GET READY....days are gonna get shorter!

-Tutorial:

I have a very good friend that was a commercial fisherman for 40 years. We used to also do charters together, when I was booked I gave them to him, and when I had the need for another Captain and boat. Of course, I asked him for the help.
And I remember him always saying to me, "Dave, it's all about the length of days...."

Besides being a fisherman that forgot more than most people ever knew. He is also an avid hunter. I always called him the "Great White Hunter". Because after he retired off his big boat, he'd always be travelling to where the hunting for Turkey or 12 point Bucks, was the best in N. America.

And that's dead-on RIGHT! It is all about the length of days. Especially here in N.E. Florida.....or all of the south really. Because the summer is so dang HOT.

Shorter days brings different tides, cooler weather, triggers migrations of bait and predatory fish species. Changes the water clarity, with die off of organisms that live in the warm waters.

With that being said. YOU should be planning.....OH, I know how that's a word that doesn't usually fit into today's busy world (for most people).

But either way, if YOU are AVID. Like my buddy is about his hunting. I bet you're planning that next hunt to the mountains. YOU HAVE TOO!
You plan, because seasons open and close. And your quarry is there and availible.

 So, fishing shouldn't be any different.
The fall thru winter season when it comes to fishing in Florida. N.E. Florida in particular.

IS THE BEST OF THE ENTIRE YEAR!!!!!!

I know many people "think" that fishing is supposed to be best when they are on vacation in July, when it's 110 degrees in the shade!
But, I'm here to tell you it's not!

My favorite month out of all 12 is November. I love that first real feel of coolness, the water temp dropping, the sweatshirt wearing in the morning, the fog on the water at sunrise. The livily shrimp jumping out of my baitwells. And the DIVERSE species that comes with it. 

NOV. 2010

From Flounder to Black Drum. It's easier to "split" a tide in half and do two completely different kinds of fishing in one day during the fall-winter-spring.
That's the NICE thing about this area. "We have seasons."

DECEMBER

And starting in Late summer.."right now", thru April. Is some of the best fishing of the entire year.

So, it's starting. And unlike many man-made things, is gonna get better and better with each passing month.

So come see for yourself.
www.captdaves.com - Jax-Amelia Island Florida
Light tackle, NO-LONG-BOAT-RIDE fishing adventures.


 

Cypress Cove Marina, La. - following Hurricane Isaac

I visited Cypress Cove in February. Awesome place. Just up Hiway 23 from the famous "Venice Marina" (at the end of the world).  And the Woodland Plantation, a really nice B&B style stay over. Super low lying area. But, Incredible fishing! Also, Hiway 23 is lined with fishing guide lodges. Yes, fishing guides can and did have super nice lodges there, with 4-5 identical bay boats, ready to go parked out front.

Many of you TV fishing shows came from this area since Katrina. Roland Martin, Bill Dance, Jimmy Houston, Hank Parker, many of the Florida Keys guys with shows, even my favorite of all time. Larry Dahlberg's Hunt for BIG Fish.  Fished out of this area, and they stayed at these facilities.

You go down there for two things.
* work in the oil industry
* FISHING!
That's it.

There's scattered Orange groves, and mobile homes, refinery's, and even fields of Cattle on the way there.

They'll be back

9/5- Late 1/2 day...."staying close"

Had Chris (Skinny C) and his father-in-law Jeff aboard yesterday for a quick half day trip that started around 3:30pm, till dark-thirty.

First thing was BAIT?  Yeah, besides just some dead shrimpz I brought for Croaker fishing (maybe) I planned on doing what I have been doing...."Tossin' plastics" on jigheads.

But when I pulled up to the dock where Chris wanted me to pick him up at. I had a "vision".....small bites sized mullet EVERYWHERE!

"OH, THIS IS GONNA BE NICE!"

Being early as I always am. I had a little time to grab the 7' mullet net and just stand there on the bow of the Jettywolf and throw on massive schools of the most PERFECT sized mullet swimming by on the surface. A few tosses and I easily had 75 of these "fun sized Snickers bars".

Skinny drove up with Jeff, and I showed them what I had captured. I had a plan, even though the SE seabreeze was kickin pretty good, and the tide was getting ready to RIP. So we ran the ICW to a spot where I've had some action in the past along the ICW bank.

When we got there, bait was everywhere. We received a few "bumps" on the 3" mullet. But no takers at all. Another reason you'll hardly ever see me in the ICW. "DAMN, I SHOULDA JUST STAYED IN THE RIVER!" 

Okay, enough of these crap. We're out'a here!

Being just a 1/2 day in the middle of the afternoon, I wanted to stay close. The next spot, well proven fishing grounds. In the river.

