Fishing Connection Online April 2021

Page 1

Palm Valley

Capt. Cory Sparks

(716) 307-7654

310charters com

April will be a great month to fish in Palm Valley The water temps have jumped back up into the ’70s Bait has started to show and the predators won’t be far behind it

Jacks, Ladyfish, Bluefish, and Spanish Macks are all a blast to catch and will be in steady supply They’re all usually very willing to cooperate as well, so don’t overlook these rod benders.

These species are perfect for kids or newbies to spark an interest and begin developing a passion for fishing.

This month, try spending some time throwing topwater lures

Trout and Redfish are a blast when exploding out of the water to strike your presentation

Focus on first and last light or

overcast and cloudy days Stalk schools of redfish on the ICW banks when the conditions are calm by looking for their wakes Get well ahead of the fish and work the lure as they approach Landing lures on the bank when casting will eliminate a splash that sometimes spooks fish Then drag the lure back into the edge of the water before starting to “walk the dog” A redfish attacking a topwater in inches of water is a tough addiction to beat!

When fishing the creeks, work grass lines with moving, clean water. Also, retrieving topwater lures above covered oyster mounds or around them on lower tide stages, usually will locate trout.

Areas, where fish can stage up and have food brought to them, are typically great topwater spots. Funnels, ambush points, drop-offs, and cuts all will hold trout and reds. My favorite

topwater to use this month is the Mirrolure She Pup 75 MR Surface Walker with the high pitch rattle. This lure creates a ton of noise and attention

Sometimes, conditions are so calm and quiet though that you will need a more subtle lure Choices like a Rapala Skitter V or a Heddon Super Spook will be less startling and still draw the strike

If you are new to topwater and haven’t mastered working the lure (walking the dog), go with a chug bug style that requires less cadence and gives an easier retrieve movement

Black Drum is still holding on to shell bars, drop-offs, and deep holes. Fiddler crabs, shrimp, or Fishbites strips in bright colors will get their attention. Drum have small mouths so wait after you feel the little taps and nibbles before you set the hook

Reel your slack out while lowering your rod tip When you

feel the rod tip start to “load up” with a slight pressure get ready to swiftly raise your rod and set the hook!

It’s been a long winter, but the fish are starting to come back alive! Get out and enjoy our waters! Keep Reeling! Capt

310charters.com

716-307-7654

April 2021 Volume XX Issue 04 Nassau * Duval * Clay * St. Johns * Flagler * Volusia * Brevard The main objective of The Fishing Connection Publication is to provide you as a fishing enthusiast with the best information and knowledge from the top anglers in N E Fla and ask you to please support the paying sponsors and column contributors who make this monthly publication possible www.FishingConnectionUSA.com The views, opinions and positions expressed in articles submitted by monthly and / or periodic contributors to the Fishing Connection Publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the Fishing Connection
Cory Sparks
Photo Top Right Jason finessed this big fish out of structure Photo Left Art Richer with an upper slot Redfish. Photo Right Uncle Tom with his first black drum.

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Jeff Altman

Trina Polkey

Lee Bowman

John Nooney

Roy Mattson

Will Neimann

John Chapman

Capt Jim Suber

Spencer Brogden

Capt Tim Altman

Richard Hamilton

Capt Bert Deener

Capt Cory Sparks

Capt John Eggers

Capt Todd Philcox

Craig Van Brocklin

Capt Adam Morley

Capt Jeff Patterson

Capt Charlie Freeman

Capt Matt Chipperfield

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April means more options on what fish you might want to target. Seatrout? Redfish?

Black Drum? Cobia? Wahoo? Largemouth Bass? Whiting? Flounder? Sheepshead?

All will be available along with other fish A lot of folks think this is not a good month but they are so wrong

April in Fernandina Beach still means a big black drum will be around Course while fishing for them those 'pesky bull redfish' will sometimes get in the way. Talk about a win-win situation.

Blue crabs are still the bait of choice if you can find a tackle shop or fish market that has them. Live bait, along with dead cut fish is a close second, and don't forget using fresh clams will all get their share

Fishing the south end of the St Mary's jetties and the area about a mile off Main Beach, you don't need GPS numbers, just look for all the boats already anchored up Also offshore the wahoo will

and at the edge of the Continental Shelf Just pick a good day as it's a long round trip High-speed trolling, 14kts and up now is the most used way of fishing. Mahi and Tuna will also be caught this way

Cobia will start to show up Most people targeting them will wait till mid-morning before leaving if they are sight fishing for them as you need the sun to be up to spot the rays and cobia. Another way is to anchor up on a reef or wreck, put out a few rods to fish for bottom fish, and flatline a couple of baits out. You will be surprised how many fish will hit the flat lines

Also at the St Mary's Inlet, along with the big drums, smaller better eating ones will be found, along with whiting and seatrout Inside the jetties, you will also find decent sheepshead and flounder. Schools of Spanish Mackerel and bluefish will show up on their way north

Surf fishing, if you can find clean water will find whiting mainly but also black drum and redfish Water still should be too cool for the pompano or sharks

Inshore you will find small to legal redfish, good size seatrout at docks, and deep holes around the creek mouths at the ICW

Some of the best areas are from the SR200 (Shave Bridge) south to Nassau Sound Live shrimp on float rigs, shrimp or mud minnows on a jig fished slowly are your best bets

Find a day when there's no wind or clouds when the high tide is late morning or early afternoon and fishing the flats will show good schools of redfish and sheepshead

The local fly fishermen love this me of year.Fishing the rocks and ocks on the Intracoastal is where ou will find flounder and heepshead The rocks and horeline at West Rock or ayonier mills are some of the rime areas, as are the abandoned hrimp docks downtown

The freshwater fishing will also e improving Spawning might be mostly over but the bite will be mproving

Live shiners will get the most bass, but all fishing for them will be improving. Casting a rubber frog out at night, especially on a full moon can be exciting for sure Crappie and panfish will also be found in bigger numbers. My daughter lives on a lake west of I-95 The nice thing there is, we catch shiners on a small hook, throw it back in on a bigger rod, and land catfish, mudfish, and bass

Keeps my grandkids entertained Just here for a few days or new to the area?

