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Please note that the most recent Murrells Inlet Fishing Report can be found at: http://www.anglersheadquarters.com/ahq-insider-greater-murrells-inlet-sc-winter-fishing-report/
January 24
Murrells Inlet water temperatures remain in the mid to upper-50s, and the water is very clear.
With all the warm weather fishing continues to be very strong in the Murrells Inlet area, and Captain J of Fishful Thinking Guide Service (843-902-0356) reports that his boat continues to catch a bunch of redfish, trout, and black drum in the Inlet. Black drum and red drum are biting best on cut shrimp, while trout are feeding well on grubs and Mirrolures. Some anglers are casting, while others are trolling. The fishing for all three species has been better around low tide, on both the rising and falling tide, and with the warm winter conditions Captain J says fishing are being found in the same depths and areas that he catches them in the summer!
Perry’s Bait and Tackle in Murrells Inlet (843-651-2895) reports that fishing pressure is pretty low, but they concur about the quality of the inshore bite. Some particularly big trout including an 8- and a 4-pound fish were weighed in three days ago. Trout have been found in a lot of different areas, from Charlie’s Cut to the creeks below that out to the jetties. Live shrimp (available in the store) as well as a mix of artificials have been catching fish.
Small flounder have also been caught back in the creeks on warmer days.
Nearshore, Captain J reports that lots of sheepshead are being caught at the reefs. There are black sea bass around, but if you find the right areas you can target the sheepshead with live fiddler crabs.
Perry’s reports that there have been good wahoo catches offshore.
December 28
Murrells Inlet water temperatures are in the mid to upper-50s, and the water is fairly clear but some northeastern winds have kept things a little stirred up recently.
Water temperatures have cooled significantly, but there is still a good inshore bite in the Murrells Inlet area. Captain J of Fishful Thinking Guide Service (843-902-0356) reports that his boat has been a catching bunch of redfish, trout, and black drum around the jetties because of the prevalence of bait out there. Redfish and black drum are being caught on cut shrimp, which should be fished very close to the rocks. Drum (which have an excellent sense of smell) will bird dog the bait if anglers are patient. Sometimes they will suck it up and eat it slowly, and so anglers need to give them time to get the bait fully into their mouths.
Redfish and trout are being caught trolling grubs inside the jetties. Trout are also being caught around the jetties trolling Mirrolures up and down the rocks, or using a troll motor and casting into the rocks (like a bass fisherman). Anglers can also do really well casting a live shrimp under a float around the rocks, although there are limited stores that have shrimp.
Black drum can also be caught inshore on shell bottoms in the creek, and again they will eat pieces of cut shrimp. Black drum are running from about 1-5 pounds, and inshore the outgoing tide has been best while around the jetties the tide does not matter as much.
Some trout are also being caught in the creeks with the same techniques of trolling grubs/ Mirrolures as well as throwing them. As alluded to above, for now there are pretty good shrimp in the ocean which is why a lot of fish are staying out there. If the shrimp leave the fish will retreat back into the creeks.
A few flounderare still being picked up while throwing grubs.
Some sheepshead are being caught around the jetties using barnacles or fiddler crabs, and there are also sheeps and black sea bass, which will eat about anything, out at the North Inlet Reef.