Savannah Fishing Report - Georgia July

CAPTAIN JUDY HELMEY

“Kicking Fish Tail Since 1956”

July 26, 2010

Saltwater Inshore, Offshore, Blue Water fishing reports, Freshies Suggestions, and Little Miss Judy’s Believe It or Not!

Inshore short reports

Lots of red fish are being caught on live shrimp, peanut menhaden, and finger mullet. If the water is clear hook these baits up regular and let them swim. However, if the water is on the muddy side cut mullet, which offers up a great smell factor works great. Lots of nice size slot red were caught this week!

By-Catch Theories

While fishing with these live baits quite a few spotted sea trout and flounder were caught. I might add they were on the large side. Whatever you do when you “go fish” don’t forget your dip net!

Not so clear and really clear water conditions! !

Not real clear water, but fishable! Chunk (offering scent) baits rate best here!

Clear water and very fishable! Live baits are great!

Looking for that perfect water!

During the times when the tides are big pushing lots of water somewhat clear to real clear water can be hard to find. However, it can be done and yes, it could possibly turn into a looking event. Fish that look to kill what they eat, need clear water to execute their feeding desires. In our area spotted sea trout sometime referred to as “speckle sea trout” are definitely what we call “sight feeders!” This boils down to the fact they like to see, set up, and then attack what they are going to eat. When you are targeting this fish you really do need to find some clear water over or around some sort of structure.

This past week was full of big high tides, which also brought extra low tides. Heck, as I made way to the ocean I got to see some exposed bottom areas that I haven’t seen or maybe have never seen. One thing about extreme low tides is you get to take a look at what you have been fishing over and also get to find some new potential fishing areas.

Our inshore captain caught fish, but there was some extra struggling in regards to looking as well as finding clear water.

When big tides occur it’s not just the moon phase taking control. Tides are going to do what is dictated. Such as throw winds against or with the current direction as it flows “in and out” all equals “lots of turbulence of some sort.” When all the factors come together you are going to get muddy water conditions. I’m not saying, “Don’t fish, just look for clear water if you want to catch fish!” I have this saying that I use a lot, which is, “We caught the same amount of fish whether we put the lines out or not!” Thanks goodness I don’t have to say that much. However, when conditions are not right problems like this can occur!

For those that fish a lot this is where keeping a logbook is going to come in handy. During these big tides, if you had a logbook you might just already know where to go. One area that is affected by an out going tide on a southwest wind might not muddy up when the wind is hauling it from the east. This is why keeping a logbook is so important.

This past week proved to those that do keep a logbook that it’s definitely is the right thing to do. We had strong southwest winds in the morning, noon, and night with super big tides. The reason for such big tides in the first place was due to the fact that they occurred when the winds were at their worst. A fisherman sure has a lot of different factors to deal with when going fishing! There is tides, wind, weather, right bait/tackle, and somewhere in this equation “fishing leading to catching hopefully happens!”

Red Fish Mania!

Photo by Captain Judy Helmey

Spinner Shark!

Lets Go Sharking!

During this time of the year our inshore and offshore boats get the opportunity to catch some pretty large sharks. In our area we certainly do have a lot of different kinds. Here’s a short list of some of the shark bites that you might encounter:

Small Composite Sharks

Small composite sharks have to be at least 30 inches forth length to keep. Here’s the list of the ones that we most frequently catch: Atlantic sharpnose, Bonnethead, and spiny dogfish.

Go here for more detailed saltwater fishing regulations! (It’s best to be up to date on what you can legally keep!) There is a great section on sharks, how to measure them, how to identify them, and what kinds you can or can’t keep!) http://www.gofishgeorgia.com/sites/default/files/uploads/wildlife/fishing/pdfs/regulations /georgia_fishing_regulations_1.pdf

Casting for your own bait can be a lot of fun!

Live shrimp and menhaden do get along in your live well. With that being said, “Catch them, put in the tank, and take a heading to your favorite inshore fishing spot!”

Casting for your own bait can be a lot of fun!

