12 Fish You Can Catch with North Myrtle Beach Fishing Charters (and How to Hook Them)

Thinking about booking North Myrtle Beach Fishing Charters or broader Myrtle Beach Fishing Charters? Knowing what bites—and how to target it—will crank up your success. Below are a dozen of the area’s most popular game and table fish, plus rigs, baits, and quick tips. Whether you’re headed inshore, nearshore, or going all‑out deep sea fishing in Myrtle Beach, this cheat sheet puts more bend in your rod.

1. Redfish (Red Drum)

Where: Marsh creeks, oyster bars, Intracoastal Waterway

Best Trips: Inshore charters (2–5 hours)

Top Tactics: Live shrimp/mullet under popping corks; sight-cast soft plastics to tailing fish

Keep It Legal: Slot limits apply—ask your captain

2. Spotted Seatrout (Speckled Trout)

Where: Grass lines, creek mouths, deep holes in cooler months

Best Trips: Inshore morning/evening bites

Top Tactics: MirrOlures, paddletails on jig heads, live shrimp under corks

3. Flounder (Southern Fluke)

Where: Drop-offs, sandy pockets near structure

Best Trips: Inshore drift-fishing sessions

Top Tactics: Mud minnows on Carolina rigs; slow-hop Gulp! shrimp on bottom

4. Sheepshead

Where: Dock pilings, bridge abutments, rock jetties

Best Trips: Inshore/nearshore structure hunts

Top Tactics: Fiddler crabs or barnacles on small hooks; feel for the “tap” not the tug

5. Black Drum

Where: Same haunts as sheepshead; deeper holes in creeks

Best Trips: Inshore charters year-round

Top Tactics: Fresh shrimp on the bottom; slow and patient hooksets

6. Spanish Mackerel

Where: Nearshore rips and bait schools (3–10 miles out)

Best Trips: 4–6 hour nearshore trolling runs

Top Tactics: Clark spoons behind planers; small flashy jigs when they’re busting the surface

7. King Mackerel (Kingfish)

Where: Nearshore/offshore wrecks & reefs, slow-trolled bait lines

Best Trips: Nearshore to mid-range offshore

Top Tactics: Slow-troll live menhaden/blue runners on stinger rigs; watch that first blistering run

8. Cobia

Where: Buoys, wrecks, and rays’ backs in late spring/early summer

Best Trips: Nearshore sight-fishing missions

Top Tactics: Live eels or jigs tossed ahead of cruising fish; be ready for chaos at boatside

9. Sharks (Atlantic Sharpnose, Blacktip, Spinner, etc.)

Where: Beaches, nearshore rips, and wrecks

Best Trips: Family-friendly shark-specific trips (great photo ops!)

Top Tactics: Fresh cut bait on heavy leaders; quick photos and careful releases

10. Mahi-Mahi (Dolphin Fish)

Where: Weedlines and temperature breaks 30–60+ miles offshore

Best Trips: Deep sea fishing in Myrtle Beach (8–12+ hours)

Top Tactics: Trolling skirted ballyhoo; pitch chunks to followers when one’s hooked

11. Wahoo

Where: Bluewater edges and ledges, fast-moving rips offshore

Best Trips: Long offshore trolling days

Top Tactics: High-speed trolling with weighted lures; wire leaders a must

12. Grouper & Snapper (Bottom Brigade)

Where: Deep offshore ledges and wrecks

Best Trips: Full-day bottom fishing charters

Top Tactics: Heavy rigs with live pinfish or butterfly jigs; crank hard to beat the structure

Quick Gear & Bait Matrix

Species

Trip Type

Primary Method

Typical Bait/Lure

Redfish

Inshore

Popping cork + live shrimp

Live shrimp, mud minnows

Trout

Inshore

Jig + soft plastic

Soft plastics, MirrOlures

Flounder

Inshore

Carolina rig on bottom

Mud minnows, Gulp!

Spanish Mackerel

Nearshore

Trolling spoons

Clark spoons

King Mackerel

Near/Offshore

Live-bait slow troll

Menhaden, blue runners

Mahi

Offshore

Trolling ballyhoo

Skirted ballyhoo

Wahoo

Offshore

High-speed troll

Heavy jet heads

Grouper/Snapper

Offshore

Bottom drop

Live pinfish, jigs

Regulations & Conservation

South Carolina state waters and federal offshore zones enforce size/bag limits and seasonal closures. Captains on Myrtle Beach Charter Fishing trips stay current—listen, measure, release when required. Snap a pic, send ’em back, and keep the fishery thriving.

Pro Tips to Maximize Your Catch Rate

Communicate Goals: Want meat, trophies, or variety? Say so.

Stay Tidy: Organized decks mean fewer tangles and more time fishing.

Fight Smart: Keep steady pressure; let the drag do its job on speedsters like kings and mahi.

Mind the Mate: Their job is to boost your success—tip 15–20% for hard work.

Final Cast

Armed with this hit list, you’re ready to make every bite count. From dockside drum to offshore wahoo, Charter Fishing in Myrtle Beach delivers year-round action. Book a trusted captain, pack smart, and prepare for tight lines!