# I think I'll just leave this here......



## ChefRobb (Jan 8, 2016)

Spent the morning at the South Jetty at HBSP today. Caught a few specks......


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## leadhead (Sep 26, 2015)

Nice


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## MadDawgJ (Apr 16, 2016)

Some really nice spots there


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## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

The hike was worth it! How big was the biggest trout?


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## ChefRobb (Jan 8, 2016)

bluefish1928 said:


> The hike was worth it! How big was the biggest trout?


The biggest was 21". I tossed some 14" keepers...everything I had was between 16" - 21". In about a month all the smaller ones will be gone. Last Winter everything I caught there was 22" or more.


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## Killasnipe (Jul 10, 2013)

what was your setup? were you fishing inside the jetties near the rocks or ocean side? I've had no luck this year catching anything and it seems like everyone is slaying them. I guess i'm not holding my mouth right! Congrats on the catch, those are some nice fish! I'm super jealous, hehe!


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## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

ChefRobb said:


> The biggest was 21". I tossed some 14" keepers...everything I had was between 16" - 21". In about a month all the smaller ones will be gone. Last Winter everything I caught there was 22" or more.


That is awesome! I had 4 over 20 inches my first day in the marsh, but the fish were mostly 16-18 the second day.
Coming from VA, where I had 2 keepers out of 150+ fish, this was a pleasant surprise. You can probably run shoreline guiding trips. Based on pics of Thanksgiving timeframe, you might have the best haul of anyone boat/kayak/shore.

Do you think the big ones stay there in the winter?


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## ChefRobb (Jan 8, 2016)

bluefish1928 said:


> That is awesome! I had 4 over 20 inches my first day in the marsh, but the fish were mostly 16-18 the second day.
> Coming from VA, where I had 2 keepers out of 150+ fish, this was a pleasant surprise. You can probably run shoreline guiding trips. Based on pics of Thanksgiving timeframe, you might have the best haul of anyone boat/kayak/shore.
> 
> Do you think the big ones stay there in the winter?


Yes....they are my primary target in January and Februarywhen I usually catch my biggest ones.


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## ChefRobb (Jan 8, 2016)

Killasnipe said:


> what was your setup? were you fishing inside the jetties near the rocks or ocean side? I've had no luck this year catching anything and it seems like everyone is slaying them. I guess i'm not holding my mouth right! Congrats on the catch, those are some nice fish! I'm super jealous, hehe!


I fish with a DOA Shrimp....usually the 1/2 oz. size. (You can get them at Walmart or most other sporting goods stores.) I cast them out, allow them to sink a bit, then slowly retrieve them. When I hit something that feels like I just snagged a rock I set the hook hard....because it's usually a trout. I look for channels running alongside jetties or steep banks on the inlet side during a moving tide. During high tide I even catch them (and redfish) that way at the Atlantic Avenue causeway in Garden City. It's not unusual for me to be out there on nice days during the winter. For what it's worth...I love to eat redfish, but trout are a breeze to clean! I boned & skinned those trout in only an hour.....and you don't have to have "Chef-level" skills to do it!


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## surffishin27 (Apr 8, 2016)

Putting on clinics catching fish like that Chef!! Congrats


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## buckstand (Sep 17, 2014)

Pretty Trouts Chef
I know where I'm going January/February


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## Fatback (Aug 6, 2003)

Well done sir.


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## ChefRobb (Jan 8, 2016)

I was back out again on Saturday. The trout were not overly interested in DOA shrimp today.....they definitely wanted live ones under a float. I actually spent the morning fishing with shrimp for drum while the're still available. Picked up a mix of red and black drum and LOT of rock sea bass. If I was inclined to mess with little fish I'd have taken home a bunch of the sea bass, which occasionally hit around 8 or 9 inches. they're pretty nice table fare, but don't get very large in close like this. The 16" redfish I picked up had a really well defined blue tail..... a beautiful specimen. I ended up giving him to a couple of college students from CCU. The keeper black drum went back in to grow a little more. Overall, it was a bit chilly, but a pleasant day.


