Started the day off really getting a clue that if Mayport ever gets a giant Nuclear Aircraft Carrier. I'm really in trouble! The public has a short memory. So, I'll fill you fisherman in.
I left B&M bait and tackle. I pulled out onto A1A north, and the Navy traffic was so thick that 30 minutes later I hadn't even got to the light at A1A & Wonderwood rd. When I did get to the light I sat through 5 green lights because I couldn't cross Wonderwood. The traffic on the otherside was NOT moving. And the cross traffic coming down off the Wonderwood bridge, heading to Mayport rd to go into the bases Main Gate was about at a dead stop.
I called my customer Joan and told her, "Be aware, your adventure is just starting!" She said, that traffic was at a stand still at Mayport rd. and the turn at A1A north. On the otherside of B&M.
It was around, 6:30am.
I finally arrived at the Mayport Boat Ramp at 7:30am. The "commercial gate, gate 5" to the back of the base moved one vehicle length every couple minutes.
THIS IS WHAT IT WAS LIKE MANY MORNINGS WHEN WE HAD A CARRIER IN MAYPORT. For all of you that don't go to Mayport on a weekday.
This area cannot handle the traffic of a nuclear carrier and support personel, or whatever the hell was going on today! The entire length of A1A north from at least Wonderwood rd. to "gate 5", would actually need two more lanes! Two more lanes built atop the marsh?
I'm not holding my breath! Other's have said to me, "They'll make the Navy their own road." Really?
I don't think so. The city doesn't care about Mayport.
What I'd have to do is "just MOVE." There's no way for me to conduct my business and sit in over an hours worth of traffic each morning, to go a couple miles. I just won't do that.
I dropped the boat in the water. And Joan and her 10 year old son showed up about 30 minutes later.
We were now over an hour behind schedule.
We got out in the river, and there wasn't a ripple of current. The tide was slack and was eventually going to start rising.......someday. I need current, not with just everyone. But especially with kids.
It just makes fishing easier.
The boy got seasick at the jetties. So we ran back up into the river. Then, back to the jetties. We were catching nothing but stingrays and small seabass. The boy didn't even want to reel in any of our bites. He was d-o-n-e!
We finally got on a spot in deep water, that was calm and all he wanted to do is go back. So, after a few hours, our day was done. Some kids, just aren't going to be fisherman. Patience, especially in the month of February is mandatory. And we all know most 10 year olds and under don't have patience.
So I dropped my crew off back at the dock. And went back out myself. The target species was Black Drum, with or without a crew. I was already wore out from moving around, pulling anchor sp many times, and dealing with trying to catch something, or sit anchored where there's no chance of any bites with a 10 year old whining.
The jetties were sloppy on the outside, and only calm about 3/4's the way inside. And by now there was some rising tide.
And even I had to use patience, and move around as the tide moved, till I found them. While salvaging the day. The difference is with me it doesn't have to be calm. The Jettywolf was designed to anchor in the roughest water. And I don't mind anchoring in it.
She loves the slop.
Here's the video (it's long...get your sea-legs on)
Looking forward to when the big, big Black Drum show up. I'll put down the float-rigs when the super studs show up at the jetties. My largest ever weighed in at 90 pounds. (the two pics below)
If you have "the salt" in ya' to patiently fish for a really big Black Drum, like the ones above ya better get on the phone right now and give me a call, and book the right day.
I prefer certain "tides" for these fish and it's jetty fishing only. And it should start sometime late March thru April. It's not "party boat fishing", because not everyone on board is going to get a chance at a monster. So bring one friend, and either one of you may battle one of these.
If not, I'll be on the hunt for the Speckled Trout.
