There is no need to spend the winter months anticipating the warmer days of spring before heading to the coast for some inshore fishing. Don’t wait! The time is now for winter reds.
Fall 2024
By Polly Dean
“You need to come back in the winter.” I’ve heard this repeated by fishing guides on the Georgia coast numerous times with regard to the redfish action. “The water is clear, and sight fishing is at its best.”
For years, I vow to do just that. Cold weather and holiday obligations take over, and before I know it, I am looking ahead toward warm spring days when I can go fish in saltwater. Earlier this year, January to be exact, I decided not to wait. I packed my cold-weather gear and headed to McIntosh County, Georgia. McIntosh County is home to the waterfront town of Darien at the mouth of the Altamaha River and the picturesque, peaceful village of Shellman Bluff.
A winter redfish on the Georgia coast. Photo by Jimmy Jacobs.
Like most southern states, Georgia’s winter weather can vary from one extreme to the other. We can usually count on a few days here and there where we get a break from the cold, and temperatures get quite pleasant, even balmy. On the other hand, when temperatures dip into the 40s or even 50s, there isn’t much colder than that damp frigid air of the coast. The bottom line is the fish don’t mind the cold. Just bundle up.
Why are the winter months a good time to target inshore reds? “The water is clear, because the algae have died off with the cooler temperatures,” says Captain Scott Dykes of Georgia Light Tackle Guide Service in Shellman Bluff. “There is less bait around, so the fish seem to be hungrier.”
Finding Redfish
The captain looks for redfish to be up on the flats. With water temperatures dropping into the 50s, the shallow waters are the first to warm up on a clear sunny day, especially the dark-colored mud flats. Baitfish head to the slightly warmer water and redfish follow. Scott prefers water temperatures to be no cooler than mid to high 50s. “The low 50s is pushing the limit,” he says.
“In the shallows, redfish will seek a place where they feel safe at all stages of the tide. They will avoid a deep edge where they may be ambushed by a predator fish,” says Scott. “During mid-tide they look for oysters to get on and during the high tide they move up into grass.”
The author with her redfish hooked near Shellman Bluff. Photo by Jimmy Jacobs.
As in all types of sight-casting, being able to see the fish, or signs that they are there, is key. Clear skies are always favorable, and there are plenty of these in the winter months. Combined with no or mild wind, conditions are favorable for seeing the fish. A calm surface is helpful for seeing “pushes,” or slight wakes created by cruising redfish. Schools of bait will also cause a wake or can be seeing busting the surface when chased by a predator fish. These are all good signs that a redfish is close by.
Very windy days will make spotting the fish more challenging. A chop on the water makes it much harder to see fish, or even their telltale signs that they are just under the surface.
Georgia Light Tackle Guide Service
Captain Scott Dykes grew up in South Georgia with frequent trips to the coast. He has spent the last dozen years as a full-time guide. He guides customers year-round, whether it is for redfish, flounder, tripletail or tarpon. These waters offer fly and light tackle fishermen inshore options for every angler. The captain can be reached at (912) 585-1593 or through his website.
Polly Dean is an award-winning writer, photographer, angler and hunter, who makes her home in Athens. Polly is a member and past president of the Georgia Outdoor Writers Association. Polly is the Associate Editor of On The Fly South. She can be contacted at pollydean22@gmail.com.