Captain Judy Helmey
Miss Judy Charters
"Kicking Fish Tail Since 1956!"
124 Palmetto Drive
Savannah, Georgia 31410
912 897 4921 or 912 897 3460 fax
www.missjudycharters.com
November 24, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving To All!
Saltwater inshore, offshore, blue water fishing report, Freshies Suggestions, and "Little Miss Judy's story! Thanks for reading! Captain Judy
Big Offshore Tackle Sale at
Tybee Bait and Tackle Lazaretto Creek
912 786 7472 Call Capt Ray Golden
raygolden1@comcast.net
Please find at the very end of fishing report two Thanksgiving stories in "Little Miss Judy's Believe It or Not!"
Inshore Report
Captain Alan Collins Loves Winter Fishing!
It's true Captain Alan loves wintertime fishing! He has his reasons and here are just a few of the most important ones. "No crowds, No bugs, and great opportunity for BIG fish!" I think that pretty much covers what wintertime fishing means to Captain Alan!
Let talk a bit about red fish…. This is one fish that is considered a "grazing type!" During the cold months the red fish's primary goal is to advance as quickly as possible to the safety of the marsh. So therefore as soon as there is enough water to "make way" they are going to take it. They are heading for safe feeding grounds away from the porpoises. During this time the red fish's favorite food is anything that comes wrapped in a shell. They also want to avoid being eaten by those that stalk them during this time. The flooded marshes offer food wrapped in a shell as well great "feel good protection!"
My father used to say, "as a red fish grows the number of spots showing up on the tail is determined by how many times the red fish as been scared to death by the porpoises!" I always scratched my head on with that bit of information. However, once he explained his reasoning I started to come around to agreeing. According to daddy the spots on the tail are to lure the porpoises away from the fish's head. When they attack the tail section, which is the smallest part of the fish, darting quickly away is the first thing that they do. The more they are put in these "almost devoured situations the more spots appear!" So therefore these markings could be called "I have been scared to death this many times spots!"
Any fish under pressure is going to be nervous and eating just might not be too much on their mind. However, if you track these fish you know where they feel the safest when feeding. Porpoises can't get in the grass at least when it's real shallow. So therefore once the red fish advances to the safety of the marsh "the feeding process begins!" Captain Alan studies these fish especially during this time and knows exactly what to look for. The best way to describe is "tails up heads down!" When a red fish is seen doing this they are definitely feeding and not too much afraid of being eaten by the big bad wolf!
With all this being said, Captain Alan takes to the mud flats in search of "tail up heads down" feeding situations. He has a rule of thumb, which he especially fish's by when it's cold. The reds school up on the flats and the trout stay in the deeper holes. According to Captain Alan scouting around "just taking a look see" is going to be the best way to find places to target red fish.
Sunny, clear, calm days along with the lower tide stages taking place in the middle of the day are going to best times to look and target this fish. As I said earlier, red fish are grazers rooting for crabs, snails, oysters, and any sort of mud hiding marine creature. During these low mid day tide stages the sun warms the mud up. As soon as they are flooded enough for swimming red fish advance to these areas for some serious safe grazing.
Here's a list of possible fish days to start off with…November 23-28, 2008. You have an early out going tide putting low around mid day. Captain Alan says, "If you can't go fishing, it's a great time to take the family riding to do a little looking!"
For those looking to go fishing to catch as well as learn about this subject it's a great time to book a trip with Captain Alan. He offers great inshore trips, standard fishing/learning trips, and welcomes family trips. Call Captain Judy 912 897 4921 or email fishjudy2@aol.com