# St Catherines island help



## crabby (Mar 13, 2015)

I will be staying near Half Moon Marina at the end of March. My wife wants blue crabs and oysters and my daughter wants flounder . No pressure for this being my first time in this area. I have an 18 ft. flats boat with flounder gigging lights if I need them.  Any help would be great. Thanks


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## shawncweed (Mar 14, 2015)

Crabby, It is definitely a nice area and I am sure you will find all the things you are looking for, and won't have to go far...From Half Moon if you follow the Timmons River it will jump you out right out at Wahlburg Island and there are several points along the south side of the Island that have crab, oysters, and flounder...another option is to take the Timmons down toward's Wahlburg and go a bit north along the intercoastal into the Medway River and the area on the southern bank of the Medway across from the Medway Spit (the bank northwest of Cedar Point) has a long series of very robust Oyster Rakes...Your boat should be about perfect as it has a low draft...the area around Cedar Point can be tricky as it gets very low...I see boats grounded there very often...Good luck and have fun...Hopefully the rain will stop by then!


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## crabby (Mar 14, 2015)

Thanks for the info. I can't wait fish such a beautiful area. It is funny how I have to drive north to get back to the south.


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## shawncweed (Mar 16, 2015)

You will like it there...It's one of my favorite areas...that and the front side of St Cats and Ossabaw Islands...It is amazing to me that there is so much undeveloped nature preserved here.


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## crabby (Mar 17, 2015)

I am ready for some uncrowded , natural landscape.  We have a family fish camp south of New Orleans that reminds me of this area.  Should I bring my flounder gigging lights or is the water too murky?


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## shawncweed (Mar 18, 2015)

If you are ready for uncrowded, natural landscape, you will love the areas around Ossabaw, St Cats, and Blackbeard/Sapelo Islands...it really is a national treasure. The water is indeed pretty murky. Inshore, the visibility is usually about a foot or so. I have never tried gigging flounder, so I can't really comment on whether it is too murky to do so or not. Would like to see it though...There have been times when the shrimp are thick that I have seen the flounder tearing them up in the shallows right next to the river banks...pretty cool to watch. When you get out to the BL Reef off St Cats (3 miles) the water clears up some and at the CAT Reef (8 miles) it is significantly clearer...


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## shawncweed (Mar 18, 2015)

Also...for Oyster Gathering, here is the link to the DNR map that says where you can harvest them...It is pretty much where I mentioned before...southside of the Medway...

http://coastalgadnr.org/sites/uploads/crd/pdf/recmapliberty.pdf


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## TurkeyManiac (Mar 18, 2015)

My inlaws live off the Sunbury exit along the Medway river that leads out to St. Catherines and Ossabaw. Not too far from Sunbury Crab Company. If you make it into the rivers at low tide these are plentiful! I gathered these back in January.  Very cool to just harvest, shuck and eat


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## crabby (Mar 18, 2015)

Those pics  of the oysters are going to make my wife very happy.  Thanks for the info on the legal harvest sites.  I will plug that into my gps.  I am going to bring my crab trap and crab nets for my kid, is this too early for the crabs to move in this area? Thanks again


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## rt1092 (Mar 18, 2015)

What's the best way to harvest the oysters?


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## TurkeyManiac (Mar 18, 2015)

First, find the legal sites.  I'm lucky, inlaws dock is 100 yds  from several.   Go at a low tide.  They will be exposed and easy to see.  Here's the trick for me, the bigger ones worth shucking (and legal size) are generally blended in with the smaller ones.  Takes a little practice, but I use a small pry iron and glove ( those oyster edges are razor blades) and knock/pry off the bigger ones.


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## crabby (Mar 18, 2015)

I grew up on Galveston bay and my job during the winter was to get oysters and rock crabs.  No gloves , just a hammer and a screw driver. Things have changed , my kid points out the one she wants and I go get it. Wait , I guess things have not changed, just the person telling me what to do.


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## TurkeyManiac (Mar 18, 2015)

Well if was Galveston or appalachacola bay(sp) oysters I wouldn't worry about gloves.   For a new guy on GA Coast oysters it's a good idea.  My boy is 19 months, so my orders are coming


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## crabby (Mar 18, 2015)

I am older and smarter now. Gloves and boots are already packed.


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## shawncweed (Mar 19, 2015)

This is great info...I have seen folks on those Oyster rakes but didn't realize what they were doing...thought they were just looking around...have fun...Post some picks when you are done...When you get the Oysters, do they have do be steamed, or can they be eaten raw right away?


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## TurkeyManiac (Mar 19, 2015)

shawncweed said:


> This is great info...I have seen folks on those Oyster rakes but didn't realize what they were doing...thought they were just looking around...have fun...Post some picks when you are done...When you get the Oysters, do they have do be steamed, or can they be eaten raw right away?



I literally ate them right away raw.  Was kinda a gut check, but they were great. Nice and salty


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## shawncweed (Mar 19, 2015)

It sounds great...on a hot day, with some tobasco sauce and a cold beer...Life is good


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## crabby (Mar 19, 2015)

I love oysters raw but my favorite is on the half shell on the grill. Olive oil ,garlic and a little lemon on a hot grill for a short time and I am a happy camper.  Add a little parmesan  cheese and it goes over the top.


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## crabby (Mar 19, 2015)

My wife is looking forward to blue crabs,  is it too early for a good harvest. I  have two traps and three crab nets.


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## crabby (Mar 20, 2015)

Truck and boat are packed ,ready for week of nature and tasty creatures. I will post our adventures.  Thanks again Greg/crabby


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## crabby (Mar 31, 2015)

I just want to thank you guys for all your input. The weather was a little cold and foggy every day, so that left me all alone in my search. The fishing was very slow , but the blue crabs and oysters made up for that. We ended up with about 30  nice crabs and a gallon of shucked oysters. The oyster were nice and salty! Thanks again


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## shawncweed (Apr 1, 2015)

Crabby, good for you...weather seems like it is finally changing for the better...Early APR is usually that great transition time...glad you and your family had a fun...you got me thinking about oysters myself and may give it a try!


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## shallowminded (Apr 2, 2015)

shawncweed said:


> This is great info...When you get the Oysters, do they have do be steamed, or can they be eaten raw right away?



The biggest risk to raw oysters is when the water temp is above 80. That is when bacteria start to build up in the oysters. If you have compromised health, you should always cook them which reduces the risk down to nil (old geezers with a lifetime of drinking take note). My favorite way to roast them is to just throw some on the grill before I cook my main course. Lay a wet hand towel on them and they will open up in a few minutes.


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## crabby (Apr 2, 2015)

The water temp was 63 last week. I have to say that the oysters near Sunbury are near my favorite . Nice salty tidal flow with clean water. A real treasure.


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