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
September 28, 2008
Happy Fish Day!
Saltwater inshore, offshore, blue water fishing report, Freshies Suggestions, and "Little Miss Judy's story! Thanks for reading! Captain Judy
Trophy Red Fish on the beachfronts
Fall is once again upon us, which means a lot of changes for the fish as well as the fishermen. I could write all day about what the fall season means to me, but it certainly would make this fishing report much too long. So therefore I will keep the subject of trophy reds on the beach as my subject!
I got to spend a little time with Meredith Davis on my dock the other day. He actually saved me from the perils of having to clean fish on this particular day. Although I don't mind cleaning fish, it's hard to talk to everyone and get pictures of fish while cleaning them. So therefore Meredith of which is a fantastic fish cleaner "saved the day!" It wasn't by the electric knife either. Meredith does it the old way by using a sharp knife and a strong will to get every fish cleaned proper and right!
As we waited for the inshore boats to return back to the dock we got to talk about some of his favorite fish to target. As you know if I'm asking, I'm writing down every word! Out of this conversation came some pretty interesting information, which if applied will make the big difference in "Catch or Not!"
According to Meredith and his fish time clock now is the time to target large red also calls "trophy reds" on the beachfronts. The fact of the matter is this bite normally starts around the last part of August and can last right on till the end of December. With all this being said, "Lets get down to the intricate details of this targeted fish!"
Lets get the butterflies information out of the way. As you know, when you see yellow butterflies in this area at this time it means that the fall run of king mackerel has arrived. Well, according to Meredith there's more to these sightings than you think. During this time frame, which is early fall, when the yellow butterflies as well as the monarchs start landing on inshore bushes "Red Fish are feeding in the surf off the beachfronts." Yet another fish sign to remember!
How to find best areas to fish!
The best place to fish is areas that hold the attentions of fish. Although that seems like a stupid statement, it really isn't. The reason being is that were you have any sort of fish build up whether it's small or large fish you have plenty of fish. With that being said, when looking for a place to target this fish, you need to take a walk on the beach at the low tide stage. This will give you what is called "the lay of the land." Areas on the beachfront that have any ridges formed also called ledges, or soon to be flooded underwater pools are great spots to fish. These areas would support all sorts of marine life interest once it's flooded by the incoming tide. Once you see what's going to be under the water offers you a better knowing of how to fish the area.
Here's an example: Lets say you have found an exposed jetty. It doesn't matter whether it's new rock or old wood. Walk around looking for any holes or breaks to which water will fill first. These areas are going to be the first places where smaller fish as well as pushed in marine life is going to either stop or be held up first. Once underwater they provided prefect scenario for a potential feeding frenzy to be had by all from the fish to the fisherman. All this boils down to "Scoping the area out before, can certainly help with the fish catching later!"
Bait Best Used on the Beach Fronts!
Meredith was very forth coming when it came to the bait used for this type of fishing. Lets talk a little about baits with shells and those covered with scales. When you talk about baits with shells the first thing that comes to mind is some sort of crab. Even though there is plenty of so called bait in shell the one that we want to focus on would be blue and calico crabs. The blue crab is probably the most plentiful crab that we fishermen in the area deal with. It's a known fact that red fish aren't the only ones that will come to bait sporting "crabby smells!" The more natural the crab smells the better.
When talking about blue crab when used for red fish bait on the beach it's best to make a few modifications. While picking out crabs to be used as bait, keep in mind the size with smaller being good, but medium to large being much better. So lets just assume that you have found some nice size fresh caught blue crabs for bait. According to Meredith, large red fish love to eat crab and this scent sent brings the fish in.
Lets assume we are dealing with a medium to large blue crab. The first thing you need to do is remove the back of the crab trying not disturbing any other parts. These parts are going to, once dropped to the bottom, your best source of fish chum, which in turn brings the fish straight to the bait. After you have removed the back, break the body in half leaving the legs intact. This should yield two great baits. The best way to hook the crab up is to place the hook in the ˝ crabs body so that you are leaving the legs flowing behind. Red fish normally when trying to eat a crab of this size would go for the path of least resistance. In this case since the crab is dead and can't run off the legs would be most likely eaten first. With the hook being located in the last part of this "crab-eating affair" the least amount of notice would be placed in this area. Once this fish starts eating and tasting crab it all over but spiting out the bait parts. When this act is done the sucked clean shells go and the hook normally stays!
