Thursday, September 11, 2014

9/11 - Full Moon, Hot, GIANT Blacktip Shark

Had a late call for today, yesterday. Two guys living in a tent at Huguenot Park!
I should have taken a picture of that "morning moon". Full, bright, and a "here's yer sign!!"
It's gonna be a tough day!  (It'll be a real azz kicker come next month)

I was at the boat ramp early as usual answering the question of why I'm at the boat ramp early to a acquaintance.

Let it be known. I'm up and about at 4am. AND ALWAYS AT THE BOAT RAMP AN HOUR EARLIER THAN MY SCHEDULE CHARTER, WHICH ARE USUALLY LATE.

But, as we were getting ready to depart I spot a massive school of small Mullet. I throw the cast net, I get a few dozen. Then, 5 minutes later, I spy a huge school of B-I-G Mullet. Two pounders!!!!!

I pitch my net and I can barely pull it to the dock! I caught big mullet enough for the next 10 Sharks charters, or 20 Redbass fishing charters as cut bait.

Now that's what I like. FREE BAIT! 

Since I essentially hate Pogies and everything to do with them. I loved this.
Cliff & James loaded up and we headed to the jetties.........live Mullet, Z-I-P!!!!!!
Run up river, Bluefish & StingRay.
Hot as all Hell and back. Zero breeze, Unbearable.

Back to Jetties, out to first shrimp boat.
20 minutes later James is on a stud Black tip, that almost killed him.
Then, Cliff's turn......

LARGEST BLACKTIP OF THE YEAR. LITERALLY MASSIVE. Cliff put his all into it as James was needing a air conditioner and a "nurse"...and maybe a cold beer.

Actual saw my first ever Tarpon feeding behind a shrimp boat in a pile of floating bait that shrimpers pushed over board. There's was 100 smaller Sharks feeding on the surface and as I dragged our 20" Mullet over and let it sink the Sharks were all over the surface , and so was a large Tarpon, eating the dead baits off the surface and it swam down the side of the boat.  W-O-W, that was a first.

People ask about Tarpon behind the shrimp boats all the time. I hear stories too. But why am I out there and have done hundreds and hundreds of Shrimp Boat Sharkin trips over the last 30 years and this was the 1st time I ever saw a Tarpon???

That 20" Mullet??????

That's the bait that caught the largest Blacktip on the Jettywolf so far this year.

It was dead calm hot as hell. So I came back to the jetties and used our live Mullet in the well, the small ones for a 31" Redbass, and a 5 pound Jack.




















James was really down and out. So we packed it in and were back at 1:00pm. Which was when we were supposed to be back anyhow.

NEXT UP: SATURDAY

Pay attention to my rates page.
Monday thru Thursdays $100 off regular day charters.
That 1996 rates!!!
That's because this is Jax. Florida