This is why Red fish are called "Spot Tails"

early afternoon tides.  I particularly like the morning tides because the chances of thunderstorms are much less, and the wind is usually calm.  On calm days, you can see the fish tailing from a hundred yards away.  Again, the black toad was the fly of the week.  This fly imitates the fiddler crabs,  for which the Reds are rooting and digging.

We see anywhere from 6-18 fish during these tides.  Some new pictures have been added to the gallery.  There are several flats I fish that are very close to each other.  If  we don’t see fish on one, we simply move to others until we find the tails.  If you are interested in a charter for just the tailers, give me a call,  and we can work something out for a two hour “Tailing Tide” trip.

The trout have shown up big time.  We usually locate these fish with DOA’s rigged below popping corks.  Then out come the fly rods with green and white clousers or gurglers, and the fun begins.  The trout fishing will only get better for the next three months.

September offers the best time of the year to chase tailing reds.  We have about two weeks of good tides beginning about the 9/3 and lasting through 9/14.  Later in the month, 9/23-9/26 should also be good.  The last dates depend heavily on the right wind to push the tide in.

Only a few small schools of monster Jacks have been spotted in the sound this year.  Hopefully they will show up soon so we can chase these Mac Trucks of the sea.

Until next time, tight lines, tight loops, practice the double haul and remember to strip strike.

Earlier this week, Paul and Jeremy fished with me.  Both were successful, and Paul landed his first red fish on a fly rod.  There are several places we can sight fish for “floaters” on the high tide when the wind is down and the water is clear.  With smaller tidal fluctuations, which means clear water, the first week in August will offer an exceptional opportunity to fish for these fish on the high tide.   Check out this video of Paul landing his first Red from one of the “Floater” spots:

The low tide drops continue to produce Red Fish, particularly in the morning before the water gets hot.  The video on the home page is of Jeremy taking a fish on the low tide.

As the tide runs, there are hundreds of trout and small reds on the oyster drops.  Float fishing can produce large numbers of small trout and reds.  A few keepers are mixed in. but for the most part, the trout are undersized.  Dozens of rat reds can be landed during the day.  Even if they were “slotties” (legal fish to keep) we release all red fish.  The long rodder can enjoy catching dozens of trout and reds on a fly by fishing the creek mouths and oyster rakes, with the occasional Lady Fish and Blue Fish thrown in for variety.

While I can’t guarantee you will connect, we have been fortunate on every charter so far this year in having multiple shots at nice reds.

Another exciting part of late summer fishing in the Golden Isles  is fishing to the bait balls off of the Golden Isles.  Shots at Spanish, Jacks and Tarpon all present themselves.  You just have to get out there and look for the birds working the bait.  The fish will be there.

I was crossing the sound coming back from a charter earlier this week and saw my first school of big Jack Crevalle.   Although not as glamorous as a Tarpon, the opportunity to catch this fish on a fly rod is MUCH greater.  These fish greedily take a bunker pattern or crease fly, average 25-30 lbs and put up a fight that lasts anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour.  Our area offers a legitimate chance to take the state record.  Come on, long rodders.  Let’s take that record on a fly rod!!

Dates in August when the flood tide fishing in the grass will be great are from August 6-9th and August 11th to the 16th.   Give me a call for the best and available dates.

Until then, tight lines, practice the double haul and strip strike!

Capt. Dave

We fished for tailers in the grass most every evening this past week until dark.  We had full moon tides of over 8′, the grass flooded and the reds responded.  Every evening we saw at least a dozen tailers.  I scouted out a new flat last week and am excited about the possibilities of it for this summer.  It takes accurate casts and a little luck to fool these fish.

There are still big schools of fish on the low tide flats.  To catch them you have to approach them very quietly, put your cast right in front of them, and slowly strip the fly back.

The triple tail are still in front of Jekyll.  We saw about a dozen in two hours this morning.  They are spooky, and using a trolling motor helps get close enough for a fly rod.

I can’t emphasize enough the necessity of good casting in the salt water.  The ability to cast 50-60′ with accuracy, in the wind is essential to success.

A typical trip now is a few hours chasing triple tail, followed by about four hours of low tide redfishing.  The trout are on the beach in front of Cumberland, so another option is to go to Cumberland for a few hours at first light for trout, and fish for triple tail on the way back to SSI.

Until next time, tight lines, practice the double haul, and strip strike.

