Wednesday, July 21, 2010

7/19 - Sharks Galore.....slow river fishing

Had Brent A. and his two sons aboard the Jettywolf on Monday. Plans were for a bit of running & gunning behind the shrimp boats, then head into the river and catch a big "RB" - Redbass.

The sharkin was mighty successful and everyone had a ball pulling on a few sharpnose and the targeted species, big, bad, Blacktips. The ultimate goal? Get one that dumps the spool on my twin drag Accurate reels and see it jump.

The action was I.G. - instantaneous gratification. And is high intencity fishing. I call it, "sweatin' hard by 8am."

















































Afterwards plans were to run into the river after getting some live Pogies and find us anothewr heavy weight, a big Redbass. But the wind came up, and even though we had Bluefish bites and a possible Redfish break off that was it.

What I want to know is where the hell did all these Bluefish come from??
The end of the jetties is full of them. And jigging live bait is about futile because of the 8 inch Blues everywhere. I know this is Bazzarro World. But it isn't BOSTON!!

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7/20 - 1/2 day for the Juniors, during the Jr. Angler day of the Greater Jax Kingfish Tournament.

Who are the idiots who thought we needed Cops at the boat ramp this morning telling us where to park???
Reservist Cops I hope. Like everyone at the Mayport boat ramp needs to know where to park.....DOH!
It's not everyone's first RODEO.

So after getting in the water I made plans to pick up my crew Derrick J. , Kim and two young boys from Louisiana over at the Sand Dollar restaurant across the river. They came down from Amelia Island. So I always use the Sisters Creek Boat ramp as my northisde pick up point. But not this week.

We made our way to the jetties creeping along inside the south, not to be harrassed by the endless stream of Law Enforecent boats. By the time we got to the end of the south rocks, with hundreds of boats taking off, a Navy Ship leaving out with a SeaTractor Tug Boat the inlet was a soup sandwich, with folding 6++ footers back to back, along with the seas swell from the high SE winds the night before.

We were gonna go and let Derrick catch a Shark or two first. But I didn't see a Shrimp boat in sight. I even broke out the binoculars, and it was so hazy and hot already I couldn't see but maybe a mile.

So those plans went out the window.

The wind was blowing from the SE on a falling tide in the river. And I needed a butt load of action to keep these two boys busy, that's for sure. But the action wasn't all that hot. They caught some small Croakers,  Pinfish, Spots and a baby Shark. Dad had fished in Cocodrie, Louisiana before and thought in the summer that we'd be out slaying the Reds and Trout, with 7 year olds. I quickly was reminded before the oil, why I wanted to be a Gulf Coaster too when he told me about his last trip there. But had to break it to him easy, that the fishing in the St. Johns River in July with two 6 year olds wasn't gonna be like that over there, in La.

We tried fishing deep for a really Big Red, but the boys didn't have the patience for that.  

Sunday, July 18, 2010

7/17 - Saturday w/ Grandpa, Finn & Elijah

Had Charlie H. and his two grandsons Finn & Elijah aboard the Jettywolf. Last year they fished the river with me.  I believe it was in the spring time. Because we had loads of Jacks, Ladies, Mangroves, and Trout float-rigging along snag-alley. So far, since summer, the float-rig fishing has not been worth it. So today I knew would be different, since it was the height of summer and the forecast was for a breeze to be blowing out of the SE. We took off at 8am, and headed for the big rock, lil' rock area. Just wanted to experiment and see what was going on with the last of the falling tide, with just some dead shrimp on the bottom.

Well, for some reason the anchor wouldn't hold, and we couldn't scrounge up a single bite. Good ole summer time.........

So we made a move up to the lil' Jetties. The tide velocity was perfection......Not hauling butt. Just enough current to fish light rods with a light weight. Charlie and I cast the lines, and would hook the fish for the boys.
But Elijah was not feeling so well, after the first bite which was a small Croaker. So it turned out Finn, his older brother was our "reel'em in guy", the rest of the day. Between cut mullet and plain ole dead shrimp, the action was on a slow start. But picked up a bit as we sat there.

The best bit of the morning was one that ate a Mullet chunk out in 30 feet of water. Obviously, a big Redbass. Because when I set the hook the fish shook its head and peeled drag. But the leader broke right at the hook. Not good! But Finn did pull in a few from Pinfish to a baby shark, yellowmouth Trout, Spadefish and Black "pup" Drum.













































































 




Moving around a lot, due to tide changes and hunting light weight current spots we didn't have any other bigger fish hook-ups, except having a Ladyfish or two sntach on the bait. I was hoping to get into the Jacks and those big Bluefish like yesterday. But it never materialized.

