Fly Cast Charters of St. Simons Island, GA

It has been a great April!!!  While some trips we were plagued with high winds and dirty water, for the last few days we were blessed with early morning low tides and calm winds and clear water.  It doesn’t get any better than that.  

Most of my clients are interested in sight fishing, rather than blind casting a fly rod so all I have been targeting this month are red fish and triple tail.  Sight fishing is fun, exciting and more like hunting rather than fishing.  That is why the tag line of charter service is, “Hunting Fish in the Marshes of Glynn.”  And that is what we do.

For Reds, we fish for three or more hours on the low tide when the fish have been pushed out of the grass onto shallow mud flats. The Red Fish have a very particular pattern.  They stay as shallow as they can to stay away from the Dolphins, which are a primary predator.  When the tide comes in, they move back into and disperse into the grass.  It is like this at every tidal change.

When the tide comes in and when the weather is right there are several places we can hunt red fish on tidal levels over 3.5 feet.  Coming up in early May, we have flood tides over 8′, so the fish will invade the grass flats and tail.  I am looking forward to May 3rd-5th.

There are a couple of new flies I have been using that have been catching fish.  One is a red fox tail clouser and the other is the Chernobyl Flash Bang.  More info on the Chernobyl Flash Bang to follow.

At this time of year, after a few hours fishing for red fish, we usually go and sight fish for Triple Tail in front of Jekyll Island.  This is an unusual fishery where the triple tail free float during April, May and early June.  We cruise around looking for fish, position the boat and you take your shot at the TT.  This is an exciting and frustrating fish.  The casts can be very short, but they need to be accurate, and even if they are, sometimes the fish follows the fly and refuses it.  I have not found one they will eat every time, but that is fishing.

When old friends go fishing together or when Father and Son go fishing it is a special time.  I had the pleasure of fishing with Reynolds and Bill, who have been friends for over forty years and the Father/Son team of Rod and Tom last week.  We all had a great time.

I am booking up for May and June.  If you are coming to St. Simons for a stay, please give me a call to reserve your dates as soon as you can.

Until next time,

Tight lines, Strip Strike and Practice the Double Haul,

Capt. Dave

Every Spring, the Triple Tail show up in front of Jekyll Island.  They are free floating and sunning.  Some say they are just warming up, and others say they are spawning.  I don’t think anyone really knows exactly why they free float here at this time of year.  In any event, it is a unique, exciting sight fishery.  I took a holiday today to check out the fish.  I saw many fish, had shots at a few and got one to eat.  He took off running and jumping.  After a few minutes, I got this

Seven Pound, Sight Fished Triple Tail

seven  pounder to the boat.

If you have never experienced sight fishing for free floating Triple Tail, treat yourself to a quick trip to St. Simons.  This fishery typically lasts until the inshore shrimp season opens in early June.

Tight Lines, Strip Strike and Practice the Double Haul,

Capt. Dave

I took a busman’s holiday and went fishing with Capt. John Bottko on January 18.  We had bright skies, light winds and we found the huge schools of winter time redfish.  I could describe it, but click on the video link below.  It  tells the story:

Tight Lines, Strip Strike and Practice the Double Haul.

Capt. Dave

We were blessed with mild weather through the first two weeks of January.  Water temperatures were 54 degrees through the end of the second week of the month.  This time

Dad and Daughter

last year, water temperatures were hovering near 40 degrees.

The red fish are still very active and still fight hard since the water is not so cold as to make them lethargic.  We are still finding schools of 25-100 fish on the low tide flats.  The water is clear, so on days when the sun is bright and the wind calm, hunting these fish in the long grass and on the oyster bars is productive.

The good news is the reds are in big schools, so when you find them you find a lot of them.  The bad news is the reds are in big schools, so you have to hunt them and know where they typically hang out.

This winter is supposed to be more typical, and the winter pattern  for red fish should hold into March.

I haven’t been trout fishing lately, but they are in 12-15 feet of water and are being caught either trolling or fishing live shrimp on a slip cork.

I will be at the Great Southern Fishing Show in Atlanta next weekend.  January 21 and 22.  If you are in the Atlanta area, stop by and see me in booth 309 and attend my seminar on Fly and Light Tackle Rigging.

Until next time, tight lines, strip strike and practice the Double Haul.

Capt. Dave

Emmitt's Red Fish

The sight fishing for red fish is as hot as it gets right now.  Last Friday the water temperature was 60 degrees, and the red fishing was off the charts.   The fish are in big schools, are moving with the tide, chasing bait, and eating well.

We are having a Nor’Easter as I am writing this so the water will be cooler tomorrow, 12/13.  But with highs in the 70′s, light winds and sunny skies forcasted for the rest of the week, the water temperature will rebound nicely.  When the water temperature is in the 60′s and high 50′s, it contains a plenty of Oxygen for the fish to breathe.  As a result, the fish fight long, hard and feed actively.  We are coming off a full moon, so the water should clear toward the end of the week.

My sight fished red fish

Moderate water temperature, sun, light winds and clear water all add up to fantastic sight fishing for red fish.

The pictures in the post are from last Friday when I fished with some friends.  We had school after school of red fish swim across the flat.  All we had to do was wait for them and not spook them.  After catching six, we decided to leave the flat and the fish for another day.

JC's sight fish red fish

December, January and February offer some of the best red fishing of the year, but it is very weather dependent.  If you come to the Golden Isles at this time of year, try to be a little flexible on the days you want/can fish.  Many times it is impossible to go out right after a big cold front comes rolling through.  The winds are just too high.

