Inshore Report
Despite a recent cold snap, area inshore fishing continues to be strong. Redfish continue to congregate on the mud flats on sunny afternoons, and will take soft plastic jerkbaits, DOA shrimp, live shrimp on a jighead, or Berkley Gulp! shrimp (try the Lime Tiger color). If a strong high tide moves them into the grass try throwing a weedless spoon. Seatrout are still found in deeper water, and will take curl-tail grubs, shad-tail jigs, and of course, shrimp. A few reports of the bigger roe trout are around, but with water temps in the mid-60's it should still be a week or two before they will really show up. On the surf/pier front some bigger whiting are starting to show up, as well as an unusually high number of spot (spotted croaker) catches. A few sharks are showing up, and pompano should start to show up as well as the water nears 70 degrees. Striper fishing in the Savannah and Ogeechee rivers is starting to wind down, but there are probably still a few around that will hit mullet or mud minnows.
Offshore Report
There have been some amazing black seabass catches lately on the nearshore wrecks and artificial reefs. Some boats are limiting out just a few minutes after arriving at the fishing grounds. Red snapper and grouper catches have started to improve as the bottom fishing season ramps up. One lucky angler fishing on Steve Amick's Scat II caught a nice red snapper in the 16-20 pound range at the Snapper Banks on March 31st: a nice catch so early in the season. On the trolling front, the water is still a little too chilly for the big kings to show up, but a few early runners might be around. Some outstanding reports of wahoo have been coming in from the Stream, and guys have been catching them on ballyhoo with hair-skirted Islanders or other teasers over the nose.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Friday, March 30, 2007
Spring Bass Fever
There's nothing more fun, or aggrevating, for a bass fisherman than spotting a big bass sitting on a bed and trying to entice it into eating. Some bass are very territorial and will strike intruding lures with abandon. Others will sit motionless, or aimlessly nose at the offending intruder until it leaves the bed. I've seen some anglers, myself included, who will work a bed tirelessly for up to an hour trying to work such timid bass into such a frenzy that it will finally take our offering. Often, said anglers go home fuming mad and empty handed.
This is the story of spring bass bed fishing. A lot of the ponds and lakes which I bass fish in have very clear water in them that make it conducive to sight fishing the beds, and I've picked up a few things along the way. If you follow this set of steps, you should be able to catch almost any fish off the bed.
Step One - Gear Up
Having the right gear and lures will go a long way. Because bed fishing is usually done in shallow, clear water, I highly recommend flourocarbon line. Its low visibility is a must for finicky bass, and its low stretch means a quick, hard hookset. For a rod I recommend that you have one medium-heavy action casting and one medium-heavy spinning rod. The spinning rod will be used for casting weightless plastics.
You'll want a good assortment of baits, but here are the key ones: lizards, senko-type wacky worms, finesse or trick worms, creature or crawfish baits, jigs, spinnerbaits, and lipless crankbaits. You'll also want some different sizes of worm weights.
Step Two - Locate the Bed
Here's where a pair of polarized sunglasses will go a long way. They will alow you to cut through the glare on the water's surface and spot the fish on the bed. It can sometimes take a trained eye to notice a bass, as they can blend in with the bottom cover surprisingly well. Take your time when working a bank, as the slightest movement can clue you into a bass' location. Also, keep in mind that bass tend to prefer to make their beds in shallow, open water with sandy bottom and lots of sunlight.
Step Three - Male or Female?
This is an important step in determining how to work the bed. Usually a bed will have 2 to 3 fish in the immediate area: a female and one or two males. Differentiating the two is fairly easy. Males tend to be smaller, and more aggressive. They will cirle around and over the bed, chasing away bream and other egg-stealers that get near the bed. Females, however, are usually much larger and will be suspended either over the bed or nearby, moving very little. Most people's first instinct is to go for the big female first, but it is usually a good idea to target the male first. The male is aggressive anyway, and you are more likely to catch him. Plus if you are working a lure near the female, and the aggressive male comes up and snatches it, the female can be spooked and swim off.
Step Four - Wacky Worm
While most people will grab a lizard or flipping bait for a bed first, I will always toss a wacky-rigged worm in first to test the waters. Often the aggressive males will snap up a wacky-rigged senko or finesse worm as soon as it enters the general area of the bed. This is often proves a much quicker way to catch fish then working the bed itself. If the fish have lockjaw, then move on to the next step.
Step 5 - Here, Lizard, Lizard...
If you make it to this step without ctaching the male, it means he is a little more focused on defending the bed itself, and you'll need to attack it directly with a bass' most hated foe: the bed-thieving salamander. Rig a small 4-5 inch lizard with a light screw-in weight and a large offset hook. When I say large, I mean that it is so big that it barely fits the body. I will explain this in a moment.
Toss the lizard just beyond the bed and let it go to the bottom. Now sloooowly drag the lizard into the bed and stop. By this time, you'll usually have a fish's attention. If he comes and looks at the lizard, but doesn't pick it up, start nugging the lizard's head up and down very subtly without moving it forward. If it doesn't pick up the lizard right away, be patient, keep doing this for a few minutes and the male will eventually pick it up.
Once the lizard is in the bass' mouth, you have to be quick. Often, the male will pick the lizard up by just the tail and spit out the lure outside the bed. This is where the big hook comes in. Set the hook hard once you see he has it and get the bass out of the water as quickly as possible to avoid spooking the female. If you're releasing the fish, do it away from the female.
If the lizard doesn't work, try alternatives like crawfish baits and jigs.
Step Six - Make Mama Mad
Female bass on beds are notoriously lockjawed. Really the only way to make them bite is to make them mad. Nothing does this better than a lipless crankbait like a Rat-L-Trap. Alternatively, a spinnerbait with colorado blades will work as well. Throw it out far beyond the female and rip it back quickly, running it in front of her face. Always keep the bait in front of the bass, because nothing will spook it quicker than having a bait run right up behind it. Make many, many casts until you make the bass mad. It seems to the bass like an invading bream that's trying to dart into the bed. Eventually, the bass will get angry and start to take swipes at the crankbait, so be ready to set the hook.
Patience is key when fishing a bed. It is easy to get mad when you see a bass interested in your lure, but it just won't take it. Don't start switching from bait to bait trying to find the golden ticket. Stick to a few baits and patterns and keep working them. Eventually, the bass will show enough interest in the bait to take a bite, so keep your cool.
Russo's Seafood Restaurant
I had the pleasure of eating at the new restuarant adjacent to Russo's Seafood in Savannah a couple of week ago and I was very impressed. While there has been a controversy over the dine-in tables inside, I chose to eat out on the porch anyway to enjoy the nice spring weather. My family's been getting our fresh seafood from Russo's since before I was born, and I had high expectations. They did not disappoint and exceeded my expectations.
I had a cup of crab stew and a fried oyster po-boy, and both were by far the best I've ever had. The crab stew contained whole lump crab meat and was very rich and flavorful. I've been eating Savannah crab stew for 25 years and I've never had any this good. The oyster po-boy was as good as any oyster house in New Orleans could put out. I could taste fresh saltwater in the oysters and it was obvious they were just a day or two out of the water. It was served with a tangy remoulade sauce, which complimented it very well, and tasty hand-cut french fries.
The service was great and fast, and I was surprised to learn that an old buddy of mine, Kevin, was working the kitchen. Kevin said that business has been great. If they keep up this level of excellance, I can see why. Russo's Seafood Restaurant has definately gone onto my list of great Savannah eateries.
This is the story of spring bass bed fishing. A lot of the ponds and lakes which I bass fish in have very clear water in them that make it conducive to sight fishing the beds, and I've picked up a few things along the way. If you follow this set of steps, you should be able to catch almost any fish off the bed.
Step One - Gear Up
Having the right gear and lures will go a long way. Because bed fishing is usually done in shallow, clear water, I highly recommend flourocarbon line. Its low visibility is a must for finicky bass, and its low stretch means a quick, hard hookset. For a rod I recommend that you have one medium-heavy action casting and one medium-heavy spinning rod. The spinning rod will be used for casting weightless plastics.
You'll want a good assortment of baits, but here are the key ones: lizards, senko-type wacky worms, finesse or trick worms, creature or crawfish baits, jigs, spinnerbaits, and lipless crankbaits. You'll also want some different sizes of worm weights.
Step Two - Locate the Bed
Here's where a pair of polarized sunglasses will go a long way. They will alow you to cut through the glare on the water's surface and spot the fish on the bed. It can sometimes take a trained eye to notice a bass, as they can blend in with the bottom cover surprisingly well. Take your time when working a bank, as the slightest movement can clue you into a bass' location. Also, keep in mind that bass tend to prefer to make their beds in shallow, open water with sandy bottom and lots of sunlight.
