12/30 - A few articles of interest:

Personally, I have fished the Mayport Jetties in everything from a  14' Aluma-Craft to a 17' Carolina Skiff, to my now 26' welded Plate Alloy center console. And through the years I have learned. You certainly can't have it all, in one boat.

I see lots of "TOO" small of boats at the inlet, myself. And when I owned  the 17' Skiff, I also had at that time 2 other larger boats to choose from for a day of fishing. The little skiff boat, was my inshore creek boat. Not my "do all" boat, that's for sure.

The Jettywolf, my 26' plate alloy boat was literally designed for "jetty fishing" in mind. Period!!











I don't ask it to be my creek boat, or a flats-casting platform. That kind of fishing, isn't my "gig" anyhow. It's a big water craft, with lots of safety built into it's design.

But as you'll read here:
http://jacksonville.com/sports/outdoors/2009-12-27/story/boaters_nightmare_escaping_with_their_lives
It's not unusual, for people to "squeeze" many fishing tasks out of their small boats. I have customers on my boat during a day of jetty fishing always say to me, "Damn, that's a small boat to be out here today, isn't it Dave?" 


 What happened to these boaters, isn't unusual. It'll happen several times a year. The last time that I heard of a small boat go down at the jetties, two people were rescued, while one remained missing.

And think about this for a minute....."alot of beer, and other impairments make there way on to boats every weekend. As important as rods, reels and bait, for the day."  Add in just one periless situation, a 12 pak, or "other impairment", and some strong current, or cold water, and what do ya have? A near death situation. Doesn't sound worth it to me. That's why I do not waiver on my policies concerning the malted brewed beverages.

I don't need more to deal with, thank you. 
--------------------------------------------------------------

I ran across this article: http://floridasportfishing.com/magazine/sept-oct-2009/fish-the-moon-day-or-night?utm_source=streamsend&utm_medium=email&utm_content=8035921&utm_campaign=December%20Tackle%20Giveaway%20-%20Florida%20Sport%20Fishing%20Magazine
And thought I'd post the link to it.

I also have on the right side bar of this blog, the moon phase calender. Plus, I pay attention to solar/lunar tables in my Florida Sportsman Tide Planner. If you don't understand the moon, you should. It has everything to do with the fishing here in our area. Because the MOON is the TIDES....

12/28 - 12/29 - Whoa...two cold windy days.

If wind ain't enough, toss in some freezing temps and ya have the last two days on the river. Then, toss in two days back to back with 4 passengers each day and......well, it's not as easy as having one guy on the boat, that's for sure.

Here nor there. The fishing in the river on Monday was tough. I had Craig B. and family aboard. Which was a rescheduled "river cruise" trip, from back on November 12th.

Which now that I look back in my tide planner. It ended up being a NW gale blowing that day, not unlike it was this Monday afternoon. But much warmer, of course.

We fished and fished, I had Craigs mom and dad on the float-rigs out the back of the boat and Craig and Cameron just flipping a tightline rig over the sides amidship. After ZERO bites east of the boat ramp we  finally got on a spot where there was a few small Yellowmouth Trout biting. Cameron, Craigs son caught a Sheepshead. It was really kind of funny, he set the hook on the sheeps, and said to me, "I think you need to take it....I can't reel this in!!!"  I said, "Boy we ain't out here for me to reel the fish in."  Between the sheeps and the yellowmouths that was it as the stiff NW winds really started to blow. The boy needs to come back during summer sharkin' or again for big fall Redbass, then. If he thought he couldn't reel in a sheeps.
All in fun, of course. I believe this was his first fish. No wonder he was surprised. 













Then on 12/29 Tuesday, I had Steve P. and three more guys in his party. They came all the way from Daytona, where they were visiting family, and to Daytona from NY.   Whoa...."travellers".

Tuesday morning. The kind of C-O-L-D that B-U-R-N-E-D. So we headed up river a bit at 9:15am. And the breeze where we were really backed off, the sun came out and it got warmer, relatively speaking.
Everything was just perfect tide and wind wise. And the guys bottom fished and caught a few Yellowmouth Trout, just small ones. Then Steve lays the wood to a fish and it's a real rod bender.

Steve has a heated battle with something we didn't even see for awhile. Then, finally I caught a glimps of it. A BIG Redbass! As usual, it was way too big to keep at 32-1/2 inches long and 12 pounds. We continued to fish the area with geniune ambition after a beauitiful red like that. And we came up with no more bites at all. The tide peetered out, so we moved on. Hitting the inside of the North Jetty, and then over by the Navy basin. Between the two spots, one of the guys caught a big silver Whiting. Giving a shrimp away would have been a nice thing.

Another tough day in the river, that's for sure.

Now, comes an east wind, on Wednesday. Which as we left the Navy basin area, the flags were already blowing from the S. Easterly direction.

It's so crazy that just 25 days ago I was catching upwards of 50 Trout per trip, less than a mile from the boat ramp. The same area now?????

I can't even give away a bait. And stereo typically, an area where I do all my whackin and stackin all winter long........so this isn't a good sign. Deep January on the coldest of days, we've pulled so many nice big Trout from the Mayport area. But never fail, I'll keep trying. They should show back up if we see some extended mild weather.

Mild weather?

My next trip is on Thursday:
LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS. WINDS BECOMING SOUTHWEST 5 TO 10 KNOTS IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 2 TO 3 FEET. INLAND WATERS SMOOTH. SCATTERED SHOWERS.

REALLY?? At this point, I really need it.

12/22 - They've moved.....

As I said, I was going out again to double check on the absence of the jetty trout situation. It was a super nice day, and everyone else thought so too. Compared to practically no one being around, yesterday.

