5/18 - PERFECTLY......Red

Had Dave and Mike C. and Craig aboard the Jettywolf today.

It was P-E-R-F-E-C-T. Ya don't get days as perfect as this all the time. But, tide wise..."we had to wait it out". Wind wise...."light SW, to zero". Sun wise...."Blazing, and hardly a cloud." Angler wise....."two of these guys have done this before on the Jettywolf, and the third was a very quick study!!"  

Besides my baitwell pump crapping out and almost all the shrimp died on me and having to go back and get 9 dozen more. The day was flawless.

Over 30 Redbass, from 16 to 32 inches. Loads of perfect keepers. One Yellowmouth Trout, and one big BEAUTIFUL Pompano. Not one Ladyfish, Not one Jack Crevalle. ""Multiple 3 red"" hookups at one time, meant controlled mayhem on deck. Yeah, that's what I like!

I'll let the photos tell the rest of the story.

Ugly Stik 7'6" Striper Rods, Shimano Citica bait casting reels, Float-rigs, small hooks, light leaders, plenty of live shrimp, 26' plate alloy jetty fishing machine, low wind, perfect tide, and good anglers. Meant loads of FUN, sun burn and fish slime. Afterwards all that was needed was some blackening seasoning, melted butter, a white hot cast iron skillet, a cold beer, and look out......"it's eating time."   

5/ 16 - Mid-May:

BIG WIND with East in the direction, had put a damper on my last fishing trip. It was one of those days that no matter what I did, and where I went, Mother Nature seemed to be against us. Throw in a bit of seasickness rolling swells and ya have a tough day.  So, on Sunday, I was relieved to have a nice "cruise charter" with 5 folks. A few from England, a few from Melbourne Fla. and one from Jax. Any time I don't have to fish on a busy weekend, during the middle of the day, I'm liking it.
















Plans were to head out the jetties, run up the ocean and into Nassau Sound. Round the sound, go down the ICW to Ft. George, then south in Sisters Creek to the St. Johns, head west, round Blount Island to the Dames Point, and back to Mayport. But the wind was up a bit from the S.E. again, and it was low tide in the morning. So I figured running in Nassau Sound at low water may not be the best idea. So I had to change our route.


Angler's wanted: For a near-coastal, and offshore trolling trips. I'm looking forward to catching some Kings, and even Cuda's. And maybe even a Cobia. It's time to move away from the river on weekends. I'm all rigged up. I believe between my bag of spoons, a box of cigar minnows, a livewell with pogies or greenies. From the South East hole to the near-shore reefs, we'll  be able to have some fun away from the crowds.

It's also getting hot enough, to do some 6pm-midnight fishing on weekends. When everyone else has gone home. It's cooler and the river is ours.

5/9 - Time to think....like a King.

Besides the Cobia showing BIG TIME on the beach and tide rip earlier this week. And some King Mackerel showing up on the beach too. I usually say, "when the first Kingfish is caught off the Jax beach pier, it's GO TIME for beach fishing."

Haven't heard or read any caught off the pier yet. There may have been one caught already (?). But I saw some caught south of the Mayport jetties, with my own two eyes as I plundered into the vast parking lot that made up Saturday's boat festival. I said it before, I'll say it again, "I don't see $3.00 fuel prices slowing anyone down one bit. Except for maybe charter boats."

When Cuda's are stacked up like cord wood on the St. Johns River's tidal rip line. I think it's fair to say, you could go to a close in reef now, and have good A-C-T-I-O-N.

It seems like yesterday, that I was out still feeling cold. Yeah that's right, it was the night Nick and myself went night fishing to see how my lights worked. We had to quit, we were shivvvvvering, so bad.

So what's in the pressure cooker for the Jettywolf?

Near-coastal and reef trolling trips for Kingfish Mackeralous?













Yeah. Certainly not new, just different.
















And those 6pm to midnight Trout - float-rig fishing trips. Can' ya imagine being along the jetty rocks after dark and what might lurk about behind the boat, being drawn by a glowing green light, that's attracting all kinds of bait? Oh I can! All we need is a windless, calm evening.

Like this, right here.


















Just thinking about it has me feeling like, howling from the Jetties.

5/6 - Jus' The Jetties & Jeff

I had Jeff A. aboard today. This is a man that works so much it took him being layed off, and waiting for his next job to have a moment for me to take him fishing. We've talked about it since I've gotten my new boat, and that was 3-1/2 years ago! As an experienced "float-rigger", I didn't have to tell Jeff much at all. And that's a good thing. Because as we fished together, he whooped azz on me. So bad, that I thought I was using some other kind of bait. I ended up with two tiny seabass and a Jack Crevalle all day.

There was NO tide today. (after the full moon last week, we're now in the waning crescent moon) and as the ole rule of thumb goes. Anything less that 4 foot or better of water movement, you will struggle all day to find good tide to fish in. Especially as a "float-rigger".  So we fished just the Jetties, (aka: Inlet) all day long, staying in close to the current source. We needed an all day trip. Because half the time you're waiting on some kind of water movement.

That's why this time of year ALL CHARTERS, unless you really can't, or don't want too. Need to be 6-8 hour days. Summer is our weakest tide season.

Right off the "git-go" Jeff was into bites. Mostly nothing to rave about. Some Ladyfish, Seabass, and then all of a sudden he hooked into a drag smoker! A big fish on the light tackle that pulled and pulled hard. Moved fast and had Jeff dancing around the back of the boat. I thought Redbass, then a big Jack Crevalle. Never did a Spanish Mackerel enter my mind. But that's what it was. A MONSTER SPANISH. For these parts.
Especially up inside the inlet while fishing 10 feet of water!

Yeah, I've caught Spanish Macs this big before. But usually offshore while King Mackerel fishing, or off the beach in bait schools in 50' of water. But on the light tackle "float-rig", this Spaniard gave Jeff a run for his money. So much that afterwards, we wished we could catch about 10 more of these. But Jax isn't the Florida keys. And we weren't anchored on a "patch reef" chumming either. So as hard as we fished. This was the only one.......or was it???

We got loads of swing and a miss type bites. Typical of a Spanish ripping by and just taking a live shrimp off the hook. But that's all we did......swing & miss.

