Coastal River Charters

Strong winds and slow drifts made fishing difficult in waters noth of Savannah, Warsaw sound as well as Ossabaw sound. When the weather finally improved as the weekend approached fishing remained challanging. Several veteran fishermen had difficulty getting a strike when fishing the sounds. Despite this there has been a couple reports of large schools of redfish of 500 or more fish. Slow moving water made catching many of these fish diffiuclt. The past several week we’ve had little rain. Fish will likely seek less salty water. There has been some striper, redfish and seatrout in the Savannah River but fishing is still been challenging. Whiting are showing in the sounds. The law of attraction still works: one boat fishing along a sand bar will draws several boats. Whiting fishing is simply. Anchor along a sandbar and bottom fish with small shrimp, squid or some kind of cut bait. Often times you can along a mark fish on your fishfinder, drop anchor and catch fish. Boats that appear to be fishing in the middle of the river are probably whiting fishing. Well known drops are fine but you might be pleasanly surprised when drop anchor at a spot not fished by others. Pan weights are great for whiting fishing.. Small lead weight aren’t as likely to roll and hold the bottom well. Chuck at Cranmans sells pretied pan rigs or you can tie your own. They work! Per Chuck at Cranmans inshore sheepshead fishing has been good. Whiting are starting to bite. Trout and redfish bite has been sporadic. A few flounders have been caught but not many. String rays are becoming more numerous on the mud flats. A sure sign of Spring.

Capt. Rick Reynolds says please use your boga or other gripping device with care. These devices can kill the trophy fish you thought you carefully released. The fish will appear in good shape only to swim off and die. Apparently there is evidence showing that grippers can cause fish to slowly suffocate. How’s that for a shocker! I use my boga now only for fish we’re going to keep. In the past I would often put one hand under the to displace the weight. From now on fish we’re releasing will be held by hand.. Help spread the word grippers might be killing fish. On the same topic I’ve seen some pretty natsy releases on redfish by tv pros. Dumping a fish in the water might not kill a fish but likely leave it stunned for a propoise to have an easy meal. The larger the redfish, the more care is needed in releasing.

Fishing will likely pick during the coming week. Tides will be gentle all week but building. Bite will likely improve as tides increase. On days with little drift try sheepshead.

Good Fishing! Capt. Jack McGowan

East winds working against outgoing water made fishing over the weekend difficult. When fishing a drift or moving water is critical. Water that simply appears to raise and fall with little drift is dead water. There is little or no food chain going. East are difficult because these winds affect the entire sound not a creek or two. Covering lots of might work. A fisherman best chance for success in a strong is fish protected an anticipate a slower bite. Covering lots will usually produced the same results. Work a small area and persist. If you’re catching fish don’t move stay in that area. If you’re experiencing zero success then make a run.

March fishing can be mercurial. One day the fishing is on. The next day fishing is difficult. This is due mainly to wind. Redfish this time are around the barrier islands. A windy day can make fishing these exposed areas difficult. Usually fishermen can find a protected shoreline. All shoreline aren’t equal. Rough bottoms are prime areas. Again back to the drift. The shoreline you’re fishing needs to have some kind of current. The current can be a back current, an eddy, a secondary current or a straight current. The point is there needs to be moving water. Gentle currents are usually the best. Thin grass, points and pockets are likely places to find fish. Often the fish give themselves away by pushing water or hitting bait fish.

Unfortunately a windy day takes away a fisherman chances to see and hear fish. It’s like fishing blind. Capt. Eric said anyone can fish in good conditions. Capt. Eric was kidding when he said this. The bottom line is finding in strong wind is tough. You can catch fish. My advice is gear your expectation lower if you catch lots of fish fantastic. If not realize they’ll be other days when the conditions are more hospitable. A few extra miles of winds more or less can make a dramatic difference. Mud flats that yield redfish are suddenly shut down. Don’t fret it’s just Spring. When winds subside there will be plenty of opportunities to fish exposed water. When winds are up fish lee shores and protected waters.

