Fall Is In The Air

It is that time of the year when the air cools, northeasters start to blow
and the water cools.  This change also triggers something in most species of
fish that gets them in a "lets fatten up for the winter mode".  For us this
is good, because the bite is on.

It also triggers a species to come in close to the inlets and position
themselves in close quarters around the jetty rocks. This species is by far
one of the scrappiest fish that any of us can tangle with and one of the
tastiest, Sheepshead.

I had the opportunity to make a visit to our local Mayport Jetties last week
to give Mr. Sheepshead a try.
The crew for this day was Vic Tison, Joe Julavits, Scott Aston (my
videographer) and of course Myself.

The weather forecast was light to variable, so I figured we were in like
flint, no wind means no waves. No waves is important when trying to catch
these bait stealing convict fish. It is difficult enough to feel the almost
non-existent bite when the conditions are calm, big waves makes it almost
impossible to feel the bite.

I guess it is not actually a bite or strike, it is more like a sucking on
the bait.  These fish suck it in, crush it and blow it back out in the blink
of an eye.  I have now and have had many of these sheepshead in one of my
aquariums and they all eat the same way and for almost all bait, weather it
is crab, shrimp or squid.  The fish eases up to the bait, sucks it in,
crushes it and blows it back out.  If you blink your eye, you will miss the
entire process.  This is why they are so difficult to catch.

I have found the best way to get a hook in one it to use the lightest tackle
that you can get away with.  If I am right on the rocks, 6 to 14 feet of
water. There is usually not much current this close to the main jetty, so
you can get away with a light action six to seven foot rod, 10 to 20 pound
test Power Pro, one to two split shot (1/16th to 1/4 ounce) and a #4 Daiichi
wide bend hook and a fiddler crab or shrimp for bait.






You can do like most and find a spot near the rocks and send out your anchor
or you can get on the trolling motor.

If you like to anchor, you will be able to fish almost straight up and down,
the only boat movement will be from the waves or current and you will
probably not have as many opportunities at fish as the boat that works the
trolling motor.  The advantages to anchoring is you will not lose as many
rigs as the boat using the trolling motor, you will be able to feel the bite
better and you will be able to fish a couple of what I call bonus poles.
These are poles that I toss out behind or to the side of the boat that will
sometimes generate BONUS fish, like reds, drum, sheepshead, sharks, whiting
and what ever else swims out there.  These bonus poles usually have a larger
hook, a big fresh shrimp and enough lead to hold bottom.  If you toss these
out while you are on the trolling motor, they will surely stay snagged as
the lead is drug thought the rocks.

The advantage to using the trolling motor is the number of fish that you
will show your bait to.  Last week I fish both ways. The day I used the
trolling motor two of us had 39 sheepshead. The day I anchored, two of us
had 14 sheepshead.  The trolling motor day we lost about 15 rigs, the
anchoring day we lost about 8 rigs.


 

Vic Tison with a nice Mayport Sheepshead

The trolling motor way is for the angler that is able to use very light
weight and can tell the difference between a bite and the rocks. If you have
a hard time distinguishing the difference, you will be setting the hook
every you  feel a rock, thus loosing a lot of tackle and bait.

Now for the way that I have found to catch a few of these bait snatching
fish.  I like a small hook or 1/8 ounce jig head, a small piece of fresh
shrimp, a fiddler crab, a piece of clam or a piece of blue crab. I like to
get my boat in about 8 to 14 feet of water and put the anchor down. I then
send my rig straight down (NO CASTING OUT). After I hit bottom, I lift up on
the bait slowly about 1 to 2 feet. I them slowly let it down, then I
continually repeat this. When you feel the line get HEAVY, as if something
is holding on to it, SET THE HOOK. This is what the bite is like.  Now after
you have caught a few dozen of these you can let the bait hit bottom and
lift up about 6 inches and leave it there until you feel the heavy feeling.
Now, you are going to go through a lot of bait and many hooks and sinkers,
so bring a lot more that you think you will need.  DO NOT even think of
using a treble hook. The ones that a small enough to fit in a sheepshead's
mouth, the fish will crush as if it was in a vise and the ones strong enough
to catch the fish are too big to fit in it's mouth.  A J-hook in the number
4 to number 1 is about all you can use.  If you want to use a lead head jig,
you will need one that has a pretty small hook. Now, the hook needs to be
strong enough as to not straighten out when you do get hooked up.

Bait is up to you. Most people like fiddlers, I prefer shrimp or clams, they
are more difficult for the fish to get off of the hook, therefore you have
more of a chance of getting a hook in the fish.



Nice mess of sheepshead.
 

Sheepshead have a set of teeth.


Now for some local action:

The offshore waters are on fire when you can get out, lots of snappers,
grouper, bee liners, seabass, barracudas, sharks and way on out some
sailfish.   The inlets are strong with big reds, sheepshead, a few black
drum, whiting, ring tail porgies and a few tarpon.

The creeks are starting to come alive with flounder, reds, trout, drum and a
few small tarpon. And for those of you that like to really stretch the
string, some 10 to 12 pound jacks.  I had two on last week and both on top
water, what a hoot.

The river is just barely starting to give up a few croakers, not any big
ones, mainly around 1/2 pounders. Try these fishing on the bottom around
hard bottom using shrimp, clams or squid.


Capt. Jim now runs a charter service from Amelia Island to St. Augustine for
inshore boats from 16 feet and ocean boats to 62 feet.  Give me a call for
your next fishing trip.

Charter Information:
Capt. Jim now runs a charter service from Amelia Island to St. Augustine for
inshore boats from 16 feet and ocean boats to 62 feet.  Give me a call for
your next fishing trip and can be reached to book a trip by calling 904 757
7550.
Moms and Dads: 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. (I am not just saying this because it sounds good. I MEAN IT, YOU
WON'T BE LOOKING FOR THEM.)






Thanks
 
Capt. Jim Hammond
Capt. Jim's Fun Fishing Inc.
17184 Dorado Cir
Jacksonville, Fl 32226
(904) 757-7550
www.hammondfishing.com