Finally, It's Happening
If the past week is any example of the fishing
that we are going to have this summer, then we are all in for some tight
lines and screaming drag.
Inshore:
The backwaters are on fire with good catches of
redfish on MirrOlure top water baits, mud minnows and the Exude RT Slug. We
have had several big reds on these baits fished on high and low water. The
water temperature is moving up fast and this has turned on just about
everything. Work the edges with top water and the RT Slug and you will test
your reels drag on big fish. I like the edges on high water for this,
working the grass edges and the tops of covered oyster mounds.
Try a MirrOlure sinking crank bait on the deeper
drops for nice trout. There has been some real nice fish in the Ortega area
and around the docks in downtown Jacksonville. Also, the traditional float
rig is a no brainer for these trout. Last week I was in a shallow water
creek and for ten minutes I chased a waking fish that I thought was a big
red. When I finally got my bait positioned where the fish slurped it down,
it was a six pound trout. Imagine that, a gator trout in 8 inches of water
chasing mullet.
The flounder are starting to show up a little but
most are still just offshore on the sandy bottom near wrecks.
I saw my first tarpon of the year last week and
it was busting big mullet as they leaped from the water trying to escape
from being his breakfast. I threw a lure a couple of times to no avail and I
really did not want him very bad as the largest tackle I had was ten pound
class. I had a new lure and really did not want to give it up, as I would
have done if the fish had eaten it.
JETTIES:
Still a few sheepshead on the rocks and on the
edges. Try a clam, fiddler or a small piece of blue crab.
By the time this goes to print, we should have
good numbers of Spanish Mackerel and Blue Fish all around the tips on the
higher tides. Try some Blues on the smoker. You will be surprised as to how
good these fish smoke. The Spanish are great broiled or smoked. I like to
troll using a Sea Striker #1 planer with a Clark Spoon or Mackerel Tree
behind the planer. You only need to send it our about 50 to 75 feet behind
the boat to have good success.
The Black Drum have slowed down but there are
still a few out there. The like small pieces of blue crab or clams, fished
on the bottom.
Nice Red Fish are showing up in good numbers at
the tips and along the rocks. If you are in the right spot you have should
have some bruisers and a few that are in the slot. Poggies or cut blue crab
will work best for them. Be sure you bait on the bottom or just a foot above
it. The fast moving current makes it tough to get your rig down so be ready
for 8 to 12 ounces of weight. I like a leader of about three feet with a 5/0
Daiichi Circle Wide hook. I have been using the Cajun Red Line as leader and
it has been working good. The fish cannot see it down deep. I like it better
than fluorocarbon line.
The FWC has implemented a new rule for measuring
fish. This rule is effective now and it is as follows:
When measuring a redfish, trout and several other
species, you now pinch the tail to obtain an overall length. Be sure the
fish you keep conform to the rule. This rule can be found at this link.
OCEAN:
The snapper and grouper are still on the near
shore reefs and we have been having good numbers of both. Along with them we
have been having real good catches of sea bass and vermilion snapper. With
some nice flounder and trigger fish down there with the snapper and grouper.
We have already had a few kingfish show up and by
the time this is printed we should be catching good numbers of them on the
closer in reefs.
Cobia have shown up and the big pods will be
moving down the beach this month. Look along the rip and just offshore of
the beach in about 30 to 50 feet of water. These fish like to cruise along
the surface so look for what looks like a big brown log on the surface. Keep
in mind these fish have been hammered since they started their migration and
they are a little weary of your boat, so stay as far away from them as you
can cast. Try a live eel if you can get them and if no eels can be found a
blue crab, poggy of whole squid will work. You might also try a big black
rubber worm that has been soaked in poggy oil.
A good number of these fish are also being taken
while bottom fishing. If you do everything right you might just end up with
a nice one like this one that Ryan Keith grunted up from the depths.
It is going to soon be that time of the year when
we get our violent afternoon thunder storms, so keep and eye out.
Remember moms and dads, spend some time taking
your sons and daughters fishing and they will not be out causing problems on
Friday and Saturday night but will be home in bed waiting to go fishing the
next day.
This report is brought to you by
Good fishing
Capt. Jim Hammond
