Capt Judy Savannah Fishing Report Feb 22

 

SAVANNAH, GEORGIA 31410

www.missjudycharters.com

Captain Judy’s email fishjudy2@aol.com

 

Photo by Captain Judy Helmey

This is what a red fish wants during the cold-water times soft artificial bait or live shrimp. Since live shrimp isn’t so available I suggest working the old weed less rigged soft bait. The proof is on the cleaning table. Any one for baked, fried, grilled, or broiled red fish with a used bait cocktail?

 

The inshore waters are cold, but we still have a good red fish bite. The best thing that I can suggest is to pick your fish day according to the weather. If it’s real cold along with windy conditions the red fish are going to be hard to spot and you are going to miserable. Your best bet is sunny days with light winds.

 

These are great soft baits to rig up weed less for red fish in shallow water or in the marsh

 

Best bait is going to be soft bait rigged weed less with some sort of flash. The flash/blade needs to be placed in front of the soft bait so that it looks like your bait is chasing another. The addition of a blade a couple of inches in front of your soft bait is key when it comes to getting a better cold-water bite. This addition will trigger a bite!

 

For those fishermen that don’t like to use artificial I suggest using small adjustable floats with finger mullet or mud minnows. The secret is to cast your bait into the spot, put your rod in the holder, and let the fish eat. When you get a hit don’t set the hook, just pick up the rod, and start to reel. "Reel till you feel and crank don’t yank!"

 

This is a Bass Assassin "red daddy" style of lure. This is not the prefect lure to use when fishing in shallow water or grass, because of it’s exposed hook feature. However, soft bait that you can rig weed less with blade out in front preferably in line works best during cold water time.

 

In other words put a blade in front of this soft bait, which is rigged weed less. This

artificial soft bait is made by ZOOM and it called "golden Bream."

 

This has been a long cold hard winter, which has really slowed fish catching

opportunities down. However, there are still some bite opportunities out there for both inshore and offshore fishermen. Since we are dealing with colder than normal water temperatures the fish bite is going to be light at best. This means no matter what whether you are inshore or offshore your thoughts on baits should always be to use the smallest possible. The reason being is fish are more lethargic than ever. Striking and eating a smaller bait is much more appealing!

 

This fish week started out with inshore fishermen having a high tide in the morning and a falling tide during the afternoon. This tide situation made for good bite opportunity for red fish. The reason being is that by high noon red fish were coming out of the grass almost everywhere. The old red fish is always going to seek areas where the can go into the old stealth mode. Once out of the protection of the marsh the red fish become high up on the dolphin menu. (Mammals) So therefore best places to looking for red fish staging is going to be areas that the dolphin can’t get to. So keeping that in mind it’s that time of the year to do a little riding and looking.

 

Once you find where you think red fish are staging it’s easy to find out if you have picked the right area. All you have to do is to make an unnatural noise while keeping an eye on the area picked. One good noise to make is to pound your foot on the deck. This is certainly a noise that is going to make a red fish move. While doing so look at the area that you have picked and watch for any near surface movement or red fish wakes made. I don’t suggest making a lot of noise, because if you do this is going lessen your chances of getting them to bite after you have scared them to death.

 

Lets assume that you have found an area that has signs of red fish activity. Your best bait is going to be some sort of soft bait rigged weed less that has no weights attached. The reason being is that you want bait that you can cast place, but you don’t want it to make a big splash. Any lure that you use that makes more than three sets of water rings on splash down is way too invasive. However, if this is the case with lure picked this means that you are going to have to wait longer before making a move after landing. I know all this sounds like crazy tips. However, believe me if you have watched red fish as long as I have especially during the wintertime these are things that you had better address especially if you want to have your best chance at any cold-water bite.

 

The bottom line is this, yes the water is below 50 degrees and yes the fish are going to bite light during these times. However, the key phase in that last sentence is the fact that I said, "the bite is going to be light!" This means there is a potential fish bite to be had, but you really have to understand the situation handed. Our situation is not the lack of fish. It’s the absents of warmer water conditions. So therefore with that being said here are a few tips that will get you your best chances at getting that coldwater bite.

 

Before I get started on what’s best I would like to say, "Fishermen that still go fish with situations such as this will be better fishermen for it!" This all boils down to catch a fish you have to understand a little about them. In the warm water times fish are just like us, which means they are moving about more carefree. During warmer water times there is more bait meaning for most fish less opportunity to become part of the food chain. During cold water times there are certain things that you need to keep in mind so as to get your best chances at catching fish.

 

Know a little about the fish that you are targeting

It always best to know about the fish that you are targeting. During the cold times there are certain fish that we should concentrate on. The most popular inshore fish is going to be the old red fish. I think the reason being is that this is a fish that you can see and watch making for an interesting event if they aren’t biting. In my world being able to see is almost as good as catching them, because every time I get to see one in the wild I learn some thing new.

