Inshore/nearshore report Jacksonville area waters
Capt. Bob Cosby
March 7, 2012
Jacksonville - Saltwater Fishing Report
March is a transition month here in NE Florida. The cold fronts are weaker, and the water starts to warm up a bit. The wind, however, can be a challenge. Northeasters can blow for several days and make things difficult. Strong westerly winds create their own issues. That being said, sometime this month you might run into spanish mackerel, jack crevalle, ladyfish or even tripletail.
Also this month the large black drum should arrive. These fish can reach weights of 70 or 80 lbs. Choice baits include blue crab, clams, and shrimp fished in deep holes. The Mayport and St Augustine inlets, Nassau Sound, and the ICW near Pine Island, and Guana River are historical hot spots. Personally , I see no reason to kill these breeding fish. They aren't particularly tasty, and are very old. Take a picture and let them go. The smaller drum in the 3-8lb range are excellent eating.
The redfish are in the creeks as well as the ICW. They are still sluggish from the cold water and can be reluctant to bite. Live shrimp or mud minnows fished on jigs are effective. Work any lure or bait very slowly. I've had luck recently with dark or black Gulp baits, and lipped diving plugs with internal rattles. I think the rattles make the fish angry, because some of the strikes are vicious! There are always reds at the jetties, though some times it's hard to find them.
There are lots of speckled trout in the creeks, but most are too small. Try a glow DOA shrimp fished 3' under a clacker or cajun thunder float in the creeks. Fish the river for larger specks using live shrimp under a sliding float. Top water lures or lipped divers will catch the largest trout. Yellowmouth trout are also plentiful in the deeper water. Sheepshead should continue to bite well this month, and ring-tailed porgies can sometimes be caught near area jetties.
Whiting have been biting fairly well in the surf, and should be offshore in 30 to 40 feet of water. Nassau Sound and the St Augustine Inlet should also be productive for whiting. You might pick up a pompano fishing for whiting. There are plenty of small blues around. We might get a run of the larger blues this month. If you're lucky, you might find them crashing bait around the ends of area jetties. Don't forget to use a wire leader!
I'm having some major hip surgery this month, and probably won't be booking charters until May. It all depends on how fast I recover. There are plenty of good local fishing guides in our area, so go fishing!
CAPT Bob Cosby
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