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. - Whiting and pompano are biting cut shrimp. Blues are taking cut shrimp; gotcha plugs and jigged gold spoons. Flounder will take mud minnows or finger mullet. A few nice sheepshead were reported with barnacles or fiddler crabs.

Apache Pier (Myrtle Beach): Pier and bait Shop open 6 a.m. to midnight seven days a week. Whiting, blues and pompano caught with cut baits like mullet or shrimp. Flounder are still biting 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. Some spots caught with bloodworms or night crawlers. Whiting and a few pompano are biting cut baits. Flounder are hitting mud minnows. - 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. Pompano and whiting are taking live or cut shrimp, or mullet.

Surfside Pier: Open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Whiting, spotted sea trout and pompano reported with live or cut shrimp, or mullet. A few blues were reported earlier in the week. Flounder are hitting mud minnows.

The Pier at Garden City: Pier and tackle shop open 24 hours a day. Whiting are being caught, as well as an occasional blue or pompano, using live or cut bait. Flounder reported on mud minnows.

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. Flounder and a variety of other fish such as whiting are taking cut 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. Flounder caught with cut shrimp or mud minnows. Whiting are biting cut mullet. Crabbing off the pier is doing well.

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