I used to go shrimp with my father all of the time and I remember it like it was only yesterday! During this time fishermen instead of purchasing live shrimp can catch their own. Shrimp as you know is the number one bait to use, because all fish like it. There are other baits available too…while casting you might catch peanut menhaden and finger mullet. Both of these live baits work great under any type of float or no float at all.

Artificial baits will work too. However, with the live stuff is so available it’s your ticket to catching the largest as well as the most fish!

Chunk up and then bait up!

This is the time of the year, especially when the water a little muddy, that this type of bait works like a charm. When red fish can’t see the way they use their smellers! We call this bait/fish cut like a loaf of bread or steak-ed. Just caught fresh dead cut mullet is one of the best baits there it. It put bags and bags of good fishing calling scents into the water.

Some fishermen think “live baits” are the only way to go. In some cases this would be right. However, when the water is muddied up fish normally take a shot at something that they can’t see. The best news I can share is if they can’t see they certainly can smell their way to your bait. I call it the “Hansel and Gretel” affect! They followed the breadcrumbs! In this case the fish follow the scent delivered in the current by the part and pieces.

Now I have shown you the tail and part of the mid section of this mullet. Now for information that you may or may not believe…the best bait where scent is concerned is the head! Always save the head and put it on your hook!

More on catching your own bait

During this time fishermen instead of purchasing live shrimp can catch their own. Shrimp as you know is the number one bait to use, because all fish like it. There are other baits available too…while casting you might catch peanut menhaden and finger mullet. Both of these live baits work great under any type of float or no float at all. Artificial baits will work too. However, with the live stuff being so available it’s your ticket to catching the largest as well as the most fish!

The creeks are holding lots of prefect size baits such as shrimp, finger mullet and peanut menhaden. The best tide for shrimp is either two-hour after the outgoing or two hours before in the incoming. The secret is the water has to be out of the marsh grass. Finger mullet and peanut menhaden can be caught at the mouths and backs of small creeks after the tides have flooded these areas. As a child casting for bait was almost as fun as catching fish!

The “Tarpon” also known as the “Silver Kings” have arrived!

The tarpon are here! This past week has proved it by the amount of hits, runs, and jumps.

Best all around bait is menhaden. However, a 150 pound tarpon was caught on a whiting this past week while plan old shark fishing in the sound. Just goes to show you that no matter where this fish is they eat what’s available!

Tarpon reports and catches!

There also have been scattered sightings of tarpon seen jumping in Savannah River Channel, Beachfronts off Hilton Head, South Carolina, in the nearby areas where the rivers met the sound area, and Wassaw Sound along with it plentiful beachfronts and barrier islands. The bottom line is this…. they are here and my daddy always said this..

Where you have seen tarpon before you will see them again. According to my father the tarpon is the type of fish that gets in a pattern like formation almost anywhere that it goes.

Daddy called them “donkeys,” because they basically traveled the same underwater path. As a child, in my mind, I pictured donkey paths all over or should I say under the rivers, sounds, and beachfronts. After years of thinking about it, it’s true. I have seen tarpon jumping time after time almost in the same areas every time. It’s also true that this fish follows the food source and it seems that the bait goes to about the same place too!

It’s “The allusive tripletail Season!”

To all fishermen that want to give this fishing a try…The best bait is going to be the largest live shrimp that you can find…however, if large isn’t available just go regular size! It will work too!

Old and new versions for the ever-popular Tripletail

Captain Jeremy Reynolds is holding up two nice tripletails that his customers caught while plan old trout fishing! Here’s the good news …at this time you can target or you can just wait for them to bite your hook. The bottom line is the fact that it’s tripletail time! Triple tail like shrimp! So give them what they want.

With all this being said, “I would like to share with you how my father and I successfully caught large tripletails.

Back in the old days my father used what was called “prawn shrimp” as bait. As far a gear it was all heavy-duty tackle. The rod was made out of a bendable cane pole. My father always said, “There are two types of cane poles.” One style was hollow with interior closed sections every eight to ten inches. It didn’t give much and when it dried it basically crumbled into pieces. This made this cane patch cutting “no good for fishing!”

