April 21
Morning surface water temperatures have made it into the low to mid-60s inshore around Little River, and there has been a lot of wind again this week.
Despite some unfavorable fishing conditions, Captain Patrick “Smiley” Kelly (843-361-7445) reports that there has actually been some very good fishing over the past two weeks.
The trout fishing has been good both inshore and at the jetties, and inshore they are catching fish arounds drop-offs in the Intracoastal Waterway. Live shrimp, Vudu Shrimp and Gulp! are all working but the key has been getting in some current.
At the jetties they are also catching redfish, and inshore the fishing has also been good for reds in 3-4 foot potholes back in shallow creeks. Fish can also be found around docks. The low to rising tide has been best.
There are also black drum being caught on cut shrimp around the rocks, and they will also eat live shrimp. You can also pick up some sheepshead on live shrimp, and both species will of course eat fiddler crabs. The low to rising tide has again been best.
Perhaps the most exciting development has been the return of the flounder, and in pretty much all the rivers they are starting to flood back in. Mud minnows or Gulp! baits will both work. If you want to find the best concentrations of flounder the Cherry Grove area is hard to beat.
Bluefish are also everywhere from the creeks to the jetties and beyond. Almost all of the fish are 18 inches and below.
Things continue to pick up at the Cherry Grove Pier (843-249-1625), and the exciting development is that they are now catching a ton of keeper Spanish mackerel and bluefish. Croaker, whiting and a few sharks are also around. They are also getting some flounder but so far they have all been small. Reds and trout have not arrived.
At the nearshore reefs they are catching lots of weakfish on jigs by bumping the structure. You can also catch them on chartreuse and white Gulp! shrimp patterns or most any live bait.
Spanish mackerel fishing is also very good with casting spoons, and when the weather allows there is very productive fishing. You will also encounter a lot of blues fishing this way.