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
March 19, 2007
Captain Judy's Saltwater Fishing Report
Inshore Waters
There is one thing that you can say about a fish that's a for-sure: The may or may not bite even when you find, see, and try to feed them!
Captain Jack McGowan Offering Up Some Fine Fish Catching Suggestions!
Spotted Sea Trout
Fishing has been good just not consistent. When fronts have pushed through fishing has been poor. On the other hand just prior to the fronts and during good weather fishing has been good. Sea trout can be found in deep holes (7 to 12 feet) at low water fishing bait or plastics. Sea trout can also be found on traditional drops when the tide is moving. The bite can be soft and slow when water temperature is hovering in the low 50's. When water temperature is on the rise the bite can be hot and fast! When fishing a hole you believe is holding fish and nothing happens "slow up" your retrieve. Capt. Eric Traub reports large sea trout are filled with hard backs – small shrimp. This is a good time to down size your bait!
Red Fish Show Down
There have been of reports people seeing schools of redfish and not able to get these fish to bite. Sometimes that just the way it is. Fish, even redfish do not continually feed. Current, water temperature, clarity and predators can all impact a bite. Another consideration is "how much pressure are these fish non-biting fish experiencing?" Fish that have seen just everything thrown at them are going to be reasonably spooky. This is an excellent time to try something different: stay further away, pitch quieter lures (such as a DOA shrimp), use a push pole in lieu of a trolling motor, simply drift or anchor up. Even spooky fish will eat. The range of a school of redfish isn't miles and miles. Reds will be near structure. When redfish are in open water it's usually because they have been pushed from a favorite spots. These fish are on move and not likely to eat. When several boats are presents on a flat your best bet isn't to compete. Look for fish elsewhere or simply stake up.
Captain Jack McGowan's take on fishing conditions!
Sounds simple enough. Everyone wants to know where did you catch those fish? Location is important, but just as important is the conditions. Look for what the day will allow and fish those conditions. When fishing a drop for sea trout in clean, clear water it's best to lengthen and lighten your leader, down size your hook. This simple step can mean all the difference in a day of winter fishing. Fish in water just above 50 degrees will usually bump at bait several times before committing to the bite. Watch for subtle movements of your float or a slight bump of plastic. This slight indication could be a nice sea trout. Slowing your hook set is usually what's in order. Twice this week I've caught myself missing the first fish or two due too fast a hook set. In one day you might see a soft bite in the morning turning to an aggressive bite in the afternoon as conditions warm. Even within a few cast you might notice an aggressive bite followed by soft bite. This is what is called "winter time fishing!" Fishing can be good during this time while being just a little unpredictable.
Whiting Wins!
Those looking forward to bumping the bottom need to wait no longer! There have already been several reports of good whiting catches! Wind and tide are the biggest factors. When the sounds are rough whiting fish is limited to protected water. Despite lots of wind there have been several good catches up and down the coast. It seems a little early for sharks. Nonetheless there are reports of black tips showing up as well. Hope this of help! Practice catch and release whenever you can and go light on take of redfish!
Your best bait while whiting fishing is going to be small pieces of peeled shrimp or cut fish. The fact of the matter is that they will eat their own flesh. I suggest cutting your first fish up in small pieces and putting it back on your hook. Please remember whiting have a very small mouth meaning if the bait too big it's going to take them a while to devour it. So therefore small pieces of bait laced on small hooks are going to be the ticket to this ride! Whiting are great scaled, headed, gutted, and fried whole like fresh water fish. There are some bones, but this is a fish that's definitely worth picking!
Whiting are also known as "southern kingfish." Not to be confused with king mackerel, which are also referred to as kingfish. The Georgia state rules and regulations are that a whiting has to be at least 10 inches tail length to keep. If you are fishing outside of Georgia waters please check for current regulations in the state in, which you are going to be fishing!
Captain Judy's Fish Catching light has come on!
The older you get the more you think! The more you think the more you put things together. When it comes to fishing I am always trying to come with a better way to hook up my fish! I am always wondering why you have a fish on for a few seconds and then it off! It's not hard to figure out why this happens. The reason being is that the fish missed getting the hook's point, which is most important part of catching! Some fish are known for picking up there intended meal and carrying it away, before trying to eat it. These are the fish that you need to give plenty of berth. When dealing with this sort of "fish hit" it's essential that you give the fish plenty of slack so that it doesn't feel anything unnatural in regards to your bait. The bad news is if they do, the fish will instantly drop what it's carrying and then you will have successfully lost you best chance for hooking up. However, in the same breath if you just let your bait lay there without disturbing it, the fish might just pick it up again. So therefore the best remedy for this situation is to give the fish time to carry your bait off, eat it enough to get to the hook, and then proceed with setting the hook procedures. The setting of the hook is very important if you have decided to go with a "J" style hook, which requires that you have to set it to get hooked up. However, if you are using a "circle type hook" you don't set it, because it self-setting. Believe it or not, but in this case it's necessary to just put your rod in the holder and wait until the fish get hooked up. I know it's hard, but this hook is designed to hook you up on its own.
