Tuesday, April 30, 2013

4/30 - EATZ FLATZ BOATZ FOR LUNCH!

Just never understood why we don't see these around here. #1 it's ALUMINUM, #2 it eats mud for dinner. And we have no lack of m-u-d around here. That's my buzz word usually for creek fishing,
aka: "been fishing back in Mud Valley Creek?" Is usually how I call it. Call it like ya see it, I always say. I'd love to have one with even a "single" on the stern. Even if I'm not on the bayou.




Damn, Not Great!

"Rest of week Marine Forecast Link"

Monday, April 29, 2013

4/28 - part deux: Spring T'routz in 20 kts!

Had a early morning "2 hour kids trip", with the Wong family with special guest Grandpa visiting from California. And had a hard time even giving a fresh shrimp away for the kids bottom fishing in the wicked pissah of a "fool" moon flooding tide at the jetties.

They caught a few small Whiting, and tiny Yellermouths, and that was it!

Afterwards, my afternoon ended up being open. So I gambled and went on a "speckley bastard" hunt.
Whoa the dinks were ferocious. Fourteen inchers galore. I did manage my measly limit of 6, but lost a  BIG Trout on the first spot, in the first 5 minutes of fishing. I did scrape a limit together of 15-17 inchers. Had a bout with the spring/summer scourge fish species, Jacks, Ladyfish and Blues.

And then the ride back to the dock on the last of the falling tide buckin' a due East 20 Knot Wind.
That's the reason YOU will not be fishing in a flat bottom or a small skiff. I just hammered through it at 4800 RPM's. Not great fun, with no load and hardly any fuel weight. But I made it in one piece.



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Friday, April 26, 2013

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Monday, April 22, 2013

4/22 - TECH-TIP.....blustery day project

Blustery day project:

EZ...riggin. "The Dropper-Loop".  Not just for party boats. But a great rig for all bottom fishing.

Keep bait off bottom, away from stingers, perfect Croaker, Whiting, Drum, Redbass Rig.



4/22 - Full blow......B-L-O-W O-U-T!

Now, this a something...a full blown Nor-Easter in the last of April.

Wind speeds to 30+ knots!!!!

keep in mind:  1 knot = 1.15077945 miles per hour

Ya wanna know the super duper BRIGHT SIDE of this blow-out?
 Hopefully these little bastards will be blown around and scattered. So we can get back to "real" fishing, rather than feeding them .20 cent live shrimp.

Sunday, April 21, 2013

My WICKEDLY sharp hooks that are lean

Sharp hooks are absolutely essential. But, they can come at a high price, too!
Well, as I tell many people. I am a professional tackle shopper. I always look for the best value.

The hooks I use spark a lot of attention, on my boat by my charter customers. From my float-rig hooks to my bottom fishing hooks. I use ONE brand, and I use only ONE style of hook.

Because these hook are not expensive, they are not at ever tackle shop, and many times people are spending way too much for their hooks. I give you this info.

I refer to it as staying, LEAN. Less tackle, less consumption, a good product that can do it all. I have confidence in, and have proved their worth. All at a great price!

Thinking lean, can , also be "mean"....especially when it comes to the Matzuo Sickle Bend "turned in eye" hooks. That I have been using for years. Mean, as in you have confidence, and more cashola in your pocket afterwards. Because, you won't have to even think about what hook to use. You'll have plenty and know they work.

So...what hook am I talking about?


Here it is, being tested.  BIG TIME!






- watch this video! These hooks can catch monster fish.

MATZUO...many have never heard of them. 

But I can...HANG THESE HOOKS ON MY FINGER PRINT! 

The super benefit of these style hooks with the "turned in eye", is these are made to be SNELLED.
Snelling is the STRONGEST connection you can make. If you do not know how to snell a hook easily.
PRACTICE, and watch this Video: http://youtu.be/sj0QY8mXDVw

Much of what I'm talking about here has been already covered. "Were YOU paying attention?"

The only place I find a very good selection of these hooks is here on Cabelas.

I just ordered more hooks for this summer. And I found these non-sickle bends on sale. I like the "sickle bends", but heck for float-rig fishing these will also work great:

Non-sickle, but same hook on SALE - "LINK"

You asked (if you fished with me over the last few years) so here it is. All laid out for you.
A great reason to be a Capt Dave's Blog reader!

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Spring Week of: "After Tax day"

Had great weather....until the weekend. Saturday brought rain, cold, and 20 kt. winds. Not a great combo. BIG front came in.