Step Three - Male or Female?
This is an important step in determining how to work the bed. Usually a bed will have 2 to 3 fish in the immediate area: a female and one or two males. Differentiating the two is fairly easy. Males tend to be smaller, and more aggressive. They will cirle around and over the bed, chasing away bream and other egg-stealers that get near the bed. Females, however, are usually much larger and will be suspended either over the bed or nearby, moving very little. Most people's first instinct is to go for the big female first, but it is usually a good idea to target the male first. The male is aggressive anyway, and you are more likely to catch him. Plus if you are working a lure near the female, and the aggressive male comes up and snatches it, the female can be spooked and swim off.
Step Four - Wacky Worm
While most people will grab a lizard or flipping bait for a bed first, I will always toss a wacky-rigged worm in first to test the waters. Often the aggressive males will snap up a wacky-rigged senko or finesse worm as soon as it enters the general area of the bed. This is often proves a much quicker way to catch fish then working the bed itself. If the fish have lockjaw, then move on to the next step.
Step 5 - Here, Lizard, Lizard...
If you make it to this step without ctaching the male, it means he is a little more focused on defending the bed itself, and you'll need to attack it directly with a bass' most hated foe: the bed-thieving salamander. Rig a small 4-5 inch lizard with a light screw-in weight and a large offset hook. When I say large, I mean that it is so big that it barely fits the body. I will explain this in a moment.
Toss the lizard just beyond the bed and let it go to the bottom. Now sloooowly drag the lizard into the bed and stop. By this time, you'll usually have a fish's attention. If he comes and looks at the lizard, but doesn't pick it up, start nugging the lizard's head up and down very subtly without moving it forward. If it doesn't pick up the lizard right away, be patient, keep doing this for a few minutes and the male will eventually pick it up.
Once the lizard is in the bass' mouth, you have to be quick. Often, the male will pick the lizard up by just the tail and spit out the lure outside the bed. This is where the big hook comes in. Set the hook hard once you see he has it and get the bass out of the water as quickly as possible to avoid spooking the female. If you're releasing the fish, do it away from the female.
If the lizard doesn't work, try alternatives like crawfish baits and jigs.
Step Six - Make Mama Mad
Female bass on beds are notoriously lockjawed. Really the only way to make them bite is to make them mad. Nothing does this better than a lipless crankbait like a Rat-L-Trap. Alternatively, a spinnerbait with colorado blades will work as well. Throw it out far beyond the female and rip it back quickly, running it in front of her face. Always keep the bait in front of the bass, because nothing will spook it quicker than having a bait run right up behind it. Make many, many casts until you make the bass mad. It seems to the bass like an invading bream that's trying to dart into the bed. Eventually, the bass will get angry and start to take swipes at the crankbait, so be ready to set the hook.
Patience is key when fishing a bed. It is easy to get mad when you see a bass interested in your lure, but it just won't take it. Don't start switching from bait to bait trying to find the golden ticket. Stick to a few baits and patterns and keep working them. Eventually, the bass will show enough interest in the bait to take a bite, so keep your cool.
Russo's Seafood Restaurant
I had the pleasure of eating at the new restuarant adjacent to Russo's Seafood in Savannah a couple of week ago and I was very impressed. While there has been a controversy over the dine-in tables inside, I chose to eat out on the porch anyway to enjoy the nice spring weather. My family's been getting our fresh seafood from Russo's since before I was born, and I had high expectations. They did not disappoint and exceeded my expectations.
I had a cup of crab stew and a fried oyster po-boy, and both were by far the best I've ever had. The crab stew contained whole lump crab meat and was very rich and flavorful. I've been eating Savannah crab stew for 25 years and I've never had any this good. The oyster po-boy was as good as any oyster house in New Orleans could put out. I could taste fresh saltwater in the oysters and it was obvious they were just a day or two out of the water. It was served with a tangy remoulade sauce, which complimented it very well, and tasty hand-cut french fries.
The service was great and fast, and I was surprised to learn that an old buddy of mine, Kevin, was working the kitchen. Kevin said that business has been great. If they keep up this level of excellance, I can see why. Russo's Seafood Restaurant has definately gone onto my list of great Savannah eateries.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
...Out Like A Lamb
A predictable March comes to a close as a pleasant, if somewhat warmer than usual, spring pattern emerges. This is a great time to go fishing, freshwater or saltwater, so you really should get out there.
Whiting Bite
Now is a great time to be a pier or surf fisherman. With rising water temps in the mid-60s, the annual run of fillet-sized whiting has started. Good catches of large whiting have been reported recently, and they should only get better going into April. The whiting bite will continue to be good until the water temps hit the mid to upper 70s, when toothy predators, namely sharks, bluefish, and spanish mackeral, will have these tasty little morsels seeking refuge elsewhere.
Not many people realize this, but there are actually two species of whiting. The southern whiting (also called kingfish, not to be confused with king mackeral) is the smaller breed which shows up first and tends to have a lighter color that runs from pink to silver and gold. The northern whiting tends to show up a little later and has a darker, striped pattern of bars in black, purple, or brown. Both are very tasty with light, flaky meat that rivals seatrout and sheepshead. However, their small size limits the size of the fillets.
What whiting lack in size, though, they make up for in numbers and "catchability." Whiting fishing is a great way to introduce kids or landlubbers to saltwater fishing. All you need is a light bottom rig, a couple of small hooks, and some fresh dead shrimp. However, there are a number of secrets to whiting fishing that can turn you into the whiting king of the pier. I normally either tie my own leaders or use a premade pompano/whiting two-hook bottom rig. A 1 to 3 ounce pyramid sinker is sufficient for most current, and make sure to use gold or red hooks. Something about those colors catch the whiting's eye, and I've had whiting bite bare gold hooks before.
A long, limber graphite rod is the best way to go for whiting. You'll see a lot of people using heavy fiberglass rods at the pier or on the beach for whiting, but this is overkill and takes all the fun out of catching them. The limber graphite rod picks up the subtle whiting bite a lot better then a cheap fiberglass rod does, and you'll have people on the pier wondering what you are doing differently when you are hooking up with more fish.
The best secret about whiting fishing is the bait. Fresh-dead local shrimp are by far better than frozen Chinese pond-raised shrimp. Peel them and cut them into two halves. Using smaller pieces will coax the whiting into eating instead of tearing pieces off of a whole shrimp. Peeled shrimp also tend to stay on the hook longer, as whiting will suck the meat out of a shrimp with a shell on. Whiting tend to school and feed during tide changes, either as the tide starts to come in or just as it starts to go out, so try to schedule accordingly if you want to go after them.
Go To Bed
It's that time again this year to fish for bass on the beds. That means sight fishing and flipping baits like lizards and craws. Spring is also a great time for spinnerbaits and wacky worming as well. Check back for a full post next time on springtime bass fishing.
Whiting Bite
Now is a great time to be a pier or surf fisherman. With rising water temps in the mid-60s, the annual run of fillet-sized whiting has started. Good catches of large whiting have been reported recently, and they should only get better going into April. The whiting bite will continue to be good until the water temps hit the mid to upper 70s, when toothy predators, namely sharks, bluefish, and spanish mackeral, will have these tasty little morsels seeking refuge elsewhere.
Not many people realize this, but there are actually two species of whiting. The southern whiting (also called kingfish, not to be confused with king mackeral) is the smaller breed which shows up first and tends to have a lighter color that runs from pink to silver and gold. The northern whiting tends to show up a little later and has a darker, striped pattern of bars in black, purple, or brown. Both are very tasty with light, flaky meat that rivals seatrout and sheepshead. However, their small size limits the size of the fillets.
What whiting lack in size, though, they make up for in numbers and "catchability." Whiting fishing is a great way to introduce kids or landlubbers to saltwater fishing. All you need is a light bottom rig, a couple of small hooks, and some fresh dead shrimp. However, there are a number of secrets to whiting fishing that can turn you into the whiting king of the pier. I normally either tie my own leaders or use a premade pompano/whiting two-hook bottom rig. A 1 to 3 ounce pyramid sinker is sufficient for most current, and make sure to use gold or red hooks. Something about those colors catch the whiting's eye, and I've had whiting bite bare gold hooks before.
A long, limber graphite rod is the best way to go for whiting. You'll see a lot of people using heavy fiberglass rods at the pier or on the beach for whiting, but this is overkill and takes all the fun out of catching them. The limber graphite rod picks up the subtle whiting bite a lot better then a cheap fiberglass rod does, and you'll have people on the pier wondering what you are doing differently when you are hooking up with more fish.
