Kingfish, get ready for the 41st annual Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament where you can win a 25ft contender center console powered by twin 150 Yamahas, Magic Tilt Trailer, custom T-top by Custom Marine, and an electronics box. This 1st place prize for the largest king is valued at over $160,000.
Tournament week begins July
12-17 Tuesday, July 13 is our Jr Angler Offshore Tournament Big kings and little kids is a tuff combination! What fun watching these kids trying to drag their fish to the scales! The Jr Angler Dock Tournament is also held that day here at the docks at Sisters Creek
Thursday, July 15th & Friday, July 16th is the general tournament This is when you need to catch that big one to win
the Contender! But not to worry, there are over 50 other prizes that you can win The total value of cash prizes is over a quartermillion dollars
The tournament format is simple: 10 places for large fish in Single Engine Division; 10 places for Aggregate weight, sponsored by Custom Tree Surgeons, with 1st place $12,000 Don’t forget the Lady Anglers - 10 places for their Division The top 25 Jr Anglers are awarded prizes too.
The Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament is held every year at the Jim King Park at Sisters Creek Always free parking and free admission Come join the fun There will be exhibitors, a food tent, Boatique, and the Liar’s Tent Saturday, the 17th is Awards Day The day starts off with a fishing
The main objective of The Fishing Connection Publication is to provide
clinic for the kids Then we award the juniors those 25 prizes, followed by the rest of the awards And finally! The captain who has the largest king is awarded the top prize, the Contender Then the party starts What are you waiting for? Go to kingfishtournament.com for more information & to enter Until then, practice, practice, practice!
Glenn Morningstar 2021 Tournament Chairmanfrom the top anglers in N.E. Fla and ask you to please support the paying sponsors
A Publication of FBMG Inc.
Fishing & Boating Media Group Inc.
224 20th St N Jacksonville Beach, Fl 32250 904-962-5996
E-Mail: fbmgjax@Gmail com
Publisher:
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Editors:
Joe Dionne
Danielle Dionne Pacowta
This Months Contributing Writers
Jeff Altman
Lee Bowman
John Nooney
Brett Warren
Will Neimann
John Chapman
Capt Jim Suber
Spencer Brogden
Capt Tim Altman
Capt Bert Deener
Capt Cory Sparks
Capt. John Eggers
Capt. Todd Philcox
Craig Van Brocklin
Capt Adam Morley
Capt Jeff Patterson
Capt Charlie Freeman
Fishing Connection is published monthly by the Fishing & Boating Media Group Inc on or before the first Tuesday of each month No material printed herein may be reprinted or sold for distribution without the express written consent of the publisher Thousands of copies are distributed monthly at selected retail outlets and by subscription For advertising information please call Joe Dionne 904-962-5996
July 2021 Fish Kisser of the Month
Congratulations to our Fish Kisser o month, who looks really happy laying a kiss on that fish's slimy lips We have a Annual (12 issues) FISHING CONNECT subscription mailed each month to your h or office ($24.00 Value) for any of you submit your photo to the contest and chosen as the winner. If you are this mo winner please contact Joe Dionne fbmgjax@gmail com with your name phone # to claim your certificate.
Prize must be claimed no later than mid e 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
Your lips MUST CLEARLY 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
Fernandina Beach Mayport Entrance St. Augustine Beach
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Fernandina Beach
By Capt. Charlie FreemanJuly is here and this year people are able to finally travel. It will be hot, muggy, and good chance of afternoon thunderstorms daily. But then again, fishing will be just as hot
This is when a boater fishing out of a moderately small boat can leave the St Mary's inlet, load up on pogies and then fish the beach or one of the close-in reefs for kingfish, cobia, sharks, and an occasional Mahi or tuna while slow trolling. You can also bypass the live bait and troll lures or plastics if you want. Both will get you fish Just be very careful and get back in before the afternoon storm strands you offshore.