It certainly was H-O-T out there. and the breeze started pumping, by the afternoon. It was good to see Charlie and the boys again. And hopefully the next time out Elijah will be feeling better. He was a tropper though. Never complain once.  Just sat on the livewell, and rested.









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Weekend's......I believe I have to start making that all trips on a Saturday and Sunday from now till when weekends aren't so busy, a must depart at 7am sharp.

Reason is;  parking at the boat ramp and getting into the bait shop. I have to get into the bait shop early, or it is a super hassle after 7am. Too many people, not enough space in the bait shop parking lot for me to swing in from the opposit direction. Then, once at the boat ramp, I'd like to not have to park accross the street, as so many "late comer's" must do on weekends. It's okay for them with family or friends. But I'm a solo act. 

So leaving late, that means I have to still be there hours before you if I want the morning to go smoothly. I may only live 5 minutes from the boat ramp and bait shop, and I'll always be there at the dock 30 minutes  before you arrive anyhow, to take care of anything I need too, still.

In this heat, I don't care for a 4 - 6 hr. fishing day turning into a 10 hr. day,  from start to finish. Because your fishing day begins way before you get on the boat and finishes way after you've departed anyway you look at it. Especially when I'm booked, day after day.

Most fishing guides on weekends are gone, and I'm still sitting at the dock on weekends. Because they leave promptly at 7am. It's all about the heat, and the population on weekends. Monday through Thursday's, are completely different. Some guides charge a "weekend rate". I've done all I can, not to do that. Except for late notice bookings on weekends.

Friday, July 16, 2010

7/16 - If only a video camera was going......

Had Don and Eric aboard the Jettywolf today. Both have fished with me many times inshore wackin' Trout, Reds, and the rest of the river species. But today I had a plan. Since neither one has done it before. It was time for these guys to join the Hundred Pounder Club. So we went out to the shrimp boat dragging outside the inlet.

The swell was long and soft, so getting there was no big deal. I had some dead mullet left from yesterday so I cut one in half and pinned it on the monster circle hook. "Stand back fella's....Cappy Dave is gonna show ya'll how this is done."

I made the first cast up behind the dragging shrimp boat as they were pushing by-catch off the stern, perfect timing.......or was it? I reared back and made a long bomb cast with my no so castable 870 Accurate twin drag. And I hit a bird! Knocked that SOB right into the water and now it was tangled in the 200 pound mono leader.
"Oh  S--t!"  I reeled in the Tern, that was just going about it's business swooping down to pick up freebies. I untangled the bird, ran back up behind the shrimp boat and let off another long cast just behind the cables of the net. The shark float goes down, the line comes tight and I lift to help set that big circle hook.
P-O-P goes the line! "Okay, that's not supposed to happen." 

I re-rig and we run up to the shrimp again. I cast, the shark float goes down, the obvious shark eats the mullet the lines comes tight as a banjo string, and P-O-P....goes the line again!

"Expletive.....Expletive..... Expletive......Expletive"

So, is three times gonna be a charm?????

I re-rig, and we run up behind the shrimper and I set off another cast right into the prop wash and hand the rod to Eric, to let it drift. The shark float goes down, Eric runs the lever drag to the strike position and he's now hooked up to a brown coastal Marlin. The big Blacktip, splashes on the surface a few times, but never goes completely airborne, or maybe it did but we couldn't see it through all the whitewater, and then goes to dumping the spool of the reel against 15 pounds of good ole Accurate twin drag pressure. And keeps going, and going and going.......so fast and so far the I had to give chase as Eric reeled like a Black & Decker drill.


















Big heavy beads of sweat were pouring from Eric's brow. "Sorry Eric, this isn't a Jetty Redbass..."
One thing you have to do is remember to battle the shark, not the tackle. Put as much "bow" in the rod as you can. That's what is going to wear that "brown Marlin" (Blacktip shark) out. Reeling is just a way to hold line, because the shark or whatever big fish you may catch is just going to take it out all over again. But to lessen that add lots of "bow" to the rod. It's like the fish is pulling against a bungee cord.

Eric is sweating profusely, arms are getting jello'ish. So Don takes over. And eventually Mr. Blacktip is boat side.





















































I thought we'd spend the rest of the morning trashing terminal tackle on these rough skinned, highly toothy critters, but Don and Eric were ready to go back in the river and do some of that "normal" Light Tackle fishing. So we headed to the beach to catch some live Pogies with my cast net. Upon arrival, the baitfish were everywhere, two pitches with the castnet  and we had enough for my livewell.

So we ran into the river and the tide was just barely pouring in the river. It wasn't long before we found more toothy critters to eat our pogies. Big Bluefish.....5 pounders! Or at least big for July in the 93 degree heat, and 82 degree water.





























