# spring surf fishing



## steveo (Jan 9, 2009)

will be in hilton head march 28th for a week
have fished there in summer and in septembr,sharks and rays, blues , whiting.Any change in tackle or bait for spring?and is it still banned to use live bait this time of year? Steve:fishing:


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## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

u can fish live bait anytime in saltwater


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

Live bait banned??? You can use live bait whenever you want. 

You'll probably find a lot of the same fish as you do in the fall. Might still be a little slow in late March. If you just want something to pull, there should be dogfish and skates around, maybe some whiting and croaker. Depends on the water temp.


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## outfishin28 (Jul 15, 2005)

yep remember 63 degrees is the magic number.


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## jesse (Jan 14, 2009)

Hi I'm jesse carwell, I'm 16yrs old and i'm a new member here. I live in Chapin, SC so it takes me 4 hours to get to the beach, but i'm finally going this spring break. I really want to catch some nice size saltwater fish and take a break from freshwater. I go to myrtle beach. Does anyone know any hot spots and tips for the spring time in this area for some big reds or a nice size blue. I go during the summer time but this is the first time during spring break. We really want to hook into some big fish


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## steveo (Jan 9, 2009)

*spring break?*

did not have spriing break when in was your age. if so would have been all over prespawn greenbass. i would tell you to try cherry grove pier, but not sure if it is still there. i think as a beginner to saltwater fishing a pier would be your best bet.


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## steveo (Jan 9, 2009)

*live bait*

ok , maybe it was cut bait. or cut live bait. any how the person at the hardware store where i always go to first for tackle and bait said there was a ban on cast netting for live bait. never checked on local laws, just took there word for it. steve


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## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

as far i can recall, i never heard of a southeastern state banning live bait in saltwater. live bait is banned in certain freshwater ponds managed by SC DNR. i believe u do need a license to cast net for mullet though


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## Drumboy (Jan 25, 2008)

Jesse, I hear great things about the cherry grove pier with live shrimp for the drum. If you can get your hands on a gotcha plug those will catch blues and spanish if they are around, but might be a little early for the spanish macks.I would put the live shrimp on a carolina rig. JMO


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

steveo said:


> ok , maybe it was cut bait. or cut live bait. any how the person at the hardware store where i always go to first for tackle and bait said there was a ban on cast netting for live bait. never checked on local laws, just took there word for it. steve


Sounds like he just wanted to sell you some bait. You can use cut, live, fake, whatever kind of bait you want in saltwater. To catch your own fish for bait in a cast net (mullet, menhaden, spot, whatever) you need a saltwater license. To catch shrimp you do not, unless it's over bait then you need a shrimp baiting license (only available in the fall).


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

Drumboy said:


> Jesse, I hear great things about the cherry grove pier with live shrimp for the drum. If you can get your hands on a gotcha plug those will catch blues and spanish if they are around, but might be a little early for the spanish macks.I would put the live shrimp on a carolina rig. JMO


Beware of Cherry Grove, it's $1.50 to get on it and $6.00 per rod to fish. I usually carry a plug rod and 2 fishing rods. Nice pier but I can't spend that kind of money for an afternoon of fishing. I'd rather buy some grouper fillets at a seafood store.


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## steveo (Jan 9, 2009)

*cast net*

So how much is a cast net lic. for an out of stater?


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## steveo (Jan 9, 2009)

*other options*

On a different note, will probably have one day to try an off island spot . Hunting Island and Tybee are about the same distance. Have heard a lot about tybee here and not so much about hunting so am guessing tybee the better bet. Any suggertions?
thanks Steve


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

steveo said:


> So how much is a cast net lic. for an out of stater?


Like $10-12 I think. You can look it up on http://dnr.sc.gov/

It's the nonresident saltwater license, for how ever long you'll be down.


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## Mark H. (Nov 26, 2005)

Steveo, If you're staying around one of the golf courses you might want to try some of the ponds on the course. Get out there right before dark when most of the golfers have passed and the bass will be hungry. Lots of fish in those ponds.


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## steveo (Jan 9, 2009)

*bass fishing*

Yes, son has caught several nice bucket mouths in lagoons there. But i can do that type of fishing here. When i smell the surf i get the urge to fish it. would a cast net be considered a hoop net? if so the license for a non-res is 50 bucks. Am thinking i will plead ignorance. Only time i have ever seen a dnr man down there was when a seal washed up on beach . He made people leave it alone til it left


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

steveo said:


> Yes, son has caught several nice bucket mouths in lagoons there. But i can do that type of fishing here. When i smell the surf i get the urge to fish it. would a cast net be considered a hoop net? if so the license for a non-res is 50 bucks. Am thinking i will plead ignorance. Only time i have ever seen a dnr man down there was when a seal washed up on beach . He made people leave it alone til it left



No, you just need a saltwater fishing license to throw a cast net or fish in the ICW. $11 for 14 days, $35 for year round for a non-resident. 

http://dnr.sc.gov/fish/pricing.html


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## Mark H. (Nov 26, 2005)

If I'm reading the SC regs correctly, you only need a SW license while fishing from a boat. Does the same apply for a cast net?


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

You need it to net fish. You can net shrimp and throw back the fish you happen to catch and be fine, but to keep fish, you need a saltwater license. 

http://dnr.sc.gov/regs/saltwaterregs.html 
Scroll down to

Cast Nets (Other than Shrimp)

Permits/Licenses - Saltwater Recreational Fisheries License.


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## clinder (Mar 2, 2005)

fishing license covers cast-netting. .............................

(does anyone eat tomatoes should fit right in on this threadf though)...........LOL


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## steveo (Jan 9, 2009)

*eat tomatoes?*

:lol yeh i eat them. usuaully just the cherry kind . So clinder, what do you think ? Hunting island or Tybee.? I think i know the answer to that.I have never been to Tybee so would appreciate any advice. Steve


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## clinder (Mar 2, 2005)

tybee island pier and beach are prety much dead during the winter. i would say tybee but we wont no for sure the impact the beach replinishment will have until the water warms and can see what happens. last time they did it it did adversly effect the fishing for a couple of years but it was very species orientated. your larger game fish such as crevel, large sharks, tarpon, kingfish, .ect. the whiting sheepshead smaller shark species trout.ect. were affected less. basically its a wait and see situation.


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