The best secret about whiting fishing is the bait. Fresh-dead local shrimp are by far better than frozen Chinese pond-raised shrimp. Peel them and cut them into two halves. Using smaller pieces will coax the whiting into eating instead of tearing pieces off of a whole shrimp. Peeled shrimp also tend to stay on the hook longer, as whiting will suck the meat out of a shrimp with a shell on. Whiting tend to school and feed during tide changes, either as the tide starts to come in or just as it starts to go out, so try to schedule accordingly if you want to go after them.
Go To Bed
It's that time again this year to fish for bass on the beds. That means sight fishing and flipping baits like lizards and craws. Spring is also a great time for spinnerbaits and wacky worming as well. Check back for a full post next time on springtime bass fishing.
Friday, March 09, 2007
In Like A Lion...
March Madness
Global warming be damned, March weather is as predictable as the tides. If you are an inshore fisherman this most bipolar of months can give you fits. The pattern is always the same: A day or two of cold, drenching rains followed by several days of bluebird skies and driving winds. If we're lucky we'll get one nice, calm day before the cycle starts over again, and all this is compounded by extremely muddy water. A true angler can't pick his days, so finding schooling fish is the key to making the most of March weather.
High Tide
Gimme Shelter
When the wind starts to blow with a vengeance, most folks have a sheltered spot in mind that they automatically run to. While this may make things more comfortable for you, it usually will end up to be a very slow day of fishing. Predators like spottails and seatrout love windy, muddy, choppy water because it gives them an edge. They can sneak up on bait without being seen or heard, and can also escape larger predators that may want to make a meal of them. With low numbers of shrimp in inshore waters, the main baits this time of year for inshore gamefish are mudminnows, mullet, pinfish, and other small baitfish. At high tide, they'll charge into marsh creeks seeking cleaner water and shelter from the wind. Consequently, the best spots are transition points where choppy, turbid water feeds into quiet, secluded areas.
A soft paddletail or grub bait on a heavy jig head worked on the bottom is a good choice. If possible, cast into the wind and upcurrent, working the jig back to the boat with the current. Seatrout and spottails will face upcurrent and upwind to ambush any bait floating by.
Tailing Flats
Spottails will take the opportunity of flood tides and wind-driven water to dig themselves into the grass flats, particularly on days when the afternoon sun warms up the shallow water. The grass also acts as a filter and the water is often much cleaner than out in the creeks. Weedless jerkbaits or saltwater spinnerbaits will scoot through the grass and will fool spooky reds if you are quiet and careful. The wind can actually be an ally in this environment, as it can muffle your approach while the spottails are busy rooting around in the mud bottom.
Low Tide
With no grass or sheltered holes to hide in at low tide, bait will have to move out into the larger rivers and even into the sounds. Baitfish will stay constantly on the move at low tide, so you might have to follow their movement. Muddy water means that spottails and trout have less to worry about from hungry porpoises in the sounds, so shell banks and oyster reefs adjacent to deep water will hold fish. However, as the tide changes, the fish will move back to the feeder creek mouths to greet the rush of bait back into the marshes. The good news about low tide is that mud banks which were underwater at high tide are now wind breaks.
Global warming be damned, March weather is as predictable as the tides. If you are an inshore fisherman this most bipolar of months can give you fits. The pattern is always the same: A day or two of cold, drenching rains followed by several days of bluebird skies and driving winds. If we're lucky we'll get one nice, calm day before the cycle starts over again, and all this is compounded by extremely muddy water. A true angler can't pick his days, so finding schooling fish is the key to making the most of March weather.
High Tide
Gimme Shelter
When the wind starts to blow with a vengeance, most folks have a sheltered spot in mind that they automatically run to. While this may make things more comfortable for you, it usually will end up to be a very slow day of fishing. Predators like spottails and seatrout love windy, muddy, choppy water because it gives them an edge. They can sneak up on bait without being seen or heard, and can also escape larger predators that may want to make a meal of them. With low numbers of shrimp in inshore waters, the main baits this time of year for inshore gamefish are mudminnows, mullet, pinfish, and other small baitfish. At high tide, they'll charge into marsh creeks seeking cleaner water and shelter from the wind. Consequently, the best spots are transition points where choppy, turbid water feeds into quiet, secluded areas.
A soft paddletail or grub bait on a heavy jig head worked on the bottom is a good choice. If possible, cast into the wind and upcurrent, working the jig back to the boat with the current. Seatrout and spottails will face upcurrent and upwind to ambush any bait floating by.
Tailing Flats
Spottails will take the opportunity of flood tides and wind-driven water to dig themselves into the grass flats, particularly on days when the afternoon sun warms up the shallow water. The grass also acts as a filter and the water is often much cleaner than out in the creeks. Weedless jerkbaits or saltwater spinnerbaits will scoot through the grass and will fool spooky reds if you are quiet and careful. The wind can actually be an ally in this environment, as it can muffle your approach while the spottails are busy rooting around in the mud bottom.
Low Tide
With no grass or sheltered holes to hide in at low tide, bait will have to move out into the larger rivers and even into the sounds. Baitfish will stay constantly on the move at low tide, so you might have to follow their movement. Muddy water means that spottails and trout have less to worry about from hungry porpoises in the sounds, so shell banks and oyster reefs adjacent to deep water will hold fish. However, as the tide changes, the fish will move back to the feeder creek mouths to greet the rush of bait back into the marshes. The good news about low tide is that mud banks which were underwater at high tide are now wind breaks.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Winter Seatrout
February is a hard month to fish. When it's not raining, or the wind isn't blowing up a gale, it is bitterly cold. However, that doesn't mean that the fish aren't there. Seatrout and many other species live their lives regionally, meaning they don't migrate down the coast in search of warmer water like others do. Most seatrout don't venture more than 40 miles from where they are born. So even in the dead of winter the fish are out there, hunkered down, and if you're lucky they might just be hungry.
Seatrout like to move farther up into the estuary during the winter. This means you'll find them away from the sounds and beaches, farther up in the tidal creeks and rivers. This is likely due to the clear water during the winter. When the water is cold and clear, porpoises, dolphins, and other large predators can roam the beaches and bays without having to compete with sharks. This causes the seatrout to seek refuge in the tidal creeks, where they are also after the smaller baitfish that have found shelter as well. With the seasonal depature of most shrimp from the area, mullet, mud minnows, and killifish are the main forage of the trout.
The trout will always congregate to the warmest water available. This usually means deep holes where small creeks dump into rivers, or depressions around structure like bridge pilings. The difference between a spot devoid of fish and a spot full of fish can be one degree of water temperature.
This is why reports are so varied this time of year. One guy gets skunked while another guy catches a limit of nice trout. What did the lucky guy do differently? He found a warmer hole where the fish were stacked up. I have had many a winter day where I'll fish a spot and limit out on trout, only to go without a single bite the next.
Artificial baits are the name of the game in winter. A shad-tail jig like the Sea Assassin or a curly-tail grub are good bets. The salt-and-pepper w/chartreuse tail color is my favorite go-to bait. Many folks will tell you to try the Electric Chicken color, but try something different. I have caught many more trout on other colors than "The Chicken" than I ever have with it. Use them on a 1/4 ounce jighead, which is enough weight to get the bait down to the bottom where the fish are usually holding.
Fake pre-rigged shrimp are also a nice choice this time of year, if you know how to use them. The DOA shrimp or Offshore Angler Shiner Shrimp are the best two on the market. On a high tide, these are great thrown up into the grass when trout and redfish move onto the flood flats. At low tide, find the deepest hole possible, or use them around dock and bridge pilings. No matter where you are fishing them, fish them is slooooooooooow. I can't tell you how many people say these shrimp don't work who are simply using them wrong. Throw it out, and let it sink to the bottom. If you aren't on the bottom, then you won't catch fish. Once there, make very slight twitches with your rod tip, then let it sink back down and sit for 10 seconds or so. Repeat all the way back to your boat. Fish get lazy when the water is cold, so they want a simple meal. A slow-moving shrimp sitting on the bottom is something that no trout can resist. If you haven't gotten a bite after about 10 casts or so, you're in the wrong spot. I've found that the best colors depend on water clarity. In clear water, a clear w/red glitter seems to work great. In stained water, or at night under a dock light, the glow color is best. In very muddy water, the rootbeer w/gold flake seems to be the only one that works.
For guys who absolutely insist on using live bait, mud minnows or small finger mullet under a popping cork can work wonders on a slow winter day.
This time of the year is a great opportunity to enjoy the area's fishery without much pressure from other anglers and boaters. On cold days in February you'll be lucky to see another boat. Those guys who wait until warmer weather, though, are missing out on some great seatrout fishing.
