6/7 & 6/8 - lots of fish, challenges.

Had Felix T. and his son James out on Sunday. Felix and James were out to learn a few things. And this was just the beginning. They needed to learn the tackle, the rigs, casting, hook setting, and the fight. So we went over tides, seasons, and did a lot of discussing. Started at the jetties on the slow and low incoming tide.

The tide was so weak that the green water never came when we were on my favorite spot. I could see it, but it was far from pouring over the rocks where we were. During the summer months the "moon tides" make a big switch. The Full moon isn't a strong tide, at all. But rather the New moon will be the strong one towards the end of the month. So with barely 4 feet of difference between low and high, we worked on what we could, with what I had.

The bite was slow, since there wasn't any current. But James caught his first Redbass. It was small at 17", but he at least caught one and was proud of it.

After a bit of serious

"show and tell" on the float rigs

and a few fish caught.

I went to pull up stakes and

as I did, I saw a real nice

Tripletail drift right by the

boat. I had the anchor line in my hand, and there was nothing I could do. So we cruised the rip of black nasty river water and the gin clear and clean ocean green water. In hopes of spotting another

Tripletail I could hook the guys up with.

But we didn't see any more. Heading to the beach to see if there was any pogies real close, and along the navy base we saw none. So back to the jetties so I could jig up a few "greenies" for big bait for some bottom fishing class.

After catching a few greenies - aka: Threadfin Herring, we anchored up. You just know the action at the jetties is slow when on a falling tide you are one of three other boats on the inside fishing, on a Sunday!!

Well, it' been like this for awhile now. The fresh water just has flushed away the fish that were there before the big Memorial day week storm. Damn, was I into them before the storm. The fishing for big Reds was fun and really on, during the falling tide with a live pogie.

We hooked up one big fish that broke us off in the jetty rocks as the anchor was slipping on me, caught a big Sail Cat, and of course had a big Sting Ray. The big Cat, was a "here's yer sign" kinda fish, that the water is really stirred up......as if looking at it isn't telling you enough.

So we went back into the river and picked up the float rig rods and had fun catching the less glamorous species, Jack, Ladyfish and of course.....Mangrove Snappers. But the guys were catching, and learning. Mission accomplished, for Felix and James.

I timed it just perfectly! We headed in just in time. I no sooner got on the road leaving the boat ramp, and all hell broke loose as I backed the boat into it's house. Perfect timing, just missed another storm!

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

6/8 - Had good long time customers Don B. and his parents and this time his wife also.

We headed up river from the boat ramp. Worked a lot of spots on the incoming tide, with no current to speak of really. But what can you do. Don caught a Trout on spot #1, as the tide rose, but the top of the water headed eastward...real weird stuff.

After we moved on to an area I wanted to try and haven't in a long time. First drift of Don's float-rig and he hangs something really good, but lost it probably due to his left handed fishing technique even though he's right handed. He did the same thing with the first Trout of the morning too, but this fish was larger. I got a laugh out of his technique, that I certainly didn't teach him.....he came up with this one all on his own.

We caught a few small Trout and as we moved around Don's mom caught 3 - 12+" Mangrove snappers worth keeping, while everyone else just lost the tail off their live shrimp. She had the knack!!

Find a spot that no one fishes, that has rocks and you can actually find some good sized Mangroves in the river. This was one of those spots. So out of the way and kinda goofy, that who else would even try it......I did though. And the larger Mangroves are there.

As the tide turned Don figured out no one grabbed the bag with the cheeze and sandwiches in it. It was still in the car, on ice thankfully. So I went back to the boat ramp. I told Don's dad Bill, "I hate a to see a good sandwich go to waste." It was also a good time to take a restroom break for all, too.

Being close to the jetties we hit along the Navy base and they did well. Don's mom hooked a Jack that ran her around the boat, with me in chase with the net, and the rest of the crew all eye balls as she battled it.

But the real reason I went there was for the Flounder. And Don hooked one! But thought it was just a bait stealer....."no Don, that's dinner!"

A few more Jacks, a few Ladyfish later, then Bill was running his float right down the edge of the rocks on the base and had his float go down. And he hung into a super stud. Could have been a really big Jack, or maybe a Redbass. But we'll never know, because after it dumped half the spool on his reel, it broke the leader...."ya play with fire, you could get burnt".

That's fishing ROCKS for ya.....

A few more Mangroves with a large one that Don caught and his wife hangs into something, she has it coming to the boat but slowly. Then she's hung on a rock. Can ya believe even little Grouper will "ROCK YOU UP", if you don't keep them moving??

They will...

It's that time of year again!! Not only will you have the Lil' Mangrove snappers snapping up you live shrimp, but so will everyone else, including juvenile Grouper!

Okay, back towards the ICW. The falling tide was a screamer at the jetties.....only wish the incoming had half that force.

We hit a spring and winter spot I refer to as the funnel. And Don caught another trout.

But we were far from the area being right. Usually the tide has to be down lower. Then Don's mom catches a Flounder...a small potato chip, but worth keeping.

I sat there keenly aware of what could happen if those big black clouds came our way that we all could clearly see in the distance. A few small Trout, later and the tide got perfect.

That's when Bill who stayed with the game plan of the spot. "Drop float and lively shrimp out behind the boat, go out to the creek intersection and reel back a bit and repeat."

