Fishing Connection Online December 2020

Our Waterways

City of Jacksonville Waterways

Coordinator / Dock Master

Division of Natural and Marine Resources

Dept of Parks, Recreation and Community Services

1410 Gator Bowl Blvd Jacksonville, Fl 32202

Office - (904) 630-0839

Cell - (904) 509-0588

Fax - (904) 355-4857

jsuber@coj net

Jaxparks com

Subermarine com

That WOW factor opportunity is still alive and well! The Hurricane season is technically over but this year gave us our monies worth as a whole but the North Florida Area was extremely lucky thanks to stationary highs and the La Nina appears to be alive and well to give us a reasonable winter

So if you are new from the North to South Georgia / North Florida don’t “winterize your boat! We will not need that here! We had a storm come from the gulf and tracked direct hit to Jacksonville and gave us a half of a rainy day and we continued to have some effects with

higher than high tides and some rip currents and dirty surf

The salinity in the waterway continues to fluctuate but we should see some stability The water temperatures continue to drop and the fronts have been working through

The plans and activity of the downtown water continue to show progress the old damaged docks on the north bank have been removed

The new bulk head project at the Times Union Performing Arts Center is making progress and the new docks will begin being installed this month

We continue to improve our boating access locations all over the city The dredge project for Oak Harbor Basin is out for contract bids and work should start at the first of the year

The camera project at our boat ramps is working out great all of the cameras planned for the pilot locations and now if the contracting company can see positive use and support by the public we will work to add more locations. Be sure to check before you go at USBoatramps com or go to your app store and get your US Boat Ramps app

The damage at the pump out station at Metropolitan Park Marina from storm action is in progress and several repair projects all over the county is waiting on purchase orders or waiting on the contractor to start the repairs We have a failure of the ramp at the Pottsburg / Beach Blvd Boat Ramp

We have our contractors and engineers evaluating the damage and working on the direction for the correct solution. For the time being the ramp will stay usable for hand launch only. We had a dangerous obstruction near the channel of the Intracoastal Waterway just north of the J. Turner Butler Blvd. Bridge..

Continued on Page 9

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 The views, opinions and positions expressed in articles submitted by monthly contributors to the Fishing Connection do

reflect the views of the Fishing

Capt. Jim Suber

Fish Camp Dock at Oyster Creek

Fishing & Boating Media Group Inc.

224 20th St N Jacksonville Beach, Fl 32250 904-962-5996

E-Mail: fbmgjax@Gmail com

Publishers:

Rick Hale & Joe Dionne

Editor: Joe Dionne

Contributing Writers

Jeff Altman

Tim Stouder

Trina Polkey

Lee Bowman

John Nooney

Roy Mattson

Will Neimann

John Chapman

Capt Jim Suber

Spencer Brogden

Capt Tim Altman

Richard Hamilton

Chris Cockerham

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

December 2020 Fish Kisser of the Month

Congratulations to our Fish Kisser of the month, who looks really happy laying a big kiss on that fish's slimy lips We have a FREE meal from Juniors Seafood & Grill for any of you that submit your photo to the contest and are chosen as the winner. If you are this month's winner please contact Joe Dionne at fbmgjax@gmail.com with your name and phone # to claim your certificate

Prize must be claimed no later than midnite of the last day of this month to be valid If you would enjoy seeing your photo in the Fishing Connection please send in your best Fish Kissing Photo Thanks to all who send in a Fish Kisser photo Anyone can win, maybe soon it will be you Send photos to fbmgjax@gmail.com

Rules are Simple

Fishing

Your lips MUST touch the fish's mouth. The person in the photo must be clothed but clothing on the fish is optional Remember, all submissions are considered against future entries too, so if you haven't seen your photo yet, you're still in the contest.

Disclaimer

We are not responsible if the fish you're kissing bites your head off

Joe Dionne 904-962-5996

Rick Hale 904-352-9776

Pest Control Service

Bed Bugs * Roaches * Termites * Spiders

Carpenter Ants * Scorpions * Fruit Flies

Yellow Flies * Rats/Mice * Hornets

Midges * Ants * Fleas and Ticks

Silverfish * Millipedes * Carpenter Bees

Mosquitos * Pantry Pests * Springtails

Bees * Earwigs * Flies and Gnats

904-242-BUGS

December Everyone has said they can't wait on 2020 to be over I can't blame them on one hand, but as one ages (me) you stop wishing for time to rush by So let's make December a great one At the moment, our temperatures are still a lot higher than normal so getting out in the boat, surf fishing, wading the flats or enjoying fishing a lake is enjoyable

Inshore fishing can go downhill in a hurry with strong northeast wind causing muddy water and heavy currents Flood tides with light winds will see Redfish on the flats The rock jetties at Ft Clinch will give up decent size Flounder, be it from shore or from a boat

Live mud minnows and live finger mullet are the baits of choice and as of today Nov 13th the creek at my marina are full of finger mullet, but I find them at night in big numbers (advantage of living on a boat) Another great spot are the old fallen down docks in downtown Fernandina and the shoreline at West Rock

Fishing the oyster beds,old docks south of the Shave Bridge down to Nassau Sound will get you Redfish, Flounder, Sheepshead, Whiting and Black Drum. Offshore the close in reefs will be a good bet, be it FA, FB, HH or one of the others Live baits as the finger mullet or Pinfish are your best baits, but frozen mullet, pogies, squid are a close second Bull Reds will still be

found at the inlet and depending on water temp, you will also find Sharks and an occasional lost Tarpon.