 

 

Photo by Captain Judy Helmey

This is a picture that I took in August 2009 of some red fish as they "stealth-ing up." There are about three nice size red fish that showed up in this picture. However, from all point from the center there are quite a few more red fish that were camera shy. I know that stealth-ing is not listed in the dictionary, but it’s the word that I use when the red fish are just staging and not eating. In this case these red fish were holding as still as this picture. The only time that they moved was when we made an unnatural noise. I stomped on edge of the boat one time and they moved a bit, but not quickly. However, when I made multiple pounding noise all fish moved in cadence.

 

It has always been my opinion that especially during cold water times that you can hear every thing better when on the water. When I am traveling offshore in my boat it seems that when the waves hit the boat that the noise is much sharper. During the warm times I guess the hull is more flexible so therefore some of the noises might be muffled. The bottom line when it comes to cold water fishing is it can be very interesting, but it’s up to you to make it that way!

 

Basket of sheepshead!

 

Jetties on the beachfronts and near shore artificial reefs

For those fishermen that want a solid cold water bite I suggest targeting sheepshead. Your best bait is going to be the purple back fiddler or small mud crab. The bite has been very good. Please don’t venture to these areas without checking the weather conditions out first!

 

I email Spud Woodward, Director of Georgia Department of Natural Resources and

asked if he had any underwater photos of some of the structure at the artificial reefs. And he sent me some great photos. Here’s this week’s special shot! Thank Spud!

 

 

Photo by Spud Woodward

This is a reel ball, which is around 5-ft tall and have a 5-ft by 5-ft hexagonal base. When dry the reef ball weights in around 2,200 pounds. They have holes all over them, which fish can swim in and out of. This is a playground and feeding grounds for all sorts of fish. When I first looked at this picture it appeared to be a big fish with its mouth semi open. A lot of Georgia artificial reefs have had this structure added to them. As you can see in the background of this picture there is another reef ball doing what it does best, which is providing surfaces for marine growth.

There are several ways to fish this site. You can troll over it or you can bottom fish over it. Small as well as large fish can be found in and around this area. As you can see the ocean floor around this structure looks kind of sandy and flat. The bottom line is this if this structure had not been placed here "this area most likely wouldn’t have held the interest of many fish!" Structure is the key, because it provides protection as well as a place to feed. Find and fish structure and you will catch fish!

 

Your best chances when targeting this fish is going to be take a ride to deeper water. I suggest fishing in about 70 to 80 feet over some sort of live bottom area. We have been having somewhat of a bite at the artificial reefs, but it has been hit and miss to say the least! Make the run if you want some catching fun! The best bait is going to be squid and cut fish. Another go bait is going to be any leftover parts and pieces that you have saved in the old Berkley Gulp tub.

 

I know that you already know that this winter seems like it’s never going to end.

However, there are fish catching opportunities out there, but unfortunately it comes along with a long boat ride.

 

 

Photo by Captain Judy Helmey

 

This is good blue water rig set up. The pink lure, which in this rig is the first one is a bird type. When pulled this lure skits across the surface making good noises and movement. The blue/silver lead head pulled behind it is rigged with a single hook, which works great with the addition of ballyhoo. When it’s all said and done the pink lure looks like it being chased by the blue one. It’s a known fact that blue water fish are very territorial; jealous of other fish’s actions, and any fish chasing fish triggers a quick bite. This is a great set up, which can be made by simply putting two lures together one behind the other. The pink lure does not have a hook in it. This type lure is what we call a teaser. My father always said, "Teaser or not I want a hook in it!" So therefore in my father’s case all lures had hooks offering up a much better hook up ratio.

 

Back in the old days I remember fishing the blue waters in the wintertime. The closer we got to the stream the warmer it became. On our way out we shed clothes and on our way back we started putting them back on. Once we hit the cold water we were once again reminded that it was still winter. Heck, in the mid winter at the stream shorts and t-shirt was all we needed! So now that I have got you thinking about making this run, it’s time to do it! Here’s something that you need to do all of time before making this run… before you jump in your boat that you check now and pending weather conditions. With all this being said, "If you want a spring time kind of a warm you got to go for a long well worth it boat ride!"

 

Bill Vanderford is "Lake Lanier’s Legend!"

My long time friend Bill Vanderford had sent me some of his most wonderful pictures! With that being said, "You will be seeing them in my up coming weekly Freshies Report!" This means my "Freshies Report" is "Stepping up" and offering some real time serious value! For those readers out there that would like to know more about Bill Vanderford’s accomplishments, his freshwater charter trips or wildlife tours, books written and his special line up of tackle offered, please visit his site

http://www.fishinglanier.com/contact.html for all the details! For more details go

http://stores.ebay.com/Fishy-Racer http://www.youtube.com/fishyracer

 

 

Photo By Bill Vanderford

Don’t you wish you could listen in on this conversation?

