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 6, 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)
The New Pattern Or Not!
I just wanted to take a little time to touch base on something that has been bothering me for this entire 2007-fishing season. Things have been certainly different in regards to fish migrations, water temperatures, availability of bait, and our sea bird population. I have made a list of things that have stuck out at least in my world:
Spanish mackerel season normally gets started in late April. Normally these fish are scattered, but we still are able to catch a few nice fish while fishing deep at the artificial reefs located in less then 50 feet of water. In March of 2007 inshore fishermen reported catching not one but many Spanish mackerel while trout fishing in the rivers and sounds. This while just fishing with live shrimp over the standard oyster rakes. The good news is that once hooked up you knew that you didn't have a trout or red fish on!
King Mackerel, little tunny, and dolphin blessed us with a strong appearance in 100 feet of water during March, April, and good part of May. The near shore reefs were completely barren of any of this fish activity. As it got warmer there were a few reported catches of king and Spanish mackerel at the artificial reefs.
Spanish mackerel, few king mackerel, and barracuda could be caught at the artificial reef located in more that 55 feet of water. However, any water to the inshore were completely
Normally we have schools and schools of little tunny starting in the early spring at the Savannah Snapper banks. As the days go by the little tunny migrate closer to shore. During this time we get the "ocean sunfish" migration, which is a very strong. However, none of this happened this year. We also have schools and schools of cow nose rays that surface skirt our areas during this time. There were a few spotted this year, but not much as in the past years.
Lets talk about jelly balls. Our area normally has a strong run of these during spring around the near shore waters. Then they get scattered about with us finding them in rips as far as the Gulf Stream. However, this year we have seen few, but I have had reports of shrimp boats getting tons in their net. However, all these jelly balls were caught right from the bottom in the sound.
I know I am jumping around, but this is how it's coming out. Another thing that has amazed me is the fact that we have so many small composite sharks on the artificial reefs. All you have to do is to drop baited hooks, wait only a few seconds/minutes, and you will probably be hooked up. However, the shark bite is "ON" one day and "OFF" the next.
We normally have schools of Spanish mackerel surface schooling in these areas during the hot months. We have only seen a few schools of these fish on the surface. This recently has changed with us now has some Spanish mackerel near shore and on the artificial reefs.
Lets talk about barracuda. Normally there are many of these fish holding over wreaks waiting for that easy meal. After all there is usually plenty to eat. Naval towers, artificial reefs located in more that 60 feet of water, and ledges located in 60 plus feet of water are holding the interest of these fish. Well, in some areas the barracuda populations are great, but on the artificial reefs located in 50 or less feet there "no toothy monsters at home." For those that think this fish hasn't any importance you had best think about this thing called "balance!"
Last week while trying to catch a few live baits with a gold hook bait rig I caught juvenile (baby) barracuda. Now that might not sound strange to you, but I don't think in my forty years of fishing plus that I seen a less than 6 inch/less barracuda. They don't like captivity too well, because these bait like looking fish died shortly after catching them.
Jackson our local diver that keeps me informed of what's going on in the under world called and asked this question: "I saw hundreds of these small bait fish that looked like barracudas." My response was that "they were!" I talked with Cathy Sakas of Gray's Reef Marine Sanctuary and she did a little checking for me. Yes, indeed they have seeing juvenile barracuda schools on Gray's Reef.
Let's talk about baitfish in general. My norm is to catch as least 200 bait fish before I head out to the Savannah Snapper Banks. My allotted time that I use to figure in was around 30 minutes. I normally fished three bait rigs at a time. This helped quite a bit in the "quick gathering department." When 2007 rolled around "things in the bait department looked non-existing." My 30 minutes of strong bait catching has turned into 1 hour and so on. I has come to my attention that you cannot get a bite when you drop you bait rig to the bottom.
Just to touch base a little on the bird's-a-feeding situation. Since there haven't been much surface baits the poor birds are having a hard time in the survival mode. I have seen more pelagic birds close inshore than in the past. It's hard to pull a surface lure without several starving birds trying to pick it up. There is more bad news. I have seen more dead birds in the ocean than I normally do. I have always heard "bad bird stories" from other coastal areas. Things like I caught more birds that day than fish. I tried not to think about that last statement, but I now find myself in this situation. They only difference now is we pull our surface lines in when the hungry birds approach.
There are more strange happenings taking place, but I think I have bored or enlighten you enough for right now. My take on all of these changes boils down and brings me to think in two different directions. The first is that this just might be an off year with the next one to follow being back to normal. The second is "we had best get use to all of these changes because this is our "new fishing world!" If the latter is the truth it still isn't that bad of a fishing situation to be in. The reason being is that when you check out other so–called non-fishy areas you will find that we are still live in the best place and we are the luckiest fishermen in the world!
We have got to stop thinking so much about yesterday and think more about how we can adapt to what is taking place now and how we can make it work! The old saying, "it is what it is and lets make it work" comes to mind first! I am going make one more suggestion and I'm sure you are not going to like this one! I get the feeling with so much change especially if this is permanent that we need cherish all that we catch, because "What you catch today might not be around tomorrow!"