[wartmanrp]

So I am coming up on my annual trip to Pawley's Island SC (4th of July week) I know from experience the fishing isn't great there in the summer, BUT I do it anyways. I've slowly evolved to the point where instead of throwing a big honking bait/weight way out I just rig up tiny pieces of shrimp on a light rod and catch pinfish and whiting in the wash.

However I have a really nice 8'6" Cabela's casting rod and an Abu C4 I bought to throw lures, however I've never had much luck. So I'm looking for some tips or suggestions on types of lures to buy, how to retrieve them, when to use them, and how to rig them. I've tried small spoons and gotcha plugs with no success in several years (I did have a small blue hit this giant gator spoon i was using but that was a fluke I think.) The rod is rated for 3/8-3/4oz casting.

GO!

 

[okuma294xl]

I like to throw top water poping type plugs from the surf in the evenings-- the blues love them. Dont forget a 12" steel leader so you wont loose your plug. Throw it out--pop it a few times let it sit--repeat. Chrome, Bone color works good.

 

[gambusia]

Hopkins spoons.

They cast far and predator fish like them.

 

[wartmanrp]

I actually have a hopkins I bought when I got the rod. How do you work them? Just cast and retrieve or what?

 

[sundrop]

Hopkins, I twitch, hop snatch, slow roll, drag and speed crank. I try it all and what gets hit I repeat more often than the others. I use a mono leader with mine usually 30-50lb depends on what I have laying around. If I am targeting Spanish however I used a diamond jig and 20lb mono leader and check it often for nicks. I don't know the area but you might look into some soundside fishing, or piers. Not sure how far up it is to Murrels inlet or Surfside pier. I wouldn't go any closer to Myrtle beach the water is shallow and disturbed by beach grooming and dredging for the tourists. I have caught red drum and Spanish on Springmaid pier but haven't been there in 2 decades.

 

[papadave]

Never underestimate the power of a gulp shrimp on a jighead.

 

[h2ohhh]

Never underestimate the power of a gulp shrimp on a jighead.

What he said ^. With your lighter rod rig a gulp shrimp or swimming mullet (I like pearl or new penny color) on a 1/4 or 3/8 oz jighead or the back bucktail of a Sea Striker double bucktail rig (available in local bait stores at the coast) and retrieve slowly along the bottom. You should pick up a flounder or two doing this. A 4" long tapered strip of squid or mullet works very well too. Look for areas where you see a bunch of small broken shells that have been backwashed, drop offs in the sand or areas where the waves don't break until they get very close to the shore. At the same time keep your casting rod equipped with a silver spoon in a rod holder while you fish one of the above rigs. If you see any bait jumping switch out and throw a Hopkins or Krokodile 1 oz. spoon. Crank it fast as that's how blues or Spanish like it.

If you can throw a cast net and catch live finger mullet in the backwaters (bucket and aerator needed to keep them alive), put that on your casting rod with a fish finder rig or c-rig with enough weight to hold bottom (a little drift is okay too). Do this and you will find that the fishing can be pretty good in the summer too. Reds, blues, flounder and lots of other species will annihilate that finger mullet.

 

[ice cream man]

Surf fishing is more than just casting a lure into the water hoping for a bite.
You have to find fish before you can catch fish. Focus on reading the beach, stay mobile.
This past Feb. / March we were on a hot bite from a very large schools of surf Reds.
Took one friend that could not see them & refused to move with the school.
He caught one or two, while others caught double digits.

Hopkins, Kastmasters are great search lures. They cover a lot of water, can be worked several ways & they catch fish.
Johnson Spoons are also great because of the slower flutter, once you find fish.

Hope this helps. ...... ICM