Slow, wet start to our 1/2 day, with big finish!
Capt. Dave Sipler
July 2, 2008
Jacksonville - Saltwater Fishing Report
7/1- Slow, wet start, with big finish.
Had Greg and Will T. aboard. Last year, we fished during the July 4th holiday I think. And it was a zoo of boats and people. They caught lots of fish, right in front of everyone on a spot so over looked it's unbelievable. Because I figured, why make any long run in these crowds. But many of the fish were small. But perfect for then, 5 year old Will.
But at 7am this morning, we certainly didn't have to worry about the crowds! No one was around. And we no sooner left the boat ramp and rounded a bend in the river and the rain came down, chasing us straight back to the boat ramp. Where Greg and 6 yr old Will hid in their vehicle, and I in my safety yellow FroggToggs rain suit stayed in the boat. It pour like hell for about an hour or more. But we still waited it out an extra few minutes to watch the sky clear.
Still wet Greg and Will reloaded into the boat and we took off.
It was the "dark side of the moon", the New Moon. So the tide wasn't excessively high, but boy was it excessively low. So take a wild guess when the fish finally bit????
Only when the tide was about 1/2 low. But that didn't take all that long for the tide to get that low. So we complained.....or at least I did, through the first couple of spots we tried at the high water with out so much as a lost shrimp to a fishes lips. It was looking bleak. But, you have to fish when the fish eat. And that obviously wasn't anywhere on the high tide!
So we stuck with it. And the sky cleared up and the hot humid heat started to pour on as we neared noon. But Greg and Will started catching fish. Or should I say Will caught the fish.
It started out as small Jacks and Mangrove Snappers, and usual summer time bait stealers, while Float-rig fishing. But we ended up with larger Mangroves for the cooler and although there wasn't loads of Trout bites, they were quality fish up to 4 pounds.
Many times when I have the younger kids onboard, all I want is ACTION. And initially had plans to head to the inlet's jetty rocks at first, to see what was going on there. But was glad we stayed in the calm waters of the St. Johns River. We headed back as the day heated up and Will was ready to hit the pool at condo.
LETS GO FISHING!
BIG, SMALL, FAST, OR TOOTHY...ITS ALL FUN.
WWW.CAPTDAVES.COM
Jacksonville Fishing Forecast:
Tides, Tides, Tides......it's really the key to putting some big Trout in the box and Greenies (threadfin herring) in the livewell for Kingfish bait.
And what do I get? Not always the optimum tides, when someone pics a day. So I work with what I get.
There was a thermocline on the beach the other day when I was out looking for the big Blacktip sharks behind the shrimp boats, which led to NO sharks at all, and then hardly any kingfish either.
74-78 degrees in the middle of the afternoon, isn't what we want, thats for sure.
On 6/29 we had one 10 pound Kingfish all day
because of the beach water temp.
No pogies, cool water...it's always something.
Time for Flounder and Trout in the river I guess, till things warm back up.
Tarpon????
Heading out to Butterfly jig again, next week maybe, with an ole customer who needs some yankin and crankin. But with a twist....we'll be hunting another reef fish too.
Target Species:
Trout - Flounder - Shark - AJ's - Kings...Grab bag!
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