Then came a nice Jack Crevalle, for Eric. A real good pole bender.

















Then it was back to the jetties to fish for a few Redbass with live Pogies, and cut Mullet on the bottom.





























The action was okay out there, not like a winter float-rig fishing day, but okay till the largest Red hooked-up was lost due to a break-off. And Don had to sit down after that and collect his thoughts. I can't blame him. But we had two for the fish box, not big ones, but hell big ones ya can't keep. So small ones are all that much better then.

So afterwards we went and got more fresh live Pogies and then went back up in the river. The wind was HOWLING by now. And it was a real pain getting where I wanted to fish. But we eventually got in there.
Then, Don got some redemption. His Pogie got sucked up, and his rod was bowed over really good. But he had to keep the fish away from the rocks we were anchored up next too. That's the evil of it all. The rocks are structure, I constantly fish next to boulders (hence the name Jettywolf. Jetty = Rocks, Wolf = BITE.)
The fish made an error and stayed away from the jagged boulders. And Don brought boat side a big fat multi-spotted Redbass.
  














As I netted his fish, I could see some line hanging out of the fishes mouth. Soon as I touched the line, I knew it was mine! I've hooked this fish before!! I looked in the fishes mouth and there it was. The Proof. The line was Mason hard-type Nylon leader. The line I use for bottom fishing with heavier tackle, and the circle hook that was in the Reds mouth was my Mustad 11/0 EZ baiter. I know, no one around here uses Mason leader, and snells on a 11/0 Mustad EZ baiter circle like I do. Holy crap.....this is a fish a customer lost. And it probably was just in the last month or two. Because in this same area one day I had 3 guys from Idaho loose something like a dozen Reds to break-off's. Don't ask me what the deal was that day. But out of 15 hook-ups, they boated only 2 Reds and one stingray.

And this was one of the reds that handed them their azz! Turned the corner around the rocks and said, "BYE, BYE."  Wow, and a month later Don catches the same exact fish. But I am not surprised. This past Spring, a customer of mine caught a tagged Redbass in this location. Upon inquiry about the tag number, I was told the fish was caught at the Little Jetties in the St. Johns River. Wow, that's exactly where we caught the tagged fish. So it just goes to show you that the same Reds frequent the exact same areas over and over again.

Too include the Red that Don just caught, also. Like I said, "If only a video camera was going today on my boat, it would have been like a blopper, the agony of defeat, and the amazement of  how Redfish travel, video. All in one.  Probably great reality TV, for the die hard Angler.

I'm never surprised at what happens out there on charters. But just when I think I have seen it all something like today happens. I guess you could say it's what keeps me going. There's never one single day that's like another. Not one single charter crew that's like another. Each day is as diverse as the people that get on my boat in the morning.

One more day till a break. Saturday: I have grandpa' Charlie and his two grandsons. Then Sunday, I have to cut the lawn, do laundry and sleep in late, till 6am. 

I can't believe I even get these reports done the same day, after dealing with this summer time heat. But I do.
1200 words a day, to keep YOU informed.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

7/15 - Six feet, and three inches...they caught them all.

Did a half day trip today with Roger J. and his two young sons. I told Roger about the sharkin behind the shrimp boats and he was all about it. But I told him, "the boys are too young for this, we'll go catch a few and then go up in the river and let the boys reel in some small fish." And that's what we did, but on a time line.

So we got out the jetties and there was a big rolling swell out there. And just two big shrimp boats, way out a few miles. So I slowly peddled my way on out there, pulled up behind the first shrimper and showed Roger what we do. I made a cast, and my float went down and whatever stole the bait. Second cast the same thing......okay let Roger handle this. Run up again behind the shrimper and toss a bait with a float right over the nets and cables, handed Roger the rod and..........ZING, he was off to the races with a really big Shark. It was a beautiful thing!
















Over cast, kawabunga swells, all just felt really right. And the two youngsters didn't care. Dad was hooked up and being drug around the boat and they just walked around the deck as if it was no biggy. Some kids would have been crying, screaming, sea-sick or utterly un-impressed wanting to go home already. But not these two little troppers.

The most amazing thing was as Roger is getting his butt handed to him, and we drift away from the shrimp boat, I see a monster Tripletail. That looked to be 20 pounds come flying out of the water 6 feet, with a Blacktip shark right on it's tail. The water was frothing and it happened a few times. I look behind the boat and there's another high flying Tripletail getting chased too. Amazing, I never for the life of me ever saw such a sight. Tripletail can really jump! And all I can say is, "how do I target those monster Tripletail out there behind shrimp boats?" I hear from time to time shrimpers catching them up to 20-30 pounds in the nets. It was an awesome sight! 