So Doc Miller a fellow "Trout Tracker" and I headed out to the big rocks around 10am. No sense going till the tide was right. We hit numerous places where we should have caught Speckled Trout. And Doc came up with only one 14 incher. They vacated the premises, I guess. Not even a good ole "yellermouth", could we find at my usual Speck spots at the jetties.

We certainly weren't going to spend a bunch of time running around looking up river, the ICW or creeks. Not on a rising tide.

So I said to Doc, a float-rig only kinda guy...."let's go over to the North Jetty and make a few drifts with the float-rig and see what's up with the Reds." 

So that's where we headed. And we stuck to our guns and stayed with the float-rigs. I could have easily picked up a casting rod with a jig on it and tried that way. BUT THAT JUST WOULDN'T BE SPORTY ENOUGH.

Remember, I have not yet caught a fish or even lost a bait to fish lips so far today. So why would I want to make things any easier on myself????

We figured out the way the float's would drift, and sent them out. And it didn't take long for me to get bit. "BIT"....how 'bout more like a real ass handing!!

I drifted my float probably close to 75 feet away from the boat, set at a depth of 20 feet along the jetty. Which meant in the 42 feet of water my float drifted probably half way up the rocks from the bottom, heading for the very tip of the jetty. When amongst the froth of the crashing swells, I barely could make out my float bouncing along in the seas. Then, my float was gone!

I reeled against the 6.2-1 gear ratio of my Shimano Citica, like my hand was a Black and Decker drill, and came tight on a big fish. Where would it go? I didn't have time to find out. I had to keep my 7'6" rod up high and keep it bent...."like horse shoe!"

Not many people could have kept a big Red hooked up in this situation. On a little #8 hook, and 15 pound mono leader. It was a precarious area to hook a big Red on the ole float-rig, let me tell ya'.

I only wish I could have had a pro video camera operator getting the whole thing. The runs the fish made due east, were great. My arm ached from having to keep the rod up high and the fish from going for the rocks. But I got it...a 14 pound Redbass, that made the mistake of running out deep.

   













To a tackle nut like myself, it's almost unimaginable how much one can love the "parabolic action" I get from these  7' 6" Ugly Stik Striper Rods. It's a sickness I have, I know. But when using really small hooks and light leaders with no stretch braided line, something has to "give", and that's what these rods do. They give.

I can remember not long ago having lots of pulled hooks by charter customers. Not anymore, not with these rods. Usually only a real tackle enthusiest, even knows the difference when I say "parabolic" action. But I have one past customer Chris M. that emailed me not long ago and said, "Dave, I got the complete Sipler Special, now." Which meant rod, reel, line, float and Trout weight. Chris may be new to float-rigging, but that didn't keep him from picking up on what he saw on our day out together, and how well it all works.

And I'm talking about a rod that retails for $29.99 at Bass Pro Shops!! You can't beat that? More money left for a really good reel and spooled with braided line.

Okay, big Red in the boat, took the photo, now it's time to get back in there.

And guess what? The same thing happened all over again. I was slam-dunked in the same spot, and had another great fight on my hands, and landed one more 14 pound, BrutusT. Redbass!

  
    













After the second Red, that's about all we had. Dick had a birds nest which I helped him get out of  "his own" reel. And if we really wanted to get back into the mix of things I probably would have needed to make a move so to have a better angle of attack on the spot. But the tide was waning, anyhow.

So as Dick tried his hand at getting down to the spot with his, now de-bird nested reel. I picked up my jigging rod and tried my best to get something going. But the "HERE'S YER SIGN" that the current was over and down with, being just small Seabass and junker fish is all I could catch. So we headed in, with no fish in the box. And no limits of big fat Trout either.

Every time the Trout disappear from the regular jetty haunts, it usually means they're back up in the river or the creeks. And I was right. DOA Rob was out in his kayak late this afternoon and was up in the creeks and called me, "I found them Dave...I've had about 15, and have several on my stringer. They're coming off one oyster bank and all on the DOA shrimp."

Heck, that's what I figured. They have to be somewhere, if they aren't stacked up at the jetties.

I was told a crazy story by friend Capt Jeff  "the Magic" Wansor, this evening when he called me. He was out today looking around for someTrout too at the jetties. But after we talked, decided to head back towards the ICW this afternoon. He said,  he was near the little Jetties, when he caught what he thought was a pound and a half Speckled Trout. Some dudes in a boat were staring him down, so he stopped reeling in his trout, so they didn't think he had a fish on (yeah...ya have to resort to these tactics sometimes, around here) and while he waited for them to "step off and move along", something enormous came in and ate the Trout he had on the line and took the hell off.

Jeff said he was shocked. He had "whatever" on, for just a few seconds before it broke his light leader.  He said, "damn I thought it was a Dolphin at first it was so powerful, but never saw any Dolphins around or at the surface."

I  told him that the Jacks are not all together gone from around here. And that I caught a 4 pounder the other day in the fog. Then had a DOA shrimp hit by a monster fish that run me down the jetty rocks, before breaking me off, also. Probably a really big Jack! He might just of had a big hungry Jack come in and eat that Trout, or even a big Red, who knows.

One year it was January 19th, and me and my charter clients were sitting along the Navy base around snag ally and I saw two small Tarpon roll right next to the boat. I thought I was seeing things. But I wasn't!
Because 30 seconds later my customer Dave Hare from California was yelling TARPON!!!! As he was hanging on for dear life to his float rig rod and had a small Tarpon leaping around behind the boat. It was a cold morning like we've had the last few days. And the last thing I thought we'd ever see is a Tarpon and a float-rig flying through the air in mid January. Of course the Tarpon broke off, as usual.

So ya never know. That's what makes saltwater fishing, the BEST!