There is another type of crab to consider in our area. This is call the "Calico Crab," which always brings on the attention of those fish preferring their meal wrapped in a shell. Since there aren't many of these crabs in our area this would be the best bait ever. This brings to light what you don't have and can't find most of time is normally the best bait to use. Its brightly colored body blends in with it surrounds. Calicos are known for staying buried beneath the sand leaving their eyes the only thing sticking up. It seems that the red fish know exactly how to zone on in on this attraction. The red fish loves to dig them up out of the sand and when they make a run for it "dinner is served!" According to Meredith if you find some of these calico crabs he suggests using them as bait in the surf. The way to present them is leave them completely intact and place hook right into one of the leg sockets.
While on the subject of calico crabs and the fish that eat them here's another fish that travels great distances just to eat them! Get ready because you aren't going to believe this one. During the winter months we have had and still are having a "HUSH HUSH" sort of blue fin tuna run. The blue fins are seen in our area in great numbers near the beaches, feeding around shrimp boats as they discard their by catch, and my other fishermen who thought they saw what they really did. The reason they are seen so close to shore is believe it or not they are "feeding rakishly" on the near shore push of calico crabs. The reason I know this is really off record. The story goes like this; a blue fin tuna was landed while just regular fishing in about 50 feet of water. The fish was consequently cleaned and it's stomach contents were examined. Here's what they found and plenty of them……."packed full of calico crabs!" I know I gone and gotten side tracked….
Back to fishing off the beach for red fish…
Before I get off the bait subject there is yet another couple of baits that you can use to this job done. Meredith keeps the information flowing and I am writing a fast as I can. The next bait that Meredith talks about is "shrimp." According to him, it will work, but everything under the sun that swims in the water eats shrimp. This right there means that when using this bait you quality presentation won't last long. A big fish is looking for meal not a morsel. However, there have been many trophy red fish caught while using live or fresh dead pawn shrimp as bait. You decide….
The next bait Meredith talks about is living and dead mullet. This is another bait that should be placed high on the list of best ones to use. If you are using live mullet, he suggests a couple of ways of hook it up. The first way is to place the hook through the top lip of the mullet. This keeps the bait alive longer. The next is to place the hook through the top of the eyes. Believe is or not if you are careful when going the route you won't hurt the eyes. The hooks just slips right in above the eye. The last, but not least is to place the hook in the top of the head over what could be called the nose area.
If you plan on using dead mullet here are a few suggestions for bait presentation. The first is placing the hook under the chin and up through the top of the head. Another way is to butter fly this bait removing the bone or leaving it intact, which makes the fish look like it has three tails. This is a great bait idea, because this offer up scent and action from something that's differently dead. When it comes to mullet you can use is whole dead, whole live, striped, or cut into chucks. Now after you decide what you are going to do with your mullet you need to scale it. By doing this you give the fish better "grabbing opportunity," because this helps to soften up the bait. You should scale your live or dead fish and also the fillets and chuck parts.
Tackle Used
Meredith Davis has all of his "thoughts straight" when it comes to getting the job of catching trophy red fish in the surf. Back in the old days Meredith used a lot heavier tackle meaning more pound test main line and bigger everything in the terminal department. However, over the years and after many trophy red fish he has "fine tuned his tackle used!" It doesn't matter whether or not you want go open face bait caster or spinner type reel that is solely up to you. Meredith just suggests when possible to "downside," and here are the reasons why:
Meredith is using lighter tackle meaning smaller size rod and reels. We are not suggesting for one moment that you need to purchase all new stuff. However, if you need a written prescription I will be glad to assist you! For main line Meredith is using 10-pound test "Fire Line." These braided line types lines equate into about 30 to 40 pound test. Braided line offer much especially to those fishermen that are targeting fish in turbulent situations as this. Braided lines are abrasive resistance and cut through water like a sharp knife. When dealing with shallow water fishing conditions you need line that's going to work with you not against you. This is the line for this job. When going to braided types, which are always the least amount of diameter for strength received, you don't have to use as much weight. This is for sure a definite plus!
