8/11 & 8/12 - From wicked to wacky

T-I-D-E-S....."are the most important factor in all saltwater fishing." Especially, in N.E. Florida and in the St. Johns River.


THE WICKED:

With that said, I had Sean S. with his young cousins Sara and Jake out on Wednesday. The kids caught some fish, mostly small Croakers, Spots, and Whiting. The incoming tide was RIPPING! The tide height from low to high tide was 6.1 feet, with a nasty S.E. sea breeze kickin' all day long. Pushing even more water into the river.

I worked hard in the river, trying multiple spots while keeping baits in the water as much as possible. We did try for a big Red, had one hooked up. But it got off my 11/0 circle hook somehow.

We went to the jetties and looked over the rocks to where I really wanted to go. But there was no way, I was heading there with the kids. It was a soup sandwich, with plenty of white water.

I knew if I could get where I wanted we'd get some action. Because I also had a charter with some kids on Thursday also. Watching the forecast, it changed about 4 times. South 10-15....SE 10-15.....West 10-15, it's funny how the marine forecast is always radically different than the Walmart on the westside forecast.


THE WACKY:

So on Thursday morning when I departed with Dad, Ed. And sons Conner & Seth. I was sooooo wanting to see what my side of the jetty rocks would look like. The tide was rising at 7am, and the ends of the rocks were a soup sandwich. But fish'able on the Jettywolf, no problem. Actually, it was just as I like it. Nasty enough that most folks won't toss an anchor next to me. Shin-knocker boats, no need to apply! So we headed to the beach and made a look for some Pogies. They were there....somewhere. Pelicans were diving. But the Pog's were scattered. It was okay, I had a livewell full of shrimp, and a bucket of fresh dead from yesterday.

Back to the rocks we went. It was S-W-E-L-L, I thought. But Ed was not feeling the love. But Conner and Seth didn't care. We pitched dead shrimp on the bottom and caught Croakers and Whiting. Like I. G. - Instantaneous Gratification. The boys reeled in fish, after fish. While Ed cleared his stomach of it's contents, and layed on the cooler in the bow of the boat.  After boating some Whiting, that were just fillet'able, we headed into the river and that's where all bites stopped. Ed had some color back in his face as I pulled the anchor and I told him, "'ya know the JETTYWOLF is telling me, she wants to go back to her namesake....The Jetties." 

So I made a bee-line back to the same area we left. It was much calmer as the tide rose and it was time to bust out the ole Float-rig rods, and live shrimp  Ed, never fished, and was there just because he was the Dad. Because me and the boys took up the cock-pit, playing combat fishing. I'd cast their floats out hand them the rods and they'd make the drifts.

Not long after Conner's float went down with a good fish.


















A 22 inch Redbass....the first "keeper" in a week of fishing. So into the box it went and not long afterwards Conner was hooked up again with a serious drag burner. But it got off.
Then he was on again, and the fish broke off his hook. I know there's so much to look at, and amaze at. But I had to tell these guys each time their float went down. "What would ya'll do without me?", I asked.

Things slowed, Ed was some what attentive. But obviously still not feeling the love of my Jetty spot. So we moved 100 feet.

Seth finally connected with a Ladyfish, after Conner caught a Jack.
















It was getting really nice out there by now. And that's when we started to see lots of Tarpon rolling behind us. I told the guys my jetty Tarpon stories. And that's when they started day dreaming. Talking up how they'd love to catch a 140 pounder. So big that we'd chase it and need a fuel tanker to come out and re-fuel the Jettywolf back up. How they'd love to hook on right before we were to head in. And end up being out there till dark fighting it. It was trash talking Michigan style, obviously.

I told them the truth though. I told them, "ya may need a 'Depends' undergarment." And most Tarpon hooked spend most of the first few minutes in the air. And most Tarpon on the float-rig break the light leader, or bend the small kahle hook we're using. But the day dreaming stories still rolled......

