Georgia Saltwater Fishing Report – December 2022

Saltwater: Inshore: Capt. Judy Helmey, of Miss Judy Charters, reports, “During December, all fish from spotted seatrout to flounder to redfish are doing what they do best, and that’s bulking up for those unpredictable but fast-on-the-way, cold-weather patterns. Normally the inshore bite will turn on big time when there is an approaching cold front. The fish usually feed hard 18 to 24 hours before the big weather change. The best natural bait is going to be live shrimp, and the best artificial baits are those that imitate them. Live shrimp will work under popping or traditional adjustable corks or just plain naked. Most spotted seatrout, redfish and flounder will take a chance on a shrimp, even if it does looks a little fishy. When it comes to getting the redfish bite, I suggest pitching weedless copper penny, baby bass or ice flukes, made by Strike King (ZTOO), right into the grass. When using artificial bait during cooler-water times, please remember to work your lure slower than normal. When you can’t purchase or catch your own live shrimp, the old standby mud minnow is easy to catch and it’s a hardy bait. A single mud minnow works great and is usually good several times even after hits, misses or catches. If one minnow lipped hooked either under a popping or adjustable cork doesn’t work, I suggest adding another one. Using double-up baits can turn an unlikely bite on. When the water gets cooler, it is much clearer, which means if you can see the fish, it most likely can see you, too. When approaching your fishing spot, do so slowly. Once arriving slowly, drop your anchor as quietly as possible.  For those fishermen who prefer darkness over daylight fishing, this is the perfect time of the year to give it a try. Most all isolated dock lights will hold the interest of some sort of bait, which in turn brings on one heck of a topwater bite. Best baits are DOA artificial shrimp patterns rigged on 1/8- to 1/4-oz. jig heads and small Rapala Pinns Series of floating/diving lures. For fishermen who prefer the live bait, such as shrimp or mud minnows, these baits will also work. Best procedures for working a dock light can be quickly ascertained by pitching and retrieving a few lures in different directions or placing bait rigged under a cork upcurrent of the light. Bites should be consistence for about 15 to 20 minutes and then it will be time to move on or take a break to give the fish time to regroup.”

Capt. David Newlin reports, “November redfish and trout bite has been really good. In my 42 years of guiding, this was my best redfish year. Today, we caught around 50. We do not have any problems with the redfish population. December should be good for redfish. Fish are from the ocean to 10 miles up the Ogeechee. Look for redfish in 3 to 25 feet of water. On sunny days in the afternoons, fish shallow. Deep curves in small creeks will hold a lot of fish. Trout are biting everything. Today, I caught some really nice trout on a MirrOLure fished deep in 25 feet of water. Most of my trout have been in 10 to 25 feet of water. Water temps are around 60 degrees. Trout will bite good as long as the water stays above 50 degrees. When you catch one, there should be more in the same area. The striper bite on the Ogeechee is really hot. I have caught them from Highway 17 to Fort McAllister. A big live shrimp has been working great. Rapalas and Rat-L-Traps have been catching stripers good for me. December is usually a good striper month. The nastier the weather, the better they bite.”

Offshore Reefs: Capt. Judy Helmey, of Miss Judy Charters, reports, “December is a grand month for those fishermen who love a light-tackle fishing experience. Artificial reefs are holding sheepshead, black drum, trophy redfish, flounder and cold-water sharks. Fish put these areas on their list of places to school up to bulk up for winter migrations. Best baits for sheepshead, black drum and trophy redfish are going to be the purple back fiddlers, juvenile rock crabs and green mussels.  Small pieces of shrimp will also work.  These fish love anything wrapped in a shell or the meat that is removed from them. Flounder are known for situating themselves on the outskirts of the structure while waiting for that perfect meal. Best baits for the old flounder are jumbo mud minnows or small sand perch placed on a Carolina-style bottom rig. Placement of this bait is simple. Cast to the outskirts of the structure, set drag to medium and place rod in holder.  Another baiting-up method for flounder is to take a 3-oz. jig head and bait it with live finger mullet or any live bait that is about the size of a cigar and put it on the bottom. Or you can butterfly a small fish, which when introduced back into the water, offers up two working flowing tails. The best thing about jig-head fishing is that you can move your bait along the bottom, and it imitates a small fish.  When a small fish is skirting close the bottom, it forms somewhat of a sand storm. When you get a hit, whatever you do, don’t try to set your hook, because flounder are known for being slow bait takers. In other words give them time to eat. If you miss the set, I suggest quickly dropping your bait back and letting it just sit. It is going to be a waiting game to see if the fish will give eating another try. If sharking is on your mind and if you are looking for an unbelievable fight of grand portions, I suggest bringing along some squid or cut up some freshly caught fish. Another great bait when targeting shark is going to be belly strip from a sheepshead. All you have to do is cut the belly out of the fish, leaving you the best part to eat, hook it up and put it on the bottom. Removing the belly from this fish still allows the sheepshead to be intact, meaning tail and head still allowing for any official measuring.   It’s best to try and place this bait as far on the outskirts of the structure as possible. Please always check state and federal regulations for any closers and size limits. For state: http://www.eregulations.com/georgia/fishing and for federal: http://www.safmc.net. During a normal winter season, all sizes of black fish make their way to artificial reefs in search of a colder-water hold-up. This is the best time to find large schools of these fish holding on all types of structure from the lower relief to wrecks. Large summer trout can also be found schooling on the artificial reefs, and some of these fish are in the 20-inch-plus size range.  The best bait is going to small pieces of cut fish, squid and cigar minnows. With the grouper season open until Dec. 31, you still have time to catch them. Large gags are known for migrating into shallow water during this time of the year. In the shallow department, artificial reefs located in 35 to 90 feet of water are stopping off staging places. The best places to fish on the artificial reefs are the places where you have wrecks, such as the barges, battle tanks, subway cars, ships, tugs and dredges. These fish prefer these areas, because they can move in and out of structure feeding on those smaller fish that feel safe inside. Grouper not only take advantage of its camouflage of blending in but also its ability to get into tight spots. I always suggest using the preferred live baits, such as pinfish, ruby red lips, sand perch and rock bass, when targeting grouper. No respectable large fish, at least most of the time, is going to leave an already target-rich feeding environment for the likes of something that may or may not be worth its travels.  These live baits normally offer up a grand incentive for a grouper to make a serious feeding move.”

