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Jacksonville Fishing Report for Amelia Island & Mayport
Capt. Dave Sipler
August 8, 2003
Jacksonville - Saltwater Fishing Report
TARPON, MULLET, & ALOT OF SWEET WATER
This report isn't about catching Tarpon, (the badest fish in our coastal waters), but more like a heads-up on what's actually going on.
Almost every single day, the North jetty at the famed St. Johns River Inlet at Mayport is experiencing quite a show.
NOW PLAYING: "THE FEED", a graphic battle between life and death, as schools of mullet the size of square acres work their way down the beach and hit the massive granite rocks. What takes place is right out of a National Geographic episode.
Dolphins slashing through on the surface, and the KING OF FISHES, the Tarpon eating from below.
Reminiscent of the "fall mullet run" the schools of Silver Mullet are numbering in the millions.
Another battle is also taking place. THE ANGLER. Drawn to the surface showering of fish like a flock of hungrey birds, there's not much these avid Anglers can do. There's just too many mullet, against the presense of their solitary bait.
Of course gathering these "Silver Mullet", which are Oceanic travelers, doesn't take a lot of effort.
One cast with a 8-10' castnet and you probably have more than the LAW allows.
But the lure of the Tarpon still remains.
N.E. Florida residents, are certainly not complaining of a drought this year. Grass seems to grow 2" with each afternoons "monsoon". That's right, not just a briif shower, but rather rain so hard it'll flood the streets. I'm thinking this is what it must be like living in the rain forests of S. America. Everythings wet all the time, and of course "mold", grows everywhere.
And what does that mean to local anglers.
Here's the scoop.
The water is just plain FRESH in the river, just a few miles from the inlet, and the Ocean.
A full moon is on the 12th of this month. I can't remember a full moon where we didn't see, and/or hook a couple Tarpon at the inlet.
Will the full moon flush a huge ammount of fresh water out the inlet, as the river is good and backed up?
-I CERTAINLY HOPE SO.
This will drive all the Redfish, Drum, river Tarpon, and more out to the inlet, I hope. And in conjunction with "the time of year", remember a lot has to do with this factor, which in other words is; Length of days.
The food is there. The inlets water temp should be up with all the flushing water from inshore being pushed out, from down river.
-THIS COULD MEAN, GREAT FISHING.(fingers crossed)
SHARKS AND TARPON, MARRIED TO THE SAME LIFE STYLE
The other day I was at the St. Johns River Jetties for a short time. I fished the way it should be done this time of year for "the big ones".
I netted some of the silver mullet, cut them in half, dropped them down on a 7/0 circle hook tied to a 50# Mason hard type nylon leader. Attached to my Accurate twin Boss Platinum reels mated to my 8' G. Loomis Mag. heavy rod.
Yea, this is a kick-butt system, alright. Anything short of a eaten off hook, can't compete. "It will come to the boat", but the system is light enough so you don't feel like your using heavy tackle.
Between the ACCURATE COMPANY, AND G.LOOMIS, HIGH TECH IS MY ADVANTAGE.
I don't consider it heavy at all. But this tackle many times neccassary for what I'm pursuing, in the rippin' ebb tide at my inlet.
"the Tarpon have to still be feeding on the mullet", I thought. But the mass feeding frenzy was over by now. The Dolphins had run the mullet into smaller schools and they split while some went south, some went up river.
With a hook setting 5 pounds of strike drag, the first taker was taking off, just to make sure I don't even pick up the rod out of the holder, I just turn the handle 3 times, as the rod tip bends over in a horseshoe shaped fashion.
My line starts to race through the water at a blistering speed, (the fish helped by the current) races away and toward the surface...........TARPON???
No, but it certainly was big. A 100 pound Spinner Shark leaps from the water once, then twice, then up to five times. Twisting and spinning in a cork screw!
Marlin hardly have this attitude. I've been here hundreds of times before. There's not a chance for me. The line parts, as it is wrapped dozens of times around the rough body of my nemesis. I say that cause we've had our fights. And if the shark does spinning leaps. I always loose! And you will too.
I went through this whole scenereo with another shark, then I dragged up a estimated 75 pound Nurse shark off the bottom too.
But no Tarpon bites. Although, remember this.
"If your not getting shark bites, leaps and runs. Theres probably not many chances you'll catch a Tarpon at the Mayport Jetties either."
They are "birds of a feather, and school together".
When we do get Tarpon at the Jetty rocks it seems that you'll see more than you can count, rolling around you.
If so, "PREPARE THY SELF".
-Boat, have a big float tied to your anchor line so you can toss the anchor loose and make chase, around other boats and obstacles.
-Tackle, Have your tackle in tip top shape. You will need adequate tackle to handle a possible 100+ pound fish, in a lot of current.
Drags must be smooth.
Terminal tackle, Have rigs made. At least the strongest 30# leader material you can find (I had charters and myself land 8 Tarpon last year on 30 pound Mason "hard type nylon" up to 50# Mason for the rest of the Tarpon landed.) Or up to 80 pound leaders for non-Mason line. At least a 5/0 to 8/0 circle hook.
(again, last year at least 5 of the tarpon catches were on 5/0 circles, which are rather small)
Light tackle gets bit! Just remember that. Match your hooks to the bait your using. Live or dead. Don't be afraid to mix it up, live on one rod, dead on another.
Bait, use what they are eating! OR Pogies! They love a Pogie. Mullet and Croakers too. Sand Trout work well also, but die quickly. Fresh is always the BEST.
There's billions of small 3" croakers at the jetties right now on the falling tide out in the sand. Use dead shrimp pieces, or local Cuttlefish to catch a live well full of them in just an hour or so.
Then your set for the day.
Remember.....if Sharks are present, getting hooked, broke off, whatever. You in the right place!
Be prepared in case the Tarpon strike comes. Bow to a leaping fish, keep your line tight at all times, have a Tarpon release gaff aboard,(hand gaff, made of a 15/0 shark hook or better with a lanyard).
Tarpon fishing at the St. Johns River Jetties isn't for everyone. It can un-nerve you easily, be a one fish or bite kind of day. Or a day that has you joining an elite club, also know as "Capt. Dave's Hundred Pounder club".
Till next tide,
Do the right thing. Go Fishing.
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