A Load of Bull Reds

Twice a year mature, breeding-age red drum migrate along the beaches and sounds of the Southeast coast. In the fall, as water temps drop, they move offshore to reefs, wrecks, and ledges to spawn. Then as the spring waters warm into the mid-60s they move back inshore along the same beach sloughs and sound channels. That means that right now is a great time to hit the surf and soak a live bait. In fact a couple of the guys over at the Pier and Surf forums got into the big bulls recently. Take a look at these big drum:




No fancy rigging needed here. Just a long, heavy rod, a sliding-weight rig, and a hook. Circle hooks are the best choice, but really any hook will do. These guys were using live whiting, but live or cut mullet and menhaden will work, too. I prefer to use a short, heavy shock leader of 80-100 pound connected to a lighter line, such as #25 test.

My favorite rod and reel setup is the Ocean Master. I use it to cast 5-8 ounces plus bait out beyond the breakers where the bulls run. It's probably the most affordable high-quality surf setup on the market.

The run will continue until the water temps hit the lower 70s, so right now is the best time to hit the surf.

Nearshore March Grab-bag

So what if March isn't the easiest time to get offshore? Strong cold fronts pushing through the area bring high winds and muddy the water. A steady northwest gale brings big swells down the coast and makes it hard for even 30+ foot boats to make it to the nearshore reefs. However, if you can catch the high pressure between fronts, warmer and calmer seas await.

March is a transition month, so you really never know what you may find on some of the wrecks and reefs. Sheepshead and black sea bass are the best bet, but there also might be some big red drum hanging around still before making the run back inshore. Amberjack, aka reef donkeys, will start to move in as the water warms into the middle sixties. Cut bait fished on a bottom rig is still the best way to rig up, but towards the end of the month you might try live-lining a pogy or cigar minnow as the prospects that cobia and schoolie king mackerel showing up improve.

A lot of folks on the Georgia coast are starting to try their hand at artificial baits. Many are finding out just how productive (and convenient) this method is. Not having to fool with catching, thawing, and preparing live or cut bait means a lot more time with a line in the water. Working with the newer metal jigs like the Shimano Butterfly Jig or the Offshore Angler Freestyle Jig is proving to be a quick, easy way to catch big black sea bass and other bottom dwellers. High-speed reels spooled with Spectra braided line on lightweight, heavy-action jigging rods are quickly becoming the must-have setup on every bottom fisherman's boat.If you like fishing the more traditional way, try substituting your normal cut bait with an artificial. Without overstatement, the Berkley Gulp! baits have been a revolution in fishing. A few local anglers visiting the CCA reef recently found out that the new Gulp Alive pogy baits are another great way to fish with artificials. With a two-drop bottom rig, they would bait one hook with cut or live bait and the other with a Gulp pogy. They quickly caught a limit of black sea bass, with the artificial baits outfishing cut bait three-to-one.

2008 Season Upon Us

After a short winter's nap, the 2008 fishing season is on the horizon. Inshore fishing in the area seems to be improving as temperatures become mild going into March. While winds can be a problem this time of year, the waters will gradually warm and seatrout will start to move out of the deeper holes. Just yesterday I caught and released 10 trout in a shallow creek off Wassaw Sound. About half were undersized, but the largest was a fat 18 inch female. This means that the big roe trout are starting to move up in search of food before the spawn. All the trout were caught on a 3-inch Offshore Angler swimbait in a bunker color. The bait closely resembles a finger mullet, and that is one of a trout's favorite forage foods before and during spawning time.


Redfishing has been somewhat slow, but you should find them on mud flats at high tide in the afternoon. Reds will sun themselves in the shallow water and root for crabs. However, they will also be on the lookout for mullet and mud-minnows, so any bait that mimics these should fool a red if its not spooked. Big bull reds should also start to move back into the sounds after being offshore to spawn.

Sheepshead are still biting well, and most of the baithouses are well stocked with fiddlers. You'll have a good shot at them inshore around dock pilings and offshore at the artificial reefs. Speaking of artificial reefs, black sea bass are still swarming the wrecks. Bigger ones seem to be moving farther out, though. One angler fishing at the Snapper Banks last week caught a limit, including a 19-inch BSB. Interestingly, all his fish came off of a 3-inch Gulp! Pogy bait, and he claims it outfished his co-angler who was using cut bait.