Fishing outside of the St Mary's inlet and Nassau
Sound on an outgoing tide will get you action on kingfish and Spanish macks along with the ever-present shark
Bottom fishing on the reefs will for sure get you red snapper, grouper, sea bass, sharks, and jacks Just be sure to put out one or two flat lines as the kingfish and cobia will be roaming around there for sure
Fishing inshore is mostly a sunrise or sunset time for the best action, but that doesn't mean the bite will not happen during the day, but it will be cooler for sure Whiting will be the eating fish most will go after The channel beacon tower where the ICW and St Mary's inlet combine is an
excellent place to start. Small pieces of shrimp on a #4 hook fished on the bottom is how you do it Just realize the sharks, black drum, stingrays, and redfish get confused about who the bait is for and will bite the hook.
If you have small kids, now will be a good time to take them out for a short day as one of them catching a 5 ft shark plus the constant action of the whiting will keep them entertained Now for the serious fishermen and fishing ladies, inshore fishing will get you a good cooler full of flounder, redfish, sea trout, and black drum It will probably require the 'hit and run' approach fishing though Hit a spot, fish it for a short amount of time, if no action, then move to the next spot, even if it's only 20' away till you find the fish Live shrimp or mud minnows are the most commonly used. But a lot of fishermen have now gone to jig / plastic combos will work excellently too.
One of the best areas to fish is in front of both paper mills or the old, fallen-down shrimp docks just north of the downtown marina
This is also a great time of year for flyrodders to get onto the flats at high tide to find schools of redfish and sheepshead to cast to. Pick an early morning or late afternoon to schedule it and enjoy If you are new to the area or just visiting, remember, there are a good number of fishing guides available for anything from fishing the flats to going way offshore you can charter. But most importantly, take a kid fishing with you... They will not forget it I still remember mine, and it was in 1955.
Capt. Charlie FreemanLakes / Ponds / Rivers
By Capt. Bert DeenerAltamaha and Ocmulgee
Rivers - The mullet bite has been the most consistent I’ve heard of Folks caught about all they wanted to clean as it started to fall out and clear up The bluegill bite has been off and on Some folks reported catching a couple of dozen before the recent rise, while others didn’t do well at all. Bass fishing has been solid, with most folks reporting 6 to 12 bass per trip Buzzbaits produce early in the day, and plastics rule once the sun gets up The river level on June 17th at the Abbeville gage on the Ocmulgee was 4 4 feet and falling. The Doctortown gage on the Altamaha was 7 9 feet and rising
Satilla River - Carlton and Mike Paulk had a great trip on Saturday to the lower, tidal river It was the first time they had fished there They bounced from cover to cover flinging Satilla Spins and ended up catching 20 nice, fat bluegills, 2 stump knockers, and warmouth Slaw was their best color of Satilla Spin. Carlton had monster a bluegill on – he estimated the biggest he’s ever had hooked As he got it up to the boat on its side, the fish made a big run, broke his Cherrywood rod, his line, and is still swimming around with a slaw Satilla Spin in its mouth. Hopefully, it was able to get rid of the lure Carlton was sick when the fish got away From what he described, there’s a good chance he would have had the river record bluegill The river level on June 17th at the Waycross
gage was 6 2 feet and rising (84 degrees) The Atkinson gage was 4 4 feet and falling Savannah River - Okefenokee Bass Anglers held a tournament on the tidal Savannah out of Port Wentworth on Saturday, and they caught a bunch of fish They had 20 boats blast off, and all but 2 boats caught 5-fish limits First place was secured by Chad and Kevin with 12.03 pounds Second was 11 32 pounds sacked by the father-son team of Layton and Brooks Richard and Willie came in with 11 05 pounds to secure 3rd place. Big fish of 5.90 pounds was caught by Eddie and Cody The Clyo gage was 7 0 feet and falling on June 17th St. Marys River - Matt Rouse and Travis fished the upper river on Saturday They had some really nice bluegills, warmouth, and small bass on small Rapala minnows Shrimp on the bottom produced some catfish and bowfin for them The upper river is very low and hard to get around, so expect to drag if you fish there Catfish in the tidal area where you can run a larger boat is a great bet All you have to do is put a shrimp or worm on the bottom, and you should be pulling on some whisker fish. Check out the Shady Bream Tournament trail on Facebook for information on upcoming tournaments The river level at the MacClenny gage on June 17th was 2 3 feet and rising.
