April 1 

Inshore surface water temperatures around Little River are in the mid-60s, and the water is still pretty clear.   

It’s turning into a good spring on the north end of the South Carolina Grand Strand, and after a hiatus in the reports due to some telephone issues that kept us from connecting Captain Patrick “Smiley” Kelly (843-361-7445) reports that the action for both trout and redfish is strong.  Inshore they are drifting the ledges and grass lines with live shrimp under a slip float rig when the tide is up, and at the jetties they are catching fish with the same set-up.  They are also catching mainly redfish on cut shrimp or Gulp! baits around docks, bulkheads, oysters and other structure at the beginning of the outgoing tide.   

Black drum are also being caught around docks on fresh cut shrimp.  

Smaller flounder are just beginning to show up, but so far only a handful of them.   

Cherry Grove Pier (843-249-1625) reports that right now the catch is limited to whiting and croaker, but they have seen their first keeper flounder as well as some smaller ones.  The blues and Spanish mackerel should not be far off.   

At the 3-Mile Reef, Captain Smiley reports that they are catching some really nice-sized weakfish bouncing white Gulp! baits with a chartreuse tail on a 3/8 ounce jighead.  False albacore and bonito are also easy to spot under the birds.  Even though they don’t stay up for long, they are a lot of fun to target on light tackle throwing small silver spoons or trolling Clarks Spoons.