COASTAL CATCH – Captain Ashley of Coastal Island Charter Fishing

Compiled by Cheri Leavy

The Southern C enjoyed catching up with Captain Ashley Parmelee on St. Simons Island to talk fishing. We reeled him in off his boat, LIVIN RIGHT, to learn more about what is catching these days on the coast of Georgia.

What are you catching right now?

INSHORE: trout and red fish

NEARSHORE: SHARKS SHARKS SHARKS (as soon as shark week comes on the discovery channel this is what everyone wants to catch J, black sea bass (Which are great to eat and were opened up to keep June 1^st and are no longer catch-and-release)

OFFSHORE: Vermilion Snapper, Black Sea Bass, Red Snapper (Which are closed and catch-and-release), Grouper, Amberjack, Cobia (in June the Kingfish and Sailfish will also get here and stay through the summer)

GULFSTREAM: Dolphin (Mahi Mahi), Black Fin Tuna,Wahoo

Tell us about Bluewater fishing on the Georgia coast:

We have amazing Gulfstream fishing but we do have to travel about 70 to 80 miles out to get to our Gulfstream. We used to have lots of Yellow Fin Tuna but now we really only catch the Black Fins but we catch tons of them. The Mahi Mahi are my favorite to fish for because the colors that light up in the water as you are catching them is like something you have never seen. The Wahoo are sure fun to catch because of the way they fight and the skill you need to catch one.

Name of your boat and why.

Our boat is called LIVIN RIGHT. The name came to me as I realized the older I got that when you live life the right way and do the right things that everything in life starts to go right! It seems like an easy concept but is not one that people realize. When I am LIVIN RIGHT then my fishing seems to be right on too!

Favorite Gear:

YAMAHA (engines), Contender (boats), Costa Del Mar (Sunglasses), Yeti (Coolers), Fight Line (Fishing line), Board shorts, Coastal Island Charter fishing T-shirts, flip flops and his lucky J&M visor.

Tell us about your fishing school for kids.

One day I was sitting around talking about the days when I was a kid and would go fish for hours with his friends either at the pier or in the ponds around St. Simons. My wife, who is a school teacher, mentioned that she felt kids do not really fish like that on the island. I realized that it was not the fact that kids had stopped loving fishing but that they simply did not know the art of fishing. I decided this was something that I wanted to teach kids that wanted to learn. I was shocked at the demand for this school and loved the fact that so many of my sponsors wanted to help make it happen. Buckshot, at Hickory Bluff Marine, paid for every child to get a t-shirt, Fight Line sent a spoil of line for each child to have to practice tying knot tying skills, Strike Zone tackle sent cast nets for the kids to practice throwing different sizes. The school just came together just like I had hoped. We have now had two sessions and are planning a summer session for all the parents who wanted to do it for their children but could not make it work during the school year.

Details:

There are four classes and on the last class they show what they have learned with a half- day fishing trip offshore. The kids rig the lines and also learn to take the fish off the hook. This is such a great experience.

912-617- FISH (3474)

www.charterfish.net