“Kicking Fish Tail Since 1956”

POB 30771

SAVANNAH, GEORGIA 31410

912 897 4921 912 897 3460 FAX

www.missjudycharters.com

Captain Judy’s email fishjudy2@aol.com

February 6, 2012

Saltwater Inshore, Offshore, Blue Water fishing reports, Freshies Suggestions, and “Little Miss Judy’s Believe It or Not story! Thanks for Reading!

My fishing statement

To try to insure that fishing stays in the hearts that love it and to help the ones that are going too!!

Table of contents

2012 OFFSHORE FISHING CLINICS February 11, 2012 Saturday near shore offshore

Surf and Dockside Report Slow to go!

“JUST DO IT!” Call 888-JOIN-RFA or visit http://www.joinrfa.org/

Cold Water Shots!! Cold Water Red Fish

Sheepshead Sheepshead Sheepshead Inshore and/or offshore

Savannah Snapper Banks If you do happen to make it offshore to this area….

Blue Water Report Fishing with Frank Gibson and his blue water crew!

An oldie, but a goody! R8 Naval Towers

Freshies Report Bill Vanderford is “Lake Lanier’s Legend!”

Little Miss Judy’s Believe It Or Not! Escargot Affair!

2012 INSHORE and OFFSHORE FISHING CLINICS

Dates have been set

Our newly revised inshore handout material is going to be considered “priceless!” We are going to give you the best times to fish for what, when, and where for the entire year of 2012.

Any inshore fisherman that is considering going offshore they need to attend my offshore class. For more details scroll down …

One Offshore School

Saturday February 11, 2012

We still have spots available!

Time: 8:00AM – 2:00 PM

Place: Tubby’s Tank House 2909 River Drive, Thunderbolt, Georgia 31404

Cost: $ 90.00 (included one day class, breakfast, and lunch)

Please call 912 897 4921 now for reservations

Please sign up as soon as possible! There is limited entry!

Capt Judy’s email fishjudy2@aol.com

Capt Judy’s Cell 912 429 7671

For more detailed information go to

www.missjudycharters.com OR GIVE US A CALL 912 897 4921

To sign up just give us a call or email fishjudy2@aol.com and we will put you on the list. After the first of the year we will contact to check the status! Thanks and hope to hear from you soon! Captain Judy

Surf and Dockside Report

Slow to go!

“JUST DO IT!”

If you want to keep catching these ..join the Recreational Fishing Alliance NOW!!

Attachment 212715

Captain Katy Brown of Miss Judy Charters is holding up a nice scamp grouper, which was caught at one of my secret grouper holes. This fish inhaled a large scup, which was lipped hooked on a 14/0 circle hook. The grouper hit the bait and then made way swimming as close to the bottom with hopes that it could get back to the safety of the ledge. However, as you can see this did not happen!!!

Recreational Fishing Alliance

POB 98263

Washington, DC 20077-7581

Call 888-JOIN-RFA or visit http://www.joinrfa.org/

I am willing to fight for my right to fish….Here’s what I like about this organization….their stated mission is “To safeguard the rights of Saltwater anglers, protect marine, boat, and tackle industry jobs, and ensure the long-term sustainability of our nation’s saltwater fisheries!”

Please join the RFA today! A one year membership is only $ 35.00!

Cold Water Shots!!

Although we have not had what I call a cold winter here on the coast our water temperatures have still been on the cold side. All inshore fishermen know that when the water temperatures are in the mid fifties or there about “bites are few and far between!” However, bites can happen that’s if you follow a few rules!!

Cold Water Red Fish

I am always talking about mid day low tide stages. Now add a little winter morning and mid day sunshine to this scenario “and you got a good chance for a cold water red fish bite!” Here’s what happens when the low tide and sunshine comes together. The sun warms the exposed and near exposed mud. As the tide floods back over the mud flats cold water red fish know the drill. This would be their chance to feed comfortably at least for a while. So if you happen to find such a scenario I suggest approaching the area quietly as possible so as to play the waiting game. As far as best baits: if you can go with the live stuff make sure that chunks are smelly as possible!! After all it’s the smell that brings the fish to the you and the hook up that hold them!!!

Attachment 212716

Well it’s a far piece from being time to target summer time red fish. However, the cold water red fish are making a pretty good showing. To get your best chance at catching cold water reds I suggest picking sunny days that fall on a mid morning low tide stage. These situations can turn a cold water bite from light to just right!

