Late Fall Inshore Report Savannah, GA../Hilton Head Island S.C.
Fishing on the coast has been good! We’ve been experiencing some of the best redfish and sea trout fishing of the season. On a recent outing with a young father and young son we caught sea trout after sea trout on live shrimp under a popping. We missed the first fish. Then the shrimp flew off the hook. The rod was put in the rod holder only to have a nice sea trout take the bare gold hook. What then proceeded was fish after fish. It can happen like this during the fall but just quickly as the bite appears it can stop and a drop that was red hot one day can be ice cold the next.
The seasons are changing. Cold fronts can quickly shut the bite down. Bait shrimpers in Savannah are usually open till the first of year. On Wednesday December 9th., 2020 bait shrimpers were coming in no shrimp or very little. What bait shrimpers are finding can be a good general indicator on fishing. That said as cold fronts pass through and conditions warm fishing can turn again. Some years we’ll have some of the best fishing at the end of the year.
As conditions cool down on the coast bait and fish will move towards the heads of creeks. Fishing a head of creek can produce sea trout, redfish and even possibly some stripers. One friend has commented when folks are saying they are catching fish in winter they must be bluffing. This is high bluff in the back of a creek. The bluffs provide structure fish can congregate on. Water temperature is likely a little more favorable and there could be a food source for fish. Docks in cool or cold can hold fish as well. Small shrimp will congregation on dock growth. Some fishermen using ultra tackle and small micro baits and catch some nice sea trout this way, This is definitely a specialty type of fishing. Another simple cold water trick is put just a piece of dead shrimp on jig and letting in sit on the bottom. Slow fishing can work up some fish in cold water.
Fishing has been good but the seasons are changing and the bite can come and go quickly. In cold conditions fish the heads of creeks, docks, flats that have warmed and area that have warmed by the sunlight.
I hope this is of interest and help.
Fish On!
Jack
912.441.9930
Capt. Jack McGowan
Coastal River Charters
