St. Marys River Offers Last Chance For Rooster Reds

You could sum up my priorities in life in a few short words. God, family, work and big rooster redbreasts! I’ll add that work wouldn’t even make the list, but let’s face it, you’ve got to keep the lights on and gas in the pickup truck.

When it comes to those big rooster redbreast, November is a pivotal month, and it’s the last chance to get on a really hot bite before cool winds from the North send temperatures plummeting. Sure, you can drop a worm in a deep hole on a sharp curve in a south Georgia river and get bit 12 months out of the year, but the last of the really good fishing is now, and time is of the essence.

To further complicate the situation, Hurricane Helene sent the majority of our rivers racing into the flood plains, leaving a path of utter destruction as it went. Downed trees are present in some of these rivers by the hundreds, and accessibility at this time is difficult, if not nearly impossible. So where does this story start? There is a place where fish are biting. You’ll just need to gas up the truck and head south… and I mean way south.

The St. Marys River stretches for roughly 130 miles cutting a hard line between Georgia and Florida, dividing the two states and keeping Bulldog and Gator fans on their respective sides of the blackwater-tinged river. The river’s headwaters begin at the Okefenokee Swamp, and the river twists and turns its way through pine forests and oak bottoms before finally dumping into the Atlantic Ocean right above Fernandina Beach, Fla.

The Timucua people once called this river home, and they used the word “Thlathlothlaguptlka” (meaning rotten fish) when referring to it. That in itself is confusing to me, especially after having some good fresh fish tacos to celebrate a couple of successful trips on the river. Whatever their reason for the name, I’m sure glad that it’s not accurate, and you will be, too, if you make a trip to the river this month and load the ice chest down with some big bream for your next fish fry. Here’s a breakdown of what to expect on the river this month.

The author’s son shows off some nice panfish he caught with his dad this past month in the upper stretch of the St. Marys River.

Upper River: Just down the road from the tiny town of St. George, you’ll find a public access point to the river that is perfect for small boats, especially kayaks and sneak boats. I made several trips to the river while working on this story just before this issue of GON went to press and had tremendous success in the process. We averaged catching 40 to 50 fish each time we went to the river for a half-day trip, with the majority of fish we caught being redbreast, with some really nice bluegill mixed in.

The key to having success in November is going to be timing. What I look for this time of year is a good three- to four-day warming trend after a cold front blows through. Typically, as with other species of fish, rapidly cooling water temps due to a front will give the bream lockjaw, but after a few consecutive days of warm weather, the water temps will pull back up to roughly 65 degrees or so, and that seems to be the magic number that makes the fish aggressive enough to chase artificial lures.

When I fished the river for this story, the average water temperature was around 68 degrees and the panfish were easily caught fishing a topwater bug. To view those trips, be sure and check out my YouTube channel, GA BOY OUTDOORS. Now, it’s important to note that this month, subsurface lures will tend to work better with the cooling water temperature. However, I have had success with a topwater bream bug as late in the year as December, so if the water temp is at least 65 or so, I’m going to make the fish show me they won’t eat it before trying something else.

A staple this month on the river is the classic Beetle Spin, and it’s hard to beat a white or black body with a gold blade. Both 1/16- and 1/32-oz. are good sizes to have in the tackle box, with both playing their respective roles. Go with the heavier option in swift water along steep bluff walls to keep the lure down in the current, and use the lighter model to pick apart small oxbows and pockets of slack water you come across.

Another good choice to have tied on is a 1- to 2-inch grub on a 1/16-oz. jig head with a light-wire hook. When fish aren’t fully committing to a Beetle Spin, this simple jig tends to get bit. I like to fish it the same way as the Beetle Spin with a slow but steady retrieve that keeps it about 4 feet deep or so in the water column. It does tend to get hung up more than a Beetle Spin, but if you keep it moving, it will come through heavy cover fairly well.

Though I prefer to mostly fish artificials, live bait isn’t a bad back-up plan for this month. It wouldn’t hurt to have a box of worms on standby just in case. You can fish the worms under a cork, but to avoid dealing with a bunch of smaller fish, I recommend finding a deep bend where the current isn’t too strong and then fishing the worms on bottom. Don’t go too small with your hook size, though, as plenty of eating-size catfish are present in the river. A No. 4 light-wire aberdeen hook works great and can normally be straightened and retrieved if you get snagged on the bottom. A simple Carolina rig with 8 or so inches of leader and a 1/2-oz. egg sinker will work well for this kind of fishing.

