Savannah Fishing Report - Miss Judy Charters Sep 6

CAPTAIN JUDY HELMEY

“Kicking Fish Tail Since 1956”

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

At Bass Pro Macon, Georgia

Or call my very good friend Bob Paschal 1 478 836 5816

2011 Schools dates are

INSHORE FISHING CLINIC

Two Inshore School

Saturday March 12, 2011 One Offshore School

Saturday March 5, 2011 Time: 8:00AM – 2:00 PM

Place: Tubby’s Tank House 2909 River Drive, Thunderbolt, Georgia 31404

Cost: $100.00 (included one day class, breakfast, and lunch)

Please call 912 897 4921 now for reservations

Please sign up as soon as possible! There is limited entry!

Inshore

Inshore fall bite is “On!”

Even though it’s still hot and the water temperature is on the “hot side” we can’t deny, “we got a fall bite going on!” Now for the best news, “it’s only going to get better!”

Captain Ray Crawley’s secret year around secret bait!

Strike King “Baby Bass lures” 3XZTOO-55

Captain Ray Crawley says,

Captain Ray Crawley of Miss Judy Charters knows a lot about spotted sea trout and red fish. As a matter of fact he knows fish in general. Now when it comes to working an artificial jig or lure he has got that moving pattern down too. I have seen this artificial lure worked by Captain Ray many catching times. While talking with Captain Ray the other day he gave me an inshore catching report. It’s a good one and it’s fish catching news that you can use!

Strike King “Baby Bass lures” 3XZTOO-55

Side View

This is a Strike King rigged “Baby Bass lures.” This is Captain Ray Crawley’s favorite lure used when targeting large sea trout. This is an all water temperature lure meaning spring, summer, fall, and winter.

Top View

Take a good look at this rigged Strike King Baby Bass lures 3XZTOO-55. This fluke is threaded on to a 1/8-ounce jig head. When this lure is cast into position upon landing it’s most likely is going be sitting with hook up. The way it’s designed helps you to be able to work it in an area covered with structure with minimal hang-ups. The bottom of the lure is shaped so that when retrieved across any sort of bottom it will pull smoother as well a more natural. With the hook’s point exposed on top of the lure when hit your chances of a hook up is much more realistic.

Spotted sea trout are known for feeding over/around oyster beds and any sort of structure from the solids (wood, concrete, etc) to rips. They are also known for rounding up bait almost anywhere that there is an opportunity. Close behind are others such as the blue fish, which can destroy your bait used and quick. The best way around this is to not use live bait, but go artificial instead. A good lure to use when during this time is a Strike King “Baby Bass lure” 3XZTOO-55 rigged on a 1/8-ounce red or white jig head. The secret is to cast, let it fall, slowly reel one turn, twitch, and repeat. The bottom line is trout love it! And the best news is the old blue with their mouth full of chopping teeth most likely can’t destroy it.

When the water temperature is warm there are all kinds of small fish that are waiting to destroy your live bait. The good news is that you will get lots of hits. The bad news is that the fish “on this tare” might be the small ones also known as “fetish fish!” Before I offer up a remedy for this sort of affair here’s the definition on a “fetish fish.” These are small-mouthed fish that couldn’t possibly eat your bait with one gulp. Their main goal is to go at it piece by piece starting with the small parts such as the legs, tail section, feelers/legs, outer skin/scales, and head section parts. Once all is said and done all you really have is the largest part, which in most cases doesn’t have much bite appeal.

The best way to get around the whims of the fetish fish is to offer up a bait design that they are not interested in and that would be the “Strike King “Baby Bass lures” 3XZTOO-55 or the likes of.

There is a simple method for working this lure and it goes like this: It’s simple and to make this work you have to believe in what you are doing! I can’t stress that enough!

All you do is to cast your bait/lure into the fishy area, let it fall to the bottom, slowly reel one turn and then slowly twitch. When working the lure in this fashion the tip of the rod needs to be in the up position. Don’t for get your dip net!

I told you that big fish are being caught inshore…. Here’s the catching evidence!

Here’s the big story, this is Alison’s first fish ever! Well, in her case, if you have to start somewhere, obviously this is the place! Congratulations!

