Wendy Coates is holding up a nice scamp grouper that she caught while bottom fishing at the Savannah snapper banks.
2016 Inshore Fishing Clinics
February 20, 2016 Saturday in classroom
$90.00 per person
Continental breakfast and lunch included
Place: Tubby’s Tank House 2909 River Drive, Thunderbolt, Georgia 31404
Time: 8:00 AM till 2:00 PM
February 21, 2016 Sunday on inshore boats in the water
$125.00 per person
Time: 8:00AM till12:00 NOON
Snacks and drinks provided by Captain Judy
Place: Miss Judy Charters dock
202 Wilmington Island Road
Savannah, Georgia 31410
Inshore Creeks, Rivers, Sounds, and Beachfronts!
Whatever you do don’t forget that dip net!
While bottom fishing in the sound with a whiting steak we hooked up this trophy red fish. As you can see the dip net is definitely needed for this fish! The bottom line is always having your dip net handy!
The creeks, rivers, and sounds have been holding lots of spotted sea trout; red fish of all sizes from rats to trophies, and a pretty good mix in of flounder. The most reports from fishermen that I get at this time of the year when it comes to flounder go like this: The flounder was so big that it would not fit into my dip net! This usually boils down to fact the fishermen most likely tried to pull the flounder into the boat without the aid of the net. It is a known fact that the lips, when a hook is involved, on most flounder will not hold its weight. The bottom line is the hook normally pulls out or the mouth or lips tare allowing the flounder to slip right back to where it was sitting in ambush in the first place. Here’s a tip you can use from someone that has made this mistake many times over. If the fish on the hook is a nice one, you want it in your cooler, and you just don’t want to talk about the one that got away I suggest getting out your dip net.
Captain Matt Williams inshore fishing plight went right!
Douglas C Grade (Alabama) and his son Douglas (Minnesota) while fishing with Captain Matt Williams had what any fisherman would call a “Bonus Catching Day!” This father son duo caught lots of everything from red fish to spotted sea trout to flounder to shark to …need I say more?!
Savannah River Bite!
Back in the real old days my father and I fished in the Savannah River a lot. However, we only fished this area when we could not get offshore due to rough sea conditions. And here’s another thing we fished for anything that would bite while fishing out of our 31 foot boats. So if you take what we use to do back then and what fishermen are doing now it all boils down to one heck of a fish catching opportunity!
Savannah River Bite!
The river bite has turned on with fishermen catching everything from red fish to spotted sea trout to flounder to striped bass aka rock fish to largemouth bass to black drum to catfish! Need I say more?
Inshore night fishing
Captain Garrett Ross and his father Phil stepped out to do a little night fishing. As you can see it was a very successful night. Just so you know…this is what they kept not what they caught! They started releasing fish as soon as they had the amount they wanted to keep. This is what I call “insuring for future catches!” These fish were caught while using DOA shrimp patterns, 3” Gulps swimming mullet, and brown screws tails rigged on jig heads!
For those fishermen that prefer darkness over daylight fishing this is the perfect time of the year to give it a try. Most all isolated dock lights will hold the interest of some sort of bait, which in turn brings on one heck of a top water bite. Best baits are DOA’s artificial shrimp patterns rigged on 1/8 to ¼ jig heads and small Rapala Pinns series of floating/diving lures. For fishermen that prefer the live bait such as shrimp or mud minnows these baits will also work. Best procedures for working a dock light can be quickly ascertained by pitching and retrieving a few lures in different directions or placing bait rigged under a cork up current of the light. Bites should be consistence for about 15 to 20 minutes and then it will be time to move on or take a break giving the fish time to regroup uninterrupted.
Artificial Reefs
The King Mackerel Winter Run has arrived!
The time frame for this fishing event usually last until the first week of December.
Steve Boney fishes the J Buoy
I received a very interesting catching report from Steve Boney. While navigating under foggy conditions alone on his boat “Miss Lazzy” Steve decided to take a ride to the artificial Reef J Buoy. And his report was a simple one…he caught some nice king mackerel and little tunny….the bottom line is this..when you can go fish… no matter what …GO!
Once arriving to the J Buoy Steve started out his fishing day by live lining Spanish sardines, which worked on both kings and little tunny. However, when the live bait ran out Steve pulled out his miracle bait. He started trolling a blue top yellow side lure, which also worked. It seems no matter what he did he got hooked up!
2015 Grouper Season will be open until December 31
With the grouper season 2015 open until December 31 you still have time to catch. Although this has not been a great grouper catching year fishermen still have this month to end it with a big rod bending bang. Large gags are known for migrating into shallow water during this time of the year. In the shallow department artificial reefs located in 35 to 90 feet of water are stopping off staging places. The best places to fish on the artificial reefs are the places where you have wrecks such as the barges, battle tanks, subway cars, ships, tugs, and dredges. These fish prefer these areas, because they can move in and out of structure feeding on those smaller fish that feel safe inside. Grouper not only takes advantage of its camouflage of blending in, but also its ability to get into tight spots. I always suggest using live bait when targeting grouper. No respectable large fish, at least most of the time, is going to leave an already target rich feeding environment for the likes of something that may or may not be worth its travels.
Savannah Snapper Banks
It’s Miller Time!
Christopher Miller while visiting with his father David Miller caught a big amberjack. And it fought and fought and fought! (Much more next week on their trip!)
Wendy doubled up with to nice trigger fish!
November 7, 2015 Saturday
Captain Ryan Howard of Miss Judy Charters scores again big time!
Here’s what they caught and here’s what they kept!
Please meet the Vindicator’s Awesome Fishing Team!
Captain Ryan Howard, Wendy Coates, Captain Garrett Ross, Scott Simmons, Amanda Hyde, and Daniel Owsley
Captain Ryan Howard of Miss Judy Charters knows his fish! Take a look at the photo above..this is from one day at the Savannah Snapper Banks…let’s see… there is lobsters, gag grouper, scamp grouper, triggerfish, almaco jack, Mahi Mahi, king mackerel, vermilion snapper, black fish, and I bet if I looked harder there were some I didn’t list! Congratulations on a great day of fishing!
Amanda Hyde holding a nice amberjack!
Captain Garrett Ross holding a nice king mackerel!
Fishing reports will be back to the normal starting next week!
Thanks for reading! Captain Judy
Captain Judy Helmey
912 897 4921
www.missjudycharters.com
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