Wednesday, June 2, 2010

6/2 - Slick at the rocks.

Had Paul D. and his wife Sheri aboard today, from Utah. They said ......"can ya believe this"....that when they left it was snowing! So I guess this HEAT was either a welcome or a shock. Wow, that's hard to imagine as I sit here with my A/C running incessantly.

We had a beautiful day. As ole Capt George on the Mayport Princess says, it was slick, slick, slick & hot, hot, hot. I needed it this way after Monday's blowin wind that was nothing but trouble. Started off on a really slow slack part of the tide, unfortunately. With not all that much range in the incoming tide, anyhow. So we had to play the waiting game. And while doing so caught a few Jack Cravalles, after having plenty of time to learn the in's & out's of the float rigging game.

Let me just say.....I don't know if it's just me, or what. But so many guides are scared of the bait casting reels with customers. I cringe when I see people float-rig fishing with spinning tackle, myself. I guess it's because I've always been a bait caster. But let me tell ya' Paul and Sheri were quick studies. Paul was casting and Sheri was pitchin', my low profile Shimano Citica's no problem by the time we got into the spot where I wanted to fish. Guess it's because they had the right coach.

The bite started out slow, it took forever for the clean green water to come filtering into the area. But as we sat there, things got right. But not super gang-busters. I think weakness of the tide, had alot to do with it.
As a float-rigger, you learn quick what tides work best, and how to make it work during slow tides. I don't have the pick of the days, I have the days customers, pick. So I'm always "pushing" a tide to squeak the most I can out of it.  But I had confidence they'd pull a few out of the rocks.














Ocean-run Reds, that lost their color. Check this one out, kinda looked like a really big Whiting. Not a monster, but the first one to the boat. So I was happy, and so was Paul. As they worked the spot back and forth there was a few "swing and a miss" fish, a couple "hook jumpers", and as Paul and Sheri ate thier sub sandwiches, I gave it a try and didn't connect at all......"what.....that's impossible. I'm your ringer!"  















So after a break, a few more made it to the boat. Sheri had the most, as many woman do. And right before we were out of live shrimp (because alot were dead by the time I hit the ramp in the morning) She scored the largest too.
















Don't think she needed a 32 incher up against the rocks. This one gave her all she could handle! But it's just what we needed, so they could have a late lunch/early dinner at Singletons Seafood Shack in Mayport. There isn't a fresher fish than the ones you can carry into Singletons and have blackened up, for you. And no dishes to clean. A perfect ending to a beautiful day along the jetty rocks.  

Heading out again, tomarrow and Saturday. So the adventures of the JETTYWOLF boat will continue as always. See ya out there.