“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

March 21, 2011

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

Table of Contents

Striped Bass Section Savannah River the past week

Boating Safety by Alan Collins

Sound Report Solid Whiting Report!

Red fish section

Offshore artificial report section

Andy Lipski and his father Joe Sheepshead report

Gulf Stream report

Freshies suggestion “Real Deal or Not?”

Little Miss Judy’s Believe It or Not! Drink might have been involved!

Striped Bass Section Savannah River the past week

Attachment 189897

Captain Mark Jonas celebrates St. Patrick’s week doing a little striped bass fishing!

Striped Bass

Savannah River the past week

I got a call from Captain Mark Jonas the past week and boy, did he have a fishing story to tell. According to Captain Mark the Savannah River showed some good signs of life this week. While fishing structure, pilings, and rip rap, Captain Mark and crew caught some nice striped bass. And here’s how he did it…as you know the striped bass fishing or should I say “catching” has not offer us fishermen much of a feeding pattern to fish by. Captain Mark does know one thing and that’s striped bass are hounds for structure and ambush feeding opportunities. So when they find a comfortable spot to lay in split current behind any sort of structure or piling they do just that. While checking areas that looked fish Captain Mark pitch artificial jig head around these areas with great catching results. I asked him to describe his jig and this is what he said, “He was pitching a chartreuse jig head rigged with a black screw tail!” I guess the old fisherman’s saying, “When the water is dark go with the dark stuff!” And “If it’s clear go with the clear stuff!” This is where it’s best to have an array of jigs and screw tail on board! Captain Mark not that old, but he sure fishes old school! Thanks for the report and keep them coming!!

Attachment 189904

While fishing with Captain Mark Jonas Grizzley Alaskan Captain caught this nice striped bass

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Captain Alan Collins with nice red fish

Boating Safety

By Alan Collins

I started to write about fishing this week, and then I went to the boat show to speak about fishing over the weekend. Just about every dealer had a great deal and they financed boats for up 30 years. Now anyone can get a boat for a LOW LOW payment. That’s fine I think anyone who can afford a boat should be able to enjoy our beautiful beaches, barrier Islands and unbelievable waterways. The only problem I have with it is if you can afford the payment and you have a driver’s license that you shouldn’t just jump in it and go! Please, consider taking a boating course! I am not trying to scare you, but a boating course might save you from getting stuck on a sand bar for a couple of hours. Most trips end up back at the dock no worst for wear not knowing how close they may have come to complete disaster. Spending a couple hours at a boating course would help. Not only with safety, but offers information for what to do in the case of an accident, CPR, First-Aid, navigation and other helpful tips.

Attachment 189895

Photo by Captain Alan Collins

Scars from a serious boating accident!

About a week ago my neighbor was having some work done around his house. One of the workers noticed that I was a fishing guide. He began to tell me about the days when he and his father would go fishing. He talked about the big catch days, but I picked up on something. He was talking in past tense. So I asked him the question I think all of you would have asked if told this story, “Why if you had so much fun fishing did you quit going?” Well, I got an answer that convinced me to write this story. He pulled up his pant leg an exposed a scar that could have only been made by a boat prop. Then I started thinking of when I was a kid and the close calls I put myself in. While going out in a 12 foot Jon boat loaded down with camping and fishing gear and two friends for a trip to beach hammock, we were so loaded down now that I think about it one big boat wake or rough water and we would have gone down for sure.

I don’t want to preach and try to take the fun out of your weekend but I would like to give you a few tips on boating that are quick and easy. These could save you a lot of headaches in the future. Luckily these days there are more boats out there and more likely than not you know someone you can call if you break down. However, there still are some things you can do to keep that from happening. With the new ethanol gas out there I’ve been told if it sits for more than 30 to 45 days it starts to separate and you will have water in your gas. So if you didn’t winterize your boat its probably a good idea to have it checked out. The couple of hundred spent now could save you thousands if you blow a motor due to bad gas or a dirty carburetor. Make sure all your battery connections are clean. Have a up to date fire extinguisher, have enough life jackets, and a throw able. Please check to make sure that none of this stuff is dry rotted. If you have a small child make sure you have a life jacket that fits and is comfortable, because they have to have one on at all times. All children must wear a life jacket until the age of 10 years old.

