Area, state fishing report

Estuary

Look For | Spotted seatrout, red drum, flounder, black drum, sheepshead.

Comments | Spotted seatrout and red drum – trout and reds – are the ticket for anglers in local estuaries from the Georgetown vicinity to Brunswick County, N.C. Capt. Mike McDonald of Gul-R-Boy Guide Service in Georgetown reports with the warm water temperature, the reds are slow to move into their winter pattern. “The reds are up against the grass, they still haven’t grouped up and really gone into the winter mode yet,” said McDonald. McDonald is glad to see water temperatures in the estuaries still in the upper 50s. Capt. Englis Glover of Tee-To-Sea Fishing and Reelin’ Up The Coast reports trout action in Murrells Inlet has been good at the jetties and on points in the creeks just before low tide. “The trout bite is still very good and I credit the water temperature (in the upper 50s) for that,” said Glover.

Inshore

Look For | Whiting, black drum, bluefish, weakfish, sheepshead, red drum.

Comments | Predictably, black sea bass are thick on inshore artificial reefs, even to the point where they are hampering angler efforts to catch sheepshead. Black sea bass are off-limits to all anglers until June 1, 2012. “The sheepshead have shown up on the reefs but they’re having trouble catching them because of the doggone black sea bass,” said Glover, who noted anglers have caught and, of course, released black sea bass to 14 inches on Pawleys Reef and Paradise Reef (Three-Mile). Apache Pier reports that catches of whiting have been good this week, plus a 5-pound red drum was landed. The Apache Pier data station reported an ocean water temperature of 58.75 degrees Thursday at 3:15 p.m. The reading at Springmaid Pier was 56 degrees Thursday afternoon.

Offshore

Look For | Wahoo, blackfin tuna, king mackerel, grouper, amberjack, triggerfish.

Comments | A few boats headed out to fish near the break amid great conditions Thursday, but did not arrive back at the dock in time for the verdict on their trip to make this report. “I have no doubt the wahoo and blackfin tuna are out there,” said Capt. Steele Park of Ocean Isle Fishing Center. Park reported that king mackerel have still been caught just east of the Frying Pan Tower this week. A few boats tried to catch bluefin tuna this week but without success. Bottom fishing could be great, but vermilion snapper (beeliners) are closed to harvest by recreational anglers through March 31, 2012 and black sea bass are closed until June 1, 2012. In addition, red snapper are off-limits indefinitely and must be released. Recreational bottom-fishing anglers can currently keep grouper, amberjack, grunts, porgy, triggerfish and banded rudderfish among other species.

Freshwater

Look For | Crappie, bream, catfish, bass.

Comments | Jay Booth of Fishermen’s Headquarters found out first hand that the crappie bite is very good early Thursday morning. Booth landed 18 crappie on minnows while fishing on the Great Pee Dee at Yauhannah including several over a pound. He caught the fish in seven feet of water. “Two years ago we had a real good crappie bite, last year not so much and this year it’s come back real good,” said Booth. In general, crappie are taking minnows 7 to 10 feet below the surface in varying depths with the Little Pee Dee, Yauhannah, Bucksport and Bucksville the favored areas. Look for bream, including morgans and shellcracker, a little deeper, taking worms in 10-12 feet on the bottom in the same locations. Catfish action is fair on live and cut bait.

Gregg Holshouser, For The Sun News

State fishing

Santee Cooper System | Catfish: Good. Captain Jim Glenn reports that blue catfish fishing has been fair to good most days. Blue cats are being boated in various depths from 4 to 10 feet down to 50 ft. Blue cats may be more concentrated in the deeper water. Both anchoring and drifting with fresh cut gizzard shad, menhaden, perch or mullet will produce fish in the right places. There have been recent reports of good night fishing for those that can tolerate night time temperatures from 35 to 40 degrees with some N NE wind. Crappie: Good: Captain Jim Glenn reports folks are catching lots of striped bass in both lakes Marion and Moultrie. Anglers are having success with live baits that include big shiners and gizzard or threadfin shad and are also successful with trolling and chasing schooling fish on the surface using jigs, spoons and surface plugs. Bream: Good. The warmer temperatures have brought the fish into 8-12 feet of water. Expect that to shut down soon with a long cold snap.

S.C. DNR