Then there was the rubber like cane that the longer you waited for them to dry out the better fishing pole they would make. Daddy rod was basically the size of a small crane that was loaded with rope. He used what was called “squiding line!” It was just like braided but a whole lot thicker. Heck, it was even hard to cut with a knife!

As far as terminal gear he used the standard (at the time for him) the largest traditional float he could find. Instead of using a red bead he used a button that he most likely had ripped right off his shirt. As far as a nail knot on the main line, which stops the float holding the bait at the desired depth, he used a rubber band. The fact of the matter when fishermen started suggesting slipknots I had absolutely no idea what they were talking about. I am sure when I was talking about rubber bands and buttons they didn’t understand either! The bottom line is this…both do work!

We did most of out fishing for tripletail around the buoys in shipping channel, jetties, and pilings around the range platforms. Back in the old days pilings covered with creosote ruled in the attracting tripletail department. Even though this coating was supposed to slow down marine growth as well as keep the piling eating worms out the fish still could be found hanging and floating around these areas. Believe this or not, but we did most of our fishing out of a wooden boat with a small outboard motor.

Next week more about rudderfish, which by the way is another name for tripletail!

Summertime Weather Patterns

During the summer months, weather can change in an instant, often going from calm seas and bluebird skies to heavy winds and violent thunderstorms. If you don’t have a barometer on the boat, then you might not notice the pressure changing, unless you have an old injury. Often these old injuries will ache with the onset of a thunderstorm, due to the barometric pressure dropping.

Over the years we have also noticed some telltale signs that signal severe weather approaching. Notice how the flies covered up the boarding ladder of our boat. When you see an accumulation of flies, expect very violent weather within 24 hours.

Also if you boat from a Marina, you should also notice that the flags will normally be pointing to the North east as the controlling winds in our area are predominantly from the south or southwest during the summer.

Below are some pictures of some very bad weather that developed when either Capt. Jeremy Reynolds or I was fishing. By observing these conditions we were able to head to port and avoided most of the bad weather. Often lightning will accompany these violent storms and can strike from clear blue skies. If you are unfortunate enough to get caught in a lightning storm, I suggest getting to safety as fast as possible. Also lay any rods down that you have in rod holders sticking up. If your rods start humming or the hairs stand up on your arms, be prepared for a close lightning strike. Take cover if possible. Notice below how choppy Wassaw Sound is right before the storm hit.

Remember in the summer all kinds of weather can change in an instant. Be prepared by monitoring your local weather on your radio. Weather is constantly broadcast on either channel 2 or channel 3 in our area. If storms are predicted, I suggest planning your day carefully and accordingly.

It’s the old bucket full of Spanish mackerel!

Near shore offshore fishing short report

Spanish Mackerel make signature moves!

The Spanish mackerel bite was good this past week. We caught large to average to too small to keep mackerel while trolling small to medium size Clark spoons. Once making way offshore of the beachfronts I suggest looking for the feeding sea birds, follow them, and fish where they are!

And we did just that. However, we found that as the week ended our fish had moved more to the southern. During the first of the week we fished near the Wassaw sea buoy finding lots of schooling Spanish mackerel feeding on the large amounts of holding bait.

By midweek we noticed that the schools of fish had started making a more southern movement. Once rounding the sea buoy we took a heading to the DUA artificial reefs looking for schools of Spanish mackerel. As of Friday most all fish were about 3 miles offshore of the Ossabaw sea buoy.

When the fish were what I call “pushing the bait to the surface for single bites” the Spanish were holding deep. So therefore the only spoons that they would hit were those that we were pulling extra deep. When I want my lure deep I use a number #3 planer with 15 feet of 20-pound test as leader and then I tie a small to medium size spoon directly on to the line. The secret to keeping the spoon from spinning and twirling up the leader is to add a 90 to 100 pound snap swivel to the back end of planer before tying on leader.

