2/7 - After the big CHILL

If you are anything like me, you just can't deal with high winds and bone chilling (for us) temperatures. And the first break in the cold, just have to get out there on the water.

I wasn't alone Saturday. Plenty of other's were obviously feeling the same way.

I was up and bright eyed at 4:00am. Just couldn't lay flat any longer, and at B&M bait & tackle by 5:30am. But it wasn't going to be light'ish till 7am. So I just hung out watching the crowds pour on in to the shop and accessed where people were heading, be it either inshore or offshore, by what bait they bought.

Heck it's been 4 whole day since I was in my boat. And if you are in love with "your" boat as much as I am mine. That's just way too long. Just being on it's deck makes me happy.

So off I headed, fresh live local shrimp in the well. It was still damn cold. And why the hell I headed westward, then northward on a full moon, high tide was beyond me. I stopped looked down at my RayMarine C-120, and saw 47.2 degrees in 3 feet of water, where I planned on setting up shop. Yeah, like it was April, or November....."I was gonna fish a shell bar where I usually see Reds move, as the sun peaks up on a high tide", at least that's what my brain said. Reality said, "Hey fool.....look at that water temp.....don't ya know it's freezing out here, and two days ago it was 18 degrees!!!!!"

Well, I was here now. And that was really reality. So I chucked out a bottom rig, and made a cast with a float rig. The only sign of life I saw was one Mullet jump along the grass. No other bait movement, no swirls, no nuthin'!

It took me about 20 minutes to say, "I'm outa here!" As I pulled anchor and headed to the river, where the tide had started to fall.

With a serious NEGATIVE low tide, this was gonna be a real belly washer. So I decided to take it easy on myself. I went to look for new possible Trout spots. Which can always be other fish spots too.

And I went to an area that has held some interest of mine for awhile. Previously, I have caught Black Drum, Reds to 45 pounds, sometimes a few keepers, loads of Croakers, but never a single Trout.

Every five minutes the tide made the landscape of the river bank change. If you don't take advantage of super negative tides just to look around. You are missing out.

Especially, if those tides come with zero wind, on a bright beautiful day. Versus a negative tide, when the winds howling from the west at 25 knots.

I learned more about this spot then I have while fishing it for the last 10 years!

And I found LOADS of school sized Trout, too. I know now exactly where they like to hang out, and why they hang there and for how long. To put it plainly, "I now have a file on them."

Come spring time, when the big GATOR Trout are on the move, following the bait. This could be an area where I could come on in, hit a few Trout, maybe a GATOR or two, maybe a Float-rig Redfish, and move on up river with the tide. That's why I like to think of myself as a "tide runner", which is also another nick-name for Weakfish, or Specks. Move when they do!!

I tried, but I never caught a Drum or a Redbass there, and then ended up at the jetties.

And believe me, it was no party out there either. But did manage some Yellowmouths, and several Specks to 20 inches........"of course I was fishing for Reds, Drum and Sheepshead", I told myself.

It just felt good to get that tug on my Biscayne rod, after watching the float go down.

It was way cooler at the jetties with a slight easterly breeze blowing.

I'm heading out Monday......this time no Crack O' Dawn departure. And this time I hope I can fish were I want too, rather then fishing where I have too. Because of so many people.

Louisiana, or even way north of this urban'ville, sure needs to be in my future before my fishing days are over.

2/3 - HEADING TO MIAMI - FEB 14

I'm gonna post this now, for all to see.
I'm heading to the Miami Boat show Feb 14-15th, come back and have a charter on the 16th.

Why do I say this? Because every year I head down there, I get calls from "late callers" who want to book a charter at the last minute, because it's Valentines Day weekend. I loose $, but at the same time I need some advanced notice folks...It's the only time I ever leave J-ville all year long.

It's my birthday too, so we usually try and get the heck out of this burning cold, and go to the warmth like a "Florida snow bird".

This year will be special though, it's the debut of the ROCKSALT 34 and I'm sure will be the only welded alloy plate trailer boat at the whole boat show!!

I know the President of RockSalt, he's also the rep for my boat, the BlackLab Marine boats.

Can't wait to sit and watch all the "gold chain wearing, Miami go fast, crowd" come up and "knock" on the side of the RockSalt, like everyone just has to do, to my boat. Everyone just has to knock on them?

I posted pics of the Rock Salt 34 here before. It's one bad azz boat 1/4" thick solid as hell aluminum alloy plate, that does 60+ MPH.

http://www.rocksaltboats.com/ - Fishing & Military

That's not "gray" paint, that textured alloy!