Hire a local guide There are plenty of them, all are great and want you to have a great time

Capt Charlie Freeman

*NON -ETHANOL FUEL *WET & DRY STORAGE *TRANSIENT SLIPS AVAILABLE *COMPLIMENTARY WIFI *BOAT PARTS & ACCESSORIES *30 TON TRAVEL LIFT *HULL CLEANING & BOTTOM PAINTING
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Fernandina Capt. Charlie Freeman

S.E. Georgia

Capt. Bert Deener

3/18 Report

St Marys and upper Satilla rivers are almost fishable Ponds and saltwater have been improving, also Winds will be stiff this weekend, and it will be colder than this week, so factor that into your decision of where to go this weekend Protected waters will be the best decision this weekend

Satilla River - The extreme upper river is getting fishable Chris Nugent couldn’t stand it anymore, and he fished on Saturday He said that it was in the banks and flowing swiftly, but you could fish the areas out of the main current He caught a few nice redbreasts and small bass on cracklehead shad Satilla Spins. The river below Waycross is still way too high for good bream fishing. The river level on March 18th at the Waycross gage was 11.2 feet and falling (66 degrees), and the Atkinson gage was 12.7 feet (barely below flood stage) and falling

St. Marys River - The upper river is falling out and should be in good shape when it warms back up next week I had reports this week that bass, bream, and catfish were caught in good numbers in the upper river. The next Shady Bream Tournament will be held Saturday, March 27th out of the Traders Hill Landing in Folkston. Check out

the Shady Bream Tournament trail on Facebook for more information The river level at the MacClenny gage on March 18th was 5.5 feet and falling

Local Ponds - A Blackshear angler and a friend fished on Saturday and caught 59 Bass up to 2 1/2 pounds (released most of them). They fooled their fish with Senkos (about any color worked)

My daughter Ellie and I fished a Brunswick area pond for a couple of hours in the middle of the day on Saturday and caught 6 Bass up to 5 pounds The ticket was a Junebug stick worm rigged wacky style on a 1/8-oz. Capt. Bert’s Wacky Head (no weedguard) The females had moved shallow, and we had a pair of 5-pounders that were flowing eggs Our biggest 5 fish weighed 19 pounds I’m sure there is a big spawning push going on right now as I write this, but it will slow after this weekend front.

Okefenokee Swamp - The water level has started to drop some, and the bite really picked up this week with the warmth Okefenokee Adventures staff reported anglers catching some limits of warmouth this week, mostly by anglers using natural baits (crickets and crayfish). Matt Rouse had a chance to fish in the boat basin and caught a 1-pound warmouth by casting a Z-man plastic crawfish By the colder, windy weekend, the bite will probably drop off, but it should pick back up again next week with the warming trend The latest water level (Folkston side) was 121.1 feet

Paradise Public Fishing Area (near Tifton)

Fishing at the area was good this week Anglers caught essentially all species that are in the area, but the crappie fishing was tops Scotty Storey figured them out and ended up catching an angler award-sized crappie that pulled the scales down to 2-lb., 1-oz. He fooled the fish with a jig in Lake Patrick on Friday The crappie were shallow all week spawning, and anglers caught them well Folks pitching minnows to shoreline cover caught them, as well as those flinging artificials

Folks trolling curly-tails and dragging minnows just offshore caught them also as they came and went from the spawning areas. Bass fishing was good, with wacky-rigged and Texas-rigged plastics producing best Some topwater action early and late began this week, as well Bream fishing has picked up with the warmer water, and catfish have started feeding well in some of the ponds in the vicinity of the area entrance The cold front this weekend will likely slow the bite some, but it should pick back up during next week’s warm-up.

Saltwater (GA Coast) - Richard Bjorneby had a fishing trip he will never forget on Saturday He fished with Johnny Wildes off the Georgia coast

and returned to port with a state record African Pompano. The monster ate a diamond jig and weighed 40-lb , 0 48oz Congratulations, Richard! A group of anglers got on a big school of redfish (40-50 fish) this week in the Brunswick area They were able to catch 7 of them (and broke one-off) by flinging live shrimp rigged on a Redfish Wrecker Jighead

I got a few reports of trout and sheepshead being caught, but nothing spectacular Likewise, a few whiting catches were reported, but that bite hasn’t truly fired up yet from the reports I received The winds will likely be too high this weekend to hit the big water, so check the forecast closely before planning a trip to the brine

For guide trip information, call Capt. Greg Hildreth at 912-617-1980 or check out his website georgiacharterfishing.com.

Check with the Jekyll Island Fishing Center (912-6353556) for the latest on the Jekyll Island Pier or St. Simons Bait & Tackle (912-634-1888) for the latest on St Simons Pier

Keaton Beach, Florida - Capt Pat McGriff of One More Cast Guide Service www.onemorecast.net said that trout fishing has really picked up since the water temps rose into the 70’s recently. Doug Garwood from Dalton caught a 22 1/2-inch trout and threw back several over 19 inches while flinging hard jerk baits on Saturday.

Continued on Page 9

4 Business Hours Mon. 7AM - 1PM Tue. n Wed - Closed Thurs - Sun 7AM - 5PM 4

Fernandina Beach Tides

J.O.S.F.C.

Lee Bowman

The El Cheapo Sheepshead Tournament may be over but the planning for next year has already begun We have already crossed hurdles with the city Covid planning and policies to put on a large event and have leased a lot to make next year bigger and better

We had a great turnout and tournament this year and we were excited to see some of the monster fish out on the board. Club members, sponsors, volunteers, and everyone that came out to fish or participate all deserve a huge thank you.

All of the results for the 2021 Tournament can be found on our Facebook social media account or on our website at www.jaxfish.com. Congratulations to the winners of the 2021 El Cheapo Sheepshead Tournament:

General Tournament

Sehaid Dedic

Lady Angler

McKenzie Jones

Kayak Division

Rodney Agustine

Junior Angler Division

Kamal Kingston

Spring is here and that means warmer weather, more offshore fishing days, and more comfortable meetings at the clubhouse If you haven’t made it to any meetings recently you have missed some

good guest speakers. We also had our clubhouse clean-up last month and we were able to check off quite a few projects on our “to-do list” We hope to see you at the next meeting

Upcoming Events:

April 1st

April Fools Day. Speaker TBD. Easter Egg Hunt for the kids

April 15th

Speaker TBD

April 16,17,18

Come visit our booth at the Boat Show

April 10th

Club Tournament

Offshore Unlimited Tournament

Inshore Shrimp Only

Tournament Back up weather date for this tournament will be April 17th You have to be a member to participate. Get in on the Calcutta

Find us on Facebook and check out our website to keep up with upcoming events, schedules, or any changes. www.JaxFish.com

Our meetings are on the first and third Thursday of each month. Due to Covid guidelines, we are currently meeting outdoors. Dress for the weather We are open to the public so we would love to have you at a meeting even if you are not a member

NEW HOURS M-W-TH 6am - 6pm FRI 6am - 7pm SAT 6am - 6pm SUN 6am - 5pm Closed Tuesday 6 FACE MASK REQUIRED TO ENTER STORE NO MASK - NO ENTRY!! STORE HOURS Wednesday 7am - 6pm Thursday 7am - 6pm Friday 7am - 6pm Saturday 6am - 6pm Sunday 7am - 5pm Closed Mon n Tues KITCHEN & BATH CABINETS ***** FLOORING ***** COUNTERTOPS ***** BATHROOM VANITIES ***** DESIGN & INSTALLATION Visit Our Showroom www.jaxbargaincabinets.com (904) 274-6659 455 Cassat Ave. Jacksonville, FL 32254 Monday - Friday: 9 AM - 5:30 PM Saturday: 9 AM - 4PM Sunday: Closed
Capt Lee Bowman
7

Fishermen! How do you really feel?