Now that I have bored you with things that you probably already know I am now going to shed some light on what I have just said. I have been fishing a long time and the interesting part is that this sport is a "hard nut to crack!" I guess this is why it's so popular, because the lure is "methods to catch are always changing!" It dawned on me the other day that if it's confusing to me in some cases it really must be a whole lot more frustrating to other fishermen that don't have much time under their fish belts. Heck, I have been fishing for almost fifty years. I do have to admit that those first twenty years that I was in the "denial stage." This means I thought I knew what I was doing! The fact of the matter is that we fishermen with lots of experience do have a "leg up" in the fish catching arena. (I have always wondered where that "leg up or under your belt" sayings came from!)
I am going to step way outside the box on this one. Fish that pick up baits to mouth it, take it for a ride before they consider eating it, or mash it, should be deal with differently. When we rig up for marlin the hook is situated outside of the bait. As you all know billfish don't have any teeth and basically beat their intended meal up first. They don't have that "bill for looks," but whether sport it as a weapon. Once the beating has started and the fish has killed its intended meal they basically jumped directly on it. However, with all things such as this to get to this stage for the hookup all bait movements have to be orchestrated correctly.
Since I have gone there I had best explain what I am taking about in regards to a billfish. Fish that sport some sort of a bill normally use it to kill or stun first what they are going to eat. As I said earlier, "they don't have teeth to bite with." So therefore their defense as well as their killing tool is their bill! When trolling or live lining for billfish a lot of things have to come together before you can make that hookup!
Firstly, once the billfish is notices you must be prepared to free spool. Your bait trolled obviously has worked or the fish wouldn't have been there in the first place. When the fish billed the bait it has to look immediately stunned our interests my stray. The good news is that if you drop back with the right timing the billfish normally slams your bait. It's time to get inside the billfish's head. When a billfish or most striking fish go at the bait they normally get what is called "lite up!" This is where there colors are the brightest that they could ever be. When billfish hits your bait it's up to you whether or not the fish has hit it hard enough to stunned, because if it hasn't "a red flag" will fly for sure. This means that the billfish struck, but not hard enough to "stunned a normal fleeing bait." If this is the case I wouldn't free spool back until the billfish has hit it hard. Then there are times where the old billfish makes half a pass putting a mere tap on the bait. If the fish doesn't turn back quick I highly suggest free spooling quickly back to where this beating started.
Lets assume that the fish has hit it hard enough to "knock its light out." Now that this has happen, the fish knows that the bait should "fall back" and you as the fisherman should know to "free spool" with control. At this time the billfish should jump on your bait, give it a few seconds, and set that hook. Let assume that you have set the hook and the fish has missed it. I highly suggest letting your bait free fall for a bit more distance.
Most fish that we get the opportunity to catch have a mouth full of teeth, which is a good thing in the eating department. However, ever though they have teeth some fish at any given time can seemly act likes a "billfish!" I'm not saying they are "batting at their food," because it shouldn't be call that. I call it "mouthing their meal." There are many reasons for this act to take place.
My father best terminology for this occurrence was "sore mouth." According to my father fish got what we humans would call a "sinus headache." In other words "unnatural pressure that they can't explain." When they bite down it's uncomfortable. As a child I always wondered why the fish just didn't take an aspirin for that un-welcomed headache. My father's take on catching fish at this time was to use smaller baits and to let the fish have it a bit longer before setting the hook. Even though he would explain all of this to our customers, some fishermen would still "just jerks their rods missing those fish." According to my father, some fishermen don't take kindly to being told such non-sense as this. As with a lot of my fishing trips, "there are those that don't listen and those that catch fish." Those that catch fish "listen!"
The best question I feel that I can try to answer at this time is going to be "how do you know whether or not the fish have sore mouth?
The answer from my standpoint is a simple one, because I have been fishing for many years. Here are a few signs to look for:
Firstly, it's going to be all about your bait. Pieces, parts, or while fish baits will look "haggard." The meaning for this term is that your bait will look pulled it, scrapped, and burned. The fish are hitting at more that eating it! That's because every time they try to bite it they feel pressure. You best defense for this type of bite action is to go with smaller hooks and bait. If you are using squid and fish pieces I suggest cutting them smaller. Down sizing your bait will automatically draw more attention from the fish. They are painfully aware that it will be easier to bite on and swallow something smaller.