*watch out, Contender, and Fountain.

Plus, I get to chit-chat with the guys from Biscayne rods, who are building all my specialized "Float-rig" rods.


These are the best rods I have ever used for float-rig fishing, period. I have used many brands in the past and all have worked, but these are "perfect". Eddie Carman of Biscayne really did his homeowork for me. From a 2 pound Trout to a 20 pound Redbass, they are great...it's all about NOT pulling the small hooks I use, or breaking the light leader.
Old school Fiberglass....new age technology mixed together. Low profile-high speed reels, floats that weigh nearly nothing, super braid line that "floats" on the water, .....oh how I dig a combo like this!!



SEE YA IN MIAMI BEACH.....

2/1 - Hard to get a "groove" on.

Had Peter F. take advantage of my "Super-bowl Sunday" charter I had announced earlier that I discounted....."because I'm usually out there alone, on super bowl Sunday's".
It's a serious "couch potato", party day for most folks, I guess.

So I met Pete and his daughter Nicki, and we took off to the ICW. There was one heck of a weak incoming tide today. With a SW cold wind inshore. But I gambled at heading to an incoming tide spot I fished on Friday, with good success with Dave C. just as the tide was moving in.

I went through the "everything you need to know about Float-rig fishing , but was afraid to ask" session, so Nicki knew what we were doing. Since she was the newbie on the deck, today.

The current was perfect, everything looked great. But we never lost a single shrimp to fish lips!
So I made a move, tried it again....still ZIP. Hmmmm, just three days prior this spot was a I.G. - instantaneous gratification location.

"Oh geez, it's not gonna be one of these days is it?" I thought. And in the back of my mind I figured we'd just bottom fish a few places also, since we couldn't keep any Trout. But since we didn't catch any....I was wide open to about anything.

We ended up at the jetties, caught a few Yellowmouth's, a few small sand Trout on the high tide, and couldn't get a "groove on" there either. It was cold and the winds chill was a burner. Pete & Nicki could have had on about 3 more layers on, to be more comfortable during the "on plane" boat travel.

We fished a spot on the North Jetty and caught a decent Speck, and a Flounder, then finally the tide switched. And I had a spot where I wanted to pitch some bottom rigs out and look for some Drum along the rocks. Not the best tide, I'd opt for the absolute last of the falling tide for Drum, "but I had what I had."

Used the cider-block anchor and held along the spot perfectly and pitched out some baits. A super hard area. On my color 12" bottom machine, it's solid red. Hard, like lime rock, which it probably is. Swept clean from the current. Pock marked with holes and voids that I can easily see. But I've never bottom fished here....so we were doing some R&D on the spot.

It may have been the tide, the 57 degree water temp. who the hell knows. But we caught TOADFISH. Then, Black Seabass. I told Peter and Nicki, that Toads are the lowest on the totem pole, if they're able and biting it's because no one else is. But at the same time, you are probably fishing some serious "crag-nasty" bottom if you're away from the jetty itself, and still catching them. But, we stayed and continued to see what would happen after the current really started rolling along.

The good current came. and then nothing happened. The bites stopped completely. And it was getting late and really cold, so we headed back to the dock.

I'm not giving up on this "PHB"-patch of hard bottom. But will try it again, on another day at a lower tide. I find so many places as I work along the rocks float-rig fishing. Usually I see things as I'm slowly cruising along from Trout spot to Trout spot. And having a really good bottom machine is invaluable. This was one of those areas. When I see "RED" like that, I have to drop down on it. (bright red and thick, = a really strong signal return from my bottom scope.) Just like you see on an offshore reef. And as the saying goes;
H-A-R-D means, F-I-S-H.

Except for today, obviously. But I don't give up all that easy on an area. Give me a month or two and I'll know every square inch of that spot. I've already caught a decent Trout there. And believe it's where I'll find some Gators in the 18' of water, come Spring.

No matter how hard I tried today, it was hard to get a groove going. And now that I look back, I should have stayed in the ICW or river during the falling tide, instead of going to the jetties. But I hate second guessing myself. But we all do it.

Pete and Nicki learned a thing or two today. We went over plenty of the details.

But I'm waiting for the day I find them monster Yellowmouth Trout (up to 5# plus). And get in a rally of them, that makes everyone all smiles, and lasts for an entire tide. They're a cold February day at the jetties, "Day Saver" for sure.

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BTW....the Shimano Tekota 300's casting reels, I have for sale on the side bar of this page are now on E-bay. So if you've been thinking you may want one at this deeply discounted price. Call or email me.
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1/30 - OUT WITH A B-A-N-G!

