Fly Cast Charters of St. Simons Island, GA

I am beginning to receive inquiries about when the Tailing Tides will occur in 2011. Tailing Tides are tides high enough to flood the spartina grass in the marsh. This allows the red fish to get up into the marsh and root around for Fiddler Crabs, which is why they “tail.” This is sight fishing at its best. You should plan a trip around these dates if at all possible.

These dates are based upon tide forecasts and are subject to change. Additionally, strong East and Northeast winds will cause a higher tide and strong West winds will cause lower tides, sometimes not flooding a flat at all.

With the water temperature currently in the 60′s, if the warm weather continues, we might get some tailing in April. Stay tuned for further updates!

May 13,14, 15
June 11, 13, 14 and possibly 29, 30
July 10, 11, 14, 28, 29
August 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,10, 11, 25, 26. 27, 29, 31 and possibly the 9th
September 1, 2, 3. 4, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 and possibly the 5th, 12th and 14th
October 1, 2, 3, 4, 26. 27. 28. 29, 30, 31 The dates in late October are very weather dependent.

As the tide comes in, when the conditions are right,  we look for fish floating in the grass.  This isn’t fishing for tailing fish.  These fish are up against the bank lazing around the high grass staying away from dolphins and trying to get warm.  We got a little lucky last weekend and had the perfect combination of wind, sun and tide. Tim sight casted to this fish.  After about ten minutes we netted this 12 lb, 30″ long redfish.

Given the right conditions, late winter fishing can be outstanding in the Golden Isles of Georgia.

Capt. Dave

Charlie

The weather has been mild, the skies clear, the water clear and the

fishing has been good. Here are some pics from the last few days. A few days ago, the fly that was working was the St. Simons Scampi. Today, the Double Rattle Flash Crab was the fly of choice.

We are seeing multiple schools on the low tide flats. However, all flats are not holding fish. You just have to run around until you find them.

The fishing is good on St. Simons and the weather is getting better.

Tight Lines, Strip Strike and Practice the Double Haul,

Capt. Dave

First of all, Happy New Year to all. May 2011 bring you many fly fishing memories to cherish.

The winter pattern of big reds on shallow flats continues, and it will

continue until March. The water temperature is varying between 40 and 50 degrees, with the coldest temperatures right after a front passes, and warming until the next front. The best fishing is usually three or four days after a front has come through. The wind is usually calm, and the water is clear. With calm winds and clear water, we are seeing schools of red fish of just a few to as many as 50 or more fish on the low tide. When the water is up to about 50 degrees, it is not unusual to see the fish high in the water, finning, tailing and eating. As the tide comes in, we scout the oyster rakes and sight fish to the red fish as they are floating above the oysters. Tons of fun.

If we are careful, keep low and stay quite, many times we can get within 20′ feet of these fish before spooking them. It is normally better to make longer casts, but if you have trouble casting long distances, you still have a chance to hook up.

I have been throwing a new pattern I call the “St. Simons Scampi” with great results recently. It needs a little more field testing and tweaking before I publish the recipe, but keep checking back. I expect to post the pattern on my flies page in the next week or so.

It seems the weather pattern has returned to a little more near normal. The forecast for the first of January is highs in the 60′s (although the sun is out and the temp is in the 70′s as I write this) and lows in the 40′s. The water will warm up, and the fishing should be great. So if you get a chance, come on down to St. Simons, help me test the St. Simons Scampi, and hook up on a few of our big reds.

Tight lines, strip strike and practice the double haul.
Capt. Dave

When the wind isn’t blowing the red fishing is hot. The big schools of winter have formed on the low tide flats, the water is clearing and it is still warm enough for the fish not to be too lethargic.

I Fished with Alan from Swainsboro on Saturday on a flat North of St. Simons. The wind was about 10 mph out of the NW with clear skies. Poling the edge of the

flat, we had school after school of nice reds come tailing and finning up the flat. If you put the fly in front of the fish, they ate it well. We ended the day with five reds in the boat, and another five or six with long line releases. We only sight casted to the fish. We ended the day by seeing three fish pushing water toward the boat. My first cast was a little short, then we saw the fish about 30′ at 3:00 o’clock. I made a cast on their nose, and was tight to a nice 6 lbe red.