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## speckalicious (Nov 30, 2016)

I was out late last week again as well and found the trout bite very slow, too. Of the five or six guys fishing nearby - boat and shore - I only saw one small speck taken in about three hours time. It hit a lead-head grub. Guy beside me caught five or six very small black drum on fresh clam strips. Hoping the bite improves when the weather evens out.


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## ChefRobb (Jan 8, 2016)

speckalicious said:


> I was out late last week again as well and found the trout bite very slow, too. Of the five or six guys fishing nearby - boat and shore - I only saw one small speck taken in about three hours time. It hit a lead-head grub. Guy beside me caught five or six very small black drum on fresh clam strips. Hoping the bite improves when the weather evens out.


The group of guys that came in when I did and fished DOAs picked up 8 or 10 keepers, but there were two guys on a boat only about 30' off the rocks that were floating live shrimp and taking a ton of fish.


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## speckalicious (Nov 30, 2016)

Story of my life...


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## ChefRobb (Jan 8, 2016)

speckalicious said:


> Story of my life...


I certainly have had "less than glorious" days fishing. Some are better than others. This year in general has been a very good year for me.... but then I'm investing more time on the beach learning all the necessary "tricks of the trade". I'm also sharing a lot of what I do with you guys on this board to help other guys learn and enjoy as well.


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## speckalicious (Nov 30, 2016)

Other than a few time when I really got on the big bluefish I haven't had a monster day this first season. I have caught a lot of fish overall tho, including some above average ones here and there, and I have only had a few days that I completely blanked - all in all I really can't complain.


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## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

i


speckalicious said:


> Other than a few time when I really got on the big bluefish I haven't had a monster day this first season. I have caught a lot of fish overall tho, including some above average ones here and there, and I have only had a few days that I completely blanked - all in all I really can't complain.


As long as you get out there and catch something, you should be having a decent time. I moved from MD to VA and rarely get keeper fish minus bluefish and croaker. In MD, I had striper limits just about every single boat trip and even most of the time from shore. Arguably, I was spoiled. Fishery does go in cycles.

I grew up fishing the south jetty/Huntington Beach Jetty. During the fall mullet run, my family would take day trips and fish for food- bluefish and weakfish. We would split up the gear load and hike there. Without me around now, my parents are getting to the age where carrying all of that gear is hard. I landed my biggest Spanish mackerel from that jetty. It was about 23 inches and smashed my 3/4 oz krocodile spoon. You will find that certain spots along those rocks hold certain species. The eddy formed around the bend on the inlet side is very snaggy, but often productive. My family usually bottom fished with cut mullet on the inlet side where the marsh grass starts on the opposite side. I noticed hardcore sheephead fisherman at the tip. 

One way to work with the current is to use a float rig with live mullet- short wire to a treble hook and tailhook the mullet. Walk along the jetty and follow your line. When the mullet run is on, it shouldn't take long before something (usually bluefish) eats it. 

I didn't really learn how to use lures effectively for species other than bluefish until I became an adult and had more patience and willpower.


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## speckalicious (Nov 30, 2016)

I haven't made the trek to the jetty yet but will be going very soon. My wife is a birder and has been a couple times for pics so she'll probably tag along! 

I grew up east of Raleigh NC and spent a lot of time surf/flounder fishing and gigging around Topsail Island and Swansboro. Looked forward to the fall spot run every year too, catching coolers full of big yellow bellies like taking candy from a baby. Did a lot of speck fishing in the coastal rivers with my brother in law and that's when I learned to catch em on hard baits. Got heavy into bass fishing after that and then moved to Winston Salem for almost 15 years so my saltwater fishing was cut to two or three weekends a year. 

