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
August 20, 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)
Blue Water Suggestions!
It's Hot but that's no reason not to go Blue water fishing!
Let's Talk About Going to "Rip-Ville!"
While making way to the blue water of the stream sometimes you happen up on what we called "a long defined rip!" It's possible when coming across "defined rip" that you can follow it for long distances. Rips are formed when different two different current direction meet. This so-called "invisible wall," which is formed provides a calming area for bait to think they are hiding and for fish to feed. In other words, "fish here" is your sign!
I have been on my 70-mile run to the blue waters of the stream and have found what looked like a promising target rich environment. The fact of the matter is I have found rips that have been as long as 7 miles. I remember this one time that I found this rip that turned out to be my first and last stop for the day. This doesn't happen all of the time, but when it does I suggest taking full advantage of this "gold mine find!" The rip was tightly pushed together and was carrying a one-degree temperature change. It has all the essential parts that made it interesting and a serious draw for the fish. It was lined with live Sargasso weeds, which provides a home for many small fish species. These small occupants are what bring on the bite from the larger fish such as dolphin and Wahoo. Dolphins are probably the most curious of all fish. When fish are cruising and they find something floating, believe me they are going to check it out. When the seas are relatively calm things that float are going to be "floating on the surface." When it's rough and has been for a while things/debris that were floating might be pushed down by the continuous strong wave pattern. With that in mind here are a few suggestion for working this "Gold Mine of Fishing Catching Opportunity!"
I suggest working both sides of the rips with top, semi surface, and deep lines. It's a known fact that fish will stage at different depths feeding at will! Take for instance that school of dolphin that might be holding deep in this line. As soon as you hook one up the entire school will most likely follow the hooked fish up allowing you multiple hook up opportunity! While working an area such as this you might find a series of "Hot Spots" or just a continuous bite opportunity, which is spread out with the rip.
When you are working a rip you need to keep your eyes open looking for any surface movement and bird activity. Just because the birds aren't feeding doesn't mean that there are no fish. The presences of birds means there is food! When you have birds, whether they are sitting or feeding, you have fish and vice-versa! I wonder if a fish looks at this situation the same way? Especially during this time of the year blue water travelers might not have to take such a long ride to the fish. It's that time where the prevailing winds brings us the blue water bite in the green water sector! Anything goes at this time of the year.
WAHOO
Just a small remainder that this is a fish that loves to move with the bait especially those that stage in the solitary rips. These areas are not long such as the rip I described above. These areas are isolated rips that are more like a spot rather than a rip formed by two current coming together. I'm not sure why, but they are there and they hold fish, because I have caught my share while fishing these areas. When you are riding and find an area on the surface that stands out I suggest taking a stop to see. Some of these areas are formed when the big Wahoo feeds from the oils and spoils from the fish's feeding frenzy. The oils float to the top making a semi-oil-sheen on the water. Now this so-called sheen interests small to large fish, because it's a feeding grounds. I guess you could say, "The Wahoo feeds, the spoils/leftovers float to the surface forming a slick, which brings on the attention's of the smaller fish.
These break-a-ways from the original rip or produced by floating fish oils are great places to fish. I suggest trolling the outskirts, because the large fish are going to stage in these areas. When the small fish approach they have the option of feeding now or later!