Grand Strand Fishing Report: Sheepshead, black drum are plentiful on near-shore reefs

Estuary

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

Comments: Capt. Chris Ossman of Fine Catch Charters headed out in the Atlantic to catch black sea bass earlier this week, but stopped in Little River Inlet on the way home to play with red drum in the shallows. Ossman found schools of reds on the shallow edges and small creeks along the Intracoastal Waterway in Little River, using a variety of baits to catch them. “You could see them in the shallow water pushing around,” said Ossman. “We had to sneak up on them and pitch a bait to them.” Ossman was able to find finger mullet, which he cast-netted for bait. “We caught some of the fish on Gulp artificials, but the majority we caught on mud minnows and mullet,” said Ossman. “I caught one on a sand flea.” Ossman noted a warmer-than-normal water temperature of 53-54 degrees, and had visions of spring dancing in his head. “It’s going to be an early spring I believe,” said Ossman. “That’s what the groundhog said.” Kayak angler Rob Birchmeier also found red drum active, also on low tide, in Murrells Inlet. On Monday, Birchmeier landed 10 reds in the 20-26 inch range, plus a flounder, using Z-Man grubs.

Inshore

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

Comments: Capt. Jeff Maples of Reel Salty Charters found a window of opportunity Sunday to head to the near-shore reefs out of Murrells Inlet. Maples found black drum and sheepshead stacked up on one spot and landed several nice fish. “When we got on the structure, they were there,” said Maples. “We really saw the fish on the screen. There were no black sea bass, that’s how thick they were.” Maples wound up with eight nice keeper black drum and one large sheepshead on the trip. Ossman headed out in search of nice keeper black sea bass, and found them in 60 feet of water. Ossman and crew caught a limit with the fish in the 15-17 inch range, easily above the minimum size of 13 inches. Whiting and croaker are the best bet off Grand Strand piers. The ocean water temperature at Apache Pier early Thursday afternoon was warm for mid-February, at 56 degrees.

Offshore

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

Comments: Cold fronts have been numerous in the last month, and offshore fishing opportunities have been scarce. “The weather’s just been preventing us from getting out there,” said Capt. Danny Carey of Carey-On Charters. Regardless, a record field of 153 boats are competing in the South Carolina Wahoo Series, which opened on Feb. 7 and runs through April 25. Boats are allowed to fish three days and weigh in one fish per day. As of Thursday, six boats had used one of their allotted fishing days, with Haint Blue of Isle of Palms holding the early lead with a 68.8-pound wahoo caught on Sunday. Visit www.scwahooseries.com for more information on the series. For now, wahoo and blackfin tuna are the best bet for trolling boats in the offshore waters, but in April dolphin will join the fun. Best bottom fishing action is in the 90/120-foot range, where amberjack, vermilion snapper, black sea bass, triggerfish, porgy, grunts, grouper and red snapper are all available. The annual shallow-water grouper spawning season closure continues through the month of April and includes gag grouper, black grouper, red grouper, scamp, red hind, rock hind, yellowmouth grouper, yellowfin grouper, graysby, and coney. Also, 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, catfish, bass.

Comments: Local rivers are flirting with Minor Flood Stage after a deluge of rain about a week ago, but the anglers trying their luck are catching fish. With the water temperature above normal in the mid 50s, fish have been caught in depths ranging from 5 to 25 feet deep. Anglers should note the spots are deeper than normal due to the high water. Lead-lining on the bottom with worms on two-hook rigs is producing bream, plus catfish. Crappie are hitting beetle spins and minnows in lakes, ditch mouths and around tree tops. Ronald Stalvey of Stalvey’s Bait and Tackle in Conway suggests using crankbaits, spinnerbaits and Senko worms to catch bass. Catfish are hitting live bream and eels in all depths.