I guess if the weather turns windy I won't be out till the 28th.

Merry Christmas.

12/21 - Too cold to F-I-S-H? HUM BUG!

What a great day! Colder than we've had it in a long time....but wasn't it just 84 degrees last Tuesday? Yeah it was....that's the wacky thing about N.E. Florida winters. Get used to a ever changing wardrobe.

The "Red Sky in the Morning Mariners take warning", didn't apply to the Jettywolf boat today. We had ourselves a great time.

I had Chip & Chuck aboard today from West Virginia. And they looked to be prepared as we left the dock at 0700 hrs, and headed east. Problem was, the NW wind. It had the current on our first spot almost non-exsistant for the start of the incoming. Pushing the water away from the jetty rocks. So after we gave it a sporting try with no bites, I decided to make a change.

We moved on over to the North Jetty and picked up my "NEW" Ugly Stik Inshore Select's matched up to Shimano Cruxis reels and broke them in tossing 3/8th oz jigs with live shrimp pinned on and pitched them into the jetty rocks. The tide was running great at this spot and it made for easy fishing. First came some Yellowmouth Trout at the bottom of the rocks, down deep. And then came what we were here for.
Brutus T. Redbass.....and they gave the the inshore select rods a good test.

We kept the first one, and released the rest we caught. The guys didn't need much more than enough for a late lunch at Singletons Seafood Shack after we were done. And in between were the yellowmouths too.

Almost every Red was right at 27 inches or just over at 28. They seemed a tad bit sluggish at first after setting the hook. But they warmed up to the fight the further away from the jetty rocks they were pulled.
















If you don't know this by now....I'm a tackle freak. I really enjoy honing my tackle and using the latest and greatest. And I couldn't be happier than my selection of new jigging rods, as Chuck was while playin' another fattie to the boat.

  

Winter time jiggin'.....I almost love it as much as Float-rigging. If you can pitch a jig on a bait caster just a little bit, you can still get bit. Chuck here wasn't a big time bait caster man, but it didn't matter. He was still whackin and stackin them. ( I use what I can get along with daily....and that isn't spin tackle!)

I even hung into a a nice "RB" and got the chance to bow over one of my new rods.
















We were all alone where we were. It wasn't slick calm, but it wasn't sloppy either. It was just right for the Jettywolf. It's what she was designed for. Loads of room for 3 big guys to do the Redfish dance.

The incoming tide current seemed to peeter out kinda quick against the NW wind, so we went back to float-rig fishing and Chuck nailed this Sheepshead that was missing it's dorsal fin. We also let this guy go. This fish deserved a second chance.

We float-rigged in search for the mother load of Specks that were there before the big winds on Saturday. But never caught a single Speckled Trout! Can ya believe that....."This Float Freak, was a bit upset." 
Just more Yellowmouth Trout, is all we could muster.

I didn't take a photo of it, but all afternoon there was a sun-dog in the sky. A sun-dog is a halow around the sun. Many times it has a rainbow of colors. When there's a sun-dog around the sun, fishing is many times not at it's best. (Wikipedia explanation of a sun-dog; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_dog  ABOUT.COM/weather sun-dog explanation; http://weather.about.com/b/2007/04/28/what-is-a-sundog.htm )

Sorry, can't really find an explanation of why sun-dogs can make a fishing tougher, all I know is it may have the same effect as falling barometric pressure. I go by my long-time Timicuan Indian historian and 40 year commercial fisherman friend, Capt Randall. He always told me, "when you see a sun-dog, the fishing isn't always the best." So maybe it's also a convenient thing to blame no Speckled Trout on??

Fellow Trout tracker DOA Rob was also out today. And had a hard time finding Mr. Speckley too.

Either way, it didn't warm up all that much. It stayed pretty chilly for Florida standards. But it sure was a beautiful day. So after the tide rose and we lost all the current we had, it was Momma Natures way of saying,
"Go clean fish Dave". So that's what I did.

Chip and Chuck went over to Singletons for their late lunch to have some fried trout and blackened Redfish. Which it doesn't get much better. Eating the fish YOU just caught an hour or so ago.

Tuesday 12/22,  is supposed to be just as glorious.

NORTH WINDS 10 KNOTS. SEAS 2 FEET OR LESS. INLAND WATERS A LIGHT CHOP.
-where are you????

So I'll be out there, finishing off what live shrimp I have left over, possibly with DOA Rob. I hope to find my Mayport Trout friends. I myself, just finished off my last bag of fresh fish from last week and need to re-load the fridge.

The weather by  Thursday 12/24 is supposed to go straight down hill.......

WEDNESDAY NIGHT- EAST WINDS 15 KNOTS. SEAS 2 TO 3 FEET BUILDING
TO 3 TO 5 FEET AFTER MIDNIGHT. INLAND WATERS A LIGHT CHOP.

THURSDAY-EAST WINDS 20 TO 25 KNOTS. SEAS 5 TO 7 FEET. INLAND WATERS ROUGH. ISOLATED SHOWERS IN THE MORNING...THEN SCATTERED SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON.

THURSDAY NIGHT- SOUTHEAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. SEAS 5 TO 7 FEET. INLAND WATERS A MODERATE CHOP. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS.

Next up for me is Monday the 28th, with 3 passengers....sure hope it's nice by then.

Tuesday's report to follow, if all goes as planned. So stay tuned.

12/18 - Weather Analysis?

I'm not really winning any favors from "Momma Nature" lately. Last Saturday, was the weather trio day, to include all three scenerio's.  Rain, wind and cold!

EXAMPLE:
















Now this Saturday 12/19, just plain ole SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY, IS ON EVERY SINGLE FORECAST. And I had 4 guys, on an incoming tide!! With a gusty westerly wind!! "That's not good for anyone." So we called it off.