Jack Crevalle Invasion

Captain Jack McGowan of Miss Judy Charters brought a few things to the fishing table this past week. While cruising the rivers and sounds this pass week he got to see some really nice jack crevalle and of course there is lots of proof in the above picture.

What I know about the jack crevalle

When it comes to inshore schooling Jack Crevalle most fishermen drive right by, because they don’t know what to look for. The bottom line is when these fish are staging meaning “looking only at what they are going to eat they have an unbelievable stance.”

Over the years I have seen this happen many times. I am so shocked when I see them that and I know it’s hard to believe, but I have not gotten a picture of this pheromone. At least I am calling that. Don’t worry I have this picture taking event on my list of things to accomplish.

Jack Crevalle staging stance

When the jacks stage they have what I call “their own personal stage stance!” If not for a moment think about small toy sailboats with their sails tight, but not moving. Now that you have that picture in your mind, remove the boat itself that is holding the sail. Now, put the sail top (without the boat part) strategically placed in a schooling formation, but not moving a bit. When you see this, it means that the Jacks are watching what will be their next stomach filingl event.

Staging Stance

Here’s the strange thing, these fish will quietly stage near a sand bar or in the middle of the river by a rip. They are so focused as a school that they don’t move a fin. It’s just my opinion, but I think when they are doing this that they have pumped their air bladders full. This must keep them suspended right under the surface without any movement. The reason I say this is because when I catch them offshore while grabbing them to remove the hook when the air in the bladder escapes “they make a hollering sound!” Believe I not making this stuff up. It just happens to me!

Feeding Frenzy

It’s a “no brain-er” when these fish are feeding. They don’t jump; they dart and dart hard at what they are going to eat. In some cases, they must hit their prey so hard that it might just knock them out causing them to just free fall in the water column. Once this happens this is the only time that I have seen them break off from each other. I guess when it comes to feeding “the fish that makes it there first eats!” These fish normally travel as a school in prefect cadence meaning when one moves all the others move in the exact direction at the same time. I equate this to the way birds fly when they are flocking/migrating.

According to my father sailboats and tree had a lot in common!

While on this subject of fish that look like small sailboats, I have to tell you what my father had to say about these boats. According to my father, any person that traveled around in a boat that had a tree growing in the middle that didn’t have any leaves had to be crazy. Now before you sail boaters out there get mad. I don’t feel that way, but

Daddy did! My father was known for saying what he wanted when he wanted!

Captain Jack McGowan’s Inshore Fishing Report

Aug 31, 2010

Prior to strong winds the bite was very good! It was possible to catch a sea trout or redfish on nearly every cast. Most of these fish are undersized. However it was possible to put together a nice mess of fish. One fisherman said it seems early for whiting.

Nonetheless despite lots of rain fishermen can find a nice whiting bite in the sounds.

Fishermen fishing for redfish this week are finding better results on the outgoing tide. A strong east wind means redfish will push back into the grass earlier in the tide cycle. Lots small ladyfish in the sounds and river. Ladyfish are excellent tarpon/shark bait.

Tarpon are in the sounds! These fish will likely stick around for a couple of more weeks. Great places to target these are where tidal energy builds up and baitfish abound. Jacks can be seen cruising the inland waterways. Jacks will readily take a variety of poppers, flies, artificial as well bait. Flounders can be found in tidal creeks.

Last week there was one report from Salt Pond of one group catching 30 flounders! This is a great time of the year to target flounders! Pitching soft white grubs can be effective in catching flounders. There are lots of finger mullet and small menhaden in the tidal creeks. Finger mullet and small menhaden are great bait for sea trout, redfish and flounder! You can avoid some of the small fish like pinfish, yellow tail and croaker when fishing a finger mullet but small bluefish love to chomp through a finger mullet leaving a bloody head. There are lots of small bluefish out there.

The bite has been mercurial. Fishermen who found fish have able to limit out on sea trout, redfish and flounder. One fisherman said he caught what would have been the equivalent of two limits of sea trout, redfish and flounder. Some of the flounder reported in the 20-inch range! With that said some very good fishermen have gone out and gotten skunked. Conditions are critical and nature has the final say.