St. Augustine - Nations Oldest City! Another recent shoutout on a Facebook post had me attending the 3/16/21 St Augustine Port Waterway and Beach District Meeting. Their Mission statement is to promote and facilitate the Development of St. Augustine as the major center for Commercial and Recreational Marine activity in

Northeast Florida.

The 5 member Commission consists of Sandy Flowers Group 1; Jane West Group 2; Matt Brown Group 3; Chris Way Group 4; and Tom Rivers Group 5. When it comes to Marine and Fishing Activity everyone has a vested interest in what is happening in their backyard and that is why there is the legislative process To have your concern, product, fish species, topic, item, boat, group, kayak on an agenda. It is important in moving an issue forward to be on the agenda

Agenda item 10B Kayak launch vote from all Commissioners was a great start for all the residents of St Johns County

David Hernandez and Will Niemann ( Catch Will’s Fishing reports in the Fishing Connection) are both with St Augustine Paddle Sports The turnout from the Public was fantastic for a 3 pm Meeting on a Tuesday. The kayak vote was for a motion to move forward with the idea of a Main St kayak launch Motion passed After the vote, a Commission member called to the podium Sydney Linblad who is the Natural Resources Program Manager for St. Johns County Parks & Recreation She informed the Commission that they have been awarded a Maritime Master Plan Grant through FIND.

FIND is an acronym for the Florida Inland Navigation District, St Johns County is a tax-paying member FIND dollars are collected and assessed in the ad valorem property tax in the County

The scope of the Maritime Master Plan will encompass all of St. Johns County looking at existing facilities New land purchases

Lands owned by the City but not developed for Motorized and NonMotorized Launches Tight

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Continued from Page 4

Capt Pat limited out on trout and redfish on his Sunday charter with Lindie Lou and Aaron Griner of Alapaha, Georgia They caught most of their fish on live pinfish rigged underneath a Back Bay Thunder Float

They also caught some trout up to 18 1/2 inches by bouncing stinky pink Assassin 5-inch Shads On Tuesday, Billy Pillow and friends had 11 keeper trout in the high winds (20+ knots) Live pinfish under Back Bay Thunders fished in 4 to 4 1/2 feet was the deal for them.

Capt Bert Deener

Capt Bert Deener makes a variety of both fresh and saltwater fishing lures Check his lures out at Berts Jigs and Things on Facebook

For a copy of his latest catalog,

call him at 912-288-3022 or email bertdeener@yahoo com

For a 20% discount on some really comfortable fishing shoes (the Miami style is my favorite style of Skuze Shoes), use the CAPTBERT20 discount code at checkout on their website skuzeshoes.com.

2020 Jax BC, LLC Jax Boat Club on the water at Palm Cove Marina * 14603 Beach Blvd. * Jacksonville Beach, Fl. 32250
9
Scotty Storey earned an angler award with this 2-lb , 1-oz black crappie that he caught using a jig at Paradise Public Fishing Area

Mayport Tides

A sincere Thank You to all of our advertising sponsors who have made it possible for this publication to provide the fishing public with FREE information for over 20 yrs and to help them enjoy the recreational sport of fishing and we look forward to our 21st

Morgan Metals & Designs Inc. Dan Morgan, Owner

Intracoastal

Things are heating up with fishing in April.

More opportunities for several different species will present themselves this month Redfish will be stacked up in the creeks with good numbers of slot fish Low outgoing tide will be key to finding schools as they stage in the deep holes

Look for the top slot and oversized reds staging outside of feeder creeks on mudflats in the ICW The flounder will wake up and start biting in both the creeks and ICW White 3 and 4 inch curly or paddle tail fish bites rigged on a 3/8oz jig head or live mud minnows will do the trick For whatever reason, the speckled trout bite has been off this winter so hopefully, they will pick up. April seems to be the month they show in good numbers as they follow the glass minnows in from the ocean

The yellowmouth trout have been biting well on the ICW drop-offs and river 15 to 25 feet has been the magic number dead

or live shrimp has been the best bait Look for big bluefish to show around the jetties some being up to 15lbs

Make sure you up the leader size or even use wire leader to avoid being broken off by the toothy critters. The same goes for the big run of the tasty Spanish mackerel.

The Spanish will be chasing the glass minnows on the beach and jetty area and can easily be targeted from shore or boat. I like trolling for them using Clark spoons but casting gotcha plugs into them when I see them schooling on the surface. Either way, it's a great way to change things up and catch lots of fish

Sheepshead and black drum will stick around most of the bridge piling and jetty areas so target them before the water gets too hot

Always check FWC Website for Recent Changes to the above Regulations at MyFWC.com

Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) Report Exotic Species

Sightings: 888-IveGot1 (888-483-4681)

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) consists of 1,947 full-time-equivalent employees, including more than 700 sworn law enforcement officers More than 900 Other Personal Services employees also work for the FWC All personnel work together to protect and manage more than 575 species of wildlife, 200 species of freshwater fish and 500 species of saltwater fish The FWC works to balance the needs of these fish and wildlife species and the habitats that support them with the needs of Florida's nearly 19 million residents and the millions of people who visit the state each year Mission: Managing fish and wildlife resources for their long-term well-being and the benefit of people

Minimum Size Limit: 14" total length Daily Bag Limit: 5 per person

Intracoastal Capt. Todd Philcox

April is a great month to enjoy fishing in NE Florida, warm and generally dry days will assuredly bring us warmer water temperatures, and increased bait supply, and more predators arriving in our waters to devour that bait. Quantities of mullet and other baitfish began growing in early March, bring along a cast net and secure some finger mullet when available.

