# Garden City (Pier) fishing, and Horry County law



## CaptainCody (Jun 20, 2013)

Hello, 

I have seen threads regarding the common dispute between Horry County and the Shark fishery.
Basically, 
Shark + Horry = No. 
Shark + Georgetown = Yes. 

I understand that, and abide by the county's rules completely, however, Id like to go into a little more detail with some issues I am having.

On the week of July 4th, I'll be going down to Garden City staying about .4 miles North of The Pier At Garden City, and unfortunately, I will not be able to drive this trip as I usually am. That being said, I purchased (Coincidentally xD) a GARDEN cart from Home Depot and customized it for fishing with 10 rod holders along the wall of the cart. 

Now, here is where my problems begin - 

1. This thing is pretty heavy, being 80 pounds and pretty bulky, and with my gear, the total weight may in fact be over 100 pounds.
2. As I mentioned above, I will be having to walk .4 miles every day for 8 days, and 7 nights.
3. Being the week of Independence Day; Tourists, Vacationists, and a lot of other people will be accommodating the beaches
4. Id like to go medium game fishing. Yes, Catching those Spots, Whiting, Drum, and Croaker are fun, but occasionally, a man wants to have a decent challenge in his hands. And NOTHING beats the pull of a 500 pound Bull Shark as he grabs your freshly sliced Bonita as it slowly and inevitably sinks toward the sea floor.

But with Horry County laws stating you cannot intentionally target shark, this can become a challenge for an individual without transportation. 

With shark being eliminated from the list of large targets in Horry County, my questions are as follows.


What is the best way for me to shark fish with a 100 pound cart half a mile from county border? (Yes, I know this means leaving the county)
What other LEGAL species are there to target that could spool my Okuma Classic XT? A buddy suggested stingray, and I will be giving them a try.
Are there any COMMON spots for Striped Bass, Sheepshead, Cobia, or Tarpon around Horry County? Preferably toward the Southern County Line? (Although Cobia and Tarpon are not frequently caught from surf or pier towards GC.)

Any and every suggestion would be much appreciated. I have all gear and tackle taken care of, along with licensing, and catching live bait, all I'm humbly asking for are the "Where's and How's" 

Thanks so much,
Cody


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## beady (Oct 25, 2008)

Pretty much outta luck for shark fishing where you will be, you would not want to get caught in Horry doing that as
with the tourists being around sharks scare them off so if you have one on your line and see the fin cut that line
to avoid any fine.....A pier cart would have been Ideal and lightweight for you to use as what you describe 
will probably get you stuck in the sand .....


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## CarolinaGuy1986 (Jun 17, 2010)

Keep in mind, that the County line from the pier really is not that much farther. So if you are willing to walk a little bit more and sharks are really what you are after than there you go. DNR and Horry County Police will not tolerate shark fishing off of the beach. I saw a guy once bring one up on a pier a few years back, no warning, just handcuffs. 

Sheepshead ~ you need to go to Huntington's Jetty, go get some barnacles off of the groins in Garden City and chum them out off of the jetty on a low tide with super clear water or get a fiddler crab and remove the claws and put a small split shot about a foot or two above the hook and you might get one.

Cobia have been doing well but that is off shore, there are a few runs in the rivers south of here, but that is another story. 

Striped bass were hot in the lakes, but once again that is about 2 hour drive away. 

If you want to get in to some drum, they have been catching them down at the jetty in Garden City, have someone drop you off at the guard shack at the end of Waccamaw Drive and walk down the beach and fish the jetty on an incoming tide. I saw some nice drum caught there last week.

Black Drum have been caught off of Surfside pier this past week about 50 yards past the breakers on fresh shrimp, seriously good numbers and solid keepers too. 

I have been catching some nice flounder and trout in the surf this past week. Take a look at any of my posts.

If you want a fight on you hands like it sounds you do, get some cut bait and go down to the groins, there are plenty of rays down there. Big ones! 

I have always caught decent rays down in Pawleys Island, North Jetty or rocks. I know you said you cant do a lot of driving, but if you could have someone drop you off, that may work.

As you said, there will be a ton of tourists here, so the idea is to get there early as possible, 5:30-6 you will be one of a few, the beaches have been getting pack about 9:30-10.

Good luck and I hope this helps ~ Matthew


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## CaptainCody (Jun 20, 2013)

CarolinaGuy1986 said:


> If you want a fight on you hands like it sounds you do, get some cut bait and go down to the groins, there are plenty of rays down there.


Thanks for all the advice! Will definitely give all those a go.
As for the rays, I will be cast netting Manhaden in Murrells Inlet near the bridge on Atlantic Ave. (S 26-51) That spot has ever let me down, and also would like to fish off the public fishing bridge there, and although its not that deep, I see lots of people fish there, but never stay long enough to see if, or what they are catching. Have you or anyone here fished there? Whats it like? There's only one time I had the time to fish there and only caught 2 Pinfish, but that was years ago. 

I kinda got off my point a little, woops. 

But about the rays, will the Manhaden pull one in, or do you favor one over another? Down in Beaufort SC, I was fishing Cobia and Shark down there, and the squid we were using for shark wore the rays' asses out. Same concept here or no?

