Myrtle Beach-area fishing report (Dec. 3)

Estuary

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

Comments: The spotted seatrout bite is hot in all Grand Strand estuaries with fish hitting live bait or artificials. Red drum, black drum and a few flounder are also being landed. “The weather's been great, the fishing's been great,” said Capt. Patrick Kelly of Captain Smiley Fishing Charters in Little River. “It's as good as it gets right now. We get on some spots and we're catching them on every cast.” Kelly, who has been using live shrimp or vudu shrimp on popping corks, estimates he's been catching between 30 and 50 trout per trip, with many of the fish below the 14-inch minimum size limit but plenty of 14-18 inch fish. Kelly has also been producing some 3-4 pound black drum, red drum and the occasional flounder. Kelly produced one 6-pound trout over the last week. Action has been just as good on the south end for Capt. Mike McDonald of Gul-R-Boy Guide Service in the Winyah Bay area. On Wednesday, McDonald's crew caught 50 trout after catching 49 on Sunday, with most of the fish hitting Cal Bait (plastic grubs) and a few hitting top-water lures. McDonald has also produced a few reds and flounder plus plenty of bluefish. “Anywhere you put it that blue will hit it,” said McDonald. “You've got to hope the trout hits it first.” The water temperature in the estuaries is around 60 degrees.

Inshore

Look For: Black sea bass, whiting, black drum, weakfish, flounder, bluefish, red drum, croaker.

Comments: With above normal weather and water temperatures, Capt. Brant McMullan of Ocean Isle Fishing Center is surprised where king mackerel have been found over the past week. “There were a few kings within 10 miles of the beach around Thanksgiving,” said McMullan. “The water's easily 5-10 degrees above average." Black sea bass are still the best bet on the inshore waters with fish available on structure in all depths. But McMullan notes that keepers above the 13-inch minimum size limit can be tough to find in depths shallower than 50 feet. Keeping with the warm water theme, a few bull red drum continue to be found on the bottom spots near the beach. The water temperature was 63.3 degrees at 4:42 p.m. Thursday at Springmaid Pier. Look for weakfish, tautog and flounder on near-shore bottom spots. Look for black drum, whiting and croaker on Grand Strand piers. Most black drum are well under the 14-27 inch slot limit and must be released. Any combination of whiting, croaker and spots have a 50-per-person daily bag.

Offshore

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

Comments: Dr. Jason Rosenberg and Capt. Jay Sconyers ventured out on their weekly Wednesday trip aboard Painkiller, just ahead of an approaching cold front. Armed with live croaker, the crew blasted off aboard Rosenberg's Contender to some ledges about 25 miles offshore in 70 feet of water, with a 68-degree water temperature. The quick trip produced 10 sizable black sea bass and three gag grouper, including a pair of keepers measuring 26 and 30 inches, along with, surprisingly enough, a large bull red drum. They zoomed back in, just beating the rain and wind to their Murrells Inlet destination. Capt. Brant McMullan of Ocean Isle Fishing Center reports wahoo continue to be available offshore. "Wahoo fishing is good on edge of the break, and we're actually finding they're a little shallow with the water temperature a little warmer than normal,” said McMullan. “They're in 100-140 feet and they're usually in 150-200. The water temperature is still easily over 75 out there (at the break), and they prefer a little cooler than that.” McMullan also reports excellent action for king mackerel and good grouper activity in depths of 70-90 feet. “Kings are exceptionally good in that range,” said McMullan. “Cigar minnows are schooled up and holding offshore and the grouper and kings are following those pods of minnows. That's where we're finding the grouper and kings.”

Freshwater

Look For: Bream, catfish, bass, crappie.

Comments: The Waccamaw River at Conway and Little Pee Dee River at Gallivant's Ferry have both dropped just below flood stage, but are still very high. “They're still up,” said Rick Woodward of Rick's Bait and Tackle in Conway. “Haven't seen any big catches come off the rivers lately. People just don't want to fish the water with it that high.” Crappie are currently the best bet on the rivers and on area lakes. Woodward reports some big crappie are being caught and saw fish weighing 2.8 and 2.2 pounds this week. Catfish are a good option hitting cut bait such as mullet, shad and eels. "That's the main thing on the rivers right now, crappie and catfish," said Woodward.

Gregg Holshouser

This story was originally published December 3, 2015 at 7:29 PM with the headline "Myrtle Beach-area fishing report (Dec. 3)."