St Simons Island, GA

Fly Fishing For Red Fish

FLY CAST CHARTERS

 

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(706) 540 – 1276

Captain

David Edens

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Fly Cast Charters and Outfitters

 

 

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Fly Fishing For Red Fish in Georgia

– St Simons Island

– Jekyll Island

– Sea Island

– The Golden Isles

4 Hours - 1 Angler

2nd Angler - $50
$500
  • $100 For Every Hour Over 4 Hours
  • Most Trips Run 4-5 Hours Because We Fish The Tide

Now, Let’s Go Fishing!

 

Imagine being poled down a low tide flat, fly fishing redfish, with so many redfish they bump the bottom of the boat.  The Capt. shows you the wake made by the ten pound red.  You cast your fly a few feet in front of him.  Capt Dave quietly says, “Strip–let it sit.  Bump it.”  You do, and a ten pound redfish explodes on your fly in ten inches of water.  Your drag screams as the big red fish takes you to your backing.  This is what fly fishing redfish is all about.

Imagine wading the flooded spartina grass flats fly fishing redfish in some of the Southeast’s most beautiful and unspoiled marshes.  You see several tailing and feeding red fish.  The Capt. puts you in the perfect position for a cast.  You choose the biggest tail, make a cast about a foot in front of him, and within seconds he grabs your black toad fly, and he is off to the races, with your drag screaming.  After a five or ten minute fight, you slide your hand under his belly, have your picture taken with him, and gently revive him, letting him swim off to fight again.  Fly fishing redfish doesn’t get any better than this.

Imagine you are in the middle of the sound, and the Capt. points to a series of ripples about 200 yards away.  You motor close to the school of Jack Crevalle and drop the trolling motor to quietly get in front of them.  You grab the 10 wt fly rod, throw a big bunker pattern in front of the school and can’t believe it as 25-35 lb Jacks fight for the fly.  One grabs it, and you are in for the fight of a lifetime.  Forty-five minutes later both you and the fish are totally exhausted as the Capt. lips the 30 lb jack and hoists him aboard for a quick photo and a satisfying release.  Fly fishing for big Jack Crevalle is like hooking a Mac truck.

This is what we do,

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Popular Red Fish Flies

 Current Conditions

Summer has turned to Fall and Fall will turn into Winter in the Golden Isles.  August, September and October flood tides were off the charts when the wind was down.  If the weather stays warm enough and the water temperature above 68, November floods should be equally as good.  Just note, when the water temperature goes below 68 the fiddler crabs burrow into the mud and hibernate.  You may find some tailing fish on an afternoon flood, but they will be few and far between on a morning flood.  However, you can still go into the grass in the morning when you have bright sun with low wind and fish for floaters.  Try throwing a Gurgler or Kent Edmund’s Stealth Bomber in tan on a size 2 hook at them and catch a few on top water.  The Stealth Bomber is a great, subtle floater fly.

The red fish are starting to form the large schools of winter.  As the water cools, it also clears.  November  and December usually  offer clear water conditions and comfortable weather.  These fish have been fattening up on shriimp, all Fall and are heavy and fat. We look for Reds on the flats and in creeks this time of year.  The Prawn’s Revenge and the St. Simons Scampi are great Fall and Winter flies.  Try tying a few.

The schools will become larger and larger as the water cools.  In January through March, the water stays clear.  Usually two to three days after the passage of a cold front, the temperature moderates and wind calms.  We fish around oyster rakes, all over the mud flats and in the creeks.  On a light wind day, you can see the schools waking from 50 yards away.  Take a look at these videos I made several years ago:  Two Guides Take a Holiday. You can see 3 huge redfish schools in the video. Or take a look at this video: Tim Into Redfish. Notice the clear water.  Fall through early Spring can be some of the best sight fishing of the year!

The best fishing for reds during Fall and Winter is when there is a low tide in the middle of the day.  The sun warms the mud flats and oyster beds. With the rising tide, the warm mud and oysters warm the water.  The reds come in with the tide to enjoy warmer water temperatures.  They will usually hit a well placed fly.

