Local fishing report (April 9)

Estuary

▪ Look For | Flounder, red drum, spotted seatrout, black drum, sheepshead.

▪ Comments | The water temperature has increased significantly in the last 4-5 days as flounder catches continue to improve in local inlets, with red drum and spotted seatrout also active. Capt. Mike McDonald of Gul-R-Boy Guide Service reported a water temperature reading of 60 degrees during a trip in Winyah Bay on Sunday, but it had increased to the 66-69 degree range by Thursday. “It has warmed up nicely,” said McDonald. On Sunday, McDonald’s crew caught 11 red drum while fishing with a variety of soft plastic grubs. At the Winyah Bay jetties on Thursday, McDonald produced red drum and whiting on cut shrimp. Anglers should note the minimum size limit for flounder is 14 inches.

Inshore

▪ Look For | Whiting, Spanish mackerel, black sea bass, sheepshead, bluefish, flounder, weakfish.

▪ Comments | The water temperature reached that magical 65-degree mark at midweek and fishing took off along the beach. Whiting have shown up in good numbers and Spanish mackerel have made an early appearance. Capt. Mike McDonald reported seeing a large mackerel, possibly a king, jump while fishing the Winyah Bay jetties on Thursday. Joe Nelligan reports good catches of whiting off The Pier at Garden City. In all, the piers are producing mainly whiting, Spanish, bluefish, croaker and flounder. The ocean water temperature jumped from 61 degrees a week ago to a reading of 66.19 at 6:45 p.m. Thursday. While Spanish are arriving, black sea bass, weakfish and flounder are on hand on the near-shore artificial reefs.

Offshore

▪ Look For | Wahoo, blackfin tuna, black sea bass, vermilion snapper, amberjack.

▪ Comments | It’s starting to happen for trolling boats offshore as the crew of the Painkiller found out on Wednesday. The crew came home to Murrells Inlet with five nice blackfin tuna, a wahoo and even a dolphin for an early April South Carolina offshore slam. Look for the first real push of dolphin in numbers and size to happen at any time. Bottom fishing continues to be excellent for black sea bass and vermilion snapper with triggerfish, porgy, grunts and amberjack also available. The annual shallow-water Grouper Spawning Season Closure is in effect until May 1. Red snapper are off-limits indefinitely in the South Atlantic Region and must be released.

Freshwater

▪ Look For | Bream, bass, catfish, crappie.

▪ Comments | “They are putting it on the bream,” said Rick Woodward of Rick’s Bait and Tackle. “They’ve started hitting crickets now and all of a sudden everybody wants crickets. It’s been hard for us to keep them.” Woodward notes best catches of the panfish has been on the lower Waccamaw in the Ricefields and Bucksport areas, along with the Intracoastal Waterway. Catfish action is good on cut eels, if available, and cut shad. Woodward notes the Ricefields area is a top spot for bass. “Bass have turned on too,” said Woodward. “They’re coming off the bed and are hitting shiners and crankbaits. They haven’t started hitting topwater yet but it’s time.”

Gregg Holshouser

This story was originally published April 9, 2015 at 7:18 PM with the headline "Local fishing report (April 9)."