When fishing ideal conditions and nothing happens just keep looking. As barometric pressure drops sea trout can bite very light. Once the pressure stabilizes the bite will return. Last Friday (August 27, 2010) just before the front the bite was good, almost every cast. The following day as front impacted local waters the bait was way off.

Tides are building after Labor Day. Could be a good time to look for redfish back in the grass! Fishing could be challenging. Look for clean water and not too much current.

Hope this of help! Capt. Jack McGowan of Miss Judy Charters

 

During this time of the year…it’s possible to land a big one while never leaving sight of land! This is a nice tarpon, which was caught on half a Spanish mackerel. This fish hit the bait, sucked it in, jumped with fury, pulled the line for over 2 hours, was brought to the boat, this picture was taken, the fish was properly revived, and believe it or not it still swims today!

For those fishermen that target tarpon on their own, please revive before releasing. It’s best for all fishermen that once hooked up to fight them light and release as soon as possible. Even though it took 2 hours to land this fish, once landed they quickly removed the hook from the hinge of its jaw. Once revived, the fish swam off slowly, but it looked like it chances for survival were good. Please take time no matter what to successfully revive these fish!

Big fish inshore!

There are still lots of time left to score big in this department! As far as what big fish I am talking about well…it’s still Tarpon, Jack Crevalle, and Shark Time!

Fall might be on the tracks, but we still got hot water bites in the form of big sharks such as lemons, spinners, and black tips. Not only do we have sharks and tarpon we now have mega Jack Crevalle.

Inshore chumming is a good thing!

This is what we call a bait board and it wares. In this case the wares are cut squid and cut fish. Both of these cut bait work on your hook or are great when doing a little chumming.

Inshore fishing chumming

Although it’s not talked about a lot…inshore chumming for red fish and spotted sea trout works and works well. Here is how it works…Pick out a spot that has structure and moving clean water in a slough type situation. Then anchor and start pitching fish parts directly in and around the area that you are fishing. Set out your baits and then wait….it’s only a matter of time before those choice fish come to dinner!

This is what I call, when it comes to a bait situation “a loaf of bread cut.” This kind of cut of fish parts especially the middle offers some extra good scent, because the guts are also included. These cuts of bait can be used as bait on your hook or for basic chumming around the picked fishing area.

Inshore and offshore chumming

This is our basis bait bucket. They were just alive, but now dead baits are put in a bucket so that all juices flowing can be taken advantage of. When we are planning to do a little chumming we will cut these bait up and put them right back into this soon to be fishier sauce than before. Whatever you do don’t drink this liquid!

Chunking for fish!

This is what is called the “prefect chunk bait set up when targeting red fish!” It’s a known fact that these fish are bottom feeders and rooting is one of their main feeding games. With that begin said, “Cast your bait in, let it sit, and wait for some biting action.

I think you are going to be quite surprised at the catching out come. This type of fishing where “chunking, cutting, and chumming of bait is involved can be called “stepping outside of the baiting box!” This is the type of baiting up that no one wants to talk about, because some feel that it’s cheating. Believe me it’s not cheating, it’s called “fishing with something a fish really wants, which is something that’s real as well as very, very, fishy!”

Artificial Reefs

Fall water deal!

The artificial reefs are great places to fish especially at this time of the year. These areas have lots of manmade structure down under such as battle tanks, dredges, bridge parts, pallet balls, barges, concrete culverts and etc. These objects after a while are covered with all kinds of marine growth, which in turn attracts small fish, which in turn attract larger fish, which in turn, I think you get the picture. 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!

Near shore and offshore

Trolling for Spanish mackerel

Believe me when I say, “I have seen more and I have seen less of these fish over the years!” The bottom line is this when you can see them try and catch them. If you can’t see the fish pull the lures deeper bringing the bite to you.

Offshore

Bait of a different kind!