Surf fishing as always depends on water temp and how clean the water is, but Whiting and Reds will be found If the water temp gets colder, Spanish Mackeral and Bluefish will show up in schools Using baits as cut fresh shrimp, clams, sand fleas or fishbites will get you hits Freshwater fishing will be getting better.

My daughter and family live on a lake West of I-95 and December and January are when we do our best on Largemouth. I'll take some live finger mullet or mud minnow with me when we visit and catches of nice Black Bass, Carp, Catfish and (sadly) Mudfish are our common catches.

Give your family your fishing wish list for Christmas and enjoy the last month of 2020

Capt

Charlie Freeman

*30

Arlington Marina has been recognized as a Clean Marina by the Florida DEP and The Clean Boating Partnership

Fishin' S.E. Georgia

Capt. Bert Deener

Altamaha River – The river can’t decide if it wants to be high or low

It’s fluctuated a bunch over the last month, but the dry forecast should have it falling out to fishable levels soon. I drove over the Ocmulgee (a tributary to the Altamaha) on Wednesday, and the water was still heavily stained.

The best two options for this weekend would be fishing the oxbow lakes in the tidal river for bass and panfish or pitching artificials to pilings in the Darien area for striped bass.

The crappie bite should start in the oxbows soon, also. The river level was 8 4 feet and falling 60 degrees at the Baxley gauge, and 8 6 feet and rising at the Doctortown gauge on November 19th

Satilla River – The upper river is at a great level for a float trip targeting panfish, but I didn’t hear from anyone who did it this week The Crappie bite in the Burnt Fort area has just started and should be decent this weekend and for the next few months

The river level on November 19th at the Waycross gauge was 5 3 feet and falling (64 degrees) The Atkinson gauge was 5.6 feet and falling

St. Marys River – Matt Rouse said that he caught some nice Panfish and Catfish in the upper river up until the recent cold snap The level is still good, but

he has not been since the cold nights. The catches of Bream in the middle river were good through the weekend

The Crappie bite in the oxbows and slackwater areas of the main river has picked up in the cooler weather. In the lower river, you should be able to catch some white catfish by putting shrimp on the bottom. The river level at the Macclenny gauge on November 19th was 3 8 feet and falling.

Local Ponds – Chad Lee hit an Alma area pond on Friday and had a fun day He put a crappie jig out the back of his kayak and fished bass lures with another rod He ended up catching 6 crappie on the pink / chartreuse jig he was dragging

The Crappie bit well until the sun burned off the fog While punching plastics through vegetation out the front, he landed a 2-pound Bass on a creature bait and missed several other bites A father-son duo of Waycross anglers ran trot lines at a Brunswick area pond and caught 80 channel Catfish up to 2 1/2 pounds

At one point they had fish on 6 straight hooks

The most interesting catch was a 40-pound softshell turtle that startled the one working the line They caught their fish on cut baitfish, shrimp, and squid Expect the crappie bite to be good this weekend in area ponds Dodge County Public Fishing Area (near Eastman) – New area manager Stephen Beaman said that anglers caught some nice bass in the mornings on topwaters up through the cold this weekend

The fish are definitely on a cold weather pattern of following around the shad schools and busting through them at an opportune time. The average fish was about 3 pounds, but some 5 to 7pounders were caught.

Paradise Public Fishing Area (near Tifton) –Scotty Storey was back at it again this week He caught several nice crappie from the Lake Patrick pier on Friday, and one of them earned him an Angler Award from the Wildlife Resources Division The slab was 2-lb 3-oz and hit a jig.

On Sunday, Ed Zmarzly fished Lake Patrick for bass and caught several. At one point he caught 4 bass on 5 casts off a magical tree The fish ate a crawfish-colored crankbait, and they ranged in size from 12 inches to 2 1/2 pounds Anglers fishing from the bank that day caught some nice shellcrackers up to about a pound on worms

Okefenokee Swamp – Okefenokee Adventures staff said that effort has been hovering around zero

Continued on Page 11

Scotty Storey caught this 2-lb. 3-oz slab crappie this week at Paradise PFA

The papermouth inhaled a jig fished from a pier on Lake Patrick.

Fernandina Beach - December 2020

Public Participation

John Nooney

Tight Lines and Screaming

Reels Fishermen! How do you really feel?

Bluefish! Who likes Bluefish? Redfish! I like Redfish

The recent elections in the country has me locally asking the question Did the fishermen in your county vote for Bluefish or Redfish? See June 2020 FC I reside in Duval County and we're

going to need more Bluefish recipes In Duval County active Jacksonville city council legislation ordinance 2020-0559 creating a new Chapt 797 (50% Duval County local option vessel registration fee increase) continues to be deferred in committee

Who likes Bluefish? See Oct 2020 FC. In another Duval county active Jacksonville city council piece of legislation that is ready for a full vote of the Jacksonville city council is ordinance 2020-0589.

