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 10, 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 Fishing Report
Fall Inshore Fishing Suggestions
Anthony Conrad has once again proven that his special inshore techniques work! The first report he offered up was in regards to catching spotted sea trout. Anthony has been burning the 'midnight oil' and having quite a bit of catching luck. Before I go into what and how he caught I am going to share with you what Anthony uses as tackle. According to Anthony he owns over 80 rod/reels, but this light tackle set up is what he prefers to use the most.
Great Light Tackle Set Up!
His favorite main line is 8-pound test line, which Anthony loads on to a Bass Pro spinner reel EX 4000. The rod he is using is also a Bass Pro brand, which is a 7 foot 4-12 pound test medium action style. The rod is called 'XPS performance graphite.' Anthony not saying 'it's the only or the best, it's just this set up has been working for him especially during these light tackle times. According to Anthony this set up works especially well when 'Free styling!' This is the name I have given to the type of fishing that Anthony is always doing.
Free Styling!
Free styling is so simple that you might not want to believe that it would work, but 'it does!' I have tried it on several occasions with great success. On his main line of 8 pound test he ties directly on a #1 Kale style hook, which sometimes is also referred to as a 'wide gap hook.' These hooks are great when trying to hook up red fish, trout, flounder, or anything else that might bite your hook.
Anthony has been doing some night fishing, which has turned out to be very successful especially when practicing 'Free styling!' This style of fishing means that you are putting your bait offering of live shrimp or small fish types (mud minnow, small fish, etc) on the hook, casting it out, and letting the bait swim as natural as possible. Since the hook is small and the main line used is 8 pounds your hooked bait moves more naturally getting lots of attentions from all sorts of lurking as well as hungry fish.
Most of his fishing as well as catching has taken place in small/sloughs and backs of creeks. Anthony looks for any sort of surface baits along with the pattern in which they are holding and moving. As you all know normally when baitfish are schooling they are either moving from one place to another or they are basically being herded into place. Not all schools of baitfish will hold the attentions of large fish. However, this is where you need to start your 'Free Styling' casting. Anthony reports that dark thirty is the best time to give this a try. He keeps a small lantern on at all times, which seems to also gets the attentions of fish in the area. According to this report, this type of fishing is not just for nighttime, 'it's for any time!'
Executing the art of free styling is almost too simple to believe. All you do is to hook up any sort of live bait on your hook, which is tied directly to the main. Your next move should be to cast it directly to the out skirts of the school of bait that you are watching. For those that don't want to use live bait this sort of presentation works with the artificial stuff also. However, you must remember, 'to retrieve' so as to keep your artificial bait moving. Any sort of small surface pulled lure normally does work just fine. The catches while 'Free Styling' have been very good. On Anthony's last outing they caught dozens of spotted sea trout from 15 to 20 inches long.
Different Tide Stages
Just a note about different tide stages when it comes to fishing in small creeks. Firstly, all fishermen have their own very good theories on which tide is the best for the fish bite. When fishing backs of creeks and assuming that it doesn't go completely dry at low tide, I have a suggestion. Always be careful, quite often you are not the only fisherman in the creek. Porpoises find these areas quite attractive for herding up their next potential meal. In my lifetime I have had several porpoises jump over my rowboat. I feel more fortunate now than I did when it happened that I wasn't knocked out of my boat. My father told me that was this one time a fisherman was hit so hard that he was knocked out of the boat.
I always liked to fish/cast the first of the incoming tide. My father always said, 'all fish whether large or small move in the same direction especially during this tide.' According to him they are all moving to where the water is going not where it's coming from!
Flounder Fishing 'Anthony Style'
While using the same light tackle rig that I described in the previous paragraph Anthony offers up some more fish catching suggestions. This suggestion has to do with getting your best shot at catching flounder. According to Anthony, he is catching most of his flounder on the incoming tide right after the water covers the oyster rake. As you all know these flat fish when advancing towards the oyster rake stop and burrow themselves in the sand or mud so as to go in the 'ambush mode.' Once the water sufficiently covers the rake giving them enough space to swim in the attack mode they make their move. Two things are happening at this time: Fishermen are fishing over the rake and the flounder are cruising about in search of that perfect fresh meal.
Just a note: It has always been thought by many fishermen that flounder are strictly bottom dwellers. However, many fishermen including myself have seen flounder jump out of the water or become air born while pursuing their next potential meal. There are many sides to a flounder especially when they are feeding or just moving about from one area to another!
Anthony while using his 'free styling' method makes a badly need addition to his almost perfect rig. He adds a small split shot weight, which he crimps on to the main line. Anthony suggests putting it about 8 to 12 inches above the hook/bait. This weight helps keep the bait in the strike zone. Quite often when using live bait and such light tackle your bait can go into the 'jump away mode.' A small split shot, while not subduing the bait too much, keeps it right in the strike zone. The best live bait to use is: finger mullet, menhaden, mud minnows, shrimp, and any other small bait. Another good fresh dead bait to use is strip mullet. It's not alive, but it offers up one heck of a scent, which can also bring on a good bite.
When targeting flounder it's all about the move. Anthony suggests casting your bait rig, while using live or dead bait, directly up on the oyster rake. I know what you are already thinking, 'what about all of that tackle that I am going to lose?' Well, you know the old saying, 'if you aren't loosing tackle you aren't fishing close enough to the structure!' With that being said, 'loosing tackle is going to be in your future, but also so is a more solid fish bite opportunity!' Once you have cast/placed your baited rig to the structure, here's the best way to work it: Throw directly on top of the oyster rake, let it sink, slowly lift rod straight up, reel down, and you will probably get a hit. If you don't get a hit just repeat until you have retrieved your bait. If you find yourself in a position to allow your bait offering to sit at the edge of the oyster rake this is another 'high vise strike zone' for ambush flounder. Don't forget you dip net, because I can almost guarantee that you are going to need!
Thanks for Reading!
Captain Judy
'Fishing Physic!'