But prior, it was sweet!

Lots of action.

Here's the highlights....





FROM: FAT SEABASS TO SPANISH MACS,
TROUT, DRUM, BLUES, JACKS, "GATOR" TROUT, REDS AND SHEEPSHEAD.













"Green-head" river Seabass



































Good "eater" Drum














5 pound Gator Trout


















Sheepshead on the Float-rig










From: 4/19 - Knight Charter




Sunday, April 14, 2013

4/14 - Doc went North.....

I sat Thursday morning listening to the NOAA weather radio while waiting for my customers to arrive.
And last Thursday in 2012, that day it was a high of 91 degrees!

Radical difference between what Ray, little 9 year old Mathew, and myself felt while struggling to catch any decent fish.......THE WHOLE DAY!!!

We started at the jetties. It was a bit sloppy. I had Mathew drift a float with a live shrimp behind the boat and 10 feet off the stern. His float..."bobbed". Hit by either a Bluefish or a small Spanish Mackerel. He reels in and YEP, the shrimp was clipped like it was cut with scissors.

2nd try - same
3rd try - same
4th try - same

They don't have to eat alot of my expensive live shrimp for me to get the message;

It's over as far as float-rig fishing shrimp at the inlet. If there was a Trout out there. You'll never catch it, anyhow.

That's when my "winter" Trout fishing buddy, Doc Miller heads North. Oh, he was actually out here on Wednesday. Back to N.C. and he won't pick up a rod and reel again till fall. Or when the frost starts in the mountains of  North Carolina. Then, he'll quietly slip back into J-ville put the boat in the water and rig up his float fishing rods once again.

So what's the morale of this story?

You guessed it......Dave's favorite part of the year is over. Just like it is for Doc.

In the last few trips it's been like an invasion of an alien race, in that river. Mother Nature is so outa whack it's incredible.

I say this every single year; "Someone needs to find a lucrative market use for a 6-12" Bluefish. Put a price on their heads. And then, it would be as if they never existed.  It would be worth bringing back inshore gill nets just to see these fish extinguished from our waters."


(actually....UN wanted)

Sounds harsh I know. But, I absolutely hate them. With every bone in my body!

Yesterday. I had a great crew...Rich, Kerry, Scott, local folks. No Kids. I made the effort to run 12-14 miles on way from the boat ramp away from the Mayport area. Just with hope, that I may...just may get far enough away from the Bluefish to actually catch some quality Trout.



NO DICE! The bluefish ate our  live shrimp, and Matrix shads off our jigs from the first spot to the last spot, and when there's all these teeth around the Speckled Sea Trout aren't coming out to play either. We caught a few trout. But it was a  struggle. And we even saw Spanish Mackerel jumping out of the water in the river, 14 miles from the inlet, also.

Now, I'm booked:  April 17-18-19-20....(a good thing after Tax day)

By Sunday the 21st, "pour me in a Dixie cup, I'm already looking forward to next November!" 

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

4/10 - KNIVES & FISH CLEANING

Yep, knives and fish cleaning go hand in hand...and like anything else you can take it to the limit or just go 1/2 way.

I can't afford to go 1/2 way. That's why I've been doing some studying up on fish cleaning, buying a fantastic sharpener, watching fish cleaning video's from experts, and getting better knives.

I did a video on the Worksharp belt knife sharpener. http://youtu.be/59u2M6JZTdk

At that time I took and old beat up Rapala knife and sharpened it with the Worksharp belt sharpener.
(say that 10 times fast!)

Then, I went out and did a weeks fishing. I had a trip where we filled the cooler slap full of Whiting and then filled the cracks left with Yellowmouth Trout. Then, I cleaned a Sheepshead and a Black Drum, and then did a whole bunch more Whiting.

I figured I cleaned 100+ fish, total. On that "re-honed-re-sharpened" old Rapala knife. And in the mean time I watch some Youtube video's on how the fish market experts clean fish. Under fantastic conditions I might add. Running water, good light, no bird attacks, no kids jumping around. Unlike how and when I clean fish!

I learned from a Youtuber that a skinning blade is an awesome fish cleaning tool rather than a think fillet knife. So I bought two 5" Forschner skinners. And used his fish cleaning techniques. Awesome!

