St. Simons Island Georgia Fishing Charters

Redfish Fishing

2010-05-02T08:37:00.001-07:00

St. Simons Island Georgia Fishing

2010-05-02T08:36:00.000-07:00

Fishing St. Simons Island Georgia - Georgia Fishing Charters

2010-02-16T04:57:00.000-08:00

St. Simons Island Georgia - Beauty of the fishery and why....
Capt. Richie Lott
April 2, 2009
St. Simons Island GA - Saltwater Fishing Report

A little about St. Simons Island and it's Estuary System - It all forms EXCELLENT FISHING!
By: Capt. Richie Lott

**NOTE: You must copy and paste the entire video links into your browser. The links normally will not work from the report page itself.

St. Simons Island ... It is indeed very unique. We have 3 major freshwater rivers that dump into the ocean in this area near St. Simons Island. One of the larger river bodies dumping just north of Sea Island Georgia is the Altamaha river. The others I would like to mention dump into St. Andrews Sound which is a body of water/Sound are between Jekyll Island and Cumberland Island Georgia. These 2 freshwater rivers are named The Satilla River and The Little Satilla River.
This (dump out of fresh into salt water) creates a tannic/Murky water on our coast, but make no mistake, it is not polluted or dirty, but a nutrient rich compilation that creates a habitat for fish and other water wildlife unlike anywhere in the US. This area ranks similar only to the Louisiana delta area... Very, very unique and laden with all types of fish and other wildlife including Wild Horses, Hogs, Blue Heron and White Heron, Egrets, Pelicans and many more. St. Simons area video - www.youtube.com/watch?v=45Yi5a4O5rE
(A MUST SEE TO LEARN ABOUT THE ARE IN GENERAL)

These Marsh and Inshore areas are home for so much wildlife it is amazing. Alligators included! The Marshes are where everything happens. The shrimp grow up in the grasses of the backwater, and fish lay eggs on the full moon tidal stages so their eggs run into the marsh grasses to cling where they will be safe from many predatorial fish as they hatch. Redfish (Red Run) are well known for this tactic and explains why there are so many huge spawning Redfish in our area during the Fall months. The Bull Redfish head in to the beaches to eat menhaden and mullet, and to lay eggs. The Reds are hungry after the spawn and during October, catching 5-15 Redfish over 30 pounds in a day is very common. (See my video on Bull Redfish -

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtADYI58nv8

These areas are within 15 miles of each other by crow fly which makes our area rich with backwater/inshore marshes, oyster beds HUGE estuary systems loaded with Trout, Redfish and Flounder. With this scenario of fresh water meeting salt (also known as brackish water) comes TONS of Georgia shrimp. The best tasting shrimp a person can buy. Shrimp boats target them from May through November heavily.
Also, during the heaviest season of the shrimp movement which is in the Fall season comes thousands of small Redfish (Red Drum). One of the most popular inshore game fish in the US. The reds move into the inshore waters to eat the shrimp, as do the saltwater speckled Trout. Both are year round resident fish, but seem more abundant in the Fall and early Winter seasons. Also, both are excellent targets for light tackle fishing and the table fare of the Speckled Trout is hard to beat.

This brackish water meeting area also hold millions of bait fish called Pogies (proper name Menhaden). They become targets of large sharks, Tarpon, King Mackerel, Spanish Mackerel, Triple Tail, Jack Crevalle (not to be confused with Amberjack, which are caught offshore) and other beach roaming fish species. Nearly every fish in the ocean will eat menhaden. It is an oily, smelly bait that requires care to keep alive to be used for fishing. Dead menhaden work well too, but many times it is hard to beat a live bait, especially for King Mackerel and Spanish Mackerel. See Menhaden Video -

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9D4mpYdMfm0

St. Simons Island and the surrounding Islands are loaded with many species of Shark. The Sharks are in our area thick from April to November. The main Target species is the black tip shark and Spinner Shark. These fish are both in the Black Tip family and are sought after by Anglers for their acrobatic leaping and jumping. Shark fishing in Georgia is very, very dependable and is always fun! See Shark Fishing Video -
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9D4mpYdMfm0

The offshore fishing areas off St. Simons Island offer a fishery that is underfished and overlooked, and we like it that way. Artificial reefs in large numbers have created a habitat here on the Georgia Coast that boasts Sea Bass, Red Snapper, Grouper, Kingfish, Spanish Mackerel, Barracuda, Cobia, Amberjack and much, much more. The murky water turns to green at about 10 miles offshore, then as you proceed east, the water begins to turn Blue and more and more clear each mile you travel away from the beaches. Georgia's offshore fishery is highly reputable and known for producing large bottom fish and pelagics (Traveling/Migrating fish) as well. Watch an offshore Georgia Video from one of our charters -
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFFAB-f38c0

With all this area offers, fisherman and their families are offered oceans of opportunities. Literally.

Come see us!

Capt. Richie Lott
www.richielottoutdoors.com
912-617-1177

Georgia Fishing Charters - GA Fishing, St. Simons Island

2010-02-16T04:51:00.000-08:00

Bull Reds - COASTAL GEORGIA
Capt. Richie Lott
September 28, 2009
St. Simons Island - Saltwater Fishing Report

We charter fished HARD all weekend for Bull Redfish... I mean HARD. St. Simons ga and Jekyll island ga are normally covered with these heavy hitters by now... However, everything is a month behind this season, it seems...

My bad thoughts were early on this as I told Bob Rowell while we struck out across the ocean on Saturday morning crossing the St. Simons Island shipping channel.. "The water is green, I said to Bob.. That's a problem. If it's too clear, we aint got a chance"

That is one thing about the Bull Redfish I can tell you from the last 20 years of fishing for them... THEY DO NOT LIKE CLEAR WATER in the breakers off the Georgia Coast. The nastier, the better it seems. Northeast Wind, big tides, crashing waves across the bars and horrible conditions prove best when hunting for large beach side redfish. Quite the opposite of what most people look for and for most other species as well.

We managed a couple of fish on Sunday on an un-planned excursion.. I had to re-deem after Saturday and I noticed late Saturday night a frontal boundry was pushing through causing a stiff W-NW wind on the water. I knew that water would be nastier on Sunday... So, last minute, we rounded it up at about 11 PM to go out Sunday morning.

I worked hard again on Sunday to catch Reds. These were off St. Simons in the dirtiest water I could find, and It still wasn't like I would have liked to see, but we caught Redfish. NOTICE HOW SILVER THESE GIRLS ARE. THEY ARE JUST GETTING HERE. The beachside water will change their color to a much, much darker shade as it stains their scales after the fish are on the beach for a couple of weeks. These fish just came in from offshore... THEY ARE ONLY A MONTH LATE!! But, we're thankful they're showing up.

Good Fishing to All!

Capt. Richie Lott - St. Simons Island Georgia Fishing Charters
www.richielottoutdoors.com

St. Simons Island Fishing Forecast:

Better and Better......