In the weight department and when going with the light tackle set up it suggest to go with about 1 ounce pyramid style sinker. The sinker needs to be attached to a "fish finder" type sliding sleeve so that you can re-adjust your bait without having to retrieve it every time. In other words you want your sinker to be able to slide up and down on the main line.
Lets talk a little about leader used. It suggested using 20 to 30 pound test fluorocarbon leader line. However, being from the oldest school ever, which "I hate to admit." My era was before the invention of fluorocarbon, so therefore you can go with other leader types. This means 40-pound regular test "no frills" monofilament line will work just fine as your leader. To the leader Meredith suggests tying on a 2/0 Kale style hook. However, now that I as well as many other fishermen have put fluorocarbon to the test, I/we have found that it does in fact have a lot more strength qualities and performs quite a disappearing act.
Lets talk a little about "kale" hooks. These are great hooks, because it's my opinion you can "set or not!" I'm not saying it's a "circle hook type" by any means. However, it certainly can act like one if you just let it. The "Kale" hooks, which are also referred to as "wide gag hook" work great with a "strong direct set" or with a mere "reel set." They are also considered, at least in my book, as "thinned tinned hooks," which means less friction for the bait used. This all boils down to the fact that bait can move much more naturally even when hooked up!
Well, we have a talked about a lot of things so as to get ready to catch a trophy red fish. The next thing is how do you hold your rod and where do you put your bait?
The best way to hold your rod is to anticipate a bite, but don't act on it so quickly. Many a large red fish was missed by "too much too quick!" This means, the fish picked up the bait and the fisherman holding the rod "set the hook so quick that it jerked the bait right out of the fish's mouth!" Believe me there isn't a red fish alive that going to re-visit something that has that much moving power. Big fish are smart and when something likes this happen the old "Danger Will Robinson, Danger!" sign comes out!
For those that are not old enough to remember the saying of "Danger Wil Robinson, Danger" this came from the television series "Lost in Space!" That was a favorite saying, which came straight from the family's personal robot!
The best way to hook up is to "not set so quickly." Meredith also suggests that when you do set you do a "little buggy whip style." Jerking only the tip of the rod helps greatly in regards to a more solid hook up. However, before you "whip it" you must give the fish time to get the bait in its mouth and position it for crushing and swallowing. The bottom line to this situation is that most red fish under these conditions just about "hook themselves up!"
Well it's time to suggest where to place your bait and the best tide times to do so. Once you have scoped out that prefect beach spot to fish, are rigged up, and got the old bait of choice ready its time to get down to the "real time stuff!" I call this "positioning and timing!" The best place to position your bait in this area is in or around ledges, ridges, ditches, and holes that are located in 3 to 5 feet of water.
There is some great news about shallow water fishing from beachside. The hooked up fish can't dive deep. All they can do is run "side to side or straight out to the ocean!" However, most hooked up fish while in this scenario do move "side to side trying to throw the hook!" They are smart, because long direct runs away would only bury the hook deeper, causing much unwanted pressure. The best news of all is the fact that the one holding the rod can also run not walk "side to side!"
As far as best tides to fish, Meredith's suggestion is simple and to the point…fish high to low till back around to ˝ hour before high the high tide stage! This covers lots of time to keep that bait in the water. This boils down to the fact that during this time of the year trophy red fish work the beaches in search of food for almost the entire high tide stage. A big thanks goes out to Meredith Davis who took the time and gave up all this value information. The good news is that now that you read it, you can get your best shot at your own trophy red fish! Please send pictures of your catches to me! Please "Practice Careful Catch and Release" when doing this style of fishing.