Mean while, Roger is in a full blown heated battle with a big Blacktip. A real Shark, that takes time and patience to catch. But Roger subdues it after about 30-40 minutes.
    











































Before we left the dock there was small schools of mullet jumping around the boat ramp. I saw some small finger mullet, and thought they would be good for Redbass bait later on, so I broke out the cast bet and made a toss. I ended up catching about eight 12" Mullet, instead. So I dropped them in the live well.

We were using nothing but old Cigar Minnows I had as shark bait. But now I thought, "Hey let's toss out a big live Mullet behind the shrimp boat." So after releasing Roger's Blacktip that was a definite 100 pounder plus, we chased up to the back of the shrimp boat and I tossed out the big live Mullet. If you want to see the water explode, try it sometime. Each time, the attack was so violent we either lost the bait, the hook and came back with a 200 pound mono leader that was shredded, like this.













On Roger's last try with the Mullet he got a run out of a sharks that dumped 150 yards off my 870 Accurate twin drag reel and wasn't stopping, until the entire leader was gone, reeling back nothing but  broken 65 # Berkley braided line.

There is no doubt that if you want to loose, break, and re-rig alot, just run and gun those shrimp boats. One day it can be sort of mild smaller sharks, then it can be high jumping Spinners or really heavy weight Blacktips. A few years ago a customer named "Bruno", hooked up a shark in the 7-8 foot range and into the second hour he finally got the shark boat side so we could take a look at it. It wasn't your average Blacktip. The shark surged under the boat almost breaking one of my custom 8' fiberglass Tarpon rods. And bit through the 200 pound leader. That's when I started thinking, these rods may not be heavy enough. So the next year when they came out, I stepped up to the Xtra heavy duty 6'6" Ugly Stik Charter boat series rods. And to this day, I don't believe we'll hook anything out there that'll break one of those. They're seriously tough.

It was the two boys turn now. So we packed up and headed to the Lil' Jetties in the river. There, Roger and I cast and hooked up fish for them both on some light Ugly Stiks and just used dead shrimp. Each time I take the kids there to just reel in some fish, I forget how fun it is to sometimes just chunk out some dead shrimp around those rocks. The two boys reeled in; Croakers, Spots, Black Drum, Pinfish, and Seabass. Of course I would have loved to hook-up a nice fat Redbass. But that wasn't the point, it was just about catchin'. And I even think, it's fun. Just catchin'....not targeting anything. Sometimes it's a relief for me, just to catch any fish. Give these two boys 10-15 years, and then they'll get all picky. But not today.
















And here's the "three inch fish" as the title eluded too. Yep, it's a good day when you can catch them from 100 plus pounds, all the way down to three inches in just 4 hours. I had a ball, I hope my crew did too.

















More to come on Friday and Saturday, then as of now I'm off on Sunday. Then comes a pile of charters to include more kid trips next week too.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

7/13 - the hunt for Brown Marlin & Coastal Silver

Had a very enjoyable day with Jimbo V. today from Texas. Jimbo just wanted some "PULL", and I was happy to help out with that. And if we could get a "Tarpoooon"......all the better! So off we went and caught a big bag of those "lil' slimers", known as the ever illusive POGIE. We needed enough for an all day chum fest. But that was after running the shrimp boats for an easy hook-up, first. But there was only 3 shrimp boats dragging the whole area outside the inlet. So we hit the closest. There wasn't hardly a single Dolphin behind the Capt Richard boat, so it certainly didn't look good. But I made a cast and was talking to Jimbo, when the rod was about ripped out of my hand. But the shark got off.

Now it was Jim's turn. He had one hook up, lost. Must be small sharks, I said. Then another bit, and it got the bait. So we kept trying and Jim got a small what I think are Atlantic Sharp nose. Then, the shrimp boat stopped and pulled it's nets up........"oh here we go", I thought. But nothing happened.

I like shrimp boats with tons of Dolphins behind it, and I like to see the sharks chasing the boat too. A slow moving shrimper the better it seems to me. So we ran up to another boat and gave it a try. It was dead, too.

I also like it when there's 20 shrimpers working the same area, early in the morning. But some days are better than others, and this wasn't one of them. So off we headed.

I ran to Nassau Sound. And ran into one of the "slews" with 20+ feet of water between two shallow sand bars. A boat was already there, hooking up. Sharks probably. So we moved into the inside of them in the slew and I started chumming. The tide was high and there wasn't any current at all. Just like Trout fishing, the rules are the same. No current, no fish....no sharks/tarpon.

So we picked up and ran north to the beach outside Amelia Island, around the Ritz Carlton hotel area. We started a drift in 14 feet of water, and with the south west wind it would take us out to deeper water. Just what I wanted. Make our own current, I guess you could say.