Here's a follow-up video:


Check out this link to Capt Vince's Youtube channel and let a master show ya a thing or two.
Using a skinning blade. http://www.youtube.com/user/CaptainVincentRusso

Consider the passing on Capt Vince's Youtube channel about fish cleaning, a new TECH-TIP.
I learned alot. I think you will too.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

4/9 - This past weekend...

Wheww, was this past weekend brutal. To start, I had "kids" aboard again. Along with dad and Grandpa. Super nice folks and well behaved kids. The wind was HOWLING, of course. And there was no re-scheduling this time. Because this was already a re-scheduled trip from Feb. because it was too cold for the kids. Said Grandma'.



One Sheepshead and MUCHO Croakers, while hiding from the nasty 25 kt gusting winds.

The four person trips are a real bear. Then, add in young kids, then add in 25 knot gusting winds. But, I made it through all the "spring breaks", I guess. The next "group affairs" I'm sure will come over July 4th. And then, we'll contend with the heat instead.

I know it's mandatory to fill my capacity sometimes. But yesterday I had a call...."Hi, I've talked to people who've fished with you, watch your Youtube video's and would like to book a day. I have 5-6 people......."

"Whoaaaaa!! Let's stop right there", I said. "That's already 2-3 person past what I do and what's a quality day."

And at the same time, this person thought I did offshore charters. Which leads me to believe nothing about what he told me. No Youtube video's are offshore, and no one who has been with me on my boat in the last 5 years has been offshore.

I told him, personally I'd find a 40' boat with a mate with that many people. So not to be "shoe-horned in" a small boat with 6 people.  But hell, what do I know......?

Okay, back to this past weekend. And my observations, of such.  Sunday I had a very late notice booking. AGAIN, 4 teen-agers and grandpa. NOTHING was working out other than catching BAIT.

We hit a Croaker spot and loaded the livewell full of perfect bait sized Croak's. I had plans to get the hell outa Dodge City. "You know, the HUB. The area where all the boat traffic is. Where the Coasties are on the rampage and stopping people just minding their own damn business driving up the river. Away from the ghetto cruisers in constant crossing mode from ICW south to ICW north......You know?"

Yeah, that place I went is called 'past the Dames Point bridge'. Ahhhh, no traffic, no coasties, no ghetto cruisers.  But for us, fishing the High Tide on a NEW MOON. No current either!!!

Fished live mini Croakers along two rock piles without a sniff. While pitching jigs and matrix shads every now and then, if we could. Because the GNATS were chewing us to pieces!  There was zero wind. We could hardly fish.

I should have just went straight to the jetties with this crew. Three teen-agers and grandpa'. But we did manage a few Trout and blues on the Matrix shads, before giving up on the deal with fishing baby live Croakers, because the gnats were so bad everywhere we went.

After heading back eastward. Every 60 seconds the three teen-agers were tangled, stuck, snaggled, back-lashed, or breaking something, or wrestling on the bow. It wasn't what I'd hoped for, let me tell ya!

So that's what I did last weekend.

Is "spring break over yet"??

Looking to get back to a few adults and some actual light tackle sport fishing. 


Friday, April 5, 2013

4/5 - W-O-W

Ya know if you're visiting from "afar" and staying in a hotel or even at Grandma's house.
The easiest thing to do is head over to Singleton's Seafood Shack around the corner from the boat ramp docks where we'll be departing and going back to for any fish cleaning. And then have Singleton's cook up your fish for you.

At I think $3.00 a pound. It sure is a nice way to end the days adventure. Add in some Onion rings a pitcher of beer or sweet tea and you'll have a relaxing unwind from the day of bouncing around fishing and can re-cap the excitement by eating your own FISH!





















Susan, just emailed this FEAST PHOTO from Singletons after their charter day. (COOLER SLAP FULL OF TASTY WHITING!)

Looks like Singletons had to break out the giant browny pans to serve up this hungry family of four (w/ two growing boys)


Well, that is what was left after my big day with the Fuqua Family from Georgia....

You remember them huh?

Just a few reports:




You too can do this.

I skin, de-bone, fillet all your fish for you "after" your days fishing trips back at the dock.
(on a gratuity basis, after charter is done)

Thursday, April 4, 2013

4/3 - Re-Run...heading to the Jetties!

Had Jim and his two sons Cole and Zach aboard today. Wasn't going to run down river, like yesterday.
But instead hopefully put these boys on fish right away. And thank goodness I didn't have plans to float-rig fish, as the bait shop from what I heard later didn't have any live shrimp. Although, I had some still in my livewell from yesterday.

