Fishing Report Myrtle Beach Area 8/16/18

[Bud Kennedy]

Inshore

Look For: King mackerel, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, spadefish, black sea bass, flounder, weakfish, whiting, croaker, pompano, black drum.


Comments: The flounder bite is good on near-shore artificial reefs such as Jim Caudle Reef, Ron McManus Memorial Reef and Paradise Reef, with spadefish and black sea bass also available. Live finger mullet are a choice bait for flounder, but anglers should keep in mind the minimum size limits of 15 inches for flounder and 13 inches for black sea bass. Always be ready for pelagic species like Spanish mackerel, king mackerel and cobia to show up while fishing the reefs. Moe Deets of The Pier at Garden City reports an angler caught four pompano include two sizable ones Thursday. Deets notes whiting, croaker and Spanish mackerel have also been landed this week. Michael Wallace of Cherry Grove Pier reports whiting, croaker, spadefish, ribbonfish and a few Spanish have been caught this week despite muddy water conditions. The ocean water temperature at the pier was 85 degrees.


Offshore

Look For: Wahoo, blackfin tuna, dolphin, king mackerel, sailfish, barracuda, vermilion snapper, black sea bass, triggerfish, grunts, porgy, amberjack, grouper.


Comments: We're right smack in the middle of the 2018 red snapper season in the South Atlantic Region. This weekend, Friday through Sunday, recreational anglers can harvest one red snapper per person with no size limit. The same limits were in effect last weekend, and sea conditions were very nice on Friday and Saturday, allowing numerous boats to get offshore. Among those was the New Inlet Princess party boat out of Murrells Inlet, which had a boatload of anglers aboard last Friday, the opening day of the season. About a dozen red snapper were landed on the trip and fishing proved to be very good, with many anglers taking home a limit of five vermilion snapper. An assortment of triggerfish, red porgy, black sea bass and grouper along with a king mackerel in the 15-pound range were also caught. A cobia in the 30-inch range was also caught and released. Trolling action is good for wahoo near the break, with the field of 41 boats in the Georgetown Wahoo Challenge catching a combined 67 wahoo last Friday and Saturday.


Freshwater

Look For: Bream, bass, catfish, crappie.


Comments: Despite high water levels fishing is still productive on local rivers. The Waccamaw River near Conway was still above nine feet, at 9.39 feet at 4:15 p.m. Thursday, but was forecast to begin falling over the weekend. The Little Pee Dee near Galivants Ferry has remained near steady over the last week and was at 6.47 feet Thursday at 4 p.m. "The next couple weeks things will be leveled out," said Ronald "Catfish" Stalvey of Stalvey's Bait and Tackle in Conway. Bream will take a variety of baits including worms, beetle spins and popping bugs, but crickets are the best bet. Bass are hitting top water. "Trick worms and buzz baits have been the hot (lures) this week," said Stalvey. Catfish action remains good, as Stalvey reports flatheads weighing 50 and 37 pounds were caught this week. Eel and bream are top baits for catfish.

[scbassfanatic]

Any updated information? My son is fishing a High School tournament on Waccamaw out of Bucksport Marina next weekend. I realize the weather this weekend will change everything significantly, just looking for an idea where to start. We will be down prefishing next Friday and the tourney Saturday. Any advice appreciated.

[Bud Kennedy]

Most recent reports indicated that fishing was very slow for bass.  Indications were to stay south of bucksport down past Murrells Inlet and pick on the creeks.  Some indications of location would be about where the Pee Dee enters the river.  The  storm is really gonna screw up the river with floaters likely.  grasses will be hard to find but there will be areas where floating grass may pile up.  All indications are for top water baits ie horny toads, ribbits or whopper ploppers.  Past that then the good ol wacky worm is the likely choice.  As always stay in nice and close to the cypress trees with your baits. 

[scbassfanatic]

Thanks Bud. Just got word from the Director of the SC Lower State Tournament Trail that due to the hurricane and possible water hazards, the tournament has been postponed. I will be sure to hit you up when that time comes to check on the situation. What I had read was spot on with your report. We were planning to practice Friday with topwater baits, wacky rigs, neko rigs and shakey heads. I think they will try to get the tournament in before the end of the year.