When planning a trip to fish around St. George, the best gauge to determine the level of the river is at Macclenny, Fla. Use the website https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/02231000. About 3 to 4 feet seems to be the optimal level for fishing this area of the river. Much higher than 4 feet and the current becomes too strong to present lures effectively, and much lower than 3 feet the current slows down drastically, and the fish don’t typically feed as well.

I recommend fishing your way as far up from St. George as you’re willing to go, as it seems the fishing is better (especially for redbreast) the farther you travel. If you have time for a weekend trip, camping along the river is a good option to explore the river. Unlike Georgia, in Florida camping on sandbars is legal. Just be sure to pitch your tent on the Florida side of the river if you do decide to make camp.

Ricky Beckham caught this 1-lb., 9-oz. bluegill earlier this year. Though this is his biggest to date, he says there are plenty of fish in the 1-lb. range to be caught.

Lower River: Now it’s time to flip gears and take a look in a different direction way down the river. Since I have no clue about this stretch, I reached out to Ricky Beckham to gain some insight on fishing this tidal influenced portion of the river.

Ricky lives just down the road from the Browntown Landing, known locally as Temple Landing, and has been fishing this area for more than 40 years. According to Ricky, putting fish in the cooler here comes down to one thing.

“The fishing revolves around the tide. You have to plan your trip around the tide to be successful,” said Ricky.

Ricky keys in on the last half of the outgoing tide and the first half of the incoming tide, and he says the bigger the tide, the better the bite.

“A good wind out of the west will make for a big tide on the river. When the wind is really kicking, it makes for a tidal swing of 2 to 3 feet more than usual, and that really gets the fish to bite,” said Ricky.

In this section of the river, bluegill and shellcracker are more prevalent, but you can expect to catch some nice redbreast, as well. Earlier this year, Ricky caught a 1-lb., 9-oz. bluegill from this stretch that narrowly missed being the new river record by a mere ounce.

“That’s the biggest one I’ve ever caught, but you can bet there’s some good ones in here. You can expect to catch a few that are pushing a pound or so on nearly every trip,” said Ricky.

Ricky likes to target banks with structure, such a trees and laydowns, and says when the tide is really ripping hard, it’s best to fish a creek.

“When that tide starts to kicking really hard, a creek is a good place to find fish. Cast to the mouth a time or two and then work your way up in it. The majority of creeks are really small, but if you fish your way up in them, the current won’t be as strong, and you’ll be able to present your lure more effectively,” Ricky added.

When it comes to lure choice, Ricky likes the same tried-and-true Beetle Spins that he grew up fishing with his dad. White with a red dot and black with chartreuse stripes are his favorites to throw. He uses a Zebco Omega reel spooled with 6-lb. test and says a 4.5-foot ultralight rod is hard to beat.

“That shorter rod makes casting in those tiny creeks a lot easier. With all the low limbs and bushes, you’re better off with that smaller rod,” said Ricky.

Hopefully you get to make a trip down to this unique blackwater fishery this month and get in on the action. Whether you decide to explore the upper section of the river or try your luck in the tidal portion, I think you’ll be pleased with the outcome. Be sure to time your trip after a few consecutive days of warm, sunny weather, and be sure you’ve got plenty of peanut oil on stand by because you’re gonna need it!

Digital Scales A Must Have

It’s a good idea to keep some good hand-held digital scales in the boat this month, as you may very well tangle with a record-caliber fish when visiting the river. The author’s son broke the redbreast record fishing with his dad in October, and according to Craig James, there is plenty of potential to catch an even bigger fish.

“Colt’s redbreast went 10.94-ozs, and he was definitely a good fish, but with the amount of redbreast we caught in the 10-oz. range across several trips, it tells me that there are plenty of fish in the 3/4- to 1-lb. range that you’ll likely run across if you put some time in on the water,” said Craig.

St. Marys River Records

Lake & River Record Requirements

• Fish must be caught legally by rod and reel in a manner consistent with WRD fish regulations.

• Catch must be weighed on accurate Georgia DOA certified scales with at least two witnesses present.

• Witnesses to the weighing must be at least 18 years old, and they must not be members of the angler’s immediate family nor have a close personal relationship with the angler.

• Catch must be positively identified by qualified DNR personnel. GON can correspond with DNR when high-quality, multiple photos are taken of the fish and emailed to GON. All record submissions and photos must be sent to [email protected].

GON’s records are compiled and maintained by GON, to be awarded at GON’s discretion. Additional steps may be required for record consideration.