Sheepshead Sheepshead Sheepshead

Inshore and/or offshore
Attachment 212717

Its Sheepshead season for both inshore and offshore fishermen. The best baits are going to be the purple back fiddler, which definitely gets their biting attention. The secret is to drop bait by the edge of structure and wave it ever so slowly up and down in the water column! When you start feeling pressure it’s time to start reeling!

Savannah Snapper Banks

If you do happen to make it offshore to this area….

Attachment 212718

If you happen to make it offshore the amberjack is one fish that you just might run into your hook. Jigging over ledges and around naval towers is a great place to get one of these fish hooked up. The amberjack is also known as “a reef donkey,” which means if they are schooling on the reefs your bait will never make it to he bottom, which at this time is a good thing.

Blue Water Report

Fishing with Frank Gibson and his blue water crew!

February 1, 2012 Wednesday

Triple Ledge

Attachment 212719

Frank Gibson is holding up a nice Yahoo Wahoo, which was caught at the Triple Ledge on Wednesday February 1, 2012. According to this blue water report received from Frank seas were flat and surface water temperature was a warm 71 degrees. All fish were caught on small tuna plugs! And the best tuna bite was during sunrise and late afternoon. Thanks Frank!!

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Attachment 212720

An oldie, but a goody!

R8 Naval Towers

Depth 143

3138.00 7955.52

Back in the good old days when I fished the blue waters of the stream a minimum of 100 days a year I had a fish catching blast. I am not going to say, “Every day brought large catches, but I can say it was very interesting for sure!” While at my inshore school this past weekend, (offshore school is Saturday February 11, 2012) I had a fisherman give me a current blue water report. He told me that he had caught some nice black fin tuna last week while trolling around the R8 Naval Tower, which brought back some big memories for me.

For some reason blue water fish always seemed to be drawn to this naval tower. I always could count on this area to offer some sort of bite. When we were actually catching yellow fin tuna the biggest one I ever caught was while making a pass by the R 8 Naval. It weighted in at about 75 pounds. It took about an hour to land this big fish. I caught it while pulling a #3 planer, which had 30 feet leader. The fish hit a ballyhoo that was rigged on a three hook rig. Every time we got the yellow fin to the boat and we tried to work the leader the fish made another powerful run. All fishermen hearts were on over drive that day!! Believe me I remember this fish day that like it was only yesterday!!

This tower always held the interest of all kinds of fish, which means all of fish, came here to feel safe while others came to feed! I remember one time that the horn got stuck on the wide open mode, which meant it really did hurt our ears. However, even though the horn was stuck for days once we got there and started catching fish the noise just seemed to disappear. Proving once again fishermen only hear what they want to!!

Please always check predicted weather conditions before heading out!

Providing
FREE On-Line Sea Surface Temperature Charts
Since 1999

http://sstcharts.com/

Freshies Report

Those fishermen that want to “GO FISH LAKE LANIER” or “Chattahoochee River”

Bill Vanderford is “Lake Lanier’s Legend!”

For more about my long time friend Bill Vanderford as well as his accomplishments, his freshwater charter trips orhttp://www.fishinglanier.com/contact.html for all the details! For more details go http://stores.ebay.com/Fishy-Racer http://www.youtube.com/fishyracer wildlife tours, books written and his special line up of tackle offered, please visit his site www.cafepress.com/grapefruitshop

Little Miss Judy’s Believe It Or Not!

Escargot Affair!

Attachment 212721
Daddy and I are sitting on a bench in the yard. This was taken right after the fire and the house had been totally repaired. This picture was taken on my father’s Birthday on July 22, 1970.

Our house was fire and of course it was my fought!!

As a young adult I almost burned our house completely down. I was in the process of making French fries one evening and I kind of got side tracked. I guess I need to start from the beginning. Our kitchen was basically one big room. We didn’t have hardly any cabinets as you think most kitchens have. Our kitchen sink was what I called a console type. The double sink came complete with its own cabinet. That was actually the only cabinet in the kitchen. Our dishes were stacked in a corner shelf arrangement. In other words someone had cut wooden triangles so that fit into the corners, which ended up making some pretty nice shelving. Our tons of can goods were stored in the walk in pantry, which was very cool. I bet we were the only family on the island that had a build in grocery store. The kitchen was basically open with lots of room for stuff that didn’t belong there.