Local Ponds - Ron Altman, his mom, and a friend caught a half-dozen bass up to 4 pounds from a Brunswick area pond on Tuesday Ron also caught a monster shell cracker on a fly Chad Lee caught quite a few bass this week on buzz baits They weighed 2 to 5 pounds apiece, but he pulled off the biggest of the week He said it was a monster, but he had his drag locked down because of punching plastics and didn’t loosen it when he tied on a buzz bait David Freeman fished Monday afternoon and caught several big bluegills and a bass on a cricket-colored Satilla Spin. Also on Monday, Savannah fished with her grandfather and caught several big blueg Montgomery fished a p caught 8 bluegills and bruiser Satilla Spins befo thunderstorm
Okefenokee Swampbest bite this week M anywhere from 10 to 30 caught limits Some pic fooled with spinners
Yellow flies have been b but bearable in the open level (Folkston side) was Ocmulgee Public F Hawkinsville) – The Sou Bass Fishing club held a on Saturday. They catch, and immediately release
the total length of their top 5 bass to determine a winner. Talk about a great catch, Adam Fournier won with a total of 101 inches Yes, that’s right – he had 3 bass over 20 inches Second place, William Sehr also had 3 bass over 20 inches, but he did not have the other 2 fish to go with them. His total was 65.5 inches. AJ Balbo also had 3 over 20 inches for a total of 64 75 inches You can get more information about fishing with the club on their website (www.segkbf.com)
Saltwater (GA Coast) - Ed Zmarzly caught the first tarpon I’ve heard of being caught in Georgia so far this year on Monday He and buddies were fishing the St Marys Jetties, and he fooled the 100-pounder with a Jetty Jig and Z-Man Swimmer-Z swimbait In addition to the tarpon, the group ended up with a dozen flounder (with almost 19-inches being the biggest), 6 trout (up to 24inches), 1 slot-sized, and 4 oversized redfish, and a few whiting Sea Shads and Swimmer-Z swimbaits rigged on Capt. Bert’s Jigheads, as well as mud minnows rigged on jigheads, produced most of the flatties, while the gator trout ate a live shrimp rigged under a slip float After a long hiatus, Steve and Brenda Hampton fished for flounder off the Jekyll Pier last week and had a great trip. They caught a half-dozen flatfish, and Brenda caught her personal best, a 19-inch 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 (912-634-1888) for the latest on St Simons Pier
Continued on Page 11
J.O.S.F.C.
By Capt. Lee Bowman
July has us all wanting to be on or in the water Summer kingfish tournaments are happening We get a few days of red snapper. The club is ready to fish and the seminars and workshops we have been having are great.
Last month we had an amazing meeting on June 3rd It was the club's 62nd birthday and Club Presidents Day. Not only was the BBQ and Low Country Boil delicious we also enjoyed listening to the stories of some of the past presidents Laughing and sharing the tales of what has brought us all together for the past 62 years. The stories ranged from rods going over the gunnels to boats going off the highway and everything in between June 15th we had Mera Maps out to show us what they have been up to with their old map and cartography reproductions If you weren't there check them out on Facebook or Instagram @meramaps
Watch your emails We have been having members looking for crew to get offshore and fish with them If you aren't getting emails send us a message and check to see if your membership is up to date
Upcoming Events:
July 8th: the meeting will be a Kingfish Workshop
July 22nd: NO Club Meeting
The GJKT is happening and we have many members participating
Monthly Club Tournaments: TBD we will release dates through emails and social media. 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 have relaxed so we are meeting back indoors Feel free to wear a mask we would just to see you there We are open to the public so we would love to have you at a meeting even if you are not a member.
Tight Lines and Screaming Reels Fishermen! How do you really feel?