Target Species:

Bull Redfish

Fishing St. Simons Island Georgia - Fishing Charters on St. Simons Island Georgia

2010-02-16T04:41:00.001-08:00

Georgia's Redfish - Where, how and why in 2009
Capt. Richie Lott
December 24, 2009
St. Simons Island - Saltwater Fishing Report

This winter season on the Georgia Coast has been one to remember for me. Not only did I get in more fishing trips than I ever have in the winter, fishing was pretty good and I found plenty of new fishing holes.

Fighting with freshwater

We fought rain water run-off from the Satilla River and the Altamaha River nearly all winter long. Anytime there are heavy rains north of us or directly upon us, it all runs one place. Downhill and straight to the Coast! These fresh water rivers dump directly into our eco-system and they're still over the banks in some places. Most people seriously don't realize what an impact and value these fresh water rivers have on our fishery. It's a double edge sword, so to speak. Our fishing and shrimping is good because of this type of estuary system, but when the rains come, it sure is hard to find Trout if the water gets too fresh.

We had so much rain, the water 3 miles offshore of Jekyll Island was pure, brown swamp and rain water. It was clear, but it was tannic brown. When you find this water far out into the Atlantic, fishing can be tough, especially for Trout.

The Redfish and where to find them

Reds don't seem to mind too much of anything, especially the fresh water influx. I believe that our inshore red fishing should be ranked second to Louisiana. We can't hang with that, but we definitely run a close second with all the others. One thing is certain. It's hard to find resident redfish in Georgia if you're just guessing. There are certain things they like in their feeding habitat.

All the places that look prime, most times, are not. Great looking spots can have all the scenarios like all the other best redfish holes in the area and not produce. Welcome to Red fishing! What I look for:

1. Is there somewhere the fish could run to get away from the Dolphins? In other words, is it shallow enough? (This mainly applies to resident fish, not the fall season movers as much). Those fish like it shallow in most situations, whether it is shell or mud.

2. Look for a gradual sloping Mudflat. One that is only a foot or two deep at flood tide. A steep, quick drop off is not the type of flat you want.

3. On this illusive mudflat, I like to see some scattered shell, even if it's just tiny clumps scattered here and there.

4. Where this mudflat meets the grass and beyond is important. The type of grass you want to see atop your mudflat is not thick spartina/marsh grass. If it's dense, they can't feed as well or move as freely on a flood tide. Sparse grass is what we look for atop the mudflat. Sprigs of grass the fish can swim between and feed on crabs, shrimp and the like. Many times, there will be scattered thick grass with "passages" into the marsh, so look beyond that first layer. Reds will do anything to get on top of a flat on the flood tide and eat crabs.

5. More often than not, there will be a feeder creek (or many) that dump onto the flat. There are exceptions to this depending on where you're fishing, but it's in the scenario most times.

6. Contrary in a funny way to number one above, Reds like to have access to deeper water if they need it. Believe me, they know how to get there in any situation. A redfish normally knows his home turf very well in case of a dolphin attack on the flat or other threats. In short, finding flats on the Intracoastal is ideal, even down in Jacksonville this rings true. With all this being said, you will find fish outside of the above parameters, but good luck trying to find them. Everyone has a favorite hole here and there, but finding Reds consistently in large schools takes practice, patience and you have to be thinking like a Redfish. Period.

**Note: I know this is arguable, but my 20 years fishing for Reds has revealed to me these key factors about them:
A Redfish has 3 Goals in life. The Red's main, number one goal is to keep away from Dolphins. Number two is food. LOT'S of it. Number three is they want to GET IN THE GRASS. No worries about dolphins and free to eat all they want.

If you have never witnessed a few Dolphins ganging up on a school of Reds, it's a sight you will never forget. The Dolphins plan the mission and carry it out to a "T". We have seen them run Reds up in the mud, chasing them down a flat on their sides and the most famous of all…. Crashing into a school of Redfish from multiple angles using numerous dolphins to carry out the plan. There is no escape when this happens. They get A LOT of Redfish this way.

About the Trout

As I mentioned, it was more like Freshwater fishing for Sea Trout! The only places I was able to find trout the past few weeks is in the back of long rivers and ocean front "beach creeks". Those two types of places were holding fish fairly well. Sometimes in numbers, sometimes not. When the fish would bite, we had a blast throwing plastic at them. Mostly root beer and motor oil colors were the best as usual. Those two colors have been fished before the electric chicken was ever thought of. I remember my Dad fishing those rootbeer screw tails in the 70's…. Great Plastic on a lead head.

Well, the good news for everyone on our coast is this; I just read the Satilla River was 2 ft. below flood stage, so the rivers will be cleaning up, the salt water will be normalizing in the rivers and we should resume normal saltwater fishing shortly!

Happy Fishing!

Capt. Richie Lott
www.richielottoutdoors.com
Target Species:

Redfish

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St. Simons Island Fishing Reports
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Georgia Fishing St. Simons Island - Shark fishing St. Simons Island

2009-11-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

St. Simons Island Fishing - Georgia Shark Fishing - by: Richie Lott

St. Simons Shark Fishing is as good as it gets!!!

Shark Fishing is NOT a sport of the past when using proper tactics and light tackle.

In the Modern day of fast center console boats and King Fish Tournaments we are caught up in, one of the best sports that have gone past us on the wayside is Shark Fishing.

We have all been there. In the middle of the Greater Jacksonville King Mackerel Tournament, the flat line gets crushed or the DownRigger clip pops and the excitement on board soars in hopes of a Smoker King on the line. Then, the roof caves in. "Man, it’s just a *&@** Shark!" This is disappointment at it’s best during times of competition. Aside from the Tournament agony these fish cause, you may want to consider what a ride that fish gave you while you had him on.

As much as some anglers hate to deal with the toothy critters, catch and release Shark Fishing has become a big time sport among recreational fishermen, and when I say fishermen, I am speaking of men, women and children..

"Where are all the Big Ones?"

Capt. Richie Lott says the days of killing 14 ft. Tiger Sharks, Bulls and Hammerheads are over for several reasons. Some anglers consider this kind of killing to be inhumane just to have a Jaw full of teeth on the wall.

The biggest reason we don’t see a lot of big Sharks being caught today, is many of the larger fish are gone! They are far and few in between and each year their numbers decline due to Shark Netters and Long Liners in certain areas.

Shark Fins are a hot commodity in Asia. These people pay top dollar for these fins, and due to supply and demand, we really need to take extra care of this fishery before Sharks become a fish of the past.

"On the Bright side"

The good news is, the smaller Inshore species (20 – 150 Pounds) are still plentiful in most Coastal areas. Black Tips, Spinners, Lemons, Browns and Black Nose Sharks engulf areas that hole up baitfish or have trawlers working in the area.

As a Charter Boat Guide and IGFA World Record Holder for a Black Tip Shark, I can tell you these fish pull like no other in the Coastal Waters. I would rate the battle right up there with a Tarpon in fight comparison.