Savannah Snapper Banks

I didn’t get to go a lot this past week due to the rough sea conditions. However, when I did make it I was glad I took the ride. Bottom fishing with small pieces of cut fish and squid were the main bait that I used. We caught a little of everything from black sea bass to vermilion to white grunts and etc. We also caught a few nice gags and scamp grouper!

We also did a little trolling with 31/2 inch Drone spoon and caught a few king mackerel!

Christopher Miller has his hands full holding this nice genuine red snapper. Yes, she was caught, fought, and successfully released back to the wild. Please remember that you can’t keep genuine red snapper! The best news is this, “No matter what this is a trophy fish and the picture will last forever!” and congratulations Christopher for doing such a good job!

Christopher Miller is holding a nice scamp grouper. On this particular fish while at the Savannah Snapper banks, Christopher hooked quite a few nice gag grouper. However, the shark lurking as well as feeding below eat them all. And once again it is proven that there is more than one fish in the sea…with that being said larger ones too!

Nice Atlantic sailfish hooked up and landed while trolling the Deli Ledge

Blue Water report

The bite is not like it is in the early spring due to the fact there isn’t an edge. The edge is where the western side of the stream meets the cooler inshore waters. This is a great feeding place for dolphin, Wahoo, billfish, and tuna. However, all waters from the stream to the shore are just about the same temperature. This boils down to any fish you wish could be caught just about anywhere! This is the time where a sailfish bite can be found around from the beachfronts to the deep blue waters of the Gulf Stream.

However, if making the run to this area is what you want to do I suggest fishing the ledges, because that’s where lots of baits are going to be holding.

Queen Charlotte Islands, in Canada, on the Pacific Coast

Brad Durham and his son Blake fishing trip!

 

Freshies Suggestions

For those fishermen that want to “GO FISH LAKE LANIER”

Bill Vanderford is “Lake Lanier’s Legend!”

Jerry Helmey (my mother)

1925-1957

Reindeer Snacks!

My father and I visited “Silver Springs,” which is located in the sunny state of Florida. I was around 8 years old at the time and daddy was getting close to hitting the big six “O!”

On our way to Florida Daddy explained about the “Glass Bottom Boats” that we would get to ride in at Silver Springs. I was excited, because daddy could always make a story lots fun. In fact his stories were so good that we didn’t even have to go for that ride, because I felt I had already been there.

Once we arrived we went straight to the area that had the “Glass Bottom Boats!” There was a line of people apparently with the same idea that we had. It was exciting. As the boat pulled up it look pretty normal too me. In fact the bottom below the water line looked just as normal as most boats. I didn’t say anything, but I was a little disappoint at least until I boarded the boat. There was in fact a large framed area in the middle of the boat, which had a glass bottom. You could see everything under the boat. I know I had the “Big Eyes!” Before we left the dock I was being entertained. As we pulled away my eyes were glued to the glass hole in the boat. There were lots of fish, plants, and lots of bubbles. To my amazement there were mermaids dressed in scuba diving suits. That’s where all of the bubbles came from. There wasn’t a lot of color, but it was pretty interesting.

After the ride we went over to the reindeer farm, which was a short walk away from the boats. There were lots of deer all anxiously looking as we approached. Daddy said that they were probably waiting for us to feed them. As we went through the payment line I saw this machine with 5 Cents written on it. There appeared to be cookies in it and they looked like graham crackers. I was getting a little hungry so I asked daddy for a nickel.

After getting the money I went over, got my cookies, and started my eating fest. They weren’t very tasty, but what the heck I ate them anyway. As we walked to the reindeer area they also headed our way. My father said, “Lets feed them.” I was excited. Daddy went back inside to ask about the food and was told that there were machines all around with the food in them. All you needed was a nickel and you were in business. With that, I sure needed something to drink!

Thanks for reading! Captain Judy

POB 30771

SAVANNAH, GEORGIA 31410

912 897 4921 912 897 3460 FAX