The inshore bite has been slow. Lots of rain, breezy conditions and a little late season cold has slowed the bite. That said, we’ve caught some nice seatrout and a few reds! Biologists are indicating favorable conditions for seatrout! Water temperature has already risen to around 60 degree. Mud minnows can be seen swimming in ditches and along grassy banks. Mud minnows are a great spring time bait! Tybee Island Baits has a sign outside shrimp available. Bait shrimp during the spring is often scarce so call ahead. Conditions are warming and the bite will be picking up!

Whiting are biting! They are a small pan fish. They are fun to catch and tasty! Whiting are also good bait fish! A simple bottom rig loaded with a small piece of cut bait, shrimp or squid can work well! There have been reports of a couple of good whiting catches! A good sign of spring!

The seatrout bite is heating up! Most of these fish are being caught soft plastics or mud minnows under a float rigs. Seatrout are ambush feeders so look for spots where there’s some current and the current is split by marsh grass or some other structure. Redfish will readily eat a mud minnow, dead shrimp or cut bait. Redfish during the spring can be reluctant to eat one day and voracious the next. A good indicator is their tail. When you catch a red look at its tail. If the tail looks blue the bite might be about to turn on! Reds will be following glass minnows and other bait fish onto the flats! Another good indicator are the birds. When see you see birds (white birds) actively feeding or reluctant to leave a spot there is likely bait there. Birds can be a good indicator!

No reports yet of big reds on the beachfronts but it wont be long! Sheepshead action has been consistent on the inshore bite but lots of rain can drive sheepshead to deeper saltier water.

Hope this report is of interest and help!

Fish On!

Capt. Jack McGowan, Coastal River Charters