Then, Seth had his float go down, and in a nano-second a Tarpon was flying across the back of the boat. It somersaulted, did a double twist, and was OFF, that quick. It all happened so fast that Seth just didn't know what hit him. Cause if ya blinked you missed it.  But the poon's were all over the place.

Things were winding down. And I made another cast for one of the boys. My rod slipped out of my hand and hit the drink! It sat there just under the water for a second so I made a mad grab for it. It was a super stretch for this fat boy. But what I lack in stealth, I have in, tenacity. My arm stretch out like it was made out of rubber. But the problem is, my large girth followed.......and over the side I went!

( I said this part of the story was, Wacky.)

I caught the rod & reel before sinking. And handed it back to the boys in the boat, as I hung over the side yelling......."I GOT IT......I CAUGHT MY ROD!!"

Then, I swung around and climbed my girth back into the boat. Loosing my "Jus Grab It glove", and my new line cutters. But, that didn't matter. My 7'6" Float-rig rod and my Shimano (old style) Citica 200 DSV bait casting reel, were saved.

"Man, that water is salty",  is all I had to say as I toweled off and tried to shake the water out of my shoes and shorts. A perfect ending to a wacky day to say the least.

Ed, was never really with us, he was down for the count even when I was in the water, I think. It didn't matter. I was happy to actually fish where I wanted to be on the smoking incoming tide, finally.  We had fish in the box, Seth hooked his Tarpon, and I saved my tackle after throwing it over the side........somehow???

Back at the dock, I actually cleaned some fish for take home. These hard to fish tides won't be over with till about Monday. So if ya want to fish.......CALL NOW, book ahead, plan ahead. Think Sept & October, cuz that's when I start really howling from the big rocks.









Whewwww, I need a day off, after today.

8/9 - Casualty of the moon.

Had Jerry and Todd aboard today. Two fun guys. We left the dock at 7am, and I had Big Reds in store for us right off.

The tide: Rising, high at 8:30'ish, and around 5 foot over low, with an East breeze blowing in the river. Made for challenging RB fishing. I used some cut Boston Mac's and had to use 10 ounces of lead to hit the bottom at our first spot. The bite was dead slow. But we waited it out, and eventually the current slowed just a bit.

We had two rod bowing, smokin' runs from big Reds. First fish was hooked up, but somehow came off my Mustad 11/0 EZ baiter long shanked circle hook. The second fish, ripped line off the spool like no ones business and turned around something (ledges on the bottom) and popped the leader just above the hook. HOLY CRAP, Batman.....what the hell???? is what I was thinking.

It's not like this is my first rodeo during tides like this on this spot. But I'm still amazed. After that, we sat and sat without another take down. So off to some other kind of fishing, I figured.

We ran a good ways to a great float-rig fishing spot. Actually a rising tide spot that's my holy grail of spots.
The current was blasting. So we gave it a little while with out much than a bait stealer bite or two. My gawd, this tides is gonna kill me, cause it just gets worse this week. And I have two more charters with kids aboard, and could be demanding adults.

Plus, the wind kept building and building. We tried another spot or two and it sucked. Boat whipped one way, the floats went another or not at all. So we just went to catch any fish. So on the way back towards Mayport I stopped at a spot that I've mentioned that I have been "willing" a Black Drum of keeper proportions to enter the fish box. The tide was so high, with the breeze pushing, but we did have some falling water. Not the situation for the spot, but a few bait stealers did make it to the boat.

Back to deep fishing for big Reds. The wind was now blowing 15 knots or better, the tide was smokin', and there we sat fishing a hard bottom spot, hoping to get slammed again. When here came a big black cloud, and some rain. We pulled anchor and moved to see if there was gonna be big wind with it. But the whole deal passed just east of us. Todd had a long ride back to West Palm, so we headed in.

First casualty, of this weeks new moon tides. And add on to it, some wind and passing dark clouds.
I gave it my all. And even tried to get them a Trout or two, at least. But Momma Nature was against me all the way.

