"These big roe trout are here spawning along the beaches almost the entire summer," he said, "and they can be caught if you approach them right."

Approaching them right is crucial to your fishing success. If you run down the beach close to the back of the surf, you run every fish off. These fish are holding in the color break just behind the breakers. They are sensitive to and wary of any boat noise.

Capt. Noble advises that you run well off the beach until you find an area you want to fish. Then idle perpendicular to the shore. Cut the engine and allow the boat to coast to the position from which you plan to fish. Then very quietly lower the anchor.

If you have an east wind, the back of the boat should be within casting distance to the actual shoreline. If you have a west wind, the bow of the boat should be in that casting range. Too close and you spook the fish. Too far off and you can't cast to them. Once again Capt. Noble's float rig provides the casting distance needed to reach those fish.

The key to locating trout along the beach is obviously to look for birds diving and feeding or obvious schools of baitfish. In addition, you need to look for that break in color between the grayish brown beach water and the clear green seawater. That break line is usually right about where a wave breaks next to the shore.

These fish tend to run in and out of that color break, feeding on baitfish and crustaceans washed about by the surf. We are talking about water that is sometimes only 2 feet or less in depth.

Cast a float rig baited with a live shrimp on a short leader right up to the color break. These floats have glass and brass clicking beads that act to draw the fish when popped by your rod tip. Simply jerk the line from time to time and watch for the float to disappear.

Remember that you are using small Kahle hooks, a close cousin to a circle hook. When the float goes under start reeling slowly until the line tightens before trying to set the hook. That gives the fish time to get the entire bait into its mouth. More often than not, they set the hook on themselves.

On the beach, you never know what you might catch. While the trout are there, a variety of other fish are there as well, all feeding on the same bait. In the summer tarpon, ladyfish, and others are frequently encountered on the beach. On more than one occasion, a tarpon has taken a hooked trout off Capt. Noble's line. One even inhaled his Thunder Chicken float, and because the float got wedged in the fish's throat, it provided quite a fight on light tackle. The float came loose at boat side, and the fish swam free!

Summer is red drum and seatrout time on the Georgia Coast, and St. Simons Island is right in the thick of the action. Whether you fish the sounds or the beaches, the fish are there waiting for you.

Plan a trip to the coast this month. If you want an expert guide to take you, call Captain Mark Noble at Golden Isle Marina. He can be reached at (912) 638-7673 or through his Web site, the address for which is www.goldenislesfishing.com