The tide was like nothing. The boat swung east, then west, then spun in a circle. Easy to deal with, while only having one experienced angler on board. But, this would have been hellish if I had 3-4 people, that were serious newbies to the game.

I continued to play catch up. While Jeff slam dunks the FIRST 2010 genuine Speckled Sea Trout, of the year along the jetty rocks. Yes, this winter put the kibosh on the BIG Specks at the jetties. For some reason, once the freezing temps arrived in January. It seemed to alter the entire pattern we go by and I know so well along those big rocks. So as Jeff worked a good sized GATOR to the boat. I was freaking out!

Jeff was on fire! And I was hoping we found the "nest" of Trout. But this was the only one. Just like the Spanish Mack. We ended up going around the rocks, checking for current as the tide slowly changed, like "Molasses in January in Jacksonville" this winter.
We were better off along where we started. So we went back there and anchored up again.

We weren't there long. I was still struggling to even catch a F-I-S-H, and Jeff has his float go lazily under the surface. He comes tight, and then the fish feels the pressure. Right up against the ten ton granite boulders, Jeff now hooks a Redbass that just realized it was hooked. The fish goes for the rocks, comes out, goes for the rocks again. Comes out. Jeff's rod is in the shape of a horse shoe! I'm about coming outa my skin, holding the landing net. It's an all out gray colored battle. Nothings black or white, no one knows who's gonna win this.
The jetty rocks are RIGHT THERE! Like a good fisherman, Jeff stays calm (calmer than I) and hangs on and the fish turns, comes toward the boat and I scoop it in the net. Oh what a classic light tackle next to the rocks float-rig fishing scenario. All the more important, because it was a 25 inch keeper!

Not long after this fish, Jeff hooks up another azz-hander! And that fight was short. Right into the rocks, and POP goes the leader. Oh....that was a big'un!

The tide started to move on in, and the bites quit. So we picked up, tried a few other non productive spots and went back to where we started once again. But bait was getting real scarce. I called the bait shop to see if they got that new batch of live shrimp in yet. And headed for the boat ramp. Jeff was gonna jump in his truck and go get more live shrimp. We took all that was left in the tanks this morning, which was 7 dozen. And we went through those pretty fast. The day was still young. So after baiting up with 4 dozen more. We headed out to the jetties again. But only after checking a "winter Trout hot spot".

I needed to see, since this year is like no other year I've experienced lately. If the big Trout were on a winter spot still, on the flooding tide. It too had to be a literal high tide, before there was any really pushing current. And the spot didn't have any Trout on it. And I finally caught a fish that fought. A 3 pound Jack. So we left and headed again, back to the jetties. This time we were on a mission. Find more Trout like species. Be it Yellowmouth Trout or Specks. 

The water was now deep green ocean water everywhere. We anchored up. And the place was dead. No Specks, no yellowmouths, no any mouths! But since it took us 4 tries just to get anchored right, because of the wind and little bit of current we had. We weren't leaving, just yet. We had two other boats near us, that kept jockeying for position. And hardly giving any room for me to maneuver. I knew where I wanted to be, and I was gonna get there! One guy just left after a few tries. And another ended up behind us somehow.

So once I was where I wanted to be. Jeff put the sticks to me again....He hooks up with a big Redbass. It does the same deal. In the lack of current, they go straight for the structure. Which means straight for the nasty jetty rocks. This obvious over sized hulk, made the right moves, and Jeff looses it.  We keep fishing. I  was catching litl' bait snatching rock blennies, and a small Jack.  So was Jeff, but it didn't take long for him to get bit again. Another big Redbass.......was he gonna be able to stop this one? The fish made a few mistakes, Jeff took advantage. Right there is the difference. Knowing when to take advantage. I see so many fisherman on my boat that think all ya do is just reel. Nope! You have to play the fishes weakness'. Take advantage of when you get a chance to move the fish away from the structure. This isn't bass fishing in a lake where you can just reel and skip that little largemouth across the water, after a jaw breaking hook set.

Jeff plays the fish perfectly and has himself a 32" Redbass, out of the cloud of bait stealer's we were in.

















This spot really started to not be very good. So we moved back to our original spot where the Trout, Spanish Mack and other Redbass came out of. We had just a few shrimp left out of the 4 dozen. We didn't get much. But while I went basically without a bite, Jeff at least was getting bit. Nothing to write home about. It was now past 5 pm. Jeff's wife called to find out where he was. So we packed it in, all sun burnt and happy.

On another note, from what we were told, way down the beach. Probably the Redtops and beyond. There was a Cobia bite from hell and back. I didn't know it was such in full swing. Jeff and I had no plans other than to float-rig fish all day. Plus I didn't have the fuel in the boat to make a 30-40 mile round trip, that could have been needed to go chase the Cob's. But just like last year, when that water got super clean and green on the beach. The Cobia showed up. I even saw who said he caught one in his J-14 Carolina Skiff. And he came by us at the jetties and told me he had to put the fish on another boat. Because he didn't have the ice for it.

But, I'm sure like last year. The first drop of dirty water, or high winds will have those fish laying up on the reefs offshore in a heart beat. Our "sight casting" Cobia season many times last a mere few days, anymore.

A Few days????
Probably.
Here's why:
SUNDAY - NORTHEAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. SEAS 3 TO 5 FEET. INLAND
WATERS CHOPPY.

The Pogies are also right down the beach from the south Jetty. Even though I saw all you'd want back in early March at the Jetties. Now is the time to go get in the bait pods, and see if there's any big Reds in them, along with the usual small sharks, and maybe even a Cobia. Or just go get some close by and drop them down deep along the jetties for some big over sized Redbass.

Today while at the jetties. Believe it or not.......IT'S THAT TIME, TOO. I saw a pack of Cuda's swim by the boat. And one even came by real fast to check out Jeff's last big Red, while he was fighting it. It seems that every year, more and more Cuda's come to the jetties. Before long, ya maybe catching them up in the river??

The Tripletails are still on the rip lines at the low tide. We looked for a short while this morning. Didn't see any. But I heard they're still being found. The limits on Tripletail is 2 at 15" and above, per person. Last week Chris M. and I saw many 12 inchers. That looked like freshwater Crappies. Obvious not legal fish. But fun to get to bite, anyhow.  If that's all ya find. 