I'd rather throw a suspending jerk bait for specks than anything - the good one in the pic I posted came on a lucky craft flash minnow - so I haven't spent a lot of time slip floating. I do throw a DOA some and have caught a few on lead-head grubs. Bought a cast net soon after we moved but I suck at it for the most part. Do manage to get enough bait to use but I work at it a lot harder than I should! Having a blast with all of it really... beats working any day!


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## rickyble (Apr 28, 2011)

just moved down here to murrells inlet from winston salem myself. Nothing better


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## speckalicious (Nov 30, 2016)

Bought a house a couple miles from Clemmons and loved every minute of our time around Winston and so far I've had the same experience here. Best of all I'm 3 1/2 minutes from the beach instead of 3 1/2 hours!


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## rickyble (Apr 28, 2011)

wow you must have had a private plane. My best time obeying the law is 4:15. ;-). Anyway we are about three miles from Huntington beach and I love fishing there. Most of the time I do catch fish and some the eating variety; black drum red drum whiting pompano spots. For the most part not the crowds with the exception of the normal holiday crowds but even then majority are locals or from SC. Most tourist don't want to pay to go to the beach when its free all up and down Myrtle. And if you go to the North side even fewer. The move was good for our retirement so far and we both love it. welcome down!


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## topwaterMOJO (Dec 7, 2016)

nice! I am debating if I should go back to Radio Island (Atlantic Beach NC) or take the shorter trip to SC from Charlotte. other than the piers, could anyone point me in the best direction to fish specs from the beach? Also, do you guys get false albies down there?


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## steelerfan (Jul 15, 2013)

I have used smaller shrimp imitating jigs usually silver with glitter in the smaller creeks with good success with ultra lite rods, but have never thrown jigs in the ocean surf at Myrtle beach. I have always used live bait or shrimp. If you don't mind me asking, what set up do you use. Both of my surf rods are more set up for 2+ oz weight on a bottom rig. Would enjoy giving these DOA shrimp lures a try. Have several different size Ugly sticks and spinning reels for bass, catfish, and pike, but I am always looking to buy something new. Can you give me an idea for my next trip south? Only a matter of time before I make the move south also. Thanks.:fishing::beer:


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## ChefRobb (Jan 8, 2016)

steelerfan said:


> I have used smaller shrimp imitating jigs usually silver with glitter in the smaller creeks with good success with ultra lite rods, but have never thrown jigs in the ocean surf at Myrtle beach. I have always used live bait or shrimp. If you don't mind me asking, what set up do you use. Both of my surf rods are more set up for 2+ oz weight on a bottom rig. Would enjoy giving these DOA shrimp lures a try. Have several different size Ugly sticks and spinning reels for bass, catfish, and pike, but I am always looking to buy something new. Can you give me an idea for my next trip south? Only a matter of time before I make the move south also. Thanks.:fishing::beer:


First off, those trout didn't come from the surf. They came from the inlet side of the South jetty. My preferred rod is a 7' medium weight rod with a Penn saltwater spinning reel spooled with 15Lb mono. It's a bit of work to get a 1/2 oz. DOA out there....and it doesn't go very far. However, the trade off is that I can get the trout in fairly quickly....and up over the rocks. A heavy bass rod would probably be pretty goof for this type of fishing.


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## speckalicious (Nov 30, 2016)

Never been a big fan of the Morehead/Radio Island area in general, usually drove on by to Harker's Island. As for specks here I am fairly new to the area but can tell you I've caught and have seen others catch some good ones in and around the creeks behind Pawleys and Litcfield


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## abass105 (Jun 13, 2006)

Nice specs. Should make for very fine eating.


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## steelerfan (Jul 15, 2013)

Thanks for the reply. I fully understand now. I was assuming you were making long casts on your slow retrieves. Now that you said about shorter casts, it makes sense. I knew you meant the inlet and not the surf, never heard much of guys in Myrtle throwing lures in the surf. I was wondering do you use a scent spray on the artificials? I don't think it's a big deal but some people swear by it. Thanks again for your time and your posts. Tight lines.


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