EXAMPLE, WITH SMILE!
















The next days to look at were; 
MONDAY -NORTHWEST WINDS 10 TO 15 KNOTS. SEAS 2 TO 3 FEET. INLAND WATERS A LIGHT CHOP.

or better yet

TUESDAY- NORTH WINDS 5 TO 10 KNOTS. SEAS 2 TO 3 FEET. INLAND
WATERS MOSTLY SMOOTH.

Which of course my Saturday charter didn't have availible.

So, who's up for a Tuesday fishing trip?  "Yeah right...like there's someone that can actually fish a week day, this time of year." Any super flexible folks out there anymore?

Wow, what a wild weather ride huh? Did you feel that temp drop last night 12/18? I was hot as I changed my trailer bearings today, then by 12:00 midnight, the winds blew branches out of the trees in my yard and the temp dropped 20 degrees immediately.

Rain-warm-windy-cold.....there ya go. All in 24 hrs. Ya gotta love how fast weather travels across Florida.


CHARTER@CAPTDAVES.COM


-------Update:


Just booked Monday the 21st.
But still have Tuesday open.
904-642-9546

12/17 - The Pattern

Well.

Looks like we're in the true winter weather pattern now.

YOU HAVE TO GET WHILE THE GETTIN IS GOOD, is what I say! (where FLEXABILITY, is KEY)

This past week it was Monday and Tuesday, the 14 & 15th.

Avid anglers, and especially ones that make their entire living fishing are also amateur weather forecasters. For their locale area, of course.  Looks like we're in the every 3-5 day pattern, now.

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING


TODAY
NORTHEAST WINDS 20 KNOTS. SEAS 5 TO 7 FEET. INLAND
WATERS CHOPPY. ISOLATED AFTERNOON SHOWERS.

TONIGHT
EAST WINDS 20 KNOTS. SEAS 5 TO 7 FEET. INLAND WATERS
CHOPPY. RAIN AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY AFTER MIDNIGHT.

FRIDAY
SOUTH WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. SEAS 5 TO 7 FEET. INLAND
WATERS CHOPPY. RAIN WITH SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS.

FRIDAY NIGHT
WEST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. GALE FORCE GUSTS
POSSIBLE. SEAS 4 TO 6 FEET. INLAND WATERS CHOPPY. SCATTERED
EVENING SHOWERS BECOMING ISOLATED AFTER MIDNIGHT.


SATURDAY
WEST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. GUSTS TO GALE FORCE,
POSSIBLE EARLY. SEAS 4 TO 6 FEET. INLAND WATERS CHOPPY.


SUNDAY
NORTHWEST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. SEAS 3 TO 5
FEET. INLAND WATERS CHOPPY.


MONDAY

WEST WINDS 15 KNOTS. SEAS 2 TO 4 FEET. INLAND WATERS A
MODERATE CHOP.


If you have the ability to go on a week day, a week day maybe the only choice. And then Monday is your day!

12/14-15 - Fog and transport

Was the Monday the 14th foggy or what?  But it sure was nice, though. I'll spare you...because many times I take photos of the fog, why? I don't know. But you can take it from me. It was plenty foggy. I sat being waked by one lost or bank hugging individual in a boat every 3 minutes. I guess not everyone has a chart plotter and can see where they're at via GPS.

And the bite? What do you think it was like after Saturday's weather trio of 18 hrs of rain, 20 knot winds from the east, and cold?

OFF...yep. The bite actually was one 14 inch Trout after another on a few spots. And completely NIL & VOID on others. Right where they were stacked up like cord wood, just days before. I tried and tried to get something going all day long. But out of at least 30 Specks, I had 3 keepers.

I said I was going, with or without someone. I would have tried something completely different when I saw what this trout bite was gonna be like. I never went to the jetties all day. Till the very end. And then I fished a part of the jetties that hardly gets fished. Just so I didn't get waked every few minutes.

I decided to toss a 1/4 oz. DOA shrimp ( I love the new #24 color) into the jetty rocks a few times. And what did I catch?????

M-o-r-e.....14 inch Trout, of course. Hey, it was working. So I stayed at it, and felt the tick-tick of a bite, and I set the hook. I got a screaming run. And then the throb, throb on my rod that could only mean one thing.

JACK  

Can ya believe that? A Jack Crevalle, I thought these dudes were long gone. I guess like herds of Wildebeests, there's always stragglers. And I caught one?

It was about a 4 pounder. Then I caught a Flounder on a tight-line rig with a live shrimp. Then, more small Specks. And then finally caught a 15 incher. Whoopeee.....I now have 3 trout in the box!!!

I picked up my casting rod with the DOA shrimp on it again and started making some casts into a pocket in the rocks when I hooked an absolute monster of a fish. It ran down the jetties and then turned and ran into the jetties, I reeled, I pulled and literally couldn't come close to controlling the fish, when it popped my brand new DOA shrimp right off the light leader.

What was this monster? Well, I didn't fall off the Turnip truck last night. Number one is was super fast, and number two it made wild turns. MY GUESS: A huge Jack Crevalle.  Huge as in 15 pound class?

Well, that's when I bagged the day and went back to clean my 3 Trout, one Flounder, and I even had a 15 inch Whiting I almost forgot about.

Today, Tuesday the 15th DOA Rob and a kayaker friend of his went out in his friends boat and float-rigged all day. They caught fish. But the day was still lacking compared to what we're used too.

I worked all day as a transport boat for the construction companies that will be repairing the Sisters Creek bridge. This was my second time helping these guys out, with my big metal, who cares about concrete pilings boat. Yep, the choice to go welded "alloy plate" sure has it's advantages. Tougher-Lighter-Carries more weight-and is simply the best boat building material. 