I saw a boat coming out of the sound as we passed by, something about it was different as I spied on it from far far away. It was Capt Tom, my fellow BlackLab Marine 26' CC, plate aluminum boat owner. I haven't seen Tom in a long while. He lives on the inside of Amelia Island. So he pulled up in his super duty tricked out boat. It's like mine, but as I said....it's, tricked out! Mine is kinda basic.


















After chatting with Tom and crew, I thought to myself. "Dang, Tom is the only person I can relate too when it comes to boats around here."  He, as we say in the alloy boat world is one of the guys who, "gets it".

So as Tom took off, I feverishly chummed and as we drifted out to around 30 feet, I glanced at my 12" sounder screen and saw nothing but bait, probably Pogies balled up on the bottom. And this is when it was Game-On.

Jimbo was into "PULLERS". Many were Atlantic Sharp nose around 4 feet, but a few were larger Blacktips and a Spinner or two that put on the Brown Marlin show for us. Exploding the water and then skipping and spinning across the water to do nothing but chew up, 200 pound test mono. Those big Spinners are some bad mammer-jammers.

It's really hard to get quality photos of a fish that is 100 feet away and jumping and splashing as I cleared the other line. But I did get a few decent pics, with my new camera.










































































Jimbo was sweating, and so was I after accidentally picking up a rod that was bowed over with drag screaming. But we had fun and the action was HOT as we continued our drifting with hardly a breeze.

But we never saw any Tarpon in the slick, but we gave it one hell of a try. All the sharks action proved we were doing everything right. Maybe just not the right spot. But my theory is, do not leave fish to find fish elsewhere.

We headed in and still had about 5 pounds or so of Pogies out of probably 25 pounds I caught in my cast net, in the morning.

Next up:  Thursday morning 1/2 day, with Roger J. and his 6 & 8 year old sons. Then, Friday with regular and "veteran Jettywolf'er" Don M. and his guest. We may do a bit of sharking, but if it's slow we're gonna stick to LT fishing (light tackle) at the inlet and in the river.  Then, a Saturday 1/2 day, with Charlie H. and his grandsons.

Monday, July 12, 2010

7/12 - Lots of work

Been busy....did and offshore trip that turned out to be a real bummer, after several hours of trolling. With no action. Chris M. and I took off and went to three different reefs on the 8th and had two clip off's on Cigar Minnows, a slam on a King Getter, and a Cuda that came off a Drone spoon. We even drifted cigar minnows over the ole Acosta Bridge rubble out there at Busey's Bonanza. Chris caught a small shark on the drift, and that was it. We were after Kings, not small sharks. We saw a whole lot of football sized schools of Bonita's, and they were haulin butt so fast there was no keeping up with them.

So eventually we just headed in. I was all about doing some "run and gun" behind the shrimp boats, but Chris had Kingfish on his mind. We tried it as we headed in and it was just plain too late in the day. No sharks like I've seen lately in the morning, were behind any of the smaller shrimp boats out there. So we chunked some dead cigar minnows at the end of the north Jetty for a few minutes, but the tide was dead and not moving. So we called it a day.

I must have went 70 miles or more, with all the trolling we did. At a good clip too. Dead cigars I troll at 3 knots.  And was as if there weren't any fish out there on BB, PG, and MR reefs.

I'm so over the "trolling thang", I took that off my web site's rates page. A slow day of inshore fishing is way better than a day of endless trolling in my book. All those hours on the engine....if I continued doing much more of that, I'm sure someday in the future I'll regret it. Honda 225's aren't getting any cheaper!

Then on Friday I took off to Hilton Head S.C. with the folks. Went up there to haul back some beds and framesa that my Aunt & Uncle didn't want or had the room for. So Friday and all of Saturday was shot. But before we left for S.C. we had to pull my dad's motor cycle trailer out of my garage. And that's when my aged garage door popped, snapped and flew off the tracks. So dad and I blew and extra hour securing it so it wouldn't completely fall down while I was gone.

Since Sunday I have been moving beds, and tearing down a garage door......sounds simple huh? Not so.
Beds had to be moved, and then have them stored nd ready for pick-up by the Salvation Army. Then the garage door had to come down and be cut up to be hauled away. Then, I had to spend alot of money I don't have and get a new garage door put up.

All the while I have people calling for days, and they want them so it sounds, then they don't book them. Then the calls come in for last minute charters, for days I do have booked. Oh it's a riot!

But on Tuesday the 14th,  I have Jimbo from Texas.......a Trout fisherman, a Texas wade fishing Trout fisherman! And I can't even show him any big Trout here. Last month he said he fly fished for trout to 33 inches in Laguna Madre.

Ya read that right, 33 INCHES!!!! In June!!!!  

