I love those super wet years, but am not all that fond of these drought years.
I say, "bring on the storms, I love 'em".
Did you know there's shrimp so far up the Nassua River right now they're hunkered down in the cypress swamps?
Heck, if that's not a "here's yer sign" for the need of a huge storm or serious regular rain fall, what is???????
Good thing is, the shrimp in the River in downtown Jax are huge. And they're killing them.
The fish are also down that way. The direct opposite way on the river than I depart from.
I live 5 minutes from the Mayport Boat ramp. And I'm not trailering my boat down the traffic choked streets to use another ramp closer to down town. I will if the price was right, though.
But, I ain't holding my breath for that.
So I can go about as far as the Dames Point Bridge if need be via boat.
This is the usual standard practice for me, and the way things roll in the river during the DEEP summer anyhow.
The bait and fish couldn't be in my own back yard, not unless we had some serious storms.
AND WHAT ARE THEY????
Were outa the swing in climate that brings us "WET" summers, anymore.
But when we did have them. I was knee deep in my favorite fishing. Float-rigging for Speckled Trout, and Jacks and such.
Hell, there's not hardly a Jack in all of the river near Mayport, is there??
I can say honestly I've had 3 caught all year on my boat, and only two Ladyfish. Which is totally NUTZ!
So the morale of this story is, "Go down river!" That's what the Jettywolf has done and we've caught some and at the same time struggled.
But, Erica's 46 pound Redbass, made one trip perfectly worth it all, and she lost another and had a 35 pounder also. Then, there's was Ed's 21 Pounder, and Seth's 9 pound Black Drum which was sweet.
The problem this summer so far is, NUMBERS. We get tossed some bones....hell, I don't even pick the days, the tides, or anything.
So right there I have my hands tied a bit, already. Those rising tides have been brutal on me.
If I was planning on fishing. I'd let the Captain pick my day for me.
But the word "planning" isn't in most peoples vocabulary during their visit to J-ville.
I just had a call for 6 passengers offshore for tomarrow...Now I don't do 6 and I don't do way offshore anyhow. But calling at 2pm on a Sunday for a Monday morning at 7am is a bit like NO planning at all.
Personally, I don't live that way, and never will. I'm a survivor, a planner, and think ahead 10 moves at a time. So you'd think I'd be a Chess Player, huh?
Not really. Jus' like a plan during the summer months.
Because ya have to be "rigidily flexible", ready to have plan A-B-C.
I plan so much I'm gonna do some Monday morning R&D myself tomarrow. All in prep for next week and the week after, as the Greater Jax Kingfish Tournament takes up 4 days with tournaments this year rather than just 3 days.
Ya' have the Jr. Angler, then the Redfish, and then the General Tournament this year. That's 4 days.
If a cop tells me where and how to park at the Mayport Boat ramp again this year, I'm gonna freak! They have Cops at the Mayport Boat ramp telling people what to do, as if no one's ever been there on a Memorial Day at 7am!! Which is no different than any Tournament day.
As if they're doing us a huge favor.
Pleaze?????