Rescheduled yesterday because of the rain, dark skies, cold and wind.
So Dave C. and I went today instead in the dark skies, wind, cold, but we had hope it would still be better than yesterday.

AND IT WAS.

I talked to Dave last night and said, Let's give Friday a try...he hemmed and hawed. "Maybe we could go Sunday if we go early, he said". Since Sunday's weather report is the best. And then I told him the Trout are closed on Feb. 1st. So he immediately said, "Okay, how bout 8am tomorrow?", I replied, "see ya then".

So off we went at 8am this morning. The boat ramp, which is usually packed on most Friday's was nearly vacant, except for a few Crabbers.

I went up river, made a turn here, a turn there, and pulled up on a spot that wasn't going to be exactly right tide wise, for a few hours. But I was gonna try it anyhow.

Dave baited up, and 3 seconds later caught a small trout!
I.G. - INSTANTANEOUS GRATIFICATION!

Then he caught another one. So I pitched out, away from where he just went and my float went down, and his float went down.....double header!
"I guess today it doesn't matter if we're early on the spot", I said.

It was dark, gloomy, cold, and windy.....but really wasn't all that bad. Which was funny....
I've been out catching ZERO, with 4 people on board all starring at me like it was my fault, on days 10 times worse.

We continued catching, and threw 2 or 3 decent fish up to 18" in the fish box. But it was evident as all hell, the fish were coming in small schools into the area. We'd get bit, then it would lay off for awhile, then they'd bite again. No Reds, No Drum. Just Trout. I didn't take any photo's because I really need to protect this little gem of a spot. Incoming high tide areas, real close, are hard to come by.
Here's a rogue Trout that tried to eat Dave's arm while he was fishing.....hahahahah.

The bites really faded, we played with all the Trout we wanted here, so we moved on. And eventually ended up back in the Mayport area hitting a few spots, picking a Trout here and there.

Then, we hit the jetties......"what's that? Is that the sun? Oh it is, I feel it's undeniable warmth and comfort". And right then our day got alot better!

And we also hit a spot where a few larger fish were caught, up to 22 inchers.

It sure did feel good to go out of January with a bang. Now let's see what the first week of March will be like, when my favorite speckley bastards come back into season. I can tell ya that usually it's blowin like all hell and raining. And people like myself and DOA Rob are going nuts, wanting to get back on the bite, and get ready for the big run of spring spawners.

Yeah, we're a different crowd. Most fisherman in these parts fish for Sheepshead. Which brings me to a story..... ya know Sheepshead aren't very well respected in the Gulf Of Mexico states, and especially Texas, "home of whopper sized Trout". So I was doing my moderation duties the other day on Aluminumalloyboats.com and a new member from Texas said, he was into tailing Reds in the shallows, and I asked about the Texas Trout. He replied I also catch some Sheepshead, and keep them for Shark bait. Sitting at my computer reading that comment, I busted out laughing! I thought to myself, "Yep, this fella's a Texan all right."

I replied back to him, that King Mackerel in the summer, and Sheepshead in the winter are KINGS around here.

I like 'em all........but I "love" my BIG SPECKLED TROUT!

1/29 - So what's the best day? // Experiment over.

Well, obviously today I was supposed to be out at 10am with Dave C. from Virginia Beach. But...we decided to not go in the rain. Good call!

So, here comes some cold weather again, into N.E. Florida. Heck, I don't mind the cold, it's the wind that makes it mesirable. No wind + cold = usually a good day!

FRIDAY NORTHWEST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. SEAS 2 TO 4 FEET. INLAND WATERS A MODERATE CHOP.

SATURDAY NORTH WEST WINDS 10 TO 15 KNOTS. SEAS 2 TO 4 FEET. INLAND WATERS A MODERATE CHOP.

SUNDAY LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS. SEAS 2 FEET OR LESS. INLAND WATERS SMOOTH.

MONDAY SOUTH WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. SEAS 3 TO 5 FEET. INLANDWATERS CHOPPY. SCATTERED SHOWERS.

But here's the deal......Dave's a Trout man and can be a "keeper man", no problem.
And "as of now" the best day looks like Sunday.....damn the luck!

Here's Dave and I last year.

Me and my buddy, D.O.A. Rob were talking. As long as the Trout are REALLY BIG, we don't mind catch & release. But when ya have those perfect 18-20 inchers...Ohh, that's the tough days, during the Trout closure.