Next up for me; Taking Mom out on Sunday. She likes catching Ladyfish. She calls them, "those dancing fish". Jeff caught several of them today. And man, were they big. Usually, this time of year they're a pound or so. Jeff caught a few that were 4 pounds at least. I'd rather go hook-up a 50 pound Cobia, and then hand the rod to mom and say....."Here ya go, and ya gotta cook it too!" (I'm nothing more than a fry guy.) So Mom can make a big piece of Cobia better than I could.


IT'S TIME TO GO....IT'S TIME TO PRE-BOOK YOUR CHARTERS IN ADVANCE. THE MORE TIME YOU GIVE ME, THE BETTER PLANS I CAN MAKE FOR YOU.

Last week I talked to a fella, who said  "In S. Florida, I just walk the docks and can get on a charter boat as a extra person."

Number one, there's no docks to walk around here. This isn't "touristo" south Florida! Here you make plans, call and pre-book your day with a deposit. I can, if you give me enough time, do "late notice" charters. But a day is better than an hours notice.

Less than 36 hrs notice is a 1/2 up front non-refundable, if there's a no show deposit.
Policies page:  http://www.captdaves.com/Policy%20Page.html

This is N.E. Florida. It's done differently here. If I'm not fishing, I'm doing what you do at home. I'm cutting the grass, trimming the bushes etc. I will not hook up the boat to the truck, fill with fuel, buy the bait and ice without a $100 deposit minimum.

5/1- S.E.Sea Breeze & Sun burn.

May 1, the date says, "summer in Jax" to me. Doesn't matter when the calender says Summer is. May first has always been the break out time. Then, why the heck was I kinda cold this morning in a T-shirt, as Steve H. and his father Warren loaded up and we headed towards the jetties? Cause it was an iffy morning. The clouds were thick, and the wind was blowing hard as I baited up at 6am at B&M bait and tackle. Good thing that I knew it was just that clump of clouds on the radar that would pass in a few hours. And when it did. Here came the sun shine, and warm air, finally.

The conditions had it where I felt our "best bet" was to just keep it simple. So again, the Jettywolf went Sheepshead fishing. Yes, that's twice in a row. I can't believe it either. Steve's dad needed my big plushy deck chair. So we got him up along the gunnel of the boat so he could just drop over the side. But the first several stops produced nothing but a, Jack Crevalle. Still in a bit of the full moon influence, it seemed to take forever for the incoming current to make a steady push in the river. And I could tell the jetties were a bit windy and nasty by the ammount of the boats stacked up along the carrier basin point. It was a "boats attracting boats" situation. Because no one was tearing them up, that's for sure.

So we moved around. And that still didn't work. I told Steve, "Ya know, I have a good feeling if we could get to the jetties, there's a spot during the flooding tide where we could get yellowmouths, and Reds. But it's gonna be rough as a C-O-B!"  At this point, Steve was all about trying anything. It was probably 9am already, and we hadn't caught any Sheepshead.. So we picked up the anchor and headed that way. I knew, all I had to do is get the right tide and get settled on a spot, and all would be good. That's the situation sometimes. Not everyday is it going to be instantaneous gratification.

The end of the jetty was a USDA Grade washing machine.  I pointed to where I caught them last Saturday, and again on Thursday evening. It was pure white water! Steve didn't feel his dad could be in that kind of water, even if he had the big deck chair under him.

So I tried a spot along the inside of the N. Jetty. And there is where we had all our action. No sooner we dropped lines over and Steve had the first Sheepshead. Second drop, BAM.....another.

 

And there we sat, with some decent action catching a few Sheeps, a pup Black Drum, and even a few throwback Sheepshead that were too small. Even tried a float-rig down the rocks. And a "azz hander" 12 Lb. Redbass, burned drag doing all it could, to break off in the structure.

  

I don't claim to be a super Sheepshead master. But even this "float freak" can find some, which is good. My usual Sheepshead fishing, is fishing deep, especially this time of year. Because during the spawn many of the all out big sow's will be out in the mud, sand, or on channel ledges. I fish slower current, heavier tackle, and use clam and crabs. That's how I usually target them. So today's "rock dabbing" worked for me. Although we did have a fair share of snags in the rocks. I fotgot all about that. Which is maybe why I don't do the "dabbing" all that much.

When the tide started to fall, we made a move to see if we could get, just one more. And that's when the wind started to howl......aka: Mother Nature saying, "go home" is what the wind was really saying. So after a few rock blennies, snags and mini seabass. That's what we did. Headed back to the dock to clean what we kept.

  It was a good day, for a Saturday afternoon. Ya know, I'm more ""keen"" on Monday mornings. But ya have to do what ya have to do. Hope to have Steve and his pop's back again. Maybe next time we'll go Trout chasin.

THINK, RIGHT NOW IF YOU HAVE PLANS ON FISHING ANY DAY NEAR THE MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY.  Do not wait till the last minute!! (holidays should be booked 30 days in advance)

4/29 - Rubber legs needed

Hit the big rocks around 3:15pm and took along my "grasshoppa" Chris C. with me. Or as James at B&M bait & tackle called him....."If you're a Jettywolf apprentice, does that make you a Jetty-pup or cub?" I told James Wolves have pups, bears have cubs, "get it right, will ya!"

So the "pup" and I blasted our way on out to the south jetty tip. I had a plan on this low,low full moon tide. Search for some Tripletail, till the tide got right and then whack some Yellermouth Trout and what ever bites afterwards.  Sight casting them three tailed fish isn't as easy as it sounds. If ya don't know the habits and practices of a Tripletail, I'll let ya "google" them.

We eased along the tide rip line, looking for a hovering 'tail. And to make a long story short, we saw six of them. Caught zero. Five out of 6 were small, probably the size size of a good fresh water Crappie (aka: to a Florida Cracka') a "speckled perch".  One was a keeper sizer in the plus range. It came to Chris' live shrimp, and even came to my "Shiney Hiney" shrimp lure but wasn't aggresive at all. That was the first larger one we saw, or we ran into the same one all over again, and it literally swam off the rip and to the boat! But for some reason the shrimp didn't get in it's face. These fish are known to reach 20 pounds with ease. Table fare, excellente!

