Jacksonville, FL Fishing Reports

Capt. James Howard
January 19, 2008
Jacksonville - Saltwater Fishing Report

Guana River State Park

Being a native of Northeast Florida I have been able to enjoy having one of the most interesting state parks to fish all of my life…

I’m referring to Guana River State park. It is between Jacksonville and St Augustine Florida along the coast. Many years ago they put a small damn between the intercoastal waterway and what is known as the Guana reserve now.

It is a huge salt water lake that when the damn is opened or over flows these salt water fish have come thru over the years and can’t get back out. It also offers some good Duck hunting during the season. There are fish of all kinds to be caught year round but for the serious fisherman looking to catch huge Reds, large Trout and massive Flounder it is the big Northeasters and .5 plus high tides usually starting in November that turn it into a war zone...

When all these things come together the fish all come to the damn to feed when it starts overflowing and all the bait from the saltwater side come rushing thru. It is truly an experience that you will never forget. It is amazing to have forty to sixty guys all lined up shoulder to shoulder so willing to help each other untangle line and net fish for each other.

Last year was one of the best Flounder runs I can ever remember and I’ve been going down there for over forty years. For several days’ in a row late last November during the big moon and flood tides I saw over 100 flounder caught each day in about two hours. The amazing thing was there was not a fish under five pounds and plenty of 7 to 10 pound Flounder caught.

Of course there was plenty of slot size Reds to way oversized also. And don’t forget the really nice Trout also…..

You have to get up real early put on your waders and find some bait which sometimes is hard that time of year but live finger mullet really is the only way to go especially for the big flat fish. And of course the weather is brutal but that is what it takes for Guana to be in true form. Hope you enjoy some of these pictures. My biggest fish this past November was a 9 pound Flounder.

Till next time. “Tight lines” Capt. James Howard

(904)651-9557 www.gofishjax.com

The war zone!!!!

A Red fish like this one at Guana will tangle quite a few lines before he gives up.

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