Myrtle Beach - Help!

My family (2 girls - 15 and 9) and my wife would like to do some fishing while we're at Myrtle Beach. Our trip is from June 30 - July 5.
We've never fished saltwater -- always fished local lakes in Ontario, that's it!

A couple of questions to the forum. Greatly appreciate if you could help a fellow tinboater.
1. If I were to fish the piers, what equipment should I have? Please give rod, reel, line and lure specs. Thanks!
2. I'm not meaning to lose an arm and a leg, but would also like to get my hands bloodied for the right price. I dont mind fishing with complete strangers as well. If I were to try deep sea fishing, any recommended charter companies? Please give per person $$
3. Are there any lakes nearby that's worth visiting?
4. Any tinboaters that will be in the area from June 30 - July 5?

Thanks to all!!

Rob

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=356748#p356748 said:

Rob Silver » Today, 12:16[/url]"]My family (2 girls - 15 and 9) and my wife would like to do some fishing while we're at Myrtle Beach. Our trip is from June 30 - July 5.
We've never fished saltwater -- always fished local lakes in Ontario, that's it!

A couple of questions to the forum. Greatly appreciate if you could help a fellow tinboater.
1. If I were to fish the piers, what equipment should I have? Please give rod, reel, line and lure specs. Thanks!

Click to expand...

For piers, a good spinning rod with some 20# power pro should be sufficient. A 2 hook bottom rig with a 2-3 oz pyramid sinker will catch all types of fish. For bait, bloodworms, cut or live shrimp, live minnows work well for just about anything out there. You can expect to see croaker, whiting, flounder, black drum, red drum, and if you fish near the pilings, you can also catch sheepshead using barnacles or fiddler crabs for bait. For hook size on the 2 hook rig, remember that small hooks can catch big fish, but large hooks can't catch smaller fish, so, no need to use anything larger than a #6 light circle hook (that's what I use)

2. I'm not meaning to lose an arm and a leg, but would also like to get my hands bloodied for the right price. I dont mind fishing with complete strangers as well. If I were to try deep sea fishing, any recommended charter companies? Please give per person $$

Click to expand...

There's a deep sea charter fleet that runs out of Little River, as well as one that runs out of Calabash, NC (just a few miles north of Little River) There's also one in Murrells Inlet, about 40 miles south of Little River.

3. Are there any lakes nearby that's worth visiting?

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Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie are about an hour and a half southwest of Myrtle Beach, these lakes are well known for bass, striped bass, and many other freshwater species. These 2 lakes are formed by the confluence of the Wateree and Congaree Rivers, which form the Santee River and this flows to Lake Marion. From there, Lake Marion flows in 2 directions. Over the dam, it continues along the Santee River, and this runs all the way to the delta, and into the ocean, about an hour north of Charleston, SC. The Santee River delta is the second largest river delta on the US east coast.

Lake Marion also flows into Lake Moultrie, which then flows into the Cooper River, through the locks, where it drops 75 feet, and then onward to Charleston Harbor.

Also, Lake Waccamaw near Whiteville, NC (about an hour and a half northwest of MB) is a shallow freshwater lake that feeds the Waccamaw River. It's about 5 miles long, by 2 miles wide. Pretty good for bass fishing.

4. Any tinboaters that will be in the area from June 30 - July 5?

Thanks to all!!

Rob

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Actually, the reason I know so much about this area is because it's my backyard! :mrgreen: I'm a little south of MB, but I've been on nearly every body of water in the northeastern quadrant of this state.

calabash! that's it. I was trying to remember where the charter was that I went on 18 years ago. it was your standard head boat. my cousin and I had a blast. the last time I went pier fishing I could only catch sharks on bottom rigs using squid. charter boat would be your best bet.
]

Yes indeed! When I lived in Cherry Grove, Calabash was only 5 miles away by boat, a short run through Dunn Sound. Used to go there all the time and fish the waters on the North Carolina side. Used to buy fresh shrimp straight off the trawlers, with the heads still on... then go to the jetties at Little River, and use a few of the shrimp to catch some spot tail bass, then take home whatever I didn't use for bait, and eat them. That was a cool area (and era) to grow up in, for sure.

Calabash is also known around the country for its famous seafood and seafood buffets.

If you are fishing private or non-commercial piers you will need a fishing license. If you are fishing a "fishing pier" they will most likely have a blanket license for that pier. I know the fishing piers where I am located will even have rod rentals available along with the gear.

I am always amazed at how knowledgeable, honest and helpful members are on Tinboats. I belong to several different forums, but in all honesty, Tinboats members are the only consistent people who are trully helpful.

Thank you very much PSG-1, lovedr79 and KMixson.

I will definitely heed all the advice given.
Little River, Calabash and Murrells will definitely be on my list of places to visit. My week is set!!!

I might hit up a charter as well....as long as it will only cost me the same $$ for a round of golf! Can't justify adding more $$ to the missus! LOL

If anyone else has more advice, nuggets of information and honey holes they'd like to divulge, I would appreciate it tremendously
:LOL2: :LOL2:

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=357125#p357125 said:

Rob Silver » Today, 00:15[/url]"]I am always amazed at how knowledgeable, honest and helpful members are on Tinboats. I belong to several different forums, but in all honesty, Tinboats members are the only consistent people who are trully helpful.

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+1 to that! This board is a good source of information, for sure.

Thank you very much PSG-1, lovedr79 and KMixson.

I will definitely heed all the advice given.
Little River, Calabash and Murrells will definitely be on my list of places to visit. My week is set!!!

I might hit up a charter as well....as long as it will only cost me the same $$ for a round of golf! Can't justify adding more $$ to the missus! LOL

If anyone else has more advice, nuggets of information and honey holes they'd like to divulge, I would appreciate it tremendously
:LOL2: :LOL2:

Click to expand...

If you get down towards Murrells Inlet, I know of a few good inshore fishing holes, as this is my backyard.

Send me a PM.

Rob, good luck on your trip. For pier fishing, I usually bring a similar rod/reel setup from home that I'd use for catfishing or musky fishing back home: a 10' MH rod, spinning reel with 20+ pound braid. I usually catch bait with a castnet or a rod/reel from the surf. It's pretty easy to catch bait using shrimp and tiny size10 hooks. I prefer 5/0-9/0 circle hooks on most of my surf rigs depending on if I'm fishing for game fish or sharks.

I don't know if you have any plans of shark fishing or not, but I usually tie up a rig very similar to this guy's YouTube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChAUj9kFXlA&list=PLAB7DEEB9D3F50DC3&index=3
Basically, a steel bite leader crimped to a thick mono leader tied to your main line.

For local advice on Myrtle Beach, check the Pier & Surf forums (https://www.pierandsurf.com/fishing-forum/forumdisplay.php?10-South-Carolina-Georgia). It's a good group of guys and girls who have a lot of posts regarding the area. They will point you in the right direction.