BAM......his float goes down with authority! And he comes tight quickly. The rod thumps, and I know exactly what this is. A Big Trout, the one we've been hunting all day long.

A nice fat 22 incher, for the fish box.

And believe it or not the spot was starting to really be getting hot, but those clouds kept getting closer too. So I side with caution, so we packed it up and high-tailed it to the boat ramp. I was the only one with a rain jacket, and possibly the only one who knows that some of these storms just ain't no fun.

I cleaned all the fish and the clouds, rain and I bet plenty of wind too passed just to the south of us. And we only got sprinkled on as I filleted the fish. But when I got home, it was plenty wet. Glad we avoided this one and it avoided us.

It's always fun with Don and his folks. I hope to see them again in October.

6/5 - Before the pour.

Had Greg G. aboard today with his brother-in-law and his daughter. When we talked the evening before I had just got done watching the weather, and the 60% chance of rain had me saying, "I hope we make our day......"

When I was on the phone with Greg it was also pouring buckets, but that was at 5:00pm. So naturally I thought, it might not cut loose till after our day is done.

We departed at 6:30am and I headed straight for the jetties. I had float-rig rods rigged and had plans to fish the last of the incoming tide there. The night before the wind was blowing pretty hard, and where I wanted to try first was not un-fishable in the Jettywolf, but after anchoring perfectly where I thought we'd be able to fish safely, we still rocked and rolled pretty good in a sloppy chop coming from the S.E. residual from over night.

Always plan or be aware that if we go to the jetties/inlet that it may be Ocean like. And let me remind all that the Ocean is not commonly a Mill pond in Apple Valley, Wisconsin.

First hook-up was a 18-1/2 inch Redbass, a true rarity. They normally are not that small.

But the next hook-up was a brute that acted as if it didn't know it was hooked at first then after getting closer to the boat, made a dash behind the boat into the jetty rocks and POP, went the leader.

A few small Jacks later, the high tide came and the current faded, so we moved on too calmer waters up in the river. Ladyfish, Jack, Ladyfish, Jack, more Ladyfish. Then a nice Flounder.

After the falling tide really got rolling and the current became stronger (full moon is on Sunday)

we moved on and further up river. I was hoping to get a few Trout on the spot but it was overrun with Mangrove Snappers......."What's new??"

I kept looking west, and the sky was getting darker and darker. One keeper sized Mangrove was caught about 12", then I had a charter call, and then all of a sudden the dark turned into a wall of rain, with a temperature drop, and gusty winds started. It was going to get us! The wall was a mere 1/4 mile away.

I said, "pack it up....we're outa here", and I drug up the anchor, pulled into the boat and hit 5200 rpm's back east toward the boat ramp. The rain was coming down at a 45 degree angle and was hitting the river creating a mist above the water. I call this "bouncing rain drops". Usually associated with high winds and big rain drops.

At the boat ramp Capt Kirk was there alone attempting to get away from the dock and on his trailer. So I opted for the next best thing.......a crash landing over at Mayport Marine next door.

Between the west wind at 40 MPH, and the river's ebbing tide, the marinas docks have soft bumpers, unlike the public docks that have hard nylon down the side. And it could have been a really rough landing. But not nearly as bad at the marina. We took cover inside the boat building till the storm passed.

I know I was wet down to the BVD's, and I'll assume my crew was too.

I cleaned up the fish we had, and we called it a day. A shorter day then what was planned.

I sat talking to a few friends at the boat ramp afterwards and it continued to rain even more.

It was a good idea to cut our losses.

6/4 - here he goes again....being an "Alloyist"

Yep, every once in awhile I get a bone up my butt and start talking "welded Plate Alloy" here, again.

This is what ya'll would call "Aluminum"...doesn't look like it, huh?

I know, almost every single day at the boat ramp while waiting, then waiting some more for my people to show up, I get "That's the biggest aluminum boat I have ever seen, did ya buy that in Alaska??"

Floridians are so "out of it". This beast in the photo is built in Louisiana. Looks like a Contender crusher, huh?

Then there's this one, the 34' Rock Salt built in Texas.

Crusher? Yeah, with specs like this:

Max HP 1050
Min HP 600
Bottom ¼”

Sides ¼”

Transom ½”

5083 Grade Alloy

http://www.rocksaltboats.com/

When was the last time you talked thickness of fiberglass with your boat dealer??

So, the point is... so called "aluminum" boats don't have to look like this green one.

Which "we" call Tinnies. Because they are built out of thin low grade riveted alloys usually reserved for just light freshwater use.

The next time you see one of these coming up behind you, think to yourself, "Why don't they use Boston Whalers, anymore?"

Yep, the U.S.C.G. uses nothing but Welded Plate Alloy high speed designed boats from now on. I believe they have about 10 of them in Mayport, alone.

And as a tax payer, the real killer is they are about $350,000.00 PLUS each. That's serious deficit Zero's there, times hundreds or thousands across the country and US territories.

So when you see me at the dock, you can be rest assured I'm not the owner of a luxurious chick magnet, but they are out there. PAINT.....that's what really does the cloaking. If I was sitting at the dock and was stark glaring white in color, most folks would never even notice me. Paint means maintenance. I don't want maintenance!