I’ll fish live finger mullet on a 3/8 ounce jig working some of the steeper drops along the edge of the Intracoastal, this method will produce some big redfish, 25-35” fish on light tackle

In shallower water up on the flats, I will fish live finger mullet on a Carolina rig with a 4/0 circle hook, let this rig sit and your struggling bait will draw attention from redfish and potentially larger trout Cut blue crab is always a good option as well fished on the same circle hook rig

Expect to start seeing schools of Jack Crevalle mixed with ladyfish and bluefish cruising in areas closer to the St. Johns River initially, then making their way up and down the Intracoastal waterway

They are all a ball to catch on light tackle and they will attack most baits and artificial lures, popping plugs are a great way to enjoy this action If the bluefish are thick put a wire leader on to

avoid losing tackle to razor-sharp teeth Fish w on the move this month, means fisherman must r on the move as well Larger, slot, and above r will be scattered, and flo will continue to be mixe Fish higher tides along the edges and lower tides alon the steeper drops of Intracoastal banks. Acti the shallower creeks beg diminish in mid-March so more attention out alon ditch and along the St. river edges Plan your trip and areas to target around the tides and don’t linger too long if you are not catching fish, pick up and move along to your next spot

I’ll predominantly use ¼ ounce jigs with live shrimp or mud minnows, Berkley Gulp swimming mullet or shrimp are also very effective Don’t be surprised if a pompano takes your shrimp bait also, quite a few were taken along the banks of Intracoastal waters last spring as water temperatures eclipsed 70 degrees.

Give me a call if I can help you get out and have a great time on the water!

Saltychartersjax com 15
Capt. Todd Philcox
(904)403-8575

Creeks & Rivers

John Chapman

Well, onward we go from the cold throws of winter to the two weeks of spring on to the doldrums of HOT summer, oh but wait it’s not that bad there are a few stops in between. This time of year, when the wind is forecast for below 10mph I just add 10 and roll on knowing the direction I need to duck out of it

If it is over 10mph then the HOA is happy because I stay

home and prune my lawn I had a couple of days off in a row this last week that was just one of these opportunities and I want to elaborate on it a little. My daughter and I went out with a forecast of 8 mph and pounded some leeward banks without too much luck the first day but the second day the forecast was a little more favorable and the tide was high at noon at Sisters and coming down through the afternoon

My neighbor Chris and I went out with the intention of snagging a few sheepsheads He is from Misery in the Midwest (Missouri) but active duty in the Navy working at a base to our North

After tying on the fancy sheepshead jigs, not sure who to give credit to, but they are XX strong hooks with a little football-shaped sinker right at the hook we went to work. Well, I had to coax him into wrangling that hellish little

finger-pinching fiddler crabs, and that was a funny task. I ain’t gonna lie I could have been a little clearer on my handling instructions but I was having too much fun watching.

It is pretty hard to explain how to catch a fish that you pretty much have to hook before they bite I did my best and I really wanted him to catch the first of his new species It is always a challenge!

I must say it was a success and the first one he hooked and brought up sent us into a fire drill trying to get the net out and all that but we got it in for the obligatory first fish of the species

Revo coached him on getting him unhooked and measured and he was a little less than legal. Chris got the hang of it pretty quick and didn’t let the sheepshead or the fiddlers kick his butt and landed a respectable legal fish before the wind ran us off the spot

It was a fun outing and we will definitely have to do it again before the season of topwater officially begins!

John "Chappy"Chapman

I’ve included a pic of Chris and Revo with his first-ever sheepshead

16

Well, it sure has been windy this past month but it should be settling down soon This is one of my favorite times of the year when it’s typically not too very cold or not too hot yet, and the turkeys begin their annual ritual of taunting me It’s true! I can go sit in the woods for HOURS and not see a bird I can call until my cheeks hurt and not hear a thing But then I get back in the truck

and drive-by half a dozen birds One will even go full strut just to REALLY mess with me I can almost hear them laughing now But it is one of my favorite things to do off the water Nothing gets my heart racing like seeing a turkey coming out of the woods, carefully weighing his options and his relative safety in the matter. And leave LOL. One of these years I’ll get him!

The hardest part of this time of the year is deciding whether to go to the woods or to the water Luckily as the daylight hours grow longer with each passing day you can do both! When this wind settles down we should be in prime time to hunt cobia on the beach Nothing gets my heart racing like oh wait, a lot of things get my heart racing it seems But there is nothing like pitching bait to a big cob and watching it take the bait and take off. What. A. Fight!

Whether you choose the woods or the water, just get out there! Enjoy what God created for us Spend time with your family and friends Tomorrow is not promised Now excuse me please, I’m off to the woods!

17
Trina Polkey Trina with a Tournament Cobia

The month of April tends to be one of the best months to surf fish in northeast Florida! Whiting, pompano, black drum, redfish, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, and speckled trout will all be cruising the surf line I prefer Sandy green water when targeting all of these fish If the water is dirty I have a motto, (if it’s brown turn around) because with warmer water the sharks, catfish, and stingrays are prevalent in the dirty water

The sandfleas are also known to show up in good numbers in the month of April. Shrimp, sandfleas, and clams are the baits I use to target all the above fish mentioned minus the blues, Spanish and speckled trout. A simple Pompano rig works well to target most of these Remember to try several different colored beads and floats when targeting the Pompano because one day they favor the yellow floats then the next the pink floats!!

I usually have 3 different color combinations when I go abs whichever combination works best, I switch all 3 rigs to the same The Pompano will predominantly be found on the sandbars and the drum and redfish in the sloughs and runouts.

If you want to catch blues or Spanish use spoons or gotchas. They love bright shiny objects.

The speckled trout will hit topwater first thing in the morning and a float rig with live shrimp

For more information and tips and techniques check out my youtube at Brokenreel23 I provide weekly surf fishing reports and forecasts Until next month, tight lines!

Pier n Surf Spencer Brogden
18

Our Waterways

Dock Master City of Jacksonville

Division of Natural and Marine Resources

Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services

1410 Gator Bowl Blvd. Jacksonville, Florida 32202

(904)630-0839 office

(904)509-0588 cell

(904)355-4857 fax

jsuber@coj.net

hyper only doubles the chance of a catastrophe so insure you are watching your surroundings and ensure you have a 360-degree watch

Plan ahead and have your vessel ready for launch prior to blocking the ramp, when retrieving your vessel pull completely away from the ramp to unload your limit of fish you want to get photos of, and remember everyone is on the water to have fun.

