Inshore/nearshore report Jacksonville area waters
Capt. Bob Cosby
November 4, 2011
Jacksonville - Saltwater Fishing Report
I apologize for not posting a report recently. I have been in Canada for a solid month fly fishing for Atlantic salmon. Also, on my return home I had a beautiful new Skeeter bayboat to bring online.
We've had a strong northeaster blowing for several days and the water is cooling down (67 degrees last outing), which should contribute to transitional changes in the fishery. There are still some bull redfish in the area, however, the 20 to 30 fish days are probably over. The breeding reds wil be spreading out along the coast gorging on pogies after the major Oct spawn. Catch the big ones while you can if you enjoy pulling on a big fish!
The smaller rat reds and slot fish should be along the edges of the ICW and in the creeks off the ICW prowling the edges of mud flats and oyster beds. Fish the last half of the ebb tide and the first couple hours of the flood. A jig and live shrimp, mud minnow, finger mullet or piece of crab combination are hard to beat.
Speckled trout have really been turning on both in the river and in the ICW. The traditional float rig with live shrimp is very effective. Larger trout can be taken "walking the dog" with top water plugs or pulling lipped diving plugs early and late on high tide stages around structure and grass edges in shallower water. Yellowmouth trout should start showing up more in the deeper water as the water cools.
The flounder run this year has been epic and is still going on. Catches of 15-20 flounder per trip are not unusual. The NE winds and cooler temperatures have the fish moving towards the ocean where the larger ones spend the winter. Try fishing around structure such as rocks, docks and pilings as the tide slows with finger mullet or mud minnows on a fish finder rig. The Dames Point area has been hot for several weeks. The south side of the south jetty can be a good spot as they stage to feast on finger mullet migrating along the rocks. Flounder should be available inshore and nearshore until the water hits the low 60's with smaller ones in the creeks all winter.
I hear the sheepshead bite has been improving. Personally, I haven't specifically targeted them yet, but will in the near future as they are one of my favorite eating fish. Try fiddlers fished on a fishfinder egg sinker rig or on a jighead along the jetties. The black drum should also bite well this month at the jetty tips, along the rocks, in the viscinity of bridge pilings in the ICW, and in deeper holes in the creeks. Fresh shrimp,crab, and clams are all good baits.
The surf should be giving up good catches of whiting, drum, pompano, bluefish, and the occasional redfish. Finger mullet can still be caught in the surf, particularly at low tide. Try casting out to the second sandbar near low tide using a sandflea for bait for the pompano. Add an orange or yellow bead above your hook to stimulate the bite.
Good fishing!
Captain Bob Cosby
More Fishing Reports:
