The bite has been challenging. One frequent statement on the Georgia coast you wont go hungry. You might not always eat what you planned on but you wont go hungry, is usually true. Some days will favor one fish over another. One day could a good seatrout day. The next day another kind of fish. Wind in recent days has been challenging. That said the bite has still been good! When conditions lay it’s more likely to have a good catch. During the summer there is a wide variety of fish that are pushing in: jack crevalles, ladyfish, bluefish, to name a few and of course the more recognizable fish seatrout, redfish, flounder and a wide variety of small and large sharks!
Fishing action on the coast has been good with a wide of variety of fish showing up! As tides and wind subside during the coming week the bite will likely be heating up! A few tarpon have been sighted. Typically August is the month for tarpon action to heat on the coast! There have a few reports of sheepshead. Typically sheepshead are thought of as a winter or spring time fish. On a windy day fishing structure out of the wind could produce sheepshead or redfish. This year looks like a better than average year for seatrout with several fish landed in the two to three pound range. Some days its not uncommon for ladyfish to dominate. Ladyfish are fun fight on light tackle and can make an excellent bait for larger fish. When fishing areas that were stacked with ladyfish try putting a chunk of ladyfish on the bottom. It likely you hook into a massive bull shark! Bull sharks will frequently roam shallow flats during the summer. If you want to land one of the brutes beef up your tackle to heavy or extra heavy. These fish will provide a great fight! In removing a (circle) hook simply cut the leader and let the hook waste away. 200 pound mono leaders are good for all but the largest fish.
Whiting action has slowed due to large number of newly birthed baby black tips. Small and large sharks are abundant in the sounds. Seatrout action looks good! Probably a better than average year shaping up! A good tide for flounder fishing is the first of incoming or high outgoing tide. As summer heats up so should the flounder bite!
Hope this is of interest and help! Keep what you want to eat fresh and release the rest!
Fish On!
Capt. Jack McGowan
www.coastalrivercharters.com