The current was literally (as it usually is in the St. Johns), bordering on "LUDICROUS". And the boat was swinging all over the place. Because of course where we fished was  the "nexus" of currents.

But, we hung out and fished the mullet on 1/2 ounce jig heads and scored some meat!  I can't believe we didn't have even better action on the perfect sized Mullet. But then again, where we fished was the easiest place to fish. That's for sure. We kept lines in the water versus going on a longer boat ride. "And I'm in for that."

4 pound Flounder



6 pound Flounder

 

Yellowmouth Trout

9/3 - Summer, "run & gun"

It was a wacky holiday weekend for sure. Because the Trout fishing was off due to the full moon. I had a Friday and a Sunday trip in which we tried early morning "top water" plugs and jigs. Friday, we had lots of swipes, and half hearted takers that never hooked up. But made the day a sort of success, dropping good sized Yellowmouth Trout in the box with just one top water Speckled Trout. And it was fun, because I had two guys that were super fisherman.

Then, on Sunday I took my over-worked neighbor Tom, and his friend Chrissy out to try again. Same deal, but cut in half....a few top water swipes at the River2Sea Wide-glides, with only one hook up of a 22 inch Trout, and a bunch of small Yellowmouth Trout, and Ladyfish. Then, about 10am the river turned into a I-95, with incessant wakes and splashing waves along the river banks. But, then again Tom & Chrissy, got to see what I love to do.

While out on Sunday I of course started getting calls. Last minute calls. Which is usual, during extended weekends. When I got home, I made calls back to confirm because I didn't see deposits. (I do not leave out of my drive-way, without a deposit. Period!) One caller, never did the deposit. It was getting late...6pm. The boat was unhitched, and in need of fuel. In the mean time, I received another call, for Monday. Mom, wanting to take her two teen-agers "sharkin". I immediately received a deposit. So I hitched the boat back up, and went to the gas station. By the time I put the Jettywolf back under her shed for the night it was after 8:00pm. And I hit the sack at 9am!. Because I get up at 4:30am!

I go back and forth with emails. And I get a phone massage from the original guy. And then, have to call him back and tell him someone else just booked the day. And now, it's after 9:30pm!

Just so you know, my hours are from 8am-8pm. Because fishing guides, at least this one. Get up very, very early.

I was happy to take some kids out Sharkin' behind the shrimp boats on Monday. "If there would be any shrimpers dragging, on a holiday?"  Heck, ya never know. They might be at home drinking a beer relaxing too.  But, on Monday morning at 7am, that wasn't the fact. The shrimpers are just like me, I guess. Having to make hay, while the sun is shining.

And as Jennifer, Alex and Ashley and I headed out the Mayport Jetties. I spied at least 10 shrimp boats working from the chum-hole to the S.E. hole.

It was a little bumpy and slow going out yonder...the moon was still up having the tide flushing out. So a few boats were real close. Armed with my short and stout Shakespeare Charter series 6' "can catch anything that swims rods", coupled with my Accurate Twin Drag reels. Shark floats, a 200# leader and 15/0 circle hooks. And a big bag of Boston Macs for bait. We made a few drifts behind the close-in boats, with no love!

Alex, who happens to be 15 and a Shark nut. Was reelin' with excitement. Third shrimp boat and still no love....

But as the sun came up, and we pulled close behind the "Pappa Hobart". One of the rods bent over and the drag started to sing. We finally got a hook-up.

.......we now were into the sharks!

Blacktips of all sizes were caught. Some larger, some smaller. But all exactly what Alex our Shark crazy fisherman, was wanting.

His sister Ashley, got into the mix too.

Thank goodness she wasn't getting larger Sharks than Alex. Or there may have been even more competition going on, than there already was.

My crew did get some good jumpers, and a few up to maybe 70 pounds.

It turned out to be a great day. And a good break from fishing the river during that Full Moon, inshore.
By noon the sun was high in the sky, the heat was coming on. And that's when the bite usually fades anyhow. I let Ashley work the helm of the Jettywolf, and she brought us back from offshore, to the Jetties.

One last photo of the wore out crew before they headed home, to most likely have a nap. After their big day bouncing around behind the shrimpers.

My favorite place...."just after Isaac"

These people are resilient.

Check out Eden Isles, Louisiana. Dockside Bait & Tackle

Just after Isaac.  This is where I get my Matrix shads.

I'd still move there.

You think the fishing in the river in Jax would be worth a crap if we got hit a few days after a Hurricane like Isaac?

Hell no. We couldn't catch a cold after Tropical storm Buryl, even!!!!!!!