Remember, everything seems a bit late. Here's last years first sight casted one I caught by myself on a solo day on March 12th.













That day I saw no less than 10 Tripletails, but it sure was hard to spot, drive the boat and cast. Kinda like Cobia hunting, it's best if someone is spotting and someone is driving. But of course I did a solo trip last year and caught a sight casted Cob too.













If I had to wait for someone else to go, I'd never get my fish. Because when it's go time. I'm not waiting on ya'. Especially the way the Cobia are around here.

So after a bit of Tripletail frustration the tide was half ass right. So I got the Jettywolf in position. It took a bit of adjustment. The SE wind was building and going one way, the tide started to run the other way. And not long after the jetties were 100% vacant. Because the seas picked up. Just like last Saturday with Don, Lisa and Nathan. "HOLD ON SHUT UP AND F-I-S-H!" These photos I took at a low level, just before they all turned to whitewater on top.
















At first every single cast and bite on the Float rig was a "float down, reel set and no fish."  I soon figured it out after two dozen live shrimp were wasted. The Spanish Macks were up in the rocks. We'd get a twitch of the float sometimes and then nothing. Then, I finally caught one, Chris caught a Yellowmouth Trout, then some Bluefish, then it was really sporty. And the action was steady, steady steady. We were doing all out combat fishing in the bucking seas. And again.....this is why the Jettywolf was built. She handles the "slop" like a thoroughbred with waders on! Chris was loving it. Just like Don, and Lisa last week. But not Nathan, he was seasick. It's action at the extreme level for jetty fishing. Water's hitting the side of the boat and even with my high sides, is rolling over the gunnel. But we're dancing around and having a ball, setting the hook and reeling in fish.
















Then, a large twin engine WellCraft trolls by us. I said to Chris, "watch me whack one while they're trolling for 12 inchers...."  And between the swells my float says Bye,Bye. I reel and set the hook on a screamer. Isn't it something, I knew that was gonna happen. The guys in the Wellcraft got all bug eyed. And before you could say Brutus T. Redbass they were anchored up near us. But weren't there long, at all.

This over sized Redbass had so much "spit and vinegar" in it, I had to work to keep the fish out of the jetty rocks with all I had. But pulling isn't the key. Because my tiny wire Kahle hook, is just that; tiny and thin wire. So it's knowing when to pull. Add in the fact that the fish had folding rolling waves to play in. It was a great battle on the ole light tackle float rigging Skakespeare 7'6" Ugly Stik Striper rod.

We caught fish till the baitwell was empty. And man did we wish we had more shrimp. Because I had the Hydroglow fish attractor light and would have loved to see what we could do after dark. So we headed back in to clean our limits of Yellowmouth and the Spanish Mack I caught, under the boats big LED floods.

It was a great afternoon of rubber leggin it, along the jetty. And like a Jettywolf, we were at the end of the rocks howling at the full moon, making the turn back into the river, feeling successful even though we caught no Tripletail.

And I'm glad my young "Jettypup" friend got to experience it, too.

Next up: Saturday morning at 7am with two fella's.

4/24 - Saturday, leaving late.

Had a super great crew aboard Saturday. Number one, they were all about departing at 3:00pm, as everyone else was going home. I liked that. And number two, Don B. was aboard. And I really like, Don. From the first time we went out years ago, Don will keep you in laughing all day long. The other thing that was neccessary for a late departing Saturday trip was BIG TIME sea legs!

My first spot was "white water", but I knew the fish would be there. Exciting as all hell, in small doses. The boat sat in the trough and whallowed back and forth, water crashed and slapped the side of the boat and a few times splashed right in! Yes, it was "hold on and fish". But Don and his friend Lisa, and young 14 yr. old Nathan were up to it. I said, "we're gonna whack some big Yellowmouth Trout, maybe some Specks, too." This is what the JETTYWOLF was built for. I've fished here many times before in these same exact conditions. Sometimes the fish are chewin' in a spot and it's not going to be super comfortable. But it's gonna be a whack-fest! So you gotta be there.

And I was right. Don, Lisa, and Nathan started reeling in  fat Yellowmouths to 20 inches, no problem. The fish were scattered though. So it took some finding them. I just told Lisa, "Don't get too comfortable with them. Because the next time your float may go down it could be a big Redbass. And it won't act like a Trout!"  Sure enough, about 5 minutes later, her float goes down, and see ya later......the RB takes off on a 100 foot run down the rocks. In these seas, the battle was magnified. Standing, reeling, rod bending, drag pulling, swells folding, all made the fight, that more intense. Besides the 15 pound mono leader, and the number 4 Kahle wire hook, along the big nasty granite boulders.

The Redbass ended up being a 28-1/2 inch fish, and was a good picture taker, then quickly released to fight another day.  I thought I took a few pics of the fat Yellowmouth Trout. Especially the one that Nathan caught. But, I guess not, in all the excitement. Don said he was loving it. Lisa was hanging on a having a blast trying to hook up more Trout. Not long after Nathan catching the largest one, he was down and out for the count in the bow, sea-sick. So after Lisa's Redbass, we moved on. I didn't want to sit there any longer, the poor boy was not looking good. So we moved on.

As we pulled away from the jetty. Guess who shows up? I see it about 10 swells away, poking it's head out of the water. It's Flipper!!! The friendly Dolphin again. It saw us bouncing around in the seas and came straight over and again.....asked us for a free fish, sticking it's head out of the water along side the boat and smiling the Dolphin grin at us a few times. I wasn't about to give it a big Yellowmouth Trout. And we never even caught a single Bluefish (believe it or not). So after not getting a freebie, it swam away.

My whole plan was working. There was hardly a boat around at 5pm. No traffic, no wakes, no anyone! I was loving it. So the plan was to go do some Sheepshead fishing, after the Trout. Yeah, can ya believe it.
The Jettywolf was going Sheepherding? Reason being is, they are going NUTZ! The buck Sheepshead seem to be just about everywhere. The spawn, I guess is in full courtship of sorts. Not that a Sheepshead has only just one life love....