If you would like to experience some of the best sight fishing of the year for big, strong red fish, give me a call today to come.  ”Hunt Fish int he Marshes of Glynn.” Until then,

Tight Lines, strip strike and practice the double haul,

Capt Dave

September and October brought over fifteen days of flooded grass and tailing red fish.  These “Bass

Sam's First Tailing Red Fish

in the Grass” were tailing hard grubbing for fiddler crabs.  The water temperature stayed right at 70 degrees until the end of October, and the reds stayed in the grass.  Most anglers were rewarded with many, many shots at tailing red fish.  When the sun, earth and moon were properly aligned and when the anglers placed the fly in the right place, they were rewarded with tight lines and screaming drags from big, chunky red fish.  The low tide fishing remained constant with many fish on the tide.  Sometimes these fish are hard to catch, and other times, they seem to eat anything you throw at them.  The good flies remained the Purple Passion and the Black Toad with an occasional take on a Kwan Fly.

Asbury Gay's Big Trout

The trout fishing is currently off the charts.  We have the largest shrimp numbers many say they have seen in decades.  The trout are all along the creek and river banks at at the creek mouths.  Blind cast a green and white or tan and orange clouser in these areas, and you should be able to catch a “nice mess of fish” for dinner.  An occasional 4 pound trout will also be landed, as my daughter, Asbury Gay, learned.

I am looking forward to November and December as the water cools and the reds gather in the big schools of winter.  Clear water and mid-day low tides lead to phenomenal sight fishing for our bruiser reds in the Marshes of Glynn.

Give me a call to reserve the best dates for this wonderful time of year.

Until next time, Tight Lines, Strip Strike and Practice the Double Haul.

Capt. Dave

The water temperature is down to 76 degrees.  The fish are more active, and the red fish definitely fight harder and don’t take so long to revive with more oxygen in the water.  We are ending a week of neap tides and clear water.  Today on the flats, we watched as the red fish flashed while feeding on small shrimp in water ten inches deep.  With higher than average low tides, the fish are not tightly concentrated.  It took a good deal of poling until we found them.  I fished with another old Georgia Bulldog today.  The weather, fish and wind cooperated.

Bent Rod, Big Smile

I am anxiously anticipating the fall flood tides next week.  We have tides as high as nine feet coming up which means hours of time in the flooded grass chasing tailing red fish.  I have some clients from Missouri, Texas and Florida coming in to fish those days, but I still have a few days open.  If you want to enjoy the best “Tailing Tides” of the year, give me a quick call and let’s go “Hunting Fish in the Marshes of Glynn”

Tight lines, Strip Strike and practice the Double Haul,
Capt. Dave

I have been so busy, I haven’t had time to update the fishing report.  My apologies for those who follow it.

Jim's First Salt Water Fish on the Fly

I hate to sound like a broken record, but the fishing continues to be excellent.  The red fish are predictable on the low tide.  Some days they aren’t active and it is hard to get them to bite, and on other days they are moving around, chasing bait, and are easy to get to bite.  I have been fishing several new less pressured flats lately with good results.  Most all of the charters are having multiple hook ups and landing at least a fish or two.

Tailing reds in the Grass

The flood tide fishing in the grass has been terrific.  It is not unusual to see a dozen or so tailing and feeding red fish on a  tide.  I fish several different flats that are all close to each other.  If we don’t find fish on one flat, then we simply move to another.  The last week of this month and the first few days of October offer the best dates for tailing fish this year.  I have been looking forward to this since this time last year.  When I am not chartering, you can bet I will be fishing.

I don’t know what it is about the Purple Passion that makes it so effective, but that fly has become my go to fly this summer.  Maybe it is the rabbit that moves in the water, maybe it is the dark color that makes if so visible, maybe it is the rubber legs, or maybe it is a combination of all. Whatever it is, you should tie some up and give them a try.  I will add it to my flies page in a few days.

Trout fishing is picking up with several fish in the 17-20″ class being landed.  There are TONS of short trout around.  The shrimp are moving, and the fish are following them.

Flounder and triple tail can still be caught, and we pick up a few flounder while fishing for trout. I normally don’t target flounder, but if you want one for the dinner table, there are places and techniques we can try.

I continue to have folks that have never caught a salt water fish or red fish on a fly rod on the boat.  I find it most rewarding to put these people on fish and help them catch their first red on the fly.  We usually start the trip with a little casting instruction.  Good casting is extremely helpful in salt water fishing.  While many times I can get you within 20′ of the fish, if you can cast further, you tremendously increase your odds of catching fish.

Fall is coming.  October through December offer some of the best fishing of the year.  Treat yourself to a little break and come to the Golden Isles, and “Hunt Fish in the Marshes of Glynn.”

Tight lines, strip strike and practice the Double Haul

Capt. Dave

The last week, before the high, flood tides, the reds were on the low tide flats and feeding heavily on small shrimp.  Even with water temperatures at 85 degrees, the reds are  moving and smashing bait.  As soon as the flood tides started the first of this week, the low tide fishing slowed down dramatically.  The fish are still there, but they aren’t moving or smashing bait like they were earlier this month.

However, with the advent of the flood tides, the reds are in the grass and are tailing

The "Purple Passion"

heavily.  Last night, I went out with a friend to check out a new flat.  There wasn’t anything tailing in this good looking flooded grass, but that is the way it goes..  Then we went to check out another new grass flat, and within an hour, we saw ten tailers with one huge fish that was swimming around with his back out of the water. I had three shots with the fly rod, and connected with one. He smashed the same small, dark fly that was so effective last week on the low tide.  I have named the fly the Purple Passion.  I listed the recipe in the last post, and here is a picture.

The tides are receding now, and I expect the low tide fishing to pick back up by the weekend.  The next tides for tailers are July 29th and 30th.  Possibly the 28th as well.

If you get a chance, tie up a few “Purple Passions” and go sight fish to the red fish!

Remember, tight lines, strip strike and practice the double haul.

Capt. Dave