For those on the water making a living such as barges and dock builders always show consideration and slow down, minimum wake and use caution

Remember the manatees are returning to our area so always use a good pair of sunglasses and watch for the “footprint” of swirling water pods

Know where you are and always watch for vessel regulation signs or buoys The river salinity has continued to fluctuate somewhat with the rains and predominately northeast winds but we should see closer to normal this month We will start seeing tournaments kick in now and a couple of boat parades are scheduled.

to be at the top priority of the development world The access to our waterways all around the county is full speed and your input is always a good thing! The new floating dock replacement and bulkhead replacement on the north bank is now going in they continue to install more docks and we should see complete docks by summer.

We started the installation of lighting at the Lions Club boat ramp. The project is near completion and around the first of April, we should see operational lighting We have had no ramp closures during this project and expect none but if it is needed it will be short-term This past month I was able to go to several boat ramp and marina facilities in the Georgia and South Carolina area

adaptive kayak launch and dock extension for Mandarin Park has also had a slight delay in paperwork and contract execution but we are hoping work should begin soon!

New dock projects on the south bank area Jackson Street and Post Street continue to work through permits and contracts and all of the obstacles have been cleared. We are using an existing continuous contract so we should soon see construction sometime this summer.

SPRING is here and we are seeing the waterways warm up! This means the seasonal boaters, anglers, and water sports fans will hit the waterway

This means someone is more likely to beat you to your fishing spot, when on anchor you will get a special kind of wake, the boat ramp follies will certainly become more entertaining or you have to take evasive action to avoid a nonattentive fellow boater With all that being said it is up to you to ensure you do all you can do to ensure safe waterways

Two people being careless or

The Jacksonville Waterways Commission is working on several issues and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission via the State Legislature and NOAA and National Marine Fisheries will be considering several issues and state and federal laws that may affect you as a waterfront property owner or waterway user

Continue to stay informed and let your representative and local Council Members aware of your concerns or approval Speed Zones, Fish limits, anchoring zones, federally restricted zones, and funding for waterfront improvements are on the table and continue to move forward.

The City of Jacksonville has several new public dock opportunities planned and the downtown waterfront continues

Every facility I visited required payment to enter or a payment to use The facilities were nice but it is nice to see we have some work to do but we are fortunate to have the access we have in the North Florida Area. A contract for the dredging project for Oak Harbor Basin has been awarded and work should be full speed this month.

Getting this contract signed out and a notice to proceed continues to stall but the process is moving We have a failure of the ramp at the Pottsburg / Beach Blvd Boat Ramp Our contractors and engineers have delivered the evaluation report and a quote to repair has been submitted for an immediate solution to get the ramp usable again for all boats

A larger replacement and site rebuild plan is being developed

The issues develop due to a drainage overload We have made modifications to allow us to open the ramp to trailers again and as soon as the parking lot potholes are repaired we will open the ramp.

The installation of the new

We are working through the process to begin construction phases for the dredging of Burt Maxwell Boat Ramp, The construction of the new dock on the east side of the Jacksonville Zoo, the dredging of the Kayak access at Castaway Island Preserve, Dredging of Gooby’s Creek and a new fishing platform at River Road Park in San Marco

We continue to work on derelict vessels in the county and FWCC has opened the grants program We have installed temporary obstruction caution buoys on the St. John's back river near Clapboard Creek.

A sand bar has developed and the Army Corp of Engineers and Florida Department of Environmental Protection at the request of the Jacksonville Waterways Commission is investigating so use caution if you are boating in that area

The caution area is on the Heckscher Drive / Ramoth Drive side

The Safe Harbor Redfish Roundup will go back to the spring on May 15 and Jacksonville Marine Charities will take the management and facilitation of the Tournament with the proceeds going to supporting the Safe Harbor boys home and Maritime Academy.

Continued on Page 28

20 19
Capt. Jim Suber

Offshore Fishin'

Capt. Tim Altman

March has been an excellent month for Wahoo! I’ve had 3 Wahoo charters and each one has yielded excellent fish.

All of my wahoo came via high-speed trolling in depths of 145-165ft. I targeted clean water over structure holding large amounts of bait Often you will get Amberjacks that will hit your lures over these areas of intense bait down deeper in the water column, do not let that deter you from continuing to target Wahoo in this area

Where there are Amberjacks, there are Wahoo Just speed up a little or work only the outer edges of these bait balls I had 2 bottom fishing charters that despite challenging conditions we got on the Triggerfish in depths of 165ft.

Each day the current was screaming and getting to the bottom and maintaining our position was difficult. We used 20-ounce sinkers to get to the bottom and the HooDoo boat held steady on the bottom structure by using her 96” Rhodan Trolling motor and engaging her center engine in the idle position the current was REALLY cooking!

In the Northeast Florida Wahoo Shootout Tournament, as of the

time I’m writing this article (March 20th), the Turn 3/Sofishticated team with Captains Casey Smith and Geoff Stam are in the lead currently with an amazing 232 56lb 3-fish aggregate. Their lead isn’t safe because Captain Billy Mulliniks and the crew of the “Crushing Time” are snapping at their heels with a 210.02lb 3-fish aggregate with a chance to improve their score with one day left to fish Captain Billy needs a 58lb fish to improve his aggregate to best Captains Casey & Geoff If the leaderboard isn’t upended over the next week and one of these fine gentlemen will represent the Northeast Florida Wahoo Shootout as our Champion and in doing so we will be represented not only great fishermen but more importantly by great people Currently, Captain Dan Parker and the Crew of the “Big Sexy” are in 2nd place “largest fish” with a 99.70lb fish and if it stands will win the Kubota Sidekick. By the time this article comes out the tournament will have been decided. So, congratulations to the winner of the Northeast Florida Wahoo Shootout whomever you are, as you will take home a 21ft Yellowfin Bay Boat with a 200HP Yamaha 4 Stroke Motor and an Ameratrail Boat Trailer prize package worth over $85,000!

Sailfish Pot Party

The 61st Annual “2738” Men’s Sailfish Pot Party is set for the 1st of May at the American Legion located at 1127 Atlantic Blvd, Atlantic Beach, FL 32233

I’ve won this prestigious honor twice and this year the HooDoo / Saltwater Challenge fishing team - Flynn Jarrett, Dr Mike Coulter, Rob Widdows, Chris Altman, Casey Smith and Myself are planning the event and hope to make it one for the history books.

All our friends in the fishing industry and local business know how important the “2738 Pot” fishing tradition is and are throwing in to make this a fantastic Party with one of the best raffles ever

Does not matter if this is your 25th or the 1st the friends you’ll see and new friends you’ll make will stay with you forever So, gentlemen we ’ll see you there, bring your appetite and be ready for a great night of friends, laughter and Prizes

Register online for the Sailfish Pot Party by going to www.saltwaterchallenge.com

Sailfish Pot History

It was started in 1959 by a group of local charter boat and recreational fishermen.

