Where to Fish in North Myrtle Beach: Piers, Surf, Creeks & the Gulf Stream

The rod tip bends double before you even see the flash of silver. Your drag screams — that unmistakable sound that makes every other angler on the pier stop what they’re doing and look. A Spanish mackerel tears through the green water thirty feet below Cherry Grove Pier, throwing spray as it surfaces and dives again. Your hands are shaking. Your coffee is getting cold on the railing. It’s 7:15 in the morning and your vacation just got interesting.

That’s North Myrtle Beach fishing — and whether you’re a first-timer renting a rod on the pier or a seasoned angler chasing wahoo in the Gulf Stream, this stretch of South Carolina coastline delivers. From the wood planks of Cherry Grove Pier to the salt marsh creeks behind the dunes to the deep blue water 50 miles offshore, here’s how to find the fish.

Pier Fishing: Cherry Grove Pier

If you’ve never dropped a line in salt water, start here. Cherry Grove Pier is the classic Grand Strand fishing pier — 985 feet of weathered wood stretching out over the Atlantic at 3502 N. Ocean Blvd. The tackle shop sells bait and rents rods (about $26 for the day), so you can show up empty-handed and fish within minutes.

The pier draws a rotating cast of species depending on the season:

• Spring (March–May): Whiting, flounder, and bluefish early. Spanish mackerel arrive in April and the pier comes alive — watch for the silver flashes and the sudden chaos of a mackerel blitz.
• Summer (June–August): King mackerel (the pier’s trophy fish), Spanish mackerel, flounder, spots, and the occasional cobia cruising past the pilings. King mackerel anglers set up with heavy gear near the end of the pier and wait — sometimes for hours — but when a king hits, the whole pier knows it.
• Fall (September–November): Spot, whiting, flounder, and bluefish return as water cools. October is excellent for variety.
• Winter (December–February): Whiting and the occasional black drum. Fewer crowds, quieter fishing, and sometimes a beautiful surprise.

Pier tip: Get there early. The bite is best in the first two hours after sunrise and the last hour before sunset. The regulars know this — you’ll see them arrive in the dark with headlamps and thermoses, staking out the best spots at the end. Bring a cooler, sunscreen, and patience. The pier also has a restaurant if you need breakfast while you wait.

Surf Fishing: Sand Between Your Toes, Rod in the Sand Spike

Surf fishing is the most accessible fishing you can do — no boat, no pier fee, just you and the ocean. North Myrtle Beach has miles of fishable beach, and the best part is that the fish come to you.

Best Beaches for Surf Casting

• Cherry Grove Beach — The north end near Cherry Grove Point where Hog Inlet cuts between the beach and Bird Island. The moving water of the inlet concentrates baitfish, and predators follow. This is the spot.
• Crescent Beach & Ocean Drive Beach — Less fishing pressure than Cherry Grove. Wade out at low tide and cast to the sandbars where fish patrol the drop-offs.
• Windy Corner — The bend in the beach where Ocean Drive meets Cherry Grove. Current rips along the shore here, and flounder love it.

What to Target from the Surf

• Spanish mackerel (April–October): Cast metal spoons or Got-cha plugs past the breakers. When they’re running, the water erupts with baitfish and the mackerel slash through them. April and May are peak months.
• Bluefish (March–May, September–November): Aggressive, toothy, and fun. Use cut bait or metal lures. They’ll hit anything that moves.
• Whiting (year-round): The bread-and-butter surf fish. Fresh shrimp on a bottom rig, cast it out, and wait. They’re everywhere and they taste great.
• Flounder (April–November): Fish the inlet edges and tidal channels with live minnows or Gulp baits.
• Red drum (fall): September and October bring schools of puppy drum into the surf zone. Cut mullet on a fish-finder rig, cast it past the sandbar, and hold on.
• Pompano (April–June): The golden prize of surf fishing. Sand fleas are the bait. They’re not easy, but they’re one of the best-eating fish in the ocean.

Surf fishing tip: Read the water. Look for cuts in the sandbars, changes in water color, and birds diving on baitfish. Those are the spots where fish concentrate. Low tide exposes the structure — scout the beach at low tide, then fish the spots when the water returns.

Inshore & Creek Fishing: Where the Locals Go

Behind the dunes and the condos, a labyrinth of salt marsh creeks, tidal flats, and oyster beds stretches from Cherry Grove to Little River. This is the backcountry — quiet, productive, and largely overlooked by visitors who never leave the beach.

What Swims in the Creeks

• Redfish — The king of inshore fishing in the Carolinas. They tail on shallow flats, cruise oyster beds, and hammer live shrimp and cut bait. Year-round, but fall is magical.
• Flounder — Ambush predators that lie flat on the bottom near creek mouths and channel edges. Live minnows drifted along the bottom are deadly.
• Speckled trout — Spring and fall in the deeper holes and along grass edges. They’ll hit soft plastic jigs and live shrimp under a popping cork.
• Sheepshead — Winter and early spring around docks, bridges, and pilings. Fiddler crabs are the secret weapon.
• Black drum — Big, strong, and underrated. They school up in creeks during spring. Cut blue crab on the bottom.

