April is definitely our strongest “transition” month for both weather and fish. Wide ranging temperatures, wind, rain, fog, and sunshine may welcome you on any given day, and sometimes ALL on the SAME day! The fish in April can also be just as unpredictable! The good news is many patterns remain fairly consistent and we welcome many of our warmer weather species back to the Golden Isles!
With weather being a key element in any outdoor endeavor, especially fishing, I would say we have had a very typical March pattern. Periods of rain, wind, warming trends and cold fronts. This time of year, St Simons most sought after fish, the spotted sea trout, becomes just plain difficult to pin down. March 2019, has been no different for the specks, as anglers have been hard pressed to find a concentration of trout at any one spot. The good news is redfish, sheepshead, black drum and whiting have filled the trout-gap amazingly well this spring.
While fishing excursions encompass literally thousands of techniques and equipment from battling huge flying tarpon to tossing light flies at red fish, a good old family fishing trip with youngsters is hard to beat. Today I had the pleasure of fishing with the Allen family again. Watching these kids progress as young men is almost as rewarding as watching them battle competitively (friendly…for the most part) on who caught the most, biggest and tastiest!
With winter wrapping up and the vernal equinox fast approaching, the spring “transition” will be in full swing. March brought the usual suspects with fluctuating temperatures and lots of wind. Unlike February and January where many trout and redfish were schooled tight, March has the fish scattered a tad. The good news is that with warming water temps, we get an influx of more species. Sheepshead, black drum, whiting and flounder have all been showing up!