At that time, boat to boat communication was done with AM radio and the locals used the 2738 band channel 68 and 72 are used today on VHF radio and thus the “2738 Sailfish Pot ” The AM band radio had an almost unlimited range so the fishermen were able to communicate with one another over very long distances

This group of fishermen had been talking with each other by radio for several years and while they knew the boat names and possibly recognized the captain’s voice, several of them had never actually met in person

As all fishermen will do from time to time, I’m sure there was

a lot of bragging and boasting about their catches and who was the best fisherman on the Atlantic So, someone in the fleet suggested they all get together for an evening of fun and meet each other

The first party was held at J Hall “Carp” Carpenter’s home As the party broke up that evening, someone suggested they put up a little wager and the fisherman in the group who caught the first Sailfish of the 1960 season would be declared the winner bragging rights reserved.

The group agreed and they also agreed the winner would also have to host the next party. Fishermen are sometimes known for exaggerating so it’s only natural that they can be suspicious of each other

So, a question arose on who was going to hold the money and where it would be kept “Carp” Carpenter just happened to have the perfect item for holding the cash and he was a gentleman of “class and character” and well trusted was an original chamber pot That’s right genuine “thunder-mug ” And the tradition of the “2738 Sailfish Pot” was started

Continued on Page 28

20 20
2018 Winner the late Steve Shaw with the Sailfish Pot Trophy A Fishing Family! Casey, Georgette and Cannon Smith

St. Augustine Tides

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Fishing Forecast

Well, now this is the start of a great fishing year First up is the Speckled Perch.

They should be winding down or finished with their spawn. Remember not all fish spawn at once, you've still got a shot at the very tasty beauties Grab a bucket of minnows, some speck jigs and hook, floats, and split shot and you'll have all the bases covered

Next will be the War Mouth. These scrappy beauties will be hanging in the pods, waiting for you to dab a glob of worms at them. These scrappers taste great and fight like there's no tomorrow Go get to it, if you're so inclined

Now on to up and comer Large Mouth

These babies will be in the creek mouths or are spawning flats and up canals, doing their thing Look for the beds if you're so inclined. But if you want some excitement, just go after them, fishing in your general area, and if you want, some excitement, grab a couple of dozen shiners and then relax and let the bait do all the work Either way, enjoy yourself

Mullet have started slowly but will pick up as the month goes on. So grab your usual baits, chum, and equipment and go to it. Redfish are around and will eat crabs, shrimp, and finger mullet. But a smallish shiner will work, so check it out, if at all possible Catfish are eating whatever they can from nightcrawlers to bait shrimp. All you need to do is go

Stripers will be very active around the bridges this month

You can swim shiners or fish bait shrimp on the bottom You can also throw lipless crankbaits or large minnow imitations, like big Rebel minnows, but fish all possibilities, just go

ANNOUNCEMENT

And before we close, we are saddened to tell you, we will no longer be owning and running this business After 50 years of this, I accepted an offer on the property. The new owners will take over on April 16. So to all of you valued customers and friends I made over the last 50, we would like to say "Thank You". And God bless. Keep your line wet and your lure movin ' Richard

R & J Tackle
904-284-5081 Monday - Friday 6-6 Sat. 5 am - 6 pm Sun. 5 am - 5 pm
Richard & Judy Hamilton
22

Well, we made it through another Northeast Florida winter, and now that the weather is warming up, the water temperatures are on the rise as well The warmer water temps will welcome the mullet back into the area

When the mullet show up, everything else follows Although the spring mullet run isn’t normally as intense as the fall run, it is still quite fun For the next few weeks the bite will get increasingly better 68-72 degrees is the perfect water temps for a strong bite We will be in the prime range most of the month.

Schools of redfish and trout will be cruising the flats, looking for an easy meal. Paddletails, topwaters, and suspending baits are good options to use When using live bait, a mullet or shrimp under a popping cork usually does the trick

Moving around is the key to fishing the flats Work the grass lines, oyster beds, creek mouths, and islands along the ICW There will also be flounder around the oyster beds, docks, and in the creek mouths and corners

A white Fishbites Dirty Boxer on a red Fishbites 1/16oz jighead is my go to flounder set up Slowly bounce the jighead on the bottom until you feel the

“flounder thump” Let the fish chew for a few seconds before setting the hook Doing the same thing with a mullet or mud minnow on the jighead is the most effective way to get a flattie using live bait

Another fun target during April are the “smoker or chomper” bluefish that will be passing through Many of these fish will exceed 20 lbs. They are very easy to get to bite, but keeping them hooked up is a different story.

Look for bait being busted and cast basically anything in to them They will literally hit anything that moves

That’s where the easy ends and the fight begins Steel leader may be a good option if these brutes are your target

They fight extremely hard, jumping and thrashing about And oh ya, and they have a mouth full of sharp teeth, so be aware when they are flopping around between your legs

April is sure to be a fun month with some big fish being caught Good luck and tight lines I’ll see ya out there.

Black Creek Marina Fuel * Bait * Tackle Slip and Boat Rentals 904-631-6658 23 6805 US 1 South- St Augustine Fl 32086 904-794-7501 Got Bait? Monday - Saturday 6am - 6pm Sunday - 6am - 5:30pm Fresh Salt & Offshore Baits Tackle Souvenirs Ice Boiled P-nuts Beach Toys Boogie Boards Skim Boards
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24

Surf Fishin'

Roy Mattson

Roy's Surf Fishing Guide Service.

4 hour Fishing Event that you will remember for a long time

You will be Fishing with Roy who has been Fishing the Surf Commercial for 40 Years.

We catch a large number of fish. Big Redfish , Black Drum , Trout , Whiting, Flounder, Bluefish, Pompano, Sheepshead, Ray's and Sharks.

We Provide the best of the best Rods and Reels, The Cooler Full of Ice, the Bait and know how so you can have your Family Enjoying the Beach While you're Catching Dinner Fresh from the Ocean

Great Customer Support

Roy Mattson will teach you how to cast a 12ft surf Rod out to hook the big boy

When you sign up all you have to do is bring your own Food and Drinks

YOU MUST BRING YOUR DRIVER LICENSE OR ID

For your Fishing License

We will pick the spot where the fish should be and start Fishing Who We

Are

We are a family who loves to fish While my wife and I love beach fishing, As a member of our local fishing club, we are working to build friendship that supports water safety, health, fish, and the joy of fishing

My saying is get hooked on Fishing not on Drugs !! Roy Mattson has a large following on Facebook. he has been doing this since he was 10 years old.

