Savannah Fishing Report - Miss Judy Charters Aug

CAPTAIN JUDY HELMEY

“Kicking Fish Tail Since 1956”

Because we want to “THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR US!”

Or call my very good friend Bob Paschal 1 478 954 5816

2011 Schools dates are

INSHORE FISHING CLINIC

Two Inshore School

Saturday March 12, 2011. One Offshore School Saturday March 5, 2011

For more details on the school please go to… http://missjudycharters.com/fishingclinic.shtml

It’s a 40% keeping with a 60% releasing kind of a time!

Pockets full of fishing catching potential!

Here’s a picture that, if it could talk, would have a lot to say. This picture shows a good example of what inshore fishermen should look for when fishing the last two hours of the incoming and the first hour or so of the out going. Fish that make a mad dash to the grass during the incoming tide always while exiting on the out going tide look for a place to stage before “making way” to the big water. (Big water being the area out in front of the structure, which most of the time provides no good place to hide!) When the tide turns to out going this is the best time to fish the areas behind the structure. These pockets hold the attentions of lot of fish especially during this time. Best bait is the old stand, which is live shrimp. For those that really want to target large red fish, spotted sea trout, and flounder I suggest using live finger mullet! Cast them in and just let them sit. Believe me if a fish is there they will eat!

Suggestions for inshore fishing

Dealing with the tide on the day that you have picked to fish!

When it comes to inshore fishing “tides and their stages can play a big part in regards to your fish day!” The reason being some fish prefer out going tide while others like to feed when it’s coming in. The bottom line is “there is a bite out there during almost any tide!”

It’s just that you need to know what is called “the fish eating rules!”

The first thing and most important is the fact that no matter what if a fish sees something it wants, it’s going to eat it. So therefore with that being said, “Baits can make a fish eat even when it doesn’t want to.” When selecting your bait think about the fish that you are targeting. Believe me if you select live shrimp you can’t go wrong! I must add when I go fishing I am targeting the fish that bites my hook!

Two hours before high tide

Lets start our fish day with the tide at almost high. The means it could still be coming in for about another 2 hours. If this is your tide scenario for your picked fish day do this…

As the tide floods the grass I suggest fishing the edge. This means fish with popping or traditional adjustable floats right up to the grass and when the tide takes you inside this line “let it.” If your float happens to get hung on a grass top, “let it sit!” This is good time to use weed less hook set up, but you don’t have too. However, if you want to hook fish more than that grass you are fishing in I suggest going the weed less hook route. As far as what bait that will work I suggest going with “anything alive that you have on board!”

Signs that the Fall Fishing Pattern has arrived

By Capt. Rick Reynolds of Miss Judy Charters

Customized popping cork with 4 foot of YO-ZURI pink HD fluorocarbon leader, and #4 Khale hook. On the hook is DOA 3 inch artificial shrimp pattern. Captain Rick uses DOA and also Berkley gulps bait. During this time his favorite used color is White or pearl white. During this time a real shrimp looks just like this. With that being said,

“When going artificial pick the color lure that matches the goings on of those down under!”

Captain Rick signature popping cork

Captain Rick says, “He has perfected the prefect popping cork for himself as well as his customers!” (He continous..) I use the titanium wire, glass beads, and 1/2-ounce weight that’s mashed on to the shaft so it doesn’t move. By making these corks a finished 4.5 inches long, the beads make a good clack and they are short enough that there’s not enough energy that is transferred from the cast to beads. This means the beads don’t knock the bottom out of the corks. This has taken all season to figure that out. My corks aren't for everybody, as Captain Jeremy Reynolds (Captain Rick’s son, also a charter captain) likes the original “Cajun thunder!”

Popping Cork Recipe suggested by Captain Rick Reynolds

While talking with Captain Rick Reynolds the other day Popping corks became the subject of our conversation. As all fishing conversations go I had to ask, “How do you do you put this rig together. He offered up some very good suggestion, which I think you will be real interested in.

Captain Rick said, with Popping corks, I always start with about a 4 ft leader, made from Yo-zuri 20 # pink. It’s really is invisible in the water. It’s so good that after I tied it on my cork, I have cut the line instead of the tag and then had to redo it. I start with 4-foot leader even though on this fish day we started fishing at dead low tide. The reason being is that I want my bait near the bottom, so quite often the structure dictates leader length.

