Temperatures have been hot! Consequently, fishing has been up down. There is some seatrout action being reported up and down the coast. The bite is not fast and furious but it is possible to catch some nice fish. There have been some reports of seatrout being caught off the main pier at Tybee. Most of seatrout are carry roe. This is a good sign for more fish in the pipeline! Capt. Wild Bill says seeing lots of seatrout with roe means food is abundant. There could be fewer fish than most years. On the other hand there is more food available for seatrout to generate more seatrout. This is good sign!
Michael from Adams Bait House said they catching plenty of shrimp! Most of the shrimp are white shrimp. Just everything out there will eat a shrimp, people included. If you like fishing shrimp this is good news. Those dropping a crab line or trap have been catching plenty of crabs! Looks like a good year for crabbing! Crabs are food source for redfish as well bonnet head sharks.
Lots of little redfish around. A couple of reports of legal fish or two. Its still a early for the reds. By late September, early October there will be lots of the first year reds that are legal. It possible to catch some nice reds along the flats and fishing structure like dock pilings. The water on the flats can get super heated so plan your fishing either early or late in the day.
Flounder while tricky to target has supplied lots of the action in recent days! A favorite way to target this fish is to use your trolling pitching along points or shells rakes. It’s possible to catch several nice fish in an outing! If flounder aren’t biting you’ll likely be catching some nice reds. The flounder bite can go from aggressive to very subtle. The flounder bite has been good in the sounds as well as in Savannah River. In the Savannah River look for little gullies along bank. A favorite tide when fishing gullies is high outgoing all the way down. Flounder will stage on one side of the gully waiting for the bait to pass by. A float rig will work nicely. CT, Tybee Island Bait and Tackle says that he has a good supply of fat mud minnows on hand. The hardy mud minnow is great bait for flounder regardless of how you fish it: on a carolina rig (bottom rig), on a float rig or on a jig.
Usually by this time of year there is lots of bait fish (menhaden) in the sounds. So far the bait has been sporadic likewise the bite has been sporadic. Those looking for bait fish should have little trouble finding around the shipping channel.
The inshore bite is not great but it has been alright. With lots of shrimp in local waters the fish will be fattening up as well as greater numbers in the coming weeks! Typically August is peak month for tarpon in local waters. Likely September will be the better month as temperatures begin to drop and large menhaden becomes abundant.
Hope this is of interest and help!
Capt. Jack McGowan
When fishing beachfront sloughs take your time when running the breakers. Last Saturday we spent hours involved with a rescue at the “wash out”. Take your time to make sure you know where the channel is. A miss read can flip a boat! The boat flipped was small flat boat. If you can’t discern a channel, stay away for another day.