Mills Pond in Horry County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Mills Pond is set in Horry County, South Carolina. It sits 6.8 miles in from the sea. This is a pocket water of some 4 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our South Carolina listings. Socastee at 2.2 miles is the nearest place to stop. Wilmington is the closest city, 72 miles away. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Mills Pond

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Fish reported in the area, according to open records, include bluegill, pumpkinseed, American eel and redfin pickerel. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Read Mills Pond before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 81°F at the top of summer and 46°F at the bottom of winter. Long warm spells define the calendar more than any cold. March through May is the strongest run, with autumn a second stretch. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. Time your trip to Mills Pond by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. If the gate is shut, Granddaddy Lake at 4 miles is the nearest alternative. Ask locally about Mills Pond if anything is unclear.