Miss Judy Charters
Captain Judy Helmey
"Kicking Fish Tail Since 1956!"
124 Palmetto Drive
Savannah, Georgia 31410
912 897 4921 or 912 897 3460 fax
www.missjudycharters.com
September 24, 2007
Captain Judy's Saltwater Fishing Report
Which includes:
Inshore report, Offshore Report, Freshies Suggestions, and "Little Miss Judy's Believe It or Not!" (Story)
Inshore Waters
Fall is a great time to get your fishing line stretched. The bottom line to this time of the year is that fish are migrating meaning you never really know what you might catch. Shrimp has been the number one bait to use with mud minnows coming in second place. It seems that the shrimp taste appeals to all whether they are bottom, mid column, or surface feeders. There more good news in the shrimp-knowing department.
While casting only a few times off my own dock located on Turner Creek many shrimp were caught. I did notice that the size of the shrimp didn't have any sort of pattern. In other words there was a mixed bag of sizes, which means some were used for bait while others made it to the "old afternoon shrimp cocktail." For those that don't want to purchase or can't seem to get to the bait store before they are all gone I suggest giving casting the net a try! While throwing the net we caught finger mullet and yellow tails, which also make great live baits!
During these times all types of bait presentations normally do work. I suggest finding one that fits you. I prefer ultra light tackle (8 pound test), tying my hook directly on to the main line, and then hooking bait up so that it can swim as naturally as possible. This is called by many "free styling." It's simple and doesn't need any sort of float. Bait when hooked using this type of rig naturally swim where they feel the safest. Large fish already have the inside scoop of those possibilities quite often meeting them half way! Please don't forget to set that hook when this meeting takes place.
When using this method sometimes called "free styling or fishing naked" the hit that you get is felt right away! Here are a few suggestions on where to place that #1 Kale hook: When using shrimp it's best to place on the horn or in the bend of the tail. When live bait such as finger mullet, menhaden, yellow tail, mud minnows, or croaker is used lipped hooked (under the lip through the top of the head), right behind the dorsal fin, or place one inch up from "Y" in the baitfish's tail. The bottom line to these "hooking your bait up suggestions" is that all will work, but it has to fit to your ability to "set the hook!" It might take a little testing meaning "lost-age of bait to get the right working plan!
For those that love to watch for the "sinking of the cork" I suggest going with your passion. My father loves this type of "bait delivery!" Seeing the sinking of the cork in my father's eyes was fishing at its finest! For me as a child watching the cork could sometimes be boring. In my case it only seemed to "get dunked" when I wasn't watching. This only meant daddy would be "screaming" and "of course" my bait would either be completely gone or "just plain dead!"
My father love using the good old traditional float method to get his bait to the old "biting grounds!" I can see him now puffing on that cigar and smoke rings around the top of his head. We didn't do much talking because according to daddy "if fish were there they would be listening!" According to daddy, "fish that are listening don't eat at the same time!"
When daddy and I fished the "popping cork" had yet to be invented or at least the "now edition." Back in the old days our popping corks were basically the bead/button hitting the top of the metal tube that was inside the traditional style cork. According to my father, when you raised your long trout rod to give or take slack you had two ways to go: The first was if you wanted to produce "shrimp fleeing noise" you lifted your rod quickly "popping the bead/button on the cork's top!" The second was "not to pop your rod, but rather lift it "gingerly" enough to let out or retrieve said amount of slack. As a child I had to wonder why we had so many options!