Monday, October 24, 2016

Sunday, October 23, 2016

10/18 - FALL INSHORE FISHING TRANSITION: JACKSONVILLE

10/20-21 - inshore bite 100% better....

100% better than say last month.
Water has cooled and we're on "track".


10/20 - had two guys aboard, and although nothing was jumbo, we had Mangrove Snappers, Speckled Trout, Pup Redfish, Sheepshead, Jacks, Ladyfish, and more.


"Jig-N-Shrimp combo meals" were the ticket on some structure I have fished in years along the Navy base. Seems like they have backed off of harassing the citizens that pay their bills. I heard something thru the rumor mill that there's a new base commander and he's not so hot on pointing guns at civilian anglers.



















10/21 I had two more guys. Which had the patience to fish the Bull Redfish. Although it was big time "bait-n-wait" fishing, we got a few before the current got to bad. And I tried to make it more fun (as I will from here on out) using my "MICRO" jigging reels. The Maxel Hybrid 20's. Which are light, powerful and very small.

























































After the Redfish, we picked up the jig-n-shrimp rods and hit the jetties. Zero was going on there. So "LIKE THE OLE DAYS", I dropped back along the Navy base on the same structure as the day before and popped a few nice Speckled Trout and Mangrove Snappers.

Water temps a consistent 73-75 degrees and is soooooo much better than the 83 we had just before Hurricane Matthew.  The river's still murky, especially at the inlet, with lots of East and Noreast winds every day. It's the transition time in full glory!

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

"The tree saga", part 2 Hurricane Matthew






NEXT COMES A ROOF FOR HOUSE AND GARAGE AND INTERIOR DAMAGE FIXED....
C'MON INSURANCE COMPANY, I NEED $$$$!

I'VE LOST SO MUCH BUSINESS BECAUSE OF WEATHER SO FAR. STARTING IN SEPTEMBER.

IT'S OVER FOLKS

LET'S GO FISHING

Monday, October 17, 2016

OCTOBER 18TH - JETTYWOLF'S 10TH BIRTHDAY

10 YEARS OLD, TODAY
AND GOING STRONG.









































































































































































 





















AND NOW, AS I GET OLDER. I WISH I HAD THIS ONE BUILT












BUT, THATS OKAY. I STILL LOVE HER.

Sunday, October 16, 2016

10/15 - Trees, mega high tide, and a giant Stone Crab

Here's Saturday at the boat ramp...at full high tide:
(get out your boots. I did)



















Damn near impossible to catch a quality "bottom" fish with all this water.
(wish I went float-rig fishing instead)



















First.....(not what we were looking for) huge Stone Crab!



















Tree's were floating down the river as well as huge mats of marsh grass that floated by.



















My iPhone 5 sure takes some crappy photos! I think my GoPro Hero 2 could do better.

From here on out, I'll be "float-rig fishing", or casting jigs and shrimp. So I hope everyone can cast a spinner reel and rod.

Tired of bottom fishing, and having to anchor in the 50' of water in the channel. I have 2 trips left that this is what they want to do. As soon as they are over, I'll be swinging straight into my usual "fall / winter" mode.  Be it in the river or the inlet.

Hurricane Matthew made this a very uncommon October already.
( SEE VIDEO HERE: LINK

So, someone like myself has to learn to work with the uncommon conditions, while easing into what provides action, and targeted species......versus;  stone crabs, skates, catfish, marsh grass, and sticks!  

Thursday, October 13, 2016

10/12 - HIGH WIND FISHING, AFTER MATTHEW





I KNOW A GUY WHO CAUGHT 2 TROUT AT THE BOAT RAMP, BETWEEN THE DOCKS ON A JIG AND PLASTIC...GO FIGURE!!!

IT CAN'T GET WORSE, ONLY BETTER. 

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

10/11 - NOAA WEATHER RADIO

NOAA, REPORTS....

NOAA WEATHER RADIO, THE CLOSEST THING TO BEING ON THE WATER LATELY SINCE THE CAT. 3 HURRICANE THAT RUINED MY HOUSE, AND STILL HAVE CRUSHING TREE THREATS BECAUSE OF SHIT MINDED RENTAL PROPERTY OWNER NEXT DOOR. NOAA SAYS THE MAYPORT JETTY WATER TEMP IS 76 DEGREES.......SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE 83 DEGREES BEFORE THE STORM, I MARKED ON MY RAYMARINE SOUNDER 3 DAYS BEFORE THE HURRICANE CAME.  THIS IS A TRUE LOCAL FISHING EVENT, FOLKS!!   SUMMER LIKE WATER TEMPS HAVE TO VACATE FOR US TO ENJOY TRUE FALL FISHING, IN JACKSONVILLE.  LIKE THE PHOTO BELOW, MY CONCENTRATION IS STRICTLY ON......FISH ON THE DECK, IN THE COOLER, GOING UNDER THE KNIFE, FROM HERE ON OUT. 

Monday, October 10, 2016

10/10 - HURRICANE MATTHEW - Can we go fishing , NOW?

10/10 - boats home....house not safe???




















that leaning pine tree is really leaning now.....and it needs to come down before it smashes the house, and reaches all the way across to my boat shed w/ boat under it.

rental next door, the property owner has been notified.





















it's pulling away from the ground now!

























like living under a mouse trap, ready to ""SNAP""

























I HATE RENTALS!
the owner of the property has been notified of the danger. is relying on property management company to handle this.

standing under it looks way worse than in these photos. because its leaning so much further its completely over my house, and everyone thinks I should pay to have it cut down!

don't have any $$.

