Lotsa Big Trout...

While April usually doesn't rival November for shear numbers of speckled trout, we did manage to eak out a few limits

between cold, wind, rain, and dirty water. I think we caught and released more larger trout this April than we did the last few years for sure...(I've been getting reports and PM's that a lot of folks have been seeing larger fish as well). William Sammons (topless) probably caught the biggest with me this April (he's notorious for that) and Charlie (double fisted) pulled out a fire tiger jig to pull up some hefty weakies out at "F" reef. Almost all trout this spring were caught with lipped divers, DOA shrimp, and live shrimp floated in deep holes at low tide. (We lost a few beauties on the artificials as well...they just don't inhale them like the livey's) May looks to be outstanding with some good clean water between 5/2 and 5/22. I am working on a fishing calender for May that will be kind of a "prime timer" of sorts...if we ever get off the water long enuff!

By Tim Cutting

Inshore Bite Heating Up! SSI 4/14/13

Michelle and I got out for couple of hours this morning before the rains. A little cool, breezy and overcast, but the fishing was good! We fished a flooded mud/shell flat that I have run past a thousand times, but never put much time into it. We ended up working it back and forth the entire time. Although we caught fish the entire length, one little 50 yd stretch produced most of the fish. We stayed on the trolling motor with corks and DOA's in about 3-5 ft. of water. Of course Michelle picked off all of the quality fish, but left a few to keep me busy too. Twenty one trout (9 shorts) a red, and flattie all made it to the boat. (Kept the legal trout, red, and flattie...freezer empty) Although the water was clear on the flat, it is still very sweet and red stained from the fresh water...but the fish didn't mind. We fished the last couple hours of the incomming tide today. Yep, spring (and the fish) are here!

 

By Tim Cutting

Good Trout Bite!

Charlie and I scouted around for a bit Friday (4/12) during high water with DOA's under the cork. On our third stop we found some clean shallow water adjacent to some very deep water and got on a solid trout bite. We had 16 specks with only one short fish. Charlie got a good one a tad over 20". We used the near clear and clear with red flake 1/4 oz. DOA shrimp. Most fish were in water 5 ft. or less. All fish released.

By Tim Cutting

Quack is Back! (Whitingfest)

The Golden Isles rolled out the Red Carpet for Mill (HookedonQuack), Ashley, Gary, and Quack's nephew Garrett. This was to be a pure rod bending whiting fish fry fest for Garrett who has been accepted into the Special Forces School with the United States Air Force.:yeah: We weeded thru many midgets, small summer trout, bonnet heads, black tips, and croakers on our way to 60 or so NICE whiting. We moved around the beach looking for clean spots and went deeper as the tide lowered and shallower as it rose. Quack and the gang whacked 'em pretty good and made for a great send off for Garrett! Kudo's on Garrett and many others who serve our country! As usual, I have a blast fishing with Mill (Quack), who is a true outdoorsman and just plain fun to be around! I gotta apologize for not getting these reports going quicker as I am still struggling with camera/computer compatability, but I think we've figured it out.

By Tim Cutting

St Simons Island Spring Fishing Forecast/Tips

Here’s to hoping this forecast is slightly better than the weatherman’s.  After digging into the log books, one thing usually stands out going into spring…water temperature. It seems like 68-72 degrees is a fairly magic number. Trout spawn, redfish tail, flounder file in, triple tail start to show, sharks are on the prowl, baitfish are abundant and those white shrimp start to grow and move.

One inshore species that probably is under targeted is

sheepshead. These fish are great table fare and are available year round. Like many species, clear water helps. Also, current plays a big factor. Too much, and the presentation is tough, and lack of current usually causes lock jaw. The trick is to find those tides or tide stages where the current is moderate and you can fish vertically. Sheepshead can be found at nearly every piling on the coast, and the older the better. Rock piles, jetties and bluffs with fallen timber are all good choices as well. Present your bait vertically with enough weight so the current doesn’t sweep your rig away. A small octopus hook baited with pieces of shrimp, mussels, clams, oyster meat, or a fiddler crab all work well.

Trout will be shallow on the high tides and deeper on the low. Early morning high tides will set up great for popping corks and top water plugs. For those who like plastics, try a soft plastic jerk bait rigged on an extra wide gap worm hook. Pitch this rig into the grass and twitch it out slowly…the slightest tap can be a nice fish, so be ready! On the low tide, I like float rigs in 6-14 feet of water. Clean deep creek bends and drop offs next to shell in the bigger systems work well. Remember to adjust your float as the water will be falling or rising at about a foot an hour…or an inch every five minutes. Often these small adjustments can be the difference between getting bit or not. I like a #1 kahle hook tied with a loop knot. This small hook and knot allows the shrimp to kick freely and will stick that speck every time. Although there are thousands of artificials that will work, try using that same soft plastic jerk bait pegged to a jig head. Experiment with weight and presentation. Start with a slow drag or hop on up to a big hop or constant twitching retrieve. As with any artificial, try to remember what you were doing when you got bit.

As with nearly all species, water clarity is a huge factor as well. So, whenever possible, concentrate your efforts on finding “good water”.

I’ll put out another forecast in a couple of days with some more species and techniques we like to use on them. Also I am working on a “prime time” calendar for the coastal marshes of Southeast Coast where tides range from 5 -10 ft. on average.

By Tim Cutting

St Simons Island Spring Fishing Report

It has been a very busy winter/spring so far, compounded by computer problems, submerged camera’s and phones. Add to that an absolutely full schedule of trips, I finally get a chance to bang away at the keyboard. Thanks to so many of the GON folks for fishing with us, and to those that have rescheduled due to some pretty crazy weather (like the soaker we’re getting today) and water conditions. The trips we ran were surprisingly good, although we worked pretty hard to get on the fish.

Obviously, the nearshore bite on the wrecks has been very good with plenty of nice BSB, (come on June 1^st), small blues, big reds, summer trout, and sheepshead. The sounds and beaches are yielding some good catches of whiting mixed in with our annual spring run of dogfish. Inshore, the redfish have remained strong on certain tide stages, and the flounder have just started showing up. The trout bite has been good…when you can find them. Although somewhat scattered, the fish we are finding are good size. As the water nears 68 degrees, we will get into some even larger fish and larger numbers. (We have been releasing trout over 20”…not so much for conservation, but for trophy management…big trout make big trout babies…much like deer, it’s a gene thing)

I am working on an April/May forecast with stuff (lures, rigs, locations, species, etc.) that helps us with spring fishing, should have that out later today.

Here’s a few pics we were able to save!

 

 

By Tim Cutting