SALTWATER FISHING TRENDS:
PIERS: Note changes in hours of operation. Activity is slow due to cold and off-season.
Cherry Grove Pier: Closed for winter December 11 until mid February/March. No report.
Apache Pier (Myrtle Beach): Bait shop open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week. Sharks and skates are the only things taking bait. Water temperature is around 49 degrees.
Springmaid Pier: Open 7 a.m. to midnight seven days a week, year-round. No activity to report. Water temperature is 50.
Myrtle Beach State Park Pier: Open 6 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Skates and dogfish sharks are biting cut bait. Water temperature is around 50 degrees.
Surfside Pier: Closed for winter on November 28. No report.
The Pier at Garden City: Closed January 1 through February. No report.
Winyah Bay Fishing and Observation Pier (Georgetown): Open 6 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week, with free parking and fishing. Visitors also enjoy great bird watching. A Freshwater Fishing License is required due to brackish water. Coming soon, a second fishing pier on Winyah Bay. Activity is slow. No report.
Folly Beach Pier: Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. - Feb. Sharks and skate are all that is biting. Water temperature is 51 degrees.
Hunting Island State Park Fishing Pier: Pier open 24 hours a day. The Nature Center is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday - Saturday. (Hours subject to change during off-season.) No activity to report.
INSHORE (State Waters):
Cherry Grove: No activity to report.
Murrells Inlet: Look for red drum in the shallows at low tide. Use cut mullet or artificial grubs.
Charleston Area: Red drum activity has picked up. The Intracoastal Waterways around Bulls Bay and Capers Island are yielding decent catches. Use a Carolina rig with cut mullet, or live or scented artificials on colder days to entice a bite. Spotted sea trout are still biting in the creeks. Use DOA shrimp and grubs. Sheepshead are taking fiddlers at the jetties.
Edisto Area: No activity to report.
Beaufort Area: Red drum are still around but hard to get to bite. Use live mud minnows or shrimp as well as artificial grubs.
OFFSHORE (Federal Waters) Cold and windy conditions have hindered activity.
Cherry Grove: Black sea bass, red and silver snapper, triggerfish, grouper and large flounder are taking squid in 100 foot waters around 45 miles out. Dogfish and small blacktip sharks are also biting. Use cut bait over reefs.
Murrells Inlet: Catches of black sea bass and sheepshead are good. Fish over live bottoms and structures. Use squid and cigar minnows.
Charleston Area: Black sea bass are still good over reefs and live bottoms in waters 20 to 25 feet deep. Larger fish are in deeper water. Snapper and grouper catches are better around 75 feet. Use squid or cigar minnows. Sheepshead are very good at nearshore reefs. Use live fiddlers or clam strips. Reports of wahoo have come from the Southwest Banks.
Edisto River/St. Helena Sound: Black sea bass, snapper and grouper activity is good at nearshore reefs. Use squid or cigar minnows.
Beaufort Area: Black sea bass and sheepshead activity is good around reefs and wrecks. Use squid or cigar minnows.
REPORTERS: The S.C. Department of Natural Resources' Marine Resources Division thanks the following participants for their cooperation in compiling this week's report: Cherry Grove Pier, Apache Pier, Springmaid Pier, Myrtle Beach State Park, Surfside Pier, The Pier at Garden City, Winyah Bay Fishing and Observation Pier, Folly Beach Fishing Pier, Hunting Island State Park, Harbor Gate Marina-Cherry Grove, Capt. Dicks-Murrells Inlet, Haddrell's Point Tackle-Charleston, Edisto Marina-Edisto, Low Country Outfitters-Hilton Head.
- Written by Becky Fowler -
For South Carolina marine recreational fishing regulations: http://www.dnr.state.sc.us/etc/rulesregs/img/saltfishing.pdf
Visit the Saltwater Fishing License Web site at http://saltwaterfishing.sc.gov/
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