Fishin' Inshore

Capt. Jeff Patterson

As soon as the tripletail starts disappearing it’s time to play with some cobia! Cobia fishing can go one way or another It’s not the type of fishing for everybody but I really like it myself

Driving up and down the beach looking for the big manta rays and quite often we even get free swimmers just cruising the beach Bucktails and just regular cobia jigs work great and even a select shrimp will do the trick Usually, once water temps get up to the low 70s it’s time to go take a look.

Some awesome fishing this time of year around Ponce Inlet both inshore and the inlet. Once this water warms up it should be awesome fishing!

Redfish, tarpon, snook, and mangrove snapper are some of the ones that are in that area We get both slot redfish and the bulls so I like to have a few different baits including live mullet, select shrimp, and blue crabs either live or halved

Sometimes you can even find a big school of redfish on the fish finder and it’s game on with double and even triple headers! The Intracoastal between Ormond Beach and Ponce Inlet provides a huge variety with basically everything we catch in the area this time of year. Snook, seatrout,

redfish, black drum, and mangrove snapper hang around the docks and live shrimp are a good bait for just about everything.

I always like targeting olderlooking docks with all kinds of barnacles and oysters growing on them. The more structure the better. Oyster bars can be productive for redfish, seatrout, and flounder first thing in the morning and I like fishing them with a good moving tide

Popping corks work great in my opinion free lining your bait so you can cover a lot of areas

Tarpon should start showing up in good numbers soon and we get them in the backwaters as well as around the inlet and off the beach I always have a blast with them in Ormond and have the best luck with them there myself

We don’t get as many big ones as some other areas but we still get fish up to 80 lbs sometimes and hooked a couple of monsters back in the Tomoka this time last year over 100lbs! Free-lined live mullet has always been my best bait. Just keep an eye out when you’re fishing and start looking for the rollers There’s a lot going on this time of year so get it while it’s hot!

Capt Jeff Patterson

Pole Dancer Fishin’ Charters www.smallboatbigfish.com 386-451-4992 26

Crescent Beach

Capt. Adam Morley

Here comes the murk

This winter the water in the Matanzas River and surrounding areas was ridiculously clear. It’s been at least a decade since it’s been that clear according to some of our local guides who have been fishing these waters for longer than that

But with the arrival of spring and the rising water temperatures in the shallow mudflats and creeks life is once again starting to bloom The murk that dirties up the water is a good sign, it’s a sign that gears of the estuary are turning and about to rev up The cloudiness comes from life once again blooming after dying back in the cooler water temperatures and from the biomass and detritus from the organic breakdown of the Saltmarsh vegetation as it sheds its old stalks and new sprouts replace them

It’s this biomass and detritus that feed the food; the shrimp, crabs, mullet, oysters, and more

all feed on this

Anyone who passed 2nd grade knows what happens from there, larger fish come in to eat them These larger fish enjoy the bounty of the spring hatch and the warmer water that breaks them from their lethargy

It’s an exciting time for the anglers casting topwater plugs along the grass lines and oyster beds or the kayak anglers in just inches of water when a large school of reds goes into a feeding frenzy turning the glasslike calm water into a Maytag washing machine around them Yes, it’s time to get excited because here comes the murk And don’t forget to tune into my daily report for your most up-todate Who, What, and Where’s for fishing by downloading the “904 Now” app.

Or catch it every morning on our Facebook page: Genung’s Fish Camp

Capt Adam Morley

904.540.7245

Kids Can Fish Foundation

Kids Can Fish is a charitable foundation created by a 10-yearold girl named Caroline

What began as a family bonding activity has quickly evolved into a youth outreach program that focuses on connecting children, their caregivers, and friends in the activity of fishing The Kids Can Fish Foundation is based out of Brunswick, Georgia but sponsors live fishing camps and clinics in all areas of the southeast with intentions to spread nationally

Most recently, Captain Adam Morley will be hosting a Kids Can Fish Camp at the Genung's Fish Camp on April 17th

At each Kids Can Fish Camp, the participants are provided an educational program on

conservation, the basics of angling, knot tying, rig set-up, baiting, cast net demonstrations, and live fishing.

As participants, each child is presented with a rod and reel combo, basic tackle, and other fishing-related gifts that are theirs to keep Kids Can Fish is able to provide these services free of charge based on donations or sponsorships to the foundation

Some of the leading sponsors of Kids Can Fish are Promar and Ahi USA, Fishbites, Four Horseman Tackle, Matrix Shad, Tarpon Outdoors, Bandit Custom Rods, Cilantro's Grill and Cantina, and KPOPP's Pompano Rigs. These entities have provided services from their business for the sole benefit of the child participants

In addition to the live camps and clinics, Kids Can Fish has gained a loyal following on their Facebook social media platforms

The Kids Can Fish Facebook group is a unique forum where parents can share fishing tactics, tips, stories, or accolades on what has become a virtual brag board for youth anglers nationwide. Each day, Kids Can Fish features a youth angler by celebrating them as the KCF - Kid of the Day which is a group activity that members applaud and look forward to each morning. KCF as they call it, has received notoriety as being one of the best social

media forums for families by creating a fun-loving and clean environment for youth anglers to virtually congregate and share information KCF also prides itself on providing live instruction via social media to group members as well as generous monthly giveaways from their sponsors.

To learn more about the Kids Can Fish Foundation or to donate, feel free to visit their website at www.kidscanfish.net or by joining either of their groups which can be found by searching Facebook for "Kids Can Fish" or "Girls Can Fish" To reach Kids Can Fish directly, please feel free to email thomas@kidscanfish net

Above all, the Kids Can Fish Foundation hopes to inspire others to be "Bonded by Fishing" and to "Find One, Catch One, and Share It with Someone Special!"

Expires 4/30/21 27

Continued from Page 19

The Redfish Roundup will have a general tournament entry for $75.00 a lady angler division with a $25 00 entry fee and a Jr Angler division with a $15.00 entry fee The first-place winner with the most spots will receive $5000 00 cash and 10 places will be awarded.

The lady Angler will fish for 3 places with a $500 00 first place Jr anglers will be fishing for gift cards to spend as they wish The registration for this tournament is online at safeharborspot com or call the tournament office at (904)251-3011

The Elite Redfish Series will fish in Jacksonville from Jim King Park April 30-May 1 and a Kayak tournament is being planned at Jim King Park for April 3rd The BIG news is the Spring Boat Show at Metropolitan Park and Marina will return April 16-18 presented by the Jacksonville Marine Association. Tickets are on sale now!

