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Myrtle Beach newbie fishing help

132K views 94 replies 56 participants last post by  BeachLife 
#1 ·
thanks to SCSpanishJigger for upgrading my original post. I did some last bit editing and I think we got a pretty good sticky for the top of the page.


Newbies should get some questions answered here. Once again...I didn't go into artificial baits because the list would be too long.


[Moderator Edit]
Thanks, SmoothLures for that link later in the thread.
I am going to put it here in the first post.

2012-13 SCDNR Regulations. Those are the most recent regulations, rather than the ones in the images below (from 2009).
 
#4 ·
lures to catch certain species of fish

Bluefish- spoons, got-cha plug, sting silvers, kastmasters, hopkins, krocodile spoons. they will attack most lures. plugs like mirrolures, yo-zuri crystal minnows, zara spooks, and poppers don't get ignored either. bluefish are alos known for ruining soft plastics like jighead with shad tail or grub.

Trout- mirrolures, soft plastic grubs, shad tails, paddle tail, with jighead, 4 inch swimbait, and topwater plugs, and yo-zuri crystal minnows. depending on situation trout mostly ambush and feed on slower moving prey than bluefish. they will sometimes chase down baitfish like a bluefish would but also pick up scapes after bluefish have chomped baitfish in half.

Red drum- lures mentioned for trout along with gold spoons, saltwater spinnerbaits, and crab imitating soft plastics. red drum and trout are really attracted to the exact same lures. liek a trout, am ambush hunter thats also really fond of crabs.

flounder- jighead and soft plastic(like the ones mentioned before), 3 inch storm or tsunami swimbaits. any regular sized slow moving lure dragged across the bottom can entice a flounder most of the time. use live bait whenever possible. flounder are often taken while targeting red drum and trout.

Spanish mackerel- most metal lures mentioned above for bluefish and got-cha plug but in smaller sizes. for most situations spoons beyond an oz is rarely needed. metal jigs like sting silvers are perfect in 2oz size as the lures are small in profile. 3/4 oz hopkin is also popular. spanish mackerel like to chase on lures being burned across the water. nothing being reeled can be too slow for Spanish as they burst well over 35mph to chase down prey. a 4 pound Spanish and strip off 10 to 20 yards of line set at 7 pounds of drag pressure with little trouble.
 
#7 ·
Thanks!!

It was Skink's original idea, I just added onto it a little. Hopefully we can continue adding awesome information to it. Maybe we can add some of the places to fish (surf, pier, creeks...etc.) and how to get to them. I know a lot of people don't know the area really well so directions would most certainly help.


SCSJ
 
#8 ·
I don't know if it would be worthy to add, but when we're staying in Cherry Grove, if the finger mullet are just too far out in the surf to net, there is a little bridge on 53'rd street over one of the channels that leads to a boat landing. If you can get there a little bit after tide starts coming in, you can usually net some there as they enter the inlets. This saved my fishing last year, as I couldn't find any mullet anywhere else.

Also, if you have a little one (like my 4 year old daughter) you can pretty much guarantee that they can pull up more pinfish than their little arms can reel in. She had a blast doing that last year!
 
#95 ·
the finger mullet are just too far out in the surf to net
The mullet are always "a little too far out to to get with a cast net" during high tide, unless you want to get wet up to your neck.

Best to get your mullet during low tide when they're up in the suds. Just keep them cool until you need them (for later in the same day) and the red drum, blues, and spanish mackeral wont care whether they're dead or alive.

If you want to put some in the fridge for the next day, then bag them, salt them heavily, a a little bit of water, and that will keep them in decent shape for a day.

The biggest mistake I see most people bottom fishing make is underestimating the crabs and not checking their bait often enough. In the estuaries during the warmer months you normally have about 5 minutes at best until theres a crab ripping your bait off.
 