Mike Rubadue, long time fishing friend, is holding up a nice size octopus, which neither he nor I caught. Mike purchased it at an Asian market in Atlanta. Since he is from the old fishing school, Mike knows that chunked up (sliced up) octopus legs and body make for great bottom bait. The octopus is considered a delicacy in regards to those that like to eat sushi. I always called in “Japanese bubblegum.” The reason being the more you chewed the bigger the piece seemed to get. I tried it once, ate too much, and the out come with not good for me. However, I must add those “White Russians creamy drinks” that accompanied the meal might have cause some of this dismay. To this day I have touched neither of these two things involved!

Please read more about octopus in Little Miss Judy’s Believe It or Not, which is located at the end of this fishing report…

Savannah Snapper Banks

Bottom fishing with plain old squid and cut fish gets you all sort of biting action.

However, take a live bait drop it to the bottom and big fish bites will happen! We caught some real nice gag grouper already this week…can’t wait to get back out there and give them another try! If you can’t get a bottom bite going I suggest you give just plain old trolling just about anything a try! I like using small to medium swimming rigged ballyhoo!

The yellow butterflies have arrived! This could mean that the fall/winter run of king mackerel might have just arrived! More next week!

The blue water billfish catching deal!

Gulf Stream Suggestions now!

Coming next week more billfish bite shorts!

The bills are in, but it’s certainly not an everyday bite. I have gotten scattered reports of catching or not when it comes the blue water sailfish marlin late summer bite. Over the past years this has been a great time to make this run to the deep-water ledges to give bill fishing a try. The good news is that it can happen and has been doing so. The bad news is one day they are on and the next day they aren’t. I guess this is why they call it fishing!

So here’s a tip that you can use…Pull small dink baits for sailfish and large to medium rigged Spanish mackerel for marlin. No matter what when your bait gets hit or even touched, drop it back quickly, and give the bill time to turn back to pick up its so called stunned bait. Once a bill fish takes batting practice at your pulled bait, if you don’t drop them back seemly stunned, the bill with think it missed or something is very wrong. Or in this case from their point of view “real fish or may be not!”

Freshies Suggestions

How to catch fish right now!

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

Bill Vanderford is “Lake Lanier’s Legend!”

In my library I have a lot of old fishing books, which I just love to read. While looking through them the other day I came across a book called Hannon’s Field Guide for Bass Fishing, which was published in 1980. It stated that if you want to go freshwater fishing in early fall here are a few suggestions:

In early September on a cloudy night and while fishing murky water conditions you should consider doing this: In depths of 5 to 15 feet around flats adjacent to deep water you should use plastic worm working the drop off. Or Use single spinner bait, which is black in color or a black jitterbug. These lures should be worked either from the deep to the shallow or vice versa. The secret to getting a fish’s attention when going this route is to use a “slow steady retrieve!” Now you know what the fishermen did back in the old days to catch fish in early September.

Little Miss Judy’s Believe It or Not!

Octopuses now and then!

Today when we catch an octopus

When we catch an octopus the first thing that we do is to take a picture, try to get the hook out while not letting it spit black ink all over you, and release alive as soon as possible. Please remember, I am from the old fish days where there were plenty of octopus and sawfish as well as many others that have now pretty much have disappeared.

I would like to think that these fish have just have changed their migrating patterns!

Back in the old days before there was any sort of fishing awareness…

We used too, as soon as we caught an octopus was to cut the legs off. This makes me sad, but this is what I was taught. At first daddy killed them all using them as bait. Then as he got older he would only cut a few legs off while saying, “They will grow back and quick.” After doing a little checking the octopus can grow back a missing arm. My father called the octopus’s arms “legs” and instead 8 legs he said “Four pairs of legs!”

Australian Blue Ringed Octopus

When I was in Australia I got to see a blue-ringed octopus, which was very beautiful.

However, this particular octopus can deliver a venomous bite, which can kill a human in less than 15 minutes. What I call the regular octopus, which is the ones that we catch here in this area, will bite you, but will not kill you. When they attack their prey of small crabs, shrimp, and mussels, once latched on to, they bite and then inject salvia to kill it.

(Not the same type salvia as the Australian blue ringed octopus.) My suggestion is that no matter where you are, “leave the octopuses alone!”

Thanks Captain Judy

POB 30771

SAVANNAH, GEORGIA 31410

912 897 4921 912 897 3460 FAX

Captain Judy’s email fishjudy2@aol.com

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