 

 

This is my father Captain Sherman Helmey. As you can see there are many rowboats in this picture. I don’t know how many we had, but we always had quite a few. The reason I remember this so well is when it rained we bailed them out a lot. As I can remember, it rain a lot when daddy wasn’t home. So therefore this was one of my childhood duties, which was bailing out the rowboats. Some children raked the yard or washed the dishes. In my case, I bailed out all of the boats! My father never worried about them sinking. According to my father a good sinking was good every now and then for wooden boats! They should have been all called "Leaky one, two, three, and etc!"

 

Back in the old days my father smoked, fried, and cooked mullet all of the time.

According to my father there wasn’t much better eating fish than a just caught, cleaned up, and cooked mullet. And you already know this was most likely is true, because my father wasn’t a small man. When we had fried or smoked mullet we had yet another Captain Daddy Special Meal. He called it Mullet Gizzard gravy, which was very good. However, I never knew how he fixed it, but after talking to Bob I now can share with you in detail how to fix Mullet Gizzard Stew.

 

While I was in Perry, Georgia at the Georgia Wildlife Sportsman Show I got the

opportunity to meet some new faces and see some old ones too. This one gentleman in particular stopped by our booth and was talking to one of the captains. I over heard them talking about mullet. I love to talk about mullet chasing back in the old days, because just when you think you have heard it all in comes another way to catch these rascals. I turned and introduced myself to Bob Paschal, which was visiting for nearby Roberta, Georgia. I already knew from the twinkle in his eye that we were going to hit it off. So the conversation began with him sharing some of the things that he experienced while working as a mate on a commercial boat.

 

My favorite thing to ask someone about mullet isn’t about catching them, but did you know that they have a gizzard? Most of the time I get a surprised look and strong quick "no" as an answer. Well, when I asked Mr. Paschal, "Did you know that a mullet had a gizzard?" He smiled and said, "If it hadn’t been for mullet gizzards we would have gone to bed hungry!" So I had to ask, "How did you cook them?" This is when the conversation really got good, because he starting telling me exactly how to cook mullet gizzards! As he talked I could tell he was reliving the whole entire thing as I was too. You see my father used to make mullet gizzard gravy all of the time. It was good over grits, but I really never knew how to make it. The only part I played in this cooking ordeal was the eating. I do have to say that I held the cup in which he dropped each and every gizzard.

 

For those that want to make mullet gizzard gravy here’s the recipe as told by Bob

Paschal. As you read the recipe you will find that I haven’t listed the exact amounts to add of what. This is because we never measured anything back in the old days. A cup of sugar or flour was basically a large hand full. My father measured salt needed by taste only and all other ingredients just got added, as we needed them. Heck if a recipe called for two eggs and we only had one. That’s what we use. However, it was always my job to run over to the Groover’s house just next door and see if of their running free chickens had made a deposit. Sometimes I found eggs and sometimes it didn’t!

 

Mullet Gizzard Gravy

One pound of bacon

Grease bacon provided

One pound of mullet gizzards

Flour

Salt pepper

Milk

Coffee

Fry up a good pound of bacon, take out of frying pan, drain on a piece of paper, and set aside. Leave the bacon grease in the frying pan. Lightly flour each cleaned mullet gizzard. I guess I should tell you how to clean a gizzard. All you have to do is open it up just like you do a regular chicken gizzard and cut a few slits on the backside. Wash good and let them drain. Once the gizzards are dry lightly flour them and drop them into the frying pan that has the bacon grease. Fry till they are golden brown flipping them over as needed. Then remove and drain. After this you should still have some bacon grease and now droppings left from frying up the gizzards. Shower in a hand full of flour, stir this around, and let it brown a bit. Whatever you do don’t burn anything at this stage or else you will be eating just fried gizzards not those in gravy. Once the flour cooking in the grease is browned pour in a cup of milk and 1 cup of strong black coffee. Once all is warmed up re-introduce the browned gizzards back into this gravy. If your gravy gets too

thick you can add more milk, coffee, or some water. It’s best to let this all simmer a bit that’s if you can stand to do so. Gizzard gravy Bob Paschal style is great when pour over white bread, rice, grits, or mash potatoes. In next week’s report I am going to explain to you how Mr. Paschal knocks a triggerfish so as to loosen up its skin and you aren’t going to believe this one!

 

I got to spend a little time with Mr. Paschal and he should be graduated for all the work that his club Crawford County Lions Clubs does for the disable veteran. As he talked about monies that his group collected in order to provide veterans with badly needed wheelchairs I could see tears forming in his eyes. He is passionate about his quest to help others! I so fortunate that I got to spend some time with Bob Paschal!