I usually do so well on SuperBowl Sunday's.
And I usually end up going by myself, though.

I'm no football fan. So, here's the deal!

$50.00 OFF FOR ANYONE WHO RESERVES SUPER BOWL SUNDAY FEB. 1ST. MAX: 3 PASSENGERS, ADVANCED DEPOSIT VIA :http://www.captdaves.com/Policy%20Page.html, WITH POLICIES READ SUBMISSION.

ACT NOW! (904) 642-9546

----------------------------

HAILING ALL JETTY FISHERMAN...

You may have read awhile ago I gave up on "jetty anchors". Ya know the type, rebar welded into a pipe, four tines that grab and then bend out. The reason I gave up on them, is because I need a big one! And when ya talk big jetty anchor that means one that will hold a 26' boat. Which inturn means it takes up along of space. And if you don't have an anchor locker that's enormous as 99.99% of most boat do not, then it sits on the deck. I have space, but then again I like to carry a regular "Fluke" style anchor too.....now were pushin it!

So I cameback to the ole 1/2 -Cinder block method. A throw-back idea from when I used to use 5 holed bricks in my first boat, a 1974 14' Aluma-Craft. But recently on this boat I have now, I ran my anchor chain around the middle of the cinder block. This worked okay, but the pull point was sloppy and it would hold one minute, then pull out of the jetties the next.

So, I kept thinking....what if the point at which I attached my chain was more solid. So I went to the mega-mart and found just what I needed. A 1/2 cinder block, with a slot directly in the middle. "Oh, how the smoke was flowing, now!"

And here's what I came up with. The Jettywolf Industries LLC. "Economy Anchor"

A threaded eye bolt, 2 plate's and a few nuts, made the difference. On a 1/2 rectangular block.

Then, on the end of my anchor chain, I have a S.S. heavy duty Alpine snap, which can snap to either anchor I need to use, the block or the fluke anchor.

If you read the last few reports (where I was messin up the big fattie Trout with Carl, Nick and by myself) These were a few of the days I was using this anchor exclusively. Check it out big time.

It's not a chuck it and forget it anchor, which by the way isn't how you should anchor in the jetty rocks anyway. I see many people walk to the bow of the boat, and chuck the rebar jetty anchors. This is a good way of never seeing it again. Pull up, drop it over the side and let it fall under some sort of command. as the boat drifts back, hold tension, so only the tines catch.

Same deal with the block. It has to wedge between a rock and hard spot down there, which isn't hard to do, now the pull point is secure. I have found, it may take twice to get it stuck right.

This maybe a "my boat size only" deal, and certainly isn't for everyone. I know some folks use a jetty anchor for their main anchor all the time. I did too, when I had a smaller boat. But I found this works good enough to pass on the info.

Plus, it takes up not nearly the room a Jetty anchor uses. Goes down like a "brick", and best thing of all comes out of the jetty rocks with minimal hassles. That's what I like best!

I'll have it tied off to my massive welded cleats, and just drive away. Or if I don't have room to do that, I just get over the top of it, shake it and it pops right out.

For me the pull point, where I snap on the alpine snap, that eye bolt....was the ticket. Running my chain through the middle of the block didn't work as good, for me. So what do I have invested in my "Economy Anchor"?

1/2 cinder block- $1.50 - It's a GREEN anchor...add to the jetty rocks, don't try to drag them off the pile!

Hard ware - $3.00? I believe if I had too, I could maybe break the block and still get my hardware back, leaving the block down there.

I'm not bored.

I'm not rich.

I'm not thrifty.

But I am focused.

1/26 - Record setting day.....beautiful too.

I say this every single year, in January. YOU ARE MISSING IT!

I know, I call January, recovery month. Because of the "holiday's". And Jacksonville in January isn't where everyone runs to, during the winter. "It gets too cold here." Is what I've heard.

But even locals may not know how to go about getting a charter on our river, like I had today. Because you need a flexible schedule. And who today has that?

But I do. So I chartered myself!

But, for someone who has the pick of a day (as do I) this is another time, I live for.

Example: A Monday, preferably after a really nice weekend (this Saturday & Sunday was) and have a Monday forecast that's even better. Because it was foggy....most of the time FOG means calm, and windless. Add all this together plus, I have the pick of all my spots. Because NO one is camping on them.

So this also equals, I get to anchor on areas that are normally way too open to incessant wakes from ships, tugs, and boaters.

Yeah, I had to still keep an eye open for those ship wakes, but in between I got to sit and "R&D" on slick calm waters. It was Glorious!