Yeah, we're the only ones in the south that do not catch monsters in the heat. Texas, Alabama, Louisiana, all catch big Trout in the heat of the summer...."oh but that's the Gulf, not the Atlantic. I forgot".

Saw this on La. Sportsman Magazines web site:

















$5.00 on Ebay. Yeah, someone's gonna make something out of the disaster.
Some one on the La. Sportsman reports forum asked if the proceeds will be given to a charity to help La. Fisherman.

Now, it's all about where and when you can fish over in Louisiana. They are closing and opening fishing daily. In Lake Pontchatrain, there is no oil yet, and fishing is closed. So Capt Eric Dumas and a bunch of others are going anyhow to protest, "the La. Fish & Game can't write us all tickets...."

That's what it's turned into now. Protesting, Catch & release fishing only, Hearings, Fights, Testing fish, and so much more.

Good gawd what a mess!

BTW, I finally got my replacement digital camera before I left for S.C. the other day. So I can finally get back into taking GOOD photos. What are reports without photos? Just a bunch of w-o-r-d-s, thats what.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

7/7 - Big day upon the seas....

Had back on the boat Steve W. and his two sons. Last time, they were out on the JETTYWOLF we hit the shrimp boats out in the chum hole and had us a big day of the boys pulling on sharks as they screamed drag off the twin drag Accurate reels. Well, guess what they wanted to do today?

You got it......SHARKS.

I told Steve, "I've been behind those shrimp boats out there 4 times and have yet to even see a Sharks let alone catch one."

So as we left the dock, I turned down river versus out the river eastward. We had the last of the falling tide ahead of us, so I figured we burn off some old Cigar Minnows on the bottom and get us a few big Reds.

Upon arrival on the spot, the tide was great, the morning wasn't all that hot with a due east breeze coming off the ocean, all seemed to be perfect. Glitch in the game plan.....bait stealers galore! Eating our baits on the bottom in 36 feet of water faster than I could keep two rods out and lines in the water.

No Redbass bites. Yeah....how hard could it be to catch a decently big Redbass on a falling tide in good current along the Lil Jetties?
OBVIOUSLY PRETTY HARD, in bazzarro world.

So I said hell with this and picked up and headed east out the jetties. Big Swells against the east wind were at the end of the north rocks, but outside the current it was really nice. We saw shrimp boats WAYYYY out there a few miles offshore. So I dropped two plugs and two dead cigar minnows over the side and trolled the "rip-line" out to the shrimpers looking for a Kingfish or Cuda bite, which was also a "fish-wish".

We arrived at the shrimp boats all gathered in one area, so I pulled all the trolling lines and headed over to them with a rod all rigged up. I use a 4" Pear shaped float with 4 feet of 200# test and a 13/0 to 16/0 Mustad circle hook  on the end of the rig. Everything is crimped. I also file the bend of the hooks and create a notch in the steel, because most of the time I'm not going to get that hook back. ( I like having hands and fingers) So giving the sharks a bit of help with hook degrading-rusting, as soon as possible.

We pulled up behind the first shrimper and what did we see??? A pack of 50 sharks from 3 foot to 6 foot or better all chasing the boat on top of the nets. I freaked....."LOOK AT ALL THOSE SHARKS!!!"
The boys were ready, too. The sharks were boiling the water, even. Fins and tails were everywhere.
I made a cast into the pack and in seconds it was game on!

I believe we hooked up at least 8-10 and put at least half to the side of the boat, thanks to some never die angling of the boys, and the meat stik'ness of my big Ugly Stik rods. Young anglers don't need to go "light tackle" here. Because several times at the side of the boat when a sharks in the 4-5 foot catagory and anywhere from 40-70 pounds would lunge, that rod was smacked on the side of the gunnel, plenty!
But the Uglies can take it. 

You have no idea how big or bad the sharks that's gonna eat the bait will be, till you hook it. But one thing we are TARGETING is the Blacktips/Spinner sharks that are the largest of the pack and are the HIGH FLYERS!

Yes, now that's exciting. Hook shark up, sharks smokes line sizzling through the water, sharks flies across the water sideways in the air, "cork screwing" and lands and does it all over again. If you still have this animal on after all that, you're lucky! I call 'em, BROWN MARLIN.

We weren't all that lucky today. After the arial displays our fish was lost, by either a bit off hook right through 200# mono, or the whole rig was just plain g-o-n-e. Yeah, I lost loads of tackle, today. But that's the game.

Then, re-rig and get back in and do it again. Most boated sharks were Atlantic Sharpnose, and a few smaller Blacktips.

I was busy doing all the de-hooking and or cutting the leader, while holding the sharks for a photo. So I didn't get many shark pics today. And the pics I did take were with my camera on my phone. Yes, today while I was fishing my replacement for my broke digital camera was delivered....but a signiture was needed. So I still have no real camera.

