Coastal River Charters

A warm trend, for last couple of weeks, has meant rising water temperatures. This means shrimp are still available. Despite shrimp in the rivers only Bandy’s and Larrys’ Bait & Tackle are opened for business. Shrimp can be plentiful one day and gone the next. Despite the abundance today. It’s likely shrimp could become scare in the next few weeks. If your fishing trip is dependent on shrimp you might want to the call ahead to make sure shrimp are available. Bandy’s number is 912-354-6444. The last number for Larry’s is 272-7339. Larry does carry live finger mullet when he’s able to find them. Finger mullet is an excellent bait for those targeting stripers!

Fishing success last week has been mixed . Small tides and gentle drifts helped some types of fishing and hindered fishing dependent on moving water. Small tides and gentle drift can mean a slow seatrout bite. On the other hand even though action was slow there were several large seatrout landed as well as lots of small ones. Some fishermen have limited out while most were catching some fish. With water temperature in the high 50′s to low 60′s and fetish fish (small fish that steal a bait) are out and about.

Small tides and slow drifts were ideal for sheepshead fishing! As water cool down and the bite for most fish slows sheepshead action is heating up! Sheepshead for the most part are thought of as a tricky fish to catch. On days with a slow drift the sheepshead fishing could be a good fish to target. It’s possible to not only catch quality fish but have lot s of bites! Most fishermen prefer to fish around slack water. There have been several reports of good catches of sheepshead last week.

Redfish can be found along mudflats and in spots that poise the least amount of amounts of danger from porpoises and humans. The more disturbed fish are the more likely they are to seek new areas of refuge. Creeks that are rarely accessed and are holding bait can be likely spots for redfish to hold. Winter is the time of year to see large schools of reds. Large schools of fish don’t necessarily mean large catches. These fish are easy to spook. This time of year clear, cold, slow moving water can make fishing challenging. Longer casts and artificials can work well! The best artificials are usually soft plastics like DOA shrimp and jerk worms. Any unnatural noise can send a school of redfish scurrying. It’s not unusual for winter redfish to honker down. Blind casting can and does produce fish. Far more redfish are caught by blind casting than sight casting. Nonetheless, be on the look out for anything unusual in the water: a push of water, bait popping out of the water, or nervous water. Likely those sights and sounds are signs of redfish. As always keep only what you intend to eat and release the rest. Going light on your take of redfish or practicing catch and release is always a good idea.Tides for the coming are building. Could mean a good seatrout bite as tide build. Anticipate the best bite just before a front arrives and a couple of days after a front has passed. We’re continuing to catch some nice seatrout and reds. Winter is a great time to target sheepshead. Striper action while not hot should produce some large fish as the winter progresses!

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Don’t forget next Miss Judy’s Inshore School is Jan. 27th . Call Miss Judy for more information and to register @ 912.897-2478. Lots of fun and good fishing information!

Thanks again! Capt. Jack McGowan

Some seatrout and redfish are being caught but the bite is slowing. Seatrout are scattered. Nonetheless it’s still possible to for good catches! As water temperature drops seatrout will avoid strong currents. Fish are cold blooded (meaning its body temperature is regulated by the environment). As water temperature drops so does their metabolism. Seatrout can be found where they will expend little energy. Likely areas to find seatrout will be in or near marsh grass and out of direct current. Seatrout can also be found well upriver and deep. Seatrout are looking for favorable areas where they expend little energy and where there is bait. This time of the year fishing rips and strong currents will likely not produce fish. Lighten your tackle and fish upriver and deep or along marsh banks. The best marsh banks are those out of direct current. Anticipate fishing to be slower in winter. Redfish can be around mud flats. This year seems to be little off for reds. You might want to concentrate on seatrout or sheepshead. There have been several reports both inshore and offshore of good catches of sheepshead. The best bite for sheepshead is usually on small tides. Fishermen usually will fish one hour on either side of tide. The better fishing is usually on low water although high water can produce good catches as well. Striper action has been only fair. Fishermen are complaining the flood gates in silting in and that the water dynamics of the Back River are changing. This same complaint has been lodged for the past few years. The word is the better striper fishing is in the main river. Those fishing the main river have lots of structure to fish: rocks, docks, trees and remnant structure. The main bait of choice for most targeting stripers is still shrimp. Occasionally there will be a catch of 30 or more fish in the five to seven pound range but river the last few years is losing its consistency. Not many fishermen are taking these fish. The changing bite appears to have more to due with water flow. Most striper fishermen are catching their fish in the main river and further up the river.

Don Adams, of Adams Bait Shop in Thunderbolt, so far is still able to find shrimp. Donny is having to ride south to find bait. Donny is at the extent of his range. As long as the weather stays mild Donny will likely have bait. Bait shops further south sometimes will be able to find bait after the bait has left local waters. The seatrout bite has been scattered. Some redfish action. A few stripers some big ones. Allen, from River Supply in Thunderbolt, said this week there more reports of sheepsheads being caught both inshore and offshore.

Don’t forget Miss Judy’s first of two Inshore schools will be held at Tubbys ‘Tankhouse in Thunderbolt, Jan. 13., 2007. Hope to see you there and look forward to sharing some adventures and lessons learned of the past season. Hope this of help! For information or to sign up for Miss Judy’s Fishing Schools call 912-89-2478.

Good Fishing! Capt. Jack McGowan