I was very excited about our day, coming off two really great weekend days. But, the skies were dark over the river with just patches of blue sky. So as we started, I went up in a creek at the first of the falling tide. Which turned out to be kinda the opposite of what I did on Saturday. Had the guys on spin tackle pitching Clicker Corks up along the grass near a few oysterbeds and "Redfish" highways coming out of the flooded marsh.
They caught some small "nursery" Trout and "pupper" Redbass. But something was really O-F-F. The action should have been alot better....
After awhile, it was very evident that the tide's strength was a real problem, when Trout fishing. The falling tide even up in the creek was a real screamer. According to my Florida Sportsman tide book, it was going to be a ebb tide nearing SIX feet! The "NEW MOON" is on Friday. So we're building up to it today, and the rest of the week won't be much different.
Mayport High tide: 5:30am 5.7 feet
Mayport Low tide: 11:30am 0.2 feet
We struggled doing any kind of Float fishing with tides like this. But I wasn't about to give up so easy. Peter's son got the first "keeper" on the third spot we tried.
A 16 incher. But I also had plans for them to get slammed by the Redbass that frequented this same spot on Sunday. So we kept working it.
The clouds came and went, and I saw what usually happens when a "front" is coming. The Trout don't bite, but the bait stealers are having a field day! The guys were constantly attacked by Pinfish, and the Pinfish are chewing, because the Trout aren't there!! It's all...Jus' that simple!
We pulled up and headed to another spot. To let this tide go down, and and come back later. And, to take a break from the bait stealers. I ran pretty far, to a completely different fishing zip code. On the way, it started raining. Ahead, we could see the rain hitting the water as the cloud came toward us. I quickly made a U-turn and headed under a bridge that was close by. The rain went right on by us. So, I continued to the spot.
Upon arrival...."there was hardly any tide!" Yep, get out and away from that deep, channalized St. Johns, and the current was barely moving. Crazy, crazy stuff.....
Since we were here now, we fished it. Pulling only one Trout out of the spot. But it was a decent 18 incher.
Okay, the were really darkening again. Here comes more rain. Time to scoot!
So I ran back to where we just left, and the current was perfection.
A nice "walking speed" as our floats drifted along behind the boat.
But NO bites. Again, just plenty of thieves. As Dr. Phil, the large and in-charge, blow-hard, on TV always says, "This ain't my first Rodeo!" Good gawd, have I seen this before. I grumbled to myself and my crew. It's as if my hands are completely tied. What else can I do?
So we picked up and went back closer towards Mayport. And pulled into a rising tide spot, because now in Mayport the tide was pouring in, and HARD!
Yep, either direction today, the current is gonna be a rippin' screamer. We gave it a try and the Pinfish made a deal with the Devil. They were possessed!! Make your float-rig really short, keeping the bait 8 feet off the bottom....... and you still had them attacking your shrimp!
Cast away from them, and another neighborhood of pinners would find your live shrimp and pinch it off the hook as past as it hit the water!!
Die - Pinfish - Die, is what I was thinking!
In frustration I asked "biologist" Peter......."Hey Pete, what's the deal here?" "What kind of fish activity would ya call this?" He just laughed. "I call it, no predators around. So the litl' stealers are on the war path!! Huh??"
The skies weren't looking any clearer, and we were running through live shrimp like cord wood during a N. Dakota winter. So we packed it in, and headed back to the dock.
I cleaned the two keeper trout we had in the box and bid Peter and his son a farewell and Happy Thanksgiving.
I was astounded between the difference of Saturday and Sunday, versus today. The guys caught fish. But it was more fishin' than catching, while working through Mother Natures temperment, today.
And as I got home and backed the boat into her shed. The rain cut loose big time. I'm glad I was at home for when that happened.
Happy Thanksgiving.
