Georgia Saltwater Fishing Report – July 2009

Saltwater: Inshore: Capt. Bob Barnette reports, “July is here, and so are the tarpon and tripletails. Look for the tarpon on the edges of the shallow drops in the sounds where the baitfish are washed across the sand bars. Baits of choice will be pogies and mullet fished on a float or freelined. If you anchor, make sure to carry a float ball that you can tie to the end of your anchor rope in case you need to chase your fish. The shark bite is also on, and they are really chewing. Tripletails are here in large numbers. You will find them best on smooth days floating in the sounds. If you see something that looks like a brown bag, look again — it might be the fish you are looking for. Shrimp fished on a float attached to a good leader is your best bet, but they will also hit small jigs. I like a small, yellow bucktail. The last week of June there were several large catches of sea trout on the beach at St. Catherines Island. They were small, but most were legal size. Shrimp are the bait of choice. Keep in mind that trout should be returning to the sounds and rivers as the spawn should be coming to a end. Redfish action is hot and cold. I fished three days in a row on the same spot and landed nine the first day and could see a lot more moving on the flat. The next two days I did not see or catch a single fish, and on the fourth day my fishing partner went back and could not keep a bait in the water. Every day is different.” Capt. David Newlin has been catching plenty of sharks, and some big ones, and he says the tarpon are starting to show up, including a 150-pounder boated two weeks ago. See the feature on page 54 for David’s techniques.