So we went straight to the Jetties. The tide was smoking. And was glad I brought two heavier rods, because at one point we were up to 6 ounce to hold bottom. Throw the light tackle fishing out the window. This is the St. Johns "rapids" river, dredged to China!

The hardest thing for everyone, no matter if you're a tournament Bass fisherman from Alabama, or unfortunately a 12 year old or 9 year old from Michigan. Is feeling the bottom!

I struggle with that constantly. So, out came the heavier rods, 6 oz. leads and I cast and dropped the baits out behind the boat. Because fishing current like this isn't for the beginners.

But the tide as we all know changes constantly, and eventually we got back on the light bottom fishing rods.

I have learned after all these years that I can't really take the kids float-rig fishing. It takes too much paying attention and concentration. So, it's bottom fishing from here on out, really. Because it's kids aboard from now till September. So I'll leave the float-rig fishing to adults only.

The Whiting bite (as per my last report also) is thru the roof! And these are great action fish, that kids can reel in one after another, as well as providing excellent table fare.

And today was no different than yesterday's trip. Except we did get a Black Drum on the Whiting spot, when we were along the rocks, as the tide pushed pretty good.

Cole was the man, and it kicked his butt! So, even though the kids may want monsters. "Ya gotta watch out for what you wish for, sometimes." 



















A good eater size!

























This Drum along with a hand selected size and amount of Whiting, made their way into the cooler to be lunch over at Singleton's Seafood Shack, for the crew afterwards. Just like yesterday.



































I even kept a few and fried them up when I got home. (Damn those Whiting are good!) After scrubbing the boat with soap/bleach and a heavy brush, cleaned and bleached the coolers, and detailed the rods and reels. Because after handful of day after day fishing. The Jettywolf needed some T.L.C. and so did my tackle!

NEXT UP:

More kids.....4- persons on Saturday the 6th, during the Redfish spots tourney. (OH NO!!!)

I guess the rain on Thursday and maybe Friday gives me enough time to re-coup???

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

4/2 - WHITING FEST...Serious fish fry cometh!

We tried first thing to do some float-rigging up river for a over-sized Redbass, or maybe a few Trout. But even though the tide was right for the spot. Nothing was happening. So we headed to the jetties. I was thinking Drum, Sheepshead, fishing deep at the north rocks.

Turned out that the Whiting were ON FIRE!  So, with kids and super action. I wasn't about to leave to find anything else. Plus, Mom was ON FIRE too!

They filled a 72qt. cooler with super fryer Whiting, and then filled the cracks in the box with Yellowmouth Trout later on.

I was wore slap out when I got home. But still pushed forward to produce this video for your viewing enjoyment. Then, I was up at 4am the next morning putting the finishing touches on it. And out the door for another day with some kids and Dad. To do it all over again...

(Now I still have to do Wednesday's report.)


Monday, April 1, 2013

4/1- TECH-TIP:

To clean your fish.

This tool is awesome!


3/31- Radical Change:

Had Dan Sr. & Dan Jr. out today for some "float-rig fishing". That's all we were going to do. And they might have been glad or might have been sad to be on the Jettywolf.

Because I went straight to the jetties and went on over to the southside of the south.

JETTYWOLF COUNTRY!

The reason I had the 'Wolfie built. So I could fish where I wanted when I wanted at the jetties.

Because NO ONE ELSE dared to come on over there and anchor up and fish. The wind was honking.....Not out of the SW as the weather guessers said. But out of the SE. Right into the rocks on the south.

It was slop & chop. A Soup sandwich. If it was January I would have been in all my glory. Because as hard as we tried we could hardly get a damn bite!

If it was January the big fat Gator Trout would have been there. But today, with the slop we worked hard for a few small specks and yellowmouth trout. That was it.

This was spot #2 actually. We caught one speck on the inside of the north jetty first as the last of the falling tide still dribbled out the jetties. And then the Bluefish ate us out of house and home.

WELCOME TO SPRING TIME!

I will not put up with any of the green scourge fish. So that's when we left to sit anchored in the soup over outside the south rocks.

We left there because of no bites and headed inshore. The wind was really blowing now. And experience was telling me, it wasn't us. The rest of the day searching for any decent trout bite was gonna be dismal. 

And it was. Over-cast skies and where was that 80 degrees? Not at Mayport that's for sure.

