# What's hitting now?



## Old Dominion (Apr 21, 2011)

I'll be coming down to NMB Saturday and am staying just a block or so from the Cherry Grove Pier. Usually go to Apache pier as well as my 12-year daughter likes to pier fish. Was wondering what's hitting and on what bait so I can try to be prepared and help her catch fish. Thanks for any help guys.

I've already been reading some of the reports, but was wondering what you all knew. Also, is the surf fishing any good up around CH pier since I might be able to sneak out some?


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## TimKan7719 (Apr 4, 2008)

Bait use Shrimp-Whiting, Blues, Pomps, Trout, drum, and flounder--They will all hit fresh shrimp.
Straw Rigs---Blues, Spanish and Sometimes other things.
Live Minnows--Flounder, Red Drum, Blues, and Sometimes spanish


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

Yep, but don't be afraid to cut up a blue or croaker for bait...small fillet cubes work great for whiting and croaker and catch blues, too.


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## CarolinaGuy1986 (Jun 17, 2010)

The best bait for whiting and smaller fish is going to be fresh shrimp like these guys have said. Go to the local seafood markets and buys their shrimp. Ask them and make sure it is local. Cherry grove is nice, but a word to the wise, you will pay per rod instead of per person. I reallly like Cherry Grove Pier, and I have caught a ton of fish up their, but the workers there always seem to have a chip on their shoulder. I always recommmend Garden City or Springmaid, but if you really have to go to Cherry Grove, it is a pretty pier!!! I love it, but not their employees who seem to have it out for everyone! If you go there tell me what you think! I am a super tolerant person, but let me know what you think! Maybe they were just having a bad day. Please don't forget that Apache is the longest pier on the east coast and that you could say that you fished on the biggest pier on the east coast! Good luck


Matthew
Socastee


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## Old Dominion (Apr 21, 2011)

*which pier has best chance of catching fish? ideas for 1/2 or whole day boat trip?*

So, I have heard Garden City, Apache, and Cherry Grove-basically, I want to fish somewhere with the best chance of catching fish, any fish, size does not matter-at this stage of my daughter's fishing education, catching fish is what holds her interest....

Oh, where's the best market to buy local shrimp?

Also, she has never been on a boat fishing trip....any good 1/2 day or whole day ones? 

Thanks for any and all suggestions....


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## CarolinaGuy1986 (Jun 17, 2010)

As you are comng in to Cherry Grove from Sea Mountain Highway, you will pass several seafood markets, they are small mom and pop stores. There are two on the left side of the road. I have bought stuff from them and they have great stuff. Crabs should be in and they have em for 13 dollars a dozen which is cheap!!!

It is hard to say where the fish are going to be, nobody will know for sure. The best time to fish on the piers is going to be as the tide is moving in. Check the tide charts and hit the piers during the high tides. When the tide is going out is also a good time. Some guys will disagree with me on this and thats fine, but I have had results. 

Half day trips are a fun time. I took some friends out on one in Little River. It was abour 45 dollars and we caught some small sea bass. It was a good time and I would suggest looking in to one. Be careful with the kids though, if the water is rough the boat will get tossed around. Many kids get sick and it tends to ruin the fishing experience. Little River Fishing Fleet is super close to you and its about 40 dollars, but there are coupons for them everywhere.

I hope this helps, if you have and more questions, just let me know

Matthew
Socastee


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

Springmaid's a great one too. Very friendly. And in the spring you'll pretty much have the whole North side to yourself cause 90% of the people will be jigging Spanish off the south side. 

Best chance of catching fish? They're all about the same. It's a roll of the dice on the day. Avoid Cherry Grove if you're taking your kid. Or anyway. The people are d-bags, every time I've gone even as a walker. That's about as nice as I can put it. 

How old is she? Not sure I'd put her on a party boat young, if she gets seasick it'd ruin that idea for years...plus it can be demanding to hold a heavy rod high enough up to the rail..an inshore charter with the family could be fun, you don't have to go for sport fish, I'm sure they could put you on something else. 