When using live baits you will also need to downsize. In other words go with the smaller baits first, because they are probably going to work the best. Keep in mind when down sizing our baits you also need to lighten up on your tackle pound test. My father use to always say, "the lighter the leader the bigger the fish!" You might not land them all, but you get a better chance at a bite in the first place. It's a known fact that "bull riding and catching fish" have a lot in common. It all boils down to what you do in that that first "8 seconds!"
Savannah Snapper Banks
Capt. Sam Vick ("ROC-N-REEL")
This report is a little old due to the fact I didn't post it last week. However, it's a good one! Captain Vick has offered up some real good information that we can use when trying to fish in a little deeper water. According to this report the middle snapper bank, which is the live bottom west of the MR26 naval tower was holding some real nice black sea bass. The largest one landed weighted in at almost 5 pounds. Now that's a big black fish for sure! Most all fish had gouged themselves on cigar minnows, because their stomachs were bulging with "fresh bait-a-plenty!" Not only did they rule in the catching of large black sea bass, but they also landed some really nice vermilion snapper. To this catch affair they managed to add a couple of genuine red snapper to their already good fish pile.
Here's the part that you are going to like the most, which is how they caught these fish. Most all fish were caught on squid, dead cigar minnows, and cut bait. Their terminal gear is what impressed me the most. They were using black/white 3-ounce SPRO jigs tipped with strips of squid. Now this is my kind of fishing, which is light tackle while using artificial baits! Congratulations to the crew of the "Roc-n-reel!"
Water Temperatures Are getting Right!
All I can say, "at 65 every thing is alive!" This boils down to the fact that when the water temperature gets to a steady 65 degrees small as well as the larger fish are moving about, feeding, and migrating to their spring destination spots!
Gulf Stream
This is one area that is going to be "RED HOT" quick style. As of this point it's going to be an "up hill biting game!" The western side of the stream is going to be the focus point for many fish during the next three to four months. Blue water fish such as tuna, dolphin, Wahoo, and billfish will fill their guts with schools of bait that think that have reached the "safe zone." Where the stream meets up with the waters to the west an imaginary fish holding wall is formed, which holds the attentions of all size fish. Some come for protection while other fish come to feed. Whatever the case my be "this is your happening zone!"
As the blue waters of the stream flows continuously to the north we get what I call "breaks." Sometimes referred to as "formed eddies." These are waters/currents that have broken out from the stream northern moving pattern and basically start moving backwards forming an "Eddie." There is several ways to locate them: These areas offer up a distinct color change along with an added temperature break. This current stays together while making way on the western side of the stream while creating its own direction and attitude. I have always said that these eddies form their own fishable edge!
Floating Temperature Gauge
Back in the old days I never had a temperature gauge. This was due to the fact they only worked for a while and I really never had time to get it fixed or even replace them. Since I didn't ever really had to depend on a gauge I leaned how to visibly pick out temperature changes. In my world the warmer water had more particles floating or mixed in with it. In some cases it looked thicker to me than the cooler waters next to it. Even though I have always been color blind to a degree I have always been able to fine a solid temperature change. I'm not suggesting for one moment not to get and use a temperature gauge, because you really do need to have one on board. For over twenty years, I have had a live well that receives a continuous flow of ocean water. There were times that I would throw a "floating thermometer" into my live well. This worked great offering up temperatures when the old eyes failed to work properly! Once finding what I thought looked "fishy" I would work the edge of this area. From my bridge I quite often could see fish staging at certain depths offering me a direct line to the fish.
I remember this one time while fishing the blue waters of the stream, as if it happened yesterday. I had found what I believe to be the hottest water that I have ever fished in. It was very blue in color and it looked unbelievably thick. As I moved around I looked continuously at the water hoping to see anything. I know I couldn't, but it seemed as if I could see for hundreds of feet. As I made my way through this "bath water" I kept seeing something pretty large moving about real deep. I was marking something on my fish finder, but wasn't sure what it might be. As soon as I pulled out of the hot water I know longer marked this so-called at the moment "sea creature!"
I pulled way out of the hot zone so as to look back and sure enough I could tell exactly where the bulk of the water was located. It was strange, because it had no current within. There was moving water on the outskirt, but not much movement within the pocket. I must admit that it was pretty big. As I made my way back towards my goal was to work the "hot water's edge." Every now and then I would mess up getting back into the "hot zone!" I really didn't get much action from this area, but I did get to see as well as my customers, one heck of a sight. Two large manta rays were working this area like large combing vacuum cleaners. I watched as they made their way back and forth apparently feeding on these rich warm waters. This fish were so majestic as they moved about in cadence! I love my job, because I really never know what I might see and how it might affect me! This was one of those "moment stoppers!"
Little Miss Judy's Believe It or Not!"
Non-rusting cardboard tackle boxes
My father kept all of his tackle in "King Edward Cigar Boxes." You guessed it; he smoked King Edward cigars and brought them by the box. I must say, "he never marked any of the boxes" he just seemed to know what was in each box without even taking any sort of look-see.