Seatrout like to move farther up into the estuary during the winter. This means you'll find them away from the sounds and beaches, farther up in the tidal creeks and rivers. This is likely due to the clear water during the winter. When the water is cold and clear, porpoises, dolphins, and other large predators can roam the beaches and bays without having to compete with sharks. This causes the seatrout to seek refuge in the tidal creeks, where they are also after the smaller baitfish that have found shelter as well. With the seasonal depature of most shrimp from the area, mullet, mud minnows, and killifish are the main forage of the trout.
The trout will always congregate to the warmest water available. This usually means deep holes where small creeks dump into rivers, or depressions around structure like bridge pilings. The difference between a spot devoid of fish and a spot full of fish can be one degree of water temperature.
This is why reports are so varied this time of year. One guy gets skunked while another guy catches a limit of nice trout. What did the lucky guy do differently? He found a warmer hole where the fish were stacked up. I have had many a winter day where I'll fish a spot and limit out on trout, only to go without a single bite the next.
Artificial baits are the name of the game in winter. A shad-tail jig like the Sea Assassin or a curly-tail grub are good bets. The salt-and-pepper w/chartreuse tail color is my favorite go-to bait. Many folks will tell you to try the Electric Chicken color, but try something different. I have caught many more trout on other colors than "The Chicken" than I ever have with it. Use them on a 1/4 ounce jighead, which is enough weight to get the bait down to the bottom where the fish are usually holding.
Fake pre-rigged shrimp are also a nice choice this time of year, if you know how to use them. The DOA shrimp or Offshore Angler Shiner Shrimp are the best two on the market. On a high tide, these are great thrown up into the grass when trout and redfish move onto the flood flats. At low tide, find the deepest hole possible, or use them around dock and bridge pilings. No matter where you are fishing them, fish them is slooooooooooow. I can't tell you how many people say these shrimp don't work who are simply using them wrong. Throw it out, and let it sink to the bottom. If you aren't on the bottom, then you won't catch fish. Once there, make very slight twitches with your rod tip, then let it sink back down and sit for 10 seconds or so. Repeat all the way back to your boat. Fish get lazy when the water is cold, so they want a simple meal. A slow-moving shrimp sitting on the bottom is something that no trout can resist. If you haven't gotten a bite after about 10 casts or so, you're in the wrong spot. I've found that the best colors depend on water clarity. In clear water, a clear w/red glitter seems to work great. In stained water, or at night under a dock light, the glow color is best. In very muddy water, the rootbeer w/gold flake seems to be the only one that works.
For guys who absolutely insist on using live bait, mud minnows or small finger mullet under a popping cork can work wonders on a slow winter day.
This time of the year is a great opportunity to enjoy the area's fishery without much pressure from other anglers and boaters. On cold days in February you'll be lucky to see another boat. Those guys who wait until warmer weather, though, are missing out on some great seatrout fishing.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Fishing School Workshops
Miss Judy Charters and Capt. Jack McGowan are holding fishing workshops in the coming weeks.
These workshops will be held at Tubby's Tankhouse in Thunderbolt on River Drive. The cost is $90 each, but breakfast and lunch are included. Capt. Jack will be holding a workshop on inshore fishing Jan. 27 from 8AM - 2PM. Capt. Judy will hold her offshore seminar on Feb. 3 from 8AM - 2PM. They will cover all the basics, then move into more advanced tips and techniques. This is a great seminar series for beginners who don't know where to start or old salts who need to brush up on the latest gear and techniques.
To sign up call 912-897-4921 or email Miss Judy at fishjudy2@aol.com .
These workshops will be held at Tubby's Tankhouse in Thunderbolt on River Drive. The cost is $90 each, but breakfast and lunch are included. Capt. Jack will be holding a workshop on inshore fishing Jan. 27 from 8AM - 2PM. Capt. Judy will hold her offshore seminar on Feb. 3 from 8AM - 2PM. They will cover all the basics, then move into more advanced tips and techniques. This is a great seminar series for beginners who don't know where to start or old salts who need to brush up on the latest gear and techniques.
To sign up call 912-897-4921 or email Miss Judy at fishjudy2@aol.com .
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Savannah's Stripers
Savannah has one of the best striped bass fisheries that you've never heard about. Few people realize that you can catch world-class stripers within sight of downtown Savannah, but after several decades of conservation these Dixie linesiders are back in a big way. When you hear people talk about catching 30+ pound stripers, one's mind usually turns to the chilly New England surf. However, the Savannah, Forest, and Ogeechee Rivers routinely turn out monster stripers.
Stripers are, biologically, a very interesting fish. They are native to saltwater, but are highly tolerant to freshwater. So much so, that many reservoirs and lakes now have large populations of stripers that live their entire lives in freshwater. Ocean stripers live mostly in the saltwater until it is time to spawn, when they move into brackish and freshwater estuaries. Georgia's stripers, though (and those of the St. John's River in Florida) have the opposite life cycle. They live mostly upriver in freshwater during the warmer months, and then move into the brackish and saltwater in the winter.
The Savannah River estuary, from roughly the I-95 bridge all the way to Elba Island, is where you can usually find the stripers this time of year. The best spots have deep, vertical structure, which is why the two hottest spots are at the Houlihan Bridge in Port Wentworth and the old tide gates on the Back River behind Hutchinson Island. The pilings act as current breaks which the stripers can hide behind to ambush prey. Old pilings and channel markers along the Port Wentworth docks hold fish, as well as the mouths of old rice canals feeding into the Savannah Wildlife Refuge.
The Savannah River gets most of the fanfare, but the Forest River and Ogeechee also hold good populations of stripers. Again, bridge pilings and rice canal mouths are good striper-holding structure.
Fairly stout tackle is a must, because some of these fish top 50 pounds. Heavy spinning tackle with 30-50 pound braided line is the best way to go. Live bait can be a good choice depending on what's available. When stripers are feeding on the top, a shrimp under a popping cork is a treat for them. When they're on the bottom, which is where they will be most of the time, a livelined finger mullet is the way to go.
Various artificial lures will work for stripers, but perhaps the best two choices are large swimbaits or bucktail jigs.
Swimbaits are soft plastic baitfish-shaped lures that are pre-weighted and hooked. You just tie them on and cast. These are great baits when the stripers are feeding on mullet and pogies, and several companies make imitations of these baits. The new P'nut Bunker from Storm is a pogy imitation that is perfect for stripers. Keep in mind that stripers often hit big baits. Swimbaits 6 inches or larger are readily taken by even small fish. When retrieving, let the bait fall to the bottom, then retrieve it slowly, letting the current give it action. Pause periodically, letting the bait flutter down. This falling action is often what triggers the striper's instinct to feed.
Bucktail jigs are classic lures for stripers that have been used for generations. The best jigs for river fishing are in the 1/2-ounce to 2 ounce range. Large tides combined with increased flow from the dams upriver can make the current very strong in the Savannah River at times. Heavier jigs will help get the bait to the bottom. These are best pitched very tightly to structure. A jig falling vertically along a piling is almost unbearable to some stripers. The best color combos are red and white or chartreuse and white. To increase the action, pin a chartreuse grub trailer or other small soft plastic to the hook. You can also tip the hook with a small strip of mullet or piece of shrimp to sweeten the deal even more.
A good guide is a great thing to have if you want to hunt stripers, but are overwhelmed by the amount of water you need to cover. Contact Capt. Jack and he can get you on top of some of the biggest linesiders in the area.
Good luck!
Stripers are, biologically, a very interesting fish. They are native to saltwater, but are highly tolerant to freshwater. So much so, that many reservoirs and lakes now have large populations of stripers that live their entire lives in freshwater. Ocean stripers live mostly in the saltwater until it is time to spawn, when they move into brackish and freshwater estuaries. Georgia's stripers, though (and those of the St. John's River in Florida) have the opposite life cycle. They live mostly upriver in freshwater during the warmer months, and then move into the brackish and saltwater in the winter.
The Savannah River estuary, from roughly the I-95 bridge all the way to Elba Island, is where you can usually find the stripers this time of year. The best spots have deep, vertical structure, which is why the two hottest spots are at the Houlihan Bridge in Port Wentworth and the old tide gates on the Back River behind Hutchinson Island. The pilings act as current breaks which the stripers can hide behind to ambush prey. Old pilings and channel markers along the Port Wentworth docks hold fish, as well as the mouths of old rice canals feeding into the Savannah Wildlife Refuge.
The Savannah River gets most of the fanfare, but the Forest River and Ogeechee also hold good populations of stripers. Again, bridge pilings and rice canal mouths are good striper-holding structure.