That's why I own the boat I do. I don't even have to wash it off after a days fishing, if I don't want too. I use no polish, no cleaners, no nothing. But I do wash her off. Because I don't want my gal to smell.

If a 19 foot 1980's version of my boat, was on a mooring floating in a cove along the coast of Maine all summer long, and was picking oysters all day long during the season. Doesn't get washed off with soap and fresh water, I believe my boat lives in the lap of luxury.

Here's the example:

From Texas to New Zealand, Alaska to Southern Baja Mexico, Canada to Iceland, there's some of the most killer Welded Plate Alloy boats out there in more styles than you can image.

And the owners reside here, to talk and share: http://www.aluminumalloyboats.com/

- owner customizable is the norm

- more fuel efficient

- less Horse Power needed

- less "truck" needed as a tow vehicle

- way tougher than Fiberglass

- Less physical maintenance

- Better re-sale value

- Safer from punctures and sinking

- Floats higher than F'glass

- Less draft

SEE YA AT THE DOCK...... I'll be sitting there watching the boat ramp follies, waiting on my customers.

For all those people who say "there is no such thing as the perfect boat"...I disagree. I have one!

6/2 - Trying a different approach

DOA Rob and myself headed to Nassau Sound early, for a bit of R&D. The ocean was slick, so a quick run north was easy.

Plans were to just do the standard Nassau Sound thing. Get up in the bars and see if we could get either Shark, Whiting, or Pompano action.

And we did. But it wasn't RED HOT. Both Rob and I know what red hot Nassau Sound action is.
We called it adequate, catching all three listed species.


From a small Pompano to a larger "keeper" Pompano. We only boated one keeper.





The keeper was a good one, and Rob would have loved to load the box with a double limit of these.

In between we had Bonnethead Sharks of course. Great drag pullers being 4 footers on light tackle, unruly as all hell, fun to catch. But I was wanting a larger shark. So I sent out a 1/2 a Ladyfish on a big rod with a 7/0 circle hook. And caught this shark, but it wasn't a broad shouldered Blacktip or Spinner. I believe it was a Fine-tooth. Not much of a battle against my 9' meat handler rod and Accurate twin drag reel.

Only 7 Whiting were caught. But they were okay sized fish, with one super stud at 16 inches.

Still nothing compared to some of the Speckled Trout I've gotten up that way in years past in the middle of the summer.

"Yeah, I look at Whiting like Specks. If they ain't monsters, then we better catch a cooler full!"



We tried a different area when the tide started to come in. Hoping for Trout or Black Drum, that I've caught before. Rob caught a 15" Trout on a dead shrimp on the bottom, while I caught Ladyfish & Jacks on the float rig. While we both had Stingrays......yep, the famous Nassau sound flatfish!


By mid-day the seas picked up as the east wind started to howl. And the sound got rather "sporty". I attempted to run back to Mayport via the Ocean, but with the wind and waves Rob convinced me, that he wasn't into a "Chinese Yellow Mustard" kind of trip home.


Ya' know......It's not HOT, just exciting. Making 5 knots in 4 footers with a 20 knot east wind. It was slow going to say the least. And wet, too. So we came back via the Intra-Coastal waterway. Where it was even windier yet, but calmer.


My Thursday charter in which I was doing R&D for......called and switched to Friday instead.
I believe I'll stick around the jetties and river still. Hunting Reds with pogies, maybe. And still bring the float-rig rods, too. Don't really see the run up to Nassau Sound worth it. Not for a 3 passenger charter. I'd rather stick it out and try and find some better pullers, and maybe a few we can keep.

5/31 - getting closer to 11/1

May is over and we're getting closer to November every day.......Ahhhhh, November! What a month.

-here's one afternoon in November with just me and Nick W. dropping anchor only twice!!!


Either way, I got off the Sunday trip at 0630 hrs.
They were right on time. Daniel S. and Carter.

We float-rigged a few places and came up with one trout, one black drum, one Mangrove snapper, and two ladyfish. Everything was small.


Worked our way back towards Mayport and ran into my buddy DOA Rob sitting on his kayak. Rob was not smiling and casting, but rather anchored up tossing a light bottom rig and catching Croakers. He had 2-3 potato chip flounder, and 4 small Trout doing his DOA shrimp thing. He gave up and went home, not long after we stopped to chat.


We headed to the jetties after completing the St. Johns River 'world tour'. Missing about 3 spots I wanted to try, due to boats already sitting on them. Damn, the weekends! And another spot the Mangrove Snappers were so bad we couldn't even get a bait threw them, while fishing in constant river traffic wakes, muddying the bank. Not very conducive to "gamefish" catching.

We missed the last of the falling tide, going at getting Pogies. That were moving fast up the beach from the south hitting the jetty, working down the rocks and then getting blasted at the south jetty tip, probably from sharks. Two or three times a 1/4 acre of water exploded with baitfish flying through the air escaping the jaws of death. It was an awesome sight! One guy was motoring over the south rocks and the irruption happened around his boat. The two occupants got wide eyed, real quick.

When we got back to the jetties from getting a few pogies, having to dump the net. Because one toss had the net swimming away with 200 pounds of them. The current had about died, so we laid slack on the anchor line. Carter hung into something massive that ran him up and under the boat and out the other side.......this was no Redbass!! Most likely a shark, and the 25 pound leader broke on the light rigs we were using. The tide started on the bottom as usual and as the boat swung around we had a few other small bumps on the big pogies and that was it. So we headed in. Day two with no keepers, in the fish box.

