The first icy blasts of winter are now upon us at Tybee and most of us are ready to huddle up by the fireplace. But don’t put the fishing rod up too early this year. The past few weeks have more than made up for some slow days earlier this season. The action has been hot! Wassaw, Little Tybee, Back River and the Jetties are all holding good fish. Most anglers are bringing in coolers full of trout, redfish, black drum and flounder.

2002 has proven that the Tybee area is a very healthy ecosystem and we have fully recovered from the disastrous freeze two years ago. Many of the fish being caught are in the two to three pound range with a few monsters mixed with them. The weather prognosticators are calling for an El Nino winter, so hopefully mild weather will continue this great fishing through the holidays.

The Hogan’s Marina and Joey’s Bait House Fishing Tournament on November 16th had an excellent turn out and Tybee was well represented. The team of Jaime Keeran, Jimmy Bostwick and Walter Mitchell won first place honors in the trout category. Second place went to Mike Holton and his crew. First place red drum went to John Hall and his crew. The team of Jimmy Collins, Roger Straight and yours truly won second place redfish. First place flounder honors was won by Joe Toth.

The Hogans Rentiers, Bubba Strickland and company put on a fun tournament. Fisherman from all over the country got off to an early start (daylight) and returned for a 2pm weight in. There was a total of 54 registered anglers with many more people there for the weigh in. It was not a pretty weather day, with rain threatening all morning and then pounding us all afternoon. Everyone had a good time and there were piles of beautiful fish. Thanks to Belinda Flanigan for being weighmaster under drenching conditions. And thanks to Roger Straight and friends for the delicious fish fry.

When the weather and water start turning cold and the fish are abundant and hungry, the best way to fill a cooler is with live shrimp in our part of the world. George and Joey Rentiers are native Tybeenians that have been catching shrimp for over a combined eighty years. George used to supply all the fish camps on Tybee back before there were combustible engines. Joey has followed in his dad footsteps and if they cannot find any shrimp they’re not around. There are plenty of shrimp this year.

The Rentiers have been running Joey’s Bait House out of Hogan’s Marina for several years now. They have a great set up right next to the hoist so drop by and get all the fishing news from the islands and some bait. If Joey and Georgie are in the river catching bait, Uncle Paul will be there to fill your live wells.

So everybody put on your thermals, go get some bait and enjoy some of the best fishing we’ve seen in a few years.

Happy Holidays and remember...
Eat Fish and Live Longer.