Saltwater Fishing Trends

Cherry Grove Pier: Open Sun through Thurs 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. - Fri and Sat 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. - Pompano, blues and whiting are biting live or cut shrimp. A few flounder are biting live minnows. Spots are running.

Apache Pier (Myrtle Beach): Pier and bait Shop open 6 a.m. to midnight seven days a week. Some nice flounder reported using live mud minnows. - Check weather and water conditions>>>

Springmaid Pier (Myrtle Beach): Pier is open 6 a.m. to midnight seven days a week, year-round. Tackle shop open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Spotted sea trout were reported as well as pompano and croaker on live or cut shrimp. Several Spanish mackerel were caught on jigged gold spoons. - View the pier cam>>>

Myrtle Beach State Park Pier (Myrtle Beach South): Pier open 6 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., 7 days a week. Tackle shop open 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Fishing has been slow.

Surfside Pier: Open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Some blues and quite a few good-sized spots, whiting, flounder and spotted sea trout are biting live or cut shrimp.

The Pier at Garden City: Pier and tackle shop open 24 hours a day. A few spots, whiting and flounder in the 4-pound range are biting fresh or cut shrimp or mullet.

Winyah Bay Fishing and Observation Pier (Georgetown): Open 6 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week, with free parking and fishing. A Freshwater Fishing License is required due to brackish water. A second fishing pier is open on Winyah Bay called Hobcaw Point Observation and Fishing Pier. More varieties of smaller fish are beginning to show up. Crabbing is doing well using string and bait.

Folly Beach Pier: Marina building, fishing pier and Locklear's Restaurant (which leases space inside the marina) closed for repairs until March 2008. Call Charleston County Parks and Recreation at (843) 795-4386 for more information.

Hunting Island State Park Fishing Pier: Pier is open 24 hours a day. The Nature Center is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. A few whiting as usual and a few small sheepshead and flounder are biting. Use fiddlers or barnacles for the sheepshead and mud minnows or finger mullet for the flounder.

Reporters: The S.C. Department of Natural Resources' Marine Resource 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 and Dr. Donald Millus.

For South Carolina marine recreational fishing regulations:

http://www.dnr.sc.gov/regs/pdf/saltfishing.pdf

Visit the Saltwater Fishing License Web site at http://saltwaterfishing.sc.gov