I have a decent idea of where I could go and get a different kind of action, but it's a incoming tide spot and it has to be dead calm with light winds to fish it. It's usually a July hot and steamy kinda weather spot, and is 10 miles away....completely a different direction that I normally go. So once the commitment is made. You're committed to that area, period. But is worth a look, so I believe DOA Rob and I may check it out tomorrow. If it's dead, we'll just leave and have no hard feelings. Because we know the stakes.

It's one hell of an incoming tide spot in July...here's the proof.

But tomorrow isn't an incoming tide, and this certainly isn't July, 2 years ago.

I told DOA Rob this morning (Monday) on the phone that I still have a glimmer of hope, cause it can only get better.

Oh the topper to Sunday's trip?? While a customer was adjusting his float rig stopper knot 12 inches of the tip of one of my custom Biscayne float-rigging rods snapped off!!

With no willingness to help out with the expensive of replacement, I guess I'll be bearing the whole loss. The clause in my policies is; Lost or damaged tackle (rods & reels) will be charged at replacement cost. Please treat my fishing tackle as if it were your own.

I'm having a "re-build" done on the rod, so I'll know what the replacement cost will be now, for next time.

End of May...Storm's wrath still lingering.

The wrath of last weeks 5-days of rain still lingers.....

The St. Johns River is completely SWEET! That means FRESH water. At least the surface that I'm testing with my Hydrometer/Salinity Gauge.

Had a call at 6PM Friday, for today....4 passengers. BAIT IS EVERYWHERE, at the Jetties.
Problem is there's no fish there! Bottom fished with pogies all day long.

We fished the jetties, and up in the river with pogies I caught with one toss of my castnet. And came up with basically no "gamefish". I saw no one else catch a single "gamefish" either.

Drifted thru the bait pods, nothing! Tried running out to the shrimp boats, no sharks there either.

If I was a Redbass, and wanted salty water I'd be on the beach where the pogies are. Behind the surf with all the pogies I could eat. But I'm not a Redbass, and they must have some other agenda.

Then, at 3pm I had a non fishing trip, just 6 people out for a burial at sea. Which was nice. Took maybe an hour total. Yes, I'll do about any kind of "cruise", up to 6 passengers.

While cleaning the boat today, I had a call for tomorrow. Then, another call for Sunday while walking thru the grocery store at 7pm. I remember years ago, I booked most trips weeks in advance.

Last night at 10pm, I booked Sunday....yeah, that was pretty late. But we got it done so I could hit the sack for a 4:30am wake up and a roll call at B&M bait & tackle by 5:30am.

Weekends are becoming a real mad house there. I see a distinct difference in attitudes between weekend and weekday folk. Weekday folks aren't ready to run you over.

Today, some guy driving a truck that looked like Bob Chandlers original BIG FOOT, towing a giant Contender, thought he owned the place. Pulling thru the parking lot running over the median, dropped clumps of mud outside the front door of the shop via his gumbo monster mudders. It's always those Contender owners, "years ago it was the Fountain owners".

We'll see after Sunday what the deal is in the river. Because with two passengers Sunday I'll be going back to Float-rigging, etc.

Talked to a friend of mine and he said the water looked like the river 20 miles out, while he hunted for Kingfish. He didn't catch any kings either.

Can't wait to have some good photos again.

5/25 - No TROUT, changes.

Ya' know after week long storm like we just got over, that dropped so much rain on the area. You would think something would have changed afterwards?? Something, anything....

Well, the waters less salty in the river in Mayport. There's probably not a Pogie to be had for 100 miles on the beach. The water temp dropped. And we're probably set back a bit now, on the "Fisherman's summer calendar" .

But as far as the river Trout fishing, I saw absolutely zero change today.

I had Mark M. aboard today. After some reconsideration, Mark decided it wasn't going to rain all day and I met him at the boat ramp around 11a.m, high tide.

The water at the boat ramp was a 18 parts per thousand on my salinity gauge. That's a huge change. It was so hot and humid, that I was seeking shade behind a dock piling while waiting for Mark. That's another change.

So when Mark arrived, we turned left from the boat ramp and headed up river.
We float rig fished spots from the Little Jetties to 14 miles up river of the boat ramp.
With out a single Trout. Not a Jack, or a Ladyfish, just the usual Mangrove Snappers eating every shrimp we drifted behind the boat.

EXACTLY....the same thing that we did last Saturday, prior to 20" of rain, and day after day of high winds. THIS ABSOLUTELY AMAZES ME.

We ended up at the same spot that we caught Trout on last Saturday, and that's where we found them. Or at least I found some. I drifted my float along with Mark drifting his, but intermediately between running a bottom line also. Doing whatever I could do to muster up some kind of "box fish".

And I caught 4 trout, from 15 to 22 inches for the cooler. Mark was a bit frustrated, and I can understand why. His float rig was running the same area, and it seemed that he was doing nothing different than I was.

The bottom rig, baited with just a dead shrimp caught some Croakers, with one big keeper, a Spot, and a few tiny Jacks. The Croakers were a change. Because last Saturday, I tried the same thing and caught no Croakers. I'm looking for that "sign" , that says; "fish are pushing back towards the inlet, because of all the fresh water in the river."

