Little River/ North Myrtle Beach (SC) Summer Fishing Report – Updated June 30

June 30
Inshore water temperatures in the Little River have risen into the mid- to lower 80s, and clarity is good.
Inshore fishing on the upper Grand Strand continues to be very strong, and Captain Patrick “Smiley” Kelly (843-361-7445) reports that his boat is still catching a mix of species. The best bite has been for trout, and recently there has been an exciting topwater bite first thing in the morning (and late) when fish will eat Zara Spooks, Mirrolure Top Pups, and other topwater walking baits. You need to move the bait slowly and then pause it, and the fish will be in the shallows. Instead of looking for any particular type of cover or structure the key is to find areas where mullet are showering – indicating feeding fish. Trout can also be caught on popping corks with live shrimp. Tubbs Inlet, the Little River Inlet, and Dunn Sound have all been producing. Ladyfish, which often inhabit the same areas as trout, will also be caught on topwaters as well as popping corks.
It’s also possible to pick up some redfish while fishing topwaters, and there also some nice 20-23 inch fish being caught along the grass on cut mullet when you catch the tide right. Bigger reds over the slot can be caught at the jetties.
Black drum have been feeding well, and this week Captain Smiley has been catching them mostly on the incoming tide. The best bait has been a live shrimp hooked through the legs up to the head on a ¼ ounce jighead, and fish can be caught jigging along the bottom in deep holes.
There has also been a good flounder bite in holes as well as around sandy bottoms, and both Gulp baits as well as small finger mullet (prolific in the creeks) fished on a ¼ ounce jighead are working. Fish have ranged from 12 inches up to some nice ones in the 20-inch range, and recently the incoming has been productive.

Jay A’Hern
Angler’s Headquarters (www.AnglersHeadquarters.com)
P.O. Box 50225
Columbia, SC 29250
jay@usfishingreport.com