So these are the shots I took. Steve was supposed to send me all he took. But I have not recieved them yet.














































































Next up: A solo'ist Chris M. on 7/8 another returning past customer. Last time he fished with me it was in January and was freezing. Now he's trying the flip-side.

Heading offshore for Kingfish is the plan, then come back in and hit the shrimp boats for some more "run & gun" sharkin'.

Monday, July 5, 2010

7/5 - It's over.

Whewwww....The madness is over. Now, it's hopefully back to normal. Even thought this holiday wasn't the best weather wise. Maybe now when folks contact me, it will actually be because they "want" to go fishing, rather than tire kick, around.


This weeks forecast as of today:

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

TONIGHT - EAST WINDS 5 TO 10 KNOTS. SEAS 2 TO 3 FEET. INLAND
WATERS MOSTLY SMOOTH.

TUESDAY - EAST WINDS 10 TO 15 KNOTS. SEAS 2 TO 4 FEET. INLAND
WATERS A LIGHT CHOP.

TUESDAY NIGHT - EAST WINDS 10 KNOTS. SEAS 2 TO 4 FEET. INLAND
WATERS MOSTLY SMOOTH.

WEDNESDAY - EAST WINDS 10 TO 15 KNOTS. SEAS 2 TO 4 FEET. INLAND
WATERS A LIGHT CHOP.

Hummmmm, EAST WINDS HUH?
That's not right. My next pre-booked trip is on Wednesday.


OBSERVATIONS:

I have not seen the first Tarpon at the jetties yet. They may be there. But I haven't seen one. All I've seen tucked up in the rocks is lines of cuda's facing into the current. Did you know that they will take a "top water plug"? Yep, years ago I worked on them for hours. Then finally caught a 15 pounder on a Storm Chug Bug.














They're way to smart to follow a plug away from the rocks too long. I had them following for a few feet. But C'mon....what baitfish swims into open water to get eaten? Later in the day as the sun started to get closer to the horizon, I guess you could say "in lower light conditions" same as top water Trout. I made a few casts parallel along the rocks. Yes, a bait fish struggling would be up in the rocks seeking some kind of shelter, right? And that was the ticket! Half way back to the boat the "following" cuda blasted the top water plug. Flying out of the water with a mouthful of sharp treble hooks. And I got it! Can't say I know anyone else who's caught them SNAGGLE TOOTH JETTY TROUT, on top water, along the big rocks!















Heck with sharks.....these dudes are the scarey ones.









































 
 
 
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------
 
I prefer sic'n the wolfie on them, myself....."let's go get us some"
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
-Bring that blonde in the little bikini ........

Friday, July 2, 2010

7/2 - Boys day out.

Had Greg T. and his two sons, brother-in-law Bruce and his son.....same crew as last year. And the son's ages are from 6-8 years old. I always try to keep the boys as busy as I can. So after I picked them up at the Sisters Creek boat ramp we headed not far away to toss out some shrimp and start catching some fish.

We weren't on the spot but minutes and the boys started reeling fish in. From giant Pinfish to a Spadefish, a pup Black Drum and alot more Pinfish. (looks as if the Pinners have taken over where the Mangrove Snappers would be if it wasn't for this past winter's cold taking care of the river's plague of mini-mangroves, along every rocks, bump and dock piling in the St. Johns river.) 

The tide started to slack and the boat started to swing around on anchor. So I made a pitch to a spot where I always pull a Redfish out of, with a light rod, small hook and a piece of dead shrimp. I felt bump, bump, and handed the rod to Bruce. This was an adult size fish! But Bruce and his son shared the reel in of a very nice light tackle catch of a 30 inch Redfish.

My Verizon phone camera didn't do so good with this picture today. I can't wait to get my replacement digital camera, replacement number 2 in two years. SeaLife dive cameras.....save your time and buy a Olympia "TOUGH" digital water proof, instead. (http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/product.asp?product=1483)  I wish I did. I would have taken more photos, but I was a bit busy with the boys and fish today.














As the tide really started to pour, we swung around perfectly. Time for heavier lead, and heavier rods. And big Reds in strong current. So I busted out the dead Cigar Minnows I had on the boat yesterday and cut them in half, pinned them on some circle hooks. Just like yesterday, the first Red slammed the bait, I picked up the rod and yelled for one of the boys.......then the fish was gone. It came off the hook somehow. Big time current and deep water can be that way with these fish, sometimes.

Next up was Wes, the rod doubled again and he was reeling and pulling as drag smoked off the spool and the fish got him over the ledge behind the boat and cut the Mason hard type nylon 30# leader.

