Monday, May 14, 2007
5/13 - Mothers Day 2007 and past momma days...revised.
Friday, May 11, 2007
5/11 - AFTER THE BIG BLOW
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
5/9 - ONE SORRY WEEK (revised 3 times)
No, that is not an ad for Arlington Bait & Tackle, although it would make a good one. Huh? They are some really nice folks over there. It's a pic of me drifting my float down the rocks, catchin' fishez on a calm day in MAY!!!!!!!!!!
Looks like Thursday is my day:
THURSDAY SOUTHWEST WINDS 5 TO 10 KNOTS BECOMING EAST IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 2 TO 4 FEET. INLAND WATERS A LIGHT CHOP. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS.
But this was also issued:
National Hurricane Center – 11:00 am – Tropical Storm Watch has been issued along the Southeast Coast from Altamaha Sound, GA to Flagler Beach, FL. A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area, generally within the next 36 hours.
The center of Subtropical Storm Andrea is about 150 miles northeast of Daytona Beach, FL Andrea is moving generally toward the west at 3MPH. Maximum sustained winds are near 45 MPH. with higher gusts. Little change in strength is forecasted during the next 24 hours.
So, I'll bring a rain Jacket. BIG DEAL. If there's no wind I just have to go find those Speckley Troutz again, since I haven't been since last Thursday.
FORGET ALL THAT....UPDATE.....UPDATE....
THERE'S NO WAY. AT THIS TIME THURSDAY 9AM THE WINDS GUSTING OVER 25 KNOTS.
LOOKS LIKE ITS NOT WORTH GOING TILL THE WEEKEND, IF AT ALL.
THIS IS UNPRECEDENTED WEATHER FOR US FISHERMAN IN MAY...WOW THIS REALLY SUCKS BAD.
AND AS A CHARTER FISHERMAN I'M REALLY ON THE LOOSING END OF THIS STORM! THERE'S NO MAKING THIS UP.
I HOPE SOMEBODY ACTUALLY BOOKS A MEMORIAL HOLIDAY TRIP OR TWO.....SO FAR THE CALENDAR IS A BLANK.
It's TPC time...They moved it from March, and the weather still sucks! Welcome to NE FLORIDA! WELCOME GOLF FANS! WHY DON'T WE GET FISHING FANS? Golf & Fishing are about the same deal....both of us who play the "game" hate high winds! And being EATEN by the native wildlife.
I did have a call from a past customer last night here for the TPC, I guess. And he wanted to rush out there today (Wednesday) which is very "iffy". Especially if he wants to catch anything, decent. The wind is still way up. But will call back later for a "MAYBE" Friday trip. YOU ALWAYS NEED TO PLAN. SHRIMP DON"T GROW ON TREE'S FOLKS!!! Bad weatgher for us can also be bad weather for the live bait shrimpers.
I actually witnessed boats COMING & GOING, from the Mayport Boat Ramp during the height of these Gale Force Wind attacks, the last few days.
-Who are these people??
-Are they the same ones that keep Sea-Tow in business?
-I think, so.
-1-800-ask Dave......I watch the local weather, feel it and predict it better, I think.
Saturday, May 5, 2007
5/5-6 Un-timely Tides
Man, I love my boat. (just had to throw this in) because I received this pic in an e-mail from one of our group charter participants from last month.
Alright, it's May. The weather is so far so good. The Trout are chewin' in the river, the Cobia have showed up. Pogies have been spotted behind the surf. The Greenies (aka: Threadfin Herring) are readily available at the jetties. Sharks are on the beach, and I'm sure there's some Redbass on the bait pods for a change of pace. And the Jacks are getting larger. And at the same time FUEL is getting outrageous again. Because It's SUMMER. Which is a great excuse.
------------------
I want a few of those GIANT 6" Shrimp (pictured above) that B&M bait and tackle had back in March and April. I wanna catch a Cobia on a live shrimp on a Float-rig.....sounds funny huh? That's what people think when ya tell them about Jetty Tarpon on a Float rig too. But that easily happens. IF, you're on the ball like me to be fishing with a Tarpon capable hook, rod and reel when they are around.
* G. Loomis - 9' Pelagic series, 15-30# fast/medium heavy rod
* Shimano Tekota 500 levelwind w/ 350 yards of Power Pro
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Nothing going on this weekend with me.