Last year, Richie Lott says he saw so many Sharks swimming around my boat on several trips; it honestly made me a bit nervous. With younger anglers on the rod and the drag set at an uncomfortable 13 pounds, I had visions of the angler falling over board into the infestation in our chum slick. It’ll get your blood pumping when you see all those 100-pound toothies prowling around your boat.

"Got Shrimp Boats? St. Simons Island Georgia Fishing is Prime"

There is no easier way to catch these Coastal Sharks than behind a Shrimp Boat here around St. Simons Island Georgia. These fish gather around the bags of the nets in hopes of chomping on anything that falls out while the trawling is underway.

When the nets are raised, the Captain normally slows the boat to an idle speed while the bags are dumped onto the deck for culling. All the small fish and worthless By-Catch is literally "Snow Shoveled" out of the giant scupper holes on the deck.

This is the dinner bell for many species of fish as they have followed for an hour or more waiting for this moment. The myth about Dolphins running off Sharks is proven at this time. Those Sharks get right up there and feed with the Dolphins as they work themselves into a frenzy.

Now and then you will see the Black Tip Sharks get up in the air and do a barrel roll right off the bow. That’s always special when you’re standing on the bow looking around for a large fish to target and a 130 pounder decides to breathe some fresh air. I promise you, if it’s close enough, you won’t ever forget it!

"St. Simons Island Fishing In the Mud"

When the Shrimp Boats trawl, their nets are directly on the bottom. This leaves a tell tale brown slick behind the boat for a mile or so.

Richie Lott says you’ll notice Dolphins running in and out of the slick and Jack Crevalle will sometimes be feeding on the surface, too. The one thing you can’t miss, is that giant fin roaming through the mud slick in confusion as he hunts down the food source.

This is the time to put out the lines. Normally, there is no need to get too comfortable, especially if you have spotted fish on the surface. In fact, if you are positioned correctly in the slick, you won’t have time to put the reel in gear, so watch your tumbs!

"Baiting Up"

All you need is 20 or so "Thumper Menhaden" to get this job done. They make up a huge part of the Coastal Shark diet along with other small scale fish such as Whiting, Sand Trout, Star Drum and Tounge Fish.

If you happen upon a school of 6-10 inch mullet, net a few just to change things up a bit, and these fish will take a whiting on the live line, too.

If you are a big fan of using lures as I am, try a Yozuri "Hydro Tiger". They can’t stand to look at that thing. I don’t know what they think it is, but they just have to kill it. Just work it hard across the slicks where you have located fish. Don’t use your most expensive lure in the box, either. They will scratch one very much bad, usually beyond reuse.

"Mono Leader? Why not?"

I have caught far more than my share of these fish off St. Simons Island over the last 20 years. I have never used wire leader in my life. These smaller targets are not quite as brutal as their bigger brothers are.

Sure, you’ll lose a few fish with this technique, but the sport is what it’s all about anyway with these brutes. 300 Pound mono will land at least 90% of your fish without a break off.

Clip yourself off about 6 ft. of 200, tie a loop knot at the top and snap it on the main line.

"A Word on Tackle from Capt. Richie Lott"

Go as light as you dare. I generally go with 50 pound braid as the main line for my reel and it'll hold at least 300 yards of it. I am partial to the Penn Torque 200 for this type fishing. A smooth drag is required when light tackle angling for these fish, this reel has a smooth enough drag and holds plenty of line to get the job done.

As far as rods go, you need a meat stick with a bit of backbone. The BEST rod you can possibly use for this brutal, extreme sport is an Ugly Stik (BWB 1120). When you’re pitching to heavy hitters, you need a big bat to hit with and Ugly Stik is the one.

Tie on a 100-pound snap swivel to the main line, and then on the end of your 6-ft. 300-pound leader, add a 7/0 long shank straight hook. The long shank will most times prevent the Shark from biting on the leader. If the fish is biting on the shank of that hook, he can’t bite the leader. You won’t need any weight on your line or leader to do this job.

Fish your reels in gear to ensure a solid hook up, and with any luck at all, this will have helped you sink the hook right into the Jaw, preventing a gut hooked fish.

Pull out your digital scale and hook it onto your leader or hook and tighten that drag you are pulling 10 pounds on the scale, or even a bit tighter if your lower back can stand it. This makes it a little rough when you go to grab the rod out of the holder, but the hook set it provides is well worth it.

"Identifying Characteristics & Weight for Coastal Species"

St. Simons Black Tip Shark – 15 to 125 Pounds

St. Simons Island Spinner Shark – 30 to 150 Pounds

St. Simons Black Nose Shark – 15 to 45 pounds

St. Simons Georgia Lemon Shark – 30 to 140 Pounds

St. Simons Island Sharp Nose Shark – 8 to 20 Pounds

The Difference between a Black Tip and Spinner Shark is the most difficult to identify. The main distinguishing difference is a more streamline "Missle Shaped" body of the spinner and his small, beady eyes. The Black Tip will not be quite so streamline with the dorsal fin slightly rearward of the pectoral fins as you look at the fish from above, where the Spinner has an offset dorsal that lines up more in line the Pectoral fins. Also, the anal fins if the Black Tip Shark DO NOT have black edges. The Spinner Shark will have Black edges on the anal fins.

Spinners and Black Tips are both jumping Sharks. Most times, and angler thinks they have a Spinner on the line because of the jumping and acrobatic maneuvers they are encountering. You won’t know which species that fish is until you have the fish boatside.

The most common misconception of Cosatal Shark Species is the Black Nose Shark, which is confused with a Sand Shark or Brown Shark as they are often referred to. In all actuality, I have seen very few actual Sand Sharks over the past few years. The Black Nose Shark has a very obvious black dot directly on the front of the head, and the skin color is Brownish/Green in color.

Black Nose Sharks are often confused with Lemon Sharks, too. The best way to identify a Lemon is the (2) dorsal fins on his back. It is one of the few species with that characteristic. A nurse shark has a double dorsal, but has a dark brown, hard skin with a mouth similar to a giant catfish. They even have small whiskers around the mouth area.

One other common mix up between species is the Sharp Nose Shark. Once again, many anglers think this is a Sand Shark. Look closely, and you’ll find the Sharp Nose has white spots all over his body. Also, this fish usually will not exceed 48" in length. The Sharp Nose is a small Coastal Shark, and their fight for freedom is not nearly as intense as others mentioned here.

St. Simons Island offers superb fishing to say the least... I enjoy the ocean and all god has placed before all of us. We are lucky to live and fish in suck a beautiful are like St. Simons Island georgia. Fishing is great, weather is good and the winter is short.

Good Fishing and try these techiques... From my especience, I bet they will work for you. Feel free to comment and lets Blog!

Capt. Richie Lott

Georgia Fishing - St. Simons Island - Richie Lott

2009-11-10T05:35:00.000-08:00

St. Simons Island Georgia Fishing - Tarpon

by: Richie Lott

Tarpon are a highly migratory game fish. During a cold winter, they travel as far South as South America and make an Atlantic crossing back to Florida, and then North into Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina as the water warms. There are parts of extreme South Florida that house Tarpon year round. We're after the fish on St. Simons Island and Jekyll Island Georgia.