Next up:

Weds. 2- kids, 2 adults
Thursday 2 kids, one adult.

Last week hardly any current, this week too much.

8/4 - Sharkin' saved the day, Jettywolf on the move.

Had Jonathan B. his boss Don, and his son Jonathan aboard today. I knew going in that the tides in the river would be quite weak today. And several attempts at fishing along some hard bottom areas in the river to catch the younger Jonathan a big bad Redbass, seemed futile. On the falling and even on the incoming tide at the end of the day.

We did some "run & gun" behind the shrimp boats outside the inlet. And caught the smaller Atlantic Sharp noses that seemed to be the dominate species. But they are not the target shark. Big Blacktips in the 100 pound range are the reason why I do it. Everyone got to pull on the sharp noses, before it was evident no big Blacktips were around.

We even ran to the beach and made one toss of the cast net and came up with what I call Flounder size Pogies. Small enough that they got gilled in my Pogie net. I caught so many that the net was swimming away. I really like the smaller Pog's, because they live better in my 15 gallon bait wells. And I can keep more.

We tried anchoring on the last of the falling tide at the end of the south Jetty without a decent bite, while using the small Pog's......which seemed unbelievable. 


Right after I said to older Jonathan, "these sized Pogies are Flounder sized Pogies", we were along the inside of the North Jetty, and had set out on the bottom 3 baits. One rod wiggled, then wiggled again. And young Jonathan reeled in a Flounder that ate a Flounder sized Pogie! Imagine that.........
We also picked up one Jack Crevalle, too.

Overall, we just needed alot more current in the river. The falling tide was only a 3.5'  in my tide book. And the incoming was a bit better, a 4.2'. That's why I even gave getting a few Big Reds a try at the end of the day, while even extending our trip, an hour.

It can be that way sometimes. Plus add in the summer temps. The tide will build to 6 feet starting next week. If it isn't always something.....Instead of having no current, we'll have enough to export to the Gulf of Mexico!  
  

8/3 - No wind, Big Troutz, dats okay!

Whoa, this heat is hard to be in day after day.......as I've been busier than a one armed angler. Especially, with the kid trips, which I'm sure soon will end abruptly as they head back to school once again.

So today, I had a solo fisherman aboard Allen N. from Salt Lake City, Utah. And when I said the word Trout, he thought as many do, that "OUR" Trout are like his trout. NO EVEN CLOSE. Our trout are serious predators, they are also members of the same "drum family" as a Redfish is, a Black Drum is, and a Croaker is. I'm a bit partial, and I believe they are the best of the drum family of fishes, are the most beautiful, and also are what make the Jettywolf and I click 12 months a year. Only problem is, the word SUMMER. With a published temp preferance of 60 to 80 degree water temp. I believe, that the genuine temp preferance is really more like 60-75 degrees in N.E. Florida. For the sheer reason that they seem to bite a whole lot better when the water's in that range. And really, isn't that all that counts? 

We departed at 7am and I was already a ball of sweat. We broke the "ice" over a sumberged oyster reef in the river that I'm sort of "willing with all my might" to produce keeper Black Drum, but of course is constantly coming up short, with 13 inchers, rather than the 15 to 22" fish that have been there in summers past.

But Allen did catch a Black Drum at 13 inches.....of course. Along with pinners, croakers, and seabass. Which meant time to try something else. So we moved back about 50 feet and started float-rigging the area. Allen wanted "active" fishing, not just all "bait-n-wait". So I taught him the finer details of the float-rig, N.E. Florida style. While trying the spot that was 15'-20' deep on the last of the falling tide.

We both caught ZERO. Which meant ANCHOR UP...time to move.

Next spot, a seriously memorable spot for me. I've caught so many big Trout here it's rediculas. And customers have caught Trout to 7.5 pounds here. I had no idea what would happen, because I have not fished the area since last spring, maybe back in April.  

