There
are a million places to fish down here in the coastal area of Jekyll Island,
St. Simons Island, Sea Island and Brunswick.
A lot of times I see folks at the marina with brand new boats, brand new
gear and no clue what to do. Unlike the
grizzled old veteran angler, I am always happy to help newbies with advice on
where to go and what kind of gear to use.
I’ve even given out decent numbers on spots to go to. That said, my Dad has asked me NOT to give
out our favorite spot. So if you are new
to the coast, new to fishing or need some new gear, I’ve got some tips. First off, here is a great article on spinning
reels from Sportfishing Magazine.
I
fish spinning reels almost exclusively down here in coastal waters. Baitcaster and larger spinning reels for
offshore fishing. I love the Shimano
reels but also fish a Quantum and a St. Croix reel. I prefer to go ahead and pay for the
saltwater versions of each reel. Rinsing
is a must after a day on the water down here though or your reels will turn
green and corrode. Fishing line has
always been something of a mystery to me preferring to use mono or braid for many
years. But I have finally made the full
switch to braid and am slowly getting used to it. A good test pound down here for trout,
redfish and all other inshore fish is going to be in the 30lb range. Not because you need that much but because it
is easier casting and doesn’t bunch up as much.
When
choosing a rod, I go with a long light action rod at least 7’6” or better. The reason is that you get much more casting
distance with a longer rod. That’s part of
my strategy for catching fish. I like to be able to cast a good distance so as
not to disturb the fish with sounds from the boat. Boat noise will sink you every time. Slamming livewell lids, dropping things on
the deck or even too much noise with the anchor will scatter fish in every
direction. My favorite rod is from Bass
Pro Shops and their Offshore Angler collection.
It is the Gold Cup Inshore. It is
a terrific rod, long and sturdy. I’ve
used it to catch redfish up to 20lbs and just about everything inbetween.
There
are a lot of different methods to catching fish in coastal waters down here so
I’ll give you my favorite. I use Captain
Mark Noble’s popping cork that he calls The Thunder Chicken. I tie my braid to the top of the cork and
then, depending on the depth I’m fishing at (12 inches or so), I tie leader
line to the bottom of the cork and finish it off with a #4 to #6 Kahle hook. I prefer them in gold. On the hook goes a live shrimp. Pretty simple but it works well for me and I
catch all kinds of fish on this rigging.
The orange Thunder Chicken is visible down at the bottom.
There are a lot of popping corks on the market but I won't fish anything other than Capt. Mark's Thunder Chicken. Mark is a lifelong fisherman here and charter captain. His livelihood depends on inexperienced angers being able to catch fish. He put some thought into what would work best and came up with his Thunder Chicken. If you don't know, popping corks simulate the sound that a shrimp makes when it's in the water. When the swim, they make a popping sound that draws in fish. You give the rod a yank which causes the cork to slide up and down on a wire making a popping sound. By having the live shrimp on a small hook, it is able to naturally swim around under the cork. Fish come running when they hear the cork popping and then see a live swimming shrimp. You'll catch them all day long! Here is where you can contact Mark to get your hands on his Thunder Chicken http://www.goldenislesfishing.com/tc.htm
St. Simons and the Golden Isles are becoming a well known fishing destination and was recently written up as one of the top 5 tarpon spots in the U.S. I am happy to help you find a great second home or condo and you can enjoy fishing year round down here. But there is also so much more to do on St. Simons Island. Golf is big here as is the beach. You'll love having a vacation spot here and I can show you how you can let other people pay for your second home! Just shoot me an email. AND if you have any fishing questions, I'm happy to help there too.
A great spot on St. Simons to pick up some gear and tips is Kennedy Outfitters. Kennedy Outfitters St. Simons
Jeff Williams Realtor, RSPS
Resort & Second Home Markets Specialist
Coastal Georgia Real Estate Associates
Coastal Georgia Real Estate Associates
405 Magnolia Street, St. Simons Island, GA 31522
Ofc: 912-638-0006 Fax: 912-580-4130
Direct: 912-270-0032
This is sure going to help me in the related topic..good one
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