I have been casting a lighter, smaller fly at these fish, and even fishing with my 6 wt some when the wind is down. That is sporty!

The fly I have been fishing is a variation of a bone fish fly.  I call it the Prawn’s Revenge.  I take credit for the fly, but have to give credit for the name to an old friend who now lives on the West Coast.  You will find complete tying instructions on the Flies page of this website.

The old timers down here say we are blessed with the largest numbers of slot reds this year in recent memory. These fish average 16-20 inches and 3-4 pounds.  We are catching a lot of them on the low tide flats, as well as many fish over the slot, 23″.  These small fish will be in marshes for the next two to three years.  Our red fishery is in good shape

The low tide redfishing is about as good as it gets right now.  The fish are active and eat well presented flues.  If you can plan a trip around the tides, the low tide red fishing is best when the low tides are in the early afternoon.  The sun warms the mud, and when the tides comes in, the warm mud warms the water, and the  reds follow to get into a little warmer water.  However, anytime is great to fish.  If the wind isn’t blowing 20 knots, we can find fish.  Next weekend (12/18 and 19) the low tides are mid-day and the tides are not extreme, which is perfect for sight fishing. Winter red fishing is pretty amazing in the Golden Isles of Georgia.  Come on down.

Happy Holidays and remember, make accurate presentations, strip strike and keep your line tight.

Capt. Dave

Well, it looks like the glorious days of summer and early fall are coming to an end.  The weather now is cloudy, windy and rainy.  The temperature is expected to

get into the mid 30′s on Saturday night.  While the tailing activity is over until next Spring, the low tide red fishing is turning on.  The water is still in the low 70′s but I expect it will fall into the 60′s by the first of next week.  Cooler water temperature means clearer water in the Golden Isles and big schools of Red Fish on the low tide flats..   Earlier this week, I scouted a new flat I had seen a few reds on late this summer.  There were several nice schools of reds working the flat.  The water was clear, and the fish were happy-high in the water, finning and tailing.  They were also hungry.  This should be a good flat with minimal pressure for the rest of the winter.

I had the pleasure of taking Mike and Dan out yesterday.  They are both fairly experienced trout fishermen, but this was their first time sight fishing to reds.  We spent the first hour of the charter with casting lessons.  We practiced what I call the “pick-it-up-put-it-down” technique that I have found effective for teaching new salt water fishermen how to cast 40-50 feet of line quickly with minimal false casts.  After a short run to a tried and true flat, we found the fish busting bait.  It was so cool to see the sea gulls working over the reds as they demolished small shrimp.  We also saw a flock of pelicans following a bait school into the flat.  Long story short, we staked out, cast to the fish and on the second cast, Mike was tight to a nice 6 lb, 27″ red.

Unfortunately, the wind and rain picked up and we had to high tail it to shelter, so we didn’t have any more shots at these fish.  The fly of choice today was the tried and true bone fish pattern, the Simran.

The weather for the next few days looks terrible-rain and 20 knot winds.  After that the weather will stabilize, and we have several more months of pleasant fishing in the Golden Isles of Georgia.  If you have ever dreamed of seeing and casting to schools of 50-100 red fish, now is the time to book your trip.

Until next time,

Tight lines, practice the double haul and strip strike.

Capt. Dave

The tides and weather have been perfect and the fish are cooperating.  While the tailing activity is not as active as it was in September, the Reds are in the grass and are still eating.  The water is in the low 70′s, and the low tide red fishing has turned on.

Christian and Ron joined me for two days concentrating on reds on the fly with a little trout and triple tail fishing thrown in for good measure.  Christian, who is from Texas, had been frustrated in his attempt to catch a red on the fly after several unsuccessful trips in his home state. He is visiting  in St. Simons and finally connected in the Marshes of Glynn.

To show him several aspects of “Hunting Fish in the Marshes of Glynn” the first day we hunted red fish on the low water, and I had the pleasure of putting Christian on his first Red on the fly;  a nine lb, 28″ fish on low water on Friday.