Where it breaks me off this is the most correct leader length for this time.

On a personal catch note. Captain Rick and wife Pam….

This trout was caught while using Captain Rick signature popping cork rig. And I am sure you want to ask, “Where can I buy them?” Not on the tackle shelves yet!

On a personal note Captain Rick and his wife Pam took a couple of hours out to do a little quick catching. It’s a story that’s worth telling. When Rick sent me this report I had to ask, “Am I understanding you right?” And he replied, “Yes!” So therefore here’s Captain Rick fishing report for this past week.

I would like to add, when I am personally go inshore fishing; I (Captain Judy) prefer to use artificial shrimp patterns hooked up this way. And I have to tell you why…. The first thing is that your chances of getting more than one good strike can happen when using artificial bait such as this. The second thing if a trout hits your lure and doesn’t come back for seconds it just means the fish has flipped your artificial shrimp up causing it to lay across the shank of the hook. To fix this all you have to do is to retrieve bait and resituate artificial shrimp. If it has been damaged, replace it. The fourth reason an artificial shrimp always rocks and looks very alive triggering what you want, whish is “a serious trout bite.” To accomplish the proper “rocking” out of your artificial shrimp, once placed on the hook make sure the hook is loose in your bait. The reason being when you pop your cork your shrimp rocks just like it trying move away. I could go on, but I think you get the picture!

Captain Rick suggests…

Planning ahead is the key. After the trip, when the boat is clean, I clean all the equipment and do a complete change of all leaders. If you don’t change them they normally turn a milky white color due to stretching from big reds, aggressive trout and sharks. Another thing to consider is you might have an unwanted knot or it could be frayed. I change hooks as well; very seldom do I reuse hooks. If they are sprung or slightly dull, I pitch them.

About leader length Captain Rick says,

When using popping corks, I always start with 4 - 5 ft depending on rod length. If we are fishing an outgoing tide, I have started with a 5 ft leader and as the tide drops, it gets broken off and if the rest of the leader is good, I just retie a hook and keep fishing. On a high outgoing, I have started with a 5 ft piece of leader and at the end of the tide swing, ended the trip with a 1 and 1/2 foot leader.

Photo by Captain Judy Helmey

 

As far as best baits, here’s our list: live or dead finger mullet, live or dead peanut menhaden and/or parts, live shrimp, dead shrimp threaded on to the hook, belly strips, live mud minnows, and small any type of live fish. In other words a flounder will eat just anything that they want. It’s just that the bait that you use has to get them to open their big mouth!

(Picture found fishing report 4 img 6292-jpg flounder mouth)

Keeping Your Eyes Peeled

By Captain Alan Collins of Miss Judy Charters

Over my years on the water I have found all sorts of fishing drops many different ways. I have found trout drops while targeting red fish and also have found reds while fishing for trout. All I had to do was to keep my eyes on my surroundings. I'll give you a couple of examples, one day I was fishing a bank lined with trees and pilings when out the corner of my eye I see a shrimp try to get away from something. The shrimp was trying so hard that it jumped right up on the bank. So then I made a cast into the direction and a few seconds later I was hooked with a nice spotted sea trout. We kept casting over to the same area catching quite a few nice trout. To this day I can go to this spot when the tide starts out and catch these fish. Then there is this other trout drop that on most days it holds a lot of fish. At this spot the fish usually stop biting a couple of hours before the dead low tide. However, on this day the fish just kept biting. I'm happy that the bite continued, because 30 minutes after I would have already moved I made a discovery.

While still fishing this same spot I looked across the river to a mud flat and saw a large school of reds cruising down it. After checking it out a little more I found that there were many schools traveling up and down this flat. And the best news is that they were willing to eat! That's always a plus. So now that you've got the idea! Keep your eyes in the “wide-open looking mode” while you are fishing. The reason being is it could pay off in finding new spots, which also equates to getting more opportunity to catch more fish!

I want to share a little story about me, a couple of my costumers, and a hungry osprey.

