Georgia Saltwater Fishing Report – April 2025

Saltwater: Inshore: Capt. David Newlin reports, “April should be a good month for fish catching. It is usually the month that officially ends winter on the coast. Everything starts getting active, bait moves shallow and so do the fish. Redfish should be out of the upper rivers and out toward the sounds and creeks off the sound. They always seem to leave the darker brackish waters as the water temps warm up. They should be around the usual spots. Try around oyster shells, points and any shallow structure. A live shrimp will usually catch them. On high tides, look for them on the marsh flats chasing bait. Trout fishing is usually really good in April and May as they are getting ready to start spawning. They should be out of the rivers and out toward the sounds by mid April. Trout prefer a little more current than most redfish. I look for something that breaks up the current and makes a tide line, sometimes the edges of a channel, points that have good drop-offs nearby or oyster beds near deeper water. A live shrimp under a slip-cork rig is usually hard to beat. By the end of April, the topwater bite should start happening. Keep moving until you catch one, it should have a few more with it. The most fun fishing in April can be the whiting. They can be really thick, and you can keep all you want. I usually try to fish sandy bottoms in 10 to 15 feet of water. Simple rigging is a 1-oz. sinker and a long-shank No. 2 hook. A piece of shrimp is my first choice, but squid or a cut up small piece of whiting will work. The last couple hours of the outgoing tide are usually real good for me. My suggestion is to scale the whiting and fillet them and fry them with the skin on. They are great eating fresh. I have been in Africa hunting almost all month is why I can’t tell you what is happening right now. I will be home on March 25 and ready to go fishing the next day. I have some good stories, it has been one heck of a good trip. I will plan on seeing some of you next month.” Capt. Judy Helmey reports, “Bait shops should start to catch and carry live shrimp. With live shrimp in the well, traditional adjustable floats from large to small and popping corks are going to be your best bets for not only finding but catching fish. If a redfish, spotted seatrout or flounder gets close to this bait, they will eat it. Another way to present a live shrimp is to just fish naked, meaning light leader, small split-shot and small hook. All you need to do is hook your shrimp up under the horn and cast it into place. The shrimp goes where it thinks it is safe, which is just about where the fish is in waiting. Whatever you do, do not forget your dip net or your camera. I have fishers asking all the time about the best ways to find inshore fishing spots. As far as using a chart, purchase a Top Spot chart (No. N232 for inshore and No. N229 for offshore). This chart is old school, because many years ago local fishers and charter captains sold this company these locations to fish. When fishing in these areas, move up and down the bank from these suggested spots. Why? Over the years, bottom terrain changes and so do a fish’s feeding patterns. The Georgia DNR also has printed a free set of inshore fishing charts, and they are listed by county. The two most popular in our areas are Chatham County and Bryan/Liberty counties. Give them a call or email. Another fantastic way to find inshore fishing spots is simply to observe who is fishing where and when. Do not forget to make a note of when, meaning time of year, time of day, tide stage and water temperature. Make notes in your Tidelog (Tidelog 2025 are now for sale at most tackle stores). This is a terrific way to keep fish catching information. During April, the sounds come alive with everything from whiting to sharks to blue fish to stingray to trophy redfish to cobia to other strange creatures. It is fun just dropping down to the bottom and waiting to see what just might get on your hook. When the fish quit biting, thinking that they have moved might not be the case. I suggest changing their diet. While using small pieces of shrimp on light-tackle rigs even the smaller fish bend the rods and pull drag. We have found that smaller fish also get tired of the same old bait plan. So, now we are using what we call the Captain Judy’s whiting cocktail. It is a change-up bait, as well as alternative bait. Fishing with small pieces of cut shrimp will work for a while. However, adding a small piece of whiting filet sweetens the bait and offers enough of a change to turn the bite back on. When the bait slows again, just go back to the small pieces of shrimp or just pieces of whiting filet. This is the time of year where that small fish can be turned into a big-fish biting option. The smaller fish that you just caught can be used either whole live or fresh dead. You can also cut them up in steaks just like you do a loaf of bread. With a little heavier rod/reel combo, as well as terminal tackle, you can use any of these baits and drift them out with a float or not or fish them right on the bottom. Believe me this will bring on the bigger fish bite. For rigs when fishing the sound, no matter the size of fish that you are targeting, I like the Carolina-style classic (egg sinker used on main line, then tied on the swivel, then the leader, then the hook). For the smaller fish, I use 10- to 20-lb. test monofilament line or up to 50-lb. test braid for the main line. As far as the leader is concerned, I use 15- to 20-lb. test fluorocarbon or monofilament. The best hook style is going to be kahle No. 4 or No. 6. I like Eagle Claw L141G kahle hooks. Standard j-style, thin-tinned hooks in same size range are also good. I also like using Eagle Claw L197G series circle hooks, which come in assorted sizes. Just remember if the hook is too big, it can detour even small bites. When you change from small pieces of shrimp to steaks or whole fish as bait, I go with 30- to 50-lb. test monofilament or 50- to 80-lb. braid as the main line. Use a little heavier rod/reel combo setup. When setting up your Carolina rig for the larger bite, I suggest using a 40- to 60-lb. test line. For large fish, use a circle hook from size 9/0 to 14/0 or a standard j-style from 6/0 to 8/0. As far as egg sinker, I suggest having on board sizes from 1 to 8 ounces. The currents in the sound can get a little on the strong side.”

