If I am being honest, it is likely a waste of time to try surf fishing in January or February. You can still catch a few fish here and there but be prepared to get skunked.

The water temperatures begin to rise in March and once they hit 60 degrees the fishing will start to pick up. It really gets going at 65 degrees. The whiting bite turns on, bluefish show up and by the end of the month the migratory fish like Spanish mackerel start to show up.

April is a great month in the surf here in South Carolina. Spanish are running north. Pompano show up. Sharks are active. Red and black drum are active and biting and speckled trout are moving around. Spring fishing is in full swing in April.

Spring fishing continues into May with everything biting well. By the end of the month, the baby sharks start showing up. The bait stealers like pinfish also start to get pretty thick by the end of the month. The water temps rise to the point that if you use live or cut bait it has a good chance of getting sharked.

The temperatures rise from the 70’s into the 80’s. Pretty much every species of fish that you can catch in the surf can be caught in June. The Spanish Mackerel bite will slow down a bit but they can be caught all summer long. There will be lots of baby sharks which can be a nuisance when fishing cut or live bait.

The water temperatures hold above 80 degrees throughout the month and summertime fishing is in full swing. The number of baby sharks in the surf starts to dwindle making it easier to fish live and cut bait however the other bait stealers are thick in the surf this time of year so be sure to use Fishbites or another synthetic.

August has higher temperatures which means the best time to get out there is in the morning and evenings. Baitfish are starting to form into larger schools which gets the predatory fish excited and blitz’s along the beach are becoming more frequent. It is also a great time of year to target sharks.

September kicks off fall fishing with the water temperatures coming back down into the upper 70’s. The fish seem to be a bit more active once it dips below 80. The migratory fish start to make their way south from further north. The bait fish move up and down the beach in big balls. Bull reds start to show up towards the end of the month.

October is one of the best times of year to surf fish in Myrtle Beach. The water temperatures are typically in the mid 70’s which makes for very active fish that are trying to fatten up before winter. Most fish remain very active although the pelagic fish will have moved south by the end of the month. The bull redfish show up in the surf during October and this is typically the biggest draw this time of year.

The hot fishing from October continues on into November but by the end of the month things will start to slow down as the water temperatures drop. The bait balls break up and become harder to find. Black and red drum are still plentiful, particularly the yearling fish. Anything that migrates will have passed by South Carolina by the end of November.

December is a race against falling ocean temperatures. Once the water temperature drops below 65 degrees, the fishing starts to slow down dramatically. Whiting, black and red drum can still be caught but by the end of December the fishing will be slow.