Waiting on more big fish wasn't the three boy's forte, so as the anchor slipped I drug it up and we made a move. The next spot was pinfish and more pinfish. But the boys didn't care.....their favorite fish of the day probably wasn't the 30 inch Red, but rather the puffer Greg hooked up for them.

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

I had so many emails and phone calls for this weekend, but people have a hard time committing. But inquire all the same. I don't get that? The weather is gonna get windy as this front finally goes over us by Sunday.
So I made plans to head to Hilton Head, N.C. with the folks and visit my aunt and uncle.

But as I made my way back from Sisters Creek boat ramp after the charter, dad called and said his transmission was acting funny in his truck that we were taking. So now no trip to N.C. this weekend and no bookings either.

Next up, is Tuesday the 7th.......Steve W.  and his two boys.      

Thursday, July 1, 2010

JULY 1 - World Tour

Had the Don B. and his family my favorite "regulars", aboard the Jettywolf again. Always glad to have them, as we always have a good time no matter what happens. Well, today was one of those "best laid plans, gone awry." Let me define, for the vacabulary handicapped;  AWRY"away from the correct or expected course; "something has gone awry in our plans."

And that usually means Nassua Sound! I ride all the way up there, because we weren't looking for any box fish, I just wanted big time pullers. Drag smokers, via relatively light tackle. And by the way, that meant SHARKS. Be it the small 2-3' Blacktips, or the 20 pound Bonnetheads. When I have the Brandts aboard, they just want to catch, and enjoy the day out.  The last time I was up at Nassua Sound on a kids trip, we had 30 or so Whiting and a few light tackle rod doublers we never even saw, before the hook was bit off the leader. So that's what I had in mind. But I came prepared. And even brought Chum to secure the bite, if we got into a good one.

Twelve inch Whiting are fine for a 6 year old, as long as there's loads of them. But c'c'mon....adults ain't getting any thrill out of a 12 inch fish. So after my 18 mile long run via the ICW, we arrived as the last of the falling tide just started to switch. Bites we had.....12" Whiting, and one after another 12" Sharks.

Did ya get that? I said 12 INCH Sharks!!!!! The nursury. Romper room, Sesame Street crap. I moved around 3 times. Same deal.

The water temp in the sound on my machine was 72 degrees!  IT'S JULY 1ST, AND HERE WE ARE IN 72 DEGREE WATER? Yes, another summer time happening in bazzaro world N.E. Florida. Cold water in summer. Usually a good thing for the shark hunter. But obviously not today. So after a good handful of 12" Sharks and dink Whiting. We all agreed, "it's time to get the hell outa here." So I made the run all the way back to the St. Johns River.

On the way back, I thought of a good spot and if the tide was right we could catch some big Redbass. And damn if I didn't pull up, drop the anchor set out two rods rigged with circle hooks and pinned on some thawd cut Cigar Minnows and the first rod bent over. I.G. - instantaneous gratification. Bill, Don's dad was sitting right next to the rod when it took a bow. Hooked it up and then it got off.....OH NO MR. BILL!! I believe the fish didn't have long enough to eat up the cigar minnow, as Bill reeled it up and everything but the head was gone.

That's the tricky thing when fishing circle hooks for gamefish that eat their baits whole. Give them time to take it and then double the rod over with the reel spool peeling line out. There's no need to hurry, the fish ain't going no where.  Unless the fish eats the bait and swims towards the boat, like big reds will do. Then you have to take up the slack, feeeeel, feeeel some more. Then reel like your hand is a Black & Decker, as you lift against the fish.  Not always as easy as it sounds. But lots of experience, will do the trick.

That rod wasn't out 2 minutes and we already had one on. Things were looking alot better than Nassua Sound already!

Then came a precession of bites from some super pretty and dark copper colored "RB's" - (Redbass')

(the camera crew getting ready)


























































(not bad photos from my Verizon phone, after a bit of tweaking)
We had some other bites. No Stingrays, thank goodness. But as fast as the action came, it was over. I bet if we were there just an hour or so sonner we would have been in the whole bite, instead of the tail end.

We made a few moves, but couldn't get any more "love" out of a Redbass. So eventually we headed back to the dock. The weather was calm all day, almost too calm. But we did watch the clouds come in later in the day. I had kind of a sinus headache. So something was happening. That's always my clue that there's a change on the way.

That change will happen for tomarrows trip. From no wind today too N.E. wind shifts on Friday up to 20 knots by afternoon. I'll be doing a 1/2 day with Greg T. and his two youngsters, and his Brother-in-law and his youngster. Five, and me. Thank goodness the kids are light weights.

No more Nassua Sound for Cappy Dave. I try to only let that place "burn me" a few times each year. And when it does, it does it royally.