August and early September brought the best tailing red fish tides of the year so far. August’s daytime tides were a little marginal, and they did not come in one day when we had strong SW winds. September’s tides were awesome. We managed to avoid the afternoon thunder storms and fish for tailing red fish on every evening tide in August and only missed one trip because of weather in September. When the tides covered the spartina grass flats the red fish invaded to grub for fiddler crabs and tailed until the tide started back.
Jacob and family came down from North Carolina to spend a few days fishing for tailing red fish, and Jacob caught his first ever red on the fly:
Jacob’s tailing red
Later that same week Chris and Megan visited from Colorado. They had lots of shots fishing for tailing red fish. Chris managed to land a nice one and Megan managed to put the lure on top of the fish’s head and spook him. She said she would practice and be better when they next visited.
Two happy fly fisher people
Ken had tried for a week to catch a red fish in Florida. He wasn’t able to fish St. Simons during the tailing tides, but we found some clear water on the high tide, and managed to get one to eat a fly for him. As an aside, Ken is one of the top five fly casters I have had on the boat. Watching him cast is a thing of beauty.
- Ken’s first red fish
Derek had tried several times before to catch a tailing red fish in his home state of South Carolina. He was successful “Hunting Fish in the Marshes of Glynn.”
Derek’s tailing red fish
The tailing red fish bite has been very good this year. I am still concerned that I am not seeing the number of fish on the flats that I have seen in previous years. But if we approach the fish carefully and make a good presentation, we can usually put a few fish in the boat.
The trout bite has started in earnest, and I am always willing to try to catch a few for you to take home for dinner after the tides come in. The bite has been red hot on DOA’s the last couple of days. Peter was rewarded with a nice live well of fish for dinner as well as a 13 lb 33″ red fish. Catch 228 in Redfern Village is a restaurant in St. Simons that has a bring your own fish menu. Their whole fried flounder is the best ever. Guess what happened to this guy!
A live well full of dinner
There have been lots of other trips the last six to eight weeks. We didn’t always catch a tailing red fish or a red fish on fly, but we always had fun. September and October are some of the best months to fish St. Simons. Take an early Fall vacation and let’s go, “Hunt Fish in the Marshes of Glynn.”
Here are a few more pictures from the last few weeks:
