# this post might be annoying...



## Noobee (Apr 15, 2010)

Hello Pier and Surf members. We are members of a great duck hunting forum that is similar to you guys, a bunch of great guys that truly are experts. On the forum that we have experience with it is fairly common to have new people post a thread asking for everyone to treat them like a long lost buddy and tell them everything there is to know about the topic. A few guys give some advice and then the new member is never heard from again. We are a die hard fisherman, but have never lived anywhere close to an ocean. Your fishing world is fascinating to us and we have a chance to try it out during the last week of May, we are going to be on our honeymoon in Myrtle Beach. When the dads asked what we were thinking for a wedding present we said that we would like some surf fishing equipment so that we can fish while visiting Mrytle Beach. Here in Missouri we have some fairly good sized flat head catfish that we think we can use our surf rods for after the honeymoon is over so to speak. We bought the book "Fishing the Carolinas from surf, dock, jetty and pier" to prepare us but we still have lots of questions. We would really like to catch some flounders as neither one of us has ever seen one let alone catch one and we would like to eat lots of fish during our trip. Fishing the surf looks like great fun, is that the best way to catch them? I take it that big surf rods are not required for flounders, is that right? What other species and types of fishing should we try in order to get the full experience of coastal fishing? Any tips on rigs, bait, rods and reels, places to go and bait shops to visit would be greatly appreciated. We want to show up and not be the stupid tourist with a new fishing pole but we just don't have any experience with coastal fishing. We will most likely never be a great repeat contributor to this forum because we don't think we will live close enough to the ocean to pursue this sport in earnest but any advice you might have for us would be greatly appreciated and we promise a great report on the experience. Thank you for your time, we look forward to learning at least a small portion of your craft.

Fred and Jackie


----------



## Al Kai (Jan 8, 2007)

Welcome.


----------



## emanuel (Apr 2, 2002)

I assume you will be fishing the Carolinas?


----------



## c0ch3s3 (Jul 10, 2009)

yes yes, a little more info on the location you will be fishing and im sure we could give out 1 or 2 of our secrets.


----------



## Noobee (Apr 15, 2010)

We will be staying in Myrtle Beach, we are flying into the Mrytle Beach airport and will be renting a car for the week. I don't know the exact address of the place we are staying but if it would help I can look it up. I think we will try the Cherry Grove Pier for sure, the tour book said that it is a cool place to get a feel for what Myrtle Beach was like in the old days. Any place on the Grand Strand is in range for us. Thanks again.

Fred


----------



## Flytyingguy1 (Sep 8, 2009)

If your only going to fish the piers you can rent rods & reels right on the piers.
Traveling on a plane can be a pain in the Butt with surf rods. I suggest you take a look at the Albright fishing web site. They have some great Travel Rods in 4 piece that are top quality & come in a nice hard case. Great for traveling. I own 6 of them & IMO the best bang for your buck.
I think either a 8 1/2 or a 9 ' surf rod would be ideal for what you are looking for & you can always use it back home.
If you have any questions feel free to ask here or PM me I do an awful lot of traveling & have fished the Myrtle Beach area..............Ron


----------



## Noobee (Apr 15, 2010)

I really want to try fishing the surf as well as the piers, that way I can say that I have been surf fishing! I looked at the Albright rods, the MSRP was out of my leauge but the actual price looks great. It said that it would handle up to 3 oz lure weight, is that enough to soak bait in the surf? What would you think about the 10' model, it said it would handle 4 oz. Maybe get the 10' for me and the 9' for my wife (to be). I have a cast net, would it be good to bring it? I see on the reports that mud minnows are catching flounders, how do people catch and keep mud minnows? I also read that sand fleas are great bait, how do you catch and keep them? Our goal is to catch quite a few eating size fish, I assume the piers would be the place for this and hopefully one or two big fish that fight hard ( drum maybe?) and I assume the surf is the place for that. I am figuring on buying terminal tackle when we get there, should we mess with lures or is it a bait game? Thanks again!


----------



## kingfish (Feb 28, 2004)

Fred, I'm going out on a limb here and i don't usually do this, but if you are interested, I will take you surf fishing, I got everything you could possibly need, including local knowledge. Take it to Pm's if you are interested.


----------



## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

Welcome to the family.


----------



## cutbait91 (Nov 9, 2009)

Noobee said:


> I really want to try fishing the surf as well as the piers, that way I can say that I have been surf fishing! I looked at the Albright rods, the MSRP was out of my leauge but the actual price looks great. It said that it would handle up to 3 oz lure weight, is that enough to soak bait in the surf? What would you think about the 10' model, it said it would handle 4 oz. Maybe get the 10' for me and the 9' for my wife (to be). I have a cast net, would it be good to bring it? I see on the reports that mud minnows are catching flounders, how do people catch and keep mud minnows? I also read that sand fleas are great bait, how do you catch and keep them? Our goal is to catch quite a few eating size fish, I assume the piers would be the place for this and hopefully one or two big fish that fight hard ( drum maybe?) and I assume the surf is the place for that. I am figuring on buying terminal tackle when we get there, should we mess with lures or is it a bait game? Thanks again!


if yall wanna get into some good stuff send me a PM. depending if i have work or not ill show you the ropes. cherry grove is not a good pier to go to they charge way to much. myrtle beach isnt to great for surf fishing ethier i would head a little further south to Murrels inlet or pawleys island.