A great deal has been learned about these hard mouthed, scavenging brutes over the past few years. We have started learning incredible amounts of information about their feeding habits, migrating habits and most of all, how to locate these fish no matter if they’re rolling and free jumping or not showing themselves in dirty or deep water.

The brutal battle and acrobatic maneuvers of Tarpon draws new anglers to this sport each season as the word spreads amongst anglers and Charter Captains. It’s action like no other when the bite is on as the angler attempts to set the hook into pure bone!

As scavengers, Tarpon can be one of the most finicky feeders in the Game Fish family. I’ve seen those fish turn their nose up at a live Menhaden while they explode in the chum slick behind the boat. One would think that if the fish are in the chum slick feeding, they’re willing to eat your offering. Most times they are, but it can be disappointing and frustrating when you have 20 or 30 fish rolling behind the boat and you can’t get a knock down.

"Prime Baits for St. Simons Island Tarpon"

Depending on where you fish, you will want to coordinate your bait to the fishing and bait environment.

For example; in South Florida, the Gulf and the Keys, most anglers in these areas will use a giant shrimp, Pin fish, White Bait or crab while drifting inlets, bays, flats or channels where Tarpon are known to be holed up.

St. Simons Island Fishing for Tarpon has been going on for years. One guide I know has fished several locations on the Gulf and Atlantic Coast. He says "If I’m fishing the West Coast of Florida, Crabs are an exceptional bait especially on and around the Full Moon tidal stages as the crabs funnel out of Charlotte Harbor into Boca Grande Pass. If I’m fishing on the Atlantic Coast, a DOA Bait Buster works magic when sight casting to rolling Tarpon in dirty water Estuaries in St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island Bays and Sounds."

St. Simons Island Georgia is not so fortunate to have the flats and clear water situations as south Florida offers. Most of these anglers target Tarpon with a large Menhaden in Channels, Sand bar cuts and open Sounds. A 6 –8 inch Mullet is a good bait choice in these areas as well.

"Effective Chumming in any Location"

The many myths about chumming for Tarpon are only part true from my personal experience of running over 100 charters each year targeting these fish. I have also found, the oilier your chum bait, the better off you will be in terms of successful Tarpon fishing.

For a long time I lived on the belief of chumming the entire time I was Tarpon Fishing in Georgia. Now, I’m not saying an angler should just forget about a chum slick all together. However, do it in moderation instead of cutting up a hundred Menhaden or mullet every 30 minutes.

Too much chumming around St. Simons Island Georgia will have you fighting off Bluefish, Bar Jacks, Spanish and Sharks. On a Charter, when things are slow, that’s great. When you’re on the water to target Tarpon, that’s not so great at all.

Depending on the bait situation when I arrive on a bait school of Georgia menhaden, I typically fill a five-gallon bucket to the top with chum only baitfish, which will normally be Menhaden.

My mate will cut the fish three ways and cut the head in two so it won’t float and bring in the Sea Gulls to tear up your flat line bait after they realize there are no floating morsels. Keep that in mind no matter what fish you chum for. Most fish heads will float unless it’s a larger bait like a big Mullet.

When you arrive at a spot where you are watching fish roll or you simply know the fish are deep; set the lines out with no chumming to begin with. No need to call in the Gulls and the Sharks if you don’t need to. If the Tarpon don’t bite after 15 minutes or so, start a slow to moderate chum, but don’t over do it. Fishing St. Simons Island and Jekyll Island Georgia will prove you a blue fisherman if you chum too heavy. Just toss out a few of those cut pieces every couple of minutes as you watch the Rod tips. Give it an hour or so and then move on to another hole if they won’t cooperate.

If the fish are rolling by your boat and they won’t bite, this calls for heavy chumming. With a little luck, you’ll have one in the air within a few minutes after a heavy slick is formed. But, as we all know, they are fish, and sometimes they just don’t bite. Like any other fish, we don’t want those fish to have to think too much!

"The tricky part: Locating St. Simons Island Georgia Tarpon"

Aside from catching Tarpon at your favorite Marina under the cleaning table in Florida, Tarpon can be difficult to locate at times, especially if you’re in an area that’s not familiar stomping grounds for you. If you’re anything like me, you don’t ask for much help in unfamiliar waters, or for that matter, even locally in your hometown! First off, the water temperature in your fishing locale needs to be 75 degrees or more, and you are ahead of the game already.

With that much under your belt, head out to the nearest Sound or Bay and get a feel for the area in general. The mission here is to boat ride until you have located a bait school on the surface or your bottom machine. Look for Jack Crevalle to be feeding in the bait schools. The Jack Crevalle are tell tale signs of Tarpon in the area. These fish often run together balling up bait and crushing the surface, or they could be deep in the column marking at 35 ft. or more. When you mark the bait or spot surface activity in a bait school, send out a line and give it a try for a while as you drift with your engine(s) shut down and depth recorder off. Excess noise is a killer when you are attempting to locate and catch Tarpon.

Other prime areas are Inlets or Sounds where baitfish pour in on the flood tide out of deep water into shallows or over a submerged sandbar that forms a rip. Sharp sloping ledges in shallow or deep water may be holding bait and Tarpon, so watch the bottom machine closely as you idle outside the channel or inlet. Just like any fish, there has to be something to eat, or you normally won’t find them.

In shallow Sounds and Bays where clear water is the norm while fishing St. Simons, Jekyll or cumberland island georgia, you may be able to spot tarpon rolling or simply roaming the flats in search of food. In fact, there is no doubt you will spot Tarpon in these areas if you are a patient angler.

Another key factor is tides. Especially while fishing in georgia. If there is one thing that’s predictable about Tarpon, it’s their movement with tidal flow. Tarpon move out with the ebb and in with the flood following bait in and out. Bait schools drift with the current and the fish aren’t far behind. The tides move swiftly arouns St. Simmons Island in Coastal Georgia.

Ebb tides will send you a little further offshore in search of Tarpon in most area’s, especially on the northern sector of the south east coast in places such as Jacksonville, Fl, St. Simons Island, GA, Jekyll Island Georgia and into areas of South Carolina as well. In these locales, 7- ft. tidal stages are normal all year round.

Flood tides will send you looking for Tarpon closer to shore. These fish can be caught in river mouths as the flood tide rises. When the tide is affected by a new or full moon, you may even find Tarpon far up into small rivers and the back ends of sounds and bays, or even around docks and Marina’s, especially in South Florida.

A major tip to keep in mind is to watch for Tarpon rolling. Don’t ever pass up an area where you are watching the fish roll. Kill the engine when you get close and ease the anchor over the side and get busy. Don’t leave that area if you are watching fish roll. If you leave fish to find fish, you may get left out and curse to yourself for leaving the area after other boats come in screaming about all the Tarpon they caught in that area.

"Anchor or Drift?"