As far as the safety part of boating goes I could write forever. Since I can’t cover them all, please just use your common sense, and plan out your day. With this plan you should be alright. Again I’m not trying to scare you. I just want you to think about things before heading out for a day on the water. Call someone before heading out and tell them the area your heading, what time you plan on being back, and then let them know when you get back or if your plans change. Make sure if there’s going to be drinking on board have a D. D. Most boating accidents are alcohol related. Another good thing to do if you don’t know the area is to go out on a low tide and check the area for sand bars or any other structure that could be covered by a high tide. If by chance you do run aground don’t try to turn the boat and try getting of by going forward, even out the weight in the boat put it in reverse and back off the bar. Once in deep water make sure your motor’s still pumping water through the indicator and proceed slowly until you’re sure you’re in deeper water.

I am writing this not for the seasoned boater. This is for the new boater or someone new to our area. I have had a boat since I was 12 years old and still find myself making simple mistakes. So never get to comfortable, because that’s when mistakes are made. If you are able to help someone by giving some details of the area to a new boater please do so. Also its not always you that’s making the mistakes so always keep your eyes on the boaters around you. If you see someone driving crazy give way or just come off throttle until you are clear of them. So I guess what I would like to come from this is that if you have a boat go out and enjoy the water. Just be safe and keep safety in mind. Thanks for reading and we will get back to the fishing tips next week. Thanks for reading! Captain Alan Collins

Sound Report Solid Whiting Report

Attachment 189902

Whiting, whiting, whiting, whiting!! It’s time!

Sound Report

Solid Whiting Report!

Captain Mark Jonas fished earlier this week in the Savannah River for striped bass. When mid week rolled around he gave whiting fishing a try. While using small hooks, pieces of peeled shrimp, less than 15 pound test leaders and small eggs sinkers they caught quite a few whiting. According to the report they kept 40 whiting and released the rest. The reason being some of the fish were a little on the small side.

The whiting bite has “teetered tottered” back and forth over the last couple of weeks. With fishermen catching a few here and there, at least from my reports, not caught many. I am sure fishermen have caught some, somewhere, because I have had scattered reports of this and that’s! Here’s what I think and my father said this all of the time “When the water 65 everything is alive!” With that being said, “When the whiting bite starts it’s normally a sign that something good is just about to happen in the fish catching world!”

Once again thanks Captain Mark and keep them coming!

Red Fish Section

Attachment 189896

This is what we found when we opened up one of the red fish that we kept. The stomach was so packed with crab’s parts that I could only imagine that the fish was uncomfortable. As soon as we opened the fish’s stomach crab parts fell out.

Captain Ray has a theory when it comes to the way a red fish feeds. He says, “When they put on the feed bag they eat as long as they can eating as much as the can!” However, when it comes to eating crabs only their stomachs can only hold so much. Once completely full like the stomach above feeding is no longer an option, because what goes down comes right back up. So therefore it takes the red fish longer to digest the crabs and parts than it does the other things that don’t come wrapped in a shell. According to Captain Ray a red fish feeds every other day!

Red Fish

Captain Ray Crawley of Miss Judy Charters has figured out the red fish bite. He has successfully been catching and releasing some nice ones this past week. Captain Ray has always said, “To catch red fish at this time of the year fishing everyday is the key!” Even when Captain Ray isn’t taking customers out fishing he is still out fishing on his own. His theories of why a red fish eats or not certainly is quite interesting!