The salinity at this spot was a 10 ppt. (parts per thousand) and had that "tinge" of yellow to it, which means fresh water. The tide had to get low, before we even had any action.

Mark was out to learn. So I told him as much as I could as the day went on. And one thing I mentioned to him is, "the tattle-tale fish".. Just like when fishing offshore for Kingfish, Baracuda's kind of go with kingfishing. Jacks and Ladyfish kinda go with Trout fishing this time of year.
Just like Sharks with Tarpon chum fishing. There's always the "other fish". That you should be catching while in pursuit of the one species your looking for.

Well, we barely had any Jacks, and we had no Ladyfish at all. So my theory sort of is, if we don't have these numerous bait attackers, how are we going to catch Trout?

This is not a rule. Just something that's noticeable. Something that makes a mental note in your head, while tracking large Trout in the river this time of year.

Believe me, I'd love to go out and chum fish for Tarpon and have only Tarpon hook-ups. But it's a rarity. Same goes for catching good Trout. I love it when it's all Trout, and no junkfish such as Ladies. But that is not always the norm.

The tide was getting good and low, so we made a move as the sea breeze was really starting to blow. And we found a handful of small Speckled Trout and a Yellowmouth, and Mark finally connected with them. It was now 6pm. So we decided to work our way back.

We passed DOA Rob, a buddy of mine who is a die hard Trout fisherman, also. He and his friend Greg had basically the same exact day we did, but also got into "Spots", another type of Croaker family of fishes. And they had 4-5 of these Spots, that we 13-14 inches on jigs and shrimp.
Greg's in the seafood business, and has never seen Spots so big come from the St. Johns River before. So that was an obvious change, due to all the fresh water in the river. They also had some Trout and 4 keepers up to 19 inches and lots of small Croakers too.

Well, it may take some time for more Trout to congregate, or as I have found in the past to bottle neck into a area, because of the salinity. I've seen it before. And that's what I was hoping to find.

I didn't take any photos of the Trout we boxed, because I caught them. And that wasn't the point. I wanted Mark to catch them.

Next up, will be some Jetty fishing. I'd like to get some live baits, and try the bottom fishing for Reds along the jetty rocks. And also get up behind the shrimp boats if they're close to the inlet and see if the big Black tip Sharks are stacked up in their wake.

Five days of constant rain, and at least 3 days of winds over 40 knots offshore is nothing to sneeze at......that's some severe weather, for the month of May!!

I lost out on 4 days of charters over this holiday week. Now I'd like to see some really good fishing be the outcome.

STAY TUNED.......

5/21 - No Sunshine...only a state of mind.

I'm reminded of the saying..."the flood is over and the land is dry, why do you wear your pants so high?"


"Well, it's Florida.......Go Figure."















MAY 21 2009 SYNOPSIS:


A STRONG EASTERLY FLOW WILL CONTINUE OVER THE WATERS...ALTHOUGH
THE GALE GUSTS HAVE ENDED. AS A LOW PRESSURE IN THE GULF SYSTEM ADVANCES WEST...THE PRESSURE GRADIENT CONTINUE TO RELAX INTO THE WEEKEND.


SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE FRIDAY NIGHT
TONIGHT:


THURSDAY: EAST WINDS 20 TO 25 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 30 KNOTS. SEAS 6 TO
8 FEET. INLAND WATERS CHOPPY. SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS.


FRIDAY: EAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. SEAS 5 TO 7 FEET. INLAND
WATERS CHOPPY. SHOWERS LIKELY AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS.

SATURDAY: EAST WINDS 15 KNOTS. SEAS 4 TO 6 FEET. INLAND
WATERS A MODERATE CHOP. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.


MONDAY: EAST WINDS 10 TO 15 KNOTS. SEAS 2 TO 4 FEET. INLAND
WATERS A LIGHT CHOP. ISOLATED SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS.


St. Johns River, color/clarity?????? - POO/Muddy

MONDAY, seems "FISHABLE"

5/20 - Storm Humor.....what else is there to do?

Some people just don't get it.



I do, I have me self a plate alloy boat.



No screws, just welds.....C'C'MON.



















WHAT THE HELL WAS "BUBBA" THINKIN'???


c/o - http://www.aluminumalloyboats.com/

5/19 - Mother Natures wrath, on me.

NOW, I'VE HEARD SO MANY OF MY CUSTOMERS SAY, "DAVE YOU SURE DO HAVE THE LIFE, GETTING TO GO FISHING ALL THE TIME....."

YEAH, IT'S WONDERFUL, ALRIGHT !

Sing it with me.....the tune from the show Hee Haw. You remember, ole Buck Owens and Roy Clark?? I loved that show!!














"Gloom, despair, and agony on me! (WOE!)
(I wish I could make a living)
Deep, dark depression, excessive misery! (WOE!)
(damn, I'm bored already!)
If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all. (WOE!)
(replace wind, seas,and rain for the word luck.)
Gloom, despair, and agony on me!"
(please support your best fishing report, fishing guide.........me??)

IT'S ALSO ONE OF THE BIGGEST HOLIDAY WEEKS OF THE WHOLE YEAR AND.......


