• Savannah Fishing Report - GA

    Miss Judy Charters
    http://www.missjudycharters.com
  • Miss Judy Charters provides Inshore fishing, Offshore fishing, and Gulf Stream fishing charters. Whether it's sport fishing for the serious angler or a leisurely day for the family, we have the trip for you. We have been fishing in Savannah, Tybee and adjacent waters for over 50 years. We have the knowledge for your inshore and offshore fishing adventure.

  • Savannah Fishing Report - GA

    Alli “The Kid” DeYoung of Miss Judy Charters is holding up a nice scamp grouper! It seems since the genuine red snapper population is so healthy our baits don’t make it to the grouper strike zone that much! Why? Those genuine red snapper get to the bait first way before the grouper.



    However, there is even more to worry about when targeting grouper! Why? In the pecking order in regards to “Fishing Cities” upper water column feeding ocean fish’s goes something like this...the first fish that swims and guards the city is going to be the amberjack better known as reef donkeys. Now if you’re live bait happens to pass through this school of fish unscathed then your next feeding obstacle is going to be the genuine red snapper pack. This fish feeds side to side and up and down. If you are not sure how a fish generally feeds I suggest giving the location of the eyes a real look over. For instance: Amberjack...their eyes are big and located side to side, which boils down to upper water feeding pattern fish! Genuine red snapper ....their eyes side to side and located deeper on the face, which means upper water.

    However, they are also capable of feeding around and into structure. So this fish is an upper water feeder, but towards the bottom area not the mid surface column! Last, but certainly not least is the grouper family, which are definitely bottom feeders. Taking into consideration the location of their eyes this is a fish that basically looks up to feed. So therefore this fish can be considered a serious watcher before it feeds on it selected prey. Now I know you know that the grouper does not just sit on the bottom of the ocean floor. They move about as all other fish. However, they feed more looking up from down under than not!


    So now for the question that more fishermen ask when grouper fishing ..how do I get my bait pass the upper water column feeding fish to those that feed down under? Pure blind luck!


    August 2019 Fishing Forecast


    It is all about bait mate!


    August is the month that separates the true fishermen from those that only claim to be. You really have to pull out all of the stops when you want to turn fishing into catching during this month. The old saying the “Early bird catches the worm” really comes into play during this month. It’s best to fish early, because this is one of those months that once the sun gets straight up the fisherman frying process begins.


    The sinking of the cork!




    Red fish, spotted sea trout, flounder, whiting, and sharks can be caught just about anywhere while fishing the sounds and beachfronts. The best baits are going to be the lively ones such as shrimp, mud minnows, finger mullet, and small yellow tail. The reason live baits are a good idea is that they do all the work for you. This just means their movement while rigged up gets the fish’s attention. All you have to do is cast rigged bait into considered strike zone and possibly re-adjust the float’s depth, but only if no hits occur after “the float by” takes place. A lot of fishermen like float fishing and since I am a fisherman myself I can tell you why this is a natural born fact.. “We all just love to see the sinking of the cork!”



    While inshore fishing with Captain Garrett Ross of Miss Judy Charters on Saturday
    July 27, 2019 Garrett Tyrie Rozier Atlanta, Georgia and his wife Lashonda had a grand catching, keeping, and releasing day! The sun was shining when they departed and on their return it started pouring 200 yards from the dock. Tyrie said it was “Good Luck!” And Lashonda his wife and fishing partner said, “I wish I had my raincoat!” Tyrie is one of our customers that really love to fish! The best news is that he loves fishing with Captain Garrett and me! (Captain Judy) He has already been fishing with us this year more than several times! And it is only July! What does this mean? Tyrie will be back in a few weeks!






    While inshore fishing with Captain Garrett Ross of Miss Judy Charters on Saturday
    July 27, 2019 Garrett Lashonda Rozier and her husband Tyrie of Atlanta, Georgia had a grand catching time. She is holding a nice red fish, which put up a strong fight on light tackle!


    Casting, catching, baiting, and cocktails! The best news about these baits is most of them can be caught by you. There is more good news, it’s also a good time to catch your own bait and you might just have enough left over for supper. The secret to casting and catching shrimp, which could also turn into an afternoon shrimp cocktail, is a simple one. I suggest working the grass line as the shrimp first come out on the falling tide and when they start heading back to the safety of the marsh on the rising tide. I also suggest making sure that the grass line that you are working has a mud bottom and not oyster rakes! However, last month proved to us inshore fishermen that live shrimp was hard to purchase as well as hard to catch. The shrimp just are just not being found in the creeks where we normally catch them. So our captains have been depending on live mud minnows and finger mullet as their go too baits. Peanut menhaden is also another go too live bait that works great at this time of the year. However, menhaden is not as hardy as the finger mullet and mud minnow. Since July was a bad catching shrimp month we are hoping that August will be better. Don’t waste all of your fish day trying to catch a darn shrimp, give it a few tries, and move on.



