Savannah Georgia Fishing Report July 12

CAPTAIN JUDY HELMEY

“Kicking Fish Tail Since 1956”

July12, 2010

Looks like the trout bite is getting better!

I am getting report of some nice trout as well as good number being caught in the sounds and near the beachfront areas. According to most reports the secret is to change up live bait used. One fisherman stated, that he carried three different live baits when he when inshore fishing. He takes live shrimp, small finger mullet, and mud minnows. He used one until the bite slacked up or tries all three to get the bite a going!

Inshore fishing tip

Live bait or not!

The inshore bite during this time due to the hot water temperatures doesn’t have to be light. The best bait to use is going to be live shrimp under an adjusted float, because this set can be easily fished at all depths. Once you find a bite you can switch to DOA’S shrimp patterns, hook them up just like a live shrimp and save your bait for the next fishing spot.

This is two shrimp rigged up and ready to be used as bait. The top one is real and the bottom one is an imposter. (DOA 3”inch shrimp pattern) You can tell which shrimp is the “real” because they are being held right under the surface. However, once you put the artificial one in the fish-feeding arena believe me those feeding won’t be able to tell the difference! Been there done that! The DOA not only looks like the real thing, but also when a little current is added “they act like them too!”

When the wind she blows

July 4, 2010 windy weekend

All boaters as well as fishermen did everything they could to get out of the windy conditions this past weekend. (July 4 2010) The wind basically howled! Those that could hide from the winds fished back of creeks and areas sheltered from the weather.

However, those that couldn’t get out of the wind most likely said the same thing that I did, when the wind is strong from the east the fish bite the least!

However, if you have planned a fish day and you find “wind galore” I still suggest going that’s “if it’s safe.” Normally when the wind is blowing hard from the east an offshore fishing event is out of the question. However, you still can go inshore fishing. Yes, it’s true on some occasion when the wind blows from the east the fish bite is the least. I have been hearing that saying for years. I think the real meaning is when it blowing hard from the east fish are just harder to find, it takes longer to get to them, and even if you find them the turbulence from above changes everything.

It’s flounder catching time

This size flounder can eat large bait. So therefore when targeting the “flat ones” I suggest giving them what they want, which is “one attack eating deal!” Good baits to use are lip hooked finger mullet or jumbo mud minnows

It’s flounder catching time

It’s that time of the year where inshore fishermen can successfully target flounder. During this time these fish hunker down covering themselves up with mud or sand leaving only their eye exposed. Best live baits are going to be shrimp and mud minnows. My father always said, “The old flounder sees like a rabbit, is smart like a fox, and strikes like a cobra!”

This is a fish that loves to camouflage itself near a small feeder creek, by a sandbar, or any spots that they know will have any sort of small fish traffic. My father used to say, “I think it’s the flounders eyes that on some occasion attract the smaller fish!” When a flounder covers itself under the sand or mud the only thing sticking out is a pair of raised eyes. The flounder’s pair of eyes, once identified can make any thing stop to look. By that time, especially if you are a small fish “down the hatch you have gone with only one small gulp!”

Beachfront report

Large Spanish mackerel being caught

Big Spanish

This is a nice Spanish mackerel with a small Clark spoon hanging out of its mouth.

Tarpon or not!

I love getting these reports. Stanley DeVegter called with quite an interesting fishing report. A friend called him and offered up this information…

While fishing for tarpon out in front of Little Tybee large Spanish mackerel in the 2 to 4 pound range hit their baits. For baits they were using live, fresh dead, and cut pogies. (Menhaden) For those fishermen that don’t want to do much riding I suggest fishing the beachfronts located right in your back yard!

Bill Garmon was surprised when this red fish took a liking to his bait. After the prefect set was preformed Bill fought, caught, and landed this fine 25-inch red fish. It was then tagged by Captain Alan Collins of Miss Judy Charters and release unharmed. This is the prefect scenario for not only the fisherman, but also the fish. Fishermen releases fish, fish swims away, and may or may not be caught again. The never-ending fish catching story!

Offshore tip “stick to your area picked”

It’s hot making fishermen wanting to make a move to another spot way before it’s time.

Here’s an offshore tip that you can use ….pick an area to fish and stick with it…believe me this is a good plan…give all your inside secret baits and lures a chance to work. So do what the fish are doing, which is waiting watching and feeding when sometimes happens by that “trips their feeding trigger!”

To the left we have cut up squid wings and to the right we have fillet of fish. I always get asked this question about the squid. If the wings are that big what size is the whole squid? My answer, although shocking, is always the same “about sixty pounds worth!” I have never caught a squid that big. However, I would like to do so. I think it would be very interesting to try and catch something that will spit ink on you, when the ink runs out then it spits sea water on you, tries to latch on and such the blood out of you, and tries to bite you all at the same time…see what I mean very interesting!