Fairly stout tackle is a must, because some of these fish top 50 pounds. Heavy spinning tackle with 30-50 pound braided line is the best way to go. Live bait can be a good choice depending on what's available. When stripers are feeding on the top, a shrimp under a popping cork is a treat for them. When they're on the bottom, which is where they will be most of the time, a livelined finger mullet is the way to go.
Various artificial lures will work for stripers, but perhaps the best two choices are large swimbaits or bucktail jigs.
Swimbaits are soft plastic baitfish-shaped lures that are pre-weighted and hooked. You just tie them on and cast. These are great baits when the stripers are feeding on mullet and pogies, and several companies make imitations of these baits. The new P'nut Bunker from Storm is a pogy imitation that is perfect for stripers. Keep in mind that stripers often hit big baits. Swimbaits 6 inches or larger are readily taken by even small fish. When retrieving, let the bait fall to the bottom, then retrieve it slowly, letting the current give it action. Pause periodically, letting the bait flutter down. This falling action is often what triggers the striper's instinct to feed.
Bucktail jigs are classic lures for stripers that have been used for generations. The best jigs for river fishing are in the 1/2-ounce to 2 ounce range. Large tides combined with increased flow from the dams upriver can make the current very strong in the Savannah River at times. Heavier jigs will help get the bait to the bottom. These are best pitched very tightly to structure. A jig falling vertically along a piling is almost unbearable to some stripers. The best color combos are red and white or chartreuse and white. To increase the action, pin a chartreuse grub trailer or other small soft plastic to the hook. You can also tip the hook with a small strip of mullet or piece of shrimp to sweeten the deal even more.
A good guide is a great thing to have if you want to hunt stripers, but are overwhelmed by the amount of water you need to cover. Contact Capt. Jack and he can get you on top of some of the biggest linesiders in the area.
Good luck!
Friday, January 12, 2007
Cold Snap Heralds Bluefin Blitz
The last few years have been great seasons for Bluefin Tuna off the Georgia/SC coast. Normally, the bluefin migrate down from the huge fishing area known as the Grand Banks off New England to the Outer Banks each winter. Only a few confused loners normally make it our way. The last few years, though, the entire pod of Bluefin overshot OBX and headed down into our area. A new South Carolina state record of 396 pounds was caught last year just five miles off Hilton Head on the Betsy Ross wreck. This year appears to be shaping up the same way. Early catch reports from North Carolina suddenly ran cold in late December, and reports of the blue monsters have been coming in from this area more frequently.
The new South Carolina Bluefin record of 396 pounds.
As recently as last weekend, large schools of bluefin were reported at some of the Georgia Naval Towers, specifically R6 and R7. If last year was any indication, the cooler the water gets, the closer in the tuna will come. The water is still relatively warm for this time of year (if you call 60 degree water warm...), so they'll probably still hang out at the towers for awhile.
When choosing tackle for these bruisers, keep in mind that they average over 100 pounds, even in this area. A metal framed 50-class reel or bigger is a must, spooled with 60-100 pound test monofilament. Anything less will simply not cut it. A big tuna can crack the frame on any cheaply made or graphite frame reel. If you want to fight it standing up, an 80-130 pound class rod is needed, the shorter the better. A 5'6" rod is normal. If using a fighting chair a longer (6'6"-7'), lighter rod is best, usually in the 50-80 pound class range.
Bluefin take both live and dead trolled baits. Big ballyhoo or bonita with colorful skirts covering the nose are great choices. When using artificials, big cedar tuna plugs are the best go-to bait, but artificial ballyhoo, bonita, or big trolling lures with chugger heads will do the trick.
When you do hook up with one, be prepared for a long battle with many runs and deep dives. Whatever you do, though, do not let the fish go too deep for too long. Bluefin often sound to the depths and die, leaving you with a couple hundred pounds of dead weight to haul straight up. It is much easier to bring a live, willing 300 pound tuna to the boat than a 100 pound dead tuna on the bottom. Also make sure to have several helping hands onboard when you bring the fish to the boat. A very heavy gaff is needed to haul a fish this size onto the boat, as well as 2-3 bodies to heave it over the gunwhales.
Bluefin fishing is not for beginners. you need an experienced captain and a good boat that can handle the rough seas this time of year. However, the effort is worth the reward, because bluefin really are the only huge pelagic species that the average Low Country day-tripper has a shot at. Marlin, sailfish, and wahoo confine themselves to the Gulfstream waters for the most part, but you can be tangling with a 300+ pound tuna only a few minutes offshore!
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Near-Shore Wreck Season
'Tis the season to hit the near-shore wrecks in search of black sea bass and sheepshead. The seas have been a bit rough, but on calm days boats are reporting great catches of blacks. One guy told me they used 4-hook bottom rigs and hooked up on all 4 on nearly every drop.
The artificial reefs, especially at the "J" and "L" buoys, seem to be producing nicely, but Gray's Reef seems to be the best bet at the moment. The best rig is a multiple-hook bottom rig with either gold or silver hooks in the 2/0-4/0 range. Good baits for sea bass include squid, large shrimp and cut sardines or mullet. However, black sea bass aren't exactly known to be picky, so just send down a hunk of meat and you should hook up with something.
What is known to be picky, however, is sheepshead. Catch reports for these bait-stealers have been a bit slow, but that is probably due to the warmer-than-usual weather. The reports, have been getting better recently, and should continue to as the typical nasty January/February weather rolls in. Fiddlers will be the best bait, but small peeled shrimp will also work. Use a knocker rig (aka Carolina rig or egg sinker rig) with a long-shank, small-gap Mustad hook.
On the inshore front, seatrout catches are still strong, but starting to slow. Trout and sheepshead are really the only things worth tareting inshore right now.
Bonefish Grill Review
I had a chance to try out the new Bonefish Grill in Twelve Oaks in Savannah, and I am very impressed. The atmosphere and food were all great, and despite the place being packed to the walls, our service was awesome and quick. It is a little expensive, but you definately get what you pay for. Be sure to try the mussels!
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Back From Hiatus
After a long vacation, the Low Country Angler is back to provide you with up-to-date reports, coming soon.
P.S.- The trout bite has been so hot it's been hard to post here. It is still hot, having caught a limit of trout this weekend, all over 18 inches!
P.S.- The trout bite has been so hot it's been hard to post here. It is still hot, having caught a limit of trout this weekend, all over 18 inches!
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Huge Shark Catch + Fall Bass Hunt
Huge Tiger Shark Caught in Broad River
We heard this week of an amazing catch on October 5th in the Broad River near Beaufort. A local was fishing with his family at a deep spot known as the "Cobia Hole" near the Broad River bridge. Fishing on bottom with heavy tackle hoping to catch a respectable-sized shark, he got more than he bargained for. After a surprisingly short, but intense battle, he brought a 12 and 1/2 foot tiger shark to the boat. Being so large, there was no way to get the shark into his bay boat, so he towed it to shore to measure and clean it. After adding up the weight of the meat cleaned off, plus the rest of the carcass, it is estimated at near 700 pounds. While a huge shark, amazingly it is over 1,000 pounds lighter than the SC state record (and one-time world record), a 1,780 pound behemouth hauled in at Cherry Grove in 1964.
The story of that world record is an amazing one, not just for the size, but how it was caught. Walter Maxwell was fishing on a hot mid-June morning in Cherry Grove, and he was rigged up for big sharks. Using 130-pound line on a 16/0 Penn reel, Walter hooked up with that monster not from a boat, but from the pier. As crowds of onlookers gathered, he battled the shark up and down the boards for hours, eventually bringing the giant onto the beach. When it was beached it probably weighed over 2,000 pounds, but it wasn't weighed until hours later when it was trucked to a scale large enough to weigh it. In that time it lost a lot of weight from dehydration. However, even that couldn't keep it from going down in the records as the largest tiger shark ever caught until it was broken in 2004 on Australia's Great Barrier Reef.
Fall Bass Hunt
Fishing for largemouth bass in the fall can be hit-and-miss. Bass become much more picky in their eating habits as the water starts to cool, and many factors weigh into the feeding patterns. Weather is the single biggest factor at play in the fall, and success depends on cold fronts, cloud cover, air temperature, water temperature, rainfall, and water clarity. The best time to fish is the short period before a cold front moves through when there is good cloudcover, but the temperatures have not dropped a lot yet. Fish are cold-blooded, meaning that they need to feed aggressively while it is warmer so they can stock up on calories for when colder temps make the fish sluggish. This is especially true of big bass, who need to feed like a bear that's about to go into hibernation.
Good baits this time of year are baitfish imitations, like flukes or spinnerbaits. Cooler temperatures mean you should slow down your presentation a little bit to accomidate for slower fish. A pig-and-jig combination is also a good choice. In a black/blue color, it is great flipped around structure like submerged timber, docks, and river bluffs.