Next up:
Saturday - 4 passengers.

Check out this forecast for Saturday - NORTHWEST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. SEAS 3 TO 5 FEET. INLAND WATERS CHOPPY. ISOLATED SHOWERS.

-ya ever think that after two BEAUTIFUL DAYS IN A ROW, that someone could pick a day like today every once in awhile?
Maybe, Deja Vu  of last Saturday... LAST SATURDAYS REPORT
But with 5 of us aboard!
I can't catch a single break.

Ya still want my J-O-B?

12/12 - The Trio: Rain, Wind & Cold

Yep, Saturday.....

I had Big Al and his brother Dick visiting from Wyoming on board. We departed at 7:30am.
The night before the wind was so strong it was rattling the screens in my bedroom windows as I pulled the covers up and thought "what the hell am I gonna do Saturday". After talking to Al earlier in the evening, and we agreed to talk again at 6:30am the next morning.

I tried, believe me. Yes, I suggested Sunday, instead. But Al and his brother had Jaguar tickets for Sunday.

As the screens rattled me to sleep with the whistling wind, I just hoped for anything but what the forecast said.
Early, I popped out of bed at 3am, and then again at 5am. Each time I stumbled to the back door and stepped outside.....why? I guess I was hoping to see sunshine, 72 degrees and no wind coming off the river into my back yard. Which is only about a 3/4's of a mile from the river itself. Or was I just sleep walking? Or was that a dream? All I know is by 5:30am when the alarm went off. The coffee pot was on and full of fresh brewed java. So I guess it wasn't a dream, but was a sleep walking "weather check".

I got dressed in a hurry, went outside and listened.....to what the trees could tell me. If I hear tree leaves shaking it's an Oh No reaction for sure. But I didn't hear any tree noise. It was rather quiet. Misty kind of rain was falling, or it was just moist air here in my neighborshoods micro-climate created by all the massive oaks.

So I looked at the weather forecast again on the NWS Marine Forecast website. And it read like;
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY: EAST WINDS 20 KNOTS. SEAS 4 TO 6 FEET. INLAND WATERS CHOPPY. CHANCE OF RAIN 90%

Then, I turned on the weather radio as I sipped my hot coffee. Then again, went back outside and noticed how much warmer it felt compared to last night. I walked around my 1/8th of an acre. Which took about 3 minutes and then it was 6:30am so I called Al.

When it was all said and done, Al said "let's try it!" enthusiastically. He said he was and optomist. But it was hard for me to be one, knowing all well what Small Craft Advisory means first hand. So I loaded up the rods and pulled the Jettywolf out of her shed and headed to B&M bait and tackle to load up on live shrimp and ice.

Still dark, man how I hate it being so dark in the morning. Judging weather in the dark is a real guessing game. At the bait shop there was no wind, and no misty rain at all. Then, I headed to the boat ramp.

Yeah, it was blowing. But not all that bad. It wasn't all that warm like at home amongst the tall trees. So I talked to a FWC guy, and then my buddy Raymond a crabber, for awhile while waiting for Al and Dick. Shortly Al and Dick pulled up. and donned all their foul weather attire.
As I backed away from the dock I almost turned EAST. But felt, "why make this even tougher".

So we went south on the ICW and hit a winter Red and Trout spot. Key word: WINTER. Meaning, that this spot gets hit the most on nasty N.E. blowing days. Because it's got a built in E.N.E. wind break. Plus, I need a decent spot to show Al and Dick the ABC's of Float-rig fishing. And what did I do? I hooked a Speck on my first drift, while showing them where to drift. And that was the first and last Trout caught on this spot. So we moved on. And when the tide got to the perfect depth.......here came Trout after Trout. One after another. But most were termite size, just like the one I caught. 12-14 inches..... all ya wanted! Till Dick finally pulled a decent 16 incher from the school. On the float or on the bottom with a live shrimp it didn't matter. They were just chewin'. But, each one will be fair game next year. So again, we moved on.

I looked at a few other spots avoiding the east wind coming down the river...that by the way wasn't much like 20 knots, but rather maybe gusting to 20 every once in awhile. But rain, it remained a steady drizzle.

Hitting some out of the wind spots that had no current, or one that had nothing but ferocious Pinfish. I settled to try a spot where we'd break out the new super fairy wand Ugly Stik "inshore select" rods rigged up with a 1 oz. egg sinker and a long light leader and small hooks and we'd just do some casting and "tight-lining". But keeping the line tight was out of the question. It was slack tide. And on anchor the boat just whipped side to side.

But by now the rain was just pouring. And all three of us caught lots of yellowmouths, not big ones, but fun size considering. A few Mangrove Snappers, and one Sheepshead. I was hoping for the 2-4 pound Black Drum I've caught here before. Before long we decided to pack it in, because Al's rain jacket was leaking so bad that his sleeves were filling up with water as he fished. It was really raining hard at this point. I believe we all were cold, wet and ready.

Mission successful!!!!  We caught a decent amount of fish. Not a bunch of whoppers. But we had action, on the float-rig and by casting.

By no means was it perfect. You had to be a die hard to be out there as long as we were. When I came back to the boat ramp, no one was around, that's for sure. But being prepared and dressed right made for a bearable day on the river.

Would any of my usual regular customers have went today? Probably not. But Al looked at it as....Plans are Plans.


NOW......MONDAY 12/14,  IS SUPPOSED TO BE A GOOD WEATHER DAY:

WEST WINDS 5 TO 10 KNOTS BECOMING SOUTHEAST 5 TO 10 KNOTS IN THE LATE MORNING AND AFTERNOON. SEAS 2 TO 4 FEET. INLAND WATERS MOSTLY SMOOTH. AREAS OF DENSE FOG WITH VISIBILITY 1 NM OR LESS IN THE MORNING.
(what do I say about foggy mornings? I love 'em!)