Allen's first drift of the float-rig.........BAM! 22 incher. In my book, a 98 degree windless weather Trophy Trout.


















About 20 minutes passes.....and then my float takes a dive.

A nice 19 incher comes to the net. Yeah, I was fishing along side Allen.










   
Then, about 20 minutes later....my float takes a dive again. The fish pulls drag and makes 4 long runs. I thought it was a Redbass. And thank goodness it wasn't.....it was a 26" Gator Trout. YEAH BABY! These are the fish we came for. My spot didn't let me down today. So we kept working it. But as the current weakened, we recieved no more bites. But hell, this was sure worth the stop.

I tried a few other spots in the area, even though I marked 86.7 degree surface temp on my Raymarine C-120 sounder temp gauge. It was so hot we couldn't breath. Allen was sweating, his face was all wet. And I was dreaming of November around Thanksgiving. So we tried one more spot and float-rigged up under a dock for a few bites. But they weren't Trout bites.

Time to head back east to clean-green-cooler- ocean water, on the rising tide. We stopped at the little Jetties and tried a great spot. Good current, cooler water and 15' deep along the rocks there. No bites.

Time to hit the jetties. Allen needs a Redfish. We got there and worked two spots. And the Redfish that ate a live river cricket was on my hook. A 18-1/2 inch RB.......okay, in the B-O-X ya go!

We worked it till I couldn't stand the slow action, and rock blennie bites, any longer. We headed in  to clean the fish, guzzle some more Gatorade and have Allen's wife pick him up.

NEXT UP:

3 for Wednesday.....hit the shrimp boats, get some pog's and catch a big RB?

I hope so. 

August 1 - A day with Schley

Had Jon M. and his son Schley aboard today. This boy has fished aboard the Jettywolf before, and my ole For Reelin II, many moons ago. And he's only 9 yrs old. Full of personality,makes the day fun. And for a fishing guide that seems to have kids aboard his boat about every trip from June 1 to Sept. 1 each year. Schley, is a fun 9 year old.

Plans were, to just go catch him some fish. And then, as the tide let us, get him a giant whopper Redbass. Because kids his age with big Reds and the photos afterwards makes it really worth it in my book.

So Jon and I helped Schley out with the bites, just using the light rods and some shrimp. First spot was kinda dead, just like two days ago. Except for a small summer Sheepshead.























 Although we had a really nice falling tide. We made a move up river, to a spot that has produced hot weather Black Drum and a few Reds on just Shrimp. We anchored over a submerged oyster bed, and pitched baits down current of it. 


It was the best spot of our 6 hr day. We couldn't keep three lines going we stayed so busy. And Schley reeled in a bunch of fish.....but out of several Black Drum, many were small.

 I remember last year on this same spot on July 2nd it was 4-6 pound Drum, here.  But Schley did get one keeper.
And he thought this one fought.....But I had plans on a big Red for him still.

He caught Croakers, Spots, Seabass, Toadfish, Sea Perch, Skates, but no Redfish, while we fished the light tackle and shrimp. So we saved the smallest Croakers for live bait for big Redbass. And took a few hours and fished the heavier tackle in the swift current to see if we could get a really big fish for him. Even though he was sceptical about being able to reel one in. He liked the fast fish after fish action, I think. 


As the tide changed and started to rise. The bite really fell off, and the boat traffic (weekends...) really came alive.
It was hot, but Schley is a trooper and hung in there for us. I saved a few of his fish and he went back to where they were staying with a handful of fillets.

NEXT UP:


Tuesday, a solo angler. And we're gonna do light tackle fishing all day, and see what happens. Gonna give the deep water bottom fishing a rest for a day. 

7/30 - Slow current...really hot.