I only fished 3 or 4 spots. Giving each one a thorough going over. The tides today were PERFECT!

A 4.4 foot falling tide. With a low tide at 2:30 pm, that ran till 5:00 pm near the inlet. As I say, any falling tide less than 4 feet, I don't like. They don't have enough current. Over 5 feet, is too strong. And today was even the new moon. But remember to always take into account (for you local fisherman out there) wind speed & direction, and barometric pressure plays a part in what the end product of what any tide will actually be, when you get out there.

I did not even leave the house till 10:00 am, because I wanted to fish the last half of the falling tide, "statistically".

Started out, catching the larger Trout I went looking for, and boxed my 5 - limit on my first anchor.

Boxing the first 5, because they were perfect fish, again, 19-22 inchers. It just doesn't get much better than this for around here, when it comes to prime keeper fish.

The big fat Specks came rather easy. But then, I hung into something that had nothing easy about it.

My float went down like JAWS taking down the beer kegs. I reeled and lifted my 8' Biscayne float rig rod, and that's when I realized this ain't no Trout.

It was a Redbass. And then 5 minutes into the fight, I realized this isn't your regular "rock crawling" Jetty Red! And then, about 5 minutes more of playing tug of war, I wasn't completely sure if I was gonna be the winner of this war. My small hook, and light leader that I use to "fool" wary Specks may not hold. But thanks to a soft action fiberglass rod, and the silky drag of my Shimano Curado, I finally got a glimpse of what I had hooked.

It was a really big Redbass. Then, after another few more minutes of just putting in my time on this light tackle, I got the fish into the net.

This Redbass was 40" and weighed in at 22 pounds. My largest "Float-Rig" caught Red, ever! Prior, my largest on the ole float-rig was 18 pounds. I just set myself a new record to beat, and I guess that means I'll have to float-rig fish the "pogy pods" this spring to get a larger Red. That's if, we have any "pogy pods" this spring. Or wait to run into another Brutus T. Redbass up on the jetty rocks.

I finally moved from my first anchor position and worked another spot that I've wanted to check out, caught a few Specks there. Then, I made a move to another spot I haven't hit in awhile.

On my second drift I caught another Redbass, 28 incher.

And after the Red, it was wack-n-stack on the 15-16" Trout. Every other drift of the float, I got bit.

It was a ridicules bite of Specks, so I just played a little and used up the rest of my shrimp.

BIG WATER, BIG SPECKS & REDS.

Damn, I love days, like today.

1/23- BEAUTIFUL again....and warmer!!!

As many morning I sat checking emails, drinking some coffee while watching the sun come up.
And when it did today, I could easily see that it was yet another wonderful looking day.

Since time is ticking away, and Feb. 1st will be here before I know it (when Speckled Trout close for harvest for 28 days) I decided to get everything ready for a 9:30am departure, for the JETTIES!

By 10:00 am the boat was in the water, the live local shrimp from B&M bait and tackle were kickin' in the livewell and I headed due EAST. As usual I had a spot in mind that I wanted to try. Since Carl and I were there yesterday and without much fanfare we left, it was only a 1 Trout spot. But, I was making a bee-line straight for it and no one was around, either.

I do many charters I call "instructional". And I do not know if I have beat this point home to some of the fisherman, I've taken. But should be evident, if they read these reports.

I often take a spot that I'm basically familiar with and fish it hard for several hours during a portion of the tide that seems proper for the area. Learn where every hang-up is, where every high rock is, which usually paints a picture in my mind of what the underwater scene looks like.


Float-rig fishing is perfect for learning an area. Because as you drift your rig back and forth all over an area, up to 100 feet behind the boat, you'll soon learn where the bites come from, where there's shallow spots, hang ups and current edges are. That's what I wanted to do more of today, at the location, I choose.

And I learned that "today", all I had to do is put my float in a certain spot, hit a high rock, go around it, and my float went down. I no sooner got anchored and had two fat 18-19 inch Specks in my first 6 drifts of my float. Then, the phone rang....It was my buddy Nick. I hadn't heard from him in awhile. He explained he was super sick and was now feeling better, in between busy with gigs out of town with his band RATHKELTAIR. I asked him if he wanted me to come get him and we could shoot the bull and fish, he said, "GREAT".


And between the time I pulled anchor to run back to the dock to meet him. I lost two more Trout, caught a small Redbass, and boxed 3 Trout and my limit was had.

