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10-29-09 JEKYLL & ST. SIMONS ISLANDS FISHING REPORT

Captain Vernon Reynolds

Bull Redfish have been King of the hill in Coastal Georgia waters the past couple of weeks.  Bull Reds are even hitting trolled jigs, somewhat unusual.  Bull Redfish spend most of there life in open ocean waters but for about six weeks in the spring and fall they return to the sound system in which they grew up in.   They feed aggressively and are easy to locate due to the fact they return to the same structure every year.  Mark the location where you catch a Bull and you may catch one there every year the rest of your life. 

The typical fishing method is to bottom fish with live or dead bait.  Redfish are scavengers and will eat dead or live bait equally well.  Whiting, Poggie and Mullet produce well but any cut fish will do.  Crab might be the best bait.  You can get crabs free at most seafood shops that carry them.  They must be sold alive for table fare, so the dead ones are thrown away.  Simply  hook the cut fish or crab onto the hook and toss it out with enough sinker weight to keep it on the bottom.  Try to place the hook so the bait doesn’t twist in the current.  A little twist is OK but a lot will have your line so twisted up you can not fish it.  Place the rod in the rod holder and watch the tip of the pole.  The tip will lightly bounce a few times before the fish makes a run.  Wait until the rod is deeply bent before taking it from the holder and starting to reel.  Circle hooks are employed when Bull Red fishing and there is no need to set the hook.  The fight will last from five to 15 minutes depending on the weight class of the gear being used.  Be sure to revive the fish once it is brought to boat side.  Hold his mouth into the current, allowing water to rush over the gills.  Once the fish is revived, release it unharmed.

Speckled Sea Trout have also been active the past several weeks.  Many boats have been returning to dock with near limit to limits of Trout.  These fish are some of the best tasting in our, or any other, area.  Trout school this time of the year and feed actively in preparation for the winter migration upriver.  Live shrimp is the best bait fished under a float rig.  Trout must be over 13 inches in length to keep and there is a creel limit of 15 fish per person.

A few Flounder have been taken recently.  Flounder are preparing to move offshore for the winter and can be found along ocean sand bars.  Whiting are still active in area sounds.  A few King Mackerel are still being found well offshore.  These are fish that migrated to the mid-Atlantic states during the summer and are now moving to south Florida for the winter.  These fish will move into the area for a day or two and then move on south.

Coastal Expeditions offers charter fishing trips and Dolphin/sightseeing tours.  Join us for a fishing trip you will never forget or a Cumberland    Island sightseeing tour.  Contact Captain Reynolds at (912) 265-0392 or go to http://coastalcharterfishing.com to book a charter or for further information.  Departing daily from Jekyll Harbor Marina.

Pictures:

Captain Reynolds holds a Bull Red taken on a trolled Space Guppy colored Sal****er Assassin lure.

A nice mess of south Georgia Trout on the cleaning board.