Deep Sea Fishing in Myrtle Beach SC
When you're ready to leave the crowds behind and hit the deep blue, this offshore charter with Nauti Buoy Fishing Charters delivers exactly what serious anglers are looking for. We'll run you up to 40 miles off the North Myrtle Beach coast where the continental shelf drops off and the big fish live. This isn't your typical pier fishing trip – we're talking about getting into waters where grouper, snapper, and amberjack call home. With just 4 anglers max on board, you'll have plenty of elbow room and personal attention from our captain who knows these waters like the back of his hand.
What to Expect on the Water
Your day starts early with a smooth ride out to our fishing grounds, watching the shoreline disappear as we head into the Gulf Stream influence. The focus here is bottom fishing – we're talking about dropping heavy tackle down 60 to 120 feet where the structure holds fish. Our captain reads the bottom like a book, finding ledges, rocks, and wrecks that concentrate fish. You'll be using circle hooks with cut bait, squid, and sometimes live bait when we can catch it fresh. The boat's equipped with quality rods and reels that can handle whatever decides to grab your bait. When conditions are right and the season aligns, we might switch gears to trolling for pelagics like king mackerel and mahi-mahi. That's when things get really interesting as we cover water looking for birds, weed lines, and temperature breaks that hold the good stuff.
Techniques & Tackle Setup
Bottom fishing at these depths requires the right approach, and we've got it dialed in. We're using 6/0 to 8/0 circle hooks on heavy mono leaders to prevent cutoffs from sharp-toothed critters. Sinker weights range from 6 to 12 ounces depending on current and depth. The key is keeping your bait right on the bottom where grouper and snapper feed. When we're trolling, we'll pull ballyhoo, spoons, and diving plugs at 6 to 8 knots, covering different depths in the water column. Our downriggers and planer boards let us spread out the spread and find where fish are holding. The electronics on board include GPS, fish finders, and bottom mapping that show us exactly where to drop lines. Don't worry if you're new to offshore fishing – our crew will walk you through everything from setting the hook to fighting fish properly.
Species You'll Want to Hook
Gag Grouper are the bread and butter of our bottom fishing trips, and for good reason. These bruisers average 5 to 15 pounds but can push 30 pounds or more when you hook into a real bull. They live around rocky bottom and ledges, ambushing anything that swims by. What makes them so fun is the initial run – they'll try to get back to their hole and break you off, so you've got to turn them quick. Best fishing is spring through fall when they're most active. The meat is white, flaky, and absolutely delicious, making them a customer favorite for the cooler.
Black Sea Bass might be smaller than grouper, but they make up for it in numbers and fight. These guys are scrappy pound-for-pound and often come in doubles when you find a good school. They average 1 to 3 pounds but the big ones can hit 5 pounds. They love structure just like grouper but tend to suspend a bit higher off the bottom. Peak season runs from late spring through early fall. They're excellent table fare and perfect for anglers who want consistent action with bent rods.
Grey Triggerfish are the wild cards of our trips – they can be finicky biters but when they're on, it's game on. These fish have incredible eyesight and can be line-shy, so we sometimes have to downsize tackle to fool them. They average 2 to 5 pounds with occasional fish pushing 8 pounds. What makes them special is their unique appearance and the fact that they're relatively new to our area, showing up more frequently in recent years. They're great eating and put up a solid fight on appropriate tackle.
Barracuda are pure adrenaline when we're trolling. These speed demons can hit 30 mph and their strikes are explosive – one second your line is trolling peacefully, the next it's screaming off the reel. They average 10 to 20 pounds in our waters but can reach 30 pounds or more. Summer months are prime time when they follow bait schools along the beach. Their teeth are razor sharp, so we use wire leaders when targeting them specifically. They're not the best eating fish, but the fight alone makes them worth catching.
Mahi-Mahi or Common Dolphinfish are the crown jewel of our trolling trips. These gorgeous fish with their golden colors and unique profile are what every offshore angler dreams about. They average 10 to 25 pounds but bulls can exceed 40 pounds. They travel in schools, so when you find one, there's usually more around. Peak season is late spring through summer when they follow the Gulf Stream closer to shore. They're incredible table fare and put on an aerial show when hooked, jumping and tail-walking across the surface.
Time to Book Your Spot
This offshore charter delivers exactly what you're looking for – quality fishing with a crew that knows how to put you on fish. Whether you're after bottom fish for the dinner table or hoping to tangle with pelagics that'll test your tackle, we've got the experience and local knowledge to make it happen. The 4-angler limit means you're not competing for space or attention, and our captain's commitment to finding fish shows in the results. North Myrtle Beach's offshore waters are some of the most productive on the East Coast, and this trip puts you right in the heart of it. Don't