North Grand Strand (SC) Fall Fishing Report – Updated October 20

October 20
Inshore water temperatures on the north end of the Grand Strand have dropped to around 69-70 degrees; water clarity is still pretty low.
It’s a very good time to be fishing on the north end of the Grand Strand, and Captain Patrick “Smiley” Kelly reports that in the Little River area they have been doing really well for redfish. Plenty of over the slot red drum have been caught, and on calmer days when you can sit in the inlet if you put in the time you will catch a big one. Inshore plenty of 24-26 inch reds are being caught on finger mullet fished on a ¼ ounce jighead, with the last hour of the outgoing and then the incoming tide best.
Flounder have been picked up also fishing the bottom of the tide and then the incoming, and again there are a mix of small fish and keepers. In addition to finger mullet on a ¼ ounce jighead flounder (and reds) will also take Gulp! baits.
Black drum have been biting pretty well on the incoming on shrimp fished on a ¼ ounce jighead, while trout fishing has been a little off but should pick up soon.
Cherry Grove Pier (843-249-1625) reports that off-and-on for the last ten days there has been sporadic spot activity, and there have also been some nice whiting, croaker and pompano caught as well as small black drum. Despite menhaden so thick you could walk on them there have been relatively few bluefish and Spanish mackerel around. Flounder fishing has been poor as with the beach renourishment oxygen levels on the bottom are bad. A 14 ½ inch weakfish was also caught today.
Note that there will be an inshore fishing tournament and festival November 4 out of Cricket Cove Marina. For more information check out http://www.captainsmileyinshoreslam.com/.

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