Just enough time for whackin'
Capt. Dave Sipler
December 3, 2008
Jacksonville - Saltwater Fishing Report
12/3 - Just enough time for whackin'
Had Dave A. along with Glen and Scott aboard. Dave and company had just enough time to fish this morning, before having to go to meetings at 1pm. So we agreed to depart ASAP at 7am fish fast and furious, so they could be back at Ponte Vedre in time.
And wouldn't ya know it, the tide was damn near slack as we started to float-rig fish. It happens to me all the time. So I had to hunt up some current and quick. And wouldn't ya know it, as I'm teaching them what to do I catch a real nice Speck. Which is always a good sign.
On this spot they caught about 5 or 6, but not all were keepers. So as the tide died completely, we moved on.
Okay, by now everyone was in the swing of it. So I headed to the mother-load. And Dave whacks a Speck within seconds of me shutting the engine off! But still the current was exactly right, but it was coming. I pointed out the rip line that heading right at us. And once it was near, I was going to adjust and get ready for the show down.
Nice fattties were coming to the net real consistently. All Specks, in the 17-19" range. And Dave had plans to take home these fish back to Wisconsin, and he'd have his chance too. A few were hooked and lost, and a few baits were stolen, and one hook was crushed flat........Dang, Jetty Snappers!! Then, (3) "jetty snapper" aka: Sheepshead were caught, one small one and two we kept that went 4-5 pounds. And I wanted a photo of each of them with a fish at least.
I don't get to take that many photos when I have several guys aboard. But what's a report with no pictures? By the time we had to leave and head back to clean fish the totals had to of been about a dozen or more Specks, and 3 Sheepshead, and only one "rock blennie". I wanted to hit my Redbass spot, but of course some dude was sitting there catching nothing. Yep, there sure is alot of people out there on weekdays, these days....I remember, when in the winter I could count the number of boats at the jetties on one hand on a Wednesday. Can't imagine how nice and vacant the rocks were on a weekday back in 1960.
There was 10 shrimp left in the livewell after the fellas left. Being I hate to waste good bait, I turned around and headed out again. And on my first spot I caught 3 Specks on my first three drifts of the float. Then I moved and caught 3 more, and a Flounder! Six Trout and a Flounder on 10 shrimp. NOT BAD AT ALL.
I kept two Trout for dinner, and headed in to clean them and went home.
Tomorrow, (Thursday) I'll have Jim Sutton the Times Union newspaper Outdoors Editor on board. We've been trying to get out there for a "show and tell" about Trout and the float fishing for over a year. Last time we fished was years ago, back when Jim wrote for the St. Augustine Record paper. And we threw jigs and shrimp combo meals at the "back then" the over looked St. Augustine inlet rocks. Man, we wacked them that day.
EVERYTHING YA NEED, NOTHING YA DON'T
www.captdaves.com
904-642-9546
Jacksonville Fishing Forecast:
It's WIDE OPEN...depending on what day you choose and how many people are around, if I have freedom to fish where I want and when I want, HOLD ON, cause the fish are there.
NO LONG BOAT RIDES. Fish in the box in maybe 15 minutes from the dock...if your good.
The weather was GORGEOUS today!
Target Species:
Speckled Trout & Sheepshead
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