So we just kept moving around. I actually caught more Specks and a Yellowmouth up in the river on a 1/4 ounce jig and a matrix shad plastic tail then the two Dan's did on live shrimp.

That was something.

We ended the day with a few but the two Dan's didn't want them. So I cleaned the small Yellowmouths and a few Specks and went home and fried them up for supper.

Wheww...was a day. A kinda uneventful day. And the weather was far from Chamber of Commerce this time around.

NEXT UP:

4 person Tuesday all day'er
3 persons Wednesdayall day'er

During the Redfish Spots Tourney Saturday, 4 persons.  All day'er.    

Saturday, March 30, 2013

3/30 - my world famous "Kid trips", 2 hours.

These charters are designed for the "short attention span theater" crowd. And I did edit out all the jungle gym'ing all over my leaning post and the touching stuff that they shouldn't touch.

But other than that a good morning trip, on a day when again the jetties were wall to wall boats. And I would have just been more pissed off the longer I'd be out there.

I had a "ski" boater wanting to anchor on top of me already where I was at. Can't imagine what 6-8 hrs would have been like.




One more day till people go back to work on weekdays...
3 people for a early Easter Sunday trip. Then, back to weekdays Tuesday & Wednesday. Then, Zoo Redfish spots tournament Saturday the 6th...I'll have 4, with two being kids for a 6 hr trip.

Whewwwww...

Friday, March 29, 2013

3/29 - Chamber of Commerce...Mayhem!

Okay, I certainly not that good to list everyone's name. Because I had four guys on board today. But Tony T. was the man who booked the trip. So, there ya go.

There was a few nic-names floating around. Such as "Ted Williams" famous baseball player and Angling personality.

Well, here's "Ted", by nic-name only. Received today after no sooner we were on the first spot and he slam dunks this:




















Yep, a 30" Brutas T. Redbass! But prior to the Redfish. He scored quick on a Yellowmouth Trout right out of the gate.

That's the way today went. Four guys, rods flailing, the net getting passed around. Hooking shrimp, hooking "granite grouper". You name it. It was happening.

I had two guys running float-rigs behind the boat. Then, I had two guys casting spinners with a jig-n-shrimp combo meal off the side of the boat.

















That's why at times it was mayhem. Good mayhem! Numerous fish on at a time. "Jus look at the concentration on their faces." 

We had piles of Yellowmouth Trout, Speckled Trout. And even those "7-striped jetty snappers", three or four of those...Small Specks, keeper specks, small yellowmouths, keeper yellowmouths. Sheepshead on the jigs, Sheepshead on the float-rigs (slip floats)

I'm lucky I even got to take a few photos!
Because we'd have fish on when taking a photo, and then the anchor would trip from the wash over the jetty rocks. So we'd have to pull up and re-set the anchor.

There was so many people out today. That I opted to do just a 2-hour kids trip on Saturday. Cuz, it's gonna be a zoo out yonder!

And then I have 3 on Easter Sunday and then 4 on Tuesday. 

No one is giving any notice. The late notice callers are wild.

So I have my hands full, let me tell ya.


Just like today. The Jetties were lined with "FLOAT-RIGGERS".

20 years ago, heck 5-10 years ago there was no one float-rig fishing the rocks! Wonder where all these people came from with floats rigged up?
Could it be, R-E-P-O-R-T-S, that they are reading????

Either way, we only had to fish two spots today to surpass the amount of fish that Tony's crew even wanted.



















And by no means did a get enough photos. I was too busy.





















I never took a pick of any Trout friends till back at the dock when I opened up the fish box and started cleaning the fish.


















So, the weather was perfect. And only if it was a Monday morning would have made our any day better. Because no one would have been around. We had zero "wiggle room". aka: room to move around and investigate other spots near us. So when the tide slowed, we picked up and headed in and hit another spot and got more small Trout, and a few more keepers for the box.

And we actually ended the day a "tad" early. 

Next up:

Kids on Saturday for a short morning trip.
3 person on Easter Sunday. 

Thursday, March 28, 2013

3/28 - HIGH WIND MADNESS

Oh don't ya love this "transitional time of year"???????

Entire blocks of days with the wind howling. Oh, then comes the cold air! Yes, very unseasonable.

But, if this keeps the 99 degree temps at bay. I'M ALL FOR IT!

Nothing is worse than sweating by 8am, and not catching my Trout friends.

