THE
Fish
Whisperer
April Fishing Forecast
24 TYBEE BEACHCOMBER | APR 2019
Captain
Nick Shreves
PIER & SURF FISHING
Tybee Pier and Surf fishing have continued to improve as the waters
have warmed up. Our waters are well above average this year due to
a very warm winter. Whiting, Black Drum and a few over slot Red Drum
should be around this month. The water temperature will continue to rise
and more species will continue to migrate up to our coast from Florida.
Once the water starts reaching 65 degrees, things will really get going,
to include Pompano and Bluefish. Most all these fish will eat Shrimp. If
you want to catch an over slot Red Drum, it’s better to use cut bait such
as Mullet, Blue Crab, Whiting or Menhaden.
INSHORE
Inshore fishing will only improve as more bait begins to show up in the
creeks. A few Speckled Sea Trout have been around feeding on Mud
Minnows and artificials. To have the best luck, you may have to pass a few
of your holes to find the cleanest water you can. The tides this month and
all the rain has the inshore waters pretty muddy, but there is always a spot
with clean water. The Redfish will be eating the same things as the Trout.
They just will be feeding in the shallower water along the mud flats, Oyster
rakes and up the smaller creeks.
NEAR SHORE
Near shore fishing is all about catching this time of year. Sheepshead will
be around till about mid-month and as they thin out, the Weakfish, Bluefish,
Spanish Mackerel, and Triggerfish will begin to move in. These fish will
show up sooner in water depths of 90 ft. and slowly trickle in to the 55 ft.
reefs. My bait choices this time of year include Fiddler Crabs, Squid and
Boston Mackerel. For the Spanish Mackerel and Blue fish, I always have
some Clark Spoons and Gotcha Plugs on board, already rigged up and
ready to go for the first sign of these fish. They are fast movers and if you
can catch the school’s attention, it can be a day changer, but if the rod is
not rigged you could miss your chance and may not get any in the boat
before they disappear.
OFF SHORE
For those who want to know what off shore is, I will give a quick definition.
I say anything past 30 miles out is off shore. The water will become a
little bluer and water depths will start around the 90 ft. mark and continue
out past the ledges. The bottom bite has been great, the variety out here
is amazing, Vermillion Snapper, Triggerfish, Porgies, and by the end of
the month, the Cobia should be showing up - but due to changes in the
regulations, Cobia cannot be kept this year. They are a hard fighting fish
that will test your reels. Cut bait and Squid are choice baits for the bottom
fish. Cobia will hit the Squid as well, but a live bait or a jig will draw in the
Cobia and provide the best experience. The Red Snapper have been really
thick out here. Do not forget to have a deventing tool and try to get every
fish released in the best shape as possible.
Thank you all for the support and hope you all have tight lines and
full fish boxes. To join me on a fishing trip call me at Big Fish Charters
(912) 230-4625.