Fishing report (March 11, 2016)
Estuary
Look For: Flounder, red drum, black drum, spotted seatrout, tautog, sheepshead.
Comments: With the air temperatures well above normal and the water temperature on the rise, Jessica Perry of Perry’s Bait and Tackle has good news. Perry reports decent catches of flounder in Murrells Inlet, particularly in Oaks Creek and the Charley Cut area. “Hopefully, we’re going to have an early season,” said Perry. Perry says anglers have been catching about one “keeper” flounder to every six landed. South Carolina’s minimum size limit for flounder is 14 inches. Perry also notes slot reds have been found in the inlet. A number of species can possibly be found at area jetties including black drum, sheepshead, tautog, spotted seatrout, red drum and flounder. Anglers in Murrells Inlet and other small inlets such as Pawleys Inlet will have to battle the spring-time presence of the algae known as “snot grass,” which clings to terminal tackle on fishing rigs.
Inshore
Look For: Black sea bass, sheepshead, black drum, whiting, croaker.
Comments: Clearly, the best bet on the inshore waters is sheepshead and black drum on the near-shore reefs from 2 to 10 miles offshore. Try finding them at spots such as Paradise Reef, Pawleys Reef, 10-Mile Reef, Jim Caudle Reef and Ron McManus Reef and use fiddler crabs for bait. Be prepared to fish through plenty of throw-back black sea bass under the 13-inch minimum size limit. Spring fever abounds with the warm air temperatures, but the fish simply aren't here yet along the beach. Cherry Grove Pier and Surfside Pier both report catches of mainly dogfish and skates. A few whiting, croaker and silver perch can possibly be caught but don't expect many fish to be on hand. As the water temperature breaches the 60-degree mark, look for bluefish to start showing up and whiting and croaker to appear in greater numbers. The ocean water temperature was 57.6 degrees at Springmaid Pier Thursday at 4:36 p.m.
Offshore
Look For: Wahoo, blackfin tuna, barracuda, bonito, vermilion snapper, black sea bass, triggerfish, porgy, grunts, amberjack.
Comments: With unseasonably warm temperatures and a calm ocean, Wednesday provided a perfect opportunity for anglers to get offshore, and the wahoo were waiting. Several boats landed multiple wahoo with a few blackfin tuna and at least one dolphin also caught. The crew of Painkiller out of Murrells Inlet, with Dr. Jason Rosenberg and Capt. Jay Sconyers among the crew, landed three wahoo on the day, including a 66-pounder, while fishing in the vicinity of the Winyah Scarp. The crew also caught numerous barracuda and bonito and had four entire rigs cutoff. Could dolphin make the scene earlier than usual? Considering Rosenberg observed a water temperature of 74 degrees at the Scarp, that is certainly possible. Bottom fishing is very good with black sea bass, vermilion snapper and triggerfish providing the most action. The annual Shallow-Water Grouper Spawning Season Closure is in effect and lasts through April 30. Red snapper must be released indefinitely in the South Atlantic Region.
Freshwater
Look For: Bream, catfish, bass, crappie.
Comments: The Waccamaw River at Conway has dropped just below minor flood stage, at 10.6 feet Thursday at 4:15 p.m. There is still plenty of water in the rivers though, and the best bet for anglers is to fish deep for crappie, using crappie minnows. Use cut shad and eels for catfish. Capt. Mike McDonald of Gul-R-Boy Guide Service has headed south this week to get in on the shad migration in the Tailrace Canal at Moncks Corner. McDonald’s crew caught 14 shad Tuesday and eight Wednesday with the fish ranging from 3 to 5 pounds. McDonald’s crew used 1/8-ounce curly-tail grubs made by Arkie to catch the shad.
This story was originally published March 10, 2016 at 10:14 PM with the headline "Fishing report (March 11, 2016)."