And when you say they are around the groins, is there any one in general, or should I just give the whole place a shot? And how far out should I be putting them? my Okuma Classic XT and my Abu Garcia 7000 iC3 can both throw a 3-4oz lead about towards (but not quite) the end of Garden City Pier on low tide around (140-150yd) is that a good enough ways out there?


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## CaptainCody (Jun 20, 2013)

OH, and I forgot to mention, I seriously hope Garden City Pier has a handicap ramp for my cart. Does it? I've been going for over 10 years and NEVER thought to look.


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## cocky (Jun 21, 2010)

yea it's got one. It's on the opposite side of the building as the steps.


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## CaptainCody (Jun 20, 2013)

cocky said:


> yea it's got one. It's on the opposite side of the building as the steps.


Thank you so much, definitely would hate to have to find an alternative with a really heavy cart!


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## murrellsqueen (Apr 3, 2013)

your best bet for big rays and sharks where you wont be bothered by the dnr is the north inlet at pawleys island. Big baits either menhaden or big mullet, use a 6ft 120# wire leader "rig it like a heavy version of a king rig" for the sharks, the sharks that are here now are spinners, and with out the wire they will break you off. Fish the incoming tide...you really shouldn't have a problem catching rays and sharks, the bull , tiger, and lemons, are all off shore now, and wont be back in numbers till the fall...good luck

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=pawle...&sa=X&ei=0GLEUez4GoLw8QSQpYFY&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAg


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## CaptainCody (Jun 20, 2013)

Alright, will be considering all of this this week, leaving in 8 days, so I will be needing to run to bass pro shortly today, and grab some extra Circles, Octopus, leader, wire, swivels, $, $, $, Luckly, I have plenty of king rigs, wire, braid, mono, yeahh. Money Money Money xD Better stock now before prices go up in the future!


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## CarolinaGuy1986 (Jun 17, 2010)

The erosion groins are at the end of Garden City, kinda by where you would park. If you have a high tide early in the morning or late in the afternoon, only becuase many people go there to swim, you might get a ray. Also like some others have said, the north end of Pawleys Island is a good spot for rays. I caugh this one last year, he was about 40 pounds and it took me sometime to get him in. Tight lines


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## murrellsqueen (Apr 3, 2013)

that size southern stingray are perfect to eat


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## CaptainCody (Jun 20, 2013)

murrellsqueen said:


> that size southern stingray are perfect to eat


I agree! In my opinion stingray is one of the best tasting meat. And that size DOES have some nice fillets


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## CarolinaGuy1986 (Jun 17, 2010)

I have heard that, somebody told me that taste like scallops? Next time I get one like that, I should try it out. I got that one at the North end of Pawleys on an incoming tide with a big ole piece of cut mullet. I have caught the that size on cut bluefish also!


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## murrellsqueen (Apr 3, 2013)

that's an old wives tale the scallops thing.....but they taste great as long as your a good cook...In Thailand, France, you can order it like hamburgers here..just have a very x 10 sharp knife, and penitence cleaning them.

at the end of the jetty "the north inlet" at that old break wall,just a good sized cut bait will work, just wait and hang on...I go to that area just to catch rays....I usually can be in and home with in 2 hours ......that ray you caught, you can get 8-9lbs of meat off of....if you guys want any recipes email me murrells queen aol

the southern stingrays are the only ones I eat, 3ft across are the perfect size, cow-nose rays I don't have the heart to kill, to much of a face, and the spotted rays don't taste as good


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## CaptainCody (Jun 20, 2013)

CarolinaGuy1986 said:


> I have heard that, somebody told me that taste like scallops? Next time I get one like that, I should try it out. I got that one at the North end of Pawleys on an incoming tide with a big ole piece of cut mullet. I have caught the that size on cut bluefish also!




I cant say I'm sure, because I've never had Scallops, but I DO know, it is EXCELLENT!


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## fishinbob (May 27, 2011)

Some cheap seafood markets will cut scallop looking filets out of rays, and sell them as scallops. I've also heard that those places get in big trouble if they are caught.


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## Tim Brown (Jul 22, 2012)

Pardon me if this sounds stupid - but how in the world do you handle a ray that size without incident?


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## ORF Pete (Sep 26, 2009)

Tim Brown said:


> Pardon me if this sounds stupid - but how in the world do you handle a ray that size without incident?


Drag the ray with your index fingers in the spiracles (gill openings) behind the eyes and keep yourself on the head end. Keep the back end away from you. Most dangerous part can be returning them to the water. Many pull out the barb with a set of pliers to make this a safer process (the barb grows back). Just be aware the tail can still whip the chit out of you and bruise you pretty bad when they get big. The tail of a 150lb ray carries a lot of force... been hit by one.


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## MBsandflea (Jun 27, 2004)

CarolinaGuy1986 said:


> I have heard that, somebody told me that taste like scallops? Next time I get one like that, I should try it out. I got that one at the North end of Pawleys on an incoming tide with a big ole piece of cut mullet. I have caught the that size on cut bluefish also!


Eat at any seafood buffet, those small perfectly round scallops are stamped from ray, skate and shark.


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## Tim Brown (Jul 22, 2012)

Thanks Pete, hopefully I can hook into one and do it without looking like a school girl


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## CaptainCody (Jun 20, 2013)

Tim Brown said:


> Thanks Pete, hopefully I can hook into one and do it without looking like a school girl



Haha, Just be safe!


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