Our first drift produced a slot-size trout, then we caught a flounder and a hefty 5-pound redfish found its way to the boat. Our slam was proof that fish were still lingering in this skinny saltmarsh creek; they were just staying deeper in the water column than normal. It appeared the cooler water had altered the temperament of the fish. They seemed too sluggish to chase lures on the surface, preferring instead to take baits drifted near bottom. I was able to cast-net a few finger mullet at the boat ramp at Sister’s Creek that morning, and so we lip-hooked one and set it adrift beneath our balsa float. We freespooled our float down a 6-foot ledge close to the bank into an eddy that had formed off a grassy point. As the float passed this prime ambush point, it disappeared into Simpson’s clear green waters.

“That’s a redfish!” I said as I watched Andy’s rod double over. It’s common to catch a few nice-size redfish while targeting trout in the Fort George area. You generally can tell when a trout is on the line by the way they fight; once hooked they rise to the surface, simultaneously shaking their heads. Spotted seatrout aren’t near the drag-screamers that redfish are. I waited patiently with the net for Andy to bring the redfish to the surface. You can imagine everyone’s surprise when a huge trout surfaced right at the boat. We were sure we had landed a genuine 10-pound trout, but our scale revealed Andy’s fish to be an ounce shy of seven—still a respectable trout in any sector of the state. It was satisfying to watch Andy’s trophy swim back into the Fort George system, there to surprise another fisherman.

In summer, the Fort George River is the place to go. On any given weekend there’s usually a Fort George party ritual taking place on at least one of the numerous sandbars that become exposed at low tide. Expect plenty of pleasure boats and jet-ski traffic in addition to fishing boats. Winter is different, and although the trout are thick in the river you won’t find a crowd. The sandbars are a big reason for the lack of boats. Scattered throughout Fort George River, these bars can be hazardous to boaters unfamiliar with the area. Unfortunately, even if you do your homework, navigation still poses a problem. The sandbars have shifted over the years and navigational charts and markers aren’t necessarily accurate; a good example would be the channel marker that sits high and dry at low tide just east of the Kingsley Plantation. I can remember 15 years ago, when I was first learning to navigate the river. I ran aground right next to the channel marker during a falling tide. I got in the water and pushed my boat to the other side of the marker, thinking that I must be on the wrong side, only to find shallower water. The deceptive channel marker is still there to this day.