Fly Fishing for Redfish in Jekyll and St. Simons Island, GA

by | Jun 14, 2023 | Captains Musings

Capt. David EdensFly fishing for redfish in Jekyll Island and St. Simons Island GA is a relatively unknown  fly-fishing destination on the coast of Georgia. These beautiful barrier islands offer anglers a variety of opportunities to catch redfish, a prized game fish that is known for its fighting spirit. Veteran Capt. David Edens, an Orvis Endorsed fly guide, offers his top tips for fly fishing  for the them.

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When to Go

In the summer and early fall, we have large tides that flood the Spartina grass flats. The reds invade those flats and tail aggressively while grubbing for fiddler crabs. The late fall and winter bring clear water and large schools of fish. Spring sees the big schools of winter breaking up. We see schools of 4-15 fish on the low tide at this time of year. Summer brings hot weather, and the fish are more active during the morning and evening.

Where to Go

Big redfishThere are many great places to fly fishing for redfish in Jekyll Island and St. Simons Island, GA. Some of the most popular spots include:
 The Marshes of Glynn
 The Frederica River
 The St. Simons Sound
 The Sea Island Causeway

These areas all have a variety of habitats that redfish like to live in, including estuaries, marshes, and flats.

What to Use

There are a few different things that you will need to fly fish for redfish in Jekyll Island and St. Simons Island. These include:

 A fly rod: A 9-foot, 9-weight fly rod is a good all-around rod for redfish.
 Fly line: A floating fly line is a good choice for most situations.
 Flies: There are a variety of flies that you can use to catch redfish. Check out the flies on my website: Best Red Fish flies

Praewns RevengeSome popular flies include:
o Clouser Minnow
o Shrimp Fly
o Crab Fly
o Deceiver
o Mud Minnow

 Tippet: 16–20 pound tippet is a good choice for most situations.
 Leader: A 9-foot, 0X or 1X leader is a good choice for most situations.
 Boots: When we wade for tailing fish in the flooded Spartina grass, flats booties or tightly fitting tennis shoes are essential.
 Sight fishing for red fish in St. Simons and Jekyll Island Georgia requires a small skiff that can be poled in very shallow water.
 Sun protection: The sun can be very strong in coastal Georgia, so it’s important to wear sunscreen, a hat, and quality, polarized sunglasses.

How to Fish

The best way to fly fish for redfish in Jekyll Island and St. Simons Island is to sight fish. This means that you are looking for fish in the water and casting your fly to them. When you see a fish, cast your fly in front of it and strip it back to make it look like natural bait. If the fish takes the fly, strip strike to set the hook,
enjoy the fight, take a quick photo, and release him to fight again.

Here are a few tips for sight fishing for redfish:
 Look for fish in shallow water (usually less than 3 feet deep).
 Look for fish that are feeding. You can often tell if a fish is feeding by how active he is.
 Look for fish that are near structure, such as oyster beds or sandbars.
 Cast your fly in front of the fish. He doesn’t have eyes in his tail!

Tips

Here are a few tips for fly fishing for redfish in Jekyll Island and St. Simons Island:
 Be patient. Redfish can be very finicky fish, so it’s important to be patient and keep casting.
 Don’t give up. Even if you don’t catch anything on your first trip, keep trying and you’ll eventually have success.
 Have fun! Fly fishing for redfish is a great way to enjoy the outdoors and catch some beautiful fish.

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Booking a charter will greatly increase your chance of
success and shorten the learning curve. Give me a call,
send a text, or email today: Check out my 125+ 5 star reviews on my page on the Orvis website.

Capt. David Edens
706.540.1276
flycastcharters@gmail.com
www.flycastcharters.com

Red Fish Tailing in the Grass

Spring Fishing Report and Special Announcement

Fly Fishing Film Festival is coming to Brunswick on April 12

A full day of fly-fishing goodness is planned on April 12.  Special fly tying with Blane Choclett, Vendor Tents and a skiff show with the Film Festival starting at 6:00.  This is the major fundraiser for the Georgia Saltwater Anglers Association.  This is one of the few organizations pushing for red fish and general fisheries conservation.  Make plans today to attend.

We are in the Spring pattern for fishing.  The big winter schools of reds seem to have broken up.  On good wind days, we can find these fish on the flats or at the backs of creeks.  However, they are not everywhere, and it is necessary to actively seek them out.  As the Spring progresses, the weather will become more stable, with light Southerly winds in the morning changing to the sea breeze in the afternoon

Trout are coming back shallow and are being found on Oyster bars and at creek mouths.  You must move around during this season.  We find them one here and one there.

The Triple Tail are back.  This is a unique fishery where these fish free float in front of Jekyll Island.  It is also a spotty fishery.  Sometimes they pop up and other times they don’t.  Look at my blog on Triple Tail fishing on my Captain’s Musings Page. You must have light, westerly winds to hunt these fish in the ocean.  At this time of year, if the conditions are right, I like to combine shallow water sight fishing for reds with sight fishing for Triple Tail.  Catching your first Triple Tail on the fly is an exhilarating experience.

At the water approaches 70 degrees, the May flood tide fishing should be excellent.  We have good tides for tailing reds on the evenings of May 23-25 and June 14, then June 21-23.  Call if you are interested in booking one of these days.

I have lots of availability for the flood tides of September and October.  There are some excellent tide dates still available.  Call, text or email to enjoy this Classic Southern Fly Fishing to tailing redfish in the flooded marsh.

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Call, text or Email for more information:  706.430.1276 or Flycastcharters@gmail.com