# What’s happening at jekyll?



## charlie81 (Sep 29, 2020)

Planning a trip next month on the 15th-18th. Just wondering what to expect. The last few years we’ve caught whiting and flounder mid October off the pier, just curious if this early cooler weather will change anything. Thanks!


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## Railroader (Sep 29, 2020)

The Big Redfish should be terrorizing the beaches by now...I would skip the pier altogether, and give the beach at the soccer fields a try...

A good noreaster tween now and then would shift it into overdrive..


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## charlie81 (Sep 29, 2020)

Sounds good! I can’t completely ditch the pier because I always take my 89yr old grandma fishing and she’s wheelchair bound. But I’ll definitely try to sneak out on the beach once or twice.... on a side note, she really loves to fish, after 8 hours on the pier I had to start throwing shrimp in the water (without her seeing), so we could run out of bait and she would leave. ?


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## Jase70 (Oct 2, 2020)

Caught this one off the pier at Jekyll today.


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## Fisherman001 (Nov 18, 2020)

Wow, that a nice catch. What type of rigging and bait did you use?  Also, was it an in or out going tide?  I was at Jekyll yesterday and surf fished using a two drop rig with shrimp and caught nothing but rays.   JG.


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## Jase70 (Nov 19, 2020)

Fisherman001 said:


> Wow, that a nice catch. What type of rigging and bait did you use?  Also, was it an in or out going tide?  I was at Jekyll yesterday and surf fished using a two drop rig with shrimp and caught nothing but rays.   JG.


Thanks. I was using cut mullet on a typical fish finder bottom rig with a 4 oz. sliding sinker and 7/0 circle hook. The tide had just switched to incoming and wasn't moving very fast yet.

I've had days like you mentioned surf fishing the beach at Jekyll also. I've also had days where I caught everything except rays. I haven't gotten that one fully figured out yet...what moon phase, tides, conditions, bait, etc. are more or less likely to produce what I'm trying to catch vs rays or sharks or just wads of marsh grass. I'm starting to dial it in, but I'm certainly no expert yet. I did catch a really nice red from the beach there a few weeks ago on a two drop rig with shrimp like you mentioned, so that can and does work at times. I was actually just messing around and catching some whiting about 20 yards off of the beach on my small setup, using a pompano rig and small pieces of shrimp. I had my larger redfish rig, baited up with cut mullet, about 75 yards out in deeper water and the rod in a sand spike next to me. The fish below hit the small rig, with a piece of shrimp suitable for a typical whiting to eat in one bite. I was lucky to land it without breaking off or straightening out the small hook, honestly. I was using a baitcaster so I was able to back off the drag completely and just feather the spool with my thumb...probably the only thing that saved me. I was by myself and wanted to get the fish back in the water as soon as possible so I didn't measure it, just took a quick pic with my phone using my beach cart for size reference.


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## Railroader (Nov 19, 2020)

Allow me to shorten you guys' "dial it in" time...

Quarter moon phase for smaller tide swings.

Bottom half of the tide, with about a 10am low.

Northeast breeze.

Whiting, Bluefish, or Ladyfish chunks that were alive when you cut 'em.

Frog tongue sinkers, and circle hooks.

Reel with a smooth, good working drag.

Don't pull the rod outta the spike till it's layed over, and the reel is singing...

Research "reading the beach" fish the rips.

They are here, and will be till spring.  Go get 'em.


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## Fisherman001 (Nov 19, 2020)

Jase70 said:


> Thanks. I was using cut mullet on a typical fish finder bottom rig with a 4 oz. sliding sinker and 7/0 circle hook. The tide had just switched to incoming and wasn't moving very fast yet.
> 
> I've had days like you mentioned surf fishing the beach at Jekyll also. I've also had days where I caught everything except rays. I haven't gotten that one fully figured out yet...what moon phase, tides, conditions, bait, etc. are more or less likely to produce what I'm trying to catch vs rays or sharks or just wads of marsh grass. I'm starting to dial it in, but I'm certainly no expert yet. I did catch a really nice red from the beach there a few weeks ago on a two drop rig with shrimp like you mentioned, so that can and does work at times. I was actually just messing around and catching some whiting about 20 yards off of the beach on my small setup, using a pompano rig and small pieces of shrimp. I had my larger redfish rig, baited up with cut mullet, about 75 yards out in deeper water and the rod in a sand spike next to me. The fish below hit the small rig, with a piece of shrimp suitable for a typical whiting to eat in one bite. I was lucky to land it without breaking off or straightening out the small hook, honestly. I was using a baitcaster so I was able to back off the drag completely and just feather the spool with my thumb...probably the only thing that saved me. I was by myself and wanted to get the fish back in the water as soon as possible so I didn't measure it, just took a quick pic with my phone using my beach cart for size reference.
> Hey, thanks for your reply Jase. I think it’s quite interesting how you caught that one on your lighter gear.   I may go back before November is over and try two different rigs, the Carolina rig with about a two foot leader and the pompano rig. I live near Warner Robins, so it takes me close to four hours to get there. Thanks again. JG.


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## bucktail (Nov 20, 2020)

Thanks railroader! You using fishfinder rig? I haven't let the fish load up the rod, I have picked it fast with a slow set. But feel like I was missing fish.


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## dusty200001 (Nov 20, 2020)

bucktail said:


> Thanks railroader! You using fishfinder rig? I haven't let the fish load up the rod, I have picked it fast with a slow set. But feel like I was missing fish.



You use circle hooks and you don’t set the hook, the fish will do that themselves.


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## bucktail (Nov 21, 2020)

Thanks!


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