ADA
Agenda Item 3 at June 9, 2021, Jacksonville Waterways Commission meeting was an ADA status report from Kara Tucker who is the Chief of Disabled Services for the city of Jacksonville.
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) is a law that was enacted by the US Congress in 1990 The ADA also requires
covered employees with Disabilities and imposes accessibility requirements on Public Accommodations
At the May 12, 2021, Jacksonville Waterways Commission meeting during Public Comment Leanna Schwarzrock who is in a wheelchair along with her husband Scott and son gave an in-depth user analysis of existing launches throughout Duval County
A recommendation for a kayak launch to be built at Thomas Creek on the Northside was supported by JWC Member Ray Pringle who continues to be the champion for ADA access to our Waterways in Duval County So it wasn’t a surprise for agenda item 11.
Thomas Park ADA Accessible kayak launch
Brian Burket is the Natural Resource Recreation Specialist for the city of Jacksonville who is doing an awesome job for everyone. Along with Parks Director, Daryl Joseph Brian’s presentation to the Commission on the accessible kayak launch included a proposal from BoardSafe See the September 2017 Fishing Connection.
67 counties in the state of Florida Just asking the question Is your county leading, promoting, and advocating for ADA-accessible launches?
Tight Lines and Screaming Reels
John Nooney
904-434-0839
Jacksonville City Council How it Works!!
The City Council is the legislative body of the City of Jacksonville's consolidated government and is responsible for making the laws that govern our way of life
These 19 Council Members, who are elected to four-year terms and serve as part-time legislators, have almost unlimited power to enact legislation in order to provide for the needs of our community For fair representation throughout the community, the city is divided
into 14 districts of nearly equal population and each of these districts elects a single council member. The other five council members represent the entire community 'at large In May of each year the Council elects a President and Vice President to serve one-year terms beginning the first of July. The President then assigns members to Standing and Special Committees Legislation flows through Standing Committees made up of council members before going to the full Council for a vote All bills are assigned to one or more of the five Standing Committees for recommendations to be made to the full Council These committees meet during the first and third weeks of each month in the Council Chamber in City Hall For additional information, click Legislative Process. The full Council meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 5 p m in the Council Chamber Citizens are encouraged to play an active role in their city government You may obtain a Council Agenda from the Legislative Services Division in City Hall (Suite 430) on the Friday before a meeting. You may speak before the full City Council on any bill up for public hearing or during the public comment section at each Council meeting If you have questions or concerns regarding legislative issues, call your district council member or the Council office at (904) 255-5200, for general matters please contact (904) 630-CITY
Pier n Surf
By Spencer BrogdenHope everyone had a great June of fishing, but now we are on to July and warmer water is on the way!
Water temperatures at the time of this writing are around 80 degrees, but by the end of July, I expect they will be around 84-85 What does this mean for surf fishing?
It means fish early and fish late and during times of overcast weather The speckled trout are up and down the surf as well as a few redfish and flounder
They sit in the shallows early in the morning eating the tons of baby pompano, glass
minnows, and mullet that are showing up To target them, use topwater lures, Vudu shrimp, live shrimp on a float, or live finger mullet on a Carolina rig! There is also black drum around, and I’ve been catching them on sandfleas using a Carolina rig By the way, sandfleas are plentiful and can be found best on the outgoing tide.
The whiting is still around The small whiting outnumber the big whiting 3-1 right now so be patient when fishing to get dinner Fresh shrimp, Sandfleas and fish bites work well this time of year for the whiting.
There are still a few Pompano around but not something that can be expected every trip. If you have a kayak, kings, tarpon and large jacks are cruising the Surfline eating pogies
West wind days are best for this since the surf and swell are usually minimal! Don’t forget to check out our YouTube brokenreel23 to get weekly surf fishing updates! Until next month, tight lines!
