Little River inshore action heating up with the weather

Big three aren’t finding much forage, so they’re hitting anything on a hook

Spring weather is finally taking hold, and for anglers looking for a good way to start the season, the fishing in Dunn Sound off Little River and just off the ICW has taken off in a big way, with decent catches of three of the most popular species around: flounder, redfish and speckled trout. Capt. Greg Holmes of Fish Skinny Guide Service has been putting fish in the boat along the state line with ease.

“We’re catching good numbers of flounder, redfish, and even a few trout right now,” said Holmes (843-241-0594). “Most of the flounder and reds are coming out of the secondary creeks off the waterway, and the speckled trout are closer to the inlet, within sight of the (jetty) rocks on high water.”

Even though these fish will find small meals occasionally throughout the winter, the overall food base is minimal, and the cold water restricts their movements. But a warming trend is just what the doctored ordered. Water temperatures are rising into the 60s are making for perfect conditions. And for anglers, bait is scarce, right when the flounder, redfish, and trout are feeling the urge to chow down. Just about anything resembling a meal will trigger a strike from a redfish, flounder, or speckled trout.

Holmes is catching fish on both live bait and artificials.

“I am tossing mud minnows around oyster shells and creek mouths some,” he said, “but most of my fish are coming off of Vudu shrimp. The size and real-life look of these small shrimp are deadly under these conditions.”

Just about any of the smaller-sized shrimp imitations will be too much for any of the inshore predators around during early spring conditions. The best action is coming on the falling tide when inshore water temperatures are reaching their daily peak. Look for temperatures between 63 and 67 degrees for the best action.

As more seasonal weather raises the mercury up a few more notches, more baitfish will move into the estuaries fueling the feeding frenzy. Anglers should expect the fishing action to continue on an upward trend through the month of May.

“Every day, the possibility to catch more trout, reds, and flounder will continue to rise,” says Holmes. “It’s pretty good right now and should be getting better and better daily!”