CAPTAIN JUDY HELMEY

“Kicking Fish Tail Since 1956”

POB 30771

SAVANNAH, GEORGIA 31410

912 897 4921 912 897 3460 FAX

www.missjudycharters.com

Captain Judy’s email fishjudy2@aol.com



November 7, 2011

Saltwater Inshore, Offshore, Blue Water fishing reports, Freshies Suggestions, and “Little Miss Judy’s Believe It or Not story! Thanks for Reading!



Conservation Notes.....

November 5, 2011 Saturday

Tubby’s Tank House

2909 River Drive

Savannah, Georgia 31404

912 354 5903



Conservation Notes.....Gary Caputi of RFA Recreational Fishing Alliance will speak on the Magnuson Stevens Act, Saturday November 5th at Tubby’s Tank House in Thunderbolt at 2pm. What does this have to with an inshore fishing report? The answer is a lot! Fish closures offshore will stress inshore fisheries which could result in closures. If you can make it, please plan on attending. For more information on the meeting contact the Savannah chairman Bob Black 912-223-2986. rabblack1@yahoo.com (email)





Table of Contents

Inshore Sheepshead season is upon us!!

Spotted Sea Trout Bite

Inshore fishing is still the real deal

Captain Jack McGowan’s General Fishing Report for end of October and first of November

Beachfronts and waters between near shore artificial reefs!

Little tunny, blue fish, and Spanish mackerel

Savannah Snapper Banks This is the place to go to target big fish only!

Blue Water Suggestions Sword fish and the X TA SEA fishing team

Freshies Report 37 Pound Striper Lake Lanier By Bill Vanderford

Little Miss Judy’s Believe It or Not! Me and my mother!


Capt Judy Helmey, Savannah, Fishing report 11-4-1.png


Inshore Sheepshead season is upon us!

For those fishermen that want to target the old Sheepshead now is the time. A lot of the larger sheepshead have migrated out to the rivers, sounds, beachfronts, and to any near shore wrecks. Best baits are going to be purple back or black back fiddlers, small pieces of shrimp, live shrimp, and green mussels. Please remember that when it comes to the Sheepshead you have to set the hook before the fish takes a bite!

Spotted Sea Trout Bite

Capt Judy Helmey, Savannah, Fishing report 11-4-2.png

Nice looking just caught spotted sea trout!

For those of you that want to get your best shot at catching spotted sea trout now is the time. It does matter what the tide stage is as long as it is moving. Live shrimp under small adjustable corks is going to be the number one bait and rig to use. However, once you get the bite going it’s simple to change from live bait to artificial shrimp patterns. Gulps and DOA’s worked great yesterday and they will most likely work today!



Inshore fishing is still the real deal

Capt Judy Helmey, Savannah, Fishing report 11-4-3.png

Nice looking pair of fish and fishermen!

During this time when the winds are pretty much in control inshore fishing can still be good. The secret is to fish areas out of the wind, find some clear water, and live by the 20-minute staying rule. With that being said fish near the structure as well as away from it. Don’t rule out fishing directly on the bottom with live bait. Believe me this is when the flounder bite just might surprise you!



Captain Jack McGowan’s General Fishing Report for end of October and first of November

Capt Judy Helmey, Savannah, Fishing report 11-4-4.png

Captain Jack McGowan and his big fish that he found floating in the Savannah River



I know I have published this picture before. However, I just have to do it again. After talking to several agencies this could have been a fish that someone brought inshore from offshore, figured out they should not have it, and then basically dumped it in the water.



Captain Jack McGowan’s General Fishing Report for end of October and first of November



Fishing has been good! However, conditions on the coast can rapidly change. Spring tides, large tide associated with last weeks full moon, coupled with a persistent northeast wind have generated some of the largest tides of the year. This has meant challenging conditions. It’s possible to catch some nice fish. Some fishermen are venturing into the salt marsh in search of reds. A more conventional approach is to fish a live shrimp under a bobber near grassy areas with oyster encrusted bottoms on an outgoing tide for red fish. Options and opportunities on windy days are limited. If the windward side is too rough then your best bet is fish lee shores. In poor conditions fish one fish at time. Gearing back your expectations and just enjoy the awesomeness of nature. Who knows you might set on a dandy school of reds!

Sea trout are starting to bite! If October is the month for red fish then November is the month for sea trout! As temperature drop sea trout and redfish are on the move in search of tasty shrimp morels before the cold of winter. Trolling soft plastics can be effective. This technique allows fishermen to cover water to locate fish. Once you catch a fish double back, troll the same area. If you get another then set up. You’ll likely be fishing close to a small gully, feeder creek or submerged structure. This is a tried and true technique that one veteran fisherman recently reminded me of. If you don’t like slow trolling then using a trolling motor a fisherman can pitch along bank. My preference for pitching is when the probability for success is high. Favorite patterns are jerk worms, flukes and imitation shrimp. Fishermen will have an endless testament of colors and styles. The main thing to keep in mind is sea trout are sight feeders. Chartreuse, pearl white with salt and pepper flukes and Christmas tree are classics colors. In low light plastic that glow are effective as well the brightest colors in dirty water. Despite water temperature in the low 60’s there are still lots of bait stealers. Trolling or pitching could be effective. When trolling a simple curl tail works well. When pitching jigs an 1/8 or 1/4 ounce are the most preferred.