Drifting and anchoring have both proven to be effective. The deciding factor for many Tarpon anglers, including myself, is bait availability and fish movement with the bait. When there are mass amounts of baitfish and Tarpon are feeding amongst them, cast your net and get that bait. Then, drop back two flat lines into the bait school and hold on! Chances are you’ll never need to throw the anchor, especially if the bait is on the move. The Tarpon will be right with them until they are gorged with food, and you’ll want to follow right along with them shutting down the engine(s) when you approach.

Anchoring and waiting for Tarpon to bite is honestly quite boring at times, but it too, will pay off whiule fishing St. Simons and Sea Island Georgia. If you are watching a few fish here and there and the bait situation is nothing to brag about, go ahead and ease the anchor over and fish a while in that area and begin to moderate your chumming until the fish bite, or move on.

If the Tarpon roll on past you and there was no hook up, you may need to pull anchor and move in or out depending on which direction the tide is moving. Go find them again. Chances are, they haven’t gone far from where you were anchored.

"Top or Bottom?"

To cover the water column effectively, be prepared to fish several different methods. On the anchor, an effective spread is two baits on the bottom, one cut bait and one live bait. In the other two rod holders, fish a flat line with no weight and live bait. Your final rig should have a 3/8 oz. weight on the leader to get the bait down just a bit.

With the above set up, you have covered the column and your chances for a hook up are far better than fishing only one way. If fish are rolling and they won’t take a shot at your flat line, add a float so the bait can’t take it down at all and he’ll be left fluttering in panic on the surface.

As you drift a bait school, the best technique is a flat line and a light weighted flat line as mentioned above. If you’re marking bait in deep water, send those weighted rigs down to the marking and see what comes up.

"Tips on Tackle for St. Simons Island Tarpon Fishing"

Catching small Tarpon in shallow water or on the flats (30-90 pounds) doesn’t require much in the way of tackle. If the fish are consistently small, use Spinning Tackle with 20-pound line and a 60-pound leader.

Small Tarpon Combo:

Ugly Stik Tiger Spinning Rod (#BWS 2201) 20-50

PENN 40 SSM Spinning Reel

Fill the spool with 50 pound braid (Fire Line)

6 ft. of 60 lb. Vanish Fluorocarbon Leader

Mustad 7766 6/0 Tarpon Hook

Boating larger Tarpon (100-200 Pounds) requires a bit more backbone in your rod, and a reel with the capability of holding 300 Yards of 40-pound line, especially when fishing deep water for these fish.

All Around Tarpon Combo:

Ugly Stik Rod (#BWB 1120) 40-80

Casting Reel capable of holding 300 yards of 80 pound Braided line

6 ft. of 130 pound mono leader

Mustad 7766 6/0 Tarpon Hook

Handling St. Simons Island Georgia Tarpon for a Healthy Release

We have all seen the pictures of anglers holding Tarpon in their boats for that perfect photo. Research proves that after a grueling fight on rod and reel, these fish are on the borderline of death when they are landed with light tackle in warm waters.

Extreme care must be taken to prevent these fish from having an early death. First of all, don’t drag a Tarpon in the boat for a picture. Put on your gloves and grab the inside of the bottom part of the mouth and hold him up for a very brief time out side the boat for a photo. Revive the fish for as long as it takes, as the oxygen levels are much lower when the water temperature reaches 80+ degrees in the summer.

"Quiet is Key on St. Simons Island Fishing"

When you locate Tarpon working an area around St. Simons sound or Jekyll island sound or some of your buddies call you in on a good bite, be cautious in your approach and be prepared to shut down that powerhouse and the depth recorder. I’ve seen these fish spook when a boat idled in too close. They will leave the area and find their food elsewhere if they spook.

If you toss the anchor, do it as quietly as possible. If the fish are extremely skittish, the anchor chain sliding on the rub rail will send them running.

"Fish em’ down and tight!"

Fishing for Tarpon with your reels in gear boasts more solid hook ups than free spooling. Tighten your drag until you’re pulling 14 pounds on the scale. It’ll pay off come hook up time! If you’re using a lighter rod and reel combo, pull your drag to 8 pounds to avoid a break off on the initial run.

Use an extremely powerful "sideswiping" hook set after the fish makes the first jump. This too, will help you sink the hook into that bony mouth. Don’t plan on setting the hook while that fish is in the air, or you will be lying on the deck to avoid a 6/0 Tarpon hook as it comes flying across the t-top. Be sure the fish is down after that first jump and then put the steel in em’.

Fishing St. Simons Island Georgia and Fishing Jekyll Island Georgia for Tarpon can be very productive. Give it a try!

Good Fishing to all.

Capt. Richie Lott

2009-11-10T05:28:00.000-08:00

St. Simons Island Fishing - TROUT FISHING

As the water temperature reaches into the low 60’s, St. Simons Island Fishing heats up. We prepare to fish for Trout in deep holes on the bottom. A shrimp tipped jig, live finger mullet or shrimp will work miracles to fill the cooler with decent size Trout. I have taken notes on this method of fishing for over seven years, and I will share some bits and pieces with you in this article.

Fishing The Moon

The success I have had catching Trout on the georgia coast using this method has always been dependent on the Moon phase and current Weather conditions. The moon plays a major role in all types of fishing, as we all know. But, this has to be exact to catch numbers of fish around St. Simons and Jekyll Island georgia.

The Moon phase is prime about a week before the Full here in Georgia. The tides have just started to move enough to get the fish feeding and sweep bait down into deep holes. At the same time, the tides are not affected enough to dirty up the water too much, either. It’s a happy medium that is very hard to capture. You have to have a good bit of free time on your hands or be able to break away at a moment notice to catch the Moon just right as I have described it above. The best advise I can give you is stay away from the Full and New moon. Period.

Tide Stages and Height & Water Depth around St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island Georgia

As I review my notes and think back over the years, the tide height and stage played the most important role of all. The prime height is between 6.6 and 7.3 ft. Incoming tide seems to be the best for all the deep water holes that I fish outside the Intracoastal Waterway in just about every feeder creek from Jekyll to Sapelo. I have (along with many others) caught nice fish on the bottom during the ebb of the tide as well. The bigger numbers seem to be produced on Incoming water around St. Simons and Jekyll Island.

The water depth can vary tremendously. When I say "deep water", I mean that the water needs to be deeper than all the "flat" bottom around it by at least 6 feet or more.

"What To Look For - St. Simons Georgia Trout"

This is the easy part. As you run through your favorite creek, have your depth finder on while you run. You’ll notice that most drop offs will be in long, winding creeks, and they will usually be in a bend or sharp corner where the current has "cut the bottom out".

I like to see a drop from about 8 ft., and then sharply into 14 to 16 ft. of water. If you have found a prime "hole", bait will mark up on your depth finder on the down slope of the drop off. When you mark bait on the drop, position your boat accordingly and get ready to fish.

Another tip on finding deep holes is reading the banks. When you are running to your favorite spot or just scouting for new territory, look for sharp, steep banks when the tide is out. More than likely, there is a sharp drop near those "cut banks" as I call them.