This amends Chapt 34 (Neighborhoods) creates a new section 34-403 (Enforcement Officers) creates a new Chapt 388 (Boats and Waterways)

Who likes Bluefish? I like Flounder In another fishing issue FWC Commission is still taking Public comment for new Flounder regulations FWC's final consideration is slated for December 2020 on its draft proposals for Flounder Go to myfwc com to participate

I like Fish I Participated Tight Lines and Screaming Reels

John Nooney

vendo5@yahoo.com

Continued from Front Page

The Florida Inland Navigation District contracted Salonen Marine Contractors to remove it The Light Boat Parade was a great event in downtown Jacksonville and the kick off of the Holliday Season was enjoyable.

The Boating activities are starting to slow but still above average The City of Jacksonville will next celebrate the New Year on the river front of downtown Come on down by BOAT! Again I want to 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

If you send the information to me at jsuber@coj net we will publish 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

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 File a float plan with someone that will miss you first so 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 so check there web site.

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

website at usps.org/localusps/Jackson. The Jacksonville Sail and Power Squadron, America’s Boating Club of Northeast Florida and United States Coast Guard Auxiliary are back available for vessel safety checks

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!!

Capt Jim Suber

Continued from Page 4

The level is dropping but is still at 121 feet (I like it in the low 120 range for the best fishing)

Saltwater (GA Coast) – Don Harrison and a friend fished the Crooked River area on Saturday and caught 18 trout (6 keepers) on Sea Shads under Equalizer Floats

Slammin’ chicken Sea Shads were by far the best color, but they also caught a few on Calcasieu brew Sea Shads and electric chicken and figichix Keitech swimbaits Don broke off a BIG redfish that inhaled his slammin’ chicken Sea Shad

The duo tried jerkbaits, Sea Shads without the float, and spinnerbaits to no avail On Tuesday Capt Greg Hildreth put his clients on some big redfish in the sounds That bite will probably be prolonged this fall since it is just now getting cold 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 (912-635-3556) for the latest on the Jekyll Island Pier or St Simons Bait & Tackle (912-6341888) for the latest on the St. Simons Pier.

Capt Pat McGriff of One More Cast Guide Service (wwwonemorecast net

Keaton Beach, Florida

Phone: 850-584-9145) reported that the Trout were “happy” this past weekend Billy Pillow and Capt. Pat caught their limit of trout on Saturday by throwing live pinfish under Back Bay Thunder Floats and Paul Brown Devils. Their limit took them just over an hour once they figured out the bite (4.0 to 4.5 feet deep). On Sunday, Capt. Pat’s charter caught 15 keeper trout with a 21-incher topping off the cooler.

That day the fish were in the 3.5 to 4.0 feet range. Other anglers reported catching trout on MirrOlures and hard jerkbaits He said that the plug bite is on, so give him a call if you are interested in catching them that way

Water temperatures were 75 degrees on Sunday, and he expects them to settle in at about 68-70 degrees for the weekend

First quarter moon is November 21st To monitor all the Georgia river levels, visit the USGS website (wwwweathergov/jax/) For the latest marine forecast, check out wwwsrh noaa gov/jax/

Capt. Bert Deener makes a variety of both fresh and saltwater fishing lures Check his lures out at Bert’s Jigs and Things on Facebook For a copy of his latest catalog, call him at 912-288-3022 or e-mail him (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

Hard to believe it's already December but winter has arrived I get asked a lot by my charter clients if I fish in the winter months and the answer is always the same absolutely

Living in Florida has its perks especially when it comes to fishing. When fishing shuts down in the northern part of the country it keeps firing down here Winter and colder water temps bring in some different species like Black Drum and Sheepshead but it can also help the resident Red fish bite as well Reds will start schooling up better this time of year and often will be slot fish

Low tides will have them staging just outside of the creek mouths on shallow mud flats at the edge of the drop offs Cracked blue crab will be my bait of choice on charters

Creeks will be loaded with rat reds but the deeper holes should be holding good numbers of Bl k D D h l d

shell beds will have a combination of Drum, Reds, and Sheepshead Sheepshead will be here in good numbers and are challenging but very rewarding to catch. They provide great table fare but can be tricky to hook. Fiddler crabs will be the best bait and can be fished on light jig heads or knocker rigs. These fish typically school on rocks, bridge pilings, bulk heads or any structure that have barnacles on them. Verticle jigging will be the key as they fish will work the entire water column of the structure eating barnacles and small crustaceans. Fiddlers or small knuckles of blue crab will get the bites your looking for Make sure you bring plenty of bait because these guys are the masters of bait stealing C

J h E

With the holidays here the club house is going to be a busy place. Our first meeting of the new year will be on January 7th 2021, we have plenty of exciting events coming up Make sure to follow us on Facebook for updates and events

We hope you get everything on your wish list to get you out and hooking up on some offshore or inshore monsters!! Hint: a JOSFC membership would make a great stocking stuffer or holiday gift!

The club tournaments for Captain of the Year are starting soon and you have to be a member to participate Our tournament director James is working hard to put the schedule together so we should be seeing that soon

There is an inshore and offshore series so if you don't have an offshore boat you can still participate

Memberships available at j fi h om or in person at ings

g events:

: Guest Speakers

n and Luis

m Gillz Gear and Clam Chowder

h is the JOSFC rty and Santa king a visit, so

fish pictures with and Santa hats to our Facebook

page Send them to me at media@JaxFish com

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year!!

Meetings are the first and third Thursday of the month Bring your family, friends, and fishing buddies and enjoy seminars, demos, food, and more.

