Fly Cast Charters of St. Simons Island, GA

"Hunting Fish in the Marshes of Glynn"

Random videos

Two Guides Take a Holiday

Slideshow

Get the Flash Player to see the slideshow.

Slideshow

Get the Flash Player to see the slideshow.

Registration and Administration

Fishing Report St. Simons, Jekyll, Sea Island, GA: April, May and June forecast

June 5, 2013 No comments

The fishing report St. Simons has been good to excellent, but during April and May we continued to fight East winds.  There are some flats I like to fish that require a South wind to fish. I can’t wait until the winds let up and become more summer in nature.  Those flats should be on fire since no one has had a chance to fish them this Spring.

Triple Tail are the call of the season.  We have some very good captains that are very good at catching these fish with live shrimp. Thankfully, they have been releasing more legal fish than they have been keeping.  As of a few days ago, the triple tail are still in front of Jekyll and they will readily take a fly.  Capt. John Bottko came up to fish with me, and the winds followed him.  We fished in really rough conditions, be we managed to fool two small fish.  Clay managed one TT after a hard windy day, and Joe and Mindy each managed one on a spinning rod.

The DNR is opening the inshore shrimp season on June 11.  If the shrimp are near to shore, the trawlers will pull for shrimp on the beach and essentially scare the TT off.  If the shrimp are not near shore, they won’t pull there and the fishing report St. Simons for TT should staygood for most of June and into July.  We found them floating off of Jekyll in August last year because the shrimp stayed off shore and so did the shrimpers.

Chernobyl Flash Bang

Chernobyl Flash Bang

The "Purple Passion"

The “Purple Passion”

The East winds and big tides really made the water muddy the end of May.  That made sight fishing for red fish really tough.  Even on the neap tides, if we have bad winds or heavy rain, the water will get muddy.  On several trips we saw hundreds of red fish on the low tide, but we couldn’t get one to eat.   We managed a few on  flies I tie that stand out in dirty water conditions.  The Chernobyl Flash Bang came through several times within the last few weeks.  The red fish were tailing on the evening tides, and charging a well placed  Purple Passion.

Hawg Heaven lived up to its name.  I was wading in water knee deep, and I saw a fish tailing with at least six inches of huge tail waving above the water.  That fish must be close to 15 lbs.  While we didn’t catch him last month, I know where he lives.  I guarantee you we will target him in June. On the last day in May I had a client land the second biggest in shore red fish caught by a client at 31″ and 11 lbs.

Here are a few of the nice fish from the last six weeks:

 

We will continue to chase fish on the low and flood tides, catch a few flounder and trout and hope the triple tail stick around a few more weeks.  June will bring more stable weather and more westerly and southerly winds and the fishing report St. Simons will remain positive.  So if you are in the area for a vacation, take a day or two, give me a call and come , “Hunt Fish in the Marshes of Glynn.”

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

Capt. David Edens
Fly Cast Charters
706-540-1276 cell (best)
912-289-1061 home

Red Fish, Slideshow, Triple Tail , , , , , , ,

March and Early April St. Simons Island Fly Fishing Reports, Fly Fishing St Simons Island

April 17, 2013 No comments

March/Early April St. Simons Fly Fishing Report 

 

St.. Simons Island Fly Fishing

 

I have two words for the March Fishing report:

March Blows

We went from outstanding fly fishing St Simons Island in January and February-clear water, bright skies and relatively calm winds-to terrible conditions most of March.  On the first of March it was like the North Pole opened up on the Marshes of Glynn.  It started with flooding rains in the middle and south Georgia floodplains of the Satilla and Altamaha Rivers.  The rains pushed these rivers out of the banks and brought torrents of silt, mud and freshwater to the Georgia coast. Additionally, the flooding rains pushed water out of the cypress swamps, pushing tannin stained water into the sound.  This doesn’t sound like a good combination for sight fishing, does it???  It isn’t.

Then the cold weather and winds came.  March’s average temperature was actually lower than the average temperature in January.  How bassackwards is that?  Then the winds whipped in from the North. I don’t know how many charters I cancelled because of the impossible fly fishing conditions.  As March waned, so did the terrible weather.  Toward the end of March, even though the water was still tannin stained and muddy where we fished, the fly fishing St Simons Island  improved and we managed to put some really nice 10+ LB red fish in the boat for some quick CPR-Catch, Photograph and Release.