One day I was fishing a trout drop and one of my fisherman asked me about a bird that was just hovering over this one area. I told him that it was an osprey and that he was probably waiting to dive on a fish. But after what seemed like five minutes it still hadn't made its move yet, so we all started watching this bird. Well, when it finally dove on its prey it flew off with about an 8 to 10 inch flounder. At this time there was only about 4 inches of water over the mud flat where this occurred and our fish day was just about over. So therefore I wasn’t able to fish it on this day, but I told myself to be there at about half tide on my trip the next day. Well, we fished the trout drop until I thought I felt the water was low enough to fish the mud flat. There was about two foot of water over the flat so I set my floats so that it would have my bait about 3 to 4 inches from the bottom. I had 3 anglers and myself so we had the whole flat covered, it did not take long before I noticed one of my anglers float tilted on its side and started moving of slowly. I asked him to reel the slack out of his line and then set the hook. Sure enough it was a nice flounder. We repeated this process until the water was too low to fish there any longer. I have been back to this spot a couple of times since then and caught flounder every time I fish it. However on every visit back to this mud flat I also try other fishing catching tactics. I have found that there are a few trout and reds feeding on this flat also. So as Miss Judy likes to say the bottom line to this report is to keep your eyes on your surroundings, because you may be surprised at what you might see. And you might just find one of those fishing drops that us guides try to keep a secret. However, if I have said this once I've said it a hundred times write it all down. I mean every little detail and then start moving out from that spot, because when that flat goes dry those fish have to go somewhere. You just need to find the “high way that the fish travel.” Do this and I think you will be surprised at your catch at the end of your fish day! Don’t forget, Miss Judy Charters offers fishing trips designed to help you learn how to read the water, things to look for areas that will hold fish, and why it should. However, if you are the type of fishermen that like to do it on their own just remember “TO KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED!” The bottom line once again is I think you will be surprised at what you see!

Thanks for reading, Captain Alan Collins

Inshore

Please meet the great crab imitators! Sitting and waiting for the big bite!

Here are the rigs that make for great crab imitators.

You can find the makings for this set up in the fresh water section of the tackle store.

This tackle was purchased at Bass Pro Shop on Abercorn Street extension in Savannah Georgia. Here are a few things to make sure of when purchasing skirts and jig heads for these rigs. The first thing is the skirt. They need to be plastic not hair types. The reason being is the plastic floats up and flows with the current looking just like a crab moving its legs. In the case of these skirts they are too long and will need to be trimmed. So I have trimmed about 1 inch off of each end of the skirt. When purchasing jig head I suggest going with those that are weed-less! These are not and will work, but there is lot of opportunity when fishing this way to get hung up. I also suggest that you focus on purchasing dark colors such as black or brown. There are the best colors that once placed on the bottom look just like a crab.

Here are some of the plastic skirts that are available. All will work, but please don’t forget they are much too long and will need to be trimmed at least an inch. In this case dark colors are in and light colors are out!

Inshore tips

Sitting and waiting!

Jig in a pig lure also know as the great crab imitators.

The best way to pick a lure color is to think about what natural bait that you are trying to imitate. For instance: If it’s a fiddler crab I suggest going with a dark colored jig head and some sort of plastic shirt attached. The reasons being is that most fishermen have seen fiddler crabs in the wild and know exactly what they look like under the water.

Although fishermen can’t say exactly what a fish sees when it looks at what it’s going to eat they can however, assume.

The set up of a jig and pig is usually a lead head jig with a weed guard and fairly good size hook. It is normally dressed with either a rubber skirt or some sort of hair. (I suggest using in this case plastic skirts only. The reason being is a little water movement naturally moves the already floating plastic skirt.) The biggest part of this lure is the trailer, which when referring to working it in freshwater most of the time some sort of shaped or stripped pork rind is used. However, when using this set up in saltwater small chunks of mullet, menhaden, or shrimp make for great scent attracting baits.

This style of lure can be worked anyway that the fisherman holding the rod wants.

However, when taking in consideration it’s hot, middle of August, and the fish feel the same way the way you work this lure definitely matters. Fish are much like fishermen when it comes to heat. We both look for shade, cooler water, and sometimes we come to the conclusion that it’s just too hot to eat. This is where a lure set up this way that I am suggesting really comes into play. So therefore rig it, bait it, cast in place, and let it sit.