The seatrout bite is turning on. One group of fishermen reported catching 50 large trout around Ossabaw. The redfish bite looks consistent. Whiting are to run. Bait fish, small pogies can be seen in the Wilmington River. Stripers are active. Live shrimp are available at some local bait shops: Adams 912-898-1550 and Capt. Matt’s Bona Bella Marina call his dock hand George 912-484-2123. The bait that is available is large white shrimp. Large shrimp are a great striper bait. Smaller brown shrimp wont be showing probably for several weeks. Remember there will be a gap when the white have moved out and brown haven’t moved in. You might want to call to ahead to make sure bait is available. Don Adams said he’s finding some bait but he’s having go south for it. When bait shops resupply their tanks bait quickly sell out. I’m convinced a fisherman can catch as many and perhaps more as well as more quality fish on plastics. This might be the year to try something different, you might be surprised! When winds have subsided fishing has been good. Fishing in the wind is tough but fish can be for those who persist. Get ready Spring is here!

Good Fishing! Capt. Jack McGowan

What’s biting on the eve of St. Patrick’s day. Redfish! Redfish can be found along the barrier islands. This is a winter pattern although redfish will remain in these areas until bait pushes into the creeks. These fish will range in size from 14 to 30 inches. Fish areas close to sounds and that have shelly bottoms. Floats such as low country lightings work well when fishing in shallow water and around shell rakes. Two approaches when fishing for redfish are one, anchor and wait for the fish to come to you; second fish from a boat at drift or with a trolling motor. The most common method is anchor up and wait for the fish.

Most of the areas close to sound look alike look for anything unusual and fish deep. Points and pockets are always favorite places to fish as well gullies, shell rakes and thin grass. Fishing a live or dead bait close to bottom will often produce results. The bite might be fast or at slower pace every day is little different. Give each area you’re fishing plenty of time to produce. When you’re satisfied that area isn’t going to produce then move to another likely spot and you’ll catch fish. Favorite redfish baits are live shrimp, mud minnows, finger mullet, menhaden as well dead bait. Dead bait must be fresh. Old dead bait can catch catfish not redfish. Redfish action has pretty consistent during the past week. Fishing should improve as water warms and bait moves in. White shrimp are available in some local bait shops (Adams – but might you want to call ahead). There have been several catches of seatrout reported. Large seatrout are on the move and be caught in the creeks with live shrimp.

Starting on the 18th we’ll have a negative tide on low through the 24th. The highs are less than 8 feet. Should be good tides for redfish and sheepshead. The seatrout bite should be picking up.

Good Fishing! Capt. Jack McGowan

Well March is here! Strong winds can muddy waters. When winds lay fishermen are likely to catch seatrout, redfish or stripers. Locl live shrimp is available from area bait shops but call ahead some shrimpers aren’t open or might have a difficult finding bait. Redfish are in the creeks but aren’t plentiful due small of amounts of bait. Although large redfish have been caught fishig deep holes around around docks with figer mullet. Redfish feed primarily on fiddler crabs. When crabs aren’t on the mud banks fishing will likely be slow. Water temperature is warming with temperatures close to 60 degree seatrout, redfish and stripers will likely become more active during the next few weeks. A typical March pattern is one the fishing is good the next day fishing might be off. March winds can muddy water reducing visibility to inches making fishing difficult. Look for clean water, bait (bait fish) and no porpoises and you’re likely in a fishy area. March offer some excellent trout fishing. When the opposite happens the water is too clear try live a finger mullet shrimp or mud minnow. Some fishermen will tie up to five feet of fluorocarbon directly to their line, a split shot can keep bait close to the bottom. You’ll be surprise a large mud minnow (with no weight)will swim to the bottom seaking shelter. If a fish doesn’t smack a large free swimming mud minnows then there’s likely no fish in the vicinity.

There have been reports stripers are on the move. The DNR pulled 71 stripers in one sampling (about a week). Smaller stripers those in the five to seven pound will start getting active. Count on these fish to be on the move searching for food till they for cooler water in coming weeks.

Good Fishing! Capt. Jack McGowan