It's been a zoo here at Jettywolf central. No one books ahead of time, they all wait till the last few days before a major holiday. And then scramble to get a day on the water.

Glad I'm not that way. I'm a super planner kinda guy. I like knowing exactly what I'm doing.

Oh, and my 2 hour kids trips? Really, I can't do those on Holiday weekends, or maybe even weekends all together. I have to keep my "real" charter trip days open and available.

I have a lot of dates booked till May. But still, if you want the best tide dates please call and let's look at them.

HOLIDAYS:

-Momma's Day
-Poppa's Day
-Memorial Day
-Independence Day 

2 weeks ahead of time, or even a month is when you should call.  Don't e-mail me for a next day charter. Telephone. 8am-8pm.

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

RETIRED:


















Oh, they seen their days. Seen loads of fish over the course of their 8 year life span. YES, my ole Float-rig fishing reels have been retired. They are tired, corroded, and no longer up to Capt Dave's standards any longer.

(I can only wish.. because I can't find them. For a reel that really small, that has "auto-engage" that's exactly like the Shimano TRN-100 G's.  I wish they made a Shimano TRN-50G)

So, I had to go to a reel that's not as high-tech, but you all have used these before. The same reels I use for bottom bumping....the Shimano TRN-100G's.
















Only big difference is you'll have to manually "flip" the lever to dis-engage & engage the spool. Which isn't aweful.......but actually give you less time to loos a fish by re-acting too "quickly" when your float goes down.

These Shimano reels are absolute work horses. 5:1 gear ratio, and all graphite, so they are easier for me to maintain. I played hell keeping those Shimano Citica's working smoothly the last years.

I believe I'll enjoy the break in tackle cleaning and big time line capacity and larger drag surface, when it comes to a customer laying the wood to one of these again....
















And this time of year, even "float-rig fishing", we seem to be into more over sized Redbass, lately anyhow.
























































































ALL OFF THE "FLOAT"....(it's always better on a 'cork')


Saturday, March 23, 2013

3/23 - WET YET?

Really.....when it gets down to it. You as a fisherman, especially as a charter customer need to come prepared with "foul weather attire" 12 months a year.

I tell people about how I got hypothermia in July during the great Jax Kingfish tournament. Yeah July!
I was beat down, hadn't eaten, got no sleep. And forgot all my foul weather gear. It started raining at 7am, and didn't stop till 3pm. My dad and I were fishing off of Ponte Vedra beach, and there was what felt like a freezing cold wind blowing off the beach. Dad wasn't feeling super great either. But I was on the deck with uncontrollable shivering! Which led to passing out from exhaustion, I guess. Not a good tournament fishing scenario.

That's a extreme example. But, when it comes to the outdoors. You have to be prepared! Period. Or your day is ruined.

With that said, I was out today with Jeremy and 9 year old Hayes. At least Hayes had a jacket. Jeremy, had nothing but a t-shirt.

We left at 7:30am. And the clouds loomed in the distance even at sun-up. We started at the ship yard at high tide just messing around.

Little Hayes caught a Sheepshead that was 5 pounds. We had some small yellowmouths, Croakers, etc.
Then moved on to do some float-rig fishing for Trout and Reds. But before had we tried one more bottom fishing spot.

When we got to where I wanted to float-rig. There wasn't a single breeze. And the Gnats ate us alive!
We tried fishing but it was brutal. So I went and looked at a second spot. A yaker was sitting there, taking up the whole area. So we couldn't float-rig, because I want 100 feet. We didn't have it or current either. So we went back and tried floatrigging the Gnat spot once again. We lasted about 4 drifts!!!
Mouthfuls of Gnats isn't fun!!

Hayes said, "I wanna catch a Sheepshead again."  And in reality, bottom fishing was more fitting for this 9 year old balll of energy.  Float-rigging really takes some patience and concentration. I usually can't do much of it with kids, unless the bite of something is through the roof.

So we went back to the Shipyard and bottom fished. The current was really ripping now. So we sat the rods in the rod holders and watched the rod tips. Baited with live shrimp, just as it really started to rain hard, we hooked up a 7 pound Sheepshead. Jeremy picked up the rod and it kicked his butt!

In the video below. That footage isn't there. Because my editing software crashed and I lost the scenes of Jeremy's Sheesphead. After putting already two hours into editing this video.

So what you see is what was left and saved.

Jeremy was freezing, wet and had no jacket!  So we headed in a bit early, I cleaned the two Sheepshead and some Yellowmouths.