We are following City of Jacksonville Covid Guidelines and currently meeting outdoors Bring a jacket for those cooler evenings Open to the public so we would love to have you at a meeting even if you are not a member

IMPORTANT: Memberships renewal is due Dec 31st 2020. Don’t forget

Lee Bowman

Coley from Jacksonville

Paul Nathan and Bob

St. Johns River

Capt. Todd Philcox

Shorter days, cooler water and hungrier fish, December will bring more cold fronts and the first minor winter freezes to NE Florida and our inshore species will take notice.

The enormous quantity of bait that offered easy meals from August to early November has diminished greatly, redfish, trout and flounder must now work a bit harder for their meals, and they will rarely let a live shrimp or minnow presented on a jig escape them

Work creek bends with holes from 4 to 8-foot depths, those adjacent to oyster bars and large mud flats will be extremely productive at the bottom of the outgoing tide

Be sure to fish those days when that low outgoing tide correlates with a sunny afternoon, those will be fishing days to remember! Our area is blessed with an incredibly immense landscape of marshland and estuaries extending from the intracoastal miles back into the grass Those creeks all hold productive areas to fish, get out at lower tides and explore Slot

size Redfish will be found in shallower water throughout the winter months

Look for those oyster bars and slightly deeper holes, just be sure to know your tides so you don’t end up stuck in the mud! We see more extreme low tides over the winter months which really condense inshore fish in those creek holes and lead to some real fun fishing

Live shrimp and mud minnows are my primary bait throughout the winter, I fish those baits on an 1/8 to a 3/8-ounce jig, depending on wind and tide conditions, most of the smaller bait stealing fish that ate through dozens of shrimp all summer and fall will now be gone

I also try to have blue crab available and will let a chunk sit on the bottom on a No-Brainer circle hook jig while I actively fish the other baits

I predominantly fish live baits, but trout will aggressively strike diving plugs and plastics fished along the intercoastal banks and creek mouths where there is moving water at the higher tide phases Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to All!

(H.O.W.)

Heroes on The Water

Tim Stouder

Heroes on the Water successfully applies a simple solution to a complex issue giving veterans, first responders and their families a path to a successful life through:

NO expense kayak trips: Proven to alleviate symptoms of post-traumatic stress, these repeat experiences provide rest, relaxation and rehabilitation in a peaceful, calm environment.

Camaradirie with like minded people: Discover the tribe you have been missing by visiting one of our volunteer led chapters and experience first-hand the fellowship

Family focused events: Heroes on the Water is one of the few veterans’ charities that includes family members in our programs

Paddle. Fish. Heal: More than a tag line – it’s what we do, how we do it, and what happens thanks to our volunteers 15

Capt Todd Philcox

Fun Times with Capt. Todd

As Thanksgiving Turkey fades into memory, on comes Christmas and the prospect of our annual two weeks of cold we suffer through here in North Florida

Good thing about North Florida pretty much all of our normal species are available with the exception of our Tarpon and lately benevolent local Snook population

The Redfish are always around although a little more sluggish at

biting and it takes a little more finesse working them out of their comfortable mud lair They will bite on the flats after a morning midday low tide where they were basking in the sun on top of the sun sucking black mud Funny when you catch them and they have small crustaceans crawling on them or stuck to them That’s when you know you’re lucky to get that bite and they are ready to eat Funny thing is that as lackadaisical as they are sunning, the fight is on when they are hooked in the cold water.

Probably the best way to wrangle them in these conditions is some cut mullet or crab on the incoming tide. Dead sticking Gulp in deep holes of the creeks around bends will produce some slot size reds as well

Flounder are around as well and can be coaxed off the bottom with live mud minnows, shrimp, or even a gulp curly tail or shrimp As you fish for Flounder

in all the normal spots around the grass lines, drop offs, along oyster beds, and at the mouth of flowing creeks you will pick up on the schools of trout

Sometimes it is just as if not more productive and fun to take the whole day throwing subsurface Mirrodines, subwalks, or big jerk baits

The key to getting bit with these baits is to work them as slow as you possibly can and then work them a little bit slower I can’t in good conscience not mention that we are going into the most dangerous part of the year for fishing in North Florida as well. The wind, rain, cold, in and of itself is not that dangerous but you must have a plan and let someone know where you are and when you will return

If you were to fall into the water this time of year, you need to know that it is extremely dangerous and hypothermia sets in at light speed I will not admit

to it but these days with our trolling motors as low profile out of the way and easy as they run it is not that hard to step right of the front of your boat while not paying attention to anything but that fish that just broke the surface ahead of you

Anyway be careful out there and have a plan Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!!!!!

Chappy

Thinking Outside the (Tackle) Box

Trina Polkey

One Last Cast

My grandaddy introduced me to fishing when I was 2 years old We called him Dadaw and he was one of the most special men I have ever had in my life

He was kind and patient

He let me play with the crawdads when I got bored with fishing He taught me how to clean fish He let me dissect their eyeballs and stomachs

He hummed gently and

occasionally snuck a stinky cigar I so loved that man Then one day he was gone Just like that My best fishing buddy ever gone

Fast forward to early October of this year

I’m driving down Heckscher Drive and I get a text from my dear friend Kevin One of the sweetest souls I have ever met He and his brother were fishing at Huguenot Park and wanted me to join them

I finished my workday and they were still out there So, I did After I fought with every internal urge to just go home and hermit up We Had A Blast Then one day, just 3 weeks later, he was gone. Just like that. My sweet friend, my praise team leader.. gone. We tend to get too busy in our lives. We get wrapped up in our own heads. We don’t take the time with the people we love that we should.

