GEORGIA DEEP SEA FISHING:
A Day Aboard The “Captain’s Lady”
-By John Albert Daltonn-

It was a crisp spring like morning and we arrived at the boat located at Lazaretto Creek in front of "Bubba Gumbos" restaurant a little before sunrise. The mates, Kathy and Mike were busy getting rods and tackle out and making sure they were ready for action. Our carry on bag was full of everything we thought we may need for the day; sunscreen, sunglasses, snacks, rain jacket (just in case), camera and extra film. We had a small cooler for our sandwiches and drinks. We were told ahead of time to bring an empty cooler for the fish that we were to catch, but to leave it in the car because there was a big "fish box" on the boat.

As we made our way down the ramp and up the steps Captain Cecil who warmly shook our hand and welcomed us aboard greeted us. You're never really sure about a boat that you haven't tried before, but we were pleasantly surprised at the accommodations. The "Lady" is a large 55-foot fiberglass yacht that looks to be about 20 feet wide. It has a comfortable cabin with seats, bunks, tables, microwave, and coffee pot. The toilet, which they call the head, even had a freshwater shower for those who wanted to rinse off during the trip back at the end of the day. On deck there was lots space, I counted about 34 rod holders for the 16 fishermen on board.

Once everyone was present, Captain Cecil gathered us to the rear of the boat and gave us a 10-minute safety and orientation talk after which the diesel engines were cranked and we started making our way toward the ocean.

As we departed the creek the sun was just starting to peak out. The Bottlenose Dolphins were plentiful and some were playing in the bow wake as we proceeded into the Atlantic. Seagulls and Pelicans were all around many diving behind the slow moving shrimp boats looking for their morning meal. It was a marvelous day, a light breeze coming from the south.

The trip was scheduled to take about 11 hours. The reason for this is the 45-mile run to get to where the big ones are suppose to live. After about 1 1/2 hours the mates put bait on the hooks and boat slowed. We were told we were about 2/3 the way to our final destination, this was just a warm up area that held a lot of Sea Bass. They called the area the "Hump" because the limestone hard bottom formed a hill on the ocean floor. This wasn't fishing - it was only catching! We drifted slowly along this underwater real estate and as soon as you got your bait to the bottom (about 80' down) you felt some action. Set the hook and reel in a nice sea bass. The faster you could get your bait back down, the sooner you caught another fish. We played this game until everyone got their blood flowing well. Sea bass have a 20 per person creel limit; some came close to that amount in those 30 minutes of traveling intermission.

We were told we had 17 miles to go - about an hour. As we got further offshore we noticed that the water was changing. The green looking ocean was becoming clearer. The reflection from the beautiful sky gave it more of a blue color. Flying fish were jumping from the wake and gliding along the surface 50-100 feet. Mike and Kathy were really making preparations now; they seemed to be getting serious with making sure everything was just right. Buckets of assortments of bait came out, they cut squid in different configurations, cigar minnows, and some other type of fish that was real oily that they would not identify - they said it was a secret.

They called it B-Liner ice cream for catching Vermilion Snapper. Additional rods came out with rigs designed for top water action, Kings and Dolphin (the fish - not the mammal), also a special set up for big Grouper and Amberjack.

Again the boat slowed, we were there. After making a couple of drifts, and picking up some various bottom fish, the anchor was dropped. We were told that the Captain positioned the boat to fish some limestone shelves and ledges. It didn't take long to find out this place was definitely different from the last. These fish were trickier and much more challenging. But the action was good. A young boy fishing near me got hold of a good size fish that looked like was going to pull the lad over the side of the boat. Kathy scrambled to assist him and together they landed about a 20-pound Grouper. After about 20 minutes, the top water line screams as what appeared to be about 100 feet of line is ripped off the reel. When the top water rigs got a hit, one of the mates would help set the hook and turn it over to whoever's turn it was. Turns were taken in order of the reservations for that day. After about a 10-minute fight, number 1 had a nice King Mackerel in the box. Lots of Vermilion Red Snapper and a good number of larger American Red Snapper, Gag and Scamp Grouper were caught near the bottom. Triggerfish, Silver and Pink Snapper, Grunts, Rudderfish, Oyster Toad fish, and a Moray Eel was also caught in that area. When the action slowed, Captain Cecil moved to a different nearby spot. Through out the day 4 other Kings and two 30-40 pound Amberjacks were landed. More fish than I had dream about were caught. The fishing was tremendous!

The middle of the afternoon came, we had fished about 5 hours and most were ready to call it a day. Cecil came around and expressed his gratitude for us coming and said it was time to head for the hill. I believe that all aboard with the exception of one guy who par-took of too much libation’s the night before had a memorable adventure. I know my wife Patty and I had a great time.

The ride in was quite enjoyable. After the mates got everything cleaned and back in order, we sat outside the cabin and savored the experience of being on the ocean. The breeze in our faces, the fresh smell of the open sea made us appreciate this great place. As Tybee started getting larger the sun was beginning to set. When we got back to the dock the beauty of the color filled sunset was at its peak over the western marsh. A perfect ending to a fantastic day.

Captain Cecil and his wife Captain Elizabeth own and operate Tybee Island Charters which departs from Lazaretto Creek, Tybee Island. Their newest addition to their small fleet is the “Captains Lady” a 55’ Bonner Yacht which comfortably accommodates up to 21 people. Most days it operates as an open boat for singles, couples, or small parties. It is also available for private charters. There web site is www.fishtybee.com. They can be reached at (912) 786-4801.