The Red Snapper Alternative - Light Tackle Sea Bass
Capt. TJ Cheek
February 22, 2010
St. Simons Island - Saltwater Fishing Report
With Red Snapper closures in full effect on the entire east coast, it looks like there will be a bottom fish with a "bounty" on it's head... Great eating Black Sea Bass.
The Georgia Coast may possibly be one of the best areas in the Atlantic Ocean to catch big Sea Bass in big numbers. As forementioned, with no Red Snapper fishing available, this will be one of our spring target fish on the offshore reefs and wrecks near St. Simons Island and Jekyll Island in coastal Georgia.
Sassy Shad 4" Jigs have been the ticket for catching the larger sea bass. We use the plastic shad on a 4/0 redfishone lazer sharp long shank hook... This rig is attached very simply to a snap swivel and 6 oz. weight. A very simple rig, but very, very dangerous to sea bass...
Georgia's reef system has come along very successfully. Thanks to the Georgia DNR, we have a sea bass fishery like no other because of the many years of artificial reef deployment. Georgia's coast has many types of deployed artificial structure including: pallet balls, cones, ultra-balls, bridge rubble, tug boats, barges, liberty ships, M-60 Battle Tanks, NYC subway cars and much more.
So, as you can Imagine with these types of structure, the bottom fishery in Georgia is simply "Prime" nearly year round.
All this said, now is the time to start rigging and to get on the water. Grab a public artificial reef chart from the GA DNR and start plotting a course to most any of Georgia's reefs.
If you're not comfortable with fishing jigs, take along a box of squid and use that instead. Sea Bass won't mind a fresh squid piece presented to their nose, I can assure you.
For more information and photos, visit www.richielottoutdoors.com. We'll try to keep all you bottom fishermen filled in on the scoop here on the Georgia Coast.... Even without the Red Snapper and Grouper, we'll make it through this ordeal and still enjoy the benefits of the excellent reef habitat thanks to the Georgia DNR.
Good Fishing to All!
Capt. Richie Lott
Penn Reels Endorsed Guide
"Fishing the Georgia Coast for over 20 Years"
Web: http://www.charterfish.com
Video: youtube.com/richielottoutdoors
912-617-1177
St. Simons Island Fishing Forecast:
Spring fishing will get better as the water warms. Bottom fishing for Sea Bass, HUGE Sheepshead and much more here on the Georgia Coast.
Target Species:
Black Sea Bass
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