We can change that Next time someone asks you to go fishing, the answer is yes Next time you think about someone, reach out to them Pray for them Love them Mend your fences now, before it’s too late Man, what I would give for one last cast

Trina Polkey

Kevin Briscoe, enjoying fishing with his brother Christopher. This was 3 days before the accident

Me with my Dadaw, 1972. I was 2

Spencer Brogden

I hope everyone had a great November, there were a ton of fish caught as the water cooled down into the mid 70's With the warmer weather so far in late November and the forecasted weather into December, not much should change

As long as the water hangs in the upper 60's and lower 70's the Whiting will be up and down the Northeast Florida area in great numbers. There will be Pompano as well as long as the water does not get too cold The sand fleas have still been schooled up pretty thick in the Jax Beach area on the high outgoing tide, so if you want to use those for bait that's when you need to go and get them

The big Whiting, Black Drum, Redfish and Sheepshead have been eating the sand fleas like they are going out of style If you do not have sand fleas, fresh shrimp will be just fine The Whiting will eat it up as well as several other species I use a double dropper rig or a Carolina rig with a storm sinker to target the Whiting.

When looking for the best spot to target them, look for run outs, sand bars and deep sloughs that are along the beach At low tide, go and check out the beach and that is the easiest time to find these sloughs and cuts

While empty at low tide, they fill up with water on the incoming and the Whiting are all in them as well as Redfish and

Black Drum

In other news, the pier reconstruction is coming along nicely even with numerous obstacles such as the seemingly endless strong northeast winds

The new pilings that they are using for their work pier are already covered in barnacles, so thats great news when the old pier is finally done

The pilings will be ready for us to catch plenty of Sheepshead!

You can check out our Youtube page Brokenreel23 and our facebook page Brokenreel23 northeast Florida surf fishing for daily and weekly updates and fishing conditions for the northeast florida area! Until next time, tight lines!

Spencer Brogden

A Sincere THANK YOU to all those who make The Fishing Connection Publication possible It has been an interesting year to say the least and without the support of our Advertisers and Column Writers we would not exist PLEASE Support the Businesses listed below and let them know you saw there ADS and Columns in The Fishing Connection Publication

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Column Writers

The names listed below consist of the most experienced and knowledgeable Anglers in N E Florida from Tournament Anglers to Charter Captains to Weekend Anglers They are proven and can back up their words with years of experience

When you read their articles in this paper you can count on the best of the best providing you with information you can count on and we Sincerely appreciate them taking the time from their busy schedules each month to contribute Please support the following and let them know they are doing a Fantastic Job!!

Jeff Altman * Tim Stouder * Trina Polkey * Lee Bowman * John Nooney * Roy Mattson * Will Neimann * John Chapman

Capt Jim Suber * Spencer Brogden * Capt Tim Altman * Richard Hamilton * Chris Cockerham * 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

We will begin to target Sheepshead on the nearshore wrecks in early December also The bite offshore will last until late April Stop by and pick up some Fiddlers on the days you desire some great light tackle action nearshore It is one of the North Florida hidden-gems that very few hardcore Sheepshead Fishermen talk about

Let's Talk

Fishin'

November brought us Wind, Wind and more Wind. Getting offshore for me proved to be impossible between the wind and the very few fishable days conflicting with work and “wifely tasking” Yes, I am not in control of my domain

In November Frank Vining of the Walk-Thru got one trip in and crushed the Triggerfish, Mutton Snapper and Grouper

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 The COVID-19 has affected our economy on every level. Please support your local business because they are the one’s disproportionality impacted.

The Wahoo bite that normally heats up in Mid-November was a little slow with Captains reporting single fish and the occasional two fish days Most believe this to be caused by warmer than normal water temps and dirty water on the fishing grounds

Cobia will begin to show up in good numbers on the offshore wreaks in depths of 80-100ft

Captain Tony Eden (Boattronics of North Florida) will be in his 31ft Black Contender setting on all the Cobia Hotspots So if you see him, you’re in the right place!

Until next month, please stay safe on the water and remember that great things happen when you take a kid fishing

Offshore

Capt. Tim Altman

Captain Tim Altman

St Augustine - December 2020

Green Cove Springs

Fishing Forecast by Richard and Judy Hamilton R&J Tackle

Green Cove Springs

Well, we've made it another year. Fishing will start to change this month and in some cases for the better; in other cases, for the worse

Beginning on the saltier side, the Flounder have been active and eating minnows and shiners with regularity; also, plastic jigs like spade-tailed grubs or swimming minnow imitations Work them around the Shand's, but north in Doctors Lake, as well as the Buckman, are much more productive areas So go!

Next up are the Redfish, which seem to hang year round, especially since we seem to have no real winter The water temp will drop, but they will stay because of the springs, scattered throughout the area. Baits of choice: regular Bass top waters or crank bait; bait shrimp and shiners If you want to stretch your string, have at it.