Ben managed a very nice 30″+ red on one of the very few nice days we had in March.
A few days later, Ashley managed to put two almost identical 10 lb reds into the boat.  About the only way to tell them apart are the cuts on their tails.  His second one has a little slit at the bottom of the tail.
Early in April, Todd managed to fool a fish or two on a really tough day.  We were into fish all morning, and we couldn’t get them to eat a thing.  I tried all my tried and true flies-Flashbang, Prawn’s Revenge, Purple Passion, clousers etc. etc.  The only bait on the flat that day were finger mullets.  I had tied a few mullet patterns earlier this winter, and tried one simply because I was out of other ideas. This one worked.
Todd managed another ten lb red fish.
Just as I was convinced there were only ten lb fish in our area, A grandfather/grandson team teamed up to put a few slot fish into the boat.

April is starting out well.  The weather has finally warmed, the water is clearing, and the water temps are approaching 70 degrees.  A few triple tail have shown up off of Jekyll, but as I write this, we are still waiting for the major migration.  Sight fishing for triple tail is a fun, different experience.

So if you are coming to the the Golden Isles, give me a call and let’s go “Hunt Fish in the Marshes of Glynn.”

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

Capt. David Edens

 

 

1, Red Fish , , , , , , , ,

February Fishing Report, Reds are in Big Schools and Moving Around

February 26, 2013 No comments

The last few weeks have offered some amazing fishing.  I have been chasing schools of over 100 red fish.  These fish are moving around.  Sometimes they are where you think they should be and other times they aren’t.  You just have to move around until you find them.

The normal winter time flies such as the Prawn’s Revenge and Red Fox Tail Clouser have been producing fish.  My good friend and client, Tim from NC, brought some ultra shrimp he tied to fish with.  He left some with me last summer, and they caught fish, but were hard to cast.  His most recent attempt is much easier to cast and catches fish.  On his third or fourth cast of the day, Tim caught a nice seven pound red fish on his fly.

Several of my clients have never caught a red fish on fly before, so it is always a privilege to introduce them to the great red fish fishery we have here in St. Simons.  This pattern of large schools of fish will last several more weeks when the red fish will begin breaking into smaller schools and moving back to their summertime haunts.

March will bring great red fishing when the wind is down.  Trout fishing has been good all winter, and should get better in March.  April marks the return of the Triple Tail and our unique sight fishery for these blue gill of salt water in front of Jekyll.  Depending upon the weather, April also can offer our first tailing tides of the year.  April 8th, 24th and 25th could offer tailing red in the grass.  The end of April is pretty certain, but April 8 will be weather dependent.

If you are planning a trip to the coast, give me a call so you too can enjoy some of this great fishing.

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

Capt. David Edens

Red Fish , , , , , , , ,

Winter Time Red Fishing, Great and Frustrating

January 28, 2013 No comments

The big schools of red fish are sticking together, even with the wildly swinging air and water temperatures.  Since the first of January the water temp has ranged from 61 degrees to 52 degrees.  Some days the fish think it is Spring, and some days the fish think it is Fall.  These wildly swinging temperatures have made the fish hard to find at times.  The fish that typically hang out in the St. Simons Sound have been very hard to find.  As a result, I have been ranging farther from home finding new schools.  In December, we were lucky a few times and put clients on fish up toward the Northern End of St. Simons.  These are quality fish.  The frustrating thing is sometimes these fish will eat, and other times they will not eat a thing.  These are fish from North of St. Simons.

We found big schools of red fish up the creeks around St. Simons.  We have had trouble getting the fish to eat on the dead low tide.  It seems that these fish eat as the tide is coming in and flooding the marshes or when the tide is  just starting to flow out of the marshes.  At least that was the way it was last week.  It could change this week.  But that is fishing for red fish.  Nevertheless, we have had a great few weeks of sight fishing for big reds in clear, shallow water.  I had a chance to go fishing with fellow guide, Scott Griffin.  We had a great day.  I landed my third biggest red fish on the fly, 11 lbs., 31 inches.

I have heard the trout bite is still strong, but all my time has been spent chasing red fish with a fly rod.  Black Drum and lots of Sheepshead are also being caught.  The long range forecast is for the mild weather to continue.  Plan a mid winter break and come join me, “Hunting Fish in the Marshes of Glynn.”  When you come, plan on bringing your A casting game.  These fish are spooky in the clear shallow water.  Getting much closer than 40-50 ft. of them will usually spook them.  Once they know you are there, they are REALLY hard to catch.

Capt. David Edens

 

1 , , , , , , , , , , ,

Big Winter time schools of Red Fish have formed.

December 4, 2012 No comments

Sight Fishing for Red Fish in the winter can be amazing.  Our big reds form big schools and stay as shallow as they can for protection from the bottle-nose dolphin, which is one of  the red fish’s primary predators.  As the water cools, and on neap tides, the water clears and offers us some great sight fishing opportunities.  Last week we had low tides that were approximately one foot above normal low tides.  With cooling water temperatures and below normal tidal swings, the water was clear.

