Myrtle Beach February

[Northstar42]

I will be in Myrtle Beach for the month of February. I am a complete newbie at surf fishing but am going to give it a try. I am very interested in finding places to sheepshead fish. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

The S.C. fishing regs are a little confusing. When they state that is not legal to fish within 50' of a commercial fishing pier, what does that mean? Does it include boat docks as I have heard that is a good place to fish for sheepshead?

I keep seeing the term "head boat". What does that mean?

Hope you have a little patience as I will have lots of questions.

Northstar42

[edprocoat]

A commercial pier usually means a pay for fishing pier. Most states have restrictions as to how close you can fish to these piers. A head boat is a commercial boat that takes you out, they are usually the cheapest way to go fishing, many are set up to provide you with poles and cut bait, they find the fish and anchor over them and its up to you to reel them in. Its over the side fishing with a rail in front of you and usually a bench to sit on. They are lots of fun! Sheephead, some call them sheepshead are always found near piers or bridges, they feed on the crustaceons growing on the supports, a great way to catch them is to bring a scraper pole, a flat head hoe works well, and scrape loose the barnacles to chum the water for them. Sheephead are not isially caught from a head boat, they are more the snapper, grouper type of fishing vessel as they park you over a reef or a wreck in the open sea. Surf fishing is a blast, its a lot of work casting and moving through the waves, you get soaked, so pick a nice day if the cold bothers you. This is not a good way either to fish for Sheephead, you get pompano, blues, trout and various other fishes though. You need a long flexible pole 9' to 12' are popular, a spinning reel is the easiest to cast against the wind for me. You can surf fish with live bait, sand fleas are little crabs that look like almost inch long fleas that live under the sand and are usually easy to rake up for free and can be kept alive for several days in a bucket with sand and a little salt water, don't drown em, you can also use shrimp live or frozen, or cut squid. I like spoons and heavier jigs with either shrimp or plastics on them, also a good rattle trap works too. In the ocean when you can find them the fish are pigs! They are voracious hard hitting eaters, look in deeper areas just past the surf, or pool areas closer in, keep an eye out for birds hitting the water, these guys fish for a living so when you see them active the fish are nearby.

Good Luck, this is a blast.

ed

[Northstar42]

Ed,

Thanks for the reply. I'll be down in a few days now and can hardly wait. Given my weather at home, any day of fishing will be great.

Northstar42