Had Charlie S. and crew aboard which included his wife, and her nephews son Max from France, and Charlie's friend. No sooner did we get anchored up, and I had to struggle to stay on the game. I just wanted to go through my motions to see what was going on. But it sort of became people management. Max was reeling the lines in,  we had no current yet, and Charlie's wife thought it was time to just start reeling the fish in. We caught the heck out of Spots and some small Croakers the day before in the same area. But as I tried to maintain order. The dead shrimp wasn't even getting bit.

The tide was slowly coming in on the bottom, as the water still moved out on the top. No good. And I was looking to manage what was going on to the best of my abilities. We moved, and were positioned in a great spot, and every piece of shrimp was eaten off the hooks before I could get a third rod out.

I could see, this might be a long day......

So we went to the jetties. No sooner did we anchor up, and I tossed out two light rigs on the same light rods. Max gets a slam dunk, the rod bows over and the 14 year old who's English was a bit short starts reeling. The "whatever", runs up under the boat, toward the anchor line, I get the rod and try and stop it, and the hook straightens out. It was only a #4 Eagle Claw wide bend. Then, Max reels in a small Bonnet head Shark, and then a tiny Stingray. Time for heavier tackle. I toss out cut Cigar Minnows on a circle hook, and then we sat there, with out a bite.......Go Figure!

The tide was incoming along the south Jetty, the water was green, but really we had no current to speak of.
So we head back intro the river, and we finally have some tide pushing. It's getting late morning, the heat's pouring on. Some one is on the spot I fish already. "Move thy meat.....loose thy seat....",  I always say.  Especially on a Friday thru Sunday. Friday's in the summer are just an extension on the weekend.

So I drop back. No bites. And then I see the guys in the other boat are moving. So I drag up the anchor and get in prime position. Time is ticking away and it's getting Hotter and Hotter......

I get where I want to be. Toss out the baits. And it's just what I figured. Today the incoming tide on this spot is too late in the day. The earlier in the morning the better the bite is. But we wait it out.

We get a few hook-ups, some "ole swing and a miss" on the Red's side. How they run and get off a circle hook is any one's guess.

But we do boat two over sized Reds on cut bait. Certainly didn't want to waste time hunting Pogies with a 4 person trip today.....Don't think they could have handled the hunt for bait. Max, the boy, wasn't the most patient fisherman.

But the two we got were nice ones. The waiting in the heat was intense. All sun, no breeze what so ever. No cloud cover at all. And for me, it was my 4th day in a row under this sun. My stamina was being challenged also.

Back at it on Sunday and Tuesday. Tuesday is one of those rare solo charters......and he wants to "go casting". I guess that means, light tackle no deep water bottom fishing, toss in a float-rig, here and there??

7/29 - "Sport Fishing" July Style

Had Rick T. and two boys aboard today.  Departed at 7am and headed out the Jetties looking for some Pogies for live bait. The river and ocean was S-L-I-C-K. I have not seen it so calm in a long time. Not a swell, not a ripple. Blue skies, and ZERO wind. 

Of course, I would have liked to see at least a hint of breeze to keep the heat down a little. But that would have been a luxury. Rick wanted "keeper" fish. But unfortunately, this isn't the time of year for keeper Reds.
The last few small ones I have caught was weeks ago at the Jetties and barely were over 18 inches.

I didn't find any Pogies, and didn't want to waste time searching high and low for them. I carried bait in my cooler, just in case we had to use it. Because I'm on a real time line. Ignore the tide and it just ticks away while you're out screwing around.

So we headed into the river and caught some large Reds. After using dead shrimp to catch some small Croakers and Spots. The small Croakers are better than a live Pogie is, in my book. Evidence was when the tide turned and started coming in, and the boat swung. We put away the light rods, grabbed the heavier tackle. I pinned on a small live Croaker, pitched it out and it sat on the bottom maybe 2 minutes and the rod bent over and the line ripped off the spool.
