I HAD A CALL FOR MONDAY, TOO. AND NEVER HEARD BACK FROM THEM. WOULDN'T YOU THINK THIS IS THE KIND OF DAY YOU'D WANT TO FISH ON?

I GUESS, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE NASTY ENOUGH.....HUH?  TRULY, IT SEEMS THAT MANY CHARTERS IN THE WINTER ARE ON LESS THAN PERFECT DAYS.

REMEMBER, I'LL TELL YA WHEN IT'S GO-TIME...WHEN I SAY "IT'S GO TIME" IN THESE REPORTS, IT MEANS LETS GO..... NOW! (this week, on these tides, etc.)

ANYONE UP FOR MONDAY NEEDS TO CALL ME ASAP!!!!! BECAUSE I THINK I'M GOING WITH OR WITHOUT YA'.

12/10 - MORE INFO...?

I had Ben G. and three members of his party aboard on Thursday. But the day started out a bit wacky. And I learned something. That I'm going to pass on to you.

Ben got lost. But then again, he didn't know he was lost. He booked his trip, we talked on the phone several times. And I thought we covered it all. He came in for a wedding from Minn. On the phone I tell everyone who isn't "down the street local" to go to my maps and directions page, http://www.mapquest.com/maps?address=%5B4810-4999%5D+Ocean+St&city=Atlantic+Beach&state=FL&zipcode=32233&country=US.
Which is a Mapquest.com link, showing where to meet me, and also where you the driver can plug in your hotel address, grandma's house address, whatever, and then hit "take me to Capt Dave". And print the directions, it gives you. I tell everyone, to utilize everything I have on my web site. It's all there.

To make a long story a bit shorter. Ben was lost. He called me at 8am, I was hoping to depart around 7:30am, and was sitting in the water for over a half hour already. He said, "we're near..... blablabla...." 
I had no idea of where he was. And thought he was lost somewhere in Atlantic beach, because he said he was staying at the Comfort Inn at the beach, I believed.

The out come was, he was in Fernandina! And was driving around up there, LOST. Not even lost in Jacksonville-Duval County. The crew ended up, going back to their hotel....on Atlantic road/blvd/street in Fernandina(?) to pick up a GPS one crew member had. Then, they plugged in 4870 Ocean Street Jacksonville, and the GPS brought them all the way down A1A, to the ferry and then to me at the Mayport Boat Ramp. IT WAS NOW 10:00AM.

Needless to say, we lost the last of the falling tide, that I was so counting on. The wind was blowing NW 15, it was realllllllly COLD, they managed 2-small Specks, and about 7 or 8 small Yellowmouth Trout on a really slow incoming tide while float-rig fishing, and we didn't get back till 5:30pm. And we had fun. So a 6 hr charter turned out to be a 12 hour day, for me. I was up and out the door at 5:30am. Which wasn't the big deal, the big deal is that our fishing is TIDAL......It's that important to depart the dock, when I say.

If I knew they were coming down from Amelia Island in the first place, I could have directed him, and picked him up at the Sisters Creek Boat Ramp.

But the point is; I have all needed information on my web site. PLEASE UTILIZE IT.

Which brings me to the next subject.

When I do these reports and the weather's great, and the fish are chewin the keel of the boat. And I write these words here:  IT'S GO TIME.....NOW!!

That actually means, now. That week, in the next few days, before the next front, while the tide is good, etc. In the winter months in J-ville Florida. The huge difference between, October and January as an example, is the closeness of the "cold fronts" coming down from Freezin' Town USA. (Aka: The rest of the country.)

NOVEMBER, is one of my absolute TOP Months when it comes to wackin and stackin lots of good size Speckled Trout. (Just look at some of my previous reports this month....were you on board?)

If you look at it in "reality world". Between these holiday and the work weeks. The average person maybe, able to actually go fishing one day out of 30. The whole month of November.

And then, in December that number may not even exisit at all, unfortunately. That's why these holidays are not on top of my favorites list, by no means. Too me, this time of year means No Sweating, No long Boat rides, Shrimp that stay alive, and lots of big fat Trout, toss in a Red, and Sheepshead for good measure.

Each year is different. I know, this year the big bite of Reds, Yellowmouth Trout, Specks, and jumbo Croakers, didn't even happen on the same spot that was all out mayhem, on the last of a falling tide, not a 1/2 mile from the dock, last October.

So, being flexible. is the name of the game, and a way of life for me.

My entire web site, it's been refined over the course of 13 years. And yes, I've probably been doing reports for the same amount of years. So I believe, these too are quite "honed". Giving YOU all the information you'll ever need, to make a decision on where, when, and how to go about...FISHING with me.

And something else I believe, is that more people read these reports that have their own boat, and fish  around here themselves, than do the people this entire blog is dedicated too....and that's POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS.

Many folks email me, asking what's going on. And I just email them back a link to this blog. Which is the same link that's atop each page of my web site. Right there, for the world to click on.

The moral of the story is; I view other charter sites myself. And usually do not find the abundance of information contained here or at http://www.captdaves.com/ (which this page is the fishing reports link at captdaves.com by the way.)

I did get an email one time from a guy, who said he was reading my Google Blog, and wondered if I knew of a local charter guide. Since reading these pages, he was impressed with all the info.

Can you image my initial thoughts? I emailed him back and said...."I am the guide. That's my reports blog!" And it's funny...actually, because I never heard back from him. I guess he was only impressed, for that moment.


NEXT UP:
Saturday 2 passengers....??????