It was now just 10:40 am. They were chewin, and I found the "nest". Every single Trout was 18-19 inchers. I was so excited, and with 5 Trout like these in the box in 40 minutes. I could have just gone home, and stood on the deck of an Aircraft Carrier and stated, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. (A Bush, tactic) But I dragged up the anchor and ran back to the dock and picked up Nick.


I ran back the jetties and we anchored up on the exact same spot. I told Nick, "here ya go, get your 5, too." I explained exactly where the fish were and on Nick's second drift he had a nice fattie. I was gonna lay back, but could stand it. I had to get in there and rip another beautiful Speck from behind the high rock, 30 feet from the boat. So out the next 5, Nick caught two and I helped him out catching the last three for our now, measly 10 Speck limit.

















No sense beating them up, so we left after the box had all the Trout we could keep. So we went hunting a Black Drum or two, so we moved and decided to pitch "Jig-N-Shrimp" combo meals at the jetty rocks. We pitched and pitched and only had a few small Seabass, that sure were cold feeling after pulling them off the bottom. And then I made a cast out and away from the jetty rocks and nailed a small Pup Black Drum, it was 15 inches, so in the box it went with the Trout.
"Targeted Species in the cooler!"
















We kept fishing and it was just plain dead. We really had no action, but we kept trying and just having fun shooting the bull. The S.E. sea breeze started up and we decided to call it a day....a beautiful day!

I'm gonna stock up on tasty Specks all I can (weather permitting) until Jan. 31st. I eat fish no less than 4 nights a week. So back at the dock, I ran the fillet knife through the Drum and all 10 Trout "lickety split." That's why I love 'em. So much fun to catch, so easy to clean. Totally boneless, skinless, "back-strap" fillets, for the pan.

I just finished up having three fillets in a vegetable stir fry dish, that were just swimming a few hours ago. It don't get much better than that.

GET WHILE THE GETTING IS GOOD. THE WEATHER COULDN'T BE FINER, AND THE FISH COULDN'T GET ANY FRESHER. CALL TO CATCH YOURS TODAY!

1/22 - BEAUTIFUL, but chilly.

Had the pleasure of finally getting Carl J. out on his second, "polishing his float rig skills" charter. Because of wind, wind & cold and, "the weatherman sure did miss this one."
And we sure did have a good time!

Yes, the new digital sign with the Temp and Time on the what used to be back gate of the Navy base said it was a balmy 26 degrees as I passed it by at 0700 hrs. But the no wind, and dead calm conditions helped to make it one fine morning.

The tide was falling, so I headed up river. Carl baited up and on his first drift had a small Trout.
Then I baited up and had a Trout too. "Damn, this is better than I expected."
With the multiple attempts we've done lately to get out, and the deep winter chill. I told Carl, all we have to do is catch fish, doesn't matter how big or small they are. And I'll be happy.













Then came the keeper Trout, came.














This creek type Trout weren't monsters. But in the box they went.
Carl and I were getting happier.














Then, we started catching some creek flounder.














We caught a small Redbass, out a limit of Specks in the box and two Flounder, and had lots of throw back Specks all on the first anchor. I was warm, Carl was smiling, the box looked good. As the tide fell lower, I had one more spot I wanted to try. So we moved on as the action tapered off. But the best spot didn't produce what we were looking for, so it was time to head to the jetties.

I have these new fiberglass Float-rigging rods and really wanted to see how they'd do on a big Redbass. So we dropped the cinder block into the jetties and worked a spot that usually produces a good Red. Instead, it produced a nice Speck....but not a single Redbass bite.















No reds here, so we moved on again. And on the next spot it was just small Yellowmouth Trout, so we kept a few and moved on again. I couldn't pass a big Trout spot without trying it, so we anchored up and it too produced only one Trout on the first bit of the incoming tide. And the largest Trout of the day....."it's a big Trout spot!"


















So after really trying hard to get another larger trout which never happened, we made a last move of the day, to a shallow water spot. But we were a few hours early and never even lost a bait, which was hard to believe. It was "time to go make the donuts", aka: Fish cleaning time.

We sure could need some good warm days, to liven things up a bit, and this weekend looks to be just what I'm looking for. The fishing isn't off much on these cold mornings, but ya know me....I'm always hunting a really big Trout, or lots of seriously nice "boxers".

We did okay today, they bit where I didn't think they would, and didn't where I thought they would.

1/20 - Lousy weather!!

Since Saturday there sure has been some really crappy weather....yeah the sun shining, but the WIND is howling. Let me remind everyone, WIND IS OUR WORST ENEMY.