----------



## cutbait91 (Nov 9, 2009)

Oh and as far as equipment goes if yall are look into the Shakespeare alpha series. if you want something cheap and reliable you can get a 10 footer with rod reel combo at the wally world here for under 40 bucks and there good you deffenitly dont need to drop 200 bucks on a rod when thats just as good IMHO


----------



## jesse (Jan 14, 2009)

the jetties at murrells inlet are a wonderful place to fish......you can catch redfish, bluefish, flounder, PLENTY OF SHARK, spanish macks, whiting, and sheepshead. just take some cut mullet, shrimp, and squid down there and find some two hook atlantic rigs at the local tackle shops and 1/0 circle hooks. if you want to...you can get a small yellow or green bucktail jig and tie it on to a leader of 40lb test mono or braid and keep casting it out and you might catch a pompano!


----------



## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

Keep searching through the SC forums going back page by page and reading any post that seems interesting. Anything about being new, or how to do this, ect. 

Don't forget you'll need saltwater licenses to fish the surf or throw a cast net. Pay to fish piers you won't need a license as it's included in your fee to fish. 

I wouldn't go to Cherry Grove Pier either. There's usually some knowledgeable guys out on Garden City Pier that would be willing to help. 

You don't need 10-12' surf rods for 95% of what we catch around here. Not to mention the extra price tag and weight. Granted some days you might find them holding out 100 yards and need the long rod to reach them but usually you'll be fine with 7-9' that will throw 3 oz. Ugly Sticks are fine and very sensitive and will work great for a one time trip. No need to break the bank. 

Tie your own rigs, 2 hook bottom and fishfinder rigs should cover most of what you'll fish with. 

Mud minnows can be bought for flounder at almost all bait and tackle shops down here, but I much prefer live finger mullet 4-6" for pier or surf. If I was in a boat then maybe the muds. Your best bet will be Perry's Bait and Tackle in Murrells Inlet. They will have every rig and bait you could want. 

For the eater fish, 2 hook bottom rigs with a 3 oz pyramid sinker with 2 #2-4 bronze J hooks will work great. Fish with fresh shrimp, sand fleas from the surf (search to find how to dig them), and fillets/strips of any small fish you catch or buy for bait (mullet, spot, croaker, whiting, blues, ect).

Last but not least, take kingfish up on his offer!!


----------



## jesse (Jan 14, 2009)

oh yeah....i forgot......USE MUD MINNOWS FOR FLOUNDER!!!!......use it on a carolina rig. just a 2oz egg weight a swivel a leader and a hook and ur good to go


----------



## scnative (Aug 22, 2009)

Take Kingfish up on his offer! You will spend more time learning while fishing! Huge advantage! Good luck!


----------



## No Bait Steve (Apr 5, 2009)

IF you want to take a day out on a peir i suggest garden city that is where i spend a majority of my time if you know what days youll be fishing let me know and ill see if i cant show you a thing or two around the planks...


----------



## surfsidesativa (Jul 14, 2006)

Fred, see post #8 in this thread. Take him up on this early in your trip. Have fun


----------



## jakuka (Oct 12, 2009)

Remember to leave one freshwater habit at home: You may find yourself instinctually going to lip a fish or grab it by the mouth after you bring it in. Watch out! Most saltwater fish have razor sharp teeth! You probably knew this, but you know how some old habits become second nature.


----------



## TimKan7719 (Apr 4, 2008)

Take king fish up on his offer, or show up to GC pier and pray some of us are there. I will let you use any gear I own, which is a good bit. Even share my bait most days.
Tight Lines,
Tim


----------



## Noobee (Apr 15, 2010)

*Thanks guys!!*

Thank you guys for all your help, this is exactly what I was after and I can't express my grattitude enough. Kingfish and I are in the process of setting up a trip, I am looking forward to it *almost* as much as the honeymoon itself! I will keep you guys posted on how it goes, good luck out there.

Fred


----------



## Fishman (Apr 23, 2000)

Welcome aboard


----------



## Salt in My Veins (Apr 22, 2009)

Welcome.

Definitely take Kingfish up on his offer. Traveling on a plane is two times awful now and the rods would be almost unmanageable. If you go with someone from the forum, you probably can borrow the equipment. No sense in spending money when you don't think you'll be fishing the beach often. Beach replenishment has filled in a lot of the old holes in Myrtle Beach so that you need to go north or into NC or down to Murrells Inlet to find the right structure that gathers fish.

If you go to Garden City Pier, you can have the chance to meet Skink. He is very helpful and has an awesome Hawaiian shirt collection that he models when on the job.

You may want to consider an inshore charter for half a day to chase the redfish and flounder around the backwaters.

Feel free to PM me.


----------



## fishinNuT (Apr 11, 2009)

welcome aboard. wow what a fiancee. she wants fishing equipment for wedding presents. you better hold onto her


----------



## Suds (Apr 17, 2010)

Sounds like you're in good hands! You can't beat the offer of fishing with a local, and while I've never fished Murrells Inlet, inlets and jettys are fish magnets. So are piers. Here's my 2 cents worth: When I think of surf fishing I picture a guy in chest waders with a 12 foot heaver tossing 8 and bait across the bar to waiting reds or blues Hatteras style. It works fine too - in Hatteras. When I'm fishing a strange beach, I take a more aggresive approach. I like a medium spinning rod with 8 to 12 lb test. I tie on a 1/2 oz red jig head and attach a Berekley GULP swimming minnow, usually in chartruse. I walk along the beach casting, trying to locate any holes, slews or structure that might hold fish. You don't have to cast a mile, there can be fish right in the wash where the waves break on the beach. Most predators including flounder, speckled trout, redfish and bluefish will all chew on a GULP bait. Anyway, no matter how you fish, good luck!


----------

