CAPTAIN JUDY HELMEY
"Kicking Fish Tail Since 1956"
POB 30771
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA 31410
912 897 4921
912 897 3460 FAX
www.missjudycharters.com
August 2, 2008
Happy Fish Day!
Saltwater inshore, offshore, blue water fishing report, Freshies Suggestions, and "Little Miss Judy's story! Thanks for reading! Captain Judy
Juvenile Red Snapper At The Artificial Reefs
Shawn Pritchard along with his young motley fishing crew went out to do a little catching this past week. Their destination was the artificial reef "White Water and KC Buoy." These artificial reefs areas were holding lots of genuine red snapper, which were caught while doing a little bottom fishing. The only problem with this catching scenario was the fact that all of the fish caught were a bit undersize.
Normally at this time of the year it's not usual to find schools of these fish holding at the artificial reefs. The problem is most of these fish don't make the legal size of 20 inches plus to keep. Red snapper fit into the classification of "schooling same size." This means if you are catching 18 to 19 inch red snapper the chances of catching a large fish isn't very good. However, when catching fish such as this in less than fifty feet water simple as well as careful releasing means they will probably survive.
I asked Shawn, "What were you using as bait?" His answer was a good one, which offered up a great fish catching tip. Shawn was using the standard two-hook bottom rig made from 80-pound test monofilament and 4/0 hooks. For bait he was using strips cut from fresh caught menhaden. The strips used were about ¾ inch wide, 3 inches long, and were tapered to a point. Shawn cut these strips from the head to the tail.
The method of delivery was a good one for sure. After baiting up both hooks, he dropped these shinny oily strips to the bottom, and jigged them in about one-foot strokes. This action received lots good solid bit action! When the bottom bite slowed the crew took to trolling. This prompted a bite from some of the biggest Spanish mackerel that Shawn has seen in a while. For this fish plan he pulled a Drone Spoon behind a #2 planner, had a rigged Williamson ribbonfish in his spread, and also pulled some Clark Spoons. For those that don't know Shawn has it all covered. If a regular fish wanted to hit he was ready and if real big fish took action he was ready for that too!
The bottom line to the report is a good one for sure. They went, they caught fish, had a great time, and are still taking about it! Thanks to Shawn Pritchard for such a fine report and as we are all reading those released fish are still growing!