After a front moves through, bluebird skies and frigid air usually mean the bass bite will nearly shut off all together. However, if you absolutely must go fishing, suspending or sinking stick baits like a Smithwick Rogue work very well fished slowly at deeper depths, where the bass are hunkered down.
We heard this week of an amazing catch on October 5th in the Broad River near Beaufort. A local was fishing with his family at a deep spot known as the "Cobia Hole" near the Broad River bridge. Fishing on bottom with heavy tackle hoping to catch a respectable-sized shark, he got more than he bargained for. After a surprisingly short, but intense battle, he brought a 12 and 1/2 foot tiger shark to the boat. Being so large, there was no way to get the shark into his bay boat, so he towed it to shore to measure and clean it. After adding up the weight of the meat cleaned off, plus the rest of the carcass, it is estimated at near 700 pounds. While a huge shark, amazingly it is over 1,000 pounds lighter than the SC state record (and one-time world record), a 1,780 pound behemouth hauled in at Cherry Grove in 1964.
The story of that world record is an amazing one, not just for the size, but how it was caught. Walter Maxwell was fishing on a hot mid-June morning in Cherry Grove, and he was rigged up for big sharks. Using 130-pound line on a 16/0 Penn reel, Walter hooked up with that monster not from a boat, but from the pier. As crowds of onlookers gathered, he battled the shark up and down the boards for hours, eventually bringing the giant onto the beach. When it was beached it probably weighed over 2,000 pounds, but it wasn't weighed until hours later when it was trucked to a scale large enough to weigh it. In that time it lost a lot of weight from dehydration. However, even that couldn't keep it from going down in the records as the largest tiger shark ever caught until it was broken in 2004 on Australia's Great Barrier Reef.
Fall Bass Hunt
Fishing for largemouth bass in the fall can be hit-and-miss. Bass become much more picky in their eating habits as the water starts to cool, and many factors weigh into the feeding patterns. Weather is the single biggest factor at play in the fall, and success depends on cold fronts, cloud cover, air temperature, water temperature, rainfall, and water clarity. The best time to fish is the short period before a cold front moves through when there is good cloudcover, but the temperatures have not dropped a lot yet. Fish are cold-blooded, meaning that they need to feed aggressively while it is warmer so they can stock up on calories for when colder temps make the fish sluggish. This is especially true of big bass, who need to feed like a bear that's about to go into hibernation.
Good baits this time of year are baitfish imitations, like flukes or spinnerbaits. Cooler temperatures mean you should slow down your presentation a little bit to accomidate for slower fish. A pig-and-jig combination is also a good choice. In a black/blue color, it is great flipped around structure like submerged timber, docks, and river bluffs.
After a front moves through, bluebird skies and frigid air usually mean the bass bite will nearly shut off all together. However, if you absolutely must go fishing, suspending or sinking stick baits like a Smithwick Rogue work very well fished slowly at deeper depths, where the bass are hunkered down.
Monday, October 09, 2006
Flood Tide Quandary
A full moon, combined with a low-pressure system moving over the area, has pushed the tides to very high levels over the South Carolina and Georgia coasts. Such tides muddy the water and turn normally placid creeks into whitewater rapids on the tide changes. They also push the bait and fish high into the spartina grass at high tide. Needless to say, this creates a hostile fishing environment for the average angler.
Time to leave the rods in the garage, right? Actually, the flood tides present a unique opportunity for the angler in-the-know. South Carolina, and particularly Georgia, lack the traditional salt "flats" typical of Florida and the Gulf Coast. While fishing on the bottom at low tide in the deeper sounds and on the beaches might net you some success in such big tides, it's fishing the skinny water that really gets exciting when the tides get high. Florida anglers boast tales of "tailing" redfish and sight fishing for seatrout on shallow-water flats, and flood tides give Low Country anglers a shot at the same type of action.
Fishing such high tides means special tactics, meaning that you'll either need a shallow-draft flats boat or go wade fishing. Due to the fact these big tides can change in a hurry, leaving even a flats boat high and dry, I recommend the latter. Flats fishing is done strictly with either artificials on spinning or light baitcasting equipment or with a fly rod. I recommend using waders with flats boots to avoid nasty oyster and sawgrass cuts.
When using artificials, a medium-light saltwater spinning reel, such as a Daiwa Capricorn, is best mounted on a 7 to 7 1/2 inch, medium-heavy, extra-fast action rod. I recommend the Shimano Teramar series of rods due to their light weight, but high strength (the over-the-counter lifetime warranty helps, too). Saltwater-ready baitcasters like the Shimano Curado work well on a 7-foot casting rod of the same action.
There are several different artificial baits to try in the grass, and a good selection of each is key to finding what the fish are biting on. However, all baits need to be somewhat weedless in order to slip through the thick grass. Gold Johnson spoons are a good choice, as are redfish spinnerbaits like the Thunder Spin in the Calcasieu color. A 5-inch Saltwater Assassin rigged weedless with an offset worm hook slips through the grass well, and draws hard stikes from tailing spottail bass. If you find an area with less grass, topwaters like a Rapala SkitterWalk or a Mirrolure work well.
If using fly tackle, which is a great option on a flood tide, a 7-8 weight rod is best with weight-forward floating line. Clouser flies, as well as shrimp and crab imitations like a Redfish Ration are great choices. Stained water means that sight fishing isn't as great as in Florida, but casting ahead of wakes and rustling grass can put you on some fish. The greatest thrill of all is watching a redfish barrel through the grass to attack your fly!
Fishing these flood tides can be very tricky and intimidating, but with the right setup and the right location, you can get into plenty of inshore action while everyone else is waiting to put their boat back in the water.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Fall Fishing Blitz
The fall inshore fishing season has begun with a bang. Though temperatures have barely dropped, the fish don't seem to care as the usual fall run of seatrout and redfish has begun early and strong. Limit catches of large seatrout and runs of big bull redfish have been reported the last couple of weeks, and it only seems to be getting better.
Surf Fishing Class
On Thursday, October 12 at 6:30 PM there will be a class on fall surf fishing for red drum on the Georgia/South Carolina coast at the Savannah Bass Pro Shops. They'll be covering tackle, casting techniques, bait, and more. Please sign up by email or in person at the Customer Service desk at Bass Pro.
Seatrout Hawgs
One of the most impressive things about the seatrout catch reports is the size of many of the trout being caught. While large numbers of trout were biting all summer, few were large enough to keep. Now some of the trout are falling into the "gator" category. One recent report was of a limit catch in Ossabaw Sound that included 6 trout over 20 inches! Catches like that are common in Florida and on the Texas coast, but they are a rare occurance in Georgia or the Carolinas.
Red Bullys
Fall bull redfish have arrived on the beaches and whether you're surf fishing or anchored on a boat on the outside of the sounds, you should have a good chance this year at catching a nice red drum. Bait of choice is a mullet, a small blue crab, or a half-crab fished on the bottom. Make sure you have a reel with a lot of line, becuase in most cases these redfish are 40+ inches and topping 30 pounds.
Saltwater Outlook
A stretch of spring tides at the end of the week might slow the fishing for a little while, but then as the temperatures cool down the fishing should heat up on the coast by mid-next week.
Surf Fishing Class
On Thursday, October 12 at 6:30 PM there will be a class on fall surf fishing for red drum on the Georgia/South Carolina coast at the Savannah Bass Pro Shops. They'll be covering tackle, casting techniques, bait, and more. Please sign up by email or in person at the Customer Service desk at Bass Pro.
Seatrout Hawgs
One of the most impressive things about the seatrout catch reports is the size of many of the trout being caught. While large numbers of trout were biting all summer, few were large enough to keep. Now some of the trout are falling into the "gator" category. One recent report was of a limit catch in Ossabaw Sound that included 6 trout over 20 inches! Catches like that are common in Florida and on the Texas coast, but they are a rare occurance in Georgia or the Carolinas.
Red Bullys
Fall bull redfish have arrived on the beaches and whether you're surf fishing or anchored on a boat on the outside of the sounds, you should have a good chance this year at catching a nice red drum. Bait of choice is a mullet, a small blue crab, or a half-crab fished on the bottom. Make sure you have a reel with a lot of line, becuase in most cases these redfish are 40+ inches and topping 30 pounds.