Already have one tree on top of my house. You'd think that was enough to worry about?

Friday, October 7, 2016

10/7 - Unlucky me! Hurricane Matthew.

It was early. I was taking what I figure would be my last shower for a few days. Don't want to be a sweaty, smelly Hurricane victim.

I step out and am putting my shorts on and hear """B-O-O-M"""

tree in my back yard lands on my garage and the branches poke a hole thru my kitchen. Right above a no-used old light fixture.




































































































Yes, it's now raining inside the kitchen.  Both the garage and the house have needed a new roof for 10 years. I can't afford one. So, ya just wait I guess.

Funny thing is, that's the same area where my dad and I worked like dogs in the November Heat, yes hot as hell last November. We pulled a old porch off and fixed the roof. Plus my dad worked so hard on this for me he suffered a god damn heart attack because he was like a 70++ year old machine!

Now...ruined.

This tree broke and fell and the storm was still 8 hours away.
I expect more. I really do.

10/7 - HOW I PREFER TO CATCH REDFISH IN, JAX, FLORIDA

10/7 - still have power...moved my boat



















0630 hrs. still have power

moved boat way inland to friends house, don't trust the tree damage my street could suffer. would rather have one less thing ''my boat'' to worry about.

thanks to all for the reach-out's.....about 70 mph is the strongest my neighborhood has bared in wind speeds since I have lived here.  we could see double that?

T-R-E-E-S, I  suspect will be the problem. taking down my already frail internet connection and electric power, and hope the roof of the house doesn't sustain a 5,000 pound tree or branch. although I need a new roof anyhow.  

next possible, do-able charter is thursday the 13th of October.  basically have lost the start of OCTOBER till the 13th, had re-schedules, cancellations. so I've made not a dime all month so far!!!!!!

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

10/3 - THE LITTLE JETTIES? "Jettywolf Moment"






SHOULD WENT FLOAT-RIGGING THE SHALLOWS, INSTEAD. WANTED DEAD FISH IN THE COOLER!  FLOAT RIG FISHING ALWAYS CATCHES FISH! 

AND IT'S GETTING TO BE THAT "TIME""!


Sunday, October 2, 2016

10/2 - not close enough!!

HURRICANES...WE NEED THEM, AND WE NEED THIS ONE. ''MATTHEW''

THE LOCAL WATERS ARE TOO WARM, AND A GOOD TOILET FLUSH WOULD BE A GOOD THING.


















RAIN, YES RAIN IS ALWAYS A GOOD THING FOR FLORIDA, ESPECIALLY THE ST. JOHNS RIVER, IN N.E. FLORIDA.  BUT THINK ABOUT IT FOR A MINUTE. THE WATER TEMP IS JUST 2-3 DEGREES LESS THAN IT WAS IN MID JULY, RIGHT NOW!!

THATS NOT A GOOD THING.  SURE THE FALL SEASON SEEMS ON TRACK. BUT IF YOU'VE FISHED JACKSONVILLE LONG ENOUGH AND PAY ATTENTION TO THE WEATHER CYCLES LIKE I DO, YOU CAN'T HELP, ''WISHING FOR DAYS LONG PAST'' AND THOSE DAYS FROM YEARS PAST MEAN FALL SEASONS, THAT WERE WET, COOLER, HENCE THE FISHING WAS....THROUGH THE ROOF!

I REMEMBER FALL BULL REDFISHING THAT TOOK PLACE OUTSIDE THE SOUTH JETTY THAT WAS PURE PHENOMENAL. THE REDS WEREN'T THICK IN THE RIVER. THEY WERE THICK OUTSIDE THE JETTIES.

IT WAS SO GOOD, I COULD JUST DRIFT WITH A SEA-ANCHOR DEPLOYED JUST OFF THE OUTSIDE THE SOUTH JETTY, AND CATCH ALL YOU EVER WANTED OF THE TRUE BULL REDFISH.  FISHING BECAME WORK, WHEN WE'D ANCHOR UP. 

WERE THESE YEARS WETTER...I BELIEVE SO.  I REMEMBER TROPICAL STORM FAY, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_Storm_Fay_(2008)  THAT DROPPED SO MUCH RAIN ON DAYTONA, THAT AREAS WERE UNDER WATER, WHILE JACKSONVILLE HAD SOMETHING LIKE 18 INCHES IN 24 HRS. MIXED WITH IT BEING THE START OF THE FALL SEASON BY THE TIME ALL THAT WATER FLUSHED OUT TO THE JETTIES, 

''WE WERE IN FISHING HEAVEN. EVERYTHING WAS BITING, FROM GIANT REDFISH SIZED CROAKERS TO TROUT AND BLACK DRUM, BLACKTIPS, AND BULL REDS...''

I'M JUST USING T.S. FAY AS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT COULD BE. BECAUSE THE FISH IN THE ST. JOHNS RIVER IN DUVAL COUNTY ARE STARVED FOR FRESHWATER, ALL THE TIME! (THE WORD ESTUARY MEANS: An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environments.) 
BUT THE DEFINITION DOESN'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT, UN-NATURAL RIVERS, DREDGED, W/ OPEN OCEAN FLOWING AT ITS MAXIMUM!



LOCAL FISHING THRIVES WHEN THAT GREAT SALTY BAY WE ALL FISH GETS, ''FRESH!!'' 
OUR ESTUARY IS STARVED FOR FRESH/BRACKISH WATER IN DUVAL COUNTY.

....and BTW, I lost about a grand this week alone, in reschedules already!
who else loves a unpaid week long vacation?
let me know in the comments if you like being BROKE!