Chasing Spring
Most times of the year, it’s a pretty simple task to decide where you’re going fishing, and what you’ll be targeting. But spring always presents a unique challenge. There are just too many awesome destinations and fishing options to choose from. Spring is a great time to experience everything from cane pole fishing for bedding bream to running 50 miles offshore to wrestle with tuna. And unfortunately, I never seem to be able to do it all. Believe me, I’ve tried.
So this spring, I’ve decided to try something different. I’m just going to enjoy spring right here in my own backyard. Now my backyard is a little bigger than most. In fact, it’s really OUR backyard. For me, I consider everything from the South Carolina coast to the Alabama coast our backyard. There’s so much to experience, no matter where you live in the southeast. For most of us, there are an abundance of fishy destinations with less than a five hour drive. And I would highly recommend you give some serious thought to a few of these as well.
Spring comes earlier to the southernmost areas of our backyard, and arrives a little later the farther north you go. So no matter when you start Jones-ing for some fishing between April and June, you should be able to stretch a string with a few miles or a few hours of your home base. Here’s a few of my favorite springtime fishing holes.
Gulf Shores, Alabama: In early April, the spanish mackerel run that occurs just off the beach is phenomenal. You can cast spoons from the beach, troll umbrella rigs and straw rigs just past the breakers, or fish from the pier with Gotcha plugs. When the schools show up, they will be ready to eat and you can catch your limit in short order. If you happen to arrive a little later, the cobia will be running in almost the exact same areas, and right after that…the king mackerel arrive. When June comes around and red snapper season opens, you can catch some whoppers just a few miles off the beach. Look for live bottom on your sonar, and troll big diving plugs, like the Mann’s Stretch 30, or fill the livewell with squirrelfish and hang on.
The author with a red snapper that couldn’t resist a trolled Stretch 30 diving plug.
St. Simons Island, Georgia: April is when the tripletail show up to spawn off Jekyll Island. Never caught a tripletail? Imagine doing battle with a 12 pound bluegill. They are tenacious, and so good on the table. They’re also easy to spook, so you will be testing your skills at long accurate casts with a live shrimp and a popping cork. Trout and redfish will also be on the list, and if your trip is hampered by winds or a little rain, you can always fish the rivers and find a place out of the wind to fish. Don’t have a boat or need some local intel? Contact Capt. Mark Noble at the St. Simons Fishing Center and he will take you out for a fantastic day on the water.
Capt. Cefus McRae and Capt. Mark Noble with a nice St. Simons Island tripletail.
Lake Hartwell, Lanier, Clarks Hill, Oconee, Keowee, Murray, GA/SC:
The reservoirs in the southeast go into high gear in April and May when the water warms up to between 60 and 68 degrees. Stripers, hybrids, crappie, spotted bass all get frisky when the dogwoods start to bloom. The key is finding the bait, and on most lakes, the seagulls and loons will still be hanging around. Find whirling and diving birds, and you’ve just located the prime zone. Start at the upper ends of the rivers and work your way down as the spring progresses. Keep a topwater plug, like a MirroLure Top Dog, handy when the stripers come to the surface to feed.
Beautiful Spring Striper from Lake Hartwell, GA (photo by Cefus McRae)
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina: Something wonderful happens in the low country in the spring. The annual cobia migration kicks into full swing after Easter through May. The fish move up the sound and into the river to spawn, and if you don’t know exactly where to go, just look for the armada of boats lined up in the channel. You can also have a large time with bonnethead sharks, dusky’s and sandbar sharks while you’re flatlining live baits for cobia. A great way to spend a warm spring day.
The author with a Hilton Head Island cobia
Georgia and South Carolina’s State Parks: Nearly every state park has a fishing pond, and most are full of bluegills and shellcrackers. Pick a couple days on either side of the full moon in April, May or June…grab a tube of crickets and a tub of worms. Then choose your weapon…spinning reel, spincaster or a cane pole and sit by the bank under a nice shade tree close to the bedding areas. You’ll have a fish fry in just a couple hours. Some of the parks located in the mountains have ponds stocked with trout, or they are adjacent to stocked trout streams. Check out each state’s park guide for the one’s that have fishing ponds or are on a large lake or river. For Georgia Parks go to GAStateParks.org and for South Carolina go to SouthCarolinaParks.com
So don’t let spring pass you by. Plan a fishing trip with the family, your kids or a buddy. You can fish from a jon boat, a kayak, surf cast or sit on the bank and have a blast. Let me know where you’re going and maybe I’ll meet you there!
Tight lines and calm seas.
Capt. Cefus McRae
