BigBendFishing.Net

Hi,

I'm looking for some help, and this seemed like a great place to find it. Me and my buddy are considering a fishing trip to Shell Point in April or May. Probably spend four days at a house on a canal. First time to this area, we usually go to MS or Dauphin Island, but wanted to try somewhere different. 19' bay boat with 90 hp, mostly interested in casting artificials for specks, reds, and flounder. May be interested in trying for some other species if the fishing for them would be extra good that time of year.

Anybody have any hints? I sure don't expect you to give up the numbers for your very best hole, but any info would be much appreciated and I will do everything I can to repay the favor if you ever decide to venture to NW GA / NE AL for some crappie, bass, or striper fishing.

Since our trip will be short, I would be most interested in suggestions on where we might want to target our effort so we can hopefully cut down on our search time.

We still have some flexibility to schedule a date, so any info on what tides are best would help in that regard.

Finally, who makes the best chart of the area in your opinion?

Thanks for any help, and tight lines.

Kevin

Welcome Aboard Kevin
There are plenty of reasources on this wevsite that can assist you with, tides, weather, and a boatload of fishing reports in the fishing report area of this site... http://www.bigbendfishing.net/phpbb/viewforum.php?f=4 although there are not a bunch of reports from Shell Point, you will be located right east of and adjacent to Oyster Bay, Spring Creek, and west of Live Oak Island and St. Marks River entrance. Both April and May will be excellent times for fising in this area. If you want to target your time fishing, pay attention to the tides and feeding times to maximize your fishing productivity. I would start in the Spring Creek vicinity and work my way eastward toward the St. Marks river entrance. I am sure you're going to get alot of excellent advice here....

Good Luck and keep us informed of your intentions

Kevin, I'll let the older more wiser guys give you details but I will tell you that you're coming in at a great time. While most of us here'in fish further East of of SP, nothing should be lacking from over there at that time. Mostly target 3' on a rising tide and the platter will include the trout. You might try stick bait all thru the day.

You'll get other more expert feedback here from the pros.

Good luck and welcome.

Welcome aboard, Kevin.

Shell Point is about 6.5 miles west of the mouth of The St. Marks River. I would suggest you read back through posts for St. Marks, Shell Point, Spring Creek, and even Panacea, feom years past. You should be able to fish 3 to 4 feet of water, with most any artificial, and catch trout that time of year. Find a NOAA nautical chart for the area. You'll be within 10 minutes of some of the best fishing in the area. You have the Pattie's Island area to the east, and the Spring Creek area to the west. Keep checking in on this forum. There will be reports that will indicate areas, as well as baits, as your trip gets closer. I would start with a Cajun Thunder and a jig and grub of uour choice. Topwater should be good by that time. I'd have a couple of Chug Bugs, maybe a Top Dog. Sub surface plugs also work. I'd have a couple of Catch 2000's.

Keep checking in, and say hello. The folks on this forum will help, if they can.

On the Home page of this site look up LINKS, go to Jerrys Bait and Tackle. On that site go to area maps. Anyone who fishes the 13 hotspots listed there will catch fish on most days.

Hi Kevin,

Welcome aboard the friendliest place!

Here is a link, right here on BigBendFishing.com, to a bunch of area charts:

http://www.bigbendfishing.net/area_charts.htm

Oh, and find the thread in Off Topic, on our bash next weekend, and join us if you can. Free in person advice is possible!

There is SO much to learn and as RodBow said, there are some true, and generous, masters on here!

Greetings Kevin,

Welcome from one newbie to another.
There are a few of us Jawgee crackers on this'n.

Nice web page you have there.
.

I am sure you will add some great input here with your expertise.

Yardarm, David d.

Thanks for all the great info and warm welcome.

What a great site, follow the links and everything you wanted to know is there to be had. Still some cold winter nights here to come, going to be fun passing them searching back through the archives now that I have some idea where the different places are in relation to one another. Wish I could make your bash next weekend, but don't think I can swing it.

Looks like the first week of May is best for the trip, although there are a few other possilities. Looking at the tide chart, looks like highs ranging 3.02-3.50 around midday, lows 0.25-0.59 before daybreak and 0.62-1.84 around suppertime. Moon in last quarter.

The next best option for us is the second week of May right after the new moon. The highs are higher and the lows lower. Highs are before daylight and early afternoon.

Anything wrong with the first tides? Seemed about "average" looking at the chart. May be making too much of the tide. Done some fishing on the GA coast though, mostly for stripers in Savannah River, and tide is everything. Tides there are ~6.5', with 8+ not all that unusual. Gets above 8', water gets muddy, fishing tough. The low lows too can make the Back River tricky navigating in places. 95% of your fish will come in the 1-1.5 hours when the tide is right, so you want that to be when you can be on the water.

Farther west on the Gulf (AL, MS) tide didn't seem to make near as much difference. As long as it was moving at least a little, it was ok.

Anybody do much fishing at night around the lights (assuming there are many)? Usually did pretty good with specks doing that on our other trips. Kind of a newbie thing. Doesn't take an old salt to recognize a light shining down on the water and then chunk a Sparkle Beetle or Saltwater Assasin in there.

Thanks.

(Glad you liked the website, Yardarm. My little sideline pursuits are keeping me very busy. Going to have to make sure they don't start cutting in to fishing time!)