JACKSONVILLE FISHING - SUMMER TIME!
Capt. Dave Sipler
June 22, 2010
Jacksonville - Saltwater Fishing Report
And I had a 2-3 passenger trip on Saturday morning too, along with a Sunday charter. The river was so dead, I guess it's time to "turn-around" the tackle. Time to head offshore to the reefs and troll up some "slimey's".....Kingfish!
So on Saturday morning with a Kingfish tournament going on since Friday, the Mayport boat ramp was a zoo. But I awoke at 4:45am and was at B&M to get ice and a box orf cigar ninnows by 5:35am and almost didn't get in there either.
So Sam and Tim found me, since I was at the ramp for an hour and a half, just so I could get a parking spot!
I was really ready to leave.
We went to MR reef first. I drug the "hardware", planers and spoons with the HD - heavy duty tackle. No bites. So we moved on to BB reef, and that's where we picked up a Cuda on the spoon. Finally a strike.
My goal was what I refer to as the half way mark on the party grounds, East Fourteen reef. And when we got there, it was time to bust out the lighter rods and dead cigar minnows to troll with.
It didn't take long. We got plenty of strikes like the fish switch was thrown. Kingfish, kingfish, kingfish....we had a total of "three" double headers, (two kings on at once.) I was getting flash backs from years ago when I was a Cigar Minnow troller from hell. And it all came back to me.
Since this originally was supposed to be a inshore trip with Tim and Sam, I was sooooo happy to get some serious action, now. The guys also reeled in a Bonita, foul hooked of course and it kicked Tim's butt. Most of the 10-12 Kingfish we caught were all in what is refered to as "snake" class. But I didn't care, it was Kings. The targeted species. It's been a long while since I've done a whole day of cigar minnow trolling. So it felt good. And Tim and Sam were having loads of "reel" time.
We actually had a breeze, and the water wasn't "window pane" slick, but had some ripples and a tiny swell, which is much better than glassy. We'd mark the kings on my sounder, and then the drags on t6he reels would buzzzzz, Fish-On!
Here's some photos of the day along with one of me gaffing a King, through Tim's polarized sunglasses so you can see the fish in the water...."good idea Tim!"
All Kings were released except for two.
I'll be at it again on Sunday. Heading to look at the shrimp boats for sharks...100 pounders, "where are you." And yet to spy a single Tarpon at the Jetties, either. Usually by now they are everywhere. Especially the small 20-30 pounders.
Then off to a reef, with more Cigar Minnows ready to troll. Is the plan again.
LET'S GO FISHING, ABOARD THE JETTYWOLF.....
WWW.CAPTDAVES.COM - FOR ALL INFORMATION
Jacksonville Fishing Forecast:
THE HEAT - nothing is worse than 100 humidity, 94 degree temperature, and no wind while baking up in the river or some creek in the middle of the day.
So if I can, I'll inshore night fish, or just go ahead and go offshore. It's cooler and on a quick troll at least we're getting some breeze blowing.
That's why I don't care that much for live bait trolling, we're not going anywhere too fast.
Spoons, Plugs, and deade cigar minnows are my forte for the troll around the area reefs to about 15 miles offshore.
Tuna, Kings, Cuda's, Sharks, Cobia, Bonita, AJ's are just some of what you could catch this summer.
Evening/Night 2 passenger trips: Trout, Flounder, Reds.
Target Species:
Kingfish, Cuda\'s
More Fishing Reports:
