Staying next week....bringing Kayaks...tips?

Hello! We're gonna be staying near Midway on the Jericho river next week. We're bringing our kayaks with us. We kayak a lot, but mostly lakes and swamps in our area. Not really used to dealing with rising and falling tides and don't want to put ourselves in any danger.

We're basically planning on setting 3 or 4 days of our trip aside to kayak a few different locations and hopefully be able to catch some fish in the process. Anyone willing to share some advice on best places to launch? Looking at a map of launch sites, it seems Demeries Creek ramp is the closest to us..... as the crow flies anyway. But we are also planning on traveling up to Tybee a day or two as well. Anyway, we'd really appreciate any info you'd be will to share as far as where to go and what species to target. I'm assuming reds and trout? Anything else?

Thanks!!

My first advice is never underestimate the tides. I have seen experienced kayakers broken by the tides down here. Even picked a couple of them up and hauled them back to the ramp. Plan your trips to go with the tides as much as possible. I myself have had to pull up and wait for the tide to turn to make it back to the ramp without killing myself. No shame there. Just glad I had some navi lights on my yak. Let someone know your float plan and dont try to get out in the current and muscle your way home. Stay close to the banks where the current isnt as strong. You wont get run over like that either...hopefully. The good part about the tide planning thing is you can usually fish the best parts of the tides (last of one tide and first of the other) in places no boat can reach. I fished waters in my yak I havent seen since I sold it.

Awesome thanks! Yeah the more I read about the tides, the more nervous I get, but we'd kick ourselves if we stayed off the water the entire trip. How is cellphone reception in case (God forbid) we get into trouble?

As far as fishing goes...... anything in particular I need to know right now as far as bait? Artificial lures? Species biting at the moment? Best presentations?

Sorry for all the questions. Just trying to give us the best chance to catch something without hiring a charter.

SALUKIS97 said:

Awesome thanks! Yeah the more I read about the tides, the more nervous I get, but we'd kick ourselves if we stayed off the water the entire trip. How is cellphone reception in case (God forbid) we get into trouble?

Click to expand...

I haven't kayaked much off the east coast, but have in the gulf where tides are not that much of a factor but wind is. I would recommend a portable vhf in each kayak for safety sake. If you need assistance, your closest help will likely be another fisherman and a vhf is the best way to try and contact someone. Sorry can't help on lures and techniques

Rabun said:

I haven't kayaked much off the east coast, but have in the gulf where tides are not that much of a factor but wind is. I would recommend a portable vhf in each kayak for safety sake. If you need assistance, your closest help will likely be another fisherman and a vhf is the best way to try and contact someone. Sorry can't help on lures and techniques

Click to expand...

Yeah that’s a good idea. Thanks! Getting on Amazon right now.

The thing about the tide is it changes so as long as you can stop and wait it will take you back. Make sure you have enough water in case you get stranded and have to wait it out.

Also the wind usually picks up in the afternoon so a you can have a gentle breeze on your back on the way out and a 25 knot headwind for your trip home.

There is a huge sand bar near the bluffs just down from Waterford Landing. Also plenty of down trees to fish there too.

Thanks! I'll look that place up.

Well, we've been here a few days now. Couldn't ask for better weather. Fished off the dock at the house a bit and all I've been able to catch is stingrays. There is an infinite supply of mud minnows in my trap, so I've been using them as bait mostly. I do also have frozen raw shrimp but havent used it yet. Spent the day in Savannah and went out to Tybee yesterday. Checked out the fishing pier. Don't want to mess with that circus lol. Found Alley 3 and talked to some kayakers who just got back in. Pretty much all of them had wet suits and were soaked. Not really what we're looking for either.

Took the kayak out at the house this morning at high tide and fished mud minnows under a popping cork. It was a beautiful morning, but I got skunked. I was cruising along the grass, casting up into pockets mostly. Should I be trying something else? Or are there just no fish this far back from the ocean yet? Im just west of I95 on the Jericho river. Pretty sure its an offshoot of the Medway?

We definitely wouldn't mind driving if anyone knows where we'd have a good chance of getting into some reds, trout, or flounder from kayaks. And we definitely appreciate the info given so far. We're having a blast regardless with this beautiful weather. So jealous of you guys who live here!

I have only fished that far back a few times but I am sure there are some fish there. You can get some live shrimp or use artificial. From what I know, a dark colored paddle tail grub with a chartreuse tail will work.

You can look up Sunbury boat ramp. The way a crow flies, it is not far from where you are. If you use Sunbury. You can fish a large marsh island across the river or work you way up to Cedar Creek.

There is also some other places in Bryan County. That is everything on the other side of the Jericho and across from Sunbury.

The bluffs are East of 95 btw.

Use a Carolina rig and the mud minnows. Fish it almost like you would a plastic. Bump it along the bottom slowly. I've had great luck using that method.

Try fishing those mud minnows along the marshline, on incoming but a foot or so below the grass...stay out from the marshline and cast into water's edge ahead of you & bring it back to you. Work your way along and you'll find something!

Will do guys. Fished high tide yesterday at Jekyll island with nothing but stingrays biting for me. One guy caught a small shark but didn’t see anyone else doing much either. Gonna follow the tide out from the house today and try the methods you guys mentioned. If we don’t catch anything but stingrays it won’t be for lack of trying.