It would have been a bit better if he was prepared with some kind of foul weather attire, and little Hayes too.

PLEASE, come prepared. I'm not asking for a duffle bag full of clothing. But a good jacket, waterproof and warm is always good to bring along, that's easy to store. No matter if it's July or December.


Friday, March 22, 2013

3/21 - Radical change..."slow tide"

Jus' stand on you boat deck for about an hour anchored in the middle of the St. Johns River near the coast. And probably within that hour's time. The weather (IE: wind, clouds, temp, sunshine, humidity, etc.) will change. ESPECIALLY THIS TIME OF YEAR!

This is a transitional time of year there is NO doubt. And there's NO planning for it. Because YOU (and  especially I, as your guide) cannot determine what the heck the weather is going to be like. While we're out there fishing.

Oh was Wednesday's charter with Alan & Cassie fun, although the weather was for crap. So, we as "Humans" think that if the weather's going to be better the next day, "then the fishing has to be as good if not better."  

"WRONG"

I had Dan and his visiting brother Jim aboard the Jettywolf on Thursday. It was brighter, not really warmer, but at least we'd see sun. The wind was blowing......"but when is it NOT blowing in March?"

I had huge plans. I was going to kinda follow the successful pattern of yesterday, with Alan & Cassie.

Well, the first spot pretty much set the precedence for the whole morning.  NO BITES, and attack of the Pinfish!

I don't know what I actually despise more. Pinner's or Bluefish......"Right now I'll say Pinners!!!"

Okay, on ward we trekked. Next spot, Zippola....next spot, Zippola.....Yeah, you read that right.
Float-rigs, seriously sweet big Gulf live shrimp and couldn't give them away. last spot in the river, while no tide was even moving. Two Bluefish.

Oh great. Pinners & green scourge fish. What a bite.

"Okay, fella's. It's time to go to the BIG rocks. If we can't get bit there. I can't help ya. It's just a BUST." I told Dan & Jim.

We get out there and it's dead calm. Slick-Slick-Slick. The water's clear as a bell, green as new grass.
But on the rising tide hardly a 1/16th knot of current.

Please, Please, let there be, the old used to be, "February saviours" out here!  Yellermouths, at least!

So we started just pitching around. Casting the float-rigs, in which I hate doing. Because casting just beats up your live shrimp. But it had to be done. 

And what happened? Dan hits a yellermouth, then a nice Speck, then another yellermouth. "Whewwwww, finally some fish!"

But it wasn't like we were killing them. A few in the box, that's all. 

Being great white north Walleye guys, I went ahead and brought the "spinners". Rigged with 1/4-3/8ths ounce jigs we started chucking jig-n-shrimp combo meals into deeper water.

And that was the ticket. The Yellermouths were killing themselves literally, to eat that shrimp on the bottom as it bumped along.























Here's Dan with one of approx 30+ we dropped in the fish box.

But even after finding these, we would pop in and out of float-rigging the rocks. I hooked up a Sheepshead and of course it pulled off the hook. And we may have had a few other fish bite, that never made it to the boat. But either way. I found some kind of "action".  After doing the world tour of the river, earlier.

All I can blame the lack of bites on was the weather the day before, and a sudden pressure change. What else could it be? Even another buddy was out there who called me later and asked what was up. He said he could hardly find a Trout. I told him, "either could we." 

When there's a barometer problem, like fast flucuations,  and mix that up with a slow tide. Meaning we're smack dab in between the two moons. And the current velocsity isn't going to be that great. I believe that's what did it, for us.

But either way, we did catch fish, and alot of them!!  Just not a whole lot of variety, or "targeted species".

"It be that way sometimes in Bazzaro world...."

But Dan and Jim were great sports. And we laughed and joked around all day long and still had fun. But as we all know, that's well and good. But it's even more fun when you're wackin and stackin them in the fish box. And their names are; Brutus T. Redbass & Spotted-Speckley T-rex Troutz.




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My prices haven't changed in years.

And when I think about the expenses.....Oh well, let me just show ya'll the video:



Wednesday, March 20, 2013

3-20 - GREAT DAY...despite the weather.

Had Alan and his daughter Cassie aboard the Jettywolf today. The forecast wasn't great. But my crew was right on time, and ready to go.

We went to spot one, and after a brief  "how-to" of the float-rig on the spot. I sent Cassie out first, and Alan followed up behind her drifting their floats and live shrimp.

