Solar eclipse to bring plenty of fish to catch - WMBFNews.com, Myrtle Beach/Florence SC, Weather

Murrells Inlet, SC (WMBF) - The solar eclipse may be getting most of the attention, but the ocean will also provide some interesting sights - and bites - on Monday. 

For those out fishing on Monday, chances are they will have a better chance of reeling a nice catch. That's because marine predators that hunt mainly at dawn and dusk start to bite more during low-light periods.

That made some Murrells Inlet fisherman cast their eyes on the water.

"Ah, it'll be great to be able to catch some fish out here", said Tim Ward, a local fisherman."The kids enjoy it. If we get a little extra action, it'll just make our day even better."

Another local fisherman agrees.

"It's extremely exciting," Billy Tate said. "It's been very slow since April."

Erin Burge, a professor of marine science at Coastal Carolina University, said this will change for the special event on Monday.

"Sharks or large grouper for example, including red fish, often feed during lower light periods of time," Burge said. "When daytime feeding, fish feed on plankton or other smaller creatures. As they become kind of quiet, the predators are out basically trying to catch them as they're making that same transition."

Burge added that the eclipse may lead to an increase in shark catches Monday night.

Some fish may be very light sensitive. Fish that live in a marsh or an estuary may actually be focused more on the tide rather than the light.

Copyright 2017 WMBF News. All rights reserved.