[mrblueox]

We are heading down to Myrtle next week which is quite early then my normal september trip but free room does this. thinking of doing some surf fishing if anything is biting. We are staying just North of springmaid somewhere like 2500 s Ocean. Anyone fishing or is anything biting?

 

[chrisp1981]

if you are going to fish you need to fish the inlet and marsh areas. about the only thing running worth anything is the speckled trout, black drum, and a few red fish.
Use live shrimp on a Carolina rig or popping cork, if not fresh dead shrimp, or just artificial lures like mirrolures, vudu shrimp, or a jig had with some sort of soft plastic. I have been catching a couple keepers each weekend in the early mornings
I don't think much is running ocean side, maybe some whiting? Otherwise you need to go off shore (boat) to catch any good fish right now in the ocean or just stick to boat and shore fishing for trout/drum in the marsh/inlet areas. Another couple months till the flounder and other things show up

 

[mrblueox]

Ok was wondering that. Place were are staying is ocean front so didnt know if anything would be in the surf just as catch and release not really looking to keep anything my 3yr old just loves to fish.

 

[spydermn]

Find a hole or structure or pier. Throw a LIGHT rod with a sabiki rig tipped with dead shrimp pieces. You will get bites, maybe pinfish, maybe baby blues, maybe something more fun. It is what I do with my little ones (3 & 5). They dont care so long at their is something on the line. We will catch 40-50 pinfish, small whiting, baby reds (I wouldn't even have call them pups) but the kids talk about it all the time. We did get a couple decent sized whiting, pomps and red this way also but mostly you are fishing for bait! have a blast

 

[bluefish1928]

Find a hole or structure or pier. Throw a LIGHT rod with a sabiki rig tipped with dead shrimp pieces. You will get bites, maybe pinfish, maybe baby blues, maybe something more fun. It is what I do with my little ones (3 & 5). They dont care so long at their is something on the line. We will catch 40-50 pinfish, small whiting, baby reds (I wouldn't even have call them pups) but the kids talk about it all the time. We did get a couple decent sized whiting, pomps and red this way also but mostly you are fishing for bait! have a blast

OP is coming down in mid- Feb. If it was summer, 100% true- plenty of small stuff for pullage. Sometimes you get some spadefish on those sabiki rigs next to pilings and they can fight!

In mid-Feb..... fishing mode hard. To get kids on fish, I would find a local public pond and use live worms.

Chrisp1981 has proven to consistently catch fish in inshore waters year-round- his posts on Grand Strand Fishing reports are well worth following.
I might come down next weekend. If I do, I'll be wandering into tiny marsh creeks in my kayak and casting Mirrolures for specks.



Pinfish usually arent even around until late May or June. Blues can be around as early as mid- late March

 

[chrisp1981]

Thanks for the accolade bluefish1928!

I put a lot of time in, asked around a lot for advise, and it starts to pay off. Just need to get out and try a bunch of stuff to figure what works and when.

I moved down to this area about 3 years ago from NJ. Had to re-learn a lot of things to be successful down here. Only the past year did I figure out the trout and how to keep catching them throughout winter.
Spring and fall are the best, winter is slower, but you get more quality trout than quantity.

For trout this time a year, lures are your best bet. get a variety of types, surface, sub service, slow sinking. Need to find where the fish are in the water column.
This time a year I noticed when the water is the coldest they run deeper so look for holes, etc. When its warmer out I get more on top water.
As for bait live finger mullet and live shrimp.

 

[mrblueox]

Well going to try and hit a few areas in the marsh and creeks if I get a chance

 

[mrblueox]

Hit a few areas i could walk to along the marsh and creeks and nothing, saw a guy surf fishing one morning in front of the place we were at and nothing. oh well still better than work and ill be back in sept

 

[spydermn]

winter fishing is always hard. I usually have some luck even this time of year behind the wash off piers with very small gear. With kids, at least IMO, the easiest way to get something on the line is sometimes the best way. I have watched here for a long time and used what I learn. Also as Chrisp says, tried some of my own.

If I am fishing w/o my kids then I will walk for miles. If I have the sand rats with me, wash or pier is much easier and they can play and run around in the sand until I figure out what is where

 

[hangout]

Thanks for your report. being out to fish is always good.