I’m staying at a beachfront condo at Wild Dunes this week. I’d like to buy a 2 piece surf rod/reel and some basic tackle for a few days of fishing and would like to keep it under $100 if possible as I only come here once a year. Can anyone recommend a tackle shop nearby? Also any advice on bait, rigs, etc would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
PS…I’m not shark fishing.
Palmetto State Armory is just up hwy17 in Mt. Pleasant. I am sure they can get you set up. If I could suggest, 7’-9’ med/heavy rod, 40-50 size reel, 15-17lb. mono line, mono double drop rigs, 4oz. Pyramid sinkers, small hooks (2\0 max) #2 j-hooks are ideal IMO. Get some raw shrimp, fresh is best, cut into thumb nail sized or so pieces (I got big thumbs so…half?). Once you’re on the beach, no need to cast to Bermuda, we got a lot of fish right here. Target the areas just after where the waves break, in deeper sections. The surf bite is very good right now, you name it, it’s probably biting. Whiting, Spot, Croaker, Red and Black Drum, Blue fish, Speckled Sea Trout, Flounder, Small Sharks and Stingrays are all hitting. The occasional Pompano and others are there as well.
Good Luck! Post some reports. We like pictures:smiley:!
Very good advice from Dparker and I will add .
If you’re only doing an occasional surf/pier fishing trip you can go to Walmart and pick up a 7-8 ft medium action combo already spooled up with 20-30lb mono. Pack of #4 and 6 eagle claw snelled hooks and a few 3oz pyramid weights . Rig double drop and shrimp will let you catch a variety of small to big bottom dwellers. Cost will be far below $100… You can always move up if useage increases…good luck!!
Don’t forget license if on surf , Don’t think pier fishing requires
one …
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The pier at the Sea Cabins, on IOP, does require a Saltwater License.
Thanks for everyone’s help! I caught three small whiting and a nice black drum in the surf at Wild Dunes…snagged all of them within 30 minutes about an hour before high tide. The only problem was bait…thawed frozen shrimp was mushy and wouldn’t stay hooked. Is frozen mullet any better, or is there such a thing as fresh bait shrimp, and who would carry it?
Don’t know area that well so can’t advise on find fresh shrimp , but squid will stay on hook a little better and bottom dwellers will usually bite it just as good as shrimp , you can also catch/dig sand fiddlers right on surf , they make great bait also…imo … post up pics of catch.
[http://www.militaryappreciationday.org
When you see “Old Glory” waving in the breeze, know that it is the dying breaths of our fallen hero’s that makes it wave.
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I usually get shrimp from seafood markets, they tend to be taken better care of than the bait shrimp because it’s for human consumption. It’s worth the few extra dollars for me. Medium size and fresh if possible. Another alternative is to purchase a cast net, plenty of bait fish in the surf that you can catch and the fish love that live bait on the hook, just bring a bucket. Like Gail said squid stays on the hook very good as well. Catch you some whiting or blues which is easy this time of the year and they can be used whole and live if small enough, or cut them up and deploy chunks or strips for reds, but the sharks are out and you will loose some of your set ups if using a mono rigs. Good luck out there, and fish often:smiley: Send us some pics. Yes frozen mullet comes off the hook easy-fresh fish of any kind is a better solution.
Richf7, any seafood market will have shrimp. Simmons Seafood across from Harris Teeter on Palms ave. has shrimp. And even if you need to pay $12-&14 lb. in the end it’s well worth it. Most “bait” shrimp is horrible.
A PRO tip…put your fresh shrimp in the freezer for 2-3hrs before your trip to firm them up a bit helps them stay on the hook and with cutting into pieces.
Best place to buy fresh never frozen shrimp is right off the boats on Shem Creek. This past weekend Tarvin Seafood at the end of Haddrell St past The Wreck had large white shrimp for $10/lb for tails, and $6/lb head on. They do have some mediums this time of year, but when I went Friday afternoon, the mediums were sold out. Usually see more mediums, and less large as we get into summer. You can find a list of the captains, and their phone numbers here: http://www.saveshemcreek.com/#!shrimp/cksm Give them a call and they can tell you what they have for sale, the price, and where to pick up.
Like they said above, don’t buy the frozen bait shrimp. Falls off easy and it doesn’t yield. The frozen finger mullet works really well in my experience. Fresh shrimp is fantastic as well. I usually will go to Harris teeter and get the local fresh shrimp. Half point costs me like 6$ with HT card. Other market places as mentioned are good too.
Get out often and keep us updated. Sounds like you were fishing on the right spot. Just keep an eye out on where the water is breaking. The space between the “distant” breakers and the ones right in front of you is the spot. After the first break it flattens out/doesn’t break any more due to increased depth. Those are where the fish stay 
Grandson and I caught a small drum and six small whiting yesterday. All of them took the bait on the top hook (?)
Bought some squid and will try that this afternoon. How large a piece do you use?
dicks sporting goods in west Ashley has a 12 ft 2 piece rod reel combo for 49.99…shakespear I think…for a cheap setup you could go that route. has 17lb mono on it already just get hooks weights and rigs, off to the beach
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If you feel up to driving to folly beach, fish the pier. They have rod & reel rentals for $10 plus a $25 refundable deposit. 14 day non resident license $11. Bait and tackle available as well. Stop by Crosby’s on the way to pick up fresh bait. Stuff they sell on the pier not so great.