Right Time Right Place, Right Jig?

I had a couple of fishing trips Saturday - the prettiest day we've had in a long time. There weren't any clouds in the sky and the wind was only about 3-4mph to begin with. I left the Atlantic Seafood boat ramp with Julie Ryan and her husband, Art and we headed up to Jolley River to fish an incoming tide with the jig/shrimp and jig/mud minnow combo. The conditions were great and Julie and Art gave it the best effort that anyone could, but we had no bites - not even a nibble. We fished the concrete tepee at the mouth of Tiger Island for Sheepshead, tried the Fort Jetties and ended the day behind Tiger Island - with not a real bite to be had. It was great to get out on the water and spend some time with a wonderful couple.

I picked up Don, visiting with his friend from N. Illinois at 1pm and we headed off for another trip, this time stopping at the oyster beds across from the North end boat ramp. No bites. We fished Jolley again, this time on the outgoing tide and although we did pick up a Stingray, there were no more bites. We ran to Bell River to try to get out of the wind that was picking up and fished the docks, this time getting a few hits on our jigs, but no fish! Don's friend Judy called so we picked her up at the boat ramp and did a quick tour of Fort Clinch and Cumberland Island and decided to drop a line one more time behind Tiger Island, getting there about an hour and a half before sunset. I hooked Judy up with a live shrimp under a float and we positioned the bait up near a fallen tree; before Don and I could get baited up, FISH ON! Judy had a nice hookup, fought the fish nicely and brought it to the boat, a 25" 5 1/2 lb Redfish! After snapping pictures we all got baits in the water and for 30 minutes had significant bites, most on a black "dressed" jig baited with a mud minnow. Don had a good battle with a 26" 6lb Redfish, boated, photoed and released then he hooked up with a 18" Redfish and a nice Seatrout. I had tossed out a jig, too, and was amazed at how aggressive the fish were attacking the bait. Just before sundown the bite stopped so we pulled up anchor and called it another great day to be out on the water!