Last week conditions were challenging due to spring tides and lots of fresh water. The best fishing was in areas with hard bottoms , relatively clean water and currents that weren’t too strong. The best tide stage was fishing both sides of high water, high incoming and high outgoing. The ladyfish bite was crazy! Plenty of ladies in the three to four pound range! Some seatrout mixed in but ladyfish with their large eyes and keen sight had a definite feeding advantage in the stained colored water. The lady fish bites can be savage, followed by frenetic fights with jumps that are as high as five feet! A large ladyfish has the power to take a fisherman completely around the boat! If we are shark fishing I would call that fish a 360. A ladyfish can be 360! Great fights! One fisherman described the fight as psycho. Definitely a fun fish on light tackle! Catching this fish was said to be a sign of good luck. Perhaps because they are so difficult to get in. If you get one in then good things will follows. I’m not so sure about the superstition. I am sure ladyfish are a fun fish on light tackle and that having the opportunity to play with them is pretty good luck! At the conclusion of one trip we had the lines on three adjustable float rods that were busted either by big redfish, big ladyfish or big sharks. Plenty of action and some powerful fish! One large fish stripped an entire spool of power pro line in a matter of seconds. Bonnethead sharks as large and as powerful as they are could have done something like that. There are some very large sharks on the flats as well some early season stag bass. Ladyfish action can be intense towards the sound. A few flounder caught when the currents slow. Some large redfish landed during the week. The shark has slowed in Wassaw but is strong just north of Savannah. Typically Wassaw has some cleanest water during large tides. The better bite was had by those venturing north. Very nice water in the intracoastal in protected spots where tidal effect was less. Some nice redfish and blackdrum caught in these areas. This was definitely a challenging week. Fishermen fishing close to the sound looking for tarpon and shark struggled. Lots of small menhaden pushing in. Small bluefish are pushing the bait to the surface. Despite what looks like lots of bait the big fish bite is more challenging due to big tides. You could catch quality fish, conditions were just more challenging. Nonetheless last week it was possible to catch nice fish. have some frenetic action as well hooking into some monsters.
The tides are subsiding and conditions will be quickly improving! Often after a period of spring tides fish will hungry and bite will on! Fishing should be good as we head into fall. Plenty of shrimp in local waters! Don Adams said he catching plenty of shrimp running his nets deep. Twice last week I took Don advice and found shrimp ten feet deep. Usually fishermen will cast to the bank. Those throwing a cast net will do the same. Throwing towards a bank will work for smaller shrimp on higher going. For larger bait and eating shrimp throw deeper until fresh begins to dissipate. Most of the shrimp are red legs in other words they are coming in from the sounds. Anticipate seatrout and redfish not to far behind!
Tides look good for the comingl week! Fishing should be improving! One report already of this year’s crop of redfish already legal size. Seems a little early but difference schools can be further along the growth process. Most the reds are still a couple of inches shy of legal size (14 inches). Hope this of help and interest! Remember keep only what you plan to and release the rest.
Fish On! Capt. Jack McGowan