Anyone have any tips on fishing Murrells inlet for reds/flounder/trout? Just wondering where is best place to put in and some strategies on how to fish it. I’m new to saltwater stuff and wanted to try my hand when I head down next weekend.
We always put in @ Oyster recycling landing. Just drag a mud minnow on the bottom while you paddle and you should do good. We paddle towards Huntington beach state park, if you catch the tide right you can float to Huntington and float back. Good Luck, Tight Lines.
Keebler
23’ Mako
17’ Montauk
“Fishing - Hours of boredom with moments of Chaos” John Payne
Where is the oyster recycling center? I can’t find it on google maps.
And do you just tie on a carolina type rig or something else? I assume reds/flounder/trout all bite with a mud minnow?
Look on Google Earth S end of MI where US17 Business and the bypass join together. Headed S out of MI on either road, it is the first left turn after the roads merge. I haven’t been going regularly but for the last couple of years the gate is locked until 6 AM.
Watch the tides there, you do not want to leave your vehicle on a 5’+ high and probably won’t be able to easily put in for that matter, until the water recedes. Park as far forward as possible on such days, and really I would recommend sticking tight to the landing for the high water so you can see what it’s doing (when the tide is predicted to go that high). Not to scare you but I have seen salt water enter vehicles there, over the door wells.
I think there is probably a ton of info here on how to fish MI for flounder and reds, what kind of rigs, baits etc. But a Carolina rig with a mud minnow is a great start. Strategy, if you are new, pretty simple IMO: drift and throw that bait around until you get onto something.
If you try trout techniques now, prepare to deal with a lot of bluefish.
Morse Park Landing in Murrells in another place to put in but be wary of low tide. You’ll want to be in/out about an 1.5 hours before/after or you’ll be mired in pfluff mud. I grew up fishing the area and love it for the diversity of sand bars, and muddy oyster banks, etc.
Carolina rig with mudd or mullet minnow on a Kahl hook is a pretty fool proof method for fishing MI. Drifting with your minnow bumping bottom is a great way to cover territory for flounder but can be hard for a new comer to detect bites among the oysters and you need to feed them some line as the flounder is a slow eater. The other method is to anchor up (or jam boat into marsh) at likely, cast, and slowly drag your rig back until you feel a bite. That method is more targeted and gives you a better chance of a redfish. When using that method I’ll normally also soak some cut shrimp because everything likes 'em and you may luck into some black drum. That said, you’ll encounter more bait stealers (crabs, pin fish, etc.) when your bait is still.
The best places to find these fish are likely ambush spots like creek mouths, dock structure, where there is moving water and bait evident.
Be very wary of the big open mud flats. Just about everyone who’s learned MI, has spent a hot afternoon waiting on the tide to come in enough to get off of the mud. Either keep to main creeks or be sure to take plenty of drinks and bug spray.
Have fun and report back!
16’ High Tide Flats (Green) w/Yamaha 90
Wilderness Ride 135
Wilderness Tarpon 120
The oyster recycling center (shell bank landing) road that Stratoyak mentioned is real easy to miss in fast moving traffic. If heading South out of Murrells Inlet on 17 Bus, be ready to turn left within a 1/2 mile of where 17Bus & Bypass merge. It’s a dirt track that leads down to the shell bank. Suggest parking close to the road opens to the shell bank and NOT out on either peninsula.
If you look at the satellite view on Google maps, you’ll see a line of trucks parked at near high tide that should give you a good idea of what were’ talking about.
16’ High Tide Flats (Green) w/Yamaha 90
Wilderness Ride 135
Wilderness Tarpon 120
Thanks for all the tips, guys! I really appreciate it!
I will give a report after I get back and hopefully I’ll have some pictures as well.
Didn’t take the kayaks out at all while we were down, but did rent a skiff from Crazy Sister and fished the rising tide on Saturday afternoon using live shrimp on a cork letting it drift with the tide. Couldn’t keep the shrimp on the hook long enough before a pinfish came through and snatched it away. Those little things are sneaky. Wish we could’ve caught some fish, but that’s why they call it fishing, right?