Georgia Saltwater Fishing Report – February 2009

Saltwater: Inshore: Hit-and-miss because of weather conditions. Capt. Bob Barnette reports: “The bright spot is that warmer weather is just around the corner. If you are fishing the coast right now, remember that the fish are slow biting this time of the year. Even with water temps in the low 50s, you can still find shrimp at Kilkenny Marina.” Capt. Greg Hildreth reports: “The trout I have been catching have been with soft plastic baits and lead-head jigs. I’ve been using a 1/4-oz. head and playing with the color until I find the one that works best. The past few trips it has been the new-penny color. Most of the trout are in 8 to 15 feet of water and have been in the creeks. The shallow-water redfishing is still good. The water has been clear, and the fish have been in nice-sized schools. These fish are coming on topwater baits like the Bite-A-Bait floating fighter in the parrot color and on the fly.”

Nearshore: Capt. Barnette reports: “This is the time to target sheepshead. These striped bandits bite fiddlers best, but they can also be caught on small shrimp parts. Fish around old dock piles and other places that collect shells. Look for the larger fish well offshore at the state reefs.”

Offshore: Capt. Judy Helmey reports: “Reefs located in less than 60 feet of water offer up a lot of bite opportunity. There are black sea bass, flounder, sheepshead, black drum, large bull reds, triggerfish, cold-water sharks and many more other catching opportunities. All you need for bait is a little squid, cut fish — or heck, even jigs will work. The main thing is that it’s only a short boat ride away! This past week’s warm temperatures and calm sea conditions offered the offshore fisherman some good catching opportunities. Chris Newton and Alex Moore fished the KC artificial reef buoy and caught and released some large black sea bass and trophy red fish. No real bait needed here — all fish were caught on the ever popular ‘butterfly jigs.’”