Artificial Reefs

Lots of fish catching action to be had

It’s that time of the year where any fish from bottom to top could possibility be caught while fishing the artificial reefs from near to way offshore. With that being said, pick one and stick with it! These areas have been holding the interest of some nice king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, cobia, some bottom fish, barracuda, bait fish, and spade fish

Best bait and fish catchers of all time!

 

The secret to catching your own bait offshore!

During these hot times the bottom as well as the top water bite can be a little slow.

However, if you have live bait catching plan before heading out your chances for a more solid hook up is better. Most offshore artificial reefs and ocean rips are holding cigar minnows, Spanish sardines, and threadfin herring. These are great baits when used live on the bottom, in the mid water column, and right on the surface. The best bait to use to catch your bait is the gold hook Sabiki bait rig

A triggerfish as a mouth full of teeth

The vermilion bite has picked up!

In this basket of fish is vermilion snapper on the outskirts and red porgy in the middle.

Vermilion is also known as b-liners. Red porgy are also known as silver snapper.

Vermilion bite at the Savannah Snapper Banks

During the spring and early summer we had a pretty good vermilion snapper bite. Some fishermen call these fish b-liners. When the heat of the summer set in this bite was almost non-existence. However, this past week proved a little different with our customers getting to catch some real nice size vermilion snapper sometimes referred to as footballs. The best baits are small pieces of squid and live cigar minnows or Spanish sardines. Please let me know if you have any other names for this fish!

King mackerel and their bite!

King mackerel mouth design can be used to do some serious cutting. With that being said, “The bigger the king mackerel the stronger the teeth the harder the hit! I suggest using single stand wire. When just targeting snakes and teenagers kings I suggest using 20 to 30 pound test wire leader. However, if a big deal smoker king mackerel is what you have in mind “tighten up but don’t lighten up your leader.” I suggest at least 50- pound test single strand wire. It has been said by many a king fishermen including myself this: “If a big king sees something that they want to eat and it’s worthy of them to take the time to make the kill it’s going to be a direct hit for sure!” Be prepared!

Gulf Stream

While talking with Jake Eherenman he told me that there was a pretty good Wahoo bite to the north off Edisto/Charleston area. Before you go screaming “that’s a long run from Savannah, think again!” After all who cares, if you get there and find fish! If you go let me know!

What I learned about the “Ways of a Wahoo!”

By Captain Judy

Back in the day….”this would have been considered one of the big boys!” It took almost three hours to land this fish. The reason being is that we caught it on a beefed up king mackerel rig. As far as bait used, well, you probably aren’t going to believe this one, but I used a red porgy. While bottom fishing I used to put a flat line out with 20 pound test line and let it drift. As you can see my art of king mackerel fishing in the blue water paid off big in Wahoo bites, fights, flights, and landings!

Wahoo on 20-pound test line

When you hooked up a Wahoo on 20 pound line I suggest setting the drag not too tight, not too light, and keeping it that way. Another thing is the one driving must always help keep the line tight. It’s hard to work a strong fish like this on 20-pound test line, because you can’t tighten the drag too much or it will break. You can’t keep the boat in gear or your line will break. Too much pumping and trying to control a fish like this under these circumstances; your line will most likely break. The captain, the angler, and the fish have to get into step with each other kind of like the waves on the ocean. Believe me it can be done, because I did it with this fish.

While fighting a fish under these conditions I always say to the customer, “If you have to rest so will the fish!” This basically means when you rest so will the fish!” When 20- pound test is what’s between you and your fish it’s important to keep tension and not to let any slack occur in the line.

A Wahoo’s Bite

When I fished the blue water almost 5 days a week from 1995 till about 2003 I learn a few things that stuck out like that sore thumb. Wahoo have strong teeth and when, if they hit your leader they just cut it almost like butter. That’s when I figured out that heavy wire was what I needed to use. Some blue water fishermen prefer braided wire or even heavy pound test monofilament. In my case since I was out there so much I did a lot of experimenting. I basically used 80-pound test single strand wire on my Ilander lures, which ended about 2 inches in front of the lure. Then I tied it directly to my main line.