The dash on my father's old boat was so big that as a child I actually could lie on it. In fact I love to get in my special spot, because the view was wonderful. The bow area would have offered a better view, but my father only let me go out there is if was real calm. As I remember lying on Daddy dash I got a close up view of all of the stuff he had crammed up there. He had so many cigar boxes on the dash that I could hardly believe it. On one counting I reached twenty-five, but I'm sure I missed quite a few. At any rate, this was his work area. We had cigar boxes, tackle bundles, and a very large ashtray.
I guess I had better explain my meaning for "tackle bundles." These are made up of lures, hooks, and leaders that have somehow married themselves together. The more that we tossed about on the dash the more tangled that they became. There was absolutely no hope for untangling this mess. However, my father always kept these bundles for what he called "desperate times!" The meaning for this term was when he couldn't find hooks needed or a piece of leader material the bundle came in handy. Heck, all he would do was grab the tackle bundle, turn it around until he found what he was looking for, and then cut it free.
My father had a signature when it came to his cigars. Where ever he worked there was a long line of cigars burned to different stages, which would never be touched again. My father was a "cigar smoker hobo's dream!" (The most famous hobo of all times at least in my world was Red Skeleton's while acting as "Clem Ca-diddle-hopper.") I don't know why he just didn't discard them. It just didn't happen that way. I just assumed that he was saving them for something. However, the ashtray just kept getting fuller and fuller. I have never seen him finish a cigar much less inhale the smoke! To this day I know not why he smoked in the first place. I will have to say, "if he hadn't it wouldn't have been like him for sure!" The cigar just looked like it belonged in his mouth!
Freshies Report!
"Getting Your Best Shot At Suspended School of Crappy!"
This is a suggestion for those fishermen that like to go real light tackle. I am talking about 2 pound test line and 1/32 ounce lures. It sounds light, because it is. However, for the fight of a lifetime as well as learning the ways of light tackle is an amazing accomplishment. Heck, you might break off a few, but every time you do you will definitely learn something!
It has already been ascertained over and over by us fishermen that the crappy suspense's at a certain depth. They aren't too much interested at the "goings on below." In other words, "baits below are called NO GO!" Any sorts of float designs are great for getting your bait suspended at the right depth so as to get your hook up. However, there are those fishermen out there that don't want to use floats. They want "not a thing" between them and the fish's lips!
So therefore I am going to tell you a little story in regards to "real light tackle!" Get your self some 2 pound test line and load it on the lightest rod and reel outfit that you own. If you don't own one, I highly suggest consider purchasing you one, because this is one fishing event that you will not want to miss. It's going to test you on your ability to be able to control what's on the end of your line without breaking it off. In the world of "line tests" 2 pound test is almost right up there with "no pound test," if there is such a thing! At any rate I think you get my point!
Let's assume that you have gotten your main gear rigged and now you are ready to tie on what's best to target a suspended crappy. The first thing that you have to keep in mind is that your bait used should match your tackle. However, when going this route your fish isn't! It has always been said for many years. "The lighter the tackle the bigger the fish!" With that being said, "it's not that it's your luck, but rather a formed destiny by you! Like it or not whether understandable or not, but large fish like to eat something that is as small as it can get. The reason we fishermen don't know that for sure is the fact that we don't use small baits when targeting a larger fish. I can't tell you how many times over 40 years plus, that I have caught a 30-pound red snapper on a small piece of squid.
At any rate, before I get too far out into the fish zone, here's as suggestion for you two-pound test set up. I have already driven home the fact that 1/32 ounce comes to mind when using a lead head type lure. To the lead hit you can add whatever you want whether it's live, dead, or artificial to entice a fish bite. There's another style of lure that you can go with and it's called "doll flies!" I don't know whether you can look this one up, but I can describe it to you. It basically a small type fly that sinks slowly. It's a jig like, which falls under the 1/32-ounce weight size. The dressing can be feather or hair. It's just that it's a small style jig, which acquired the name "doll flies!"
The rule of thumb when testing a lure is to count method so as to ascertain how fast a lure sinks once dropped in the water. In this case seconds comes to mind! Give it a try, you will be surprised, because once your lure has dropped through the strike zone you should retrieve it at once. Crappy normally don't hit on the retrieve up from down under. However, when using this light of tackle anything is possible including a serious bite!
There is one thing that you need to keep in mind when using any sort of bait when it comes to targeting crappy and it's simple: Your bait needs to be suspended above where the fish are holding!
My father use to say, "Always take a good look at the fish that you are catching!" Then he would say, "Any Fish that lives most of the time near the bottom is going to have a light colored belly! This is due to the fact when they do swim up in the water column predator coming from below are going to be able to see them a well.
Here's my line now bite my hook!
Captain Judy Helmey
"Fishing Physic!"