Sailfish showing up inshore; Monster wahoo landed in Murrells Inlet

Belky Bear is a well-known and heavily fished live-bottom area with a few ledges located 12-13 miles east-northeast of Murrells Inlet.

The Bear is a go-to spot for charter captains and weekend warriors looking to tangle mainly with king mackerel and large Spanish mackerel, but it has a knack for occasionally holding pelagic species typically found much further offshore.

A year ago, during a stretch in mid-October, blackfin tuna, including several fish over 20 pounds, were caught at the Bear, plus a few dolphin.

This year’s surprise catch has been sailfish. Over a period of three days, again in mid-October, four sailfish were caught and released at Belky Bear.

Owner Dr. Jason Rosenberg and Capt. Jay Sconyers released a sailfish aboard Rosenberg’s boat, Pain Killer on Oct. 13. A day later, Capt. Dan Connolly of O-Fish-Al Expeditions also released a sailfish.

One more day later, on Oct. 15, Capt. Tommy Werner of Outlaw Fishing Charters and Capt. Jason Burton of Murrells Inlet Fishing Charters were fishing alongside each other at the Bear and both hooked up with a sailfish simultaneously.

“It was crazy,” said Werner. “Both of our fish hit within seconds of each other and we were 200 yards away. Jason’s fish aired out first, and as soon as that happened, my fish hit and marlin-walked. Both of them skied out of the water.”

Both sailfish were released in good shape.

Werner has a theory on why offshore pelagics not normally seen a dozen miles out in 50 feet of water along the South Carolina coast may be showing up at areas such as the Bear.

“There are a couple of sails usually caught (further offshore) at the Parking Lot each year, but for them to push into the Belky Bear, I’ve never seen anything like it and I’ve been fishing here for 20 years,” said Werner. “It seems like any time we get a consistent east wind it pushes that clear water in. You will start to see your flying fish around 20 miles out, which will pull your pelagic fish in closer.”

Monster Wahoo

Rosenberg and Sconyers were joined by Travis Coleman and WPDE Meteorologist Ed Piotrowski on the Pain Killer’s regular Wednesday fishing trip.

The four-man crew, fishing out of Murrells Inlet, only landed one fish, but what a fish it was.

While trolling in the vicinity of the Winyah Scarp, about 60 miles off Murrells Inlet, a huge wahoo hit a blue/white high-speed lure. Rosenberg, Coleman and Piotrowski took turns reeling the fish in. With a 48-ounce trolling weight on the high speed trolling set-up, Sconyers was forced to hand line the massive member of the mackerel family to the boat once they reached the leader.

While Piotrowski took the wheel, Rosenberg applied the first gaff and Coleman the second. Sconyers joined a group effort to haul the wahoo into the boat.

“Conditions were perfect for wahoo – full moon, three-foot seas,” said Rosenberg.

Back at Rosenberg’s Murrells Inlet dock, the wahoo weighed in at 112 pounds.

The South Carolina state record for wahoo is a 130-pound, 5-ounce specimen caught in 1998 by R.J. Moore of Valdese, N.C., also out of Murrells Inlet.

“The record (was set) when there was less pressure on the fishery,” said Rosenberg. “So amazing we were able to land this monster.”