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May 22, 2006

Saltwater Fishing Trends:

Cherry Grove Pier: Open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week. Spanish mackerel biting gold hook jigs and red drum taking cut bait. Whiting and flounder biting shrimp and bloodworms.

Apache Pier (Myrtle Beach North): Pier and bait Shop open 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. seven days a week. Spanish mackerel and bluefish biting gold hook jigs. Flounder are hitting minnows.

Springmaid Pier (Myrtle Beach): Pier is open 6 a.m. to midnight seven days a week, year-round. Tackle shop open 6 a.m. to 11 pm. Spanish mackerel and bluefish biting gold hook jigs. Flounder are hitting minnows.

Myrtle Beach State Park Pier (Myrtle Beach South): Open 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., 7 days a week. Flounder and whiting caught on shrimp and mullet.

Surfside Pier: Open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week. Catching whiting on cut shrimp and bluefish on cut mullet. Spanish mackerel hitting gold hook jigs. A few trout and pompano caught on shrimp.

The Pier at Garden City: Open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Spanish mackerel biting gold hook jigs and red drum taking cut bait. Whiting and flounder biting shrimp and bloodworms.

Winyah Bay Fishing and Observation Pier (Georgetown): Open 6 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week, with free parking and fishing. Visitors also enjoy great bird watching. A Freshwater Fishing License is required due to brackish water. A second fishing pier is open on Winyah Bay called Hobcaw Point Observation and Fishing Pier. Mostly crabbing and birdwatching. Bait fish starting to run.

Folly Beach Pier: Open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week. Sheepshead caught with shrimp and fiddler crabs.

Hunting Island State Park Fishing Pier: Pier is open 24 hours a day. The Nature Center is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tues. though Sat. Some whiting caught using cut shrimp and squid.

Reporters: The S.C. Department of Natural Resources' Marine Resource Division thanks the following participants for their cooperation in compiling this week's report: Cherry Grove Pier, Apache Pier, Springmaid Pier, Myrtle Beach State Park, Surfside Pier, The Pier at Garden City, Winyah Bay Fishing and Observation Pier, Folly Beach Fishing Pier, Hunting Island State Park and Dr. Donald Millus.

For South Carolina marine recreational fishing regulations:

http://www.dnr.sc.gov/regs/pdf/saltfishing.pdf

Visit the Saltwater Fishing License Web site at http://saltwaterfishing.sc.gov