Big Reds are like looking a gift horse in the mouth, in my book. They provide great action. And n the fall, during the spawn season, I get people from all over the country come to catch these fish. But when it comes to "keepers"....take all complaints up with the Florida Conservation Commission. (http://www.myfwc.com/)

















There was a lull in the action after boating a few, loosing a few, and having lots of rod bobbing. Because the tide was ripping and I was up to an 8 ounce sinker already. So I picked up and headed back to the jetties to see if we could find some smaller Reds. But that was a waste of very valuable tide. Because there wasn't any current out there at all, and nothing but small Seabass were caught.

A-C-T-I-O-N....is the name of the game on a 100 degree day. So I left and went back to the same area of the river and anchored up where there was actual "current".  And no sooner did I get out 4 lines, and we had a "Double header".



















In the dog days of summer, I believe this is some seriously good action. Just wish we could have done more of it, instead of wasting time looking for "keepers" at the jetties.  It's Capt Dave's "Sport Fishing" for a reason. Now, in the cooler months, it's all about fish in the box.  And believe me, I can't wait for summer to be over myself. I've had enough of the heat.  And have day dreams of a cool late November day float-rig fishing along the jetty rocks, for big fat Specks.

7/28 - Two young anglers & big Redbass

Had a wonderful 1/2 day with Matt D. and his two young boys. They were staying up at Amelia Island, so I picked them up at the Sand Dollar restaurant across the river, from the Mayport boat ramp. No waiting, I no sooner pulled up and I could see the two boys up in the parking lot. Perfect timing.....

As soon as I met these two young anglers to be. I could tell, we were going to have a good time. So we pulled away from the dock and headed down river. No messing around. It was fishing time. I had some fresh Pogies left over from yesterday, fresh dead shrimp, and even some dead Mullet as back up cut-bait. We arrived right as the tide was changing. So I started out with the light rods and some dead shrimp, just to see what was going on. And they reeled in a small Seabass and a tiny toadfish. I told the boys, "this isn't what you're going home with under your belt. We're fishing for whoppers, just wait." 

It didn't take long, and we were in position with good current flowing and it was time to break out the "little rods that can", my 6' whoopin rods.

I believe these guys were just 6 & 9 years old, so I helped them out when the hook-ups came. But either way they felt the power of the Redbass as they head shook and ran back and forth behind the boat. When I was their age, I would have just died to do what we did today. Instead a big fish was a 2 pound Catfish at the lake near Grandma & Grandpa's house. And my fancy tackle was a hand-line with an egg sinker and a hook, with a chunk of Chicken gizzard, or earthworm pinned on it.

So all I have to say is, "the kids I take mean a lot to me. And I hope they know they are getting an extra special treat."  

The Red's were from 10-12 pounders. And Matt got to handle the only Stingray hook-up we had. Sorry, no photos are taken of dumpster lids. Although, the Stinger sure did test out my 6' Ugly Stik.

We had a few bites in between that we didn't connect with. And I ran into a little bit of trouble with the people who want to anchor way too close to me in full moon incoming tide. Most people out there just don't want to give an wiggle room. I'm anchored up on bottom so hard it's like blacktop. And when and if my anchor slips, I need some working room. So through ignorance or just inconsideration once I did slip on the perfect spot I was on, there was no getting back on it again, because now I had a boat right in front of me.

It was a great morning. And these two boys were a joy to have aboard the Jettywolf.


Next up:
Dad and two teenagers tomorrow. Then a 4 pak on Friday. Saturday I'm off. Then I have a dad and his 9 year old son on Sunday.

7/27 - HOT + SUNNY + BIG FISH = JETTYWOLF

Had Daniel H. and his father-in law, and his brother-in law aboard today. We tried behind the shrimp boats, but zero was happening. The water temps took a good dip again. It was 77-78 degrees in the Ocean. But as we headed in after getting some Pogies on the beach, I actually ran through a pocket of 74-75 degrees between the jetties.

We headed into the river and upon arrival at the spot the current was smokin'. I had to use 10 ounces of lead to barely keep a Pogie on the bottom.

