Spring has officially begun in Coastal Georgia, and nature is coming to life at The Ford Field & River Club. Under the bright, blue skies, the plants and animals are becoming active after a sleepy winter, making it a prime time to explore our 1,800 acres of Lowcountry land and waterways. Below, find a spring update from The Naturalist Center, and an angler’s update from our Outdoor Pursuits team at the Deepwater Marina.
Photo Credit: Shannon Matzke
All the Buzz from The Ford’s Naturalist Center
Our lovely azaleas and redbuds have bloomed, along with our jessamine, which vine with yellow, sweet-smelling flowers—the South’s answer to forsythia. Red maples and Southern live oaks have leafed out for the season. Eastern redbuds are full of their lovely bright pink and purple blooms, and our native pollinators are taking full advantage of this early source of nectar.
Photo Credit: Shannon Matzke
Carpenter bees, bumble bees, and honey bees are abuzz looking for food, along with many of our favorite butterflies including monarchs, Eastern tiger swallowtails, and cloudless sulphurs. Birds are singing almost constantly, and we are beginning to see bluebirds building nests. We already have 20 nests in the Ford Bluebird Trail Boxes with over 40 eggs!
Photo by: John Teegen
Angler’s Update from The Outdoor Pursuits Team
As the winter comes to a close, the largemouth bass on the property and in the Ogeechee River become more active as they move from their deeper winter hideouts to the shallow banks, looking for a good place to make a bed for the spawn. In preparation for the spawn, they flip the switch to feed and are more willing to take the bait. Bass are not the only fish ready for the spring; the lakes are loaded with large bluegill, crappie, and catfish, all looking to fill their bellies and fatten up for the spawning season.
To add to the excitement, the Outdoor Pursuits program teams up with the Golf staff to host our one-of-a-kind Hook & Slice® Tournament on our award-winning Pete Dye Golf Course. Teams of four show off their golf and fishing skills in a fun-filled competition during which two members fish the lakes on a given hole while the other two play the hole, switching each hole.
If you are feeling more adventurous, book a trip with one of the seasoned captains and take advantage of all the fishing opportunities just a boat ride away from The Ford. Much like their freshwater counterparts, the saltwater fish are moving out of their winter refuges and looking to fill their empty stomachs. Trout and redfish can often be found working the marsh edges or holding up on structures such as docks, bridges, and oyster beds. Once found, they can easily be convinced to take live bait or an artificial lure if you want an added challenge. Children can join in the fun, taking a boat ride to spot bald eagles, river otters and dolphins on the way to a channel’s edge to catch some whiting. Whiting are a great catch for kids and can provide constant action for younger children. (Plus, they taste delicious.)
As you move out past the Ossabaw Sound and into the Atlantic Ocean, there are several man-made artificial reefs that are maintained by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. These reefs become fish havens and offer many different species of fish to target, such as sheepshead, black sea bass, red snapper, and grouper, to name a few. As the water temperatures rise, it’s a great time to enjoy a beautiful spring day with our team on the banks or in the boats.
Photo by: Dawn French
Interested in experiencing the flora and fauna at The Ford? Schedule your Discovery Visit today to immerse yourself in our one–of–a–kind style of Lowcountry living.
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