Coastal River Charters

Wow! What an unusual winter! Mild conditions are allowing boaters and fishermen more opportunities to be on the water! Seatrout numbers are rebounding! In recent days there been a couple reports of nice catches of seatrout on live shrimp! Redfish catches have been scattered with an isolated big catch or two. Redfish during the winter will come up on the flats.

Redfish are often very skittish due in large part to dolphins. Lots of small bait fish are no longer present. This is part of the cycle of life on the coast. As conditions warm up the marshes, creeks and rivers will once again teem with life. For now life is at slower pace. Water clarity on most days is amazing clear. Couple gin clear water, gentle currents, predation by dolphins, noises from boats and it becomes more apparent why catching wintertime reds requires as much luck as skill. One fisherman reporting a big catch said one boat in the vicinity and the bite would have been blown. This sounds a little over dramatic but its not. Whatever the distance you think is appropriate between boats allow about three times that amount. Lots of time instead of using a push pole or trolling the best strategy is often the simplest, “just stay put”. If fish don’t come through chalk it up to the luck of the day. Then it might be best to fish for seatrout , sheepshead or whiting.

Believe it or not there are some whiting running! Seems early but there are a few whiting showing up in the rivers and along the sandbars. The bite so far is not fast and furious but there is a bite.

Sheepshead will move from inshore to offshore during the winter. The inshore sheepshead appears to have slackened. Those places closest to ocean are the best.
Offshore structures are holding so many sea bass that getting a sheepshead to bite is difficult. That said, there have been several nice catches of offshore sheepshead! Remember for now the sea bass season is closed.

This will sound trite every year is a little different this year is no exception. Enjoy the mild conditions and get on the water!

Fish On!

Capt. Jack McGowan , Coastal River Charters
912.441.9930 www.coastalrivercharters.com

Despite Spring like conditions fishing on the flats been problematic. There are reports of redfish schooling up on the flats. Nonetheless, some fishermen are finding fish in murky water, not a a lot. Exactly what triggers redfish to school is unclear. Lots of fishermen believe if conditions are colder then warmer water on the flats becomes more critical. The factors are likely many. Is it possible to reds on the flats as well up tidal creeks. When nature comes together its likely to find reds on several flats. In general during the winter noise is more critical. Sometimes even a splash of a 1/4 ounce jig and send fish scattering. Winter time reds can in honker down in extremely shallow water. These fish can be easy to overlook and easier to spook. During the winter time this is an excellent time to down size your tackle and fish lighter and lighter. If you fish a 20 or 30 pound super braid with 1/4 ounce jigs you might down size to 10 to 15 pound line an 1/8 jig. Sometimes pitching plastics or a bait with no weight at all can work well! Fish as light as you can comfortably fish is a good option for winter time fishing.

If the bite is hot then switch back to more aggressive baits: chatter, spin and top water. When the bite is slow, as difficult as it seems slow your fishing down match nature. This said as occasional fast crank might pull a quick reaction from a red. In short, match nature. If you aren’t getting results change things up. The number one rule keep your bait in the water more than its in the air.

Looks like this shaping up to a good year for sheepshead! Several boats landed quality sheepshead. When the bite is on its possible to cull your catch and keep few nice one and release the rest. The regulations are likely to change but for now fishermen in federal waters, 3 miles and further, are required to fish circle hooks. A hook that is working nicely is Eagle Claw’s L197G-1/0. The trick with circle hooks is reel down on the fish and not set the hook. Many of the best fishermen preach not to set your hook and to keep your rod moving. This is a topic of endless discussing a firm sensitive rod is helpful in feeling the bite. A rod slow action can be a great seatrout and redfish rod but for sheepshead a little faster action is in order. Lastly, fly fishermen fish most times with their rod tip down. This technique work well for sheepshead as well. A super braid line can also add to your feel.

Looks like a good year for sheepshead shaping up!

Hope this of interest and help!

Capt. Jack McGowan 912.441.9930
Coastal River Charters

Fishing towards the end of 2011 was good! Mild weather allowed for favorable conditions and plenty of fishing opportunities. A few large sheepshead were caught around bridge pilings in Thunderbolt as well a strong bite on some of the near shore wrecks. Fishermen trolling soft plastics for seatrout found success as well. There’s always lots of conjecture on which color to use. In general in dark conditions fishermen are using darker patterns. As light decreases glow plastics can work well. Seatrout are sight feeders. Favorite colors are chartreuse, christmas tree patterns, white and crystal combinations with silver flecks. Big reds on the flats have been scant due perhaps to mild conditions. With colder weather big ocean reds will likely be pushing onto the flats! This is a fun fish to target on light tackle! Over the holidays there were good catches of redfish on structure like dock pilings, the head of creeks and fallen trees! The seatrout bite has been good at times followed by few fish. Fishermen are reporting lots of small seatrout. Small seatrout could be a sign for 2012! With short lived cold fronts pushing quickly then quickly out things look good. Nonetheless, anticipate the seatrout to be inconsistent. Typically seatrout action is scant during the winter. It is possible with mild conditions to have some nice catches. Stripers action has been good! Fishermen targeting stripers are mostly using live baits such as finger mullet and live shrimp as well as pitching white curl tail grubs. For now Adams Bait House still has a supply of shrimp but anticipates to close his shop when customers stop coming. In short if you want a longer supply of shrimp keep purchasing them. Usually Adams will close doors around this time of year and reopen in March. Those throwing cast nets are finding shrimp in deep holes.

When fishing the flats plan your around afternoon low tides. This will allow the flat time to soak up heat from the sun. Reds will push onto the flats seeking warmer water. Fishing a low incoming can be an ideal time to target reds on the flats!

Hope this of interest and help! Fish On!

Capt. Jack McGowan, Coastal River Charters

As 2011 is winding down fishing on the coast is heating up! Its not unusual for some of the best fishing of the year to heat up just before the cold of winter set in. On some year’s the bite will be close to the beach front. On other years the bite will be focused in inland waterways and towards the heads of heads creeks. This year some of best fishing has been close to the beach as well as and on the inside! Mild conditions can mean a prolonged bite. When areas that were holding fish aren’t productive it simply means the bait and fish have moved. Its time to keep looking.

Despite an off year for seatrout in recent days there have been reports of limits being caught close to beach as well some large flounders! Several fishermen are reporting lots of small seatrout. This is a great sign for next year! Seatrout can spawn multiple times during a year. Typically fishermen think of seatrout spawning during the spring and summer months. Given a mild winter its possible for these fish to spawn several times throughout the year. Nature is incredible in its ability to fill in. Less fish means more bait. More bait means it is easier for fish to reproduce. Despite an off year for seatrout were are occasionally catching some seatrout in the two and three pound range. The redfish bite has been pretty good. Live shrimp, finger mullet as well a wide variety of plastics can work well! A Gulp new penny shrimp has been very effective all fall as well mullet patterns.

Water has cleared up following the late November spring tides. The striper bite looks good! Fishermen are finding success pitching flies for stripers! Days when currents aren’t racing are typically the best. Stripers are like seatrout; either they are there or they aren’t. If the striper bite is not on then look for red fish or seatrout. Stripers are an aggressive sight feeding fish. Clean water makes its easier for these fish to feed.

The sheepshead bite has been good and will likely get better as winter approaches! When water conditions are very clear try fishing deep water for sheepshead.

Tides for the coming week look good!

Hope this of interest and help!

Good Fishing! Capt. Jack McGowan 912.441.9930