Georgia Saltwater Fishing Page

Offshore Artificial Reefs: Capt. Judy Helmey reports, “This is the month where water temperatures are on the rise and fish are on the move. The more a fish moves, the more it eats, which is about where you come into play. The artificial reefs can hold the attention of all sorts of fish from bottom to topwater. When bottom fishing, you could catch black sea bass, flounder, blue fish, white bone porgy, summer trout, cobia and other biters. When it comes to topwater fish, normally large Spanish mackerel have arrived. These fish feed on any bait that they can find staging from the surface to right on the bottom. Just because you cannot see the mackerel on the surface certainly does not mean they are not here. The best bait is going to be a small to medium Clark Spoon. Either troll the spoons deep or pitch them right over the structure. Bringing a net because you are going to need it to land this fish. Another fish that frequents the artificial reefs at this time is the little tunny, and they can come in sizes from 1 to 20 pounds. This fish offers a strong fight on about any size tackle that you care to use. One sure-fired way to catch this fish is to pull a small cedar plug way back. Cedar plugs come in assorted sizes. When targeting fish in these areas currently, pull the smallest plug way back, about 200 feet plus. I know that sounds like a lot, but it is needed to get your best chance at a serious screaming little tunny hook up. Little tunnies are known for taking deep dives as your boat approaches. Then after the pass, they just go back to jumping on the surface. If you are not going to eat this fish or use it for bait, please return unharmed back to the wild. However, I also suggest checking the web for any recipes for this fish. You just might be surprised, and I do know that little tunny are good when smoked. It has come to my attention that my suggestions are seemly antiquated, but in my defense, they do work. I know that most boats have a complete GPS filled with all kinds of information. However, the difference between having a paper copy or not of the artificial reef that you plan on fishing can change the very course of your fish catching day. Why? Not all published coordinates are going to be the same for every machine. This means that your GPS and the GPS used to gather the coordinates can be different by a few numbers. Having and taking notes on paper can and do help. Believe me, when it comes to the bottom off the Georgia coast, fishing cites can be small and easy to miss. If using paper is not your style, then go to your decided spot, drop your lines and just drift. When the drift pattern is over, move to the original drop area but adjust your starting point location. By using this method, your chances are good for finding and catching. Send pictures to me.”

Savannah Snapper Banks: Capt. Judy Helmey reports, “Grouper season will open on May 1, 2025. Offshore fishermen still make way to the Banks at this time to take advantage of the incredible amount of large bottom fish available, such as vermilion snapper, white grunt, triggerfish, amberjack, black sea bass, red porgy and white bone. As far as topwater fish, cobia and king mackerel can certainly be hooked up while plain old bottom fishing. When bottom fishing cut squid, frozen/fresh cigar minnows  (whole or pieces) and cut fish are great working baits. By using any or all these suggested baits, all fish, whether they are bottom dwellers or not, will be biting.”

Blue Water: Capt. Judy Helmey reports, “For the fishers who seek blue water status, this would be the time to make that happen. For tuna, (blackfin, yellowfin) mahi, wahoo, mako shark and bill fish, the 70-mile run is definitely worth it. For bait, use single-hooked, chin-weighted dink ballyhoo and cedar plugs. For a large bite, use Ilander lures rigged with horse ballyhoo. This brings on great possibilities for a serious wahoo bite. Do not forget when a wahoo hits a bait, it hits quick, strong and hard. If you do not free spool immediately, allowing the bait to fall back, your wahoo will move on to the next feeding opportunity. High-speed trolling should be high up on your list of things to do to catch massive fast fish. While heading to the Stream, you cover lot of water, so you might as well get the best out of it. Dragging a couple of high-speed lures should be next on your list. Ballyhood.com (high speed Cowbells) is going to be your best choice. While at the blue waters of the Stream, there is another option, which is to give bottom fishing a try. With small pieces of squid, you catch football vermilion, mega triggerfish, sand tile, knobbed porgy and fish not even listed in the identification booklet. All fishers must use circle hooks when targeting the snapper/grouper species. It is the law. Check current fishing regulations before heading offshore at www.safmc.net.