SEAS 10-11 FEET...way offshore 12-14 feet!!!
(let's go hunt that Cobia...NOT!)


OFFSHORE WINDS TO 50 KNOTS!!!


THURSDAY'S BOOKED, AND DOESN'T LOOK GOOD.

FRIDAY'S BOOKED, AND I HAVE NOT A CLUE.

MONDAY'S BEING THOUGHT ABOUT, BUT WHO KNOWS?


YEP, IT'S JUST WONDERFUL!!

I EVEN HAD CALLS (THREE TIMES) FOR THIS PAST MONDAY!! IF YA CAN BELIEVE THAT.

NOTE: Hurricane hunter aircraft patrol has been cancelled, that's a good thing!!

Usually after weather like this if there is any bait availible, the big time fresh water flush in the river, will help my Trout bite. I do remember years when we had a storm like this that the Trout will bottle neck into an area, and in the past it was perfect. Because we couldn't help catchin some GATORS.

The river....oh, it'll look like soup, though.


One time I saw a big tree floating by and there was a baby Raccoon sitting on it out in the middle of the river. Another time, we were anchored up fishing for big Redbass in October, after a big storm, and a huge snake swam by the boat and was trying to get in via climbing up the outboard motor! I had a fella on the boat that was freakin out. Yeah, that was real manly of him.

5/17 - something different.....

Had Julian & Diane M. and their Niece aboard today for a tour "Yes, a...... 3 hour tour."
The only difference is it didn't end up being a sit-com that had re-runs for 25 years.

Actually, it was quite refreshing, not struggling to fish in that river today. Because the weekends out there are getting to be down right rediculas. If I was a fish, I certainly wouldn't be hanging around "the hub" with all that boat traffic.

Oh, how I love winter!!


I brought the big deck chairs for comfort, and went soft peddling our way from the jetties to the Dames Point, around Blount Island, then to Ft. George and back.

The ICW north, was a joke! Jet ski's everywhere playing stupid human tricks. Saw one guy riding with his back to where he was going sitting on the handle bars of the jetski. They run around like flies. I was just waiting for one to run into me, as I idled along. I can tell ya this, "don't even think about fishing anywhere around Ft. George on a weekend in the summer." It's basically off limits for me.

I gave my group the low down on as much as I could. And glad I paid attention to what I've learned by local historian and "Sea Daddy", Capt. Randall, the Timicuan Trader. A sea-daddy, is a guy you go to for answers. And Capt Randall is my "SD". He also knows a lot about Timicaun Indians, the the first Europeans settlers the Spanish and French. And local river folklore.

We left out from Mayport at about 11am, and were back around 2pm. And by then the wind was up. But by the afternoon, it was no 10 knots out of the SE, thats for sure. The sea-breeze was whipping really good.

My phone started ringing for late notice Monday trips at 11am and then again at 4pm. I guess these folks haven't seen the local weather reports.

The first thing I do when planning any fishing trip is I look at the weather.

Here's what I see:
http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/data/Forecasts/FZUS52.KJAX.html

They've been harping about the weather, so I'm leaning toward believing them. If did go, we'd have to leave at 6:00am and I'd need to make a long run.

MONDAY: NORTH WINDS 25 KNOTS. SEAS 3 TO 5 FEET BUILDINGTO 6 TO 8 FEET IN THE AFTERNOON. INLAND WATERS ROUGH. NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS.

MONDAY NIGHT: NORTHEAST WINDS 25 TO 30 KNOTS WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO 35 KNOTS LATE. SEAS 6 TO 9 FEET. INLAND WATERS ROUGH. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS.

TUESDAY: NORTHEAST WINDS 30 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 40 KNOTS. SEAS 6 TO 9 FEET. INLAND WATERS VERY ROUGH. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS.

......if so, good gawd is this gonna screw up everything near the jetties and especially any headway we've made toward summer, along the beach!! (POGIES, COBIA, KINGS!!!)

Set-backs, here we come.

To tell you the truth, you know who I'm thinking about?
The people who reserved their charter weeks to months in advance. And the ones I take every year, at this time. My steady customers, I see year in and year out. They're the ones that are on my mind right now, while looking ahead to Thursday and Friday's forecast.

5/16 - Tide Running

Had a call from an ole friend Jim H. on Thursday and he wanted to take his son out. I haven't seen Jim in at least 5 years! We met many moons ago at the Inshore Saltwater Anglers Club here in Jacksonville.

He doesn't have his boat any longer, but wanted to take his son Jimmy out. I was really concerned with the tide, since I really needed as much falling tide as I could get, no matter what we were doing. And since it was a Saturday, the HUB - (From the Jetties to the ICW) would be one constant wake with all the weekend boats. I needed to get out of dodge and go somewhere else.

I was thinking bottom fishing for the Redbass, but yesterday I didn't find any Pogies. The jetties were a mess later in the day with the S.E. sea breeze. So I told Jim, get to the boat ramp early, "feet on the deck and pulling away 7am or earlier. So I can catch as much falling tide as I can."

Well, let's just say.....7am came and went and I was at the dock still.

But let me remind everyone, always be as early as you can. Especially, when I tell you your days fishing is really determined by the tide.

We made a run to go float-rig fishing for Trout and to get as far away as we could from the "HUB". And it basically worked. We were about all alone, most of the day.

