[ledweightII]

I was told by a fishin' buddy of some BIG fish that hang around across from the pilot station dock in the mouth of the savannah river. I didnt really believe what i was told till i went there because no one has pulled one up that ive heard of. We all have gone there several times to try. We are not using big enough equipment and have upgraded every trip.
The pylons are in water about 50ft at low tide. We have upgraded to using 80lb braid and steel malin of the same size on #8 hooks. Our bait is blue crabs. It never takes long to get a hook-up and can last anywhere from 20seconds to a minute long. weve had poles snap and reels grind to the point where they break the gears.
On several occassions hooks have been straightened. Once i got a smaller fish up to the boat where i got to see the weight before my line broke but didnt see what it was on the end of it. Understand, im not a very experienced fisherman so my equipment isnt for the big big stuff. We pull up to the pylons and drop straight down so when we hook up weve got to pull'em out before they wrap around the structure which has happened. Most people have tried to tell us its a shark or ray BUT when ive said 'OK, come on with me' they go and I change their mind everytime. ive heard of some huge drum being in this area but HOW big?
we have pretty much loss interest lately but im starting to get that itch again. Most times when weve gotten a hook-up we get a few turns on the reel and then the fish turns his head and the pole droops right into the water.
any chance that these could be grouper or just big drum? AND how big?

 

[chumrunner]

Probably a mutated ill tempered sea bass

If you were using crab, my guess would be monster black drum. They can get over 100 lbs (especially with all the radiation) What kind of reels were you guys using? I think you might need at least a 4/0 but a 6/0 would be better, with maybe 50 lb mono main line with about 100 yds of 100 lb mono top shot for abrasion. Mono would probably be a better idea because the stretch offers some cusion and it actually is more abrasion resistant to barnacles and pilings. That setup ought to haul up anything you might hook on to. I'd love to find out what kind of monsters are down there. Might have to take a little trip.

 

[SmoothLures]

If you're dropping straight down, I would use 50 yards of 80-100 lb test on top. It's more abrasion resistant like chumrunner said. Also the steel single strand wire will break easily if it gets kinked. I'd try straight heavy mono or seven strand wire. Good luck and let us know what it is.

 

[Carolina Rebel]

Take a 9/0 loaded with 100lb mono, top shot of flourocarbon, and braided steel cable leader. Tighten the drag with a socket wrench until you break an arm off the star drag, and then winch the fish right on up. Just hang on to the right tighthly. Not many things can avoid coming straight up to the boat with this setup

 

[bstarling]

Take a 9/0 loaded with 100lb mono, top shot of flourocarbon, and braided steel cable leader. Tighten the drag with a socket wrench until you break an arm off the star drag, and then winch the fish right on up. Just hang on to the right tighthly. Not many things can avoid coming straight up to the boat with this setup

That rig will either pull that sucker up or pull you in. I recall hauling on a monster southern stingray in the Savannah area behind Dafuske Island with a clamped down 6/0 on a long stiff rod (unlimited class) laid over the boat rail. My wife and a guy grabbed me cause I was \on the way overboard. I was sitting on the butt and he just lifted me up like I was on a seesaw. I got him up, and I'll tell you he was the biggest sting ray I've ever seen. Be careful, there be monsters in the deep.
Bill:fishing:fishing:

 

[emanuel]

Big black drum or here's another crazy idea, goliath grouper (AKA Jewfish).

 

[allaroundfishin]

When ever you are ready let me know I got 6/0 wides, 9/0 and 14/0 reels we can pull him out. My guess is some big black drum I have been told about this also by the same people who told you just havent found my way over there. Was thinking about takin the yak to the spot.

 

[ledweightII]

Take a 9/0 loaded with 100lb mono, top shot of flourocarbon, and braided steel cable leader. Tighten the drag with a socket wrench until you break an arm off the star drag, and then winch the fish right on up. Just hang on to the right tighthly. Not many things can avoid coming straight up to the boat with this setup

im drivin' if you bring it.

 

[ledweightII]

When ever you are ready let me know I got 6/0 wides, 9/0 and 14/0 reels we can pull him out. My guess is some big black drum I have been told about this also by the same people who told you just havent found my way over there. Was thinking about takin the yak to the spot.

call me when you get back on a yak. im sure that trip would be a fish story in itself! you can put in at the backside of Ft Pulaski and drop off at the Coast Guard station. Its an easy 300yrds. from there.
yeah, dem' da kinda reels im talking 'bout. Sam(Smoochie)straightened out a 7/0 hook once, broke off line once and got wrapped the last i remember using a 4/0 reel. I got a 5/0 hook straightened and a broke reel, so, uh, you rig me up one of yours and its on.
Ive got access to a 15ft. aluminum boat. we gotto pick them days and it dont hold but a couple of people. the pilot boats give a chest high wake .
On our expierences we have concluded that it would be best to keep the boat in gear against the tide and drive away from the pylons. That means that one person will have to stay at the helm and the other get to hook up.

 

[Carolina Rebel]

Haha I used precisely that setup to bring an 8-9' bull shark to within 20' of the boat fishing in over 100' of water on a head boat a couple years ago. Dad had to crouch under the rod, then stand up and I would crank down when he crouched again, that was the only way to pry the rod off the rail. The mono finally broke, and it was an hour before I could fish again, but it was sure neat seeing that behemoth come straight up without taking an inch of drag! Haha if I ever get down that way I'll be glad to bring that setup and let you know.

 

[ledweightII]

Todays report from the newspaper states that @70lb. Drum was pulled up from this spot last week. I'm sure there is more in this spot and probably bigger. Anybody got a week day off that lives nearby from the area that is interested in goin let me know. I can do this tues.thru thurs.

 

[SteveD]

You may be running into triple tails.They are large and common on the Georgia coast.

 

[bluefish1928]

i seriously doubt tripletails can be that large. i thought they topped out at 30 pounds. i was thinking possibly cobia, black drum, goliath grouper is more common in florida, but they can possibly venture up north.

 

[surfchunker]

goliath grouper

goliath grouper ... that was my guess too but It's not that far north .... sounds just like the video's I've seen ... don't think I would want to tackle one in a yak

 

[ledweightII]

finally somebody got a couple up...

I think there are somme bigger ones there