Georgia Saltwater Fishing Report – November 2010

Saltwater: Inshore: Capt. Bob Barnette, fishing out of the Richmond Hill/Savannah area, reports, “The seatrout bite is on and the redfish are starting to school. Look to the beaches for the stag bass action, and the sounds and rivers for the trout and redfish. Fish the bottom with cut or live bait for the large stags, but keep in mind that there is a slot limit. If you are looking for dinner fare, target the trout and smaller redfish. The water has reached 72 degrees, but the water needs to be clearer. This is the time of year for live bait and float fishing. The popper float with a 2- to 3-foot leader works well. Redfish are a little on the spooky side as they start to school for the long winter. Look for them on the mud flats in shallow water. As always, keep what you need release the rest.”

Offshore: Capt. Judy Helmey reports, “Off the barrier islands or beachfront, lots of schools of Spanish mackerel and school bluefish are being caught from about 1 to 3 miles offshore. This is definitely a short boat ride to the fish. Artificial reefs are now holding Spanish mackerel and school bluefish and we are expecting the arrival of the bigger boys (king mackerel) any day. As far as bottom fishing in these areas, it has been good one day and off the next, with fishermen catching nice-size black sea bass and trigger fish. It’s still not a wintertime, dependable, big, bottom-fish bite, but it’s getting there. If you want a dependable, big, bottom-fish bite, all you have to do is go farther offshore to the Savannah Snapper Banks. The rig I am pulling at this time for the Spanish and school blues is as simple as it can be. I am tying a 4-foot, 20-lb. test, pink monofilament line (not fluorocarbon, however, it will also work) to a 1 1/2- to 2-oz. trolling sinker (also called a trout sinker), and then a 0 or 00 Clark Spoon. When I see the birds a feeding, I pull this rig from about 30 to 60 feet behind my boat. It works like a charm. The Savannah Snapper Banks are holding bottom and topwater fish. Last week boats caught vermilion snapper, black sea bass, scamp and gag grouper, amberjack, flounder, white grunts, triggerfish and lots more. As far as topwater fish, some boats got the opportunity to see mahi mahi swim by, then make a turn, and eat what was available. Although this is not a bottom feeder, a few dolphin were caught on bottom rigs that were being brought to the boat, proving once again fish are in their fall/winter migrating eating about anything phase. We are still in the getting-ready-to-go stage for the Gulf Stream.”