Wednesday, January 7, 2009

1/8 - Glass, I think NOT!


















































http://www.rocksaltboats.com/


NOT FIBERGLASS....BIG METAL...PLATE ALLOY... 34 feet of custom 1/4 inch thick plate aluminum alloy, High Speed, battle wagon sportfisher!!!





Yes, a 34' alloy plate "ALUMINUM" Boat. I get all the time, "damn that's the largest aluminum boat I've ever seen" from people when I sit at the dock. Come on out of that cave. There's a big wide open aluminum boat world out there, that's for sure. Visit my sister web site: http://www.aluminumallotboats.com/ - and you'll be amazed, that J-ville Florida is quite a sheltered little spot on the boating map.

***SEE THE DEBUT OF THE ROCKSALT 34 at, Miami International Boat show , Feb 12-16 2009

I may see ya there...

1/7 - SWAP MEET NIGHT

As you have noticed I have "stuff" for sale....or "swap". Thursday night 1/8/09, at 7pm is Swap Night at the JOSFC - Jacksonville Offshore Sport Fishing Club. 4870 Ocean Street aka: Mayport Boat ramp. The club house is that large doublewide modular building with the big porch on the front on the boat ramp grounds.

I will have for sale (or for swap):

4- Shimano Travala Butterfly jigging rods - like new
4- Shimano Tekota 300 levelwind reels - like new
1- Daiwa Butterfly jig case with jigs - new
- boxes of NEW in boxes assorted jigs; Braid, California Squid and more...
- Bags of hooks, line, 1/8th oz. banana head - jetty jigs, selections of floats, Gulp, twister tails, lure skirts....
1 - 8' Shakespeare VHF antenna, with either a Nylon clamp mount or ratchet Stainless steel
1- 12 lb. Bruce style anchor
1- PVC coated Pinfish trap-"Brand new" with marker float
1- "Air" Grease Gun used once.
1- Braid "CHUM chopper" for your boat, permanent mount or suction cup. NEVER used!!
2- SS removable "side mount" rod holders for small boat
3 - Type 1 commercial "offshore vest" Personal Floatation Devices (PFD's)
4- G. Loomis "greenwater series" Inshore 7'6" casting rods - medium action.


Let's talk....


I'm looking for:

-one piece, 8' fiberglass, foam grip, trigger reel seat, medium action rod(s)
-14 lb. Fluke style, Danforth anchor(s)
- 6 foot new "shrimp-size" cast net
-Lengths of galvanized chain
-14" Galvanized or aluminum Trailer rims
- new or slightly used coolers
- Vintage MirrOlure's....I mean 50's thru 70's
- heavy weight, SS or high carbon steel clever


HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE...bring some cashola!!

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

1/5 - Are they closed already??

I know my last report was about when the Specks (Trout) close during February. But the last two trips seem as if they took on a voluntary closure of their own. And even talked all their friends into it too!

Had Carl J. out on the 5th for a "learning" trip. Carl wanted to add another technique to his repituar. And what a better way of doing so, than going with me. I enjoy teaching folks about Trout & Reds on the Float-rig. Plus, he booked two days. We're going again next week also.

We had the last of a long falling tide and since the jetties have been quite slow we stayed in the river.

It wasn't long after we went through all the in's & out's of float fishing that Carl caught his first of the day....A BIG Croaker, at 15-3/4" long.



It was one fine morning.
A bit foggy, slick calm and so warm.

Seemed almost "too" perfect, to me.

Because we kept fishing and fishing and by no means did we ever get into any kind of riot.

We'd pick a Trout here and there, the larger ones 18-20 inches, a small Redbass, and a few under sized Trout. We made a move, about 150 feet and tried another hump. Carl landed a few Yellowmouths, with one being a 20 incher.




The tide went slack, so we moved on and headed for the jetties. Holy crap, it's a Monday and I couldn't believe all the boats out there.

Somethings changed. Ten years ago, on a Monday at the jetties you'd see maybe one or two other boats. What is it? Every one's so wealthy now they don't have to work, or is the unemployment rate that high?

We tried a few spots out there and never lost a live shrimp on the incoming tide to a game fish species.

Lots of people looked as if they just gave up and were sitting there for their health.

We of course were in high pursuit of a whopper Trout. But since we couldn't buy a bite from even a 12 incher. My hopes for Carl were getting slim. If the "go-to" spot is dead. Then, the confidence level isn't very high.

Is sure seems that since Friday for me, that the jetties sure has fell off. And reports I hear from friends makes me, not the Lone Ranger.

After repeated attempts to try and find Carl's big Trout, we decided to head in and worry about next weeks trip. Carl left out with a decent bag o' fillets. But nothing like what the day "felt like" it should have been.



Just goes to show you, even perfect weather days ain't always so perfect.

Sunday, January 4, 2009

1/4 - Get while the gettin's good.

