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
Offshore Artificial Reef Report
We have top water fish such as little tunny, king and Spanish mackerel, Jack crevalle, and barracuda. This past week a fisherman called me on the VHF radio and reported that he was catching Jack crevalle while slow trolling at the DUA artificial reef. According to his report he was using ballyhoo and cigar minnows on a downrigger. It was a morning bite that lasted till noon and then it was over. (September 30, 2008) Some of the Jack crevalle was over thirty pounds.
I fished the L-Buoy and had a good bottom bite. However, the water wasn't very clear offering up "action only when we happened to drop right on top of the bottom fish." For bait we were using cut fish and squid. I marked pods of black sea bass scattered all over the low relief bottom areas. I didn't catch any bottom fish on the wrecks themselves.
The live bottom areas located in around 80 feet of water were holding black sea bass, ocean perch, blue fish, and some juvenile red snapper. This also was quite a feat since the current was traveling at a high rate. The bottom line to these bottom reports is that there is bottom fish and they should bite if you can place your bait near them. I suggest either anchoring or dropping above and drifting over these areas. The main thing when drifting is to try and keep your bait on the bottom. Cut fish and squid works great on a double hook bottom rig. However, live bait such a cigar minnows and Spanish sardines will bring on a bigger bite. This is due to the fact that the larger fish will zone in on live fish "quick fashion!" It's their job!
Artificial Reef "J" Buoy
No King Mackerel Build Up!
Normally this area is full of king mackerel especially at this time of the year. The yellow butterflies and the bait are here in full force. With the arriving of the butterflies it normally means that the winter run of the king mackerel has arrived. One doesn't have anything to do with the other except that they migrate at about the same time every year! We now have tons of live bait schooling at the artificial reefs, in formed rips, and at the Savannah Snapper banks, which normally are prefect areas for this fish to stage a "holding feeding affair." Although as of this report we haven't seen this fall/winter run of king mackerel start its pace in this immediate area. However, there is always next week and I am counting on it!
Up Date on King Mackerel Review
October 4, 2008 CCA Artificial Reef Report
I had a couple of fishermen drop by and report that they did catch some kings at the CCA artificial reefs. Kings hit deep running 8" inch plugs and Spanish sardines on light tackle slow trolled rigs…more next week..Who knows the fall/winter run might have made it to the near shore artificial reefs…. After all it certainly is time for this bite to take place!