Area fishing report

Estuary

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

Comments | Capt. Mike McDonald of Gul-R-Boy Guide Service in Georgetown has been amazed at the water clarity in local estuaries that don’t have much or any freshwater influx. “I could see the bottom in 10 feet of water in North Inlet,” said McDonald of a trip early this week. Other areas with very good water clarity include Murrells Inlet and Cherry Grove. Areas with freshwater influx didn’t have near the clarity. “Winyah Bay looks like a hog wallow,” McDonald said. The water temperature rebounded nicely after last week’s brief Arctic blast, with McDonald reporting a reading of 53 degrees in Winyah Bay and 55 in the creeks of North Inlet. With a water temperature balmy for January, fishing continues to be good for red drum and spotted seatrout in estuaries from Georgetown to Brunswick County. Capt. Jacob Frick of Ocean Isle Fishing Center even notes that the clear water has at times made it more difficult to sneak up on schools of reds within the last week. Look for reds, trout, black drum and sheepshead at area jetties.

Inshore

Look For | Black drum, sheepshead.

Comments | The water temperature remains in the 53-55 degree range this week and the fish have responded to the warmer-than-normal conditions. Mostly small black drum have been landed in the surf and on Grand Strand piers. In addition, Bill Craven of Apache Pier reports a 25-inch red drum was caught and released Saturday on the pier, plus small black drum and weakfish have been caught this week. Sheepshead are the best bet on inshore artificial reefs, since black sea bass are off-limits. Sizable black sea bass are prevalent on the reefs but must be released until June 1. The ocean water temperature at Apache Pier was 53.98 degrees at 3:30 p.m. Thursday. The water temperature at the Springmaid Pier was 55 degrees at 2:36 p.m. Thursday.

Offshore

Look For | Bluefin tuna, wahoo, blackfin tuna, amberjack, triggerfish.

Comments | The weekend is a blowout for the offshore waters with stiff winds on the heels of the cold front. Before the cold front on Monday, OIFC.com reports the crew aboard Empty Pockets landed four wahoo, including a 75-pounder, and also released a sailfish in 72-degree water near the Black Jack Hole. When conditions stabilize, wahoo and blackfin tuna should continue to be available. Anglers out of Little River and Brunswick County can look for bluefin tuna, particularly in the area between the Knuckle Buoy and the Raritan Wreck. There are currently closures on bottom fish galore including shallow-water grouper until May 1, vermilion snapper (beeliners) until April 1 and black sea bass until June 1. Also, red snapper are off-limits indefinitely and must be released. Among the species recreational bottom-fishing anglers can currently keep are amberjack, grunts, porgy, triggerfish and banded rudderfish.

Freshwater

Look For | Crappie, bream, catfish, bass.

Comments | Jay Booth of Fishermen’s Headquarters is tickled with the fishing action he has seen this winter. “It’s been exceptionally good this winter compared to last winter,” said Booth. “It could be more people are going because it’s been milder. The crappie bite this year has been good as I’ve seen.” Booth reports fishing is best in the areas of Yauhannah, Ricefields and Bucksport. L.G. Todd of Conway caught a limit of what Booth called “slab crappie” on Saturday in the Ricefields. Booth also noted crappie action is also good on the Waccamaw and at Samworth. Look for crappie 8-10 feet below the surface hitting minnows. Bream, morgans and shellcracker are taking worms in 8-12 feet of water on the bottom. Catfish action is fair on live and cut bait while bass have made a showing, hitting shiners. A bass tournament will be held Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Conway Marina. Call 397-3474 for more information.

Gregg Holshouser, For The Sun News

State

Santee Cooper system | Catfish: Fair to good. Captain Jim Glenn reports that most days the blue catfish bite is fair to good, and fish are being caught in various depths from 4-10 feet on down to 50 feet. The concentrations may be greatest in deeper water. Both anchoring and drifting with fresh cut gizzard shad, menhaden, perch or mullet will catch fish in the right places. Striped Bass: Fair to good. Captain Jim Glenn reports that anglers are catching plenty of striped bass in both lakes, but very few 26 inch fish are being landed. Perhaps 1 in 50 is a keeper for most anglers, but the good news is that striper appear plentiful and most are robust and healthy. Fishing 35-50 feet deep with live baits including big shiners and gizzard or threadfin shad is working, and anglers are also having success trolling and chasing schooling fish on the surface with jigs, spoons and surface plugs. Shellcracker: Slow. Some caught in creek channels, but not really worth putting a line in for them.

S.C. DNR