EAST WINDS 20 TO 25 KNOTS. SEAS 4 TO 6 FEET. INLAND
WATERS CHOPPY. SHOWERS LIKELY. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS IN THE
AFTERNOON.

Might have to turn into Monday??

MONDAY:


WEST WINDS 5 TO 10 KNOTS EARLY IN THE MORNING BECOMING
LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS...THEN BECOMING SOUTHEAST 5 TO 10 KNOTS
IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 2 TO 4 FEET. INLAND WATERS SMOOTH.
ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.


REMEMBER.....FLEXIBILITY IS NEEDED COME NOVEMBER THROUGH MARCH.



 

12/4 - Rain??? Ba-hum-bug!!!

Yeah, like I'm gonna go with what the weather man says.... No, Dave goes by what Dave says!! And Dave's usually right. Sure the forecast called for rain and turning much colder. But I knew it was going to be a good looking morning. "So why not go." I called Dr. Dick. He was out yesterday and did well. And was easily talked into going again.

So around 8:00am we departed. We knew just where to go, too.

It was chilly. But not like we weren't dressed for it. People who are #1 unprepared and #2 are whimpy, are the people that don't want to, catch any fish....RIGHT NOW.

And again, NO you're not doing what we did this morning in the summer. IT'S NOW....WHEN IT'S WINTER, IS WHEN IT'S GO-TIME!

Actually the bite was a tad slow. Boxing some small to medium size yellermouths, right off. But as the tide got better so did the bites and so did the Speckled Trout.

So, we went back and forth between the two kinds of Trout. Filling the cooler, with what I call "Fishing Guides subsistance fish". Because "WE" have to eat too.
Then the Specks got alot better as we fished. NOW, we're talking my kind of fishing!

Let's talk a solid 6 pounder!! Yeah, one that'll feed this poor "Indian" for a couple meals. "Chief Wacka'trouta", that's who I was. Hooked up to a drag burning, side winding, beautiful Trout. And I needed it, too.

Our tide went dead eventually, so we moved on to happier hunting grounds. But not really, because the tide was slack there too. But Dick nailed another Speck as I tried for a Big RB or Sheepshead while tight-lining a live shrimp.

Then, finally the drizzle of rain started. What the heck, let's call it a day. So we went on back and filled two big ole bags full of prime Trout fillets.

Let's see.....we fished only 2-spots. About 2 miles from the boat ramp. Filled 2 bags full of skinned, deboned and filleted fish. And I was home before 2pm.

Let me ask, YOU. Do you think it gets much better than that, here in N.E. Florida?

Well, I'm here to tell you........IT DOESN'T.

CALL: 904-642-9546 to book your private light tackle charter. Dress per the weather, and have the frying pan ready in "go" mode, waiting at home.

- Let's review.

The last time I was out with Dick, he caught a "tailess" 5 pounder. Then, I was out with D.O.A. Rob and he caught a pretty 4 pounder. Do you think I could have had you catching big Trout too? Yes, I could.

So, it was my turn.... As a veteran member of the fishing guide tribe of Jacksonville, big Trout like this sure come in handy.

charter@captdaves.com

It cost no more to fish with the best

12/3 - Winter Fishing/Marine Clean-up, Sale:

2- Ugly Stik Tiger Lites "Dan Hernandez" Custom Casting rods. Super nice! (Two have sold already. I have just two left)

NEW!


7' casting, EVA & Cork grips makes these rods "LITES". All Fugi reelseats and guides. Ugly Stik "howald process" mix of graphite and glass. Rods can handle up to 6 ounces and 30 pound line.
See Retail here: http://www.histackleboxshop.com/Shakespeare-Ugly-Stik-Dan-Hernandez-Custom-Rods-s/1644.htm

"Designed, used and endorsed by fishing professional, Dan Hernandez, these rods offer the strength, balance and performance demanded by top-notch anglers. They have 100% graphite Howald Process? Double-Built? sanded blanks with custom hand-wound diamond wrap. Outstanding strength and sensitivity come from blank-through-handle construction. Double-footed Fuji? guides add even more fish-fighting backbone while permitting friction-free line feeding. Genuine Fuji reel seats give your reel a secure platform for battling the big ones. Five-year limited warranty." .....Super tuff rods at a Super DEAL!


Good St. Johns river Redbass, Black Drum, deep water Sheepshead Rods, and Kingfish rods. I hardly use them after purchasing 4. I have many Ugly Stiks, but don't do much bottom fishing and these are perfect for that.

Take each for $60 each, retailed for $89.99-$110.00 each. 7 year warrenty via Shakespeare. And no shipping or sales tax. Casholla on the barrel. "Ugly Back 60-day/5-year limited warranty."   No wear, no nothing, These rods look and fish as NEW!  (I take primo care of my tackle)




Galvanized "BOX" anchor:
http://www.slideanchor.com/   MSRP: $150 
18-19 pounder, no chain needed, Folds Flat. Grabs bottom on either side. Superior design, EZ to use. Have a flats boat, a deck boat, a pontoon boat, a ski boat, a fishing boat? No room for a big bulky anchor? 1/2 price - $80.00

2- brand new. 8' one piece Biscayne custom rods for float-rig fishing Trout & Reds.
Fiberglass, EVA grips, all Fugi reel seats and guides. Medium PARA-BOLIC action. $110 each

These rods catch F-I-S-H!  (I have 6, letting go 2 of them.)















23 pound Redbass on a float-rig with Biscayne custom f'glass rod.





