Captain Judy Helmey
Miss Judy Charters
"Kicking Fish Tail Since 1956!"
124 Palmetto Drive
Savannah, Georgia 31410
912 897 4921 or 912 897 3460 fax
www.missjudycharters.com
October 6, 2008
Happy Fish Day!
Saltwater inshore, offshore, blue water fishing report, Freshies Suggestions, and "Little Miss Judy's story! Thanks for reading! Captain Judy
Inshore Fishing Report
Inshore Red Fish
This article is based on an interview that I had with Captain Ray Crawly of Miss Judy Charters. He has been fishing a long time and knows what a fish wants. Captain Ray actually does eat, sleep, and drink fishing! Believe me he still has time to hunt as well as go out and have a great time. However, it's his passion in regards to inshore fishing is "red fish and all that it implies!" According to Captain Ray to get to this point in the fishing game you just don't sleep as much!
Near Shore Sand Bar Fishing for Trophy Red Fish
In last week's (September 29, 2008) fishing report I wrote about getting your best shot at hooking up a trophy red fish while fishing off the beachfronts. In other words fishing beaches accessible by land, meaning, "No boats needed!" So therefore lets talk about areas that you should look when you want to fish from a boat. Since I fish Warsaw Sound and those beachfronts in this area I will use this as a model. When heading out of Warsaw sound in the channel both sides are lines with sand bars. There are also barriers islands on both side of this sound. While in the "heading offshore mode (to the ocean) there is Little Tybee to your left and Warsaw Island to your right. These areas have their share of extended sand bars that comes completely out of the water at low tide as well as some area where troughs are between the bars.
The best places to look are areas that offer what a bait fish thinks looks like some sort of protection. This all boils down to underwater ponds and spots between bars where the water is pushed first. Baitfish is going to want to get there first before it totally flooded, because it's considered a "feel safe feeding zone." This area and the water around it will be just about where a large fish is going to stage so as to begin it's feeding sequence. The first thing is to take a look at areas such as this at the lowest tide stage as possible. This gives you the lay of the underwater land. With this information you can format a fish-working plan.
The rule of thumb is to fish the deepest part channel located between two bars. Stick to this reasoning no matter what and you will get your best chance at catching a trophy red fish. These areas are "hot spots," because schools of small fish get pushed into these areas by the current. They also know what's lurking behind them. Those in the outskirts are the fish that you want to bite your hook. Believe me taking time to watch before you set up might be better than the baited hook you set out.
The best bait is the one that works. Don't you hate that stupid line? Well, in a red fish's feeding world it's very important that they get all they can while they hanging in this area. Once they leave here they are headed offshore to areas near and far. So bulking up is necessary for this fish's survival offshore!
Best Bait Theories!
The best bait to use is going to be mullet. This is what the red fish are chasing in the first place. So therefore give them what they want. Live will work, but my theory is why would they eat a live fish hanging on a hook when there are schools of them running around? That's a good question! Dead mullet works most of the time better than the live ones do. It gets better, dead mullet cut in half and put on the hook is also better bait. With that being said, the best bait is yet to come. Fresh dead mullet cut in half using the part with the head attached is the "Top Dog Bait" of all times. There is something about a fish head that get the feeding juices going!
Now let talk about some more bait theories that are out there that also need to be considered. Live finger mullet is great bait to use especially if the size is around 4 to 5 inches. This is a prefect mouth full. Now we talked early about why would a red fish hit a live hook up mullet? Here's the answer, before you hook that live finger mullet up it's is suggested to put a few non-live threaten slices across its body. The fish now is alive and "scenting activated!"
Red fish feed are always trying to eat at or around the headfirst. The reason being this is normally the biggest part of the fish it's eating. So therefore give them what they want, which is a heads up first easy take. These types of bait needs to be put on the hook not head first, but on the opposite end where it's not! When the big red fish takes this bait, it gets the head, which taste great and then it tries to crush and swallow all with hook in tow. Now that was a mouth full for sure. This boils down to not placing the hook in the bait's head but in the meaty end, which used to be where the tail was located. I think you got the just of this.
Tackle used
It's a simple design, but a must with detail. You need to rig up rods used with a Carolina style rig. This is the rig some fishermen call a "slide sinker rig." I called it "egg sinker style" as well as the Carolina rig. Before I get into the actual terminal gear end of it, lets talk a little about the main line used. Since the invention of braided line types they have made a big hit with fishermen, because they work. Braided line, no matter what brand, has a lot of good qualities. Here's a few: abrasive resistance, more strength less diameter line, cuts through the water sharper meaning less line resistance, no stretching, which means you actually do feel every hit small or large, and it's hard as heck to cut. While I am at it I might as well list a few of its bad qualities. Here's a few: if you grab this line with your hand it can easily cut you, doesn't have any stretch meaning if the drag isn't properly set and stays that way, "fish be gone," fish can see this line it doesn't perform any sort of disappearing act and for some it hard to tie knots in. All in all braided main lines have more good qualities than bad ones! I suggest using it if you can….And if you are a "monofilament fisherman only," this line will also work, because you are comfortable with it. Believe it or not I am torn, so therefore I use both types of main lines.
Not matter what main line you are using when you make the slip sinker or also known as the Carolina style rig you slide the sinker on first. Then you tie on a swivel, which I suggest should be 60 to 80 pound test. That sounds like a large swivel, but it's not. To the swivel you need to tie on 4 feet of 50-pound test fluorocarbon leader. To the leader you will need to tie on your hook of choice while keeping in mind the bait used.
Let talk a little about hooks when it come to this type of fishing. Trophy red fishing can be slow, because at best it's a waiting game. So therefore if you don't use a circle style hook you are going to have to hold your rod. Now this isn't a bad thing, but if you go with a circle hook you can put out more than one line and not worry about holding your rod. Circle hooks are self-hooking, which means watch your rod and wait for it to start screaming before you touch it. I know you are going to want to pick that rod up especially when the old red fish starts knocking, but don't! Give the fish time to eat and get hooked up on it's own!