All week the report was labeled, "SCA" - small craft advisory!
East-Noreast winds. Incoming tide. Usually K.O.D. - "kiss of death", is what I think most of the time.
Well, first thing this morning this is what I saw as I waited at the dock for 7am to arrive.
"red sky in the morning, mariners take warning"
Yeah, I go by all those ole saying. Because too many times they are true. If that sky isn't red, it's at least beautifully PINK.
So just before 7am Paul M. came walking down the dock, my solo angler for the day.
We talked yesterday about the weather report and I said, if nothing else, we'll try it and see.
So off we went left out the boat ramp rather than turning right. Which was a good decision on my part. I was the only Truck and trailer at the whole boat ramp this morning. So I just had to wonder....
We eased along shooting the bull, as I looked around a bit. "Getting the feel of the morning at sunrise." It wasn't windy, and was so damn nice.
I picked a spot to start off that had good current.......hopefully Trout current. And as I showed Paul all about the "float-rig", I caught the first fish of the day. That's funny, I usually do a quick show and tell WITHOUT bait on the hook. Just so I don't catch a fish! But on a bare hook I caught a nice fat Croaker.......on a bare hook!! That's not my first time catching a fish on a bare hook. But usually it's a 'snapper' Bluefish, they bite anything.
Well, as it turned out, that was a good omen. Because we caught fish after fish on this spot to include more Croakers, Ladyfish and some beautiful Speckled Trout. Even a 25", 5 pound GATOR.
Oh, we were on the right track. What a difference a few days can make.
Fish were flying over the gunnel and beautiful "local" live shrimp were getting eaten.
It was a great time, and we were 30 minutes into the fishing.
The tide slowed, so we moved on to catch more trout as I do when the tide shifts.
Next spot, a mere 500 yards away. And the action was steady there too, with a few more trout and keeper and non keeper Mangrove Snappers.
Okay, a few more Trout in the fish box and a few Mangroves.
Time to make a move again.
Well, I think Paul had the most fun here. It was fish, bite, fish, fish, lost shrimp, bite, bite, Croakers and Trout. Fast and furious action.
Now mind you, we were fishing in damn near fresh water. I tested the waters with my hydrometer, as we went along. The scale goes from 0-40 part per thousand of salt water. Zero meaning no salt water, and 40 hyper saline water. At the boat ramp in Mayport this morning the river water was a 6 PPT - parts per thousand. And it was damn near that low where ever we went. The Ocean is usually 36-38 PPT. So as you can see, 6 PPT is low to no saltwater. At least on the surface, where I can get a sample.
But a 6 PPT isn't a bad thing. I've had some of my best Trout days in the river when it was a 6 PPT day in the river. Tropical Storm Fay's effect will be long lasting. The river's high, and very fresh. It's a great thing. The boat and tackle isn't even salty after a days fishing, another neat thing.
After a while of constant bites and fish, we were quickly out of 9 dozen shrimp.
After 12 Trout, too many to count Croakers, a few Mangrove Snappers and Ladyfish. The box was looking good, so heading back wasn't all that bad.
It was a great day. And by the way, the wind never really blew all that hard, certainly not what I'd consider Small Craft Advisories. The sky was blue, and it was never all that hot.
Oh, I can't wait till those cool fall mornings that can't be here soon enough for me.
Because that sweat shirt in the morning, and the bailing of fat Speckled Trout is what I live for......we're on our way.
And not to leave out, Giant Redbass too. Let's go get us some!
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