Jacksonville Fishing Report for Amelia Island & Mayport
Capt. Dave Sipler
July 30, 2003
Jacksonville - Saltwater Fishing Report
My BIG water is turning around...
What I mean about big water is that, I don't fish lil muddy streams of water. But rather the Ocean, it's sounds, inlets, and the big rivers that they flow out of.
Why, hopefully BIG FISH!
And my goodness did we have a day today.
The beach was so pretty this morning at 7am, that I just had to fish it. Incoming tide, and plenty of fresh green ocean water.
I had a regular client and his family that came from San Antonio, Texas to good ole J-ville again for a bit of R&R.
Thier last trip with me in late June produced something I don't see much of, and that is Keeper size Redbass aka: "Redfish". (18" to 27", one per person per day in the state of Florida).
The reason I say that is because where I fish the fish are normally to big to keep. And many times they are pursued just for the sport of it, cause they are big and bad.
But we had 10 Reds, and 9 were keepers, from 25" to 27", the last time Mr. Howens & family fished with me.
We never do anything but a 1/2 day trip cause Mr. Howens does like the heat. (and San Antonio does get HOT?)
But today, we ventured on to the beach, and fished the slews; breaks between the latteral sand bar that runs the length of N.E. Florida beaches.
And did we have a blast. The family of 4 kept we hoppin'.
From the first cast made till the last cast made, just a mere 3 hours later, we managed:
19- 20 pound or so Sharks on light tackle gear.
13- big bull Whiting up to 2 pounds, a N.E Florida favorite when fish fries are mentioned.
3 -Jack Cravalles in the 2-4 pound range.
and 2 good ole Lady fish. Which everytime I see one hooked and jumping everywhere I have to sing like Tom Jones....."she's a lady, whoa,whoa,whoa, she'a a lady".
Then we came back and I filleted the fish fry participants.
Man, what action. I guess if my huge redfish aren't frothing at the mouth at our inlet, the sharks are the next best thing to stretch the string real good on some light gear.
We had as many as 3 rods out of 4 hooked up with something all morning. It was mayhem.
Usually, when we have a nice day, sun shining real good and the faces are smiling real bright on the For Reelin II, I bust out the Cannon 35MM camera and snap some shots for my "recent catches pages" on my web site, at: www.captdaves.com
But I never had the chance too. Just as I went to hand a shark over to the angler and retrieve the camera out of the console, more rods would go off. And I needed to be there.
As I said in my last report, I think no matter what the ocean temp is, August is still gonna be Tarpon Time.
I'm possibly trying for another 'poon on Friday August 1st.
If I don't try for one myself tomarrow. But I'll be solo, and that's the tuff part.
As the days grow long, many fish are primed and ready to feed, and be seen. To put it in EZ terms.
"Length of days, Dave. It's all about length of days" says an ole commercial fishing buddy of mine, who now is my partner and takes my overload, and does our 2 boat 6 passengers trips with me, says.
He was sucessful commercial fisherman, there's no doubt. So I believe him. Cause I'm starting to see my Tarpon rolling around again, even though the water temp today where I was, was a high of 77 degrees, and it should be 83 degrees.
The Intra-coastal waterway is 83, so I guess there's no lack of reds or trout and even flounder in that "ditch". But like I said, it's a muddy canal, so I won't go there very often.
The word of the day was: "ACTCHIONIE", which means alot of rods bent in the shape of horse shoes, in Italian.
Hahahah....
I made that up as I was scrambling to who ever had their fish closest to the boat, today.
Come on down, and try Jacksonville Florida.
We won't treat you like a tourist, but rather a newly made friend......especially aboard the For Reelin II, with Capt. Dave Sipler.
Remember, "SIZE DOES MATTER"
-Check out my Recent catches photos at my web site.
Just put up the 80 pund Tarpon we caught the other day, that I reported about in my last session here at Cyberangler.com
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