Last week was definitely a seatrout week! There were several catches of around 10 fish. Ronny Reed had the largest catch with a 100 fish on Wednesday. Don’t worry Ronny was catching and releasing. Seatrout action has been good but not consistent. Many things can effect the bite: wind and tide stage to name two. The bottom line is one large catch doesn’t mean that kind of catch can be easily duplicated. Timing is everything! Seatrout are in the creeks and rivers. The bite will likely remain strong until these fish venture to the beach fronts. DOA gold 1/4 oz. shrimp have been effective on both redfish and seatrout. We landed one four trout a DOA shrimp. We’ve caught trout this week on mud minnows, soft plastics and live and dead shrimp. Live shrimp is likely the bait of choice if you can find some.
Whiting
John Bruke has written this is likely a record year for whiting! There are plenty of these small, tasty fish in the sounds! These fish are biting aggressively. Characteristically these fish will bump a bait followed by a light bite. Last weekend the fish we caught were inhaling the bait! The whiting strategy is simple fish bottom rigs around the sandbars or in rivers not far from the sounds and you’ll likely have plenty of bites!
Sharks
Small sharks are on the move! When fishing for whiting gets a little old hat try fishing larger pieces of cut bait for sharks. These fish can definitely test your equipment. If you want to land a few sharks a steel leader is good idea. I usually use about 12″ leader with only a 30 pound leader. You’ll be amazed at the fish you can catch on it! When the big boys arrive I’ll fish a 90 pound steel leader. Any fish that goes through a 90 pound leader is likely a monster!
So Long to King Arthur
The king has died. Arthur Brannon was know to many around the river as King Arthur or simply as Arthur. Arthur’s lairs could be spotted on small hammocks around Savannah. For most Arthur was just eccentric river rat who resembled father time. For others Arthur was a skilled cast net maker who totally enjoyed life . Arthur charged much less than his product was worth. Arthur could be seen from time to time riding his bicycle replete with a couple of 5 gallon buckets, probably loaded with a net or two. His stamina was remarkable but more remarkable was his spirit. He loved a good party, he loved being around people and I believed he loved Jesus. Some who did not know Arthur were scared of him. Those of us whose path crossed with his knew he was a gentle spirit making his way back home as he traveled the *”king’s highway”. He once told me that someone called him crazy because he choose to live his life on the river, under the stars and not straddle by work as we know it. Arthur said to me who do think is crazy me or one calling me crazy. Free spirits like Arthur who remind us of simpler less complicated world. Thank God for Arthur may he sit with Jesus on the bank of river.
*This was small path that meandered through the woods in Bonaventure cemetery to one of Arthur’s liars. Arthur appropriately named his trail the King’s highway after himself.