As with most events in this town, I guess I'll get some late notice callers from when the TPC starts. It's this town, I always say. It's not like we're a real tourist destination by any means. Maybe some day...maybe.
I did do some boat maintenance, and made some "summer-time" modifications, in case I have to put some bigger baits in the live wells. And took the small cast net out of the boat and put in the bigger Pogie net.
Tides this week: are slow and there's not a low-tide that's good and fish-able, during normal human fishing hours, till later in the week. But I'll probably go Monday or Tuesday anyhow.
Friday, May 4, 2007
5/3 - One fine day!
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
IT'S MAY!
Today's Mayport archive photo - Barge full of JETTY ROCKS, and how they got them out there. (photo was marked: Barge with jetty fill)
It's May...now lets see if it'll be truely like May. Although the winds with EAST in the discription was very apparent, again
today.
Did my Group Charter with some Insurance Brokerage guys today...about the same Group as last year, I think. 10 people, 4 boats...and of course I was one of the boats with 3 guys rather than 2.
Take Note: High Tide at Jetties 9am, that was right when we departed, of course.
And when am I catching the GATORS (Trout) all on the low, of course.
Always take a low tide over a high tide. That's my theory.
So we all basically started at the Jetties. The go-to area to always catch something.
My guys caught, Ladyfish, Jacks- small and mediums about 5 pounds. Blues, and hooked two Manta Rays that were swimming down the rocks. Plus two Spiney
Puffers, one 14" Trout.
Some of the other boats had a Flounder, some Reds to 34" a few Trout. They were about the only few Game fish caught. Everyone caught Ladies and Jacks.
We all had a good time, and I always appreciate taking this Group every year.
TIDES...It's all about those, TIDES. If ya' wanna really fish for game fish species.
Yesterday, when I was catching those big beautiful Trout the salinity was a 22 parts per thousand, on a scale of 0-40 parts per thousand. The jetties are about a 36PPT.
So 22PPT is pretty low considering NO RAIN, and no real flow to the St. Johns River.
If I had my druthers here's what I'd do the rest of the summer.
*have unlimited fuel at my disposal at a good price......."That will not happen".
*fish only the river south, and keep up with the salinity day by day.
*stay away from the inlet because it's a magnet for many non-game fish species.
*when I'm down river and start catching Ladyfish, Jacks, or Blues...go further south!
*and fish on a perpetual falling tide, only! Yeah, like that will ever happen.
Today's Ramblings:
I go through this every single spring time, and that's wondering why when a friend of mine comes back from Venice LA. from fishing with his Guide brother-in-law, and after hearing all those Redfish & Trout stories he tells me,why is the fishing there so great? There's a scientific approach to why...and I wanna know it.
I think besides the endless marsh and waters, lack of people/pressure on the fish. It has to do with the Mississippi River! It flows fresh water ALL THE TIME. We have a river right here. But it does not flow, and flow endless Fresh water all the time 365 days a year.
This may sound obvious, but it's not. Especially, in the spring and summer when spawning and estuarine species (
Redfish, Trout, Flounder, Drum, Sheepshead etc.) want to find and live in "brackish water". Because it has a lot to do with their spawning cycle. Just as it does for our river shrimp.
So think about it....When we have Hurricanes/Tropical storms to the south, all the rain water goes where? Into the river. And the fishing is off the chart when it reaches us in J-ville.
We must have rain, hurricanes and tropical storms.
In Venice LA. they have that flow all the time. So when the fish want it, it's there. Which also possibly makes for very successful spawns, which in turn means more fish year after year.
Here's actually a quote from a fishing guides web site over there about the salinity & spawning:
"There is little doubt that Venice is an amazing fishery. In spring vast numbers of speckled trout are on the move to the south in search of saltier waters to spawn. April and May are two of the best months to catch the big sows ."
So it sounds as if the "opposite is happening there...they move closer to the Gulf to get the right salinity??" Because they are in brackish. Just the opposite here in our river.
Kinda the same deal of when the damn flows-over down in Guana River State Park...the fish stuck in the lake side (the sweet water side) rush to the salty water coming in over the damn from the ICW side.
On another note; for one second think of all the pollution that went into that river after hurricanes Katrina and Rita!