On the first spot, Jimmy was the hot rod. He hardly paid attention to his float, but it went down first with a small Jack. Then, it went down again after he re-baited with a good fish. The drag pulled, the fish ran and I was hoping......and yes! It was a big Trout.

















A real nice 21 inch Speckled Trout.
Then, 2 minutes later he caught another one, just a tad larger.





















The action wasn't ballistic. So we made a move. Then, Jim Sr. caught a 21 incher, then a 17 incher, and then 2 throwback 14 inchers. Then the falling tide current died. We poked around, hitting a few more spots, but the tide was just starting to flood. So that was it...That was our falling tide.
We headed back to Mayport and went to the jetties and slopped around at the jetties with our last 6 shrimp. But didn't catch anything.

----------------------------------------
MAY, BIG TROUT MONTH, BUT YOU HAVE TO WORK FOR IT.

I've headed out to this same area by myself, last May. And was on location before the sun came up during a weekday, and yeah, the low light and cooler temps even in May, makes all the difference. This day, I was done and home by 10am.

Here's a few I caught last year in May.
I had 5 in a row like this one, last May 22nd.


















Here's the 4th one.


















Here's a few from the Eulberg Family caught exactly one year ago, next week.



Rachel was proud of this one!













Mom got in the action too!















I cannot stress this enough. Early, Early Early, is what you need to be, so we can to get on the spot early, to catch summer Trout. I'm almost thinking about doing dark thirty trips, departing the dock at 4am.
YOU READY????


FYI: Just in time for the Memorial day holiday week!

-GALE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING...
looks like this may screw things up!

5/15 - Confarction

Ya know, I usually have my phone on from before sun-up till at least 8pm. I give everyone more that 12 hours, normal human hours, to contact me.

P.S. - Do not email on a Friday night, wanting to book a trip for Saturday at 7am.
CALL me instead!

But then again there's those emergencies....

So today I was booked but, my man Mark was stuck in Virginia he said on his message. And when did I hear the message?
At 7:30am while sitting at the dock wondering, "where is Mark?" It's a new phone I have with so many bells and whistles on it I didn't know I had a message.

So to make a long story short. That little easterly and North Easterly blow we had on Tuesday, Wednesday, and even Thursday.

REALLY SCREWED UP A GOOD THING.

I ran down the beach, staying north of the Jax Beach Pier. And saw, not a single Pogie.
No Rays, and of course No Cobia.

I jigged a few Greenies at the jetties and fed one to a somersaulting 100 pound Spinner Shark on a light rod which no way could even slow it down. That was a 3.2 second thrill.

Why is it that as soon as the wind blows, all the Pogies end up 20 miles south of the Mayport Jetties? When we have bait that is.

Think about it for a minute. They're here. They're just over near Hanna Park. Wind blows for two days. Where are they afterwards? 20 miles south, again?
Today, that's where some were caught this morning.

I think it has something to do with the St. Johns River's influence on the area water's outside the inlet. Instinctually, the Pogies head north. Or at least it seems that way to me. So it has to be something why they always end up back south of the St Johns after a blow.

Biologists can study this fish and that fish till their face's are blue for all I care.
But if you're wondering why and how about the fish, STUDY WHAT THEY EAT, first!

When we have no bait, it's really a bad year. When we do, it's a good year. That simple.
I think everyone would agree on that.

The wind blew S.E, again in the afternoon, today. And with an incoming tide. What do I refer to that as?? K.O.D. - kiss of death. Any East wind on an incoming tide.

So tomorrow (Saturday, same tide same wind) I'm going float-rig fishing. And giving that inlet and tide, a rest. Just need to catch as much falling tide as I can very early in the morning.

We'll see.

5/11 - I LOVE A MONDAY???

I swear to you, that the boat ramp parking lot today looked like a Saturday in July!

Actually, I looked at my reservation book after I put the boat in the water, because I thought I may have woke up in bazzaro world, and thought maybe it was Sunday, afterall?

Maybe the big time Dolphin bite offshore, along with the Cobia bite inshore along the beach had something to do with it. Or has unemployment rose to double digits, and like a fishing guide in February, everyone's out subsistence fishing......ya' know, for groceries?

Maybe because today was Slick-Dead-Calm along the beach, and the forecast for the rest of the week, at least till Thursday is very windy, to down right breezy, and cooling off.

Can ya believe I'm saying "cooling off" and it's the 2nd week in May??

Yep, it's been hot and BEAUTIFUL!!!

Well, like everyone else. I had to go check it out too. It was way to nice of a Monday to actually be booked with a charter. And like usual I couldn't even get anyone to be a crew member. My dad wanted to go, then punked out. I called a buddy that should have been off, but he was up to his ass in Alligators with house renovation. So what the hell, I can sight fish alone no problem.

I left out early around 8am. And my plan was to do a bit of trolling with my new TGT rodriggers.

So I trolled some small Drone spoons with 6oz weights ahead of them along the rip line outside the jetties, and then turned south to the S.E. Hole area. To let the sun come up, for some sight casting.

I can't say I ever got bit.
Although I did see lots of small Spanish
Mackerel jumping around. And the amount of bait below the surface is unbelievable.

Cloud after cloud of bait fish schools passed across my color scope screen.


I was actually hoping to get bit by a King Mackerel, even a small one would have been fine by me. It maybe a tad early, but you can't catch one inshore on the beach if you don't try.