2- Used G. Loomis Pelagic series one piece 9 Foot casting rods, cork grip. You Will NEVER See Rods Like This Again!!
Premium Pelagics, worthy of Tarpon, big Snapper, Cobia casting.
$200 each OBO  MSRP: $350 Come see...and handle them.
Trigger cast, 1/2 to 6 oz. 15-30# line.
This "Cob" didn't stand a chance.

contact: Capt. Dave @
http://www.captdaves.com/
call: 904-642-9546
e-mail: charter@captdaves.com

Items located just west of Mayport, north of Atlantic Blvd. Jacksonville, Florida

12/2 - I FOUND ONE......at ABT.

After a search around town, via the phone numbers in my cell phone I found a Florida Sportsman 2010 Tide Planner. After one quick call to Carmen over at ARLINGTON BAIT AND TACKLE, confirmed the availibility of the book, I was hunting for.

I MUST HAVE ONE!

And boy, it sure was nice talking to Carmen again. I told her, "Hang on...I'll be right there to come get it." But she stopped me quickly and said, "Now Dave, we're in a new store. Over in the Town & Country shopping center at University and Arlington Xpressway." "Wow", I said. Being that it's been a very long time since I've even been on University Blvd.

Carmen & Bill of "ABT" were sponsors of my Saturday morning radio show when Pelican and I were on ESPN 1460, years ago. And to chat with them is to quickly like them both. Carmen will likely be the most bubblie gal in a bait shop, you'll ever meet. And as usual, when I went to pick up the F.S. Tide Planner I was there for hours, talking to Carmen and Bill.

The new store is just only a month or so old. And it's NOT going to be your average bait shop. Carmen is going to make her sandwiches!! Besides being a full service tackle shop, with every concievable plug, soft bait and hook. They have rods and a impressive selection of reels. The new store has a "sitting room", that will be utilized as an area to just relax and BS and will also work as a future seminar room. They also have a full blown kitchen. So before, after, or during your fishing day, you'll be able to enjoy one of Carmen's special sandwiches..."Empanada's", mmmmmm.....
And as Bill put it, "they'll be just like home made. You'll bite into them and stuff's gonna fall out of them!"  

(well...like Fishin' sometimes the best laid plans get a bit fuzzy. This is a cell phone photo of Carmen and her new shop, that I attempted to take.)

My new motto you'll be reading here, after turning up the volume and intently watching President Obama's message on TV last night, is a very old one we just don't hear enough of anymore.

KEEP AMERICANS WORKING!
We have to patronize our local neighborhood establishments, and Fishing guides too, don't forget! They're the fabric of our town, and our local fishing communitee.

I hope you will go on over to ABT the next time you need some fishing equipment, live-dead bait, a home made sandwich, for your fishing trip. Or just to have a good ole time chatting with Carmen and Bill. Remember, when the local barber shop was the place to meet all your freinds? Well, that barber shop is a "bait shop" for us fisherman.

ABT is located just down the street from Arlington road boat ramp, and the Lion's Club boat ramp north of Ft. Caroline rd. on University Blvd North, past J.U.

Presently, they have two more Florida Sportsman Tide Planners left.  (Carmen said a quick order of one is not a problem either.)

They make great stocking stuffers.

Tell 'em Capt Dave sent ya. And you'll be in there for awhile, if you're anything like me.

There's plenty of parking, plus you can pull up behind the shop too, to load up a baitwell easily with live bait. The store is located in the "court yard area" of the Town & Country Shopping Center.


Visit: http://www.abtfishing.com/
The phone number is: 743-3200
983 University Blvd. N.
Jacksonville, Fl. 32211

12/1 - That time of year again.

I know I'm still looking locally. And yeah, waiting for them to come in. But, it's that time of year again to get your Florida Sportsman Tide planner book.

As I say in my quote on the inside front cover, "I don't book a single charter without refering to it."

The story started when I was doing seminars at the Florida Sportsman Fishing show at the Prime Osborne Convention Center in down town Jacksonville. And Dave Blackwell of Florida Sportsman Magazine walked by my booth. He saw me on the phone with my FS tide planner open. He stood there till I was off the phone, introduced himself and asked to look at my planner.

He was amazed by what it looked like. Tattered,  with stickers and tape holding it together, I had notes all over it. And had stapled papers to the pages with all my charter dates/names and telephone numbers written down.

He told me he was incharge of the book at Florida Sportsman, and that I was the only one he had ever met that used the book like this. I told him, I don't take a single charter call without refering to it so I can see the tides-moons etc for my customers.

That's when he flipped me his card, and said "send me a quote about the book for the inside cover", and I'll make sure you get new books each year. He was impressed, as I told him I've been using them as my reservation book and fishing log book since the day the first one came out.

Plus how many of you have been on my boat, and I broke out the FS planner to show you how to read the tides in N.E. Florida? When I did a Saturday morning radio show on WNNR & ESPN 1460, myself and co-host Ken "Pelican" Hubbard, used to pull out the book to get trivia question when giving away prizes. Because the back of the F.S. planner has some really great articles about tides, weather, along with state size and bag limits, records, and solar/luner charts.

It's my fishing bible!

I can go back ten years and read my notes and tell you who was on my boat, what we were catching, and when. Now, I realize you may not use it that extensively. But let me tell ya.....you should! Knowing the tides and studying them is one part of being a successful fisherman in this area. Because we have the highest tides of the state. I have learned as a Float-rig fisherman, if we don't have at least 4 foot of water movement in the St. Johns River, then fishing will be tougher. Picking up on small details, rather than just looking for that one big reason you are not "catching", makes you a better angler. Because we all should know. It's all in the details, not that statement I hear from folks all the time......"Oh well, we're just unlucky fisherman I guess."        

Don't let that be you. Know your tides.

https://store.intermediaoutdoors.com/shop/ItemDetail.aspx?item=10FP

They make a great stocking stuffer!