Georgia Saltwater Fishing Report – March 2009

Saltwater: Inshore: Capt. Robert Barnette reports, “The whiting have had the spotlight in February, they are being caught on the edge of the deeper spots in the sounds, from 8 to 18 feet of water. Your best bet for them will be dead or frozen shrimp, fish them on the bottom fish a slip sinker rig. The water temperature is starting to rise slowly and with it will bring the trout and redfish action back into the picture. February and March are both excellent months to target sheephead. You will find them in large numbers on the several artificial reefs off the Georgia coast. As always, fiddlers are the bait of choice for them and live shrimp or mud minnows for trout or redfish. Kilkenny Marina has still got plenty of live shrimp on hand.” Capt. David Newlin reports, “Redfish are turning on real good. Have been catching them up in the grass on everything. A live shrimp has been the best bet. Fish it real shallow under a cork. We caught a couple of big ones — a 38- and a 37-incher — on spinnerbaits, along with a few smaller ones. The redfish have been from the brackish water up the Ogeechee all the way out to the ocean. My best bites have been on first of outgoing tide. The stripers in the Ogeechee have been hitting Rapalas real good on the first half of the outgoing tide in creek mouths with a lot of current. I have caught several fish around 20 pounds, and a lot of 18- to 25-inch fish. Some trout are being caught on live shrimp and polywogs.”

Nearshore and Offshore: Capt. Newlin reports, “The close-in reefs are covered up with big black sea bass, small sharks and big 30-lb. plus redfish. Best bait for the big redfish is several pieces of cut fish on the bottom. Amberjack, big red snapper, and plenty of big sea bass, have been biting from 60 feet or more offshore. Water temp.at kilkenny marina on 2-18,was 54 degrees Everything should start biting shortly.”