# Surfside/Garden City/PI - Thanksgiving????



## Hannibal (Aug 10, 2007)

Long time no post .....

Just looking for some thoughts concerning available/target species in/around the Surfside/Garden City area down to Pawley's Island around T-giving time. I will be taking the wife down to visit her Grandmother and while she is visiting, I'd like to at least get some sand in my toes. I will find beach somewhere regardless of what's around even if there is no possibility of catching anything - but just the same, if certain species are common this time of year (or reports have shown something), I'd rather come prepared with the right gear.

I am more of an OBX beach guy (Point, Haterras Inlet, etc) so 8nbait is good by me but if whiting is the fish of choice - that's going to be overkill. I've had success before hitting the little bridges entering PI and dragging mudminnows across the bottom for flounder but this isn't my preference.

Anything decent out in the surf? I am not opposed to hitting the pier but prefer to stay away from the crowds and find a stretch of sand to enjoy the quiet. 

Not looking for any spot burning, just some opinion really about what should/might be swimming around this time of year down there. Would love to find out that some drum were swimming around ..........

Thanks in advance.

Will


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## The Skink (Mar 9, 2009)

As the time draws near I will keep you informed


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## SpringmaidKeith (Jun 30, 2013)

On Springmaid, the whiting have been in. A lot of small Black Drum, with a few keepers. Weakfish(summer trout), & Spotted/speckled trout starting up again. few Blues. But the whiting are getting nice "dinner" size. today one woman caught a keeper flounder just bottom fishing & one undersize. But its not Thanksgiving yet. Like Skink said, we'll let you know, keep checking the forum, K


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## Hannibal (Aug 10, 2007)

Thanks guys. I appreciate it.


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## Hannibal (Aug 10, 2007)

What can anyone tell me about the "in;let" on the south end of Pawleys? I haven't fished PI in several years but what I remember, there is a little parking lot there and you can walk to the beach and access both the surf and fairly wide stretch of water behind you. What's is the inlet like? Good water movement? Deep? I've never fished it but was always intrigued. 

Worth heaving some bait out there?


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## The Skink (Mar 9, 2009)

Hannibal said:


> What can anyone tell me about the "in;let" on the south end of Pawleys? I haven't fished PI in several years but what I remember, there is a little parking lot there and you can walk to the beach and access both the surf and fairly wide stretch of water behind you. What's is the inlet like? Good water movement? Deep? I've never fished it but was always intrigued.
> 
> Worth heaving some bait out there?


The channel leading to the ocean from the parking lot onthe south end of pawleys can be a good spot to fish. The current will flow hard . this time of year live bait is best (minnows, shrimp). A good cutbait will put out scent too. Artificials will work as the current slows on high or low tide. As far as the ocean....it is a good spot at the mouth of the creek. There is structure on the bottom (sand bars) and everything coming out of the inlet washes out there


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## Fishguts13 (Nov 14, 2014)

Plenty of black drum moving through there right now. Still some blues and flounder bitting. The trout have been picky .They show one day but not the next. The surf was a pick of small whiting and small pomps last week right before the cold hit. Plenty of bait showing up again the last few days.


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## peteclat (Jun 30, 2014)

Fishguts13 said:


> Plenty of black drum moving through there right now. Still some blues and flounder bitting. The trout have been picky .They show one day but not the next. The surf was a pick of small whiting and small pomps last week right before the cold hit. Plenty of bait showing up again the last few days.


Any good sized black drum?


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## Fishguts13 (Nov 14, 2014)

Hand size to 23" . Plenty in the 16" range.


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## Hannibal (Aug 10, 2007)

Never fished for black drum. Any tips? Sand fleas on double rig?


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## Fishguts13 (Nov 14, 2014)

Pretty simple for the blacks. Shrimp and the fresher the better on a double rig or Carolina rig on bottom. Last weeks cold cooled the water so the pin fish crabs and tiny seabass were not an issue. Went again 2 days ago and the crabs were really crawling again and eating baits . The bite was ok ( 5 black drum over 14" 9 under slots and a 16" spot tail) in 2.5 hours . I would suggest a few places to try would be the creek right next to the parking area on the south end on a higher tide, the south end (inlet) on the bottom of the tide , the. North causeway bridge on a higher tide and the north end (midway inlet) towards the creek side on any tide. Helps to fan cast an area to locate them .I would also suggest you may want to grab some live mud minnows as the flounder are still feeding. Plenty of fish around so if you are not getting action at one location move to another . Wish ya the best and catch them up.


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