From the piers, some #6 hooks and a small piece of shrimp will catch croaker, spot, pinfish, whiting, and more. Nothing super exciting to but it is to kids.  

If you come through Columbia this is a great option too if you don't mind freshwater. http://fightindablues.com/WhitePerchtrips.aspx He's a great guy and a great guide. Will also put you on the cats.


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## CarolinaGuy1986 (Jun 17, 2010)

Well said. Everything smoothlures is saying is super accurate. The rods on the 1/2 day trips are a pain to control. Listen to us about Cherry Grove Pier and avoid those guys at all cost please! You will be happier at Springmaid, or Garden City.


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## Old Dominion (Apr 21, 2011)

Thanks for all the info! Believe me, if I decide on a boat trip, it's only going to be if the sea is pretty smooth....

Springmaid or Garden City sounds good. Starting at high tide.....so how far out on the pier? Where the surf is starting to rise up to break?


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

It's up to you...off Springmaid I catch a lot of bottom fish off the T which is ~300 yards off the beach. Just don't go over the part that's roped off for the king fishermen. Or you might be catching them in just a foot or two of water like you said. Look for where the waves are rolling over white, fish on the inside on the incoming and on the back on the outgoing is the general "rule." Anywhere that you see a break in the waves breaking is likely deeper water and is a highway for fish to get to the inside of the sandbar. Also with shrimp and the small hooks you can drop them right by the piling and catch a few smaller fish if it's slow.


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## CarolinaGuy1986 (Jun 17, 2010)

Ok, when the tide is coming in, about an hour before the chart says high tide you want to go out kinda toward the the end, at Garden City you want to go all the way out and fish on the right side. At Springmaid, that is going to be about 3/4 of the way out. Now when that tide is high, some guys like to move in closer, just behind the waves, fishing in about 8 feet of water. If possible, try to see if there is going to be a tide in the morning. We filled a bucket with fish this morning at Garden City and hour before high tide. It was one after the other. If you can get the kids up early that is good, but if you like to sleep in, its not a bad idea to hit the pm high tide. Garden City will chage you half price in the P.M. Thats only 4.50 and you can stay out till 9. For your question about where to fish the surf, you want to be about 25 or 30 meters off of the sand, like 8 feet of water. 

Matthew
Socastee


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## Old Dominion (Apr 21, 2011)

Great info! Thanks guys. Looking at the tide charts, it looks like high tide is at 1:41 pm on Sunday at Springmaid....so if I get out there around 11:30, that should be a good time based on what I read from you...correct?


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## Old Dominion (Apr 21, 2011)

Oh, one other thing....is the fishing in the surf any good up around Cherry Grove? I'm staying somewhere on 21st street just down from Cherry Grove and may want to give the surf a try.


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

Get out and scout the beach and see if there's any structure at low tide where you might want to fish. If you hit it early and late there shouldn't be many people around.


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## Flytyingguy1 (Sep 8, 2009)

I've fished for 50 some years & rarely fish the piers. Tide,Moon ETC you got to be in it to win it.
Iv'e sent many a hour in the surf Low,High & in between Best down here was a 39" Red from the beach 20' from the shore. So you never know what's out there. Sometimes I will fish 12 hrs a day. I'm not a bait fisherman if I can help it. But I will if I have to. Last Oct. I was behind the Holiday Inn in Surf Side & in 2 1/2 hours I caught 40 weakfish on cut Mullet ( Low Tide )


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## Steve_C (May 5, 2009)

*Cherry Grove people*

Guys, I'm a little confused as to why everyone seems to hate CG pier. Have they changed ownership in the last year or anything? My family and I have been going down there for the last few years and have never had anything but GREAT service from the people working in the pier house to the folks on the pier, not one bad thing to say. Just putting my two cents in....truth be told though, as long as the fish are biting, I'll fish anywhere! 
Tight lines to all!!


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