#13 ·
A reliable setup for catching fish on a cork. Is 17lb test line on your reel with a popping cork. I like the corks with a weight on the end of the rod. Tie on about a 3ft section of florocarbon line(20 to 30lb test). attatch the hook on the end and a 1/4oz. split shot about 3 to 4inches above the hook. hook a LIVE shrimp through the horn somewhere inbetween the dark spots on the head of the shrimp 'cause the dark spots are its vitals OR a mudminnow, hook it through the bottom of its mouth and bring it out through the top. far enough back to keep the minnow from being ripped off on casting.
Good post SKINK. Can you show us how to attatch a sandflea?
 
#14 ·
Can you show us how to attatch a sandflea?
http://www.pierandsurf.com/fishing-forum/showthread.php?t=42976&highlight=hook+sandflea

theres a pic in this post that shows a good way to hook them. i normally use this approach. just hook them from the underside until the hook just pokes through the top of the flea, the point of the hook should be facing the back of the flea. this usually keeps them from digging down in the sand when your line is out, or so i am told.
 
#15 ·
Great post, I would like to add, for safety reasons, your shock leader needs to be 10lb test or better for every ounce of lead. So if you are throwing 4 ounces with bait you need at least 40lb. test. Throwing 8 and bait with a 50lb test shock could cause some serious injury to someone if it breaks.
 
#16 ·
Maps of Murrells Inlet

I put together some google earth images and listed some creek names and points of interest for those of you who aren't too familiar with the Inlet.

I hope this helps y'all get around and find some fishin holes

Skink
 
#20 ·
I just moved to Greenville SC for a job and I'm living down here for work. The family is in St. Louis and I am an avid fisherman. I was wondering if anyone could suggest a day trip to do some surf or pier fishing. I know very little about the methods of this kind of fishing so I could use some help. Is this time of year productive for catching fish? What is the best universal bait? etc. I went to Sportsmans Warehouse and bought a low end
9' spinning rod equipped with 30lb test. HELP?
 
#21 ·
Just a helpful hint,,, don't forget one of the little over looked diamonds Sandflea added for finding fishing spots. Top of each page is what they call "HotSpots" just click and find where to fish and if ya know of a spot that isnt on the list just click on add to and Flea will get it added.
http://www.pierandsurf.com/fishing-forum/showthread.php?t=68384
 
#22 ·
RE - Where to find tide charts

Thought this may be some good information to add to the "sticky"..TIDE CHARTS!!

http://www.sciway.net/weather/tides.html

Click on the city you want to view...then "predictions"; for instance Garden City is listed under Myrtle Beach.

Hope this helps!!!

SCSJ AKA Ty
 
#25 ·
Hi guys thanks for all the great info. This site is on the money I find so many things I did not know about Myrtle Beach fishing. I just moved in Conway and looking to start surf fishing I’m a good fisherman for deep sea and big game but never did surf someone can give me some pointers what kind of bait or jig will do better and where should I go in myrtle beach to fish I love fishing I would like to spent my free time on the beach but did not want to make a fool of myself by not catching anything. Help.
 
#26 ·
If not catching fish makes someone look like a fool, I saw about 80 fools yesterday on Apache pier...and from what I understand, one could see fools standing on any pier.

Good bait presentation and skill, yes I did say skill, do help a fisherman. But, sometimes the fish just aren't there and there's nothing that can be done short of moving to where they are.
 
#27 ·
Thanks for the tip I’m thinking to go out one of this days and see if there is anything out there. By the way I was one of them on the pier all I get is sharks and 3 whiting and some funny looking fish I don’t know what it was any way all of them was too small to keep I let them go.
 
#28 ·
Newbie from out of state

Hello everyone. I live in Indiana but will be vacationing at Edisto Beach in mid August. I would love to try some salt water fishing while visiting, but don't know the first thing about it. This thread has been helpful as far as presentations, but I guess I don't know what kind of rod and reel to buy for the trip. I've been looking at combos on Bass Pro online. What do you suggest? What is the basic equipment I need for surf or pier fishing? Keep in mind I'm on a tight budget :)

Thanks for your input. I'll be checking back often!
 
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