December 16
Inshore surface water temperatures around Little River are about 57 degrees and the water is pretty clear. Out in the inlet on the incoming tide there is beautiful blue water coming in.
Trout are all over the place right now, and Captain Patrick “Smiley” Kelly (843-361-7445) reports that they are catching them in the backs of creeks, on the ledges in the Intracoastal Waterway, and out at the jetties. Many of them are undersized but there are also plenty of better ones mixed in. Moving tides are still fishing the best and live shrimp under a popping cork are hard to beat. Chartreuse Vudu Shrimp are also working well.
Out at the jetties they are picking up plenty of sheepshead on live shrimp while trout fishing, and if you want to target them specifically use fiddler crabs.
The redfish and black drum are also biting pretty well in the shallower creeks, where the largest trout also seem to be, and on the incoming tide they are doing well with fresh cut shrimp around structure. Reds will also take Gulp!
There are also some big schools of redfish in the Intracoastal.
There is inconsistent action on the Cherry Grove Pier (843-249-1625) for croaker, whiting and pufferfish.

December 2
Inshore surface water temperatures around Little River are about 58 degrees and the water is pretty clear. In skinny water it appears to be gin clear.
It’s been really good inshore fishing for black drum and redfish on the north end of the South Carolina Grand Strand, and Captain Patrick “Smiley” Kelly (843-361-7445) reports that they are catching both species with fresh cut shrimp fished on the bottom in the Intracoastal Waterway. Fish are related to docks in about 7 feet of water as well as oyster beds, and on lower tides the reds are schooled up in only 1-2 feet of water around the ICW. They are very spooky and so casting artificials to them is tricky, but you can cast a piece of cut mullet nearby and wait for them to eat it.
The trout fishing is still really good in the area and Captain Smiley reports that the larger fish seem to be in the Intracoastal. Moving tides are important with the incoming fishing best. Live shrimp are the best bait, but a DOA Shrimp, Trout Trick or Vudu Shrimp will also catch fish.
There are still plenty of small flounder around.
It’s getting to be that time of year where it’s spotty fishing on the Cherry Grove Pier (843-249-1625), and they are still having some times where the whiting fishing is really good but other days when they barely bite. They are also picking up some small black drum, flounder, croaker and perch.