So I pulled up on the spot that a few weeks ago we caught a 10-1/4 pounder. The spot is deep, has great current and I know, doesn't get hammered by the masses. The anchor line was tight for only 5 minutes and Don, sitting up on the bow was already slowly pumping the first Sheeps to the boat! We looked up and there he was rod bent and bucking, with a big grin. Them danmed Digital Cameras, I ended up getting a shot of Don dropping the fish instead of holding it. (just like when I tried now for the 3rd time of getting a photo of Flipper!) My Digital Camera is way tooooo slow to react!


















Nathan, was now back feeling alive. And was having a hard time feeling the tap,tap, of the Sheepshead bite. Don had 3 fish in 5 minutes back to back. Lisa had her fair share, no problem. So I helped Nathan out.















All the buck Sheepshead ranged from 2-4 pounds. And I wanted to see if we could catch that big "sow" that could be near. So I even tried a few drops. But instead of fiddlers I tried jumbo live shrimp. And yeah, I got tons of bites. But only caught the first Jack Cravalle of the season. Lisa caught a pup Black Drum at 16". I would have liked to see a 10-15 pound Black Drum too, for Nathan. That would have been something. But, the Sheepshead kept chewin. And as the sun went down, the bite went in and out as the tide slowed too. So we left for the dock with a 72 qt. cooler full of 6 Trout, 1 Black Drum, and 10-12 Sheepshead.

My plan worked out great. And Lisa even had headlamps, thank goodness. Because half way through the fish cleaning, it got really dark! 

4/22 & 23 - A little bit of every thing.

My buddy Jay Perrotta of BlackLab Marine & RockSalt boats was in town as of Thursday afternoon.

Bringing that big RockSalt 34 welded aluminum boat www.rocksaltboats.com up from S. Florida. To just show folks. So my dad and I met him over at Morningstar Marina, as he pulled up from the St, Johns. We've been keeping tabs on Jay's travels north through the ocean and ICW via www.aluminumalloyboats.com the forum that's my second home. I bought my boat from Jay when he lived in Maine. And the Rocksalt 34 is a different breed of aluminum alloy welded boat. It's monsterous and can seriously GO FAST.

With twin 350 V-8 Yamaha's, and the yacht quality look of  the hull and interior. The boat was a "must see", at this years Miami International boat show in Febuary. And I didn't hit Miami this year. So I missed it. But this was even better. Jay and the Rocksalt being in J-ville.

Painted 1/4" plate alloy with toilet, two sinks, two livewells, racing seats, 700 Horse Power, three electronics boxes, and console and hard top that the crew can do chin-ups on. Nothings coming loose on this boat! Fish "holds", not just boxes, and storage out the ying-yang. This is a awesome offshore fishing machine. And it's all made out of the same material my boat is. 5053 Marine Grade Alloy.

The ride comes later. Jay and his buddy needed nurishment and some cold drinks. They had just run from New Smyrna Beach this morning in the ocean to Jacksonville's St. Johns River inlet. So off we went to Singletons Seafood for fried oyster Po' boys with crunchy onions on top.

My dad and I helped Jay by giving him and Charlie a ride to rent a car in Jax Beach. But my ride would come on Friday. I had nothing else to do. And wouldn't miss behind the wheel time on this big bad ass boat. So I met Jay at the Marina on Friday morning and we went cruising. The spit will roll out your lips when this boats lighting it up out the jetty rocks.

No seas, dead azz flat calm. Bummer.....ya want some "sporte" seas in a boat like this.
















This would be more like it.














If I was an Long Range offshore guy and really wanted a boat to get customers there and back fast, I'd only have aluminum, of course. And this would be the boat I'd have custom built.




4/22-23 - Night Fishing shake down.

Hit the river at 8pm after hanging with Jay, Charlie and Pop's, and the Rocksalt 34. Had my buddy Nick who's the drummer for the band, Rathkeltair (Celtic Rock Fusion: www.Rathkeltair.com ) with me. He's a night owl, so he was a good choice. We did a shake down night fishing trip and got back home at 2:30am. 

    
Tried out my LED's I mounted on the top of my windshield. And my new Hydroglow light for fish attracting, yes it attracts! (UPDATE: hydroglow customer service sucks!! I found that my light sinks like a rock, and is supposed to float. Darrel Keith, Mr. Hydroglow himself said he'd replace my light a week ago, and now the phone number doesn't work, and they do not reply to emails sent. I've now read that others on http://www.swordfishcentral.com/ forum that others have had bad customer service from him. There's others, I'd try them.)

The tide was falling and hauling butt. We caught fish, a few Specks, some sand trout (yeah small sand trout), some Blues naturally, and a few Yellowmouth Trout. The hydroglow light is supposed to FLOAT. And it didn't. It sank. So that was an issue. The current was a issue too. And we tried a few docks that have lights on all night. Ones I have been just dieing to try, with not much success. But all was good till maybe mid-night. And that's when it got colder than a well diggers ass out there. And I needed more than I had on.

Yeah, COLD, and a tad windy too. Next time, I'll actually have a game plan, also. But this was just a shake down. Now Hydroglow is sending me a new light, and I'll return this "sinker".

I loved it. NO one around. The whole river to myself. If it wasn't so dang cold it would have been better.
But I can see this summer is gonna be different for me. Because I'm not gonna put up with wakes, jetskis, Poke run race boats and ghetto cruisers, waking me. And every spot will be open to fish.

I'll be heading out in the evening with customers, if they can.  Why not?

4/21 - Instructional day #2

Joe W. aka "joebagel",  new to the local fishing scene took advantage of my book two days in advance, one passenger trips. And today was day number two. Joe wanted to do a day at the big rocks, the Jetties.

Being Joe has friends to take, he wanted to kinda try it all. And also wanted to see how to troll for Spanish Mackerel. So he brought along some Planers and spoons and we worked the rip-line outside the jetties, along the rocks. But no Spanish Macks, just Bluefish. Yes, Bluefish the "scurge", the saltwater Piranha are still everywhere. Keep that in mind, because theres a few species that simply just won't compete with them. And Specks are one of those species.