    It was one of those kind of fish days where we fishermen were not the only ones fishing!
    July 29, 2019 Monday with Captain Judy Helmey Miss Judy Too with Captain Kathy Brown and Alli “The Kid” DeYoung!


    Who were they? Brothers, brother-in-laws, son-in laws, grandfathers, fathers, sons, and friends that were also considered parts of the family “kamping and vacationing” together!


    What is Kamping? It is what’s referred, at least most of the time, as camping! However, it is where all participates have motor homes and trailers fully rigged with all the comforts of home, but on wheels!

    From left to right: Todd Carroll, Travis Bryant, Chad Whitesides, Peewee Whitesides, Jeff Jones, Howard graves Birmingham, Alabama Jimmy Hope, Woody Neely (all others fishers York, South Carolina) What part did the fishermen play? They were the fishers, the fast reel-ers, the cooler openers, and the watchers! It is my opinion that this fishing team did a grand job of group participation!

    Front center: Alli “The Kid” DeYoung and Captain Kathy Brown of Miss Judy Charters What part did they play? They were the screamers, the gaffers, the leader pullers, the assistors, and the hook removers!


    What did this group catch besides a bumpy boat ride to the fishes? Well, everyone is holding toothy monsters better known as a barracuda! However, there are always some exceptions and here they are: Todd Carroll, which is holding the business end of a king mackerel and what’s left after a toothy monster had lunch! Jeff Jones is holding a king mackerel that he managed to reel to the boat with all parts intact! It was one of those kind of fish days where we fishermen were not the only ones fishing!


    By-Catch Bait Opportunity! I am always talking about using live shrimp as bait and all of the advantages that come along with it. As I mentioned many times over all fish like the taste of a shrimp and in some cases it doesn’t even have to be alive to get their attention. Our inshore captains have come to one conclusion when it comes to the ways of live shrimp. It seems that the shrimp that you catch in your cast net are much hardier and will live longer in your live well especially during these hot water times. Live shrimp that are caught while using a dragging net don’t live as long. It has come to our attention that most of these shrimp do not make it back to their full moving potential especially after the shock of being caught this way. So you end up with a lot of fresh dead almost live shrimp. And by the way these over the top hot water conditions are also a big killing factor. I have always said the hardier the bait the better the fish bite! There is also another plus when casting your net to catch you own live shrimp and I call it “by-catch bait opportunity!”



    While casting for shrimp you will also catch some great juvenile bait fish. Your bi-catch can be anything from a mullet to a pin fish to a menhaden to many other small bait fish. I suggest throwing these fry’s right into your live well with the shrimp. The absolute best way to rig up your by-catch is to lip hook it! And you can present it under a popping cork or a traditional adjusted float. All baits from live shrimp to small fish work great when placed on the bottom with a Carolina style rig. If you don’t want to hold your rod, I suggest using a small circle hook, which will almost insure a more solid hookup. When using a Caroling rig I suggest casting your bait into to place, letting it sit at least 2 to 3 minutes, then raise your rod, reel about 5 turns, let it sit, wait, and repeat. I suggest whatever you do that your bring a dip net to this most likely flounder catching rodeo! It is a known fact that most flounder are lost at the boat while trying to lift them into the boat without using the aid of a dip net! The only good thing about losing a fish at the boat is that it is easier to say “it was a big one for sure!”


    The real deal artificial bait proven by number of fish bites delivered! For those that prefer to use “artificial only” bites can also happen. I always like using DOA shrimp patterns during this time. You can use them as rigged straight out of the package. Best method here is to tie a 3 to 4 foot leader of 12 to 20 pound test to a popping cork and cast into place. Let the tide take the float and come up with your own popping the float sequence. For instance: single pop of the cork, pause, double pop of the cork, pause, and then repeat. Once you trigger the fish’s interest with your sequence of pops not only can bites happen, but you might just be able to call the ball. This means to know just about when and where a solid hit might occur. It’s best to fish this rig in 5 to 6 foot of water. Here’s another tip when fishing more than 6 foot of water I suggest using a small adjustable float rig with a 2/0 Kahle hook. Remove the DOA weight and hook from artificial shrimp pattern then I suggest balancing this bait on your hook, which while waving in the current will look just like the real deal. https://www.doalures.com




    Yes this is a nice cobia that couldn’t resist by two hook bottom rig, which was made adding my electron fish attractor! Just so you know the fish attractor is neither a lure nor bait. It is merely an addition to lures or baits that you are already are using. And as a fisherman I already know what I am using as a lure or bait already works. However, if you want to add to your already so call prefect picked lure or bait I suggest giving the Electron Fish Attractor a serious try! It worked for me and obviously is will definitely work for you! Believe me the fish like it at first and then after getting the hook, well not so much! www.lifesparkfishingtackle.com





    Offshore fishing report


    Beachfronts and shipping channel!


