Inshore fishing: Little River, Murrells Inlet & the ICW
Little River Inlet & jetties
Red drum, flounder, speckled trout, sheepshead and black drum all hold on the rocks. October has had a "phenomenal" red drum bite.[FP]
Murrells Inlet
Grass flats and creek mouths in 5–25 ft hold trout, slot reds, and flounder staging at the inlet.[MBSF]
Intracoastal Waterway
Fish oyster beds, docks and creek mouths. Use live shrimp under a popping cork in current, or finger mullet on a Carolina rig.[SCDNR]
Limits come from SCDNR's official online regulations (eRegulations, updated Aug 11, 2026), checked October 15, 2026.
Tackle
| Target | Setup | Bait / lures |
|---|---|---|
| Reds, trout, flounder | 7' medium spinning rod, 2500–3000 reel, 10–20 lb braid, 20–30 lb fluoro leader | Live shrimp, finger mullet, mud minnows, DOA and Gulp! shrimp |
| Sheepshead, black drum | 6'6"–7' medium-heavy rod, 20–30 lb braid, knocker rig | Fiddler crabs, shrimp |
Best tides
Fish moving water around oyster bars. Sheepshead move onto the bars at higher tides.[FP] Check the live tides on the home page.