Sep 11, 2008

By | September 11, 2008

Fishing has been good up and down the coast! Good catches of seatrout south of Savannah. Good redfish and black drum action in the Savannah area as well as north of Savannah. Some flounder but the flounder bite appears to have slowed. The whiting bite has been good in the rivers around Savannah. Shrimp are plentiful but on the move. Shorelines that are holding plenty of shrimp one day can be empty the next. Typically when a caster find shrimp it only takes a few minutes to boat several quarts. The shrimp are still a little on the small for eating but ideal for fishing. Good schools of mullets can be seen in local creeks and rivers. Mullet are an excellent bait for big seatrout and redfish! When the opportunity avails itself don’t pass up putting a few mullet in your livewell! Seatrout action has been fair with some large trout as well small trout in the mix. Most of the action the past couple of weeks has been with black drum and redfish. Lots of small redfish an inch to half inch under size with a few of this year’s fish already 14 to 15 inches. Good schools of redfish 20 to 29 inches with even reports of a few ocean sized redfish coming into the backwaters. As bait pushes in anticipate the fall bite to heat up! Luckily we on the Georgia coast have missed the brunt of the storms for the past few weeks. Lots of clean water despite higher than normal tides and lots of wind. Fishing has been good with catches in the sounds, in the river and the creeks. Lots of trash fish: pin fish, needle fish, yellow tails to name a few. Having an ample supply of bait when this time of year is a good idea! Live bait, artificials, and cut bait will work. Sometimes a cut bait can produce a better fish than a shrimp. The idea is bigger fish feed on fish. When jig fishing stay in touch with your jig or you’ll leave lots jigs in the fish. Trying to remove a jig from deep inside a seatrout or redfish will result in killing the fish almost every time. Cut your line as close to jig as possible and release the fish. The fish has a much better chance working the jig through its digestive system than yanking it out. When you feel a bump set the hook. Missing a few fish is preferable to leaving lots of jigs in fish. When jig fishing you need to stay on your game. As soon the jig touches the water you need to be prepared to set the hook. The bait can be hot! One trip we caught three redfish with nothing on the jig, not a bait, not a plastic (one of the fish was a keeper). When the bite is on a delayed reaction will mean the fish will swallow the jig down to its crushers. You want to enjoy the fish and treat them as gently as possible. Fish engulfing your jigs means you need to tighten your game.

The bite has been good if not great! Several times we could have loaded the boat. To the credit of the those on board we’ve only taken some that going to be quickly eaten. Seafood is best fresh. Usually once fish or game is in the freezer it’s quickly forgotten. Most inshore trips should be viewed as an adventure rather than loading the boat. Yes catching quality fish is possible but most fish need to be released.

Tides are continuing to build throughout the week but will remain in the good range through the weekend. As tides build seatrout bite will likely pick up. Despite wind and rain fishermen should be able to find plenty of clean water. Redfish, black drum, sheepshead will likely be good. Seatrout action will likely pick up as drifts improve.

Hope this of help! Good Fishing! Capt. Jack McGowan