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Jacksonville Fishing Report for Amelia Island & Mayport
Capt. Dave Sipler
September 17, 2003
Jacksonville - Saltwater Fishing Report
SCRATCH'N THAT ITCH, WIND BURN FREE OF CHARGE
Here she comes..........hurricane ISABEL, that is!
Looks as if Florida is dodging another bullet. And I thank the weather gods for that.
I've heard everything is to do about steering currents, pressure systems, and a bunch of stuff I only wish I knew, but we may have to thank this summers cooler waters along the Atlantic coast.
The ocean temps are now back to normal, as I ply my favorite areas in search of whoppers. But still at times seem a bit cool. Does this save our beloved coast line from hurricanes? If so, I can put up with a bit of abnormalcy.
I went an scratched the itch yesterday (9/16) as the bad weather was approaching. The winds stiffened as the day went along with a nice sustained 20 kts.plus, by mid day, and small craft advisories. I had two fella's that called me the day before wanting to do a charter, but usual for this time of year, I couldn't convince them that the weather would be alright and the big fish would bite. So after 3 phone calls they talked "themselves" out of the charter.
I told them, I was going with or without them, and the next time we talk I'd let them know what they missed.
AND THEY MISSED PLENTY! (as usual)
The boat ramp parking lot at 9am was only habitated by the normal weekday crowd. Some crabbers, a few castnetters, and myself, going sporty-fishin'. I like to refer to it as "R&D".
I feel research is essential. And not to be doing "experiments" with clients aboard. I go places I may have not been in a long time, and try different baits and techniques.
Plus, "I still love to fish myself". Besides helping others catch'em. So scratchin' the itch always happens on bad weather days. And that's a good thing. I feel a great sense of accomplishment when the conditions are extremely adverse, and I succeed, when solo.
Of course I headed straight for the inlet. Rounded the south jetty and ran to the beach. The swells were big, and the wind was constant. Running with them wasn't so bad, but as I looked behind me, they were a surfers dream.
I couldn't believe the pogies were showing themselves. The 'jump & splat' could be heard, and seen easier than on some past slick calm mornings. I made pot luck tosses with my 8 foot cast net when I saw a few 'splat', and was rewarded each time with about 20 baits. On my third toss of the net I guess I drifted in closer to the beach cause as I retrieved my castnet I caught a roller out of the corner of my eye and yep, she was about to eat me up, about 8 feet tall and getting ready to crash! Across my port side. Just in time I lifted my net from the water and turned into it and pushed the throttle! And made it bow first into the cresting wave. That was a close one! I figured greedy bait catching this morning could pose a dangerous threat, so I packed it in and went back in the river.
When I got back inside the tide was slack. So I wasted some time waiting for the current change by re-tying my tackle, as I dropped a few pogies and shrimp over the side. Two Bonnethead sharks and 5 Whiting. Was this a flash back to my Nassua Sound days when the water was 65 degrees, now in the St. Johns River inlet?? I suppose so. But the water temp was 79.
Research wouldn't be complete with out taking a look-see, at the river bottom in a few new and old places with my new JRC-600 watt color scope. And by the time I worked my way down river I rediscovered an old area that is now, a favorite again.
This color scope is awesome. As I scanned the bottom this area looked like an distant offshore reef.
Hard bottom with a huge undercut ledges, and some kind of big structure, maybe an old wreck?
Right on the edge of the channel. Fish were all over it. And by this time the current was moving, as the tide flooded.
I anchored so perfectly on the spot I made myself proud. And dropped down some shrimp at first to see if the croakers were home, and caught two Bluefish instead. Then dropped some live pogies into the live bottom 45 feet below and caught a 25 pound Redfish. Then a 19 pounder. The next bite the fish broke me off in the structure, which was directly behind the boat.
I kept scanning the A-scope feature of the color scope and it shows fish that are dircetly underneath the boat. Waves and waves of good size fish were 25 feet below. I grabbed a light rod with a 2 oz. "Gotcha Plug" and dropped it over the stern, right below the transducer. And jigged it as if I was jigging for Amberjacks offshore, and wham.....I hooked up 3-5 pound Jack Cravalles doing vertical jigging.
Now, I was really impressed with my new bottom machine. See the fish. Catch the fish. It's was that simple.
The next bite on a live pogie was malicious Jacks tearing away at the large baits. Then came a 15 pound Redfish, more Jacks to 10 pounds, three more break offs on the structure (probably more big reds), and a barn door size stingray.
Between an hour or two spent on the phone with calls and that 150 pound Stingray, time went by fast. The current was slowing, and this spot was about all over.
Not bad. For an area I haven't fished for two or three years. I'm looking forward to fishing it on a day when the wind isn't a sustained 20 kts.
A few hours well spent exploring on a windy day, turned out to be a day worth fishing.
This is the one reason I sort of gave up on offshore charters. No matter what the weather and the seas are doing this time of year, there's always a huge fish or two waiting for us in the Big St. Johns River.
You'd be extremely hard pressed to go offshore even on a nice day and have a 25 pound Grouper or Snapper when bottom fishing. I know, I know......but it's not the same. (I'm told, but don't care)
Would you rather go fishing and catch a big throphy fish, or sit in the office starring out the window during windy weather that shuts down the ocean for days or a week or more?
Me personally, I'll be catching BIG FISH! My boat can takes us, dry and comfortable.
Till next tide........"fish smart, not hard", and the right equipment can make for a pleasurable day
no matter what the weather is like.
OCTOBER ANNOUNCEMENT!
Typically, right now thru October and into November is one HOT MONSTER REDFISH time.
I fish for them April through November, but this time of year is worth mentioning.
As with each passing year, when I'm targeting large bronze colored Redfish in the N.E. Florida region, I'll have customers that will come on down from other parts of the country to either visit relatives or on business and they catch the biggest fish of thier lives.
Damn this makes me feel good!
Especially the Jr. Anglers. They thought that large mouth they caught in the river back home was a big ole fish. Till they spent some time on the St. Johns River.
Now is the time to reserve your dates.
Along with trophy class Redfish, there's also shots at Tarpon. Not for the faint of heart, or Jr. Anglers really, but a thrill of a life time.
This is Big Game fishing. We don't catch them in skinny water like on TV fishing shows depicting south Florida or the Florida Keys.
Our Tarpon can be taken in deep swift, dark water. And that right there throws in some added adrenaline rushes. The tackle is light weight, but in no way a fairy wand, and a bass caster reel.
Tarpon are readying themselves right now for the mass push of mullet that they will follow will exiting the inlets for the open ocean. Here is where I like to target them.
(3-passengers max. for Tarpon trips.)
Within sight of the beach, this is big game fishing for the regular guy. The trips are not expensive, nor is a long arduous ride needed to some far offshore fishing grounds.
75% of the time it's all about "timing". And if we are not hooking into Tarpon, we're catching trophy class Redfish, in the same spot.
They aren't the Silver Kings, for nothing.
-WHEN SIZE DOES MATTER!
**Company team building/outings arranged. Up to 15 anglers. Multiple boats availible. Custom private charters. One call to Capt. Dave, is all it takes.
-Fish Jacksonville's Coast. (904)642-9546
to see my Recent Catches Pics, go to:
WWW.CAPTDAVES.COM - "photos say a thousand words!"
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