Answer
Deep sea fishing out of Myrtle Beach
The short answer
Carolina Hook and Fly offers inshore and nearshore fishing charters from Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, near Myrtle Beach. Nearshore trips fish reefs, wrecks and live bottom beyond the inlet. If you are searching for deep sea fishing, check which waters the trip covers before booking. A nearshore reef trip and a blue water offshore trip are different outings.
The phrase means three different trips
Ask ten people in a hotel lobby what deep sea fishing is and you get three answers.
Some mean anything past the inlet. Some mean bottom fishing over a wreck. Some mean a day in the Gulf Stream trolling for billfish. All three get advertised under the same words, which is how people end up booking four hours and expecting marlin.
Worth getting straight before you pay for it.
What is actually out there, by distance
| Roughly | What you are fishing | What is around |
|---|---|---|
| Inside the inlet | Creeks, flats, marsh | Redfish, flounder, speckled trout, black drum |
| A few miles out | Artificial reefs, wrecks, live bottom | Spanish and king mackerel, cobia, black sea bass, sharks |
| Much further | Open water | A different class of trip, and a different class of boat |
The middle row is what most Myrtle Beach charters mean by deep sea, and it is genuinely good fishing. Wrecks and live bottom hold fish reliably, the run is short enough that you spend the day fishing rather than travelling, and a rough forecast does not automatically cancel it.
Why the boat matters more than the brochure
A bay boat and an offshore sportfisher are different tools. A bay boat gets you to nearshore structure quickly, handles shallow water on the way, and fishes a reef properly. It is not built to sit sixty miles out in a swell, and a captain who takes one there in the wrong conditions is taking a chance with your day.
So when a charter says deep sea, the useful question is not whether they say yes. It is how far out, in what, and how long.
Carolina Hook and Fly runs two boats out of Murrells Inlet: a Pathfinder 2500 HPS bay boat and a smaller shallow water skiff. They offer inshore fishing and nearshore trips to reefs and wrecks. They do not offer offshore or long-range blue water trips.
How long you need
Confirm current trip durations with Carolina Hook and Fly when booking. A four hour trip can fish inshore or reach nearshore reefs when conditions allow. Confirm the fishing area when you book.
A longer nearshore trip can give you more time to fish different reefs and wrecks. Confirm the available duration and fishing plan with the captain.
For the available trip lengths, see the charter options.
What you catch out there
Spanish mackerel and king mackerel run the nearshore waters seasonally and hit fast, which is half the fun. Cobia hang around structure, buoys and rays. Black sea bass come off the bottom around wrecks and hard bottom.
Several shark species patrol the same water and will find your bait whether you asked them to or not.
Season and water temperature decide all of it. A list of species on a website is a list of what is possible across a year, not a menu for Tuesday.
Getting seasick, honestly
More people have a bad day offshore because of the sea than because of the fishing.
If you are unsure, take the medication the night before rather than on the dock, because most of it needs time to work. Eat something. Stay on deck where you can see the horizon. And be honest with the captain when you book, because a nearshore trip in the lee of the land is a better day than a long run you spend lying down.
Inshore, this is a non-issue. That is worth knowing if you are bringing children or anybody who has never been out.
Questions people ask
Is deep sea fishing worth it compared to inshore?
Different, not better. Inshore is sight fishing in calm shallow water with steady action. Offshore is longer runs, bigger fish, more waiting and more weather. First timers and families usually have a better day inshore, and people who have done that and want the next thing go out.
How far out do you go?
Ask when you book. It depends on the boat, the season and the conditions on the day, and any charter that gives you a fixed number regardless of the forecast is not telling you how it works.
Can we do deep sea and inshore in one trip?
Inshore and nearshore fishing may be combined when the trip length and conditions allow. Confirm the plan with the captain. Offshore fishing is not offered.
What is the best month?
Late spring through early autumn is when the nearshore species are most reliable and the weather cooperates most often. Winter fishing happens and it is a different, quieter proposition.
Do you provide everything?
Rods, reels, bait and tackle are on the boat, and the licence is covered. Bring sun protection, drinks and a cooler if you want to take fish home.
Does Carolina Hook and Fly offer offshore trips?
No. Carolina Hook and Fly offers inshore and nearshore charters. Call (843) 241-7706 to discuss the available trips for your dates.
Still deciding which trip?
Tell us how long you have, how many are coming, and whether anyone has fished salt water before. We will say which trip fits and what the fishing is doing.
Keep reading
- Fishing charters out of Murrells InletWhat a Myrtle Beach fishing charter actually involves. Inshore and nearshore trips out of Murrells Inlet, how long each runs, and what you catch.
- Party boat or private charterHead boats and private charters are two different days out of Myrtle Beach. What each costs you in people, flexibility and fishing time, and who each one suits.
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