Was "again" supposed to be out with Carl J. today. But we rescheduled for the 2nd or 3rd time now, till Thursday, because of winds or cold temps.

Right now the forecast for Thursday looks "do-able".

I sure hope so. Because in my "hunt" for a long 7'6" to 8', EVA foam handled, trigger reel seat, FIBERGLASS casting rod, I found some. That's not an easy find! I really want to see how they work.

Of course, they are rather "inexpensive" rods, but as long as they have the soft parabolic action I'm looking for in my float-rig fishing. It doesn't matter to me.

My 8' G. Loomis "Bucara" high dollar models work, especially on really big fish. But I find them a bit heavy actioned for a 2 pound Speckled Trout.

I guess Carl will be the first to break one in on Thursday.

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Still have (3) of the G. Loomis "greenwater" rods left for sale,

and (4) of the Shimano 300 Tekota's.

Priced right.

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The Tree Hugger News:

Wind, our worst enemy?

HIRE THIS MAN!!!!!

How about this for an idea? Instead of huge fields of windmills, or lines of windmills on the tops of mountains like they have here in West Virginia, let's utilize the wind generated by cars whooshing down the freeway. Brilliant!
A student in Arizona State University came up with this idea, and it's being proposed for a stretch of desert highway that is quite busy near Phoenix.

1/17 - Coldest day of the year????

All ya have to do is have friends that live & fish in the Northeast to appreciate what COLD really is and hear them complaining to appreciate what we have. And I laugh at the local-yokal TV news here in J-ville. According to them they make it sound as if life as we know it, is gonna END!!!!

Saturday was a beautiful day. A tad windy at times, but the cold was no big deal!

Left out from the dock at 9:30am, Tim and Pedro were right on time. I was ready, and in full "Nordic garb" , and was toasty warm in my knee high insulated boots, long johns and fully insulated Dickies cover-alls.

I told Tim & Pedro that one thing I have learned over the years is to go ahead and spend the bucks to make sure I'm "all weather ready". Because no matter the days weather, I'll probably have that day booked and will be going out in it.

I call it "makin' a living", just like the crabbers I saw taking off from the dock, before Tim & Pedro showed up.

I was going to head straight to the jetties. But the N.E. wind was howling a bit out there, and really had plans to fish the ICW, in protected waters.

The same place I did the R&D, on Thursday.

The only problem after we arrived on the spot was that we'd need patience. Because we were early.....it's a high tide spot. But we gave it a try, and I went through all the Float-rigging in's & out's with them. Or as I refered to it as, "Everything your wanted to know about the float-rig and even some you didn't".

We worked two areas hard with no bites, and it's because we were way early. But then as the tide got right, the fish showed up.

Pup Drum, Pup Reds, small Trout, big Trout up to

21 inches, a Flounder. But we never got into an absolute

"way-lay".

It was pick a fish here and there.

So before noon we made a run out to the jetties. The tide was still flooding a little bit, the N.E. wind had backed off and it was nice and warm, comparatively speaking.

Once anchored up, I immediately have all my Jettywolf senses working. And I just wasn't getting a "good feeling". The current was about nothing where we were. The floats just blew with the wind. Although the water was clear, green and calm. Tim tried deep and found a small patch of small Yellowmouth Trout, while Pedro and I fished a bit shallower up on the rocks, where the Reds and Specks should have been....but weren't. Tim caught a handful of Yellowmouths, and we kept two of the largest, for insurance. I even moved around a little and tried to connect with some current, but it just never happened.

We moved and changed locales. And I just had to try a big Trout spot before heading in. All three of us worked it hard, fishing for that trophy that this spot can produce. We rotated up and down the side of the boat drifting our floats just perfectlydown the jetty rocks, and no bites!

So I pinned on one last frisky live shrimp and made one more attempt. I walked up to the bow, pitched close to the rocks and my float went down! Holy crap, this fish fought. Digging for the deep water and bucking it's head, I said, "Tim, grab the net...I wanted you guys top catch this one!" and right then, the fish came unpinned from the hook. All I can say is, if it was a Trout, it was a monster!

Oh well, you can't win them every time, right? But we gave the big Trout spot a try, at least.

So we headed in.

Tim sent these photos of what he left with and still needed cleaning. Looks like good eats to me!

Stoke up the frier Momma!

1/15 - COLD?...how 'bout beautiful

I'm really tired of guessing at this weather. From now on, no more. Was going to have Carl J. on board for his second charter. But we moved it to next week because of the forecast. Listening to the TV people would have you thinking that your house would become a block of ice over night.

