Well the water temperatures are on the rise and spring is just around the corner! March is known for windy days and warmer temperatures, as this takes place there will be little changes in our weather patterns. The Sea Trout will start to show up in our area as well as Whiting that show up on our beaches and sounds in great numbers this month. As of late the Trout bite has been a little slow, but if patient Sea Trout can be caught in the deeper water in the creeks fishing with live shrimp under a cork or Grubs on a jig head. Spotted Sea Trout are found over grass, sand and sandy bottoms. Fishing in deeper waters with well defined thermo clines produce plentiful numbers of fish. We find that Sea Trout stage close to their winter holes between cold spells. Live bait works great for Trout as they are usually less aggressive and want to test the baits a lot before they commit to a strike. Sea Trout matures during first or second year and spawns Inshore from March through November; often in association with sea grass beds; lives mainly in estuaries and moves only short distances; adults feed mainly on shrimp and small fish. Sea Trout are an aggressive fish as the water temps rise will strike anything from top water, artificials, spoons, jigs, live bait and various fly patterns.
Big Redfish are roaming the flats and there has been plenty of slot sized reds caught lately on the shallower flats that warm up during the late morning also. Many anglers love to catch Redfish exclusively with soft scented baits that imitate shrimp, crabs, and minnows. Red Drum really respond to the smell they disburse in the water. Most of the time you fish these lures on jig heads of ¼ or 3/8 ounce in weight or a weed less set up and work them very slowly through the shallows. You can also use spoons to make long casts to Redfish schools. Although they do not have the scent appeal they are effective from long distances and on bright days gold and silver spoons that imitate fleeing baitfish can trigger Redfish to bite. Plugs like MirrOlure’s will also work and have long casting distance. Whichever technique you use this month catching Redfish make sure you fish very slowly. Knowledge of this life cycle coupled with a like knowledge of the Georgia coastal geography can help you catch fish all year long.
The entire coast of Georgia is comprised of salt marshes divided by hundreds of small creeks, rivers, shallow mud flats, and oyster bars. Protecting these marshes are the Barrier Islands. Often as high as thirty feet above sea level, these Barrier Islands were created by thousands of years of sand-pounding surf building up the beaches. Jekyll, Saint Simons, Sapelo and the many other Barrier Islands offer this marsh protection. To understand the life cycle of Redfish, you must understand that Red Drum don’t reach sexual maturity until they are at least five years old. They will be from twenty-seven to thirty inches in length and weigh over fifteen pounds at this stage in their life.
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Tight Lines….. Capt. Griffin Wood
912 269 7337
