Murrells Inlet area fishing is on fire, but it’s hard to talk about anything besides flounder when a 12-POUND FISH (pictured below) is landed.  This monster was weighed in yesterday at Perry’s Bait Tackle (843-651-2895) in Murrells Inlet – more information on the catch to follow.  Even before this fish was caught Perry’s was reporting a very strong bite for the flatfish, and a 25-inch fish was caught earlier this week off the north end of Pawley’s.  No word yet on how the 12-pounder was caught but mud minnows on a 2-hook trolling rig or a Carolina rig have been the ticket for most anglers.

Flounder are but one component of “creek slams”, and in recent days many boats have reported catching at least one each of redfish, black drum, and trout to go with a flounder.  For redfish live finger mullet and shrimp under a popping cork have been hard to beat, and for trout live shrimp as well as Vudu Shrimp (which have been selling fast and furious) are working.  Black drum have fallen prey to these same baits, and they will also always eat crustaceans like crab sections or fiddler crabs.

Probably the hottest bite in the last couple of days has been for spot, and today Perry’s reports that anglers have been limiting out on spot in Murrells Inlet in less than two hours.  Reports are that there has also been a run of spot today on Springmaid Pier.  In the surf spot seem to be on the move and “here today – gone tomorrow” in many areas, but the bite in the Inlet has been consistent for the last week or two.  If and when spot enter the Inlet they seem to stick around.

In addition to spot bluefish and Spanish are around in the surf and off the piers, and whiting, black drum and puppy black drum have also all been landed.  Off the Garden City Pier and Surfside bull red drum have been caught.  In the tournament last week lots of king mackerel were landed.