The red fish bite has been pretty consistent! In recent years red fish are receiving more attention. Absolutely, stay with the limits. Keep only what you want to eat and release the rest. When it comes to measuring a red fish or other fish that specify measure by “total tail length” you can pinch the tail together. Count on fish measuring considerably longer with a pinched tail. A suitable rule of thumb when comes to keeping fish keep only those fish that are clearly legal. A fish that is barely legal will shrink a little once it’s placed on ice.

Conservation Notes.....Gary Caputi of RFA Recreational Fishing Alliance will speak on the Magnuson Stevens Act, Saturday November 5th at Tubby’s Tank House in Thunderbolt at 2pm. What does this have to with an inshore fishing report? The answer is a lot! Fish closures offshore will stress inshore fisheries which could result in closures. If you can make it, please plan on attending. For more information on the meeting contact the Savannah chairman Bob Black 912.223.2986.

As soon northeast winds subside and the wedge of ocean water recedes fishing will likely be hot! Fish will be hungry in search of easy of meals as they fatten up for winter. Northeasters typically blow for a week. Seems like we’ve had lots of wind. Fishing this fall has been hot at times and will likely be hot as soon as favorable conditions returns. For now just enjoy the challenge!

Hope this of interest and help! Fish On! Capt. Jack McGowan =



















Beachfronts and waters between near shore artificial reefs!

Capt Judy Helmey, Savannah, Fishing report 11-4-5.png

Little tunny, blue fish, and Spanish mackerel



I have been catching little tunny, blue fish, and Spanish mackerel while pitching artificial lures. Once you get pass the Wassaw Sea Buoy I suggest that you start looking for birds feeding or just sitting on the water. I saw a flock of birds sitting on the water, headed that way, and right before I reached them got hooked up. We caught blue fish, Spanish mackerel, and little tunny…All of these top water offer up a great fight on light tackle. Best baits are small silver swimming lures or spoons.





Savannah Snapper Banks

Capt Judy Helmey, Savannah, Fishing report 11-4-6.png

This is the place to go to target big fish only!


Capt Judy Helmey, Savannah, Fishing report 11-4-7.png


Blue Water Suggestions

Sword fish and the X TA SEA fishing team



A nice sword being brought on board the X TA SEA!



The X TR SEA blue water fishing team has found a pretty solid sword fish bite offshore our coast. However, this one of those fishing trips that requires a lot of planning. The swords have been holding about 75 to 100 miles off our coast. When you get this far out I call the ledges or structure under water mountains. Best baits so far have been died mega size squid drifted deep at dark thirty!

Capt Judy Helmey, Savannah, Fishing report 11-4-8.png



Here’s what the X TA SEA blue water fishing team is using for bait when targeting sword fish. Yes, that is a custom made purple squid and no you can’t buy them, you have to die them yourself!!











Freshies Report

37 Pound Striper Lake Lanier

By Bill Vanderford

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E6u4gmNE4k

Those fishermen that want to “GO FISH LAKE LANIER”

Bill Vanderford is “Lake Lanier’s Legend!”

For more about my long time friend Bill Vanderford as well as his accomplishments, his freshwater charter trips or wildlife tours, books written and his special line up of tackle offered, please visit his site http://www.fishinglanier.com/contact.html for all the details! For more details go http://stores.ebay.com/Fishy-Racer http://www.youtube.com/fishyracer www.cafepress.com/grapefruitshop





Little Miss Judy’s Believe It or Not!

Me and my mother!

Capt Judy Helmey, Savannah, Fishing report 11-4-9.png



Topless again!!



“Red Bugs and Leg Cramps”



My father was a big eater. In fact when I was young, grocery shopping was anything, but normal. We mostly shopped at the wholesale house. He brought everything by the case. These can goods also included such items as catsup, mustard, and mayo. Most can goods such as corn; peas, potatoes, and the above mentioned items were brought in regular size cans, but always by the case. However when it came to cans of stewed tomatoes that was another story. He brought them in gallon cans. He loved his canned tomatoes mixed was large amounts of cider vinegar. According to my father continuous consumption of cider vinegar would keep the “red bugs” off of you. As a small child I had never on any occasion seen a red bug. So therefore I assumed it worked. With hunting season upon us I thought that you might want to know this important piece of information!



My father had very serious leg cramps. As soon as he felt like an episode was about to take place he would run into the kitchen, grab the apple cider vinegar, pour a bit into a small glass, and mix same amount of water. Once stirred or sloughed around in the glass he would gulp it right down. This would immediately stop the legs cramps and he then could go right back to bed. Now that I have gotten older, I too, have leg cramps. Now you know what I do when this starts to happens!



PS: that’s cider vinegar not white vinegar. According to my father the white vinegar would not work. Many years ago I found that out when I picked up the wrong bottle of vinegar.



Thanks for reading! Captain Judy


Captain Judy Helmey
missjudycharters.com
912 897 4921