SPRING/SUMMER IS ALREADY HERE, BECAUSE THE JETTYWOLF IS ALREADY BUSY DOING TRIPS WITH THE KIDS.
SINCE WE NEVER REALLY HAD A WINTER, ALL KINDS OF STUFF IS HAPPENING EARLY SO FAR. AND THAT MEANS GOOD AND BAD.
ANYONE THAT KNOWS ME, KNOWS I LOVE DEEP WINTER, BECAUSE IT'S GO TIME FOR TROUT FISHING. WELL, AS OF RIGHT NOW I'VE PRETTY MUCH "HUNG UP" THE TROUT TACKLE (FLOAT-RIG RODS AND REELS) AND THAT'S WEEK EARLY!
TOO MANY BAIT-STEALERS EATING OUR SHRIMP, WATER TEMPS ARE WELL INTO THE 70'S. THE REDFISH EPIC SPRING-TIME BITE AT THE JETTIES SEEM DAMN NEAR NON- EXISTENT, THIS YEAR.
SO IN MY OPINION, "NOT HAVING A DEEP COLD WINTER" HAS EFFECTED PLENTY. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE OFFSHORE CROWD IS ALREADY KING MACKEREL FISHING. SO THERE YA GO...
TODAY 4/25 IS THE FIRST DAY I HAVE USED A LIVE WELL OF POGIES. YEAH, I MAYBE A BIT LATE TO THE PARTY. BUT I'M NOT WASTING FISHING TIME RUNNING AROUND GETTING A DOZEN OF THEM FOR MY SMALL LIVE WELL.
BUT IF THEY ARE SO EZ TO GET, I'LL SURELY GET A NET FULL. AND TODAY THEY WERE SO EZ TO GET IT WAS RIDICULOUS.
USING MY NEW SIDE SCANNING SONAR FEATURE IN MY GARMIN SOUNDER/GPS.
I COULD SEE THEM COMING DOWN THE SIDE OF THE BOAT.
AND I MEAN "DOWN THE SIDE OF THE BOAT!!!!"
SO I THREW THE CAST NET 3 TIMES IN THE STIFF WIND AND HAD ALL I NEEDED.
""I KNEW THE SIDE SCAN FEATURE OF THE GARMIN SOUNDER WOULD BE GREAT FOR FINDING BAIT.""
WE FISHED THE POGIES RIGHT WHERE WE WERE ANCHORED UP, FOR WELL OVER A HOUR WITH NO BITES. (SOUTH JETTY)
SO I PULLED UP SHOP AND SAID GOODBYE TO THE MAYPORT JETTIES FOR THE DAY. (WHICH IN ALL REALITY, HAVE BEEN A REAL BUMMER LATELY FOR ME)
I WENT UP IN THE RIVER AND ANCHORED UP AGAIN IN THE STIFF WIND AND SCOTT AND I BOTH PINNED ON A SMALL LIVE POGIE , AGAIN.
ON SCOTT'S FIRST CAST HERE'S WHAT HE CAUGHT:
A 7 POUND SPECKLED TROUT!
WE CONTINUED FISHING AND I HOOKED UP ON TWO AND LOST THEM. (I WAS USING A TINY LITTLE HOOK, THAT I NEVER CHANGED OUT FROM FISHING LIVE SHRIMP) BUT EITHER WAY, I FINALLY HOOKED UP A 19-1/2 INCH TROUT.
SCOTT CAUGHT A NICE CHUNKY SEA BASS, HAD A FEW OTHER "PICK-UPS"...BUT THAT WAS IT ON THIS SPOT.
SO WE MOVED ON WITHOUT MUCH ELSE GOING ON, BEFORE SCOTT HAD TO CATCH A PLANE BACK TO CALIFORNIA.
NOT A TON OF ACTION.
BUT. A VIDEO IS COMING SOON OF TODAY'S CHILLY MORNING,AND STIFF WINDS.
SO STAY TUNED.