Okay, we got the trolling how-to done. So we went and anchored along the Jetty tip. There were plenty of "Sheepherders" out there that obviously enjoy cleaning 2-3 pound 'heads for the meat. I'm not one of them. But we gave it a try for the last of the tide. And Joe caught his first ever Sheepshead.

I caught a few "grease tester size" Whiting, and added them to the box. The tide was changing, so it was time for us to split if we were gonna do any Float-rig fishing for Trout. So I dragged up the hook and we moved on.

The anchor line barely came tight by the time Joe was bending a rod. They weren't Specks, but they were absolutely ferocious yellowmouths, "weakfish". If they looked like Trout, ate like Trout, then they must be Trout like.......AND I LIKE THAT. And before ya know it our measily 8 limit was in the box. I believe it took about 20 minutes total, if that to get the 8 up to 18-19 inches. It was a whack'em festival!

















The shrimp were getting slim in the bait well, I brought 6 dozen. And we still were going to jig the rocks too. But I asked Joe, what's better "one in hand or two in the bush?"   So we kept whackin the fatties. After this winter, all I wanna do is see my float....disappear! And there's that old saying, "why leave fish to go find fish?"  So, after no less than 25 of them. We did move on. And tried jigging the rocks and only caught more Bluefish.




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Blues are getting bigger.....here's a trivia question. "why are Bluefish called Bluefish, when they're actually greenfish?" answer: "Cause the guy who named them that, was color blind."
 
It was a fun day. And a really nice day out yonder too. Joe again learned alot I'm sure. It was kinda action packed, which was good.
 
Next up for me: Thursday Night R&D night fishing with my buddy, Nick.
Then, a Saturday charter with an old customer. 
 
Please book trips well in advance. And on weekends "think evening / night trips" if you want to fish without wakes, noise, jet skis, and heat.

4/19 - "weekends, us against the world"

I believe the title says it all about this weekend. Besides there being "no bite", on the bottom really. Saturday we searched high and low for some BIG Black Drum, Redbass, and sow Sheepshead along the channel edges in deep water, bottom fishing with fillet mignon as bait; fat Chowder Clams, Blue Crabs, and Shrimp. And couldn't give away a bait! Not from a lack of trying either.  I worked hard.  Add in the drag boat packs, and just so many wake makers in the river that it made for a challenging day. Weekends lately, have been more like fighting to find a spot to fish comfortably and not as productive as they should be. This time of year.

Did I really fish through "sub zero" weather all winter, for this??

(did last weeks 5 days of East and N. East winds have such a damaging effect on the river and blow out the big Drum, Reds and "deep channel Sheepshead?" Along with the flood tides being super weak??)

Sunday was the same thing. Instead of three guys, I had two gals and a 8 year old boy. So I kept it simple. Wanting at least to get into a Whiting bite or something on the bottom, we ended up getting no bites, or just stingrays at the jetties. The boats around us all had stingrays too. So it was a "here's yer sign....." kinda day. When you can sit on hard bottom areas in the river, fishing three live shrimp, and they do not even get touched......it's a ,"here's yer sign."

This weekend alone, we had a big ugly ghetto cruiser drive down the side of my boat on anchor at the jetties, then cut across my bow so close that I thought it would grab my anchor line. Then, the same idiot went over and almost drove into the jetty rocks bow first. Then, drifted back into another boat on a trolling motor, so close that he had to run off the bow and start his engine and back up. Then, the idiot repeated that a few more times. All the while alone except for what looked like a 3 year old little girl sitting in the passenger seat.
IF YOU'RE HAVING ENGINE, OR STEERAGE PROBLEMS......YELL OUT, "I'M HAVING PROBLEMS!"  So we all know to do some Self Preservation, because of you. This dude didn't say a thing, which led us to believe he was just another mental case.

The ICW was un-fishable. The wakes from big boats at high speed, poker run type Fountain race boats, and just plain "me, me, me'ers". Had the banks muddy and the water all chopped up.

For this reason, is why I'm almost considering that all weekend trips need to be "night fishing trips" or at least evening types, from here on out. 


On a stranger note:

Yesterday, while I had the two gals and the young boy aboard. We were at the jetties, anchored up. And the usual Dolphin swims by.

There's where the usual, ENDED.

We all know that around here, that the local Dolphin population really has no interest in us as boaters/fisherman. They swim on by and do their own thing. Inter-action is very minimal, if any. I even tell people that they don't pay much attention to us. And I believe compared to other parts of the state, it may have to do with water claritiy. Their sonar, not their eyes are their way around the St. Johns river.

So as we sat anchored inside the north jetty, a single Dolphin swam by the boat. Then made a B-line straight at us. Ellen, and Mary Beth and young Jack, and I stood there in amazement! The Dolphin came over and stuck it whole head out of the water and  looked at us. If it could have talked it would have said, "Hey ya'll have any spare fish ya wanna give me??"

This wasn't like some freak, brief encounter. The animal went under water and came back up and did it again a few times. RIGHT, on the side of the boat! It's head and mouth were so close I could have just leaned over and pet it on top of the head. It moved it's mouth, opening and closing without making a sound. It was absolutely amazing.

All the years I have spent inshore, in the river, behind shrimp boats, and offshore. No matter what the Dolphins are doing, they don't seem to care about the "people" inside a boat. I've had them mating on the side of my boat, jumping across my bow make, and even chase me around in a creek, thinking I'm the daily crabber, changing baits in the crab traps. And not a one has come out of the water, and looked me in the eye. And looked as if it was wanting to have a conversation!

But it gets even better...  

Later in the day, I mean several hours later. I was heading down the ICW behind the Lil' Jetties. It was PACKED with ever concievable boat heading north and south. Even the Coasties with a guy and his canoe  straddled across the coastie boat, packed with stuff and flying a Canadian flag off the back. Which was strange. A hard core international canoe'ing adventurer?

So we were just iding along southward. I look over and see a Dolphin. It had the same exact cut in it's dorsal fin as the one at the jetties....I said, "Hey look, is that the same Dolphin?" to my crew. And before they could even say "I think so", the Dolphin came over to us in all that boat traffic and I dropped out of gear and it did the same thing. Swam up to the side of the boat, stuck it's head out of the water within a foot of the boat, and smiled at us. At least that's how they look. It moved it's mouth and swam down the side of the boat, turned around and came up and smiled again. We figured it remembered us??

