The bite this winter has been surprising. I never remember hearing of limits of sea trout in February. Earlier in the week there were reports of some limits of sea trout and redfish in the middle of the coast. During the winter it possible to have good catches in the heads of creeks, sloughs and on the flats. When a front passes through and conditions warm the bite can turn on. Generally fishing on new and full moons can be challenging due to strong currents and debris in the water. As conditions warm and water cleans up the bite can turn on.
South of Savannah bait shrimpers are finding shrimp. Shrimpers in Savannah haven’t been as fortunate. Although some recreational fishermen have found shrimp in deep holes. Mud minnows, dead bait and fiddler crabs are good winter baits for redfish, sea trout and sheepshead.
There have been good reports of inshore sheepshead action with little reported offshore. As winter progresses the offshore bite will heat up. Earlier this winter some of the offshore wrecks were producing good sheepshead catches.
Last Saturday with water temperature reading 48 degrees we hooked and caught some channel cats, a black drum and a couple of reds (1 – 27 inches) and a large sea trout. With a few days in the 70’s the bite turned on south of Savannah.
Typically on the Georgia coast the bite heats up south of Savannah as conditions warm the bite moves northward. To hear of limits of sea trout in February this is pretty unusual but enjoy it.
By mid March its not unusual to be on good sea trout and redfish bite in Savannah. We’ll likely have a couple more cold fronts passing through. As the fronts pass through and conditions warm the bite can turn on. Spring is around the corner. With good catches of sea trout reported already south of Savannah it likely wont be long before we’re on a sea trout bite. Usually whiting are the first fish to show up in the rivers and sounds followed by sea trout. Redfish are year round fish. There are reports of a good inshore sheepshead but this will likely switch to an offshore bite as winter progresses.
I hope this of interest and help.
Thank you vey much!
Fish On!
Jack
Capt. Jack McGowan
Coastal River Charters
912.441.9930
