Sent: Monday, January 27, 2003 3:30 PM
Subject: Fishing Report for Jacksonville, Amelia Island and Ponte Vedra Beach Florida for 01/27/03
Deep Sea Fishing In the Dead Of Winter
This past weekend, I had the opportunity to go on the Mayport Princess, a deep sea fishing boat out of Mayport Florida (near Jacksonville).
The captain, George Strait, pointed his big boat toward the open ocean and we were off. The seas were pretty dad burn nice, about 1 foot swells about 15 seconds apart, and the sunrise was just peeking over the horizon as we broke the jetties. What a nice day, we all commented as the sun rose higher and higher and the ocean looked like a day that you could be out there in a 10 foot Jon boat.
George, an old salt and very experienced deep sea fishing boat captain, knew that to catch fish in this extremely cold winter that we are having, he would have to make a run out to warmer water. This meant a ride of about 45 miles to deep water. On most deep sea fishing boats this would be an all day ride but on the fast new Mayport Princess, the ride took a little less than two hours.
We all sort of hunkered down and rested, knowing that we were going to soon be on some nice fish that we would have to work hard to persuade to come up from the depths and join us in the boat.
After what seemed to be not long at all, we were there and I was scampering down the stairs to get the camera ready, so I could all of the action of tape. At the first stop, Captain George got the anchor set and over the hailer, we blasted, "bombs away". This means lines down. The boat was filled with excitement as all of the anglers sent to the depths their offerings of squid, cigar minnows, cut bait and I am sure several other baits. It had been about a minute and I was not seeing the normal rod tip towards the shy hook set that I was so accustomed to seeing on this boat. What was happening? After about 5 minutes of this, Captain George, barked out "lines up , we need to move to another spot". After a minute or two ride, we were at another spot and Captain George again barked out "bombs away". Again, I saw baits go down but no hook sets, what is going on. Now I know that the water is unusually cold and this does affect the fish and their feeding habits. About now Captain George is scratching his head because he is looking at his bottom machine and it is showing fish stacked up one on top of another but no bites. Once again, a few minutes passed and "lines up" was hollered out. We then went to another spot and once again we heard "bombs away" and again no fish. Right about now, Captain George has the weight of the entire world on his shoulders as he too is wondering what is going on. Again we heard lines up and again we made a short run to another spot. Again, we also heard bombs away.
When the baits hit bottom this time we were getting hook sets and a few nice vermilion snapper were coming to the boat. Now we were in business. I heard one of the mates holler out, "big fish on" and I turned the lens toward Mark Timmons, one of the anglers that was tangling with something real nice. Anyone that has ever been on the Mayport Princess when I was shooting a show and has had a nice fish one, knows how I am. I like to get right in the action and get lots of close up video at the same time putting in my two cents worth on what the angler should or should not be doing. You know what I mean, "don't flip this lever, turn the handle, what have you got, can I have this fish and so on. I also try to get the angler to say hello to mom and dad or wife or husband. I imagine that most of the time they wish that I would shut up and go away, but I have to get in tight for the good footage.
After about two or three minutes, Mark managed to grunt, groan and struggle to get up from the depths a nice 12 pound red snapper. Not only was Mark feeling good, but Captain Georges' shoulders were getting a lot lighter. We stayed on this spot and managed to land several more very nice vermilions before we drifted just off of the spot. Captain George moved the boat and we were on them once again. For the experienced anglers, like Houston Stephens, their stringers were looking pretty good with all of those vermilions. We fished this spot for a while longer and as the action started to slow, George once again barked out "lines up".
We then made another short run to another spot, where the action started again and we were back to filling the stringers. We made several more moves to a spot that had some sea monsters as one of the anglers said, as he was getting whuped up on by one that was attached to his hook. This spot produced several nice amberjacks to about 25 pounds. If you have never had the pleasure of doing battle with an amberjack, you wont know what I am talking about but for those of you that have you understand when I say this fish will slap wear out a grown man before it decides to come to the surface.
We stopped at a few more spots and put several more nice vermilion snapper, a few white bone porgies, some more amberjacks and had a couple of real nice cobia on, but the managed to get away before we could get them in the box.
Overall, not a bad day for the dead of winter. Almost everyone got to take home a nice mess of fish and we all had a great time.
For information on fishing on the Mayport Princess, you can call 904 241-4111. The boat is located in Mayport Florida (2 minutes from Jacksonville). They supply rods, reels, tackle, bait and fishing license.
Mark Timmons with his nice snapper and some beeliners
A nice amberjack and a happy angler
Houston Stephens and Becky Hogan with some nice beeliners.
How would you like to go fishing with Capt. Jim?
For charter information please call me at 904 757 7550 or email me at jim@fishingwithjim.com. Don't forget to watch my TV show, every Tuesday at 7pm and Sundays at 8:30am on cable channel 7 in Jacksonville, Clay County and the Beaches and Thursdays at 7:30, Saturdays at 1:30 p.m., Sundays at 11:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m pm on channel 22 and 2 in St. Augustine and St. Johns County.
Remember mom and dad, spend some time with your sons and daughters taking them fishing and you will not be looking for them come Friday and Saturday nights, as they will be home in bed waiting to go the next day.
Don't forget to check out my website for other information on fishing this area, the products that I use and charter info at www.fishingwithjim.com/ or www.hammondfishing.com.
Good Fishing
Capt. Jim Hammond
904 757 7550
jim@fishingwithjim.com
http://www.fishingwithjim.com
http://www.hammondfishing.com
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