N.E. Florida Speckled Sea Trout harvest closes:
FEB. 1st thru FEB 28th
For 28 days, we can catch and release only.

The wrath of the JettyWolf switches from float-rig, to MirrOlure, or D.O.A. shrimp during his "R&D time" for those lonely 28 days.

So what's this mean to you as a customer?









Nothing really, other than "Mr. or Mrs. Speck" not assuming fish box temperature, or getting aquinted with Mr. Zatarain.





So why not be ahead of the curve??

RESERVE YOUR PRIVATE PERSONAL JANUARY FISHING CHARTER NOW!














-here's LOOKIN' at ya.....
bon'appetit

Friday, January 2, 2009

1/2/09 - Blast from the past.

Had Wayne S. and his grandson Drew on board today. Wayne is one of those dear old customers of mine that had fished with me for years. But schedules changed, and I haven't had him on board for at least 3-4 years, till today. And we had a great time.

Wayne goes to Lafitte La. fishing every year, and since I'd love to live and fish there, or at least do 6 months there, and six months here. "Maybe in my next life." I love hearing about the place and the fishing from someone who fishes there all the time.

But we're here, so I picked Wayne and Drew up at Sisters Creek boat ramp and since the tide was low, we hit a good low tide spot up river. The tide was fading quick. But it was okay. Wayne and Drew are very experienced fisherman. My job was easy today.

While showing them the details of the spot with the float-rig, I set the hook on the days first fat speck at 19 inches. And handed it to Drew, so I could get Wayne's rod ready.

"NOW THAT'S A GOOD SIGN ", I said.

Our current was barely flowing and both Wayne and Drew hung a few large Trout, but they shook off. Then, came a small trout or two, then the days first big one, a nice 21 incher.

Wayne's a Speck lover like me, and certainly doesn't mind catching some BIG Trout, for the box.
As soon as the bite started, it fell off fast as the current completely went slack on us. "Only if we were an hour or two earlier....." But I had no clue what the weather would be like today, since the forecast flipped and flopped from high winds to low winds for today, all week long.

So we agreed to just leave at 8am.

But that's okay. "TIME TO HEAD EAST, NOW."

A old friend at the B&M bait and tackles New Years day BASH yesterday, said to me that I certainly wouldn't be fishing where I wanted today. "Cap, it's gonna be too rough" he said.

Well, that might be, but not for my boat. We went exactly where I wanted to fish, it was rough but we didn't care.

And here's why.

We weren't "on location" for more than a few minutes and Wayne sets the hook on a 4 pound
22-1/2 inch Speck.

The fishing wasn't easy. But I always say, "If your're comfortably numb, you are probably not on top of your game, either."

I like a bit of Chinese yellow mustard in my fishing.

Next came a 5 pound Sheepshead caught by Drew, and a 21 inch Redbass.
A few small Yellowmouth Trout, and a small Speck or two.

And then Wayne caught another fat Speck, that was the same size as his last. 22-1/2 inches.



The bites sort of faded out. So we tried another spot and had another 19 incher, and a few throw backs. Then moved again, to the North Jetty, and had no takers at all.

So back to where the fish were, but by now the tide went slack and we sat there catching just small Yellowmouth trout. So we headed in.

It was a good day, with some really nice big Specks. We just could of had about 10 more to feel really, really good about the day...(at least I would have.)

The box looked pretty good with some serious eaters. We had a really good time hashing over charters from years ago too. Wayne and Drew can come fishing with me anytime! They can cast, pitch, flip and set the hook on a Trout from 100 feet away. I don't get many days like this, where all I do is take fish off the hook after netting them. So it was a pleasure. And Wayne brought along his own "fish cleaner", his name was Drew!

Thursday, January 1, 2009

1/1/2009 - Fish Fest!

HEADLINES FROM CAPTDAVES-BLOGSPOT




1/1/2009 - HAPPY NEW YEAR
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Man, the fishing couldn't have been an easier, today.
If you missed it you just plain missed it, and will have to wait till next year.

Because the fish were already caught, cleaned and cooked by the owner's of B&M bait and tackle, along with their crew.














It's a yearly tradition that Rusty does for all his customers. And this single, terrible cook, hungry guy never misses it. It's a great way to ring in the New Year, with friends.

Here's Rusty hard at work on the fish fryer.....Grouper, Snapper, (not store bought.) Hitting the oil after meeting Mr. Zatarain.







The covered dishes folks brought ranged from wild hog, pulled pork BBQ, beans, greens and everything in between. Desserts of all kinds, too.

The parking lot soon became jammed packed. Everyone was welcome. And the boat yard was full of people, with a long table full of food.
























































Thanks to Rusty, Tracy, Patsy, and the crew at B&M, for the gracious New Years Day spread.
Maybe we'll see you there next year.

-------------------------------------
- Everything you need, nothin' you don't!