On Saturday, we chased the reds in the grass. We had shots at several fish.  The first hook up came unbuttoned, but the second hook up resulted in a nice 8 lb. 27″ red.    The fly of choice was, what else, the Black Toad.

Ron, who isn’t a fly fisher fished with a spinning rod.  While we were floating baits for trout, he connected with his first Triple Tail, which was a pleasant surprise.

As the Fall progresses, the Red fishing and trout fishing will only get better.  Plan a Fall trip to the Golden Isles, and enjoy, “Hunting Fish in the Marshes of Glynn.”

So far this month, we have been having great tides for tailers.  The water is about 75 degrees, the fiddlers are still active,

and the reds are grubbing for them.  We have about another week of great grass fishing.  Kevin fished with me again on Monday evening, we saw dozens of fish, had good shots at a bunch and several were cooperative.

With the high tides and muddy water, I am concentrating on Reds for the rest of the week.  Enjoy the pictures.

The trout bite is turning on, and the big ones are being caught.  The key to catching trout is to find clear, moving water.  Trout are sight feeders and need to be able to see the bait.  They hang out in current waiting for the bait to be washed by them.  Fish the oyster rakes on banks on the incoming and the creek mouths on the outgoing.  Always fish the oyster heads in the creeks.  Check out Charles’ nice trout he landed last week.

The water is now in the low 80′s and the low tide red fishing is getting better.  The creeks are full of shrimp and the fish are feeding.   As the fall progresses, the

redfishing will only get better.  Even with the full moon, the water has been fairly clear this week, and we have been able to see the fish rather than just the pushes and wakes they make when feeding.  Steven landed this nice red on a low tide flat earlier this week.

We have 8′ and higher tides coming up the first of October.  As long as the weather stays warm, the tailing red fishing will stay hot.  It is not unusual to see several dozen tailing reds on a tide.  Make plans now to come enjoy this terrific way of chasing reds.

We had over 40 days in a row where the the temp was over 90 degrees.  The water got as high a 87 and in the creeks on the low tide, the water reached 90 degrees.  As a result, the low tide fishing for reds was spotty.  In late August we had a break in the heat.  The water temperature receded to 80 degrees and the trout bite turned on.  Most of the fish aren’t big, but they are very plentiful.  I managed to find some fish in the 16-18″ range.  There are lot’s of rat reds around, and everyone is anticipating some great fall fishing.  Having a big trout bust a Shrimp Gurgler on the surface is a hoot.

Early September marked the beginning of about ten days of flood tides and the best tailing red fishing of the year.  My dear friend Brad came back to try to break his run of frustration on the reds.  We had shot after shot on tailing reds, and he either lined the fish, didn’t get it in front of the fish, or the fish simply disappeared.  There are some places we can sight fish to reds as they are coming out of the grass.  We had one fish we saw suck in Brad’s fly, and when he set the hook, the hook slid out.  After all, this is fishing, and luck plays a part in it.

I had the pleasure of fishing Bill and Dennis from Missouri the last few days on the tailing tides.  Each day we saw at least 25 tailers.  Dennis and Bill had a little trouble adjusting to how quickly you have to present the fly, the necessity of strip striking and the importance of an accurate presentation, but after a few shots, they both started connecting.  Casts in the grass usually are only 25-30′, with shorter casts very common.  However, you have to be accurate.  After they figured out the game, they both landed their first ever redfish.  It was a pleasure to have them in the boat.

I made a presentation to the Atlanta Fly Fishing Club on September 8 talking about the fine fly fishing we have in the Golden Isles.  It was great to see some friends from years ago and to renew some acquaintances.

On a final thought, I believe one of the major factor that makes our fishing so outstanding is the lack of pressure.  Unlike Morehead City, NC, Jacksonville, Savannah, Charleston or other major fishing area, St. Simons is located 1 to 2 hours from a major population area.  The whole time we were fishing the flood tides, we only saw two other anglers fishing for reds.

Fall is coming, and the fishing will only get better.  Give me a call, and come “Hunt Fish in the Marshes of Glynn.”

Tight loops, accurate presentations and strip strike,

Capt. Dave