Inshore fishing
The inshore bite continues to surprise me, due to the fact that the water temps are so darn warm. Believe me, I need to say, “Just plain HOT!” Once again I am giving the inshore bite a pretty good report even if our captains are having to pull out all of the baiting up secrets. It is true those inshore fishermen that think outside of the baiting up box are the ones that are going to have the most luck catching instead of just fishing. So let talk about live baits during the hot times:
Live shrimp when you can keep that alive and well are usually the number one bait that an inshore fish loves to key on. The creeks and rivers are packed with all sizes of these hovering marine creatures and things in the eating department have changed up. So, you know the old saying, “Feast or famine!” Well, when it comes to using live shrimp as bait a triggered hit might not happen unless you used two at a time. Now I know that sounds like an expensive baiting up method, but since there are so many your hooked up shrimp just might not get as much attention. So therefore I suggest going with doubles. The best news is you can bring along your cast net and catch your own.
During this time when casting for your own bait you get the opportunity to catch other baits that are going to work much better than a shrimp. I know I can’t believe I am saying that either! You could find yourself catching finger mullet, small blue crabs, yellow tail, croakers, peanut menhaden and others that just might “match the hatch!” Another live bait that is also working is the so often forgotten about mud minnow, which comes in all sizes from super small to jumbo. When only having the smaller ones I suggest using two. The larger ones, also known as jumbos, will work just fine alone. This is bait is as hardy in the hot months as it is in the cold months.
Using these bait up your chances for catching larger fish. What kind of large fish? Spotted sea trout, red fish, and flounder. What’s the best way to present these off the wall baits? I suggest taking the float out of the rigging up situation and only using the trout sinker, leader, and hook. Or using a Carolina type rig with an egg sinker, swivel, leader, and hook.
Near shore
Savannah River Channel
Photo taken 1970 by a very young Captain Judy Helmey
This is a photo I took in 1970 while fishing in Tybee Roads! The birds are showing us the way! Boy, I love and miss the good old days!
Trolling and strolling!
There have been a few days where the Spanish mackerel having been school in the shipping channel that passes right off the beach at Tybee Island. The shipping channel is also known by us old codgers as “Tybee Roads!” During this time of the year Spanish mackerel are known for schooling and feeding from red 12 all the way to the end of the shipping channel. All the red buoys heading out to the ocean are always on your left and when heading back to shore they should always be on your right. (Thus the saying, “Red right return” was born. All of the red buoys are marking the offshore side of the channel. I always like trolling red side of the channel while zigzag back and forth from the deeper to the shallower side of the channel. School of bait can be found holding on the drop offs. Spanish mackerel become the best ambushers of all times. And here’s the thing, when the Spanish start feeding like this in the channel, so do the large smoker king mackerel. The best when targeting Spanish mackerel is to troll 0 and 00 Clark spoon deep behind #1, #2, or # 3 planners. The best bait when targeting large king mackerel is small Spanish. (Bringing back to light there is always a bigger fish in the sea!)
Artificial Reefs
Captain Kathy Brown is holding a nice trigger fish! Where did she catch it? In the mouth! What did it eat? Small pieces of squid!
Normally during this time of the year the Spanish and King mackerel bite is much more dependable. However, I must report that it has not been so, so far! So with that being said, “When fishing all of the artificial reefs I suggest pulling out all of the baits that ever worked or just doing what I do, KEEP DRAGGING THOSE BAITS AND SOONER OR LATER BITES WILL HAPPEN!
The bottom fishing for black sea bass in 45 to 65 feet of water has almost been non existence. You might catch a few while small ones while bottom bumping. However when it comes to keeping I don’t have not much to report. However, please remember when it comes to bottom fishing you really never know what you might catch!
Savannah snapper banks!
I always say, “If it’s going to be your first grouper it might as well be a big one!” Congratulations Alli!
Photo by Dan DeYoung
Alli smiles for a Scamp Grouper!
While fishing at the Savannah Snapper banks with her father Dan DeYoung Alli caught this nice scamp grouper also known as a broom tail!
This fishing report comes straight from the ocean from Alli DeYoung, contributing editor to Captain Judy’s fishing report!
What a great day of fishing! Daddy and I left the dock at 7:30 am to begin our fishing adventure. While still in the sound, a beautiful sunrise was poking out from behind a storm. The seas were a bit bumpy as we passed thru the cans, but we managed to find a good ride. As we came to the artificial reefs, we made a pit stop to jig up some live bait. There was a small school of bait on top with a few birds working it, but most of our success was found on the bottom. Once we had our fill of Spanish Sardines and Greenies, it was time to get to the Common Area of the Savannah Snapper Banks. In about one hundred feet of water we got all rigged up and lined up our drift to fish. My first drop was a standard double hook rig with squid on both hooks and down to the bottom it went. Within a few minutes it got crushed. I was fighting the fish and wondered what was on the other end, and then as it came to the surface and to my surprise I saw it was a grouper. I yelled to Daddy, “It’s a Grouper! It’s a Grouper!” He looked at me in disbelief; then he saw it for himself and quickly flipped it over into the boat. It was all celebration from there. It was my first grouper ever and a thirteen and a half pounder at that! For the rest of the day we worked the rest of the Common Area and caught six Triggerfish and one Genuine Red Snapper, which was released unharmed back to the wild. When bottom fishing I find it works best to drop the line all the way to the bottom and then reel up a few cranks instead of it continuing to bump on/off the bottom. It gives more feel of a nibbling fish. The ride home was flat calm and beautiful. It was an awesome day fishing and I got to spend it with just my daddy. This was truly a day for the books that I will never forget.
Photo by Alli DeYoung
Sunrise: A beautiful morning in Wassaw sound. Alli DeYoung took the photo on the morning ride out to the Savannah Snapper Banks. Alli and her father Dan went fishing and it ended up being quite a grand catching day!
Photo by Dan DeYoung
Alli DeYoung is holding nice trigger fish that she caught while plain old bottom fishing at the Savannah Snapper banks!
It is time to go, because during the hot water times your chances for catching more fish and multiple species are the best!
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