Mullet are becoming more and more difficult, as the silver beauties like the Intracoastal and ocean for the winter time frolic You may get lucky and get some if you give it a try, so go!

Bottom fishing for Bream is a slower process, but can be productive

Try fishing hard bottom protected areas and fish in the sunny shallow 'til mid-day; then, move off to the first line of drops, which occur between four and eight feet The bait of choice is a nice glob of worm or pinching a wad of gar roe

Whatever you try, you may be rewarded

Next up are the Large Mouth beauties who will be active

busting bait schools, as well as foraging for small crustaceans

Toward the later part of the month, they may start hanging out in front of creeks and covers, venturing into the warmer water and locating areas for the eating activity. Also, keep in mind the southern areas of the river will actually be starting to have limited or fullblown bedding activity, depending on our "winter" weather.

Lastly will be the best for the cooler months. Specks! which will start bunching up and going into the creeks for the spawning routine Start by working around bridge pilings and deeper water and you'll do well Baits of choice are minnows or Road Runners in size of your choosing.

As the weather gets warmer, look for them to go to the creeks In deep water moving shallow as the temps increase. Other areas are all area lakes and Rodman and Lake George

If you are willing to work at it, you can get a nice amount of good fish So go!

Till next time, keep your line wet and your lure movin'

Richard

Is anybody else as excited as I to be almost done with 2020? It’s definitely been one for the record books. One positive of the year has been a solid bite all year December will be no exception

The water temperatures are in the perfect range for some breathtaking action The biggest problem in December is generally the wind, which we’ve definitely had our fair share of lately The Trout bite will continue to be strong and the sheepshead bite will get better and better throughout the month

Trout will be schooled up on windy points and depth changes on the flats.

The area oyster beds provide the perfect structure to hold trout. Fishing the grassy points at high tide and the oyster beds at low will produce nice trout, as well as Reds and Flounder

The occasional Pompano may get snagged as well Using a popping cork combined with a Fishbites Fight Club shrimp is a deadly way to fish the flats

Topwater is the most exciting way to entice a trout

A Storm Chug Bug is my favorite trout lure Trout will hit a variety of lures and baits so just experiment until a pattern is figured out Every day is different

Sheepshead will hold tight to bridges, oyster beds, dock pilings, jetty rocks, and basically

any other structure that has barnacles growing on it a 1/0 or 2/0 circle or octopus hook with just enough weight to get to the bottom is my preferred set up The amount of weight will depend on the current in that area being fished

Drop a fiddler crab to the bottom as close to the structure as possible. Lift the rod tip every few seconds and if any anomaly is detected, set the hook. A Sheepshead bite is very subtle, often times only detected when the rod tip is raised.

Let’s end 2020 with a bang by making some great memories on the water Good luck and tight lines I’ll see ya out there Will

Lead Guide

St Augustine Paddle Sports 772-475-9469

Niemann

Cole Forster

Fishing Guana Capt. Matt Chipperfield

Winter has arrived on the First Coast When offshore temperatures drop below 68 degrees the majority of our near shore species leave the frigid waters of the coast and begin migrating inland

During winter these fish rely on layers of heat provided by the sun-baked waters of our inland rivers.

The Intracoastal waterway provides a perfect thermal refuge for cold blooded fish and warm blooded mammals alike. Redfish, Flounder, Sheepshead and Trout begin to accumulate in shallower, warmer pockets of inshore water

Their metabolism slows down as the water cools and they become fat and unusually thick This makes for some great fillets on the dinner table One of my favorite fisheries during the winter is sight casting to skinny water Redfish

During low tides exposed oysters and mud banks absorb heat from the sun and provide relief from the harsh winter weather. Large schools of Redfish gather in these backwaters and crawl their way along the shallow bottom.

As the winter progresses the particulate matter in the water lessens due to lack of rain The algae within our inshore waters also begins to die This causes the Intracoastal to become gin clear at times, making for some excellent sight fishing

conditions During the lowest of tides you can often find Reds tailing, backing and pushing their way along the banks

Small shrimp flies and unweighted soft plastics are my favorite presentations to these winter reds The Sheepshead bite is red hot right now These can be difficult fish to target but the rub is worth the reward. They have a very subtle take and are excellent at robbing your hook of its bait. The best way to get them hooked is to use a small fiddler crab or live shrimp on a short shafted jighead or knocker rig with a small, sturdy kale hook

Wait for the bite and gently raise your rod tip to set the hook Exaggerated hooksets will often result in pulling the hook or missing the fish

When looking for these “convicts” find some rocks, pilings or crunchy structure with moving water Bridges and jetties are two favored locations for targeting Sheepshead during the winter Stay warm and stay tight out there!

Capt Matt Chipperfi

Chip’s Coastal Ch chipscoastalcharters@

Surf Fishin' Roy Mattson

Roy Mattson Jr. Hosted the First Annual Surf Fishing Challenge out of Lost Lagoon Wings & Grill at New Smyrna Airport 10/24/2020 It was a Great Turn out with support from a number of area businesses, Plus had 117 Fishing for the biggest Pompano, Whiting and Redfish .