But as the tide slowed, it was GAME ON!

We had a few Double headers. Which is always nice and exciting. It gets numbers up quick!

We finished up on the big reds and then hit the bottom trying to find a few take home fish. And only found small Croakers & Spots. Then we were done at 1:00pm and man was it H-O-T!

I'm booked till Sunday and have many different crews coming. So I'll keep this short and sweet. I need to kick back and enjoy me some of this expensive A/C.....and a cold PBR.

So stay tuned........





    

7/24 - the "Mid" point.....it's all good.

The day after the Greater Jax Kingfish Tournament........usually means all those 4 engined 38' go fast boats are heading back to where they came from on I-95 and I-10. The average tournament fisherman in Jax is whooped, broke, or broke down. And for me, it marks the mid-point of hot summer and my favorite time of year is getting that much closer.......Fall, Winter, Spring.  No, summer is not my favorite time of year. It is business wise, because everyone and their brother loves the heat. I wish folks loved the COOL as much. But of course that coincides with all those (pointless in my opinion) holidays. Again, I only like holidays because of business. I know, I'm a hard-azz.

Remember this post when it's late November and I'm having a ball light tackle fishing the big Jetties, with a sweatshirt on, in super comfort. I think Mike P. and his girlfriend Amy will....they are the folks that fished with me today. He said he wants to come back to Jax and fish again in November. He has too, if he wants to see what makes the "Float Freak" tick!  Oh yeah, drifting the ole Float-rig for spunky cool weather
T-routz!

But that's not what we did today. Today we were departing at 7am. YES. So sweet....we actually drove away from the dock before 7am, because they arrived at 6:30am, ready to go. My kinda folks.
Mike and Kim are from S. Florida and fish all around down yonder. So I was hoping Momma Nature would show some South Floridians, a good day.

We headed out the inlet. It was a bit "swellish". Only two small shrimpers were out in the chum hole working it, and then joined by a big boat, but it headed toward Nassau Sound. I talked up the Blacktips to Mike, so we had it on our float plan. But it was obvious that there was no real action going on behind these two small shrimpers. I'm on a time line, I need signs of action and NOW. But I could tell it was a "dud" today.

There was a deep red sky in the morning, so the wind was GOING to blow eventually. So being it was high tide also along the jetty rocks we headed there. No sharkin today, I guess. So I anchored outside the big rocks and Mike and I tossed cut cigar minnows meant for the Sharks, up to the rocks looking for a Redbass bite. It was a bit to nautical for Kim, but she was a good sport and let us try for a few minutes.

Nothing along that spot at the rocks. So I pulled anchor and went and threw my net once over some pogies, along the beach. Gotta have some live wigglers in the well, for what and where we were heading next.

But my timing was all wrong. We were behind a ship with a Coastie escort. They harassed us of course. And said, "stay 500 feet away and pass the ship at a slow speed."  Well, the ship was hauling ass...."how can I go slow and pass it, I need to go that way?" I asked. The personality'less Coastie couldn't answer my question. I'm heading west, the ships heading west. I'm a tide, time line! They threatened me with a boarding, which I guess means a ticket cause they WILL find something wrong, is what that meant. Gotta love being threated like crap by our own defenders.

The nightly TV news talks about treating Iraqi's and Afghans respectfully to earn their trust...TRY it here first.

So we finally got to where we were going. Anchored up, and tossed live pogies over the side with my little Ugly Stiks. I refer to them as the little rods that "can". Only 6 feet long, but they have such a great action. No need for a long rod when doing this kind of bottom fishing, I have learned. And the gals, kids and older folks have a easier time with rods no so cumbersome. Yeah, goes against my personal philosophy because I like 8 foot rods.  But these sure can whoop a Big Redbass!

And in what seemed like just minutes, Amy was on one......lickety split!













As long as we had good current, and the boat laid perfectly, the big "RB's" were chewin'. Then, it was Mike's turn, and the bite was on......for good.
