According to Captain Ray during this time the red fish doesn’t have a lot of soft meal to partake. So they primarily feed on things that are wrapped in a shell, which means any crabs or shell fish that offer up any food value are suck it. When they suck in these foods some of the parts of the shells are swallowed before being crushed making digesting a little harder as well as long. If a red fish’s stomach is full of un-disgested shells it has to past them through the system before eating more. So therefore according to Captain Ray the red fish feed as much as it can when it can. However, when their stomachs are full of shells the waiting games begins!!

Offshore fishing report

The Sheepshead!

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Artificial Reef Reports

Andy Lipski and his father Joe!

Andy Lipski and his father Joe took a ride out to the Savannah Reef this past week. According to his report they limited out catching Sheepshead in less than two hours. While anchoring up on the structure, dropping in purple back fiddlers rigged up with egg sinkers, small circle hooks, and 18 inch fluorocarbon leaders “a catching they did go!” When Andy called he had just come in from off the water and you could tell that he and his father had a wonderful time. Now here’s what I can tell you…the main bite was mid day!

The Sheepshead bite is very good with offshore fishermen easily catching their limit of fish. The best news is this type of bite should last until Mid April!

For those of you that wonder what other kinds of fish you might catch while fishing at the artificial reefs at this time here is a short list..Flounder, black drum, red fish, summer trout, trigger fish, scup, blue fish, cold water sharks, and Atlantic sharpnose sharks. Now you must know the next line is going to be “You really never know what you might catch after all it’s the ocean!”

As far as what you might see on the surface….right whales, great white sharks, thresher sharks, and blue fin tuna! Whatever you do don’t forget your camera!

Gulf Stream Report

Achieves Mid Nineties!

Blue Water Fishing aboard Miss Judy Too!

Attachment 189900

An oldie, but a goody! Here’s Captain Ali Young holding up a nice yellow fin tuna, which was caught in 1996. Believe it or not, but this fish was caught while I was trolling around the R-8 Navy tower. While making way to the area I watched tuna after tuna breaking the surface. One pass is all it took before this fish hit my starboard planner rod. I was pulling an old school #3 planer, which had in tow 30 feet of 80 pound test monofilament leader. As far as bait Captain Ali was pulling a 2 1/2 ounce chartreuse color sea witch type lure rigged with a single hook large ballyhoo, which became known as the “Judy Jig!”

I received a great blue water report from the past week.

According to this blue water report as long as you trolled over the ledge the bite was steady!

While fishing old school lures and Drone spoons quite a few black fin tuna bites happened. During this time of the year with the stream pushed so far out and not many eddies “the blue water edge” is a hard thing to find much less fish. However, there is a secret to catching fish at this time and that is to work the structure. There are several well know ledges off Savannah, which make for great places to work. Here is a few Deli Ledge, South Ledge, and Triple Ledge. As the strong current flow over the areas up wellings are form bringing sediments up into the water column, which in turn attracts small bait fish. These feeding bait fish school up feeding at will. Larger fish move in to get in on this feeding action. And before you know it the fish that we fishermen want to catch arrive too! Bringing to light once again where you have fish you have fish!!!

The bottom line is you won’t know unless you go!!

Freshies Report

Real deal or not?

Attachment 189899

Photo by Bill Vanderford

My favorite picture of all times! Do you think a fish can tell which snake is the real deal? I don’t think so!

Those fishermen that want to “GO FISH LAKE LANIER”

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 or wildlife tours, books written and his special line up of tackle offered, please visit his site http://www.fishinglanier.com/contact.html for all the details! For more details go http://stores.ebay.com/Fishy-Racer http://www.youtube.com/fishyracer www.cafepress.com/grapefruitshop

Little Miss Judy’s Believe It or Not!

Captain Judy Helmey and Captain Bill Marsh

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My old time saying, “Drinking could have been involved!” Captain Judy and Captain Bill Marsh doing what they did best when not fishing, which was showing off!!!

Thanks for reading and please keep sending those fishing reports!

Captain Judy

Captain Judy Helmey
missjudycharters.com
912 897 4921