Saltwater Outlook
A stretch of spring tides at the end of the week might slow the fishing for a little while, but then as the temperatures cool down the fishing should heat up on the coast by mid-next week.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
First Annual Georgia Redfish Rally
Get Ready!! The Nesmith Chevrolet Georgia Redfish Rally 2006 will be kicking off on October 1. Georgia's first state wide "redfish with the most spots" tournament will begin October 1 and will run through November 15, 2006. Registration will begin September 1 and anyone who registers before September 21 will recieve a special "early bird" price. Registration will be available through mail in registration forms, at official registration sites coastwide in Georgia, and online at www.ccaga.org. For a list of available registation and count-in sites please view them online or on the registration forms.
During the Nesmith Chevrolet Georgia Redfish Rally 2006, registered anglers can bring legal red drum to official "count in stations" located coastwide in Georgia for a chance to win over $45,000 in prizes. Catch the redfish with the most spots, take it to an official "count in station", and win a new truck, a new boat, or a new golf cart!
Rally proceeds will benefit the American Diabetes Association and the Peach State Reds Initiative. The mission of American Diabetes Association is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of 20 million Americans who have diabetes. The Peach State Reds Initiative represents a joint venture of CCA-GA, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and the University System of Georgia. Through the initiative, scientists will spawn Georgia redfish in captivity and release fingerlings into Wassaw Sound and a saltwater impoundment on Jekyll Island to study the efficacy of stock enhancement.
For a complete listing of all rules, regulations, prizes, registration sites, and official count in stations, please view this website or the mail in registration forms distributed state wide.
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Catch More Dolphin
Want the chance to catch one of the best pelagic gamefish in the world, the dolphin, a.k.a. dorado, a.k.a. mahi-mahi?
Now is your chance, with reports coming in from the western edge of the Gulfstream of epic catches of big dolphin. These are no schoolies. One angler who was fishing a weedline a couple miles past the South Ledge reported filling the boat's fishbox in minutes with 10-25 pounders. Rising water temperatures mean that big bulls aren't too far behind. Ledges like the Deli, the Triple Ledges, South Ledge, the Hump, all are holding scores of dolphin at this time.
To gear up for dolphin, first you'll need a boat that can make the often-choppy 50-80 mile trek from the Low Country coast to the Gulfstream. In July through September the water warms enough that the dolphin move in closer, usually into around 100-150 feet of water, but until then they stay within the Gulfstream. 25-50 pound conventional or 20-40 pound spinning tackle is necessary, as even a small dolphin can put up a titanic fight. Good conventional reels include the Shimano TLD series for standard trolling, but if you want to go high-end, try either the Shimano Trinidad or Torsa reels, both of which are great for chunking and casting to dolphin, and feature heavy drags for their small physical size. If you like spinning tackle, which helps if you're doing casting in the wind, the Shimano Baitrunner or Quantum Cabo reels spooled with 50-65lb braided line are good choices. As for rods, you'll want a medium-heavy to heavy power rod with a fast action, meaning the tip has a good flex but the blank is stiff near the handle.
Trolling is the main way to target dolphin. The standard trolling speed is around 7 knots, usually in a waving, or zig-zag pattern. If you can locate a weedline, eddy, or a change of water color, use this trolling pattern parallel to these points of interest, which usually hold dolphin cruising beneath the surface. If these points of concentration can't be located, try locating a ledge or livebottom, and run the zig-zag pattern down its length.
Live or frozen baits are best trolled on a wire leader complemented with a flashy, colorful artifical lure. Rattle-Jets, Islanders, and squid skirts are all good additions to a rigged bait, usually either a ballyhoo or cigar minnow. The best colors are usually chartreuse or pink, but sometimes they will key in on another certain color for some reason. Teasers or teaser dredges are good too use as well, though they seem to attract more of the small "schoolie" dolphin then the big bulls.
When you get a hookup with a dolphin, its always wise to take your time with the fish, and even leave it in the water with the drag fairly loose for awhile. The reasoning behind this is that other dolphin will try to school up with the fish you're hooked into, increasing the chance of getting more hits on other baits.
Remember when boating your dolphin, though, that these delicious fish have lots of meat on them, and unless you plan on selling your fish at market, just one or two fish will easily feed a whole family with leftovers to freeze, so take only what need.
Friday, May 19, 2006
Go Fishing!
Its that time of year, after the cool spring days and just before the dog days of summer when it's truly a mixed bag on the Low Country coast. I've been slack in posting lately because I've been too busy -what else- fishing! Saltwater inshore is teeming with seatrout, redfish, cobia, flounder, sheepshead and more, while offshore the snapper and grouper are biting on bottom and kings, wahoo, and dolphin are heating up on top. Soon tarpon will be rolling into the area sounds and inlets as well. In freshwater the shellcrackers, redbreast, and bluegill are biting, along with big catfish in the Altamaha River and Santee-Cooper lakes. Bass are biting well across the area, too.
So what are you waiting for? Get out there like I've been doing, and have some fun! Take your family or at least your kids and share your love of fishing. When I get a chance I'll be back to fill you in on the fishing outlook, as well as the story of my huge ladyfish caught off the beach, with pics!
So what are you waiting for? Get out there like I've been doing, and have some fun! Take your family or at least your kids and share your love of fishing. When I get a chance I'll be back to fill you in on the fishing outlook, as well as the story of my huge ladyfish caught off the beach, with pics!
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Fishing Outlook
Cobia Main Event
The annual run of cobia in the Broad River/Port Royal Sound has begun, as reports of lings ranging from 30 to 80 pounds have been coming in. The action will be centered around the Beaufort area, but thats not the only place you''l find them. They should be fairly easy to find in the Georgia sounds and nearshore wrecks, and are moving their way up the Carolina coastline towards Charleston as we speak.
When fishing inshore for these big suckers, fishing on bottom in deep holes that run out into deeper channels is a good bet. Use live or fresh-dead menhaden or eels with a "fishfinder" (i.e. slipsinker) rig. However, if you want the action of sight fishing, search channel markers, bridge pilings, sea turtles, big rays, etc. If you see one, try casting a big tube or artificial worm (a 10 or 12 inch worm works great as an eel imitation), or also a bucktail jig. Try to anticipate where he's going when you make your cast, as you want to bring the bait a few feet in front of his nose.
Inshore Outlook
The tides aren't very big for the next few days, so the water will be a little sluggish and that tends to make inshore fish on the Low Country coast a little skittish. Your best bet will be to find a river inlet or slough that has some brisk current to keep the baitfish, and the predators, active. Sunday and Monday will bring some thunderstorms as a light front moves through, that the chance of storms increases again on Wednesday and Thursday. Fishin just before and after a storm comes through is usually hot, but be cautious when dealing with lightning.
Offshore Forecast
Winds and seas will remain quite moderate until late next week, though conditions will get rough in and around thunderstorms.
Steve Rashke of Bass Pro Savannah reported trolling the R6 tower on Thursday and landing 14 kings, including one 25 pounder. The water temperatures are just about reaching the point where the kingfish will really start to invade area waters.
Bottom fishing is still getting into high gear with quite a few more reports of big snapper and a few grouper coming in. As the weeks progress, expect more brown color to be added to the red hue of the bttom fishing reports.
The GulfStream wahoo action has been very hot lately, too, with several reports of trashed tackle due to these violent rig-choppers.
The annual run of cobia in the Broad River/Port Royal Sound has begun, as reports of lings ranging from 30 to 80 pounds have been coming in. The action will be centered around the Beaufort area, but thats not the only place you''l find them. They should be fairly easy to find in the Georgia sounds and nearshore wrecks, and are moving their way up the Carolina coastline towards Charleston as we speak.
When fishing inshore for these big suckers, fishing on bottom in deep holes that run out into deeper channels is a good bet. Use live or fresh-dead menhaden or eels with a "fishfinder" (i.e. slipsinker) rig. However, if you want the action of sight fishing, search channel markers, bridge pilings, sea turtles, big rays, etc. If you see one, try casting a big tube or artificial worm (a 10 or 12 inch worm works great as an eel imitation), or also a bucktail jig. Try to anticipate where he's going when you make your cast, as you want to bring the bait a few feet in front of his nose.
Inshore Outlook
The tides aren't very big for the next few days, so the water will be a little sluggish and that tends to make inshore fish on the Low Country coast a little skittish. Your best bet will be to find a river inlet or slough that has some brisk current to keep the baitfish, and the predators, active. Sunday and Monday will bring some thunderstorms as a light front moves through, that the chance of storms increases again on Wednesday and Thursday. Fishin just before and after a storm comes through is usually hot, but be cautious when dealing with lightning.
Offshore Forecast
Winds and seas will remain quite moderate until late next week, though conditions will get rough in and around thunderstorms.
Steve Rashke of Bass Pro Savannah reported trolling the R6 tower on Thursday and landing 14 kings, including one 25 pounder. The water temperatures are just about reaching the point where the kingfish will really start to invade area waters.