I had Richard from North Carolina stop by to spend a morning on the skiff with me.  Richard is the owner of Carolina Mountain Sports in Statesville, NC.  He carries outdoor  and fly fishing oriented gear.  He is an excellent fly caster and an experienced fly fisherman, but he had never sight fished for red fish in Georgia. We had beautiful weather, with bright skies and light wind.  With the exceptionally high, low tide, the fish were not in their normal haunts; and it took a little while for us to find them.   But when we found the fish, boy did we find them.   We found two schools of at least 100 fish and numerous schools of 5 to 15 fish scattered all over the low tide flat.  These fish were high and happy in the water,  actively feeding,  pushing water, tailing and finning.  When you find fish like this on the low tide, you are in for exceptional fishing.

It took Richard a few blown shots to realize how spooky these fish are.  After he realized he couldn’t rock the boat while casting-which sends pressure waves out in all directions and puts the fish down-we started hooking up.  The first fish came unbuttoned when an old hook broke, but he got all of the next three fish to the boat.  The last one was a trophy, at 30″ and ten pounds.

Richard's 10 lb red fish

With the clear water, the Prawn’s Revenge caught three fish and the lost fish came on a well used Chernobyl Flash Bang.  Long casts andlight presentations were necessary to fool these fish.

It is hard for me to decide which I like better, Tailing Red Fish in the Grass in the Summer or big schools of reds on the flats in the Winter.  They are both exciting.  I guess it is good this occurs at different times of the year, or I would have a difficult decision on what to fish for.

We have great tides right before and after Christmas for red fish on the low tide.  The weather has been mild, and the trout fishing is still outstanding.  So, if you are coming to the Golden Isles for Christmas, be sure to give me a call and let’s go “Hunt Fish in the Marshes of Glynn.”.

1, Red Fish , , , , , , , , ,

Trout Bite is off the Charts

November 12, 2012 No comments

If any of you want to come to the coast and enjoy some non-stop action, now is the time to do it.  The Speckled Sea Trout are thick in the sounds and the creeks.  Almost any oyster bar with clear, moving water is holding trout now.

Fresh sauteed sea trout with chili/lime rub, smoky cheese risotto and garden salad with balsamic dijon vinaigrette dressing.

I normally fish spinning tackle for trout.  One of my favorite rigs is a popping cork with a clear gold or silver flake DOA shrimp under it. There were times last week when there was a fish on every cast.  The live shrimp fishermen are also catching tons of fish.  The trout fishing doesn’t get any better than it is right now.

For flies, chartreuse and white clousers are working fine.  Blue and white bait fish patterns are also working well.  White and Tan gurglers will catch fish on top.

With the new moon tides coming up this week, the water will get muddy.  If you can find clear water, the trout will still be there, but the tides Thanksgiving week will be better for trout fishing.  If you want to catch a “mess” of fish, now is the time to do it,

1 , , , , , , ,

October Fishing and November Outlook

October 29, 2012 No comments

 

October had some of the best tailing red fishing of the year.  The air temperature stayed warm, and the water temperature stayed above the magic number of 70 degrees. The Full Moon tides the first of the month didn’t push much water into the marsh, but the New Moon tides of the middle of the month offered anglers shots at twelve to fifteen fish on a tide.  These fish were in the flooded grass feeding heavily on fiddler crabs.  A well placed black toad fly was rarely overlooked.

 

The trout seem to have recovered from the freezes of several years ago.  Lots of fish are being caught in clear, moving water.  Almost any oyster bar or bank is holding fish at this time of the year.  The Cystic Fibrosis Red/Trout tournament was held during the first weekend of October.  Twenty six boats competed in the tournament this year, and the winning boat landed over 100 trout on the final day.  Needless to say, there are plenty of trout to be caught in the Golden Isles this fall.  I had some good anglers in the Maverick for the tournament.  They landed some nice fish and we placed sixth overall.  Thanks to you all for your hard work.

November will bring cooling water.  As the water cools, it clears and the red fish begin forming the large winter schools.  I am looking forward to the clear water, low tide sight fishing winter brings to the Marshes of Glynn.  On nice days during the winter it is possible to fish to several different schools of 50 to over 100 red fish during low tides.  These fish are extremely spooky, and sometimes lighter weight gear comes into play.  When the wind is down and when the water slick calm  is the time to break out the seven, six and even five weight fly rods for a stealthy, subtle approach to our reds.