Now I will start the house on fire story. I was just about to fry up some home made French fries when it happened. I got side tracked, the oil got too hot, and starting that popping thing. The hot balls of oil ignited becoming flying grease balls, which started soaring across the kitchen landing in all direction. In the middle of the room was a pile of almost brand new large adult life jackets. Now back in the old day’s life jacket were made of 100% cotton or should I say, “Some very flammable material!” When the grease balls landed on the outer cloth of the life jacket big flames immediately got started.

Right before I heated up the grease to put the fries on I had put something else into to the oven. On a prior occasion I had been out on the town to a fancy restaurant and my date had offered me a taste of one of his escargot. I reluctantly gave them a try. The escargot, which is nothing more than snails cooked in a shell, tasted good. I went home and told my father about them. We decided to make some. So I went to the grocery store and believe it or not I purchased the snails in a can with their shells attached to the top.

On this particular evening Daddy and I were going to make some escargot in the oven. After preparing the buttery garlic sauce I dropped the snails in the sauce pan getting them really for the “stuffing in the shells!” While stuffing them in their shells I decided that French fries would be a good idea. So that’s were the cooking of the fries came into play. My father was already on his second brown liquor drink and he wasn’t feeling a whole lot of pain. I could hear him talking with our next door neighbor, Mr. Bridges. They were talking about fishing while he stood on our dock and Mr. Bridges was on his. Come to think about it, we still talk from dock to dock now. In fact, I just talked to Mr. Bridges yesterday as he was walking down his dock and I was coming up from mine. I guess you could say, “It’s a neighborhood tradition!”

With the snails, oops I mean escargot in the oven, I started peeling potatoes. After that job was done I made ready the big black frying pan. I dipped enough Crisco into it so that once melted it would be at least half full. And then it happened, Daddy yelled, come out here I got to tell you something!! At that moment to which I remember to this day I turned and ran out of the kitchen never looking back until it was much too late. As I talked to daddy out in the yard I heard popping noises in the background, but I paid no attention. Daddy was telling me about Mr. Bridges catching a boat load of spotted sea trout. He was suggesting that we go tomorrow and catch us a few. I was all ears to what he was saying. After our 20 minute conversation was over I turned to see the kitchen in total flames and smoke screaming out of the back door. At that moment I remembered the grease on the stove and the peeled potatoes soaking in the sink.

My father screamed, “Run to Mr. Bridges’s house and get them to call the fire department. As soon as the fire engine roared down our driveway, firemen, which we all knew, started doing what they do best, “putting out the fire!” It didn’t take them, but a few minutes to stop the flames. My father motioned for one of the firemen to come over, as I looked up I saw that it was Chuck Fischer, a long time friend of the family. Daddy said, “Chuck please find my bottle it was on the kitchen table!” After talking with Chuck later, he told me that he though that daddy wanted him to look for something valuable in the house. I said, “At the time the bottle was valuable to him, he wanted a drink and the island liquor store was closed.” We both laughed. As soon as daddy got his drink fixed, he pulled up a chair, sat, and began watching more thoroughly as the firemen completed pulling out the rest of the fire.

As Chuck made way by daddy he pulled on his coat and asked if he didn’t mine bringing him the escargot that was still in the oven. It was his thoughts that they were most likely done at this point! While daddy and I sat in chairs outside he drank his brown liquor drink and we both ate escargot!!

As you might have already guessed, the fire was put out quickly, and the house at one end had to be completely gutted. The other end where my bedroom was had so much water and smoke damage that it needed lots of fixing too!

I did learn a lot from this fire. The first is never leave oil melting on the stove. Second, never leave to go outside to start talking about fishing. And I would like to say, “Oven cooked snail that happen to be cooking while the house was burning can turn out pretty darn good.” And it has been said by many that “Eating by a fire always is a good thing!” And I have to agree with them!!

PS: When you are chewing the snails and not the shells they came in there is a definite crunching noise made. I later learned that this is the noise made from breaking up the snail’s many rows of teeth. Now I can definitely say, “No more escargot and their cracked teeth for me!”

Thanks for reading! Captain Judy

Captain Judy Helmey
missjudycharters.com
912 897 4921