"The Georgia Trout Fishing Rig"

Anyone who reads my articles will already know this rig by heart, but we’ll cover it again. It’s as simple as they come. Slide on a 3/8 oz. Lead. Then, slip on a small bead and tie on the smallest swivel you can find. Below your swivel, tie a 3 ft. length of Fluoro Carbon monofilament as your leader. A #2 Kahle hook will work fine for your bait holder and hook setter.

When you finally are rigged and ready to fish, cast a rig out and let it hit the bottom. When it does hit bottom, let out another few feet of line so the shrimp can swim out from the weight and do his job. Slack in your line will not matter. This is the KEY to this type of fishing. Don’t reel your line tight. The whole idea is to let the shrimp swim free of the weight and into the current naturally. Once again, this is KEY.

You will know when the fish bites. They normally start out with just a few small pecks at your bait and then eventually swim off with it and your rod will bend over slow and steady, and that’s when you set the hook.

I suggest an Ugly Stik Inshore rod with a very light tip so you won’t pull the hook out of old "softies" mouth when you lay into him. If you need some rod and reel suggestions, please feel free to contact me.

I hope this will be valuable for all Inshore anglers. I welcome your feedback, and please let me know how this works for you.

Tight Lines, and take a kid fishing!

Capt. Richie Lott
http://www.richielotoutdoors.com

St. Simons Island Georgia Fishing - Fishing St. Simons offshore for Sheepshead

2009-11-10T05:23:00.000-08:00

Fishing St. Simons Island Georgia - Sheepshead

If you can’t stand the cold, you may want to bundle up, grin and bear it and slip on a pair of Gloves. It’s cold, but the fish are biting within 10 Miles of the Beach. And, the best part of the deal? You can make the ride in less than ideal conditions when fishing on close in structure.

Crabs on the Hook!

Using small fiddler crabs as bait can be a task if you don’t know where to pick them up or purchase them. Lucky for us that day, our local source had plenty of the pinching devils. At a cost of five bucks per hundred, I stocked up and bought 400 crabs. Beats digging all day with a shovel in the mud. However, the extreme cold will send these critters DEEP into the ground, and no one will be able to find them without using a BackHoe!

Even the commercial vendors will have problems and they know all the tricks on the book. The crabs you do have on hand should be cherished and keeping them alive for extended periods is not a big chore. Just keep them out of the cold as much as possible. Mine stay in my office for the short life they have in their new heated condo with a lid. I use a 48-quart cooler with just a thin layer of dirt in the bottom, and give them a light mist of water with a spray bottle twice a day. Feed them grits, keep their new home clean and they’ll live for weeks.

I never go St. Simons Island Nearshore wreck fishing in Winter or Spring without taking along a minimum of 200 crabs, especially when the anglers on board are not used to this sport. You can be robbed of your bait without a nibble, and most people new to using crabs for bait find it quite frustrating until a FEEL is acquired.

For those who don’t know how to thread one on the hook, I’ll explain it. Very gently drive the barb of the hook through the bottom of the crab until the point comes through the top of the shell. Then, you’re all set.

Short Run from St. Simons or Jekyll Island.. Quality Fish

After a short 30 - minute run from Golden Isles Marina on St. Simons Island, we crept up to our structure in 40 ft. and tossed out the wreck marker on the down current side of the structure. As I made passes to determine which marking looked best, I noticed TONS of fish on the East End of the structure consistently. So, we anchored the CNILE directly over it.

There wasn’t a rig tied on or a leader made, so we spent 15 minutes of quality fishing time making rigs. When fishing shallow water wrecks with light tackle, I prefer a certain rig. I like a 3 oz. Weight on the main line, a swivel and 2-ft. of 20-pound leader with a 1/0 live bait hook.

As the last rig was tied, I looked once again at the marking on the bottom machine to be sure we were still on the mark to prevent an unproductive drop. I liked what I saw, so, "Drop ‘em, Boys" I said.

It was only seconds passed when everyone on the boat was hooked up with good fish. I breathed a sigh of relief, looked up at that Full Moon in the sky, and said thank you! We had prepared too much for this trip for ANYTHING to go wrong, including the fish NOT biting!

The first three fish over the gunwale were impressive. Two nice TriggerFish and a nice Sheepshead, or "convict fish" as we call them. Believe me, they wear their stripes well, as they are notorious bait thieves.

Each drop produced more nice fish. It was a premier day on the CNILE once again. Our final tally went something like this. After 90 Sheepshead were caught and released, I lost count of them. We were on the fish another hour after that, so I would guess around 40 more. We ended up fairing well on the TriggerFish, too. A total of 12 Triggers caught and released were more than ample for the crew and myself.

A few of the Sheepshead were QUALITY size fish. We had to get the net out on several occasions due to the size of some of them. These guys fight extremely dirty and they don’t give up. In fact, a large fish fooled me that afternoon. I had hooked the fish, and figured he was a decent fish, but not too big. As I tossed my cigar into the trash bucket, I held the rod in one hand for a split second. Huge mistake! Oddly, at that exact moment, the BIG Sheepshead bulldogged back toward the bottom pulling the rod from my hand. As I fell to my knees, video tape captured the rod bouncing off the gunwale cap, into the air and… SAVED by my right hand as it headed over the side! I have never seen a Sheepie jacked up like that. The fish was a respectable 8 Pounder, but initially pulled like a 2 pounder. The point being, never under estimate a Sheepshead. Pound for pound, they just may be one of the hardest pulling fish on the bottom.

We ended up keeping 5 fish for the grill, and released the other 100+ fish to fight again. No need to keep that many fish. Don’t forget there are new GA State Laws on Sheepshead. The fish must be 10 inches, and you can only posses 15 per person. Take a look regularly at your state laws on bottom fish before you head out.

The DNR has received some Federal Funding, and they will be checking boats at offshore areas and boats coming in form an offshore direction. You WILL be boarded, and your fish will be measured, counted and all information will be logged on a form and kept on file for Fish Management purposes.

A Word on Shallow Water Anchoring off St. Simons Island

My wreck marker is somewhat "unique". You ought to see this thing! Over 100 ft. of ¼ inch rope tied to a pair of 5 - pound Olympic dumbbells for weight. For a marker float, I use an average size boat fender. Most people wonder why we use such a bulky set up. Well, I will sum it up right here, so read on and learn why…

The weight does not concern me a whole lot as far as what it is constructed of. In fact, I used old rusted iron pieces forever, but I have been cultured since! So, now I use a weight WITHOUT corners after losing my marker weight MANY times. The dumbbells rarely get snagged in the structure due to the fact they are ROUND. Most times, I will try to get my marker set up just off the structure so the weight rests in the sand to avoid a snag. But, when I mark up a good reading on the bottom machine, the weight is going down right then and there, regardless of structure.

The reason behind the ¼ inch rope is simple. It won’t hurt those cold hands as bad as crab line or other small diameter rope when the time comes to reposition or head to the barn. The float is key. An oblong bulky object, like a boat fender, will aid tremendously in anchoring your boat properly over the designated area. Once the marker is out, I come back to it and beam up beside it. Watching the compass, I remember the heading that the FENDER and ME are facing. Find the best marking and run that compass heading off the marking just enough to allow the scope needed to hang anchor. Now, you’re set!

