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I am doing some research, thinking about taking my kayak down to Sunset Beach, NC (near Myrtle Beach) and fish the Inter coastal Waterway. Has anyone done that? Got any ideas or tips? What times of year are good for what species? Anything would be great!!
No but i'm sure it would be fun from a kayak.I have way more fun fishing from a kayak than any boat i ever had.
We rented a pontoon once on the ICW in N. Myrtle. We ran out to some neat barrier islands and spent the day and had a great time. The only thing to watch out for would be boats running past a yak and almost swamping you. There's some big boats cruising almost anywhere you go on the ICW.
[QUOTE=MagikSmallie;491846]I am doing some research, thinking about taking my kayak down to Sunset Beach, NC (near Myrtle Beach) and fish the Inter coastal Waterway. Has anyone done that? Got any ideas or tips? What times of year are good for what species? Anything would be great!![/QUOTE]
Tons of people fish from kayaks in the ICWs of the US. I spent some time in mine at the outer banks near Hattaras three weeks ago. It was a fair paddle to get to deep enough water to hold fish. It's a different story in Florida. Lots of mangroves, etc. You can get places in a kayak that big boats cannot.
Not sure what it would be like near Sunset Beach. Do some searching online and I'm sure you'll find what you need to know.
We always fish the ICW when we go to Panama City Beach from our kayaks. Gold spoons and D.O.A. shrimp floats are what we always use, along with gold or chrome jointed jerkbaits.
Spring through mid-fall should put you on some good redfish and seatrout action, not to mention some awesome spanish mackerel fishing around any bridge that sees boat traffic. You can also anchor or tie-off to the bridge pilings and fish for sheepshead or some huge black drum.
Rudy, I know of a large bridge very close to where I was wanting to fish on the ICW. What would you suggest throwing for the Spanish?
[QUOTE=MagikSmallie;492092]Rudy, I know of a large bridge very close to where I was wanting to fish on the ICW. What would you suggest throwing for the Spanish?[/QUOTE]
We have had the best luck with gold castmaster spoons, bubble rigs, and topwater baits like a red/white topwater torpedo.
If you are fishing a large bridge, you should have some good opprutunity for red and black drum, bluefish, and sheepshead as well.
Throw gold johnson spoons for the reds, or gold jerkbaits.
Cutbait fished on the bottom for black drum and bluefish.
Cut fresh shrimp virticle-jigged around the bridge pilings for sheepshead.
Being on the east coast, you may catch some croakers as well.
Sheephead are extremely tasty. They are like giant bluegill with horse teeth.
Man that's awesome, thanks guys! I'm not exactly sure when I am going, but I have decided that this summer: July, Aug, Sept. somewhere in there, I will be going. Gonna do some more research about the target area and I'll report back!! Thanks again!
[QUOTE=MagikSmallie;492158]Man that's awesome, thanks guys! I'm not exactly sure when I am going, but I have decided that this summer: July, Aug, Sept. somewhere in there, I will be going. Gonna do some more research about the target area and I'll report back!! Thanks again![/QUOTE]
My best fishing has been in September, FYI. But have have been to the coast every month of the year at some point, and they are ALL good in their own way.
Do yourself a favor and look at the maps around where you are staying, and find some saltwater creeks in the backs of the bays around the ICW. In September, we get an all-day topwater bite from the reds in a couple of the saltwater creeks we fish around Panama City Beach. There is NOTHING like having a 20-30 pound redfish blow-up on your topwater bait! Like this one:
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyM4giBhDio&feature=g-upl[/url]
Also don't forget a "Gotcha" I prefer the ones with a red or neon head. They are like the roostertail of salt water. Good luck. Chuck
I don't know about South Carolina or Florida,but I fished and travelled the ICW in Louisiana for 10 years and would have been afraid to travel in a kayak there due to heavy barge and oilfield traffic at the time.May have slowed up now,we did catch alot of fish and shellfish from the area though including blue catfish,channel cats,lm bass,sacalait,and even redfish,speckled trout,and flounder.
Good Luck and be careful about shipping traffic.