As always allow me to remind everyone to always check your boat and yourself Use of a lookout and being aware of your surroundings are always a priority Invest in a QUALITY EPERB, File a float plan with someone that will miss you first so if things don’t go as planned, the search for you can be narrowed and recovery can be quicker.

Take a safe boating course and do your part to activate our waterways! The Jacksonville Sail and Power Squadron, America’s Boating Club, continuously offers America’s Safe Boating Course at Lamb’s Yacht Center and classes have resumed monthly so check their website for 2021. The cost of the classes to the student will continue to be reduced to an affordable $10 00 thanks to a donation from Jacksonville Marine Charities from proceeds from the Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament

The next class will be announced on America’s Boating Club website

wwwusps org/localusps/Jackson

The Jacksonville Sail and Power Squadron, America’s Boating Club of Northeast Florida, and the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary are back available for vessel safety checks. With the New Year, everyone needs to have their vessel re-inspected.

I continue to remind all that if you are aware of an event that will impact our waterway or if you are a member of a club or organization that is planning an event that will impact our waterway please let us know so we can help you with promoting North Florida is fortunate to have a large number of organizations and individuals that invest hours and hours of volunteer time to make opportunities for our friends in need with the participation of our gracious anglers and business owners

If you send the information to me at jsuber@coj.net we will publish it on the website and promote on Facebook pages. The city of Jacksonville has several events around the city and Beaches that we are just not getting credit for as a community.

We want to promote our city and our beaches as a city with great waterways and beaches with tournaments, events, and entertainment opportunities that are happening just not being included in the Big Picture Last but not least, show pride in the facilities provided for your use with your tax dollars by properly disposing of your by-product when you clean your fish and dispose of your trash appropriately BE SAFE! AND WASH YOUR HANDS!!

Continued from Page 20

At HooDoo Sportfishing Charters we specialize in Wahoo charters this time of year! So, if you’re interested in a great time targeting Wahoo, please contact us at HooDoo Sportfishing @ wwwsaltwaterchallenge com or call / text 904 859 6314

I’ll say it again and again until we get through this, COVID-19 has affected our economy on every level Please support your local businesses because they are the one’s disproportionality impacted

Oldest City

Bait n Tackle

1949 A1A South St Augustine, FL 32080

David Privett * Candace Burke

Open 7 Days a Week

Oldest City Bait & Tackle, serving the St. Augustine area since 1991. Products include Live, fresh & frozen baits, rods & reels, and a wide variety of fishing tackle (904) 461-0244

28
a kid fishing Until next month, please stay safe on the water and remember that great things happen when you take a kid fishing.
Take
Capt Tim Altman

386-255-2345

1700 N Nova Rd Holly Hill

Bayliner, Carolina Skiff, Hurricane, Key West, Regal, Sweetwater, and Trophy center console fishing boats. We offer Mercury, Suzuki, or Yamaha outboard engines
M-F 8:30am - 6pm
SAT 8:30am - 5pm / SUNDAY Closed 29
/

Tournaments

Craig Van Brocklin

Winter/Spring

Tournaments

Florida Lure Anglers (5 Trout)

1st Scott Koons/Phil Zeller 11 22

2nd Everett Barts/Bill Lancaster 9 76

3rd Charles Dehlinger/Bob Morris 9 59

4th Austin Woolf/Alec Pope 8 26

5th Malcolm Griffith/Chris Peterson 8 15

6th Caryl Hayes/Michael Hayes 7 99

KA Redfish Tournament

1st Leigh Davis/Brian Dutcher 13 84

2nd Matt Dais 13 5

3rd Bill Duane/Glynn Watson 13 42

1st Kayak Timothy Thurman 24 5

2nd Kayak Jonathon Pratt 23 5

3rd Kayak Johnny Carr 18 5

Jacksonville Elite Redfish (2 Redfish)

1st Ron Schurr 14 50

2nd Frank Risk 14 43

3rd Jeremy King 13.55

4th Brian Clark 13 22

5th Chris Peterson 12 49

6th Malcom Griffith 10.76

Shallow Minded

1st Richard Hulett/Jessica 2 Redfish 12 5

2nd Brian Drawdy 1 Redfish 7lb 3

3rd Logan Ryan 1 Redfish 7 1

Big WT (whiting)

1st Larry Finch 26 20oz

2nd Lisa Behm 23 20oz

3rd Gerry Drolet 21 15oz

1st Ladies Lisa Behm

El Cheapo Sheepshead

1st Sehaid Dedic 11 76

2nd Jeff Lagamen 11 75

3rd Shawn Parnell 10 332

4th Howard Thurman 10 16

5th Ashley Turbeville 9 82

6th Steve Newton 9 63

7th Matthew Okenica 9 45

8th Walter Parnell 9 24

9th Cameron Shappe 8 96

10th Adrienne Warrick 8 82

11th Alton Robey 8 38

12th Jason Inman 8.32

Ladies

1st McKenzie Jones 7 35 2nd Alija Rajkovic 5.39 3rd Faith Carrier

Kayak

1st Rodney Agustin 12 77

2nd Michael Carlton 6 54

3rd Eric Hernandez 5.78

Power Pole Pro Redfish

1st Kyle Craven/Danny Shelton 15.28

2nd Jonathan Lee/Brian Clark 14 85

3rd RJ McDermott/Michael Whittier

13.90

4th Andy Fantini/Zach Foltz 13 29

5th Jeremy Heimes/Huntetr Heimes

13.10

6th Fred Rounsaville/Mike Davis 12 52

7th Frank Risk/Roberta Cooper 12 39

8th Phil Rizzo/Ken Parker 12.36

9th Jimmy Pausche/Scott O’Brien

12 35

10th Billy Pettigrew/Chris Cravotta

12 24

11th Matt Davis/Daniel McNew 12 13

12th Matt Maddox/Jeriel Joiner 11.78

Upcoming Tournaments

April

2nd Ultimate Cobia begins * 6th Big WT

* 10th FLA Steinhatchee

* 24th St Marys MAGA

May

1st Elite Redfish Champions Team Tour

* FLA 2 day Championship

* 8th Jax Elite Redfish 2 day Championship

* 15th Safe Harbor Redfish Roundup Spots

Jacksonville Elite Redfish Tourney

winner Ron Schurr and 2nd Frank Risk

13th Todd Dart 8 26
14th Joshua Robinson 7 87
1st
6.35
5
15th Joseph Brown 7.71 Junior
Kamal Kingston
2nd Hunter Pepper 5 87 3rd Leeanne Farris
32
5 11
30

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