Georgia Tripletail
- This topic has 13 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated Jun 16, 2011 at 6:52 pm by
.
-
Posts
-
Well guys I just got back from one of the weirdest fisheries I’ve ever been to.
There is a big shallow flat off Jekyll Island on the Atlantic side. It’s only apparent that it is a flat at low tide, because the surf there can get pretty darn strong. But apparently these tripletail come up there in April and May and the first part of June to sun themselves and maybe spawn a little or something. They turn sideways in the waves and look like a floating piece of silver flatware.
I went out for them with my friend Richie in his 18’9″ Hewes Light Tackle, which is a lot of flats boat but not much in the surf. The first day, Thursday, we got out and just got pounded; couldn’t get the flat located and the waves and wind were way up. We were out only about 4 hours and came back in.
On Friday we got on them good. The tide was cresting so the flat was running 6-9 feet deep (tides in this area rise and fall seven feet in a day). We had given up looking by about 1PM, when as we were motoring out to a wreck to bottom fish, I saw our first tripletail sunning himself.
Soon enough we were in a bunch of them. I estimate we saw about 50 all told; some in schools of 3-4, most in the 5-10 lb. range but some upwards of 20lbs+. Those were big and the bigger they got the darker they seemed to look.
The problem was, the conditions. We still had a surf of 4′ or so, with whitecaps clipping foam off the tops of the waves. It was no condition for fly fishing but the bait rig we had was too large and spooked fish. So I fly fished anyway and did finally manage to catch one. The key was to get the boat upwind and let it drift through the fish’s “lie.” According to our GPS, we were being blown over 2mph at that point, in 4′ surf. I got knocked off my feet several times.
I missed the biggest fish we saw, although he turned on the fly, when I suspect I just stripped a bit too fast. You have to really crawl it by these ambush predators–we think they are trying to look like a piece of flotsam. Immediately after him I saw a smaller one with his head down in the waves, probably feeding, and he turned and ate the fly exactly like a great big crappie, which they resemble.
Richie informs me that he was delicious. We got back out on Saturday morning but the tide was out and we only saw two fish, both very early. I actually got a refusal from one of those guys, too, but he was a dink. As soon as the wind picked up and the flat flooded, we had to leave for Atlanta, but I suspect the fish would have come back with the rising tide.
This was super challenging but a lot of fun, and certainly unique. We also got some great hard bottomed flats scouted for this fall, when the redfish are in in numbers.
Zach
PS These photos are all cell phone pics. We were getting rocked and sloshed too much for me to get out the real cameras, and I haven’t got the pics off the ones from land yet.
With a body shape like that I would imagine alot them end up in a Sharks belly. Did it fight well?
I fished for Reds around St Simons years ago when I lived closer to it. It was a great fishery back then. I also remember walking around the Dunes and exploring that area quite a bit. Later I found out that St Simons has the largest population of Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes in the world!
Anyone know… Are they gamey tasting? I had never heard of one of these things. The fillet looks like a cross between tilapia and tuna.
What scraggly bit is left of my beard after I had to shave it for a trial. I should look less like a serial killer by July…
Four foot swell I should probably say; we were outside the breakers.
Just been working and fishing a lot. Haven’t gotten around to getting internet at my new place either.
I thought you boys might like this. I know both the guys in the video and can say that they are great folks. If any of you guys are in the area and want to book a trip, you need to call my buddy Yano Serra.
http://videos.al.com/mobile-press-register/2011/06/fly-fishing_for_blackfish_near.html
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.