I had a native New Orleans man on my boat today. He lived through Katrina. So we talked about it naturally. He said, "I do not know where all that 'garbage' went in the river, out to the Gulf of Mexico I guess", he stated. And I was thinking, "how about all those TOXINS, SEWAGE, & CHEMICALS that went into the river and out into the marshlands and passes, Gulf??" And the fishing again is through the roof over there. Because of the constant flow of fresh water from the Mississippi River?? I guess the word "flush", means more than a good poker hand.
We have a river in name, maybe. Not necessarily in theory. The Timicuan Indians called it, "THE RIVER OF LAKES", because back then the river had a mean depth of 9 feet, the inlet was a giant sand bar, and the Timicuan's knew that the river had no real flow, so they aptly named it for what they thought it was more like. And according to anthropologists, they were dead on. A theory is that thousands of years ago, the river was a chain of lakes/wetlands. And through erosion, forces of the tide, and Ocean height, the banks broke through and connected to form kind of what we see today.
Basically, some rain would be nice.
That's the thought of the day. So I'll just live with knowing Venice, LA. is over there. And I'm over here. And I'm happy as long as I get my fill of big fat Trout, one way or another.
I just have to stop talking to that friend of mine after he goes there. Because now he's telling me he also saw a fellow BlackLab Marine Plate Alloy 26' owner over there, too. (Ya' know Louisiana is a big Aluminum boat state) and says to me every time I see him, "Dave, ya know how great of a boat that would be for fishing the passes and rigs over there?" I usually say...."No, I don't because I've never been there, but you need to invite me!!"
Rule O' Thumb: BOOK YOUR CHARTERS "TO FISH", VIA MY TIDE RECOMMENDATIONS....
Monday, April 30, 2007
4/30 - GATOR HUNTIN'
DID YOU KNOW THAT IF YOU CLICK ON THE PHOTOS, THEY WILL OPEN IN A LARGER SIZE?
I DIDN'T TILL ACCIDENTALLY, RIGHT CLICKED ON ONE A WEEK AGO.
As you can see....I started out "counting" them, holding my fingers up. But that didn't work. Actually I got the first three fish on my first three drifts of my Float-rig.
I had 2 - 19" to 20" Trout in the box, then the third fish was a 5 pounder. Then I caught a Spanish Mackerel and a Ladyfish, and then in the next hour and a half I had 5 more, 5 pounder G-A-T-O-R-S!
The wind (sea-breeze to be very technical) started honkin' so bad I could almost not fish anymore, but I waited it out. And the wind would subside a little and I'd catch another one. So, what's a TROUT FREAK gonna do? Keep at it, of course. I actually needed not 5 pounders, but rather smaller fish for the box.
So after 8 mega-nice Trout I started pitching a jig-n-shrimp. Hooked up two super sweet sized Flounder, and both got off at the side of the boat. So I went to a curly tailed plastic on the jig real fast and pitched along side the boat right where i lost one of the Flounder and hooked it up again....."Ahh, you bastard are gonna meet Mr. Trout, in the fish box", I thought. But damned if that one didn't get off too! Dammit! I know why, because all the flounder I hooked wewre in NO CURRENT, and they just snapped at it, and didn't engulf the bait. I heavy current it would be a different story.
Earlier in the day, as I waited for the tide to drop. I found a new spot. Boulders all over the bottom from 10-18 feet, dropping off to deep water. Another possible Trout hang-out. So as i looked around I pitched a Jig-n-curly-tail, I hooked up a Flattie immediately. So as I reeled it to the boat, I looked up and saw two Sheepshead tailing, around a rock in a foot or so of water...Cool...but it wasn't meant to be because when I looked down again at my Flounder. It also got off the hook.
I just wasn't my day to catch 4 nice Flounder, I guess. But that's okay. I know where the Trout are.
A Trout Tracker, that's what ya have to be. These are all big fat "roe" Trout too. It's spawning time. And if all goes well and I actually get someone who picks a day for a charter when the tides right, they may get the chance to catch fish like these pictures. But, the likely-hood is slim to none..."and slim left town".
People from other parts just do not get it. Thats why they hire me I thought. I had three calls today. And 3 yesterday. Everyone wants the best day, but do not get that it's all about the tide. I just do my best with the day they give me. If they want a GREAT DAY........PLAN instead of just showing up hilly-nilly. I have a phone, a blog, e-mail, a web site with alot of info, that many do not even want to look at and read. I hand out pearls full of info, and just do the best I can, with the cards I'm dealt.
So that's why I go and mess'em up all by myself. Because I can.