Spencer Brogden
Deener - Continued from Page 4
Keaton Beach, Florida Capt Pat McGriff of One More Cast Guide Service wwwonemorecast net 850-584-9145 said that he had 10, 12, and 14 keeper trout on his last few charters this past week. The trout were scattered, and you had to keep moving to find the keepers Water temps have been running in the mid 80’s, and the water is still clearer than he would like for the best bites
Live pinfish fished under Back Bay Thunder Floats accounted for most of their fish However, Assassin’s pink ghost, stinky pink, and electric chicken plastics produced some keepers Sea Shads worked best in the 7 to 10-foot range, while 5-inch shads fooled them better in the 4 to 6-foot range earlier in the day. From what he saw this week, it is better to bounce plastics early and fish live pinfish under Back Bays later in the day
This weekend’s tides are backwards of what he prefers, and he said that scalloping should be a good option this weekend Full Moon is June 24th To monitor all the Georgia river levels, visit the USGS website (waterdata usgs gov/ga/nwis/rt) For the latest marine forecast, check out www.weather.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
Media Day 2020
July in NE Florida offers a lot of fishing options, mornings are generally quite calm, both inshore and nearshore, and the best time to get out to avoid the afternoon thunderstorms My standard protocol is to work the intercoastal and St. Johns river for redfish, but calm summer conditions allow smaller boats like mine the chance to get out in the ocean, cruising the beach for tarpon feeding in the schools of pogies
The Jetties at the mouth of the St Johns river are also a great area to target during calm, hot conditions as water temperatures will be cooler than inshore, bait should be plentiful and finned predators of all sizes and varieties will be cruising the rocks You can fish close to the rocks with jigs, 3/8 ounce, or float rigs and shrimp or finger mullet for reds, both slot size and above slot fish will get into the action. I’ll generally float a stretch of the jetty using my trolling motor to control my drift when traffic is light
Anchoring up at the tips of the jetties and fishing live or cut mullet, pogies or blue crab on heavier tackle will also produce bull reds, sharks and tarpon Put a couple of baits on the bottom using as much weight as needed and free float a couple as well If you are targeting tarpon use 4 to 5 feet of fluorocarbon leader in the 80lb test range and 7/0 to 8/0 circle hooks with larger baits
Throughout July the intercoastal banks will have
redfish, trout and scattered flounder cruising the weed line on early morning higher tides During the summer months my preferred tide is a high outgoing tide at sunrise, I like to start out fishing the weed edges early and later in the tide work the deeper drops along the intercoastal edges Keep on the move and jump around to different spots until you locate a good bite as those fish will be transient during summer months. The flounder bite will start to improve this month in the river along the docks and rocks as well. June fishing was tough but staying on the move and hitting multiple spots each trip tended to produce a few good fish I stick to fishing the ditch and the river during hotter months as water farther up in the creeks is warmer and often quite dirty Work those areas with finger mullet, mud minnows or live shrimp on the lightest jig possible, an 1/8ounce jig will work in shallower water and light wind conditions, also chunks of larger mullet or ladyfish will produce fished on 3/0 to 4/0 circle hooks and a Carolina rig Get out fishing, stay cool and be safe!
Capt Todd Philcox
Salty Charters
(904) 403-8575
Saltychartersjax.com
Creeks & Rivers
By John ChapmanI realized that most of us have had our weekend and turned the page on it for another year but I would like to slow down and take a second to revisit Father’s Day and the contribution my father made on my fishing prowess or lack thereof
Everyone has an opinion! First of all I would like to recognize my father, I am very fortunate to still have him and talk to him daily on the phone for any and all situations that arise He is a little North of Seventy, a Vietnam Vet, Retired Civil Servant, Semi-retired boat mechanic who still works on mine and still enjoys fishing
albeit golf a little more these days I digress as usual, all my fond memories of great fishing and experience with my father contribute to the fisherman I have become.
My first memories of fish and my father are of my mom showing pictures of me as a two-year-old in a small boat and sitting in the live well full of fish happily jostling with bream for space.
Then a few years older in a bass boat sitting on a bream bed in the Tailrace canal and as the tide eases out seeing the activity surrounding the bream bed we were fishing and loudly exclaiming “Look at all those fish”
We were quickly overtaken by everyone in earshot that couldn’t find the bream bed on their own.
