Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009

Area, state fishing reports

AREA FISHING REPORT

SALTWATER

Estuary

Look for | Spotted seatrout, red drum, flounder, black drum, sheepshead, bluefish

Comments | The water temperature has taken a plunge over the past week with Capt. Mike McDonald of Gul-R-Boy Guide Service reporting a surface reading of 67 degrees while shrimping in Winyah Bay on Thursday afternoon. Trout fishing has been excellent in most areas on live shrimp and grubs. What's happening in Murrells Inlet? "A lot of spots," said Tom Craddock of Inlet Convenience and Fishing Supplies. The inlet, and other estuaries such as Cherry Grove, get crowded during spot season and boaters should be sure to stay clear of the channels. Craddock also says flounder catches have been good, including a 10-pounder landed at the jetties. Large red drum are still available at area jetties but should be brought to boatside quickly and carefully released. Red drum are also schooling in the creeks of area estuaries.

Inshore

Look for | King and Spanish mackerel, whiting, pompano, weakfish, black drum, flounder, red drum, spadefish, sheepshead, spots

Comments | The horde of seasonal fishermen in search of spots have been largely disappointed off Grand Strand piers. Though spot catches have been good in the estuaries the action has been, well, spotty off the piers this week. Use bloodworms, artificial bloodworms or shrimp to catch the panfish. Other species landed off the piers this week include bluefish, Spanish mackerel, whiting, pompano, flounder, weakfish, spotted seatrout, red drum and black drum. Top catches were a 3-pound, 9-ounce pompano off The Pier at Garden City and a 5-pound, 14-ounce flounder off Apache Pier. Whiting catches have been excellent on bottom spots near the beach, with weakfish also available. Catches of Spanish remain good near the beach. Water temperature at the Apache Pier Data Station was 69 degrees Thursday afternoon.

Offshore

Look for | King mackerel, wahoo, dolphin, blackfin tuna, sailfish, marlin, grouper, vermilion snapper, black sea bass, triggerfish, amberjack

Comments | Capt. Brant McMullan of Ocean Isle (N.C.) Fishing Center calls the king mackerel action "very good" on the eve of the Yellowfin/OIFC Fall Brawl Classic. On Tuesday, McMullan produced a 28-pound king in 65 feet of water on a dead cigar minnow. Dirty Martini out of Little River ventured offshore on Wednesday and found surface water temperatures of 69 degrees near the beach, 73 at 30 miles out and 78 at about 50 miles out. Triggerfish and vermilion snapper provided the best bottom fishing action for the crew, with a 3.3-pound black sea bass also landed. Other species available for bottom fishermen are grouper, amberjack, porgy and red snapper. Look for trolling action for wahoo and dolphin to pick up as the water temperature continues to cool.

FRESHWATER

Look for | Bream, crappie, bass, catfish

Comments | "The crappie bite has picked up significantly this week," said Jay Booth of Fisherman's Headquarters in Conway. Fish have been caught at Samworth and Yauhannah on the Great Pee Dee River in 8-10 feet of water hitting minnows around structure and ditch mouths. Roosevelt Sherman of Bucksport caught a limit of 30 at Yauhannah. Booth notes the bream bite remains good with the fish moving deeper in response to cooler water temperatures. Look for bream in 4-5 feet of water hitting crickets and worms at Yauhannah, Bucksport and the Ricefields. Bass action on large shiners is on an upswing while catfish continue to take cut and live bait.

STATE FISHING

Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie | Bream: Very good. Capt. David Hilton reports that he has found a strong bream bite over deep brushpiles. He is finding the fish around brush 11-12 feet deep but also as deep as 25 feet. Nightcrawlers are good bait and all sizes of fish are mixed together. Striped Bass: Good to very good. Lil N8s Bait and Tackle in Sumter reports that for an hour or two after daybreak very good school activity is being reported for striper. After fish go down trolling with live bait will catch fish. Crappie: Good. Capt. David Hilton reports that crappie fishing remains good although wind has kept him off his best spots at times. Catfish: Fair to good. Capt. Jim Glenn reports that the catfish bite has improved from the late summer doldrums but will get better as the fall continues. The fish are scattered and his boat is having best luck drifting fresh cut bait (especially shad and white perch) in water 12-25 feet deep and covering plenty of water. Largemouth bass: Fair to good. Capt. Inky Davis reports that largemouth bass fishing continues to improve and his boat is catching good numbers of bass around shallow structure.