Weigh In was done by The Halifax Sports Fishing Club. The Redfish would not feed at all on Saturday so none were weighed in Pompano has a good story to go with it 13 years old Abram Miller of Brevard County had The biggest fish of all 117 anglers and his Pompano was 1lb 8oz 2nd place was Luke Duley with a Whiting that weighed 1lb 1oz Pompano by adults was won by Joshya Nickerson of Selfer Fl

The only other Pompano to hit the board was Kyle Billsborough 1lb 2oz Lots of Whiting came in and the biggest was Alberto Chariano 1lb.3oz. followed by Larry Finch 1lb 1oz The women's group did well, Shatea Curlett Won with a 1 0 Whiting and 2nd place was Terra Petty 06oz Whiting Roy paid out over $4,000.00 and another $1,000 00 in prize Donations for winners. Roy is also giving $500 00 to the Academic Anglers Kid's Fishing Team.

Roy Mattson is a long life

Volusia County Commercial Fisherman and Bait & Seafood Dealer plus a Surf Fishing Guide www.royssurffishing.com

In February 2021 Roy will

announce the dates for next year's Surf Fishing Challenge

Roy Mattson

Alberto Chariano

Shantea Curlett

Joshua Nickerson

Stan Harrison with Academic Anglers Kids Fishing Team $500.00

Abram Miller

Fishing is hot with a good variety this time of year The fall mullet run should be starting to taper off soon, but it’s 2020 so we’ll see what happens!

I don’t know the last time I’ve seen the shrimp still running in Daytona this late in the year and actually some pretty good size shrimp Some reports have been a 5 gallon limit in just a couple hours with not too much bicatch

Great fishing around the inlet with redfish being the most productive as usual this time of year I like using live 6-8 inch mullet but I’ve also caught them on chunk bait and half and whole blue crabs.

You can mark them pretty good on the fish finder when they’re schooled up and it definitely makes them easier to find when it’s like that There are some slot fish in the mix, but a little tougher to find around the inlet itself

There has been a bunch of

tarpon around the jetties but my opinion it’s tougher to them to bite than when they’re the river.

They have been rolling on surface like crazy, which always a good sign obviou when targeting them Free l those same size 6-8” mullet a be patient Some good s Snook around the jetties too a they love Pinfish and Croakers In the Intracoastal there’s quit variety this time of year Bl Drum around bridges and do using live and dead shrimp well as chunks of blue cr Snook are at the bridges especially at night.

Sheepshead are already show good numbers and I’ve ev seen quite a few really nice o under docks when the water clear enough Flounder showing up just about every and we’ve been getting them mud minnows and rubber j Great all around fishing this ti of year!

Capt Jeff Patterson

Pole Dancer Fishin' Charters

www smallboatbigfish com 386-451-4992

Fishing Crescent Beach

Capt. Adam Morley

Goin’ Deep in the Shallows

As with most things “deep” can be a relative term depending on the anglers preferred area of fishing and region they’re in Since I’m writing about the Matanzas River in Crescent Beach, or more specifically the flats outside the main channel, “deep” isn’t going to mean much more than the deep end of a clubhouse swimming pool

As we start to get more of our winter cold fronts moving through I’ve found the fish seek warmer water - another relative term. This “warmer water” is really just more of a consistent temperature found in the deeper holes that are not as affected by the air temperature.

You’ll want to fish the bottoms of these holes real slow right after a cold front as the fish tend to be a little more lethargic

You’ll have to invest some time in finding these holes and learning to “read” the water and how its flow carves out these deep pockets In creeks it’s a bit easier, the outside of the bend in a creek is going to be the deep side and will often hold fish

The baits I like to use are curlytails on a red jig head just barely twitched along the bottom, the body of the curlytail should match the water.

Meaning darker water gets a darker body color like

“Rootbeer” or “New Penny” and clearer water gets brighter colors like “Pearl White” or “glow”. But when in doubt a “Chartreuse” or “Nuclear Chicken” seem to be the best all around colors If you’re not into artificials you can use the same type of jig head rigged with a live shrimp or mud minnow and catch a boat load of fish too Now for some more complicated advice; depending on the tides when the fronts move through you may still want to target some of the shallow areas as well if the holes aren’t producing

This is because this time of year the fish will be looking for the “warmer” pockets If the front moved through and the day gets warmer with a low tide in the afternoon chances are that the shallow water in the flats will warm up and the fish will leave those deep holes and get back into the skinny to catch some of the sun’s warming rays

So don’t be afraid to move around and try different areas and different baits, that’s what the professionals had to do to get where they are today

You can only learn so much by reading, at some point you’ll need that good old fashioned hands on learning

Adam Morley

904.540.7245

Expires 12/31/20

Capt

Ask Janine what lure she used to catch this Jack next time you’re in the shop

What a great time of the year!

I hope the Holidays have started out well for you and continue through the New Year!

This month Trout will become a go to in Palm Valley Any hard baits such as Mirrolure twitchbaits worked slowly through the water column will get hit by trout of all sizes

I love the 17MR in dark colors

Pitching these at docks and letting them fall as slowly as possible while giving an occasional twitch will drive the Seatrout crazy! If the wind and current are strong and a smaller profile isn’t sinking fast enough then try heavier twitch-baits like the Heavy Dine 18MR.

Other presentations I will use for trout if the twitch bait game isn’t working are a 1/4oz jig head with a Fishbites 4” Butt Kicker in TKO or Knockout colors I have had great results on this combination in the cooler months in Palm Valley

Also, the popping cork will work but try throwing a scented soft plastic shrimp profile below it instead of a live shrimp every so often It will stay on much

better and be more versatile near and in the grass or shelly bottom when it hits these spots.

