December 20

Water temperatures are in the lower 50s, but the water has not yet gotten to its typical gin clear winter color.

Even though the weather has been pretty tough recently, when they can get out on the north end of the South Carolina Grand Strand Captain Patrick “Smiley” Kelly (843-361-7445) reports that inshore fish are settling into winter patterns. They have caught some really big trout on artificial lures recently, with fish around drops in the IntraCoastal. The jetties are also holding good numbers of trout. However, if you really want to slay the trout live shrimp (available at some area stores) are hard to beat.

The redfish are also getting into their winter patterns, and the best time to catch them is on the low to rising tide when they are bunched up in big groups in deeper potholes in the shallows. You can still catch some on the higher tides but they aren’t grouped up as well. Gulp!, fresh cut shrimp, or live mud minnows will all work.

If you fish with fresh cut shrimp you will also catch some black drum in the same areas, and they are also schooled up around shell beds and docks. At times the black drum will group up very tightly.