It was a perfect "crowd pleaser" at under 40 inches. (Similar to this one)
Light Tackle Float-rig fishing, with live shrimp hooks allot of Tarpon, during the summer months.
Unfortunately, it wasn't the targeted fish. So the small wire hook, broke in half at the side of the boat.
We were actually fishing for "REDS". Reddrum, Redfish, Redbass, whatever ya call them. They are the summer targeted fish, along the Mayport Jetty rocks, of the St. Johns River inlet.
18 miles due west of down-town Jacksonville, Florida.
So far this year, it is the year of the POGIE! They are everywhere. Some years they are not. But it can be a curse too. SO MUCH FOOD FOR THE TAKING.
With not only Pogies, aka: Menhaden all over the inlet. There's plenty of small "rain minnows" aka: Glass Minnows, and schools of every size Mullet imaginable, along with Threadfin Herring, swimming around the giant granite boulders, that make up the Mayport Jetties.
But the standard exersize is head over to the "pods" of Pogies each morning, cast the net, and watch it swim away with 500 Pogies in it.
BTW, There should be Jacks around. But as of right now, we've caught TWO....where are they, is what I'm wondering? Fish this size, around structure, on light tackle can be pure adrenaline angling! I love'em this size, for their pure terror!
I dump out most of the Pogies netted, needing only two dozen maybe for a afternoon of fishing the tide, and sending down Pogies on the bottom along the edges of the massive granite jetty boulders.
Be it either "bottom bait" or used on a 3/8ths to 1/2 ounce leadheaded jig cast up into the rocks.
The larger live baits will get more attention then a live shrimp by the Redfish that patrol the hot spots along the rocks, on a ebb or rising tide. Shrimp invite the small "baitstealers" to bite. And the jetties has NO lack of them.
The fisheries people say we have no Seabass, but then again every rocks, ledge, anchor, dock, and piece of oyster clump, on the bottom probably has 20 juvenile Seabass on it. Up and down this stretch of the St. Johns river. And they are eating machines....some will eat a big Pogie, or Mullet. Because that's one fish with eyes bigger than it's stomach. Jus' like baby Grouper! No difference.
The Reds along the jetty rocks are pretty much all to big to keep. Most are in the 30 inch catagory, and larger. So if you want a keeper, KEEP CATCHING. It's a numbers game.
NOW...is the time to think 4th of July! Book all Holidays at least 30 days ahead of time. Don't be like the calls I had over Memorial day weekend at 8pm, wanting a trip at 7am the next day. First come, first reserved.