Capt. Dave

Then I scouted around in front of Jekyll looking for TT.  They are there in good numbers and should be around until mid-June.

Come on down to the Golden Isles to experience this exceptional fishery.

Every Spring  Triple Tail are found floating, sunning themselves on the surface off the North end of Jekyll about two miles offshore.  No one really knows why these fish exhibit this unusual behavior.  Some believe they are spawning, others believe they are floating acting like structure to attract bait fish, others believe they are floating out there to simply warm up.  Whatever the reason, it makes for a great sight fishery.

We idle around looking for the fish, which look like trash bags in the water.  When we see one, we get upwind from the fish, cut the motor and drift into them.  A well placed fly or shrimp float rig presented in front of the fish can result in some remarkable fun.  These are hard fighting fish that run and jump when hooked.

The sight fishery should last until mid to late June.  A great trip is a six hour trip chasing Triple Tail for a few hours and then chasing redfish on the low tide. Give me a call to experience this great fishery.

I had a nice couple from Indiana today.

This picture says it all.

Capt. Dave

Virginia loves redfish

Carter's 7 lb red

On Carter’s third cast with the Fly Cast Outfitters 8 wt, he was tight to a 7 lb red.  He quickly got the fish on the reel and enjoyed the 5-10 minute tussle.  After a quick release, we were soon onto fish again.  We worked the schools well, staying 50-65′ to the edge of them.  Carter missed the next three strikes because he “gently raised the rod tip.”  Forget that technique in the salt.  Strip strike hard and fast. 
We looked for a few trout, which are still scarce around here, and then moved up to a flat I know that floods on a 6′ tide.  The fish were there, but the skies clouded up, the wind started to ripple the water, and seeing the fish before we busted them was impossible.
We called it a day, and motored back to the dock.

The first victim of the Flash Crab

I had the chance to stand on the casting platform today rather than the poling platform.  We left the dock at about 8:00 for a 9:45 low tide.  After a short ten minute ride to the low tide flat, we were into fish immediately. 

I have been working on a few new patterns recently, and tied one on today.  I fished Capt. Dave’s Double Rattle Flash Crab.  On my second cast I was fast into a fat 8 lb red.  I swapped places and Craig took to the platform.  He was throwing a black rattle shrimp, but failed to connect.  I took the platform again, and the Flash Crab immediately produced.  The fish inhaled this fly.  They were all hooked pretty deep.  We managed to get the fly out and release the fish none the worse for the wear.

If this fly continues to produce, I will post it on my flies page in a week or so.  Keep checking back.

The temperature is in the low 70′s and the water temperature is approaching 60 degrees.  As long as the wind stays down, the fishing should really begin to turn on.

Look closely at the next picture.  You can see the reds waking on the flat.

Waking Low Tide Reds

Jeremy and Meagan with his 8 lb red. Another victim of the black toad fly

Wow.  Is it cold in the morning running into a 10 knot wind at 30 mph with the temperature 32 degrees.  Winter can’t end too early for me.

I had some good anglers the last few days.  Friday I spent an enjoyable day with Jay and David.  Jay is getting married in May, and was down here for his Bachelor’s weekend.  We started early, and worked a few schools in the river, then we headed into a slough as the tide turned in.  We spooked some fish, but also had good shots at tailing and finning fish.    With low tide early and late, we decided to call it quits after a few hours and re-group  on the evening low tide.  We headed to a new spot, and were rewarded by several big schools of fish.  David and Jay are both good and experienced casters.  They had some excellent shots at fish, but they just had lock jaw today. 

On Saturday, I met Jeremy and Meagan at the McKay River launch.  Meagan gave Jeremy the charter for a birthday present, and drove down here from her parent’s home in Midway.  (She also gave Jeremy his first fly rod!  I would hang onto that woman!)  We started out on a flat off the ICW.  We saw a few schools working, but it was much like yesterday, with the fish not being very active.  Then all of a sudden, I hear Jeremy yelling as he is fast to a fat 8 lb red.  Not only was this Jeremy’s first red on a fly rod, it was his first red!  He took coaching well, got he fish on the reel and enjoyed the 5-10 minute tug of war.  We found several more schools on flats as the tide came in, and Jeremy did a good job of feeding the fish the fly, but they just wouldn’t take.
I think he is hooked and will be back for tailers in the summer.