May your coolers be full and your rods stay bent! Fish Georgia!

Capt. Richie Lott

Fishing St. Simons Island - Red Snapper Fishing

2009-11-10T05:13:00.000-08:00

Fishing St. Simons Island Georgia for Red Snapper
A Fishing Story by: Richie Lott

I have been fishing St. Simons Island Georgia since childhood. Bottom fishing is simply my destiny, whether we target Trout and Red fish Inshore, or Pompano 60 miles Offshore at the R4 Navy Tower in 160+ ft. of water. I can’t tolerate a day on the boat without fishing on the bottom. St. Simons Island Fishing offers it all!

We all have that tendency to whine a little when someone says, "It’s a 40 mile run, but the fish ought to be there". Well, let me take all the doubts out of making that long run decision. If bottom fishing is your game, the Red Snapper are biting as good as last year, if not a little better.

The opportunity arose for me to make the long run in comfort to do some bottom fishing. So, I decided to load up on the "Hoss Fly", a 30-ft. Topaz Captained by Rick Stallard. Once again, I was off to the 40-mile ledges Southeast of the Georgia Coast. My favorite place to fish on our small, but fertile 100 - mile coastline.

A pleasant surprise awaited us in 70 ft. of water on the journey East. From the tower of the "Hoss Fly", we watched birds swoop and dive at the water from a mile away. When we got close, the answer was clear. The bait marked up in textbook form on the bottom machine. We knew the bait was not going to be a problem after that marking! Goggle Eyes by the thousands swarmed the structure along with sardines the length of an unsharpened pencil.

We heard tale of some very large Boston Mackerel in the area, but our Sabiki’s boasted only Goggles and Sardines. I didn’t see that as a problem. The size of the baits we caught were plenty big enough to get my adrenaline pumping, and after about 60 baits were in the well, we headed east another 20 miles.

As we approached the holy numbers, we talked of how good the st. simons island fishing has been, and how good it BETTER be today! We retired our beanbags and began making bottom rigs. Within a few short minutes, we had 6 rigs ready to send down as we idled slowly up to the number I had programmed in the GPS. We were ready. We all stared at the bottom machine waiting for the bottom to "blow up" on the screen.

Finally, after several passes, there she was. That beautiful, bright colored marking rising high off the bottom and pointing sharply into the current. I screamed for the crew to "Drop ‘em!" I just watched on the first go-round to see the brutal "butt whippin’" get put on some of our crew members who had never caught a Red Snapper. I watched eagerly as the 16 ounce weight peeled line off the PENN REELS and carried the live Sardines to the bottom.

Finally. Touchdown. The crew quicky slammed the levers on the reels to strike, and I instructed them to make 3 full reels off the bottom to prevent any hang up on the structure. It was about 5 seconds, and the screaming and feet shuffling began! There’s nothing quite like hearing the screams of a happy Angler hooked up with a BIG fish and the Captain on the Radio in the background telling his partners "We’re Tripled Up!"

After a brutal battle with NO drag, Sean Parks and Chip Neal boated their first ever Georgia Red Snapper. What a feeling that is to see their faces when they have accomplished something they have never done. As I photographed the action, my partner, Matt Amie was still hooked up with a fish LONG after the Camera was put away. He asked me what I thought it could be. I had no answer. I just looked into his eyes and then down at the reel as line poured off about four times our drift speed.

Ten minutes went by, and we finally could see some color. It was a nice Cobia! What a bonus! He made the first boat side appearance and then made a dashing run to the bottom again. Matt finally pulled the fish to the Gaff, but it took all he had left. I have never seen Matt hand off a Rod, but I believe he was ready to. He may kill me for writing that! I swiped him in the head and we threw him in the box. High five’s and Screams engulfed the cockpit as we eased back to the marking. The Cobia had pulled us 200 yards from our initial hook up spot, so the crew had a chance to talk of how great the fish pulled and begged me to get those pictures developed quick!

Drift after drift produced fish off St. Simons Island that day, until finally, we had our limit of Red Snapper in the box, and the boys were beat down very much bad. We lost several NICE fish that our tackle simply couldn’t handle, and we fish pretty darn heavy, too. They may have been big Amberjack or Gag Grouper, but who knows. Usually, we can turn just about any bottom fish with the rigs we use, but the terminal tackle wouldn’t hold up to the test on a few of those fish.

Another day well noted off St. Simons Island and the 40 mile ledges. There are no secrets to this type of fishing. You simply need the ride to get there, and you’ll catch fish. There are about 30 published numbers on this patch of live bottom that can be picked up at the DNR office in Brunswick Georgia. Get your live bait at one of the artificial reefs on the way out, and the rest is just fishin’!

To book a trip with Capt. Richie Lott from St. Simons Island Georgia, vist us on the Web @ http://www.richielottoutdoors.com

May the seas be calm, and your coolers be full.

Capt. Richie Lott

St. Simons Island Georgia Fishing

2009-11-10T04:53:00.001-08:00

St. Simons Fishing - Freezing Cold Sea Bass

Freezing cold weather off St. Simons Island Georgia means a lot to me. The highlight of it all is fishing for big black sea bass as they stack up thick on the georgia offshore reefs. Let me re-assure you, if you go, the fish will be waiting. With a little effort in fishing the structure properly, you will find a lot of hungry "green heads" on any piece of structure on the map.

We spent the first day fishing off St. Simons Island this new year loading our cooler with some very large bass. Fishing the incoming tide is absolutely brutal for this fishing and that was in our favor all morning. When all was said and done, we had boated 117 bass total, and we kept 50 that were 2 pounds +. Three of us landed all these fish by 12 PM that day and we were back at the hill by 1 PM. The bite was on! Georgia Fishing at it's best!!

Each person has their own opinion about using bait vs. artificial lures and jigs in georgia or elsewhere. The truth be known, I would say that jigs are the way to go when the water temp drops below 60 degrees here in Georgia. Whether you are fishing the creeks for Trout or jigging offshore structure for Snapper and Sea Bass, the right jig can be absolutely deadly!

I started jigging offshore several years back off St. Simons Island and Jekyll Island Georgia. Capt. Ed Stelle and I discovered it’s deadly ability after losing all of our cut bait to trash fish one morning. I searched through the console of my 26 C-Hawk for anything we could send to the bottom that would possibly catch a fish. I stumbled across some jig heads and motor oil colored jigs and we began to rig.

The rig consists of 3 feet of 50-pound monofilament with a 3-ounce egg sinker sliding free above the 30-pound snap swivel. The ½ ounce jig head is tied to the end of your 3-ft. leader. This rig is effective when fishing less than 60 ft. of water off the georgia coast. If you jig the 40 mile bottom or any other deep water, you will definitely want to TIE your weight to the leader instead of free sliding it above the swivel as it WILL tangle on the swivel every time you drop to the bottom.