Bottom fishing is still getting into high gear with quite a few more reports of big snapper and a few grouper coming in. As the weeks progress, expect more brown color to be added to the red hue of the bttom fishing reports.
The GulfStream wahoo action has been very hot lately, too, with several reports of trashed tackle due to these violent rig-choppers.
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Bottom Fishing Report 4/3
After a week of watching the marine forecast and crossing our fingers, we were able to take a trip to the Savannah Snapper Banks yesterday with Captain Johnny Fulcher of Amick's Charters aboard the Scamp. The boat, which handles smaller trips than Steve Amick's big Scat II, just had a new engine installed that tops the boat out at over 30 knots. While choppy 3-5 foot seas kept us from reaching that speed, the maiden voyage of the Scamp was very quick, getting to and from the Snapper Banks in about 2 hours.
Cpt. Johnny put us on the spot and our 5-man group quickly limited out on beeliners. We got 4 good red snappers, including one in the 15-pound range, and a couple of keeper scamps. I caught one gag grouper which was barely undersized, but the law's the law. Other catches included some big black sea bass and triggerfish. One common pattern on the southeast Atlantic coast is that sharks become highly active after a period of blustery conditions. This was the case again yesterday, as we caught about 10 reef sharks, each causing fishing to stop for awhile as the shark circled, tangling lines. At one point a shark tangled the lines of every angler on the boat!
Despite shark troubles, it was a great day and the conditions smoothed out as it went along. The only bad part was the 50 pounds of fish I cleaned when I got home! Pictures of the trip coming soon.
Cpt. Johnny put us on the spot and our 5-man group quickly limited out on beeliners. We got 4 good red snappers, including one in the 15-pound range, and a couple of keeper scamps. I caught one gag grouper which was barely undersized, but the law's the law. Other catches included some big black sea bass and triggerfish. One common pattern on the southeast Atlantic coast is that sharks become highly active after a period of blustery conditions. This was the case again yesterday, as we caught about 10 reef sharks, each causing fishing to stop for awhile as the shark circled, tangling lines. At one point a shark tangled the lines of every angler on the boat!
Despite shark troubles, it was a great day and the conditions smoothed out as it went along. The only bad part was the 50 pounds of fish I cleaned when I got home! Pictures of the trip coming soon.
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Cobia Arrival
Apparently the cobia have finally moved into the area, being caught in Wassaw Sound in Georgia and Port Royal Sound/Broad River South Carolina. The above 50-60 pounder was caught in Port Royal Sound according to a post on the SavannahNow Forums. Bait of choice was dead menhaden (pogy).
Seatrout Mamas
The inshore locals have been dominated by reports of large seatrout, some greater than 20 inches. These roe trout have been rather fat as well. I have to stress that it is very important that you carefully handle and release the largest and healthiest of these female seatrout. They are the ones who will spawn and have offspring that are more likely to grow to large sizes as well.
Snapper Time
I"ve got some more info on the recent trip some friends of mine took with Captain Steve Amick. They visited the Savannah Snapper Banks and limited out on vermillion (beeliner) snapper almost immediately. In addition, they caught several scamp grouper, some huge black seabass (the biggest catch of large seabass I've ever seen...), and several keeper red snapper and grouper, including one 17-pound red snapper. All in all, they had a great time and the haul totaled over 400 pounds, which Cpt. Amick declared the largest catch so far this year.
Offshore Forecast
The chances of anyone getting offshore until at least Wednesday are almost 0, with gale winds throughout the period whipping up some monster wave action. A semi-cyclonic low pressure system spawned off the recent cold front has moved into place offshore of the Carolinas and Georgia, and is forecast to sit there for the next few days. There is even a chance that it might take on tropical characteristics and become a tropical depression before the hurricane season even begins. Needless to say, this front will prevent pretty much any offshore fishing until mid-next week.
Inshore Forecast
Anyone thinking of fishing in the sounds or beachfronts this week needs to think again. High surf warnings are posted up and down the coast, meaning that any safe fishing will be done in protected areas higher up in the creeks and rivers. Tides are returning back to good levels, but the onshore winds are likely to make tides a little higher than they are forecast. This could mean that trout and redfish will try to bury themselves in the sheltered marshgrass at high tide, so those with low-draft skiffs might be in luck if they work the shallow water holes in the marshgrass. The backsides of barrier and inshore islands will not only offer protection from the wind, but will give you a better chance at landing some of the big trout available.
Freshwater Forecast
Sometimes it's nice to be a freshwater fisherman because you don't have to worry quite as much about things like high seas and gale winds. In fact, wind and choppy water can sometimes add up to great bass fishing. Before the last cold front went through, I was fishing a local pond right as a squall line was approaching. The bass bite suddenly turned on and I caught 3 good fish, one approaching 5 pounds. The next day I returned and the wind was howling following the front. I Texas-rigged a black Culprit worm with a 1/8 ounce worm weight and swam the worm briskly across the bottom. I caught 4 good fish within the space of 30 minutes, including one approaching 6 pounds. Just goes to show you that just because the conditions aren't comfortable for you doesn't mean that the fish isn't comfortable.
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Daffin Park Pond Deathtrap
Something that has concerned me for the last few months has finally come to a head.
The pond in Savannah's Daffin Park has been a marvel for such a small, urban environment. Over the years it has had an amazing population of largemouth bass, catfish, bluegill, and carp. Most people ride by it every day and don't realize that there are fish in it.
However, last year alone I caught and released many bass in the 2-4 pound range and 2 which were 6+ pounds. I'd seen bass in the lake that easily would be larger than 8 pounds. In fact, a friend has told me of the time when they drained the lake to build the Daffin Park pool, only to find a 17 pound largemouth in the bottom of the dried-up pond.
This year, starting when we had a warm spell in February, an algae bloom in the pond began to spread, turning the water a blue/green color and filling the edges with green scum. In March, I began my weekly ritual of stalking the banks looking for bass beginning to make their beds. I began to be troubled by the fact that I couldn't find any of the larger bass anymore, and the area by the old fishing dock on the east end of the pond was filled in with algae, and had pushed out the family of huge German carp that normally lived there. The algae not only pushes out fish, but it sucks all of the oxygen out of the pond, slowly suffocating the fish population.
Week after week, I've returned to find dead bluegill and catfish floating at the edge of the pond, and no sign of the bass. Today I saw something that finally has pushed me into action. I arrived to find that the recent heat wave has pushed the algae bloom into high gear, with giant mats of slime covering large portions of the pond. As a walked the pond edge, something caught my eye on the north bank by Victory Drive. There, floating in the scum, was a huge dead largemouth bass, easily 7-8 pounds, baking in the sun. I ran and grabbed my camera from the car and started documenting this horror.
The pond in Savannah's Daffin Park has been a marvel for such a small, urban environment. Over the years it has had an amazing population of largemouth bass, catfish, bluegill, and carp. Most people ride by it every day and don't realize that there are fish in it.
However, last year alone I caught and released many bass in the 2-4 pound range and 2 which were 6+ pounds. I'd seen bass in the lake that easily would be larger than 8 pounds. In fact, a friend has told me of the time when they drained the lake to build the Daffin Park pool, only to find a 17 pound largemouth in the bottom of the dried-up pond.
This year, starting when we had a warm spell in February, an algae bloom in the pond began to spread, turning the water a blue/green color and filling the edges with green scum. In March, I began my weekly ritual of stalking the banks looking for bass beginning to make their beds. I began to be troubled by the fact that I couldn't find any of the larger bass anymore, and the area by the old fishing dock on the east end of the pond was filled in with algae, and had pushed out the family of huge German carp that normally lived there. The algae not only pushes out fish, but it sucks all of the oxygen out of the pond, slowly suffocating the fish population.
Week after week, I've returned to find dead bluegill and catfish floating at the edge of the pond, and no sign of the bass. Today I saw something that finally has pushed me into action. I arrived to find that the recent heat wave has pushed the algae bloom into high gear, with giant mats of slime covering large portions of the pond. As a walked the pond edge, something caught my eye on the north bank by Victory Drive. There, floating in the scum, was a huge dead largemouth bass, easily 7-8 pounds, baking in the sun. I ran and grabbed my camera from the car and started documenting this horror.
The family of large carp that inhabits the pond is nowhere to be seen, either. The pond is filling up with the stuff, which can be easily prevented and destroyed with water additives.
While I was stalking the lake and taking pictures, a gentleman on a bench asked me if I worked for Tree and Park Services. We struck up a conversation about the problem, and he commented that, "The only way we'll stop this from killing off the lake is if we get the community involved."
I have forwarded this story and pictures to the Savannah Morning News and Savannah Tree and Park to hopefully get things moving quickly.