Some fishermen say, “This set up won’t work, because the Wahoo can see it!” And in some cases I might have lost a few potential Wahoo hits. However, when I did get a hit I got my fish not a cut leader. It has always been my belief that Wahoo, also known as the “tail cutters” focus on the tail section of what it’s going to kill. If I had to guess….the big fish speeds by, cuts the tail off, then makes a sharp turn like it’s running on rails, and then picks up the spoils. Now I also found out that if you didn’t drop back exactly at the right time the turn back doesn’t happen. I’m not saying these fish have eyes in the back of their head, but they certainly do seem to know something is funny if a fish can still swim without a tail.

When I fished I normally put a long line out, which I called the “Trash can line!” Don’t know where the name came from, but for some reason I called this particular line that.

Since I was on the bridge most of the time I had the long line “trash can line” up there with me. After letting the line out half a spool of 50-pound test, which was loaded on to a 50 wide. (You do the math and see if you don’t come up with a long darn way back!)

Once the line was set I put a medium drag, flipped on the clicker, and waited for my hit.

Here’s how a Wahoo hit went at least in my book…The first initial hit, which is where the Wahoo is cutting the tail of my bait off was a “sharp strong short hit,” which caused the loud international clicker to make that deep grinding sound. With the rod right at my back all I had to do was to turn quickly, put the reel in feel spool while of course holding my thumb on the reel and turning the clicker off at the same time. Say what you want but that a lot of stuff is going on in a very short time. Timing is the key to hooking up that

Wahoo that just cut the tail off your bait. When the fish turns back to pick up its kill the line would start peeling off the reel almost always burning my thumb. While I was keeping the line on the reel from tangling I would be sliding the tension bar up so as to get a nice tight line. As you can see a lot had to come together to hook up this big fish.

Keeping your boat in gear!

Once the fish was hooked up, I only slowed down. I didn’t take the boat out of gear I kept it moving at about 5 knots. In my case, when “in gear” I was at about 5 knots whether I liked it or not. I have to admit I did loose quite a few fish taking the boat out of gear and making way too quick down the bridge ladder. All fishermen at least those that admit it make “losing a fish mistakes.” The bottom line is once hooked up leave your boat in gear and if you must get in the cockpit hand the helm over to some one else. If you don’t keep this fish moving forward it going to go ballistic all over the place. Yes, it will definitely put on a jumping side stepping show, but most of the time they swim right off your hook. The goal should always to stay ahead of the fish that is on the hook! This is a great rule to follow, but not when using 20 pound test main line.

Another thing I found out the hard way was the fact that you need to use large extra strong sharp “J” hooks. Even out the box these hooks needed to be sharpen. I had an old stone, which put a hone on a hook like most have never seen. My rule was when you start bleeding your hook is sharp enough. When you hook up a big fish that’s not only large as well as very active the hook has to get set somewhere strong and not the side of the face. It needs to get lodge somewhere near the mouth area behind the lips and it also needs to be inline with the fish. Believe me if it’s not you are not going to get you fish in before it pulls off. I know “never say never,” but most of the time you don’t land your fish. Now if you wrap your hooked fish up, that’s another entirely different situation. If you follow these rules you will once hooked catch more Wahoo!

Freshies Report

Freshies Suggestions

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

Bill Vanderford is “Lake Lanier’s Legend!”

Seagulls and Loons Diving for Baitfish

According to Bill, where you find this situation, you find fish! This is your sign to fish here!

Little Miss Judy’s Believe It or Not!

Dragonfly central

I am not professional photographer. However, I sure do get the opportunity to take a lot of interesting pictures. Please met my new friend that perched itself on top of this rod and stayed with us for about 30 minutes.

Thanks for reading! Captain Judy

POB 30771

SAVANNAH, GEORGIA 31410

912 897 4921 912 897 3460 FAX

Captain Judy’s email fishjudy2@aol.com

For those that want to hear my weekly fishing report please go to ….

http://www.thecoastalsource.com/content/features/goodmorning/story/Captain-Judysfull-Fishing-Report/CAk8CeGlcke545y7k-romw.cspx