Does it like aluminum boats?

Then, after a minute. It swam off heading towards the river. Ellen got several photos, and said, "that was the highlight of this trip." It had to be. We fished live shrimp on floats, and on the bottom with not a single bite, other than a Whiting, a Seabass, and a few clear-noses Rays.

I gave her my card with my email address on it. And she may send me the photos, as proof. It was an amazing experience, after all these years. This Dolphin, maybe one that grew up in Marine Land or something and was released, is all we could figure. It knew people, was freindly and seemed to pick us out of the crowd, somehow. Of course, like a dog it was begging for a treat, I'm sure. And I know for a fact it's illegal to feed them. All I had aboard was one Whiting and lots of live shrimp. But we were so freaked out, we all stood in amazment talking to it.

Wonder if it can hear us?

It was like I-95 on the ICW. And all I could think about was how nice it'll be out there with no one around, at night.

Hopefully Ellen will send me some pictures of the Dolphin. My camera of course messed up, because I was asking it to work too fast. It locked up on me. Right when I needed it the most.    

4/15 - Tax day.....and March winds in April

I know we're a month behind as far as the fishing is concerned. That's a given. Because of the temps we had starting back on Jan 1.

But this is more like March winds, this week. I GOTTA WET A LINE, I GOTTA CATCH ME SOME TROUTZ!

I not only installed new night fishing lights on the boat but also put in two new rod holders so my TGT rod riggers http://tgttackle.com/tgt-rod-rigger.php work better for deep water bottom fishing, and spoon trolling this summer.

So, here's the MARINE forecast for the next few days. I hope they are a little bit right?

930 AM EDT THU APR 15 2010

SMALL CRAFT EXERCISE CAUTION

TODAY-NORTHEAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. SEAS 3 TO 5 FEET. INLAND
WATERS A MODERATE CHOP. ISOLATED SHOWERS.

TONIGHT-NORTHEAST WINDS 10 TO 15 KNOTS. SEAS 3 TO 5 FEET. INLAND
WATERS A LIGHT CHOP. ISOLATED SHOWERS.

FRIDAY-EAST WINDS 10 KNOTS. SEAS 2 TO 4 FEET. INLAND
WATERS A LIGHT CHOP. ISOLATED SHOWERS.

FRIDAY NIGHT-SOUTH WINDS 5 TO 10 KNOTS. SEAS 2 TO 3 FEET.
INLAND WATERS MOSTLY SMOOTH.

SATURDAY-SOUTH WINDS 10 KNOTS. SEAS 2 TO 3 FEET. INLAND
WATERS A LIGHT CHOP.

SATURDAY NIGHT-SOUTH WINDS 15 KNOTS BECOMING WEST 10 KNOT.
SEAS 2 TO 3 FEET. INLAND WATERS A MODERATE CHOP.

SUNDAY-NORTHWEST WINDS 10 KNOTS BECOMING NORTHEAST 10 TO 15
KNOTS. SEAS 2 TO 3 FEET. INLAND WATERS A LIGHT CHOP. ISOLATED
SHOWERS.


I might be able to go "try it" Friday.

Now I'm waiting on something I've also wanted for a long time....A "Hydro Glow" light.

4/14 - Long awaited "LIGHTS".

Well, since the winds howling 20 knots, and no one calls to fish on weekdays anymore (afraid to loose their jobs, I guess) I had a few days to install my new LED lights for night fishing/ tieing knots/ getting out tangles/ birdnests, pinning on a shrimp correctly and such. Drawing only one Amp each, LED's are the new fangled lights for boaters. Next up comes one of those slick underwater lights that goes on the transom (?). I also have and always carry a flourescent tube light, and a car head light "rubberized" spot light. So my night trips this summer means we shouldn't have any lack of light, if we need it.

With too many LED's to choose from on their web site http://www.magnalight.com/ I ended up emailing Larsen electronics in Texas and said "HELP, ya'll have too many choices!"

The ones I installed are their line of extreme enviroment lights. And they sure are heavy duty. In a soft light, flood pattern. I'd really like to offer this summer when it's hot as all hell in the afternoon. A depart before sun-up and fish till noon'ish. Then, a depart at 8pm or so and fish till mid-night'ish trip. Totally staying away from the heat and all that weekend river traffic.

Here's some install photos, and one that looks like I saw a ghost. It was just dad, the camera man.

Next up:  Saturday & Sunday a crew of 3 each day....."hope this wind lays down as forecasted.".

4/10 & 4/11 - From wakes to big wind

On Saturday I had aboard the Jettywolf, Tony and Maria. And it was also the 400 boat Redfish "spots" tournament. It was a calm morning. A bit too calm (weather wise). I guess you could say that the "clues" were in the sky, at sun rise. As boats gathered for a shot gun start to the "spots" tournament.

Red skies in the morning mariner's take warning......Red skies at night, are a mariners delight.

Yep, it stayed calm for a few hours. And as the afternoon wore on. Here came the N.E. winds.

I had plans on keeping it real simple. With a forecast of NE breezes, a front approaching, and with a tournament going on. Keeping it simple I thought would be a good idea. Really I just wanted to do the same thing I did last Saturday with the Hamrock crew, and that was catch Black Drum and Big Redbass on the bottom along the channnel edges of the river.

Well, the approaching weather front shut down ALL the bites. Big fat juicey clam on the bottom along hard ledges, topped with a succulent piece of smelly shrimp rigged on long shank pro baiter hooks. Four rods out at all times. Usually a NO fail situation.

And from 7:30am to 4:30pm we had ONE, bite from a targeted fish!!!!!!!!
Yes, I said one bite from a decent fish. Oh we had plenty of bait pecker bites, of course. But targeted species; Big Redbass, Sheepshead, Black Drum. I COULD NOT BELIEVE HOW DEAD IT WAS.

The one throbbing, rod bouncing bite we did had was this 10 pound and some change on my boga-grip Sheepshead that Maria effortlessly reeled up from the deep on the heavy duty meat mover tackle.