Plain old drifting at the savannah Snapper Banks

This past week while bottom fishing at the Savannah Snapper banks our customers caught a little of everything for small, to medium, to large bottom fish. Here’s how I worked it…the small fish were cut up or used as live bait, the medium to large fish were either netted or gaff and thrown into the cooler. Best live bait for the large scamp also known as broom tails and gag grouper were small lipped hooked vermilion, sand perch, rock bass, and ruby red lips. We also caught some nice amberjack also known as reef donkeys!

This is a scamp grouper also known as “broom tail” weighted in around 30 pounds. It weighted 30 and pulled like it was 100 pounds. Gags and scamps are both fine fighters and once hooked up their main goal is to get back to the safety of the ledge, wreck, or hole.

How do I catch a grouper?

How hook up these bait live using 14/0 to 16/0 circle hook

Sand perch, ruby red lips also known as a tomtate, and bank rock bass

Another good live bait is vermilion snapper

Sand perch is a fish that is sporting camouflaging for blending into sandy bottom conditions. So therefore a ledge hugging fish like a grouper has to move outside of it’s protective zone meaning away from the ledge to eat. When bottom fishing you are happy to catch sand perch for bait. However, this basically means you are fishing a sandy bottom. In our area it seems that we have what is called “fishing cities,” which is where the fish that live there can survive there.” The bottom line no migration is needed.

These so called fishing cities are surrounded by lots of sand. In a sand perch’s world if it wants to live it needs to stay near and blend in with the sand. Ruby red lips also known as a fire mouth is also good bait for the freight train pulling grouper.

The ruby red lips normally are found in the upper water column of fish. This fish can stay close to the bottom or move up and down in the water column with great ease. They don’t seem to be any certain depth restricted. For the grouper to feed on this baitfish it has to be a mover and shaker. This means it can’t stay home (the ledge, hole, or wreck) and eat this fish. So therefore when you use this bait the grouper have to be somewhat in the mood to move.

Rock bass is the name I gave them, but they also could be called “bank bass.” This fish stays near the bottom around the areas with spotted covering meaning light as well as dark surroundings. This fish is basically bottom dwellers and can easily become a larger fish’s main course. However, their keen sense of staying “ completely sheath” insure them somewhat safety. At least until the larger fish that is stalking them figures out what it’s looking at.

Terminal Gear (hook line and sinker)

This is what your bait is going to look like when lipped hook.

I bet a country singer could make a great song out of this title. Believe when I say, “The grouper is a rubbing the line kind of fish!” As with anything I will need to explain…so therefore here’s the deal when it comes to my Carolina rig. While looking at the drawing above here how the rubbing of the line takes place.

Imagine that you have baited up with a live bait meaning you have lipped hooked it up on the circle hook. The distance between the hook and swivel (which is call the leader) is where the rubbing of the line is going to most likely take place. Normally when a large fish such as a grouper eats, it likes to inhale or for a better word “suck in” head first. However, when the big fish in this case decides to eat and it goes to inhale your bait the fish then comes in contact with the leader, which basically pushes the baitfish away.

When this happens the already just about ready to eat big fish is actually shocked, because normally this would have been one gulp. The fish quickly decides that it’s going to eat this fish even if it going down tail first. This is just about the time that you get hooked up. For the most part the first few seconds after the fish engages is your only chance to keep it from running for cover. This where your hold stance better be in check!

When the rub takes place, whatever you do don’t move your rod. I suggest holding steady. After the rub, the fish is most liking going to come about and suck the fish in from the tail. When this happens I suggest not setting the hook, because you are using a self-setting circle hook. As soon as the fish has swallowed the bait and becomes aware of the hook, it quickly advances back to cover. This is where you need a tight drag, but not so strong that it will break your main line. I suggest pulling up on the fish strongly, but not wildly. Once the fish gets a little disoriented it will be easier to handle.

However, if you don’t turn it’s head some “into the ledge it will go!”

Rod and reel that I use for grouper fishing..

I am using a 4/0 Penn Senator reel loaded with 60-pound test ANDE pink line. For the rod I am using a 20 to 50 pound test stand up rod. (Model 530 CMST Penn 51/2 feet Penn Mariner stand up rod.) You don’t need to go to any expense and purchase a set up just like this one. What is important is the fact that you need to be able to control your big grouper when it first takes the bait and before it takes it to the ledge. I use ANDE 60 pounds test pink line, because the control is a little better before the main line breaks. I have tried a lot of different kinds of line and pound test, but I prefer what I know will work for me. Once again you don’t have to go out and purchase this type of line. I suggest making sure that you are using a strong quality line that delivers a “taut-ness” when needed. Once a grouper hits your line it’s first instincts is run hard for cover, because this is their safe haven. The first initial run is hard, strong, and fast. If you don’t turn the fish’s head or do what I call disorient them directly “into the ledge they will go.”

