I'm Glad
 
That's right, I'm glad that it seems that Mr. Winter has gone and springtime is near.  Don't you just hate it when you look in the local papers fishing report and you see one or two reports and between the two of them there was only 6 small fish caught.  Well, that is what it has been like here for the past two months.
 
But now that Spring is on it's way, the outside temperature is staring to get warmer than 50 degrees, the sun is going to start shinning almost every day and with warming water temps, the fish are going to start cooperating.
 
With these changes in weather, you might want to try what I did the other day.
 
I was out a day or so ago and for the four hours that I fished, I only threw topwater and a few shallow diving crankbaits and managed to catch 9 nice reds and 6 trout. Now if we count the number of strikes that I had total, we are talking about more than 20 total. I missed a few that I should have had but was so excited about the warm weather and the nice fish bite that I sort of was off in la la land when I got some of the strikes. But, you know, we can't catch um all.
 
Here is a pattern that I would employ if I had the almost perfect day.   Be sure that your trolling motor batteries are fully charged and your Minn Kota trolling motor is ready to work for fish.  Put new line on several of your favorite lure rods. I have been using the new 10 pound test Power Pro and it has made a measurable difference in my ability to make VERY long cast.  Put a top water on one rod, a shallow diving crank bait on another, an Exude Rt Slug on another, and a popper on another.  For top water baits I like the Top Pup, for a shallow crank bait I like the MirrOlure Jointed Crank bait and for the popper I like the MirrOlure Humpback Mule and for the Exude Rt Slug I like to hook it with just a hook and no weight, using the Daiichi Copperhead hook.
 
Now you are probably asking, why so many baits tied on? Have you ever seen a fish working and tossed to him the bait that you had tied on and the fish just kept on working but did not seem to be interested in your offering. I know that I have had this happen to me more than once.  With all of the different baits tied on, here is your chance to offer the fish more than one bait and to do so without having to stop and tied on something different.
 
I usually start by going to a creek that has a good number of oyster mounds that are covered up on high water. I start by throwing the topwater right up near the grass and slowly working it back to the boat. This method will usually get the fish's attention and most of the time the fish will act like it is interested or strike at the lure.  Sometimes the fish will bust at the lure but miss it or just come up and swirl at it.  This is the time that you employ your other baits that you have already tied on to another rod.  I like to follow up on a missed strike with a soft plastic that slowly sinks and as it is sinking, I twitch the bait as if it is wounded. This will almost always produce another strike from the same fish that was not really interested in your topwater.
 
I like to work the edges, tossing my lure to the grass and working the entire shoreline from one end of the creek to the other.  While you are doing this "see with you ears". You are probably reading this and saying to yourself, what kind of nut sees with his ears. What I mean by see with you ears, is to be in tune with your surroundings, hear everything, every little splash on the water. If you can get in tune, you will be able to hear things such as subtle strikes that you might not see with your eyes. If I hear a strike and it is not too far from my boat, I usually get my boat there quickly and quietly and make several cast in the area, hoping to get a strike from the fish that was feeding.
 
To be sure that I am ready to react to a missed strike, I usually have at least one rod laying next to me and ready to be tossed to the fish.
 
If you employ these tactics, you should have no problem catching a few nice fish and having a memorable day.  Give it a try, you will be surprised.
 

 
Here is a Redfish that could not stand the action of a topwater in his territory and a happy angler.
 

 
Here is a redfish that struck at a topwater but was caught on a soft plastic
 
How about some local action:
 
The trout are happening and one month February closure will be over in March. Try topwater, float rig with a shrimp, mud minnow on a jig, shrimp on a jig, or for a lot of action try the new Clark Spoon Flash ( I like the chartreuse or blue) with a Sea Striker 4 inch curly tail grub in chartreuse or white with red tail. This combination will surprise you.
 
Redfish are starting to act as if they are coming back to like after the winter chill and can be caught on everything that the above trout will eat plus a small shrimp pattern fly.  Try these on topwater on the high end of the tide over submerged oysters or in and around the oysters on the low water.
 
The largemouth bass are on the bed in most of the waters in Northeast Florida and I think if you try a small tube jig on the bed, you should have good success. 
 
Try the bream on shell beds in shallow water, using clam or shrimp.
 
The offshore action is turned on for nice bottom fish like seabass, snapper, grouper and beeliners.
 
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 websites for other information on fishing this area, the products that I use and charter info at www.hammondfishing.com.
 This report is brought to you by and
 
 
 
Capt. Jim Hammond
Capt. Jim's Fun Fishing Inc.
17184 Dorado Cir
Jacksonville, Fl 32226
(904) 757-7550
www.hammondfishing.com