Last day of April 2007
MAYPORT: Latitude 30.393N. Longitude -81.43W)
Today's Archived Photo: EARLY REDBASS PRO TOUR MEMBERS! Year: 1900 (WHEN SIZE COUNTED)
FORECAST:
TODAY
SOUTH WINDS 5 TO 10 KNOTS BECOMING SOUTHEAST 10 TO
15 KNOTS IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 2 FEET OR LESS. INLAND WATERS A
LIGHT CHOP.
TONIGHT
SOUTH WINDS 10 KNOTS. SEAS 2 TO 3 FEET. INLAND
WATERS SMOOTH.
TUESDAY
SOUTHEAST WINDS 10 KNOTS. SEAS 2 TO 3 FEET.
INLAND WATERS A LIGHT CHOP.
TUESDAY NIGHT
SOUTH WINDS 10 TO 15 KNOTS. SEAS 2 TO 3 FEET.
INLAND WATERS MOSTLY SMOOTH.
WEDNESDAY
SOUTH WINDS 10 TO 15 KNOTS. SEAS 2 FEET OR LESS.
INLAND WATERS A LIGHT CHOP.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT
SOUTH WINDS 10 KNOTS. SEAS 2 FEET OR LESS.
INLAND WATERS MOSTLY SMOOTH.
I THINK I'LL GO FISH THAT LOW TIDE AGAIN, TODAY...AND SEE IF I CAN FEED A LIVE RIVER CRICKET TO THOSE BEAUTIFUL TROUT, I FOUND IN THE RIVER. VIA MY GO-TO RIG. DAMN, FLOAT RIGGIN' FOR TROUT IS FUN. IT'S ALL IN THE TECHNIQUE.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
4/28 - Saturday, Float Freakin'? And it felt so good.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
4/26 - The man has good balance!
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
4/25 - Late 1/2 day with FMA group charter
Monday, April 23, 2007
4/23 - Only on a falling tide?????
Sunday, April 22, 2007
4/22 - More winds,East or Noreast (BARK...BARK)
Friday, April 20, 2007
4/20 - Another windy weekend
04/20 - 12:00 pm,
04/20 - 11:54 am,
Thursday, April 19, 2007
4/19 - Very interesting web site
Georgia's, close enough to fish....close enough for us to pay attention to what they are doing!
* Tournament
*Redfish facts
*Stocking program
*Why & when they spawn
*Pollution....effects them
*Degrading of habitat (something Jacksonville needs to care more about!)
Personally, I have made an effort that I will only keep a Redfish every once in a blue moon, myself. I don't really care to eat them...and especially do not care to clean them (like a Sheepshead).
Ya'll know what fish cleans easier and the fish I'm always looking for!
It has "speckles" rather than "spots".....but then again the one pictured here could have been refered to as a "Speckled Redfish", caught by a member of the Campbell Clan on a charter many moons ago. When we used to actually have a CONGREGATION of fish in the river during the fall.
I'd love to find an article about the Redfish of the St. Johns River, since this area was mentioned as one of the TOP 5, in Saltwater Sportsman Magazine (Feb of 2007). And why sometimes the fish are here spawning and sometimes not.
Angler lore is; Salinity Levels - no rain, Pollution...IE: "Green Algae", the US Navy, gone to Georgia for a one night stand. I'd like to read what the scientists say.
http://www.peachstatereds.org/index.html
P.S.
Keep some fingers crossed "about this weekend".
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
4/18 - Is this really April?????
Friday, April 13, 2007
4/13 - a 1/4 mile stretch -revised-
Abu Garcia Ambassador 6500 Trophy Series reels for sale.
New: $95 to $105 a piece.
Mine: cleaned, Oiled & in fine working order - $35 each
or buy all (4) for $130.00 ....Lasted one day, SOLD ALREADY, sorry.
If your interested, just call me or email me.
904-642-9546
reels@captdaves.com
I'd just love to let all (4) go at the same time, of course. From time to time I do a liquidation, I guess you could say of tackle I'm not using.
BTW...I also have (2) Penn Performance Tackle (PPT) 13'6" Neil MacKellow (famed British long caster designed) "Stinger" model Surf casting rods. Yes, key word is "CASTING".....what real surf casters use. Meaning; the the opposite of a "Spinner"......YUK! Can Handle large casting reel with supplied "Coaster Clips" to attach reel. Handles casting up to 5 oz. easily. (I think I did my best ever with these rods at 400 feet.) 2-piece, in cloth storage bag - $75 each and like brand new. Can handle Sharks, big Reds or Whiting and Pompano. Versatile rods.
