| This winter season on the Georgia Coast has been | | | | anything to get on top of a flat on the flood tide and |
| one to remember for me. Not only did I get in more | | | | eat crabs. |
| fishing trips than I ever have in the winter, fishing was | | | | 5. More often than not, there will be a feeder creek (or |
| pretty good and I found plenty of new fishing holes. | | | | many) that dump onto the flat. There are exceptions |
| Fighting with freshwater | | | | to this depending on where you're fishing, but it's in the |
| We fought rain water run-off from the Satilla River | | | | scenario most times. |
| and the Altamaha River nearly all winter long. Anytime | | | | 6. Contrary in a funny way to number one above, |
| there are heavy rains north of us or directly upon us, it | | | | Reds like to have access to deeper water if they |
| all runs one place. Downhill and straight to the Coast! | | | | need it. Believe me, they know how to get there in any |
| These fresh water rivers dump directly into our | | | | situation. A redfish normally knows his home turf very |
| eco-system and they're still over the banks in some | | | | well in case of a dolphin attack on the flat or other |
| places. Most people seriously don't realize what an | | | | threats. In short, finding flats on the Intracoastal is ideal, |
| impact and value these fresh water rivers have on our | | | | even down in Jacksonville this rings true. With all this |
| fishery. It's a double edge sword, so to speak. Our | | | | being said, you will find fish outside of the above |
| fishing and shrimping is good because of this type of | | | | parameters, but good luck trying to find them. |
| estuary system, but when the rains come, it sure is | | | | Everyone has a favorite hole here and there, but |
| hard to find Trout if the water gets too fresh. | | | | finding Reds consistently in large schools takes |
| We had so much rain, the water 3 miles offshore of | | | | practice, patience and you have to be thinking like a |
| Jekyll Island was pure, brown swamp and rain water. It | | | | Redfish. Period. |
| was clear, but it was tannic brown. When you find this | | | | **Note: I know this is arguable, but my 20 years fishing |
| water far out into the Atlantic, fishing can be tough, | | | | for Reds has revealed to me these key factors about |
| especially for Trout. | | | | them: |
| The Redfish and where to find them | | | | A Redfish has 3 Goals in life. The Red's main, number |
| Reds don't seem to mind too much of anything, | | | | one goal is to keep away from Dolphins. Number two |
| especially the fresh water influx. I believe that our | | | | is food. LOT'S of it. Number three is they want to GET |
| inshore red fishing should be ranked second to | | | | IN THE GRASS. No worries about dolphins and free to |
| Louisiana. We can't hang with that, but we definitely run | | | | eat all they want. |
| a close second with all the others. One thing is certain. | | | | If you have never witnessed a few Dolphins ganging |
| It's hard to find resident redfish in Georgia if you're just | | | | up on a school of Reds, it's a sight you will never |
| guessing. There are certain things they like in their | | | | forget. The Dolphins plan the mission and carry it out to |
| feeding habitat. | | | | a "T". We have seen them run Reds up in the mud, |
| All the places that look prime, most times, are not. | | | | chasing them down a flat on their sides and the most |
| Great looking spots can have all the scenarios like all | | | | famous of all.... Crashing into a school of Redfish from |
| the other best redfish holes in the area and not | | | | multiple angles using numerous dolphins to carry out |
| produce. Welcome to Red fishing! What I look for: | | | | the plan. There is no escape when this happens. They |
| 1. Is there somewhere the fish could run to get away | | | | get A LOT of Redfish this way. |
| from the Dolphins? In other words, is it shallow | | | | About the Trout |
| enough? (This mainly applies to resident fish, not the fall | | | | As I mentioned, it was more like Freshwater fishing for |
| season movers as much). Those fish like it shallow in | | | | Sea Trout! The only places I was able to find trout the |
| most situations, whether it is shell or mud. | | | | past few weeks is in the back of long rivers and |
| 2. Look for a gradual sloping Mudflat. One that is only a | | | | ocean front "beach creeks". Those two types of |
| foot or two deep at flood tide. A steep, quick drop off | | | | places were holding fish fairly well. Sometimes in |
| is not the type of flat you want. | | | | numbers, sometimes not. When the fish would bite, we |
| 3. On this illusive mudflat, I like to see some scattered | | | | had a blast throwing plastic at them. Mostly root beer |
| shell, even if it's just tiny clumps scattered here and | | | | and motor oil colors were the best as usual. Those |
| there. | | | | two colors have been fished before the electric |
| 4. Where this mudflat meets the grass and beyond is | | | | chicken was ever thought of. I remember my Dad |
| important. The type of grass you want to see atop | | | | fishing those root beer screw tails in the 70's.... Great |
| your mudflat is not thick spartina/marsh grass. If it's | | | | Plastic on a lead head. |
| dense, they can't feed as well or move as freely on a | | | | Well, the good news for everyone on our coast is this; |
| flood tide. Sparse grass is what we look for atop the | | | | I just read the Satilla River was 2 ft. below flood stage, |
| mudflat. Sprigs of grass the fish can swim between | | | | so the rivers will be cleaning up, the salt water will be |
| and feed on crabs, shrimp and the like. Many times, | | | | normalizing in the rivers and we should resume normal |
| there will be scattered thick grass with "passages" into | | | | saltwater fishing shortly! |
| the marsh, so look beyond that first layer. Reds will do | | | | |