Fishing has been good! The pattern has been a little fall like in that some fishermen are finding lots of fish while others are struggling. Last week on a couple of occasions the bite was more of a bump than a bite. These light biting fish are usually large roe trout that haven’t move to beach front. The bite has been very good to very slow. The big factor isn’t finding bait and clean water. It’s simply finding the fish. Sea trout are in the sounds and on the inside. The bite is the sound in more traditional bite with sea trout slamming the bait! On the inside the bite has been soft and slow. Slow soft can mean big trout. Large roe are impressive to catch but better yet to catch and release! If the trout fishing thus far is an indicator of the fishing ahead we should have very good year. Sea trout action is taking center stage. Nice redfish can still be found on the flats. Although as things heat up anticipate more shark and toothy fish to appear.
A couple of reports of early season tarpon from Capt. Ray Crawely and Capt. Rick Reynolds. Both have either seen or hooked a tarpon. Large schools of ocean pogies have not shown up. Smaller river pogies can be found. Mullet in the Savannah River as well as in the sounds. The whiting bite has been very good to excellent. We caught a whiting the other day on a new penny jerk worm that was 14 inches. Thinking this was a redfish I put it the live well with another redfish to get a fin clipping for the DNR a little later in the day. To my chagrin one of our reds was a whiting. It was a large whiting! Lots of good reports of nice whiting catches.
Don Adams is finding shrimp. His shrimp are large white shrimp that over wintered (survived the winter). These shrimp look more appropriate for eating but will do fine in catching fish. Trash fish are present. When you get a bite look at what’s missing from you shrimp. This will give a good clue what kind of fish you’re dealing with. Light bite could be a sheepshead, black drum or even a large roe trout. When bits and pieces are taken from the shrimp you’re probably dealing with a bait stealer or as Miss Judy says a “fetish fish”. These are simply small fish that specialize in stealing your bait.
As we head into the first weekend in May we’re heading into Spring tides. The tides are getting progressively larger. Tides will be in the difficult range starting Saturday May 3 through Saturday May 10. This isn’t to say you can’t find fish. In general during for most fishermen the best time to fish on Spring tides is at the top or bottom of the tide. That being said quoting my uncle when is the best time to fish, it’s when you have the time. Hope this of help!
Good fishing! Capt. Jack McGowan 912.441.9930