Spring 2021 Inshore Fishing Savannah & Tybee Island, Ga.
The synopsis is up and down. When nature has cooperated the bite has been good. Recently the sea trout bite have provided much of the action with the bite mainly close to the barrier islands and beachfront. Sea trout will be hungry as they begin their Spring spawn run from beachfronts to nearby tidal creeks. A strong bite one day does not mean the pattern will repeat the next. Generally just prior to a front the bite can stall as well as during and just after the front. That said even with a dramatic temperature change the bite can readily turn on as conditions improve.
Whiting are running in sounds and beachfronts. Their numbers look good but like with any fish if you’re not getting bites a change of location could make a big difference. We’re seeing good numbers of Atlantic Sharp nose sharks. They are member of the small shark composite family (usually around 30 to 31 inches fork length). Some years we’ve seen large numbers. In recent year their numbers seems to be less. Seeing more of this fish is a good indicator of a healthy fishery. The sharp nose is an active fighter on a 7 foot medium acton rod. We release most these fish. Occasionally we’ll keep one (the state limit is one). We’re seeing top end spinner sharks showing up in the sounds. Spinner are strong fighter known to live up to name with spinning jumps to throw a hook or crush a bait.
Shrimpers working large boats have already begun their season shrimping Federal waters (3 miles and out). The shrimpers are doing pretty good. When shrimpers are catching shrimp fishermen will likely be catching fish. One friend says when the large shrimp boat are working off the coast triple can be found. Typically fishermen will from structure to structure with popping corks and live shrimp. The best triple fishermen report fishing dozen structures to find structure that produces fish.
Those looking for Spanish mackerel often will run birds and troll small Clarke spoons. Several sea trout fishermen have reported catching a few Spanish while trout fishing. Spanish numbers should be good. When Spanish show up king mackerel can likely be found in the shipping channel and around drop offs.
Fishermen a little south of Savannah are reporting good sheepshead action both inshore and offshore. The bait of choice is purple back fiddler crabs. Most years fishermen think of tax time April 15th. as time when the offshore bite backs off. That said there has been a good offshore sheepshead action.
During May bait shimpers often struggle to find bait. Some bait shrimper will on occasion purchase live bait shrimp from Florida just to have some shrimp on hand. Brown are already showing up. By end of May, the first of June brown will be plentiful ( and big enough to fish)f or about a month. The next crop of shrimp to show up on the coast will be white shrimp which is the main shrimp. We’re seeing small pogies (menhaden in the rivers) as well mullet and mud minnows in the creeks. The bottom line we’re seeing good to normal bait patterns. Lots of bait means lots of fish. As condition to warm up we’ll see more bigger bait namely ocean pogies. Which will be about the size of person’s hand. Big bait mean big fish (tarpon). So far we haven’t seen the big baits. Fishermen are still waiting on cobia arrive as well.
Although redfish action has slowed we’re hearing good reports of sea trout. Most of the acton can be found around the beachfronts and in the rivers close the barrier islands.
Overall looks like a good Spring fishing shaping up! As conditions heat up flat fish, flounder can be found in the sloughs, creeks and rivers close the sounds.
I hope this fishing report is of interest and help! Hope to see you on the water!
Fish On!
Jack
Capt. Jack McGowan
Coastal River Charters
