"Kicking Fish Tail Since 1956" P.O.Box 30771 SAVANNAH, GEORGIA 31410 912 897 4921 912 897 3460 FAX www.missjudycharters.com

 Capt Judy's Fishing Report

February 27, 2006

We are now taking reservations for inshore and offshore fishing for the 2006 fishing season. For inshore we are looking for a strong red fish and trout bite starting with the month of March. The whiting season will be in full swing in another week or so! With April comes the "Bull Reds," which is just another name for a large red fish! Our offshore fishing whether it's near shore artificial reefs, offshore snapper banks, or Gulf Stream is looking very good! The fish bite in these areas will only continue to get better as the warming treads take place.

The warming season is finally upon us! You know the old saying, "it's hard to stop a train and the spring weather, which is just around the corner. Come on down to Miss Judy Charters and lets "hook up a few!"

Freshies Suggestion

Lake Tobesofkee's
Pre-spawning Arena
It's time to do a little cold-water big large mouth fishing and catching. Lake Tobesofkee's has lots to offer fishermen and those large mouth bass especially at this time of the year. Large females are seeking areas to bed for their "spring spawning." While looking bass feed, wait, and scope out areas that are suitable. This is a prefect time to take advantage of this happening. Your best places to look are going to be found where shallow water meets deep water. These so-called "flats" are basically what is known as sandbars. I suggest working these areas from the shallow to the deep, on the edge and the main points. Crank baits that can be cast far and retrieved fast normally work best while working these areas. All I can say, "It's time to get sand on your baits and meet your bass!"

Inshore Saltwater Fishing
Red Fish and Trout Times
The inshore waters can be tricky to fish especially at this time of the year. If you happen to have a warming trend then it's very likely that those hibernating trout with "make a quick move." While doing so they have "feeding on the mind!" However, these trout also known as "mud babies" aren't going to take bait as they would in the warmer water months. I suggest working areas that have held the interest of these fish in the past. I call it my "stop, drop, and move method."

Red Fish
These fish are still making a showing on the sand bar and mud flats. If you happen to get a sunny warming day you are probably going to get to see a sight that you won't long forget. Even thought there seem to be schools of peanut menhaden in the sounds the porpoises are still keeping the red fish high on their menu. The father and son Howell team found this last statement to be more than true. Steve Howell along with his father Dick fished with Captain Jack McGowan of Miss Judy Charters this past week. When Steve made a cast to a "block pushing school of red fish" his hook up was very pleasing. In fact it seemed to be a good fish especially the way it was pulling. However, once the fish started running the porpoise went into the chase, attack, and eat mode. I don't have to tell you who won this battle. According to the story the "show itself" was worth the lost. Captain Jack moved on to his next red fish territory. Upon arriving the Howell's hook up, released fish, and kept a few for an old time meal. I'm sure you will all recognize this one "Old Style Backend Red Fish!"

Cajun Poppers
It's not a drink or an appetizer!
The good news is that during this time of the year that there is a "red fish" happening going on! March is a great month to just fish while getting a great opportunity to catch one of these hard pulling fish. The secret is to take time at each of your fishing drops to make sure that you aren't passing up the mother lode of opportunity! I suggest fishing with what's available in the bait department. Your choices of bait can be anything from something real that offers up natural smells or the artificial stuff. Traditional float rigs with the real thing is one way to present this bait. Another way is to pick yourself up a "Cajun thunder," which is a float system that comes with it's own set of bells and whistles. (Most fishermen prefer the emergency orange color.) The best way to get the most out of this rig to simply tie on a 18 inch leader and attach some sort of bait. You best bet is going to be an artificial that when pulled "acts" up and looks real! (Screw tails, paddle tails, DOA shrimp, etc) All you have to do is to cast your rig and once it makes a splash down pop it a few times. When you pop this float it makes a realistic sound of a "fleeing shrimp!" It has been proven more than many times that this noise gets a fish's attention.

Mako Shark
Here's one for you!
Paul Michele of YOZURI once again gets our attention with a really great line report! As you know, many a fisherman has proven the YO-ZURI Hybrid. I am included in those many. Here's another great YO-ZURI story. This is stuff that you really can't make up.

While fishing for Mako shark in Florida Paul found himself in a compromising situation. For those that don't know the Mako shark is known for its bag of tricks in the jumping department. I had a Mako while hooked one time almost jump into my boat. At any rate, Paul had the Mako hooked and it was screaming off line. At this point the first thing that they had to do was throw the anchor ball and chase the fish. It was a big fish and it was taking line fast. Too much drag would constitute a big lost of line and fish. Once the boat was free from the anchor the "Mako Shark Chase" began. After chasing this shark while trying to wear it out the fish decided to do a "double back!" This boils down to heading back where the hook up took place. Once getting back to the area all fishermen onboard feared that the shark might get tangled with the line attached to the anchor ball.