Georgia Saltwater Fishing Page: Archived Articles, News and Fishing Reports

Savannah Snapper Banks: Capt. Judy Helmey, of Miss Judy Charters, reports, “The bottom fishing in 90 to 100 feet of water can be very interesting because you really never know what you might catch. Best bottom fishing baits are going to be small pieces of squid, cut fish and fresh or frozen cigar minnows. If you happen up on a school of baits, meaning schooling cigar minnows or Spanish sardines, I suggest getting out a sabiki bait rig and give it a try. These types of baits are known for triggering a fish bite that might have not existed. Believe me, fresh dead/halves of minnows in most cases work great. All of these baits bring on the attentions of black sea bass, vermilion snapper, white grunts, porgy, trigger fish and other colorful bottom biters. If you are looking for a bigger bottom bite, drop a lipped-hooked ruby red lip, sand perch, vermilion or rock bass down to the bottom. These baits attract amberjack, grouper and red snapper, which by the way come in extra large sizes. Before heading out, I always suggest checking with http://www.safmc.net for current offshore regulations.”  

Blue Water: Capt. Judy Helmey, of Miss Judy Charters, reports, “This is one of those fishing opportunities that most fishermen don’t even think about. However, if you get the chance and want to make the run to the blue water off the Georgia coast, this would be a great time to find yourself involved in a strong line-stretching ordeal. Our blackfin tuna run is on wide open, and this is one fish that can offer you a strong fight. You can find these fish holding over the ledges in 180 to 250 feet of water or you might just happen to find a school holding in the upper-water column that has rounded up a school of bait. Best lures that fit into what is called old school are cedar plugs pre-soaked in menhaden oil. I am not talking about colored cedar plugs. I am suggesting the actual plug that is made with cedar showing, not the ones that are painted. These plugs absorb the menhaden oil while holding it longer when trolling, producing lots of happy fishy trails. It is a known fact that menhaden oil attracts the attentions of fish. I call it the ‘there is always a bigger fish in the sea effect.’ The reason being is smaller fish are attracted by the oil, as well as the larger ones. We all have something in common the fish want to eat and the fishermen want to catch. For those fishermen who have to troll with real bait, I suggest Ilander Trackers rigged with dink ballyhoo baits. The trick here is to rig the Ilander Trackers with 60-lb. test fluorocarbon and small, short-shank extra strong 4/0 to 5/0 hooks. This style rig works well when rigging with dink (small) ballyhoo. For those fishermen who love to do a little jigging, once you find the tuna, drop your lure to this depth and work it.  Best deep-water jigs are Williamson Lures 7-oz. Benthos speed jig! It is an old-school tool from my fish-catching yesteryear! For the best jigging results, I suggest using braid as the main line and a fluorocarbon leader above the jig.”

2023 Captain Judy’s Inshore/Offshore Fishing Clinics: Feb. 24-26, 2023. Inshore/offshore boats in the water. $195 per person for inshore; $195 per person for offshore. Trips 8 a.m. until 12 p.m. Miss Judy Charters dock, 202 Wilmington Island Road, Savannah, Ga. 31410. Call 912.897.4921 for more details. We will be offering classes on the water in the boats. Proven inshore light-tackle techniques revealed for getting your best chance at catching redfish, spotted seatrout and flounder. You also get a signed copy of Captain Judy’s Inshore Fishing Techniques Presenting Old School Tools! All you will need to bring is food and drink!”