Can be seen at B&M Bait & Tackle A1A north Atlanitic beach where they are on consignment or just call me.
Okay...back to the fishing.
Went out today with a game plan in mind. As you may or may not know, when I go by my lonesome, I call it R&D. Short for "research and development". First off, going and putting the boat in the water was a great excuse to burn the giganticus live shrimp I still had in my live well, and I had to go put fuel in the boat, anyhow. (FYI: Honda...So far so good. I have not a single negative thing to say about my new outboard. The fuel economy is very good. On average I burn thru all RPM ranges a measly 2 gallons an hour, or as I like to think of it; about 10-12 fishing trips on 60 gallons. Granted my fishing trips are not 4 hour runs to the ledge and then troll all damn day. But I do haul-ass from spot to spot, starting and stopping, idling and with varying loads of people, day to day. I'm very happy so far...)
So if I needed to burn some expensive live shrimp because I don't think I'm doing my charter on Sunday because of the weather report, and while putting $150 worth of fuel in the boat, I might as well go do some R&D.
I went to the south-side of the south jetty, that was the game plan. Do not burn much of that $150 worth of fuel, and spent all day there. (MISTAKE #1)
I do stuff like that all the time. I pick an area and never really leave. Working a 1/4 mile stretch, while attempting to learn all I can about it. Although over the 25 years worth of fishing the jetties I have probably learned about all I can about that side of the rocks. But I stayed there, thru thick and thin. But today was mighty THIN!
I caught 4 Speckled Trout, WHOOPEE! And 10 Jack Cravalles of various sizes. The Trout were not what I was hunting for, with them ranging from 14-3/4 inches to 17 inches.
I fished in 3 feet up in the jam, and out at the tip, and in between. And there was no rhyme or reason to where the Trout were, out of the whopping 4, one came from 3 feet of water while the rest were in 10' or 18' or 1 foot. It was serious pot luck. There was zero current, and I knew that going in. What I didn't know is that no one really works anymore on Friday's either.
Back in February, I could be out doing a lil' R&D on a Friday and never see a soul. But that's all changed now.
I call staying there at the south side of the south Jetty all day Mistake #1, because I really should have done some R&D elsewhere. But since I just dumped $150 dollars into the fuel tank. It was a nice economical place to venture too.
I'll repeat a saying an associate of mine used to say about fishing in Jacksonville versus when he grew up in South Miami back in the 60's and 70's.
"Fishing in Jacksonville, you better be rigidly flexible."
Claiming that in Miami back when, you could basically do the same ole thing week after week and always catch fish. I think he meant.
But, he does have a point. The weather here is the number one reason I do R&D. Because one day is never the same as the next. (I wore a light weight rain jacket all day today!) I don't really care if I'm catching a lot of fish when I'm out there by myself. I just like "being", and not having to attend to anyone or anything. And can try crazy crap like working a 1/4 mile of rocks with various float rigs, for 6 hours.
But it sure would be nice to find that giant "ocean run" 9 pound Speck. Ya' know the one that I have day dreams of? And the one that makes me go spend money, I do not have.
I often wonder, does that Trout even exist? I say 9 pounder, not to be greedy. Sure a ten pounder would be nice, but C'mon this is J-ville Florida, not south west Texas, on the Laguna Madre where 10 pounders are common place. So I'm always conservative.
Either way. That's the story.
-And thanks to Dave Lashbrook, a reader of this blog/report and a fella I had on a charter a few years ago with his family. He e-mailed me today, with his own fishing report. I'm not gonna give away his confidential findings. But thanks to Dave, I probably should have done some R&D to the west rather than going east, and being a "cheap skate" on myself. (REMEMBER YA' HAVE TO BE....RIGIDLY FLEXIBLE!!!)
Oh well, I'm sure after this big blow that's coming this weekend. I'll have another R&D day afterwards, because bad weather scares everyone off for at least 2-3 days.
Is there a pool going on how many "spots" will win this year' Redfish spots tourney?
I'm gonna gamble like a sissy and say because of the weather and possible winds Saturday, I'll go with 30 spots or under will take it. (You can tell I don't know how to make a real bet)