Fishing from St. Simons Island Georgia, I have found certain colors work better than others by switching colors while there is a good bite going on with the color I am using. For instance, I have switched to a green while using a motor oil jig and watched my catch ratio get cut in ½! Simply bring along several different colors with you to be safe. If you are marking fish on your bottom machine this time of year, it will be mostly sea bass, so be prepared to catch the bigger fish on the jig. The smaller fish will hit the jig, but they tend to "spit it out" and the larger fish seem to hold on and simply inhale it! The fish caught on the jig are ALWAYS bigger.

Also, in addition to the georgia sea bass fishing, red snapper can be caught the same way. We have jigged georgia's 40-mile bottom for large sea bass and catch the true American red snapper while stalking the bass. I don’t make it a habit to go all the way to the Snapper Banks to catch sea bass, but there are some large ones there, so when you catch your limit of snapper, you can go to work on the sea bass, too. This bottom is located off Jekyll Island and St. Simons Island.

The cold time of year is as good as it gets for sea bass fishing St. Simons Island Georgia. Almost any of the Georgia nearshore and offshore reefs will be holding large amounts of fish if the weather will permit a safe exit into the Atlantic. Also, keep in mind that the times to fish are NOT on the full or new Moon. The tide runs far too fast to position your boat above the structure and fish every point of it.

Fishing off St. Simons Island Georgia, the bottom of the outgoing tide is preferred for sea bass fishing, but if you don’t have it, fish anyhow. The numbers of fish won’t be quite as high, but you’ll have yourself a good fishing trip regardless of tidal stage. Remember that anytime you are fishing in 45 ft. of water or more, the snapper could be there, too.

This is simply glorified trout fishing in deeper water. The fish will normally hit the jig the instant your boat begins to drift and the jig starts to swim a bit. You can jig up and down, but honestly, there is no need to. The drift of the boat will do moat of the work for you. You should position your jig just a touch off the bottom while fishing structure. It will prevent losing a pile of tackle and those bass will come a long way for that swimming jig, even in cold water.

Fishing St. Simons Island in Coastal Georgia is great all year round. Wet a line and enjoy the fishing on our beautiful coast! The fishing is waiting.

Capt. Richie Lott

St. Simons Island Charter Fishing

November 2009 Fishing - St. Simons Island Georgia Fishing for Bull Redfish

2009-11-10T03:56:00.000-08:00

This year has been an interesting one.... Everything has been about a month late on the north Atlantic Ocean. As far down as the Keys in South Florida, the fish bite has come late by about an entire month on average for most species of fish.

My prime example is the Bull Redfish migration right here on the Georgia Coast. These huge, spawning predatory feeders show up on the coastal georgia beaches around St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island and Sea Island Georgia each fall and spring season.

During a normal fishing year, we normally begin to catch these bulls in September just of St. Simons Island as the norm. Not this season.... We started to catch bull redfish about a month later than normal. Bottom line is, we are catching redfish, but we all wonder what drives the fish to be late during certain years..

Scientists think it may be water salinity combined with bait availability and other ocean habitat surrounding those exact subjects. Although they have a tough time pointing the finger at which is the esact reasoning, it leans in that direction.

St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island, Sea Island are comprised of 3 out of 7 barrier Islands off Georgia's Coast. The inshore marshes are crucial for habitat such as; Shrimp, Crabs, minnows, redfish, trout, flounder and many, many other species of fish and shell fish. This very habitat is responsible for the excellent fishing here.

Back on point, the Bull Redifsh have showed up mainly off St. Simons Island and Sea Island Georgia in numbers. The fish showed in early October on the first 8 ft. tide level. We didn't see much in the way of Bull redfish until then. Normally, the high tides in September is the start of the season as these "spring" tides flush the redfish eggs up into the sounds and rivers for their protection. Due to this fact, it is belived that Bull Redfish lay their eggs on the flooding tide to ensure their spawning efforts are carried out to a "T". The high incoming tides push these eggs far into the marsh grass... Further than normal due to the full and new moons the reds use as their tools for this project.

As they lay their eggs, the fish become very hungry, very quickly after the process. This is when Bull redfish anglers are prepared and ready to catch fish. They know this is the time. But where are the Bull Redfish around St. Simons Island and how do you locate them?

It is actually a simpler process than most people think. However, due to the shallow areas these reds frequent, it can be dangerous during high winds and seas.

Each sound on our coast opens up into open ocean and a main deep water channel that occurs naturally. The sandbars that protect these channels are prime locations to catch huge Bull Redfish. The redfish may be on the edge of a drop into the deeper water, or you may find the fish directly in breakers atop the sandbar itself. Flying seagulls hovering over the bar are a good indicator the fish may be right below them. Simply move around that are givinh each spot at least 15 minutes or so until a redfish is caught.

Around St. Simons Island, fishing for the Bulls can be frustrating and overwhelming due to the vast amount of sandbars near deep water channels in the area. There are hundreds of these areas. All look identical from the boat and some will have reds on them, some may not. This is where simple home work and going out to fish as much as possible can come in handy. This way you can rule out where NOT to fish on what stage of the tide.. Smart anglers log everything that happens. They record the moon phase, barometric pressure, tide level, ocean temperature and exact location of the fishing area.

WARNING: Again, these areas can be a dangerous place to fish as the seas climb up to the shallow water sand bars from deep water, the waves grow larger. When they break, be somewhere else. Don;t get yourself caught up in a position that may get you in trouble. You can flip your boat, crush it, or you might even sink your boat if an 8 ft. wave breaks over the back or side. Be smart about anchoring position. Stay out of the direct break when the waves are too big. If the waves are breaking higher than 2 ft., your liklihood for something bad happening is increased ten fold. Anchor out of the break and fish back toward it the best you can when the seas are rough.

Most times you won't have the time to phone someone for help. A wave rolls in, breaks on your boat... You're done. If your boat swamps with ocean water, the next sets of waves rolling over the sandbar will all break on your helpless vessel over and over relentlessly and could cause harm to the people on board as well.

In all honesty, these fish bite well in a north east wind. This is by far the most dangerous of all the winds on the entire east coast. Huge, relentless seas batter the beaches and outer bars. Anglers should take extra precautions when fishing these areas in any east wind. The art of anchoring in the breakers comes with experience. One must watch the breakers, wind direction and current flow in the breakers. All these factors play a key role in where you will anchor the boat.

Always attach your dock fenders to the end of the anchor rope in case you have to untie and power out of a dangerous breaker situation. This has happened to me many times. I have had to ditch the anchor, crank the engines and throttle out of danger with the boat nearly swamped on many occasions.

Why fish in this mess? The great part about it all? It is worth every minute....! The rewards of "Georgia's Extreme Redfishing" are priceless. Bull Redfish up to 50 pounds are common in the waters near St. Simons Island and Sea Island Georgia. Once you cacth one, you're hooked for life.

Visit: http://www.richielottoutdoors.com for more information on fishing st. simons island Georgia. Or visit http://www.charterfish.com

For videos on fishing St. Simons Island Georgia: http://youtube.com/richielottoutdoors