Grand Strand Fishing Report: Warm temperatures keep near-shore, estuary fishing hot

Estuary

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

Comments: The new decade has started off with warmer-than-normal air temps, and the trend is forecast to continue for the foreseeable future. The result is plenty of activity of spotted seatrout, red drum, black drum and even flounder in local estuaries. Plenty of water from recent rains is flowing through Winyah Bay and the water is muddier than normal, but it is warm, in the 53- to 58-degree range, and the fish are active. Capt. Mike McDonald of Gul-R-Boy Guide Service had a varied catch on Tuesday, producing 15 trout, three red drum and two flounder, one a 17-incher. All fish were caught on artificial grubs, except for the reds, which hit floated cut shrimp. A pair of Murrells Inlet-based captains, Capt. Dan Connolly of O-Fish-Al Expeditions and Capt. Perrin Wood of Southern Saltwater, ventured down to the bay on Wednesday. The duo hit the jetties, floating live shrimp to catch numerous reds, black drum and trout to go with a pair of monster sheepshead, both weighing over 8 pounds. On Monday, Connolly found mixed sizes of reds, or spottails, in the bay and plenty of them eager to hit all types of artificials. On Sunday, Connolly found trout, slot reds and small black drum all on live shrimp in Murrells Inlet.

Inshore

Look For: Black sea bass, sheepshead, weakfish, flounder, whiting, croaker, black drum, tautog.

Comments: The near-shore reefs within a 30-minute ride from the hill are holding a number of species including black sea bass, sheepshead, black drum, tautog, weakfish and flounder. Don’t be surprised to see some bull red drum in on the action. Minimum sizes and slot limits to keep in mind are 13 inches for black sea bass, 14-27 inches for black drum, 15 inches for flounder and 15-23 inches for red drum. Weakfish have a 12-inch minimum size limit but a one-fish-per-person daily bag limit. The ocean water temperature was 55 degrees at Cherry Grove Pier and 54 degrees at Apache Pier Wednesday afternoon, warm for early January, and the piers were still producing some fish. A few whiting, croaker, undersize black drum, puffers and dogfish have been caught from the two piers this week.

Offshore

Look For: Wahoo, blackfin tuna, grouper, red snapper, amberjack, vermilion snapper, triggerfish, red porgy, black sea bass.

Comments: Once again, the offshore waters look to be blown up for the weekend, with possible Gale force winds for Saturday. A few boats made it out early in the week, and trolling action found wahoo available along with blackfin tuna receptive, as expected during January. Bottom fishing is excellent when conditions permit. Look for nice, fat black sea bass in depths of 50 feet and beyond. In the 90-120 foot range, add amberjack, vermilion snapper, triggerfish, porgy, grunts, grouper and red snapper to the mix. Of course, the annual shallow-water grouper spawning season closure went into effect on Jan. 1, and continues through the month of April. Species included in the closure are gag grouper, black grouper, red grouper, scamp, red hind, rock hind, yellowmouth grouper, yellowfin grouper, graysby, and coney. In addition, red snapper are common on the ledges and live-bottom areas but the species is closed to harvest in the South Atlantic Region and must be released.

Freshwater

Look For: Bream, crappie, bass, catfish.

Comments: There’s plenty of water coming down the rivers, especially the Pee Dees and the Santees, but there still have been a few anglers getting out. “There have been some nice crappie caught off the Waccamaw, but of course the Waccamaw is the only river that isn’t flooded right now,” said Ronald “Catfish” Stalvey of Stalvey’s Bait and Tackle in Conway. “The weather’s amazing for this time of year. Hopefully we’ll get some water to keep falling out and get them below flood stage. The (Great) Pee Dee has got a long way to go.” Another go-to area in high water is the Ricefields vicinity between the Wachesaw Plantation area and Georgetown. “I’ve been hearing reports of bass on crankbaits and Texas-rigged worms and bream caught lead-lining worms on the bottom down there,” said Stalvey.