We did experience a few break-off's and a Stingray spool dump. But the action was real good, till the current slowed on this particular spot.

Mike, bowin up on another Redbass that measures over 30 inches...."we just couldn't get a single keeper, at least not in this area."  We didn't take off to some other zip code as the tide changed, slowed or the current went weak. We just moved around. That's all ya have to do. And the "fleet" around us got pretty thick for awhile. I'm surprised the cruiser, beer drinking crowd didn't pull up and drop a line. Heck we even had a pontoon boat near us....gawd how I dis-like them things. They belong in a lake somewhere.





























Hulky, bulky, and F-U-N is what these 10-14 pounders were. Mike said, this was way more than than what he wanted Amy to experience, and that was a good thang!















She did so well, I was jealous. This gal has has natural talent. She was fluid, not in a hurry, and just sweet talked these big RB's to the boat.













Wish I could say the same for the photographer! OPPS...sorry, about the "cut yer head off", in this photo. But that was one big dude, ya got there.

It was a great day. I believe the bite was on because of the weather change. Those puffy clouds, the wind, and the threat of moisture falling I'm sure had a lot to do with the good bite of big Redbass.

Or was it......no mo' Kingfish tournaments till next year?

Hope to see ya'll again Mike, in November. Hope next time it's T-rex sized, T-routz.

7/21 - 1/2 day behind "one" boat.

My whole 1/2 day trip with Patrick B. and Mark was based on the fact that I wanted I.G. - (instantaneous gratification) and didn't want to spend the 1/2 day in the river bottom fishing for a Croaker bite. So as we headed out the jetties, one shrimp boat was already heading in, and I thought....."OH NO, this could be it!"

But as we approached the end of the rocks, I could see one lonely shrimp boat way out there about 3 miles.
It was the Nancy Lee. Which even on days when there's 20 shrimp boats to choose from the Nancy Lee has been lucky for me.

We no sooner pulled up and I could see loads of sharks behind her. I cast, the bait flies off...... I re-bait and cast again, the bait flies off......I cast again, and this time it's a hook-up. The line snaps!

I.G. alright. I.G. to know where..... and each time the shrimp boat is pulling away and I have to re-run up behind it. Forth cast......let it drift, here comes one.......a shark comes up eats the cigar minnow on the big circle hook and.........Patrick is off to the races!

Before we even left the river, Mark asked, "is this boat guaranteed to catch gobs of fish?"
I told him "sure it is, and even sometimes in the middle of July summer doldrums."

And now Patrick is hunched over, line burning off the reel, he's looking all kattywhompus? And it comes to mind, "sometimes ya have to watch out, for what ya wish for."

I think..."Holy Crap" is what was going through Patrick's mind"

"The Pacific Sailfish in Costa Rica didn't pull like this"

Mark also did his fair share, but I got Patrick with the camera because he was the one that seemed to be handling all the hundred pounders. We even had a few spool unloaders, that jumped so far away that if you blinked you missed it. Of course that's the memory makers for me and the targeted species.

It's all about REEL FAST, bend my meat mover rod as hard as you can, that's why I'm using them. Don't sit down, stand up and lever the shark to the boat, with short one turn of the handle pumps, quickly. Fighting the tackle will kill your strength and stamina, in short order.  

After at least 4 sharks if not more by way of hook-up and break off's. We went down the beach with some live baits and did a controlled drift around the Pogie pods possibly looking for a Tarpon, Shark, Cuda, or Kingfish. But never had a sniff.

I guess them Pogies out in 20' of water are safe for another day, if no one is hunting around them.

Then we came back to the ramp. It was a good morning, with hopefully lasting memories and a little, "I didn't know I used that muscle today, by later in the afternoon."  

I'm OFF, for at least the next two days. No I won't even attempt to fish during the Kingfish tournament.

What I can't wait for is this:  (yep, this was July 2008 a solo trip all by myself.)

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.  

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.