Yeah, the was a big sow Sheepshead that the herders missed during February 27th's 10th annual El Cheapo Sheepshead tournament. And if we were in the Sheepshead tournament, I wouldn't have minded one bite all day. But I was still pumped after last Saturday's big fish trip, and so badly wanted a day like that again. We did catch a Whiting on the big circle hooks intended for nothing but big fish. So we did catch two fish.

Bazzarro world strikes again! Hardly ever around here can you actually duplicate a day. It's the nature of fishing the St. Johns in Jacksonville. And after 14 years as a full-time guide you'd think I'd be used to it by now. But I'm not.

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

4/11 - with "Joebagel"

A member of my Jax Trout Trackers message board/ forum, Joe W. aka: "Joebagel" and I talked about his wanting to do a few instructional charters. Emphasis on getting some pointers, learning some techniques, and N.E. Florida tide information. So we planned on doing two trips. On on Sunday and one on a weekday in the near future. I wanted to do just weekdays. But Joe said that maybe kinda hard for him. So I said, "okay, let's try this Sunday."

After yesterday's bottom fishing foray. I opted to start Joe out on jigging, and float-rigs. We both arrived at the boat ramp minutes apart, and the morning winds were honkin'! And this was now the big wind after yesterday's initial push. The sky was dark, and the wind was a good 20 knots out of the E.N.E. Not the best day to learn all the in's & out's of float-rig fishing. But we tried anyhow.

After showing Joe how important tides are, and showing him how much I depend on the Florida Sportsman Tide Planner books, for not only accurate local tidal information. But how I use the book to reserve all my charters and make notations in. We started going through Why and How of the float-rig and live shrimp. Joe was a bait caster, so that was a relief. It was dead high tide. But I picked a spot where the wind was at least broke up and wasn't all that bad in the ICW.

First fish, was my first 2010 Spanish Mackerel on a float-rig. "Hmm, you'd think that would happen at the jetties instead of the south intra-coastal waterway. Then the tide started to fall, so I adjusted the boat position, and before ya know it, Joe has a fish hooked up and it was peeling a little drag.














A 21 inch Redbass, right after I told Joe, I seem to catch Reds usually too big to keep, or too small to keep, especially up in the ICW like this. So that fish hit the cooler after this photo!  I believe Joe has this float-rig thing figured out. But we needed a Trout really. So he can start posting reports on Jax Trout Trackers. We moved around a bit, but didn't stray from this calm area.
Next fish which came off a Jig-N-Shrimp combo meal was a nice Flounder. While we dropped out some clam baits on the bottom near some pilings.

Nothing came from the clam baits out behind the boat on the bottom, probably because the tide was really hauling butt, so we decided to go look around. Joe wanted to know where the Sisters Creek boat ramp was and White shell rocks. So we traversed the SEAS in the middle of the river. YEAH, seas! The falling tide against the ENE 20 knots of wind had the river looking and feeling as if we were offshore somewhere. 2-3 foot roolers white capping made the river a total wash board. So with hardly a spot to fish without being in the heavy winds we headed back to wherew we started so we could fish a bit more.

Joe asked a good question, "what wind is really bad for fishing?" My answer was one that didn't take much thought....."any wind over 15 knots with the word East in it. Southeast, Northeast, or East over 15 knots is not fun to fish in. Especially for the Trout fishing float-rigger."

I think Joe was liking the "thinking man's" fishing technique. So we went back to fishing the floats and live shrimp. And we needed a Trout. At least one to make a inshore slam and at least one to accomplish what we were out here for. And that's when Joe's float went down and he caught a nice keeper Speck.

Not long after the ICW traffic got rediculas as usual on a weekend, that's why I don't fish it very often. There's just not enough water between us and all those boats passing by. And the tide died out so we packed it in on day one of Joe's instructional trips. And we headed back through heinous seas in the river. It was all out rough as a cob right in front of the Coast Guard station in Mayport. And we felt like I was in the General Lee on Dukes of Hazard as the Jettywolf flew over the white water.  Back at the ramp I quickly took the sides off our inshore slam, and Joe and I agreed that instructional trip #2 is going to be a weekday and at the jetties.....and won't be a day when the winds 20 knots with east in the direction.

Building of one tuff boat....the Jettywolf

The choice was clear for me. I needed room, lots of it. Economy, and low maintenance. Instead of going to the boat shows. I searched for builders. And found Pacific, ready to build my next boat.

The rest is history...
Now there's Tom on Amelia Island with a 26' customized hard top, John in St. Augustine with a tricked out to the max 23 super-top. And me in the middle with a open center console, along the First Coast of Florida.

"want a life time boat?"
Book a charter aboard the Jettywolf, for the ultimate sea trial.

4/8 - Into the darkness..."Let there be Trout & Light!"

My plan for adding some seriously high powered, low power consuming LED lights to the JETTYWOLF, is now in progress. I ordered my lights today.

Extreme enviroment SS and Alumminum lights that I'll be attaching the top of my windshield. In a "flood lamp" configeration. Two will serve as both stern lights and or one stern, one bow. I hope to not only add light so we can Trout fish at night, but to also illuminate the area around the boat, also. While drawing only one amp per light.

If you've ever traversed the St. Johns at night it can completely change your out look on what you think you knew about the river. I've night fished just a few times with friends. And of course back in my Towboat/US days last year got a few rude awakenings, while coming back from down town....care of a dredge operation "crew boat".

So, beyond carrying a spot light. I want light to fish by. "Spreader lights", as they're know to the T-top crowd.

And not to forget that the BEST TARPON fishing at the Jetties, is always around mid-night in the summer. Numerous Tarpon can be caught/ hooked and landed at night. They are just "less wary" at night. With no other boats around, and no heat, as another up-side. But my primary purpose will be Trout, on the float-rigs.

Trips will be offered (after I R&D everything) for two persons only, no kids. Departing at sundown, and finishing up when ever we say Uncle, or get uncontrollable yawning.... 

Even my inshore Trout trips are narrowed down to sun-up to 12:00 noon by July, because of the heat. So now two trips could be booked in one day, even. A very early morning, and a sun down. Catching the coolest parts of a July day.

Think about it.

Because the heat will be pouring on before we know it.