Guided Inshore Charters

The best way to fish the creeks — especially your first time — is with a local captain who knows every oyster bar and tidal edge.

Captain Smiley Fishing Charters is the name around here. Captain Patrick “Smiley” Kelly has been fishing these waters since he was a kid, and his operation out of Cricket Cove Marina at 4495 Baker St in Little River targets redfish, flounder, trout, and sheepshead depending on the season. His 23-foot Migration takes up to 6 anglers and fishes both inshore creeks and nearshore waters for Spanish mackerel, cobia, and sharks when conditions are right. He’s been at it since 2000, and the reviews tell the story — this guy puts you on fish.

Other quality inshore guides operate out of the Little River waterfront, including Longway Charter Fishing (which also runs unique shrimping charters) and Reel Action Fishing Charters for smaller, personalized trips.

Deep Sea & Gulf Stream: The Big Water

Fifty miles offshore, the Gulf Stream pushes warm blue water northward along the continental shelf edge. That current carries pelagic gamefish that don’t exist anywhere near the beach — mahi-mahi, yellowfin tuna, wahoo, sailfish, and blue marlin. Getting there requires a serious boat and a full day, but it’s the kind of fishing that ruins you for everything else.

Little River Fishing Fleet

The Little River Fishing Fleet has been running deep sea trips since 1985 and their dock location puts you closer to open water than most Grand Strand competitors — meaning more time fishing, less time running.

• Half-day trips (4–5 hours): Bottom fishing over nearshore reefs and wrecks for black sea bass, triggerfish, and snapper. Great for families and first-timers who want a taste of offshore without committing to a full day.
• Full-day trips (8 hours): Deeper water, bigger fish. Trolling and bottom fishing for king mackerel, grouper, amberjack, and barracuda.
• Gulf Stream trips (11 hours): The real deal. You leave at 7:00 AM, run to the Stream, and fish until 6:00 PM. Mahi-mahi, yellowfin tuna, wahoo, sailfish, and whatever else the blue water delivers. Approximately $205 per person on the open boat. Private charters are available for groups wanting the boat to themselves.

The fleet runs multiple vessels including the 45-foot Safari IV and the 45-foot Southern Tide — fully equipped and Coast Guard certified.

Calabash Fishing Fleet

Just across the NC border, the Calabash Fishing Fleet launches from the waterfront next to Dockside Seafood Restaurant in Calabash. They run the Miss Calabash and the Navigator on half-day, full-day, and Gulf Stream trips, plus dolphin cruises and sunset tours for the non-anglers in your group. A Calabash fishing day paired with a Calabash-style seafood lunch afterwards is one of the best combos in the area.

Offshore tip: Book ahead during summer. The best boats fill up weeks in advance for Gulf Stream trips in June, July, and August. If you’re prone to seasickness, take Dramamine the night before AND the morning of — the Gulf Stream run can be rough.

Boat Ramp: Launch Your Own

If you’re trailering your own boat, the Cherry Grove Park & Boat Ramp at 413 53rd Avenue North gives you two launching lanes, 23 paved parking spots, courtesy docks, restrooms, and a fishing pier — all on Williams Creek with access to the marsh, the Intracoastal Waterway, and the Atlantic through Hog Inlet.

It’s the only public boat ramp in North Myrtle Beach, so arrive early during summer weekends. The ramp gets busy by 7:00 AM on Saturdays. Paid parking at NMB beach access lots runs $4/hour (March through October, 9 AM–5 PM) — pay via the Passport Parking app or at the pay station.

Seasonal Fishing Calendar

Bottom line: There is no bad time to fish here. The species change, the methods change, but the fish are always biting somewhere.

Fishing Licenses

South Carolina requires a fishing license for anyone 16 and older. You can buy a non-resident 14-day license online at dnr.sc.gov — it’s quick, affordable, and saves you a trip to a tackle shop. Pier fishing at Cherry Grove Pier is covered under their pier license, so you don’t need your own. Charter boats include licenses in the trip price.

If you’re fishing in Calabash or the NC side, you’ll need a separate North Carolina coastal recreational fishing license. A 10-day non-resident license is $14; annual is $38. Purchase at ncwildlife.org.

You Came for the Beach. You’ll Come Back for the Fish.

There’s a moment — usually around day three of your vacation — when the beach is beautiful but your hands are restless. You’ve relaxed enough. You want to catch something. That’s when you grab a rod, walk down to the surf at sunrise, and discover a whole other side of North Myrtle Beach.

Our 3BR/2BA condo at 601 Hillside Dr N in Ocean Keyes has a full kitchen with a fridge big enough to hold your catch, a stove to cook it on, and a balcony where you can tell the story of the one that didn’t get away. Cherry Grove Pier is a 10-minute drive. The Little River charter fleet is 15 minutes north. And the beach — your beach — is a 0.65-mile walk through the palms.

Cast your line. Cook your catch. Tell the story.

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