    Trolling options near shore


    Ocean menhaden have arrived and can be caught while casting your net around beachfronts and as far out as 3 miles into the ocean. The secret to finding porgies also known as menhaden is to keep an eye to the sky for diving pelicans. Menhaden are called “Pelican candy!” This is the one bait that works when used live or dead. It also works when used as chum meaning cut up or smashed up. When using live menhaden I suggest light tackle rigs made with stinger hooks fished around the beachfronts and shipping channels. Big kings are known for migrating into these areas during the month of August. Steep drops such as those located in shipping channels (Savannah River Channel) hold lots of bait standing opportunities. King and Spanish mackerel know exactly how this feeding drill works. Slow trolling in these areas usually yield big king mackerel bites. If you see Spanish mackerel on the surface it’s very likely that large kings are holding in the outskirts. Another good baiting option is to catch a Spanish mackerel, rig it up quick, and let it free swim.



    Captain Kathy Brown of Miss Judy Charters is holding up a nice just landed spanish mackerel that was caught while trolling a Clark spoon as bait.

    Artificial Reefs

    Toothy Monsters!

    Trolling for Spanish mackerel, king mackerel, and barracuda is very good during this time. Best trolling lures for Spanish mackerel are going to be the ever-popular 0 and 00 Clarke spoons. Or any sort of pitching lure that once on the retrieve looks and acts like a glass minnow or juvenile squid. Best trolling spoons for king mackerel are 1 1/2 to 4 1/2 inch Drone spoons. As far as best color I have always preferred old school silver. However, that is only because that was the only color they used to have. So if you want to pull a colored Drone I suggest black, chartreuse, red, or royal blue. (With or without flash bling) When it comes to getting that prefect barracuda bite it can happen while trolling for Spanish and king mackerel. However, this toothy monster will also attack at and hit trolled surgical tubes. We like using Sea Striker cuda tube CT-12 (12 inch) surgical tube with 2/0 heavy duty saltwater treble and CT-14 (14 inch) rigged with two hooks. And once you see how these tube lures are put together you then can purchase 6 feet package SST6-(color) or 24 feet bulk pack SSTB-color and build your own. This is the way us charter boat captains go. The tubes come in green, red, pink, and yellow colors. And the best news is you could catch just about any kind of mid column to surface swimming fish with this crazy acting tube lure.



    From left to right: David Goslin Savannah Georgia, Alli “The Kid” DeYoung, and Captain Kathy Brown (both from Miss Judy Charters) David was part of Will Teljon’s fantastic fishing team!


    Please meet David, which I nicknamed the “Silent fisherman!” Why? We never heard much out of him! He quietly asked for bait and wasn’t impatient! We also never knew ahead of time when he would need a dip net or a gaff! However, this is what we did know after the first hour of watching him, David could really FISH! And he caught some really nice genuine red snapper on red snapper keeping day! This is just one of them!





    Al Holzinger Savannah, Georgia is holding two of his favorite fish. In his right hand he is holding a very nice genuine red snapper and in the other hand he is griping a trigger fish by the tail! Al was part of the 2019 Will Teljon’s fantastic fishing team that goes fishing with me (Captain Judy) every year. And of course, since these pictures are being taken at the dock you must already know it was during the 2019 genuine red snapper keeping season!
    Savannah Snapper Banks
    Bottom fishing offshore report
    The bottom bite at the Savannah Snapper Banks is good during this time. However, to catch big fish you have to use the right big bait. Larger fish such as grouper, red snapper, cubera snapper, amberjack, and cobia want live bait. Best live baits are menhaden, sand perch, rock bass, scup, pin fish, and ruby red lips. It’s best to make sure that your live well circulation pump is working properly and that the filter is clean. You want your bait as lively and not shocked. When a fish is shocked it basically does look stressed and has a white milky appearance. I suggest lip hooking any of these bait with a 13/0 circle hook rigged up on a Carolina style rig. As far as weight I always use a 3 to 8 ounce egg weight and an 8 to 30 foot 80/100 pound test monofilament leader. I suggest sending this rig to the bottom, which anchors the line on the bottom. This type of rig also sometimes referred as a “Carolina Style Rig” allows the bait to seemly swim free putting it right in the big fish’s strike zone. As far as where to put your bait, well, at this point it’s all about Location, Location, Location!
    And of course before heading out I always suggest giving http://safmc.net/ and take a look see.
    I suggest if you are fishing offshore whether it at the artificial reefs or all the way out to the blue waters of the stream, you should have a copy of these rules and regulations on your boat. And you also need to know that state and federal regulations are not always the same…make sure you know the difference.

    By Captain Judy Helmey of Miss Judy Charters
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