While dragging the spoons got me to my destination. I was thinking "somewhere around the Jax Beach Pier", I'd turn westward and started looking for the big Manta Rays that usually have Cobia shadowing them.

The boat traffic heading southward was pretty damn heavy as I neared the beach in 40 foot of water. At one point I saw a big swirl and started heading toward it, when a friend coming south ran right over the area. He slowed up and I said "I think I just saw a Ray over there, but you came right across there." Oh well, I'll keep looking.....

I moved around a little bit, but being alone and sight fishing is kinda tough. I'd put the boat into gear and then jump up on the front platform of my console. A great spotting area, good and high up. Only problem is, no one's steering. And inevitably the boat starts to veer in a circle. So I'd jump down and correct my direction, and jump back up on the console.

My plan was if I spotted a Manta Ray or a Cobia, I'd jump down, steer and then go to the bow platform and cast. And then, I saw a small Ray and it had no Cobia with it. Then, I saw another and it sped off so fast I couldn't find it again.

So I took the boat out of gear and just floated in that area. I was standing to the side of the console when I saw two Cobia swim straight at me. If you don't know, they are curious fish and love to hang Manta Rays, and believe it or not.......BOATS. Boats like mine and Shrimp boats. I guess we're like really big Manta Rays. And most fishing boats do exactly what a Cobia loves, provide food!


I provided FOOD alright!


One Cobia was larger than the other. So pitching a rigged squid to them with a big 7/0 Gamakatsu reversed barb short shank hook, I had to try and get the larger fish. Both attacked the squid like it was their last meal....and the smaller fish lost out to the larger fish. So with my 9 foot G. Loomis Pelagic casting rod matched up with my mini Accurate B-197, I reared back and let the larger Cob' have it, hard.

Cobia are great fish. And their fight is similar to a big Redfish, I think. But against this 9 foot Pelagic series rod, not much stands a chance.

The fish made a few runs down deep, but the whole fight only lasted 5 minutes or so. Till I was able to sink the gaff hook in it's lower lip and drag it over the side.
































I weighed the fish and it mashed my 30 pound scale past the 30 pound mark, so it was 30 something pounds, which seems to be about the average size of the Cobia being caught.

The limit is one per person per day at 33 inches to the fork in the tail. So my fun was over, I had my limit, and packed the fish into my fish bag with some ice and headed north back to the boat ramp.

I passed huge "muds" in 26 feet of water just south of the south jetty, running over huge pods of Pogies. But using a dead squid was nice for a change. No live bait needed today. Cobia love a squid.

I certainly didn't want all of this fish, so I called my parents and they met me at the dock, so I could clean the fish and give them half, in turn for taking these photos.

Pretty good deal, huh?



























-Plan your day ahead of time!!
-Call me with some dates.
-Make your reservation on my "polices" page.
-I'll call you between 4-8pm the day before with a heads up.
-That's how "you" catch fish.


Are ya ready to go yet?

I love aluminum boats....But!

Here's an example of what not to do in you're Australian "Tinnie".

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/gallery/0,23816,5036426-5014156,00.html


WHAT ARE SOME PEOPLE THINKING?



-you'll have to hit your "back" button to get back to:
www.jacksonvillfishingreports.blogspot.com

5/8 - Super Fun.....and trying a new product

Had Miles C. and his father-in-law Dick aboard the Jettywolf, for a day of river/inlet Redbass'n.

I'm not even gonna attempt to describe all the aspects of the day we had. Because Dick just sent me some great photos that they took with their camera.

But after going to get Pogies behind the surf, which was a two toss situation to get all we needed.

We went straight to the jetties. Miles was up first and had a nice big Red on. But then again, the fish acted weird....it went from fighting like a normal 30 inch Redbass, to a turbo-matic Redbass running out to the channel........OPPPS, Miles found out what happens if you don't get them to the boat quick enough in the summer time!


CHOMP!!!













Bite straight off behind the head!
JAWS, plays no games.

(gotta love it)

It was a great day, and we had loads of action, from Redbass to big Bluefish jumping behind the boat to Jacks playing with our Pogies like Cats with a mouse.














Dick was estactic!
























































A KEEPER sized Redbass is "not" the norm...most are larger than 27".
We had one "keeper".





























































My new "TGT" - Tournament Grade Tackle "rod riggers" worked great!

I got them to keep the rod tips lower to the water when bottom fishing the river current and for my King Mackerel fishing trolling with either live bait or my favorite Drone Spoons.

Miles caught the largest of the day, a 17 pounder that drew a jet-ski on-looker that had a Blacklab Dog with him on the jet ski! I'm all for BlackLabs, but ya don't see Dogs stradling Jet ski's very often.




























The guys caught some Jacks, and some really big Bluefish.
They basically are just by-catch in between the Reds.
But are fun, if they eventually eat your pogie. They do more messing around with them, then actually devouring them.














Super day, lots of action. And I guess the sharks are in close now!
Ohhh, that means someone's gonna join the "100 pounder club" here soon.

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

It's as easy as this:

Plan at least a few weeks ahead - Call me - Reserve on my web site - I'll give you a heads up the night before - Get a good nights rest - Show up at dock 15 minutes prior to departure - Be ready to fish!