I am always trying to explain this to my customers…and believe me I understand that this is hard to understand. However, if you want to catch big bottom fish the first few 8 seconds of the hook up is critical. Think about the old bull rider trying to just stay on the bull for only a few seconds more. Well, any bull rider knows there is a technique to this affair. Believe me turning the grouper’s head can be done, but there is techniques involved!

July 6, 2010

Fishing in Savannah Georgia at the offshore snapper banks!

Grouper catchers of the week!

Back row from left to right Carl Showalter, his son Ward, and Captain Kathy Brown of Miss Judy. Front row one heck of a big scamp grouper, which hit Carl’s live vermilion snapper and basically inhaled it.

Here’s how the fish day went..the crew all fished on the bottom catching every thing from vermilion snapper to grouper to triggerfish to genuine red snapper to amberjack to much more. We all worked together catching small, medium, and large fish. The small fish were either cut up or used live bait for the bigger fish and the other were coolerized” (means put in the cooler) for the fish cleaner. The bottom line is when this family fishes together they definitely catch big fish!

Blue water catching deal!

You already know that this is a picture of a sailfish that was hooked up in blue water.

After all you can see the entire fish from bill to tail. When fishing green water especially at this time of the year sailfish are known for showing up. If the billfish has been in the darker water it color would have changed to adapt to surrounding waters. The darker the water the darker the fish gets! It called “blending in and not sticking out!”

Gulf Stream Tips for now!

Well, there has been an old saying about the Gulf Stream, which as been around for years. It basically says, “The blue water lights generally go out in Georgia at the end of June.” This means that the water temperature by the end of June is all just about the same. With the water in the Gulf Stream and the waters to the west of this area the same temperature “there is no edge for you to fish on or for the fish to fish.!” All fish and any type of fish can be found almost any where from the beachfronts to the stream. Fish that aren’t supposed to be close to shore are and those that aren’t are.

What almost always happened in… 1960’s till later 1980’s Era!

Billfish showing up at the Texas tower

Over the years crazy fish sightings of billfish showing up close to shore wasn’t unusual.

The fact of the matter is when the Texas Tower, which was located at the end of the Savannah Shipping Channel was still erect many a billfish was hooked sometimes resulting in “landed or not!” My father definitely caught his share of these fish. I remember this one time where he caught a sailfish right off Hilton Head Beach in South Carolina. It wasn’t a large fish, but it certainly did put on a show for his customers. The sail hit one of my father “Fluger Rocket lures.” My father contacted the company, told them the story, which resulted in many lures showing up on our doorstep! Daddy was happy about that! According to my father “Fluger rocket of not” the sail would have hit a shoe if he had thrown it out there.

How to cope with this time of the year….

The bottom line to this report is always being prepared when trolling about. What might act like a Spanish or king mackerel at first might turn into something before the landing takes place. The best news is this “You don’t have to use blue water lures in green water to get your best chances at a hit.” The reason being is that these fish are feeding on what’s available. Baits that look out of place might just be passed by. After all the fish came to eat, but if your bait sends up a red flag “there will be no hits here!” This boils down to just fishing regular!

Freshies section

Bill Vanderford is “Lake Lanier’s Legend!”

Trophy wife and trophy rainbow trout

June Morrissery is holding a nice rainbow trout, which was caught while fishing in Helena Montana on the Missouri River. According to this report Captain Bob said, “For bait they were using speckled perch colored Rapalas, which when worked properly dives about 4 feet.” These lures while fishing in 25 feet of water definitely gets the job done!

In this case June knew how to work it and when! The fact of the matter is “no respectable trout as you can see, will pass these lures up!” Congratulation June! Nice fish!

It’s time to fish for the flat-sided fish!

The flounder has a strong set of teeth and believe me they know how to use it!

Little Miss Judy Believe it or not!

Different sides of a flounder

A flounder has a lot good and different type of qualities. It’s known for it flatness and its ability to bury itself in the sand or mud making it almost unrecognizable by the untrained eye. A flounder is a true killer and instincts allows it to jump quickly from it seemly doormat state to attack accurately its intended meal. In other words if you are a small live fish and you stray by this pair of looking eyes you could be in big trouble.

A flounder has both eyes on its side that always faces up. When the eyes are located on the right side the fish is dextral and if they are on the left side the fish is sinistral. All these big words makes this fish sound so complicated. Dextral just means right-sided fish and sinistral means left sided fish. So now when you catch a flounder you can really identify it properly. The good news is that rather they are right or left sided fish it really doesn’t matter, because both sides eat the same!

Thanks for reading! Captain Judy

POB 30771

SAVANNAH, GEORGIA 31410

912 897 4921 912 897 3460 FAX

Captain Judy’s email fishjudy2@aol.com