Speckled Trout fishing is fabulous through December.  The trout school at creek mouths on the outgoing tide to gorge on bait as it is washed out.  The trout are also bigger and fatter than at any other time of year.  If the wind is down, bring your 6 weight and throw a chartreuse and white Clouser. (I think his fly will catch fish anywhere in the world.) I also fish small Clousers as a popper/dropper combination.  The popper keeps the fly off of the oysters and the popper attracts fish.  Sometimes you will be rewarded with a smashing surface take.

Fall and Winter fishing is heavily dependent on the weather.  I am not heavily booked at this time of the year.  If you are here a few days, I will be as flexible as I can to get you out on the best weather days.

I do not want to take anyone on just a boat ride. I will be honest about your chance of catching fish.  Check out my weekly fishing reports on Orvis.com by clicking here.

Give me a call or click the Book Now link at the bottom of the page and let’s go, “Hunting Fish in the Marshes of Glynn.”

 

 

Hunting Fish in the Marshes of Glynn“

 

I

I have started using a new fiddler crab fly: a felt crab fly.  I have used a Black Toad fly for years in the flooded grass, and when I need to get down deep, fast, this is still my go to fly.  What I like about the Felt Crab Fly is how softly it lands.  I just added a page with tying instructions.  Check it out and give it a try.  Felt Crab Fly. The red fish are also crushing this fly on the low tide.

“Hunting Fish in the Marshes of Glynn”

 

Capt. David is a Fly Fishers International Certified Fly Casting Instructor.  He is the only FFI Certified Casting Instructor in the Golden Isles.  This means correct, professional instruction and feedback on your fly casting.

Contact Capt. David about a casting lesson prior to your charter.  See the Fly Casting Instruction page for details.

What Does does being an Orvis Endorsed Guide Mean? 

It means that you can be assured of a high quality trip with a Captain that meets the high standards of Orvis.  Captain David Edens has been an Orvis endorsed guide for 15 years.  He is experienced in many fly-fishing enviorments:  Cuba, Mexico, Florida, Belize and the SE coast.  He has fished fresh water in Alaska, California, the Mountain West, the Appalachain region, the Northeast, the Great Lakes and Brazil.  He uses all of this experience to help you become a better angler.  He is the only Fly Fishers International Certified Casting Instructor in the area.  He loves to bring the Orvis Experience of Excellence to his anglers.

Lindsey with big red fish

Current Fishing Conditions

We are in the Fall pattern for redfish and trout.  The fish are fattening up for the winter on all the shrimp in the sounds, rivers and creeks.  They are feeding heavily on the incoming and outgoing tides.  Water temps are in the high 60's to low 70's. As long at the water temperature stays in the high 60's there should be some great fishing in the grass on the November full moon.  Trout fishing will continue good until the water temperature drops to the low 50's.

The redfish are beginning to form the large schools of winter.  Because of good spawn success the last 3 years, there are more red fish around than there have been in years.  However, the population has not rebounded to the numbers we had 15 years ago.  There are lots of fish in the back of the creeks and on the flats.  November through early January, barring extremely cold, windy weather, offer some of the best sight fishing of the year. The water clears as the water temperature cools.  We should be able to find schools of 20+ fish.  As Fall turns to winter, the schools will get larger and larger.  That is good and bad.  When you can find the fish, there are lot's of them, but they are not everywhere.  We have to move around a good bit to find them.

The trout are schooling and feeding heavily on oyster bars on both the incoming and outgoing tides.  Find a creek mouth with oysters on either an incoming or outgoing tide, throw a chartreuse and white Clouser enough times, and you should get a bite or two.  

Plan a trip on the quarter moon tides when the water is clear, and the fishing should be great.  We have many calm, sunny, mild days in the Fall.  Take advantage of this time of year, shoot me a text or give me a call and let's go, 

“Hunting Fish in the Marshes of Glynn."

Check out the fishing reports on Orvis.com by clicking here.

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