Coastal River Charters

Aug 18, 2010

No doubt the story is the heat! Fishing during the summer typically means beginning and ending day early. Generally the best fishing is thought to be during the early morning hours. Nonetheless, those venturing out during the afternoon could find some outstanding fishing! Fish and fishermen are creatures of habit. If an area has received little or no pressure during the afternoon for several weeks you could find yourself in unexpected fishing bonanza. Granted fishing during a summer afternoon has its own problems: afternoon pop up thunderstorms and a strong east sea breeze. On the other hand there will afternoons that just prefect with likely not a sole in sight. Before you get all primed remember that afternoon fishing is problematic depending on the weather.

As Labor Day draws near the flounder bite is picking up! Flounder will readily take a shrimp, a finger mullet or mud minnow. Also don’t forget a simply white curled tail grub is another excellent flounder bait! Last week as tides intensified fish were harder to find. Fishermen fishing spots with clean water caught some nice redfish and flounder! Even some triple tails have pushed onto the flats. Triple tail like cobia or kingfish are likely best caught on the change of the tide. While the number of triple on the flats could be interesting these fish are caught by accident while fishing for redfish.

Lots of little redfish on the flats. Best action is generally found fishing close to the grass. One suggestion if you are catching lots of little redfish release your fish on the side closest to grass. This thought is the fish might quickly find marsh and not fall prey to a dolphin. An occasional sea turtle can be seen popping its head out of the water. These are curious creatures and can mistakenly eat your shrimp. If one pops up where you’re fishing let it pass before casting. The probability of hooking one is low but it can happen. Another creature to watch for are dolphins. Many boaters fail to slow down. Even it this creature is more than capable of getting out your way slowing down could make its day a little nicer. In recent days there have a few manatees sighted in our waters. Like dolphin give these creatures a wide berth if spotted. A tell tale sign of a manatee is something that looks like a hole in water. Try to avoid running over what anything that looks like a hole in the water.

Good sea trout action up and down the coast! Most of these fish are between 12 and 12 1/2 inches, a little small. Nonetheless a great sign for the fall! Some bigger seatrout being caught. The seatrout bite is still off. The ladyfish around 13 inches are on flats. These small ladyfish are a great bait for shark and tarpon! Typically if you are fishing a ladyfish you going catch something big!

The whiting bite while not red hot is still productive with some whiting being found close to the sandbars. Some nice sized spanish on beachfront.

Cast netters are finding lots of small shrimp in the backwaters. Try casting closer to the sounds for the larger shrimp. Plenty of larger the shrimp close to the sound have red legs so they on the move. Just as in fishing “fish have tails”, “shrimp have tails”. This means shrimp like fish will be on move. As the fall progresses look for more shrimp and fish in the back waters.

Tides for the remainder of the week look pretty nice! The heat will likely be the big factor. Drink plenty of water. If the heat begins to get to you my suggestion is turn on the Yamaha air conditioning (pull anchor and start motoring), wipe your face and head with a cool moist cloth and head in. Typically the bite slows during the heat of the day.

Hope this of interest and help!

*****Mark your calendar for Thursday Sep 2nd. 6:30 to 7:30pm for “A Fall Inshore Fishing Seminar presented by Capt. Jack McGowan” at the Bahia Bleu Marina hosted by the Bahia Bleu Marina and Freedom Boat Club.*****

Please contact Ron or Susie at marina for ticket information 912.354.2283.

Fish On! Capt. Jack McGowan

Aug 02, 2010

A friend, Capt.” Wild Bill Jarrell” has said every day the Blue Ridge Mountains are different shade of blue. What does this have to with fishing? Nature is constant change. It is most obvious when seeing areas close beach that have dramatically changed in a matter of weeks. The bite has changed as well. Seatrout that were scare a few weeks ago are now popping in interesting numbers. Most of these fish are between 12 to 15 inches. Lots of first year redfish can be close to marsh grass or oyster rakes. Most of the little reds are between 11 and 13 inches. Definitely another good sign for fishing in the coming weeks! In recent days we have caught some dandy reds on the flats. We have been finding these fish mostly on the high outgoing tide.

Whiting which were scare a few weeks ago are also present in interesting numbers. Some of well known drops are not producing many fish other drops are doing fine. Similarly the shark bite is hot in some places and cold in others. The key is finding water that has what the fish want. Usually that means food. When you area has an abundant food source the fish will likely be there.

Last week there were several tarpon jumped and a few that were caught. Most of the tarpon were caught or hooked up on baits not consider the norm: chunks of whiting, dead pogies, ladyfish and mullet. On some days fishermen lately have struggled finding large ocean menhaden. Large ocean menhaden is usually considered the tarpon bait of choice by most Savannah fishermen. Consequently fishermen are reaching in their bag of tricks. Fishing a whiting, a ladyfish, a mullet or dead pogie is an effective way to fish for tarpon when large pogies are available. The tarpon bite while not awesome is again interesting. Typically the average is seven sharks for a shot at a tarpon. Right now the average looks about right. Those targeting tarpon could likely get a hook up or two in a tides worth of fishing.
Fishing action around some of the outer sand bars can be non stop! Lots of big sand bar and black tip sharks as well as and massive rays.

Despite the heat fishing has been good! Lots of action for those targeting redfish and seatrout. Despite lots of undersized fish fishermen should be able to catch plenty of legal sized fish.

Tides for the coming are building with the high tide Sunday evening at 8.5 feet. The bite will likely be good all week as tides build. With water temperature hovering around 90 degrees ocean fish such spanish mackerel can be found close to the beach. Best chances of success during the summer is usually early in the morning before the day heats up.

Hope this report has been of interest and help!

Fish On!

Capt. Jack McGowan