Ignoring the spring tides that were almost 9' I spent some time on the beach this weekend. Saturday late afternoon I hit the beach mainly to catch some bait and check out surf conditions. At near high tide the surf was barely fishable, a strong south to north current, 2-3' rollers coming in and a 15 + mph cross wind made casting and holding bottom challenging. Held out and landed a few small Rays and Whiting. Water clarity was not too bad considering conditions.
Sunday, I was at my spot and set up with baits in the water just before sun up. Conditions this morning were better than the evening prior, still a swift south to north current, wave heights about the same or bigger, wind was half as bad and thankfully more westerly. Fished the last three hours of the incoming, the swing, and the first two of the outgoing. Just after sunup the bite was steady on the grocery rods, nothing really picture worthy or call your momma about, but kept me busy and interested up until the top of the tide. I was keeping two rods baited with fresh dead shrimp tipped with Fishbites in both shrimp and sand flea flavors, both worked equally well. I had one rod way out and one just past the rollers. Many species showed up on the catch list; Whiting, mostly dinks with the occasional biggun thrown in, Spots, Croakers, Bluefish, yellowtails, pup sharks, keeper sized Sailcats, Atlantic and Southern Stingrays, weakfish, and even a couple of short Sea Trout. Mostly dinks and shorts but fun none the same.
It was slow going on the big rod. Soaked quality baits the whole trip and but had to leave the beach with a 3' Blacktip on the sand for my efforts. That was somewhat disappointing after hearing from some buddies who recently landed big Lemon sharks south of Tybee a week ago. Get um' next time I guess.
The surf forecast is not promising for the GA coast. Our water temp is 80 degrees now and will soon hit the mid eighties. Except for sharks, rays, and assorted undersized fish I don't expect things to improve till fall. Despite the poor forecast for grocery fish from the surf I'm still looking for a nice sized toothy critter to get my juices flowing.
Sunday, I was at my spot and set up with baits in the water just before sun up. Conditions this morning were better than the evening prior, still a swift south to north current, wave heights about the same or bigger, wind was half as bad and thankfully more westerly. Fished the last three hours of the incoming, the swing, and the first two of the outgoing. Just after sunup the bite was steady on the grocery rods, nothing really picture worthy or call your momma about, but kept me busy and interested up until the top of the tide. I was keeping two rods baited with fresh dead shrimp tipped with Fishbites in both shrimp and sand flea flavors, both worked equally well. I had one rod way out and one just past the rollers. Many species showed up on the catch list; Whiting, mostly dinks with the occasional biggun thrown in, Spots, Croakers, Bluefish, yellowtails, pup sharks, keeper sized Sailcats, Atlantic and Southern Stingrays, weakfish, and even a couple of short Sea Trout. Mostly dinks and shorts but fun none the same.
It was slow going on the big rod. Soaked quality baits the whole trip and but had to leave the beach with a 3' Blacktip on the sand for my efforts. That was somewhat disappointing after hearing from some buddies who recently landed big Lemon sharks south of Tybee a week ago. Get um' next time I guess.
The surf forecast is not promising for the GA coast. Our water temp is 80 degrees now and will soon hit the mid eighties. Except for sharks, rays, and assorted undersized fish I don't expect things to improve till fall. Despite the poor forecast for grocery fish from the surf I'm still looking for a nice sized toothy critter to get my juices flowing.