So I got up went outside, it really wasn't all that cold at all. When DOA Rob and I were out on Monday, now that was C-O-L-D!! The difference is 20 knots of wind. Monday, yes. Today, no.

So I answered e-mails, drank some coffee, looked at the Marine Forecast. Same deal 20 kts. small craft caution. But since I live between two creeks, and the river is only about a mile away. I didn't believe it, in my yard it was wonderful with not a branch even moving.

So I decided to go at the last minute around 10am. I've been thinking about a area, and I wanted to get more familiar with it. So I made a bee-line there, on a next to no wind, beautiful sunny day with NO ONE AROUND.

Look....I was the only one at the boat ramp parking lot. Not another Truck and trailer.

Man, was I lucky! I'm OMEGA-MAN, on a bright sunny day!
I anchored up after looking around on this area, and on my first drift of my float-rig and sprightly shrimp.

Float gone! A decent box fish at 16".



Okay, was this fish the lone angler, or is there more here?

I worked the spot and found where they really were, and I was close. But not close enough.

BUT. If you're float-rig fishing and you find you are getting bit 75 feet from the boat, do you make a move back, or stay put?

I've found that challenging to answer. Because too many times, I've made a move to get closer to the fish, and found once I'm there, they've vacated.

Either scared off, or I didn't move fast enough and something like the current all of sudden changed.

So, after loosing a few big Trout because of a 75' hook-set and then a battle against the current back to the boat. I made a move.

But, this time I planned it out. I drifted back with no motor running, and when I did have to start the motor I did it well away from where I needed to be and quickly shut down as soon as I could, after re-anchoring.

And after all that.....not one bite! Oh no, not again? I literally was two boat lengths from where I was hooking big Trout. I knew it. If this has happened once it's happened a 1000 times.

But I was patient. I tried all around, and then I found them. Nice big 19 to 20 inch Trout. I caught 3 in a row.

Okay, I caught 4 keeper fatties, I lost 2 and I threw back 4 that were 14-1/2 inches.

I think this is a spot worth putting in the GPS chart plotter....so I hit the "save" button.

The incoming tide has now slacked, and so did the Specks. But the light breeze was holding the boat perfectly in position, so I kept fishing.

And the same exact spot turned into "pupper-ville", Pup Redbass. They were fun, but small 14-16 inchers.

The camera took the photo as I was picking my lil' pupper up off the floor.

I caught 4 or 5, thinking I may luck into a 18-20 incher for the box. My favorite size Redbass for the cooler.

But I didn't catch a keeper, so I moved on satisfied that I got to scope out a new spot that holds some big Trout.

I wasn't going home till I had my 5 Trout.

I had a hankering for some Trout meeting Mr. Zateran. And Trout was on the menu tonight.

So I tried a spot that DOA Rob fishes with his Kayak and DOA shrimp lure. He even caught an 8 pounder there, so I pulled up and anchored.

But no 8 pounder for me today, just one 14 inch Trout, that was it. So I made another move.

I made a run for a few miles and went to a really good big fish spot. And on my first drift of the float, I caught a 14-3/4 incher, then another one, and another one.....Don't they know this is a BIG Trout spot. The phone rang and I hooked another as I answered it. Damn, I want a big one. So after the charter call, I tried one more drift...and that's all I needed.

The float went down, the drag pulled, and there it was. The fish I needed. A perfect 21 incher for the box, which made 5 and I headed back to the boat ramp.

I was going to call Carl (the fella who was supposed to go with me today) as I pulled out of the driveway and say, "come on Carl, I'll meet ya at the boat ramp." But I know how I feel when it's a last minute deal and I'm doing something else. So we'll just go with our Tuesday charter.

There's nothing like Trout so fresh for supper that they were just swimming an hour or two ago. That's why I need some. I don't usually freeze any fish. I catch, I eat, I go fishing again.

At the Mayport Boat Ramp, the tide was really low when I pulled up to clean my Trout.

And I noticed that "hole" that so many people back into when launching too close to the walk-way, at a lower than low tide.

It's not really a hole, it's just where the the concrete stops. It's full of broken rocks and sand.

If the city would buy them, I'd fix this myself.

All it needs is some bagged concrete to be sat in there and the rocks pulled out.

Here's what the "port" side looks like....yep a big hump. That "hole" was fixed somewhere along the line. A big blob of concrete was plopped in there.

Hence, the HUMP.

Saturday will be my next day out.

Windy and cold....the wind will make it alot different than today, I'm sure.

Bundle up, Tim & Pedro!