Trout fishing can be at its peak during November.  The fish are larger and seem to be hungrier as the weather cools.  There are times when you get a strike on every cast.

Just because the weather is getting cooler does not mean the fishing is.  Our fishing can be red hot in cool weather.  Take an early winter/late fall break and spend a few days, “Hunting Fish in the Marshes of Glynn.”

Capt. David Edens

1 , , , , ,

September Tailing Red Fish-Bass in the Grass

September 23, 2012 No comments

Sight fishing for reds was as good as it gets on the new moon this month.  On most trips, anglers had shots at ten to twenty fish.  An explosive strike usually results if you can put the fly where the fish can see it.  These casts are not long, but the cast has to be accurate.  We even caught a nice sized sheepshead sight-fished on the fly.  The black toad has been the fly of the month.  It is a great flooded grass fly, catching red fish and sheepshead.  I had several anglers catch fish within ten feet of the boat by simply placing the fly in front of the fish.  It is amazing how close you can get to these fish in the Maverick, HPX-V.

Many people like to park the boat and wade to the fish, and we do this when conditions dictate.  However,  I prefer to remain in the boat and pole to the fish.  On days when it is dead calm and the water in the flooded grass flats is mirror smooth, this is far and away the best way to approach the fish.  You cannot wade slowly enough in glass smooth conditions to consistently get closer than 50′ to the fish.  Your wading pushes a pressure wave in front of you that the fish feel and they stop tailing.  If you stay in the Maverick, most of the time we can pole within twenty or thirty feet of a fish under these conditions. I think most people and guides prefer to wade because they don’t have a boat that will allow them to silently pole to the fish in ten inches of water.   The Maverick is specifically designed to allow you to approach spooky fish in calm conditions,  so you can make that perfect cast to catch that 10 lb tailing red fish.

Many times we face fairly rough conditions on the run home.  An onshore wind combined with an outgoing tide can cause some pretty rough conditions on the open sounds around SSI.  This is also where the Maverick HPX-V excels.  While the boat is designed to pole easily and silently, it is also designed to safely cross choppy, open waters.  While we catch some spray crossing these open sounds in a cross wind, we cross safely and comfortably.

We are looking forward to the full moon tides coming at the end of theSeptember and the first of October.  These tides will start building on September 28 and last through October 3.  But the best tides of October will be on the new moon,  from 10/13 until 10/20.  Make plans to visit the coast for some of the best tailing red fishing in the Southeast.  Come,  ”Hunt fish in the Marshes of Glynn.”

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

Capt. David Edens

Red Fish none

August Fishing Report/September Outlook

August 30, 2012 No comments

August brought a wide variety of fishing.   Trout, Triple Tail, and Red Fish.

There are some big trout around, you just have to move around to find them.

"Nice Trout" This one was almost 20", and was released.

18 lb Triple TailThe triple tail were floating off of Jekyll all summer.  Finally the shrimpers started pulling close to the beach and ran them off.  Sight fishing to free floating triple tail is very exciting.  Triple Tail fishing on the markers is good, and will continue to be so for a few more weeks.  As soon as that first cold front comes through, they head back south.

 

 

Black Drum

We were even able to  scrape up a few black drum on low tide.

Far and away the most exciting fishing is for tailing red fish in the grass.  The last few weeks of August have offered fishing that is off the charts.  There are so many fish on the flats I fish, that my clients have a difficult time deciding which fish they want to try to catch.  My suggestion is to go for the one that is tailing most actively or has the biggest tail.

This is classic, Southern tailing red fishing at its finest.  We are fishing in water no deeper than knee deep.  The fish are in these shallows

Clay's First Red Fish on the fly

grubbing for fiddler crabs, and their tails are out of the water.   On the morning high tides, the wind is almost always light, and you can see the fish tail from 50-100 yards away.  These trips are like you read about in Gray’s Sporting Journal or Garden and Gun.

 

September offers over 20 days when the tide will be right for fishing for “tailers.”  If you are a fly fisher who has ever dreamed of chasing red fish on the fly, this is the month to try.  Call me for the best available dates.

 

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

Capt David

1 none

Low Tide Red Fish, July

July 7, 2012 No comments

Chernobyl Flash Bang

With early morning low tides for the rest of this week, the fishing should be outstanding.  Rex managed to pull this one out of a school of about fifty this morning just as the tide started coming in.  The Chernobyl Flash Bang is proving to be a remarkable fly.

 

An early morning low tide red fsih

1 none
Powered by WordPress Web Design by SRS Solutions © 2013 Fly Cast Charters of St. Simons Island, GA Design by SRS Solutions