Anchor Ball
For those that don't know what an anchor ball is I will explain. When we anchor to target large fish you have to get a plan together. A hooked large fish makes an initial first run that's "Red Hot!" During this first few seconds, which is your only opportunity, is the best time to throw the anchor ball. This ball is simply tied to the end of the anchor line and is tossed overboard thus visibly marking the spot.

Paul Hooked up and fighting the Mako Shark!
What we have now is a shark that appears to have a mind that it's using. At any rate the shark did head directly toward the anchor ball and did get tangled in the line. Now this when the story gets real interesting. When Paul saw the direction in which the shark was heading he tighten down the drag a bit. Normally when a fisherman does this the pressure it applies to the fish might and hopefully causes it to change direction a bit. In this case Paul wanted to definitely detour the shark. It didn't help the shark ran across the line and you aren't going to believe what happened. The 80 pound test YO-ZURI HYBRID line sliced right through the anchor rope. They ended up landing the Mako shark, which weight in at 276 pounds. The shark was 7'1" long and had a 54" girth. Now that's a nice shark! Congratulation goes out to Paul Michele of YO-ZURI for not only his fine catch, but also his fine line! I'm sure that Paul is going to buy his fishing friend Ozzie a new anchor! I have one suggestion before I close out on this great fish story. "Not only do you need to purchase some of this line, but you also need to use it!" Anchor line cutting at its finest hour!

Near Shore Artificial Reefs

Sheepshead and Black Drum
The hang together, but have entirely two different feeding patterns!
These areas continued to be "Hot Spots" for winter migrations of Sheepshead and black drum. You best bet for bait when targeting these fish is going to be the ever-popular "purple back fiddler." The flat black fiddler that you see racing across your dock aren't exactly a preferred meal for these fish. Your best tide is going to be the last half of the outgoing tide till about two hours on the incoming side. It's best to anchor in areas where you have some sort of vertical structure such as a barge or any sort of a shipwreck. It has always been said even by me that you're best bait location is going to be the backsides of vertical surfaces. However, I would like to change up a bit in regards to that last statement. After fishing a bit more especially this year I have found out a few more things about the feeding habits of the Sheepshead and the black drum.

The Sheepshead bite is more "On" during the last half of the out going tide. The bite normally is steady until about 2 to 3 hours after the incoming tide change. When the tide starts to really get moving for some reason the fish seem to move and feed on top of the flat surfaces rather than the back sides. It doesn't make much sense, but it's is happening. Black drum don't seem to feed until the tide gets to really running. Black drum when hooked up run away from the structure while the Sheepshead run to it. It's my opinion that the black drum intentions once it's hooked are to get into the strongest part of the current. So therefore I have found that they make longer runs staying out of the safety of the structure area.
Once you have anchored and it's holding I don't suggest moving. The reason being is that as the tide changes your boat will swing over an entirely different location on the structure. This puts you over another area in which to get a new and different bite! You only have a few more weeks before I am going to suggest "No More Anchoring!"

Savannah Snapper Banks
It's that time of the year when the fishing can be great or frustrating. However, I have found that drifting, fishing, catching, and looking are a good thing to do especially at this time of the year. I fished this area last week two times. The first day the "sea smoke" (fog) was so bad that we never saw anything until about 1:00 PM that afternoon. It was rough, the drift was fast, the fish did bite, but it was tough. However, we did catch quite a few bottom fish, but not a lot of big fish. We caught and released quite a few juvenile red snapper. The bottom line to this particular day was that it was "fishing at it's finest!"

The next day we fished the same area with absolutely no fog what so ever. The fishing was much better with catching more involved. We caught large sea bass, vermilion snapper, more juvenile red snapper, some real large flounder, and hog nose snapper. The sun was shinning and all was good. It's true what they say, "what a difference a day can make!"

Big Fish Times
Big Fish Times are just around the corner. My records show that the big red "sow" snapper and large "freight train pulling grouper" bite is just a few weeks away. By the time you get to the part of the fishing report they might already be jumping on our hooks!

"Little Miss Judy's Believe It or Not!"

After 5 PM Only Drinking!
According to my father if you drank any sort of alcohol before 5:00 PM you might be considered an "Alcoholic!" So therefore here's what my father did. He would wait till just about dark, drink a fifth of liquor, and then go out on the town!

"Here's My Line Now Bite My Hook!"

Captain Judy
"Fish Physic!"