ranging from the upper 40s to lower 50s. "The water's starting to get cold and you have to start fishing real, real slow," said Dickson. Capt. Mike McDonald of Gul-R-Boy Guide Service in Georgetown offered some tips on finding reds and trout these days. "The reds are going to hang on those flats where that water will warm up with the sun, all different sizes schooled up together," McDonald said. "Find a good flat where its draining and you can pick up the reds. Use an assortment of artificials and find the one they're biting. When that water temperature starts getting down in the high 40s, you're going to see [trout] get lethargic and move into deeper holes, 10-15 feet and even deeper. If you're not catching [trout] go [to an area] 1 or 2 degrees warmer [in water temperature] and, bam, there they are. The bite's going to be a very subtle bite.''

Inshore

Look For | Whiting, black drum, bluefish, black sea bass, flounder.

Comments | Capt. Larry Horowitz of Super Voyager Fishing Charters in Calabash, N.C., has been running half-day trips for black sea bass. "There's been plenty of nice black sea bass and a few flounder 6-8 miles off Little River Inlet in 40-60 feet of water," Horowitz said. Action continues to cool off with the water temperature on Grand Strand piers where a few whiting, black drum, bluefish and croakers have been caught but the huge majority of fish are small. Black drum have a 14-27 inch slot limit. The surface ocean water temperature was 51 degrees Wednesday afternoon according to the Apache Pier Data Station, a drop of six degrees over the last two weeks.

Offshore

Look For | King mackerel, wahoo, blackfin tuna, dolphin, grouper, black sea bass, triggerfish, amberjack.

Comments | Ocean Isle Fishing Center reports Capt. Walley Traya of Fish Whistle out of Southport, N.C., landed the first bluefin tuna out of Brunswick County, N.C., on Tuesday. Traya and crew had a double hookup, landing an 83-inch fish and releasing a smaller fish. Wahoo are available for trolling boats around areas such as the Black Jack Hole, Winyah Scarp and Georgetown Hole. Bottom fishing enthusiasts will try to get a last grouper trip in before New Year's Day. Shallow-water species of grouper, including gag, red and scamp, will be closed for both recreational and commercial anglers on Jan. 1 through April 30, 2010. The recreational fishery for vermilion snapper (beeliners) is already closed through March 31.

Freshwater

Look For | Bream, crappie, bass, catfish.

Comments | Jay Booth of Fisherman's Headquarters in Conway notes the water on local rivers has risen of late but said "it seems like it has helped the crappie bite." Crappie are taking minnows in 8-10 feet of water around structure, plus on drop-offs from 8-12 feet near ditch mouths and grass beds. Bream and morgans are hitting worms and nightcrawlers in 8-10 feet on the bottom. Best areas for crappie and bream are at Samworth, Bucksport and Bucksville. Booth says the catfish bite has been good on cut mullet from Yauhannah to the confluence of the Great Pee Dee and Little Pee Dee rivers. Bass are taking shiners on the Waccamaw, particularly at Bucksport.

STATE FISHING

Santee Cooper System | Bream: Very good. Capt. David Hilton reports that he continues to find a strong bream bite over deep brushpiles in the 22-24 foot range on crickets and nightcrawlers. This bite should continue for only a few more weeks and then bream will head very deep. Catfish: Good to very good. Capt. Jim Glenn reports that cooling water temperatures have pushed large schools of baitfish into deep water. The best technique is to fish suspended cut baits in the middle of the bait schools or on the bottom beneath them. Depths can be up to 55 or 60 feet of water. Drifting or anchoring will both work but anchoring may be the preferred method, especially if it is windy, for staying on top of the fish. A variety of cut baits will catch fish. Largemouth bass: Fair. Capt. Inky Davis reports that a lot of water continues to flow into the lakes and as temperatures drop the fishing will slow down. He is catching most of his fish around shallow structure with plastic worms, crankbaits, spinnerbaits and the Original Chatter Baits.

S.C. DNR