Black Drum and Sheepshead are also turning on Target these fish in any areas that have old debris or scattered shell along the banks Ideally, I look for a shell covered bottom located close to deeper water You can drift live shrimp on corks through these areas or bounce the bottom using a jig head tipped with shrimp and Fishbites Fish n’ Strips

Once you get into a hot bite, throw just the Fishbites strip out and hold on Fish have been preferring the strips over live shrimp many mornings in the Valley! I have caught just about every species of inshore fish on these strips so it also serves as a versatile presentation for anything else cruising by.

If we get a stretch of cool weather and water temps drop, look for the Reds to school up on shallow flats during mid-day low tides If the weather stays fairly warm, continue targeting them along grass lines and run outs as well as the banks of the ICW during calm wind and low tide conditions when fish can be seen waking Keep Reeling!

Capt Cory Sparks

310charters.com

716-307-7654

Will Coxe landed this Sheepshead on a Fishbites crab strip.

Chip Utsey with a Black Drum out of the Valley.

"Hook it n Cook It"

Jeff Altman

Key Lime Pie

We are always cooking seafood of some kind so this month we are changing it up Its time for desert and nothing is better the Florida's favorite pie Key Lime!

Key lime pie is easy to make and only requires a few ingredients, its creamy texture and sweet and tangy taste leaves you wanting more

Ingredients:

Graham Cracker Crust

2 cups graham crackers crumbs

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1/2 stick butter

you can also buy a pre-made crust

Melt butter and brown sugar then add graham crackers Mix thoroughly then put in pie pan making sure it is even Pack it down with bottom of measuring cup then bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees

Make the filling:

3 tablespoons key lime zest

4 egg yolks

14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup fresh Key Lime juice

In a medium bowl whisk together lime zest and egg yolks the add condensed milk then lime juice let sit 15 minutes to set up

After crust has cooled add lime filling and bake in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes then let cool at least 2-3 hours Then refrigerate 3 hours

Whipped cream

1 1/2 cup heavy cream, the colder the better

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Mix cream with electric mixer till peaks form then add powered sugar a little at a time keep mixing till stiff peaks form

Garnish with lime slices

Tournament Scene

Craig Van Brocklin

Winter Tournaments

Florida Lure Anglers (2 of 3)

1st - Bob Morris/Charlie Dehlinger 9.12

2nd - Phil Zeller/Scott Koons 8.67

3rd Marvin Prier 7.88

4th Jeremy MacDonald/Chad Duncan 7.81

5th W Jeff Nuckols/Jeff Nuckols 7.30

Jacksonville Premier Trout

Big Trout

1st Skip Swain/Justin Paulk 4.35

2nd Spencer Fox/Sawyer Fox 3.63

3rd Matt Davis/Dave Wilcock 3.52

4th Paul Gallup Jr/Dean Oakley 3.21

3 Trout Aggregate

1st Chris Holleman/Lee Clements 7.9

2nd Eddie Cabler 6.92

3rd Kyle Chappell 6.59

4th Brenda Smith/Randy Padgett 5.55

Jr Angler

1st Brook Schroeder 2.03

2nd Gavin Altman 1.45

3rd Brantley Davis 1.1

Smallest Trout

Chad Duncan/Tim Higgenbotham 1.08

Smallest Aggregate

Rusty Layland/Ali Burchfield 3.7

Kayak

1st Sandy Stark 27”

2nd Matt Crews 22.75”

3rd Tim Stouder 22.5”

Jr Kayak Champ Jaden Altman 13”

Smallest Trout Arnold Aton 9 25”

Netti Kayak Challenge (measurement)

Redfish (2 fish)

1st Blake Beltz 46.50

2nd Laura Snell 43.75

3rd Dustin Grigg 39.75

4th Tim Thurman 25.50

5th Joey Sahi 24.25

Flounder

1st Derek Bentley 23

2nd Blake Beltz 22

3rd Travis Goodale 17

4th Tim Thurman 17

5th Travis Hicks 15.5

Trout

1st Zachary Prince 28.25

2nd Ron Lendvey 26

3rd Jim Miller 23.75

4th Jayson Jonos 19 5

5th Juan Landu 19

Mystery Fish

Wesley Nowlen 19

Lady Champion

Nadine Smotherman 20.75

Pink Lure

Dustin Grigg

Redfish Spots

Wendy Henry 7

Dink Slam

Travis Hicks 36 75

Largest Slam

Blake Beltz 56

Junior Champion

Tyson Smotherman 24

Cowford Redfish (Points)

1st Brian Stafford/Colton Staten

132

2nd Trevor Belton/Hunter

Morgan 93

3rd Will Gerrard/Stephen Johnson

89

Top Male Brian Stafford

119

Top Female Taylor McClendon

45.75

Upcoming Tournaments

December 5th FLA Sisters Creek

*12th Eggnog Open Steinhatchee

*Wahoo Classic-

Nov 28th to Jan 3rd, 2021

January 9th FLA Sisters Creek

* Buccaneer Cup Palm Beach

* 30th Sunshine Redfish Jax

Premier Trout Aggregate winners Chris Holleman & Lee Clements

Gavin finished 2nd in the Jacksonville Premier Trout Tournament