What’s up with the fishery? Right now its pretty much wait and see how sea trout fare following the cold weather during early January. There was a fish kill due to the cold. However, the cold was not prolonged. Meaning we did not see weeks of cold weather. The fish kill while significant was limited to areas where fish had no deep water escape. While any fish kill does not appear good things could have been worst.
Lately the bite has been mostly redfish and black drum . Both fish will eat dead bait. In particular a chuck of dead shrimp on hook could work for either. Earlier this winter on a slow day of fish we ended the trip putting small pieces of shrimp on a jig. We starting getting some small sea trout bites. A piece of dead shrimp on a jig can be a good winter trout trick. Redfish are an accommodating fish that will take a live or dead bait, a fly or artificial. Following the early January cold weather water at Ft. Pulaski has remained in the mid 40’s, for the Georgia coast this is cold. In few days conditions can change rapidly with warming conditions. Cold conditions can mean short strikes while pitching lures. Some fishermen when feeling a bump, will wait and even let out line then strike the fish. Short strikes can mean missed fish even with short baits.
In cold clear water try lighten up your tackle and putting a bait on the bottom. When pitching super braids some fishermen will lighten to 10 pound test. Winter can be a tricky time of the year to fish. This winter the shrimp crop was hit hard by January’s cold weather. That said there have been some reds, black drum and sheepshead being caught. Sheepshead are almost impervious to the cold. These fish will range between offshore and inshore. Is it possible to catch some nice inshore sheepshead late into the winter. Redfish are another hardy fish that be caught year round. Black drum are similar to redfish in that they are closely related to the reds and another hardy fish.
I hope this report is of interest. Thank you very much!
Fish On! Capt. Jack McGowan, Coastal River Charters