Just Angling for Oct. 7, 1999

by Donald Millus

Hurricane's Dirty Waters Just Fine For Spot

For two weeks after the passage of Hurricane Floyd the spot were biting in local salt waters, both in the inlets and from the piers. The waters had been muddied by all the rain, but the spot, averaging well over half a pound, were hitting on bloodworms, nightcrawlers, blue worms, and even on tiny pink "twister-style" tails fished on size-six gold hooks.

As I approached the ramp at Murrells Inlet early Saturday morning I knew that the spot fishermen were there: numerous bass boats and square-bowed river boats with black motors used in salt water only during the annual spot runs were lined up on the west side of Business 17. At two in the afternoon, as early-morning anglers were trying to get their boats out of the water, more boats were being put in, with pontoon boats and some offshore fishermen adding to the long lines.

The usual arguments break out when folks try to cut the line, turning directly from the highway when folks are waiting across the road coming from the parking lot. "Line forms to the rear" is the motto, but most of the folks who try to cut the line just don't realize there is an accepted procedure.

(I got a hard time from another boater one time for tying up to the last open cleat before the ramps. Another time some ski-boats tied up right on the side of the dock where people were backing down their boats. It is no wonder that some people have given up on weekend fishing via the Murrells Inlet public ramp.)

While it took just ten minutes to launch in the early morning, it took almost an hour to get out at mid-afternoon. Without the new third launching ramp the time would almost double.

Out on the water courtesy was hard to come by. Fishing by the marsh grass at slack water one had to beware of innumerable wakes being thrown up by passing boats. When we anchored inside the mouth, a Marine Resources Department boat came blasting by at top speed. I'm sure he slowed down at the ocean for the waves were up to five feet by mid-day.

I calculated that the cost of the five spot we caught was approximately two dollars a pound. Bloodworms sell for four bucks a dozen nowadays. Correction: I should have said ten for four dollars! Of course, we were fishing on the waning moon last Saturday. The best of the recent spot fishing had been from the new moon to the full moon.

Instead of the usual heavier size 6 hooks, I used Eagle Claw gold hooks so sensitive that not even two-inch pinfish and grunt escaped a hooking. There were enough spot for dinner for two, with a good salad, but not the big numbers most people were looking for. Give it another two weeks. Besides, trout and flounder fishermen prefer cleaner water.

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