Yep, Alan had the rod in his hands a whopping 2 minutes and his float went down, "FISH-ON". This was the definition of good ole I.G. (instantaneous gratification).

It was a big fish. It took drag, bent the rod over, and was a glorious sight to see on the first spot and on his first drift.























A 14 pound 33 incher, Redfish! Just what Alan was hoping for. and he got it instantaneously.



























I've learned to NOT put on a shrimp, when I'm showing folks how to fish this spot. Because it's inevitable that the first drift I'll hook a fish. AND I DON'T WANT TOO!  I want them too.
And that's what happened right here.

The weather wasn't great. We had the breeze blowing up the stern of the boat. So we were very dependent on having the current hold us exactly where we needed to be. The current was strong. (we're between moons right now) So we had a limited amount of time that we'd have successful fishing here.

But the current lasted longer than I thought it would and next up......Cassie, with a keeper, Redfish at 20".



























Hmmm, where my Trout friends? We need some sweethearts in the fish box for a fish fry!
Instead, Cassie hooks up a Sheepshead. Not a whopper, but a funny biter. So a hooked Sheepshead is a good Sheepshead on the ole Float-rig.


























We hit another close spot after the tide slowed on the first spot. And Cassie got a small Specked Trout right off. But as good as the spot looked and as good as the current was. We never found any other takers. So it was time for a Ladies break time.  I pulled anchor and we stopped in at the Carlucci boat ramp on the other side of the river.

Now is when some rain started to fall. The sun was never really "out". But heck we already had a decent morning in my book, being that the winds and over cast conditions. Didn't seem like a super fishy day.

The next spot was the rain spot. But my crew was hardy. It rained just an aggravating rain. Not a massive down pour but just enough to get you very wet. So everyone had on some kind of rain gear, so we were good.

One side of the boat was Trout, and one side of the boat was "pup" Redfish. Alan had the little Reds penned up and caught at least 3-4. While Cassie and I worked the other side of the boat for 3 Trout, with only one a nice keeper at 17".


























I looked like I was either visiting from the Alaskan Crab boat crew, or the Gortons Fisherman with my full Grundens foul weather digs on. But, I was dry and comfy. And when "working" on the water, you can't be over prepared.  Cassie donned her plastic poncho. When she put that thing on, I told her "all that does is flap around and it's gonna scare the dang fish!" But I was just messing...although she learned something with sleeves is the ticket, when fishing.

The bite started to be far and few between. The air temp seemed to really drop. So we headed in.
Here's my hardy crew while running back to the boat ramp.























Gawd, how I love a two person crew. It's such a more productive day so it seems to me, comparatively.  Not that 3 people is too much. But when Light Tackle fishing and doing the Float-rigging. It's just better quality. Even though the Jettywolf has a ball room in the stern, as you can see.

We got to the dock with all hands on deck, as the wind in the river seemed to be gusting 25 knots from the N.E.  I cleaned up the fish in the cooler, fed my Egret buddy "Pencil Neck". And bid Cassie and Alan farewell and Thank you. Hoping to have these two hardy crew members aboard the Jettywolf in the future.



NEXT UP:

Thursday 3/21 - with two guys.

The weather's supposed to be a bit better.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

3/17 - "Wicked Jettywolf"

3/17 - Been D-O-W-N

Been without any internet for 3-4 days now. (Thank you AT&T)

In the mean while I have done a complete Jettywolf show. I named it "Wicked Jettywolf"...like "Wicked Tuna" one of my favorite TV shows.

Orange slickers and all. Because he who wears orange slicker pants is dead serious about catching!





















From start to finish. A day out with on the Jettywolf, with Capt Dave. Is what you'll see.

I have to upload it to Youtube still.

Just got home from wackin' my (6) Trout limit in the first 15 minutes of fishing today.

Yeah, no one wants to go when they're CHEWIN!  What wrong with you?

So I have to go out solo and stock up.

Okay, the theme of the reports lately has been "it ain't spring yet".

WELL THAT HAS ALL CHANGED IN A MATTER OF DAYS FOLKS!  

Ya'll know how it is around here. The seasons change in a matter of just days.

The Drum are around, the Triple-tails are around, the Yellowmouth Trout are on the feed bag, the Sheepshead are spawning, the big Reds are a nuisance as I try to catch trout. "So pack up yer squeeze toys Farful"....it's GO TIME!

As you'll see when I post the latest video.