A few years later there were many lessons in trying to figure out Bass fishing with a worm and watching for the line to flinch and that little movement that I always missed was the very subtle bite The time he spent trying to explain to me that I am
supposed to aim underneath the Gar fish because of the deflection of the water while Bow fishing in the river.
I still remember when I let that arrow go and missed the 3-foot gar sitting slightly below the surface and my arrow went all the way to the bottom and I reeled in an eaten size unsuspecting cat fish. We all got a chuckle out of that one. There were also times he convinced me to go fishing in the dead of the night, freezing winters of South Carolina to troll 12-inch Rapalas along the edge of the dam in Lake Moultrie for some 20# Stripers (Rock fish). There were even times that we would launch in Bushy Park with the whole family with our twine and chicken legs and snug up against one of the concrete pilings of the Port of Charleston and drop our twine and catch blue crabs all day long
There are way too many memories that we have made together to list without taking up the whole paper These days I try and repay him when
he comes to see me by occasionally putting him on a big trout, a meaty sheepshead, or a tough fighting top water Redfish
By the way the Red fish are absolutely on fire right now in the St Johns and all of the tributaries from the jetties on to the Mathew’s bridge Tightlines and hope everyone
Beautiful day 18 miles offshore mayport.
25lb Red Snapper, with my good friend
Capt. Bill Perkins of Hookercharters
Quick trip into Doctors Lake for a 23" red, perfectly blackened for my salad with pineapple salsa
Rebekah Zehnder
Intracoastal
By Capt. John Eggers
Fishing in the heat of summer can be a challenge sometimes. It seems like it is very similar to bass fishing. Fish tend to bite best at first light and the last hour or so in the evening and slow down during the heat of the day.
I find this pretty true for shallow water patterns but not as much for deep water fishing. Over the years I've experienced fish bite better in deep water as opposed to shallow water fish during the hot months with the exception of the low light times or just after a rainstorm. I like 10 to 25 feet of water on the steep drop-offs of the ICW and
river in the same areas you shallow water fish The temperatures at those depths are not only cooler but do not fluctuate as much creating a more stable environment for the fish as well as the crustaceans and baitfish. Not only that but once you have found them they tend to keep returning to these same areas all summer making it easier to target those species I will use heavier 3/8 or 1/2oz jigs this time of year to get down and I try to fish during the slower parts of the tides with less current making it easier to get down and stay in contact with your bait If you haven't tried deep water jigging your in for a treat You'll catch reds trout flounder mangrove snapper ladyfish blue fish jacks just about every fish that swims this time of year once you have figured it out
Our Waterways
By Capt. Jim Suber *CITY OF JACKSONVILLE WATERWAYS COORDINATOR
*DOCK MASTER
*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
Jsuber@coj net
wwwJaxparks com
wwwCOJ Net
Summer Time is in full swing and the waterways are full of activity and fun The water temperatures are continuing to warm up and the average is now in the low to mid mid 80’s This affects everything from weed beds to algae So far the algae blooms are staying away in the St Johns and tributaries in the south area of the county but observation and monitoring is on top of the concern list The month of June continued to keep our rainfall at a normal range on some parts of the month and a lack of rain was showing on other days. The wind seemed to continue to give us a little more action than normal and off shore has been fishable but bumpy
With warmer temperatures the Manatees continue to arrive in the North Florida waterways. I continue to remind all to be aware manatees and they will be in the shoreline areas and not only in manatee zones The river salinity has continued to balance out to a more normal level and has maintained the levels With west winds the river tides have been on the lower lows so keep an eye on your depth and know your draft
We have seen some great tournaments during June and Kingfish Tournaments so far have seen great participation with the King Fish participating!
The Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament is going back to a full schedule and will be held July 11-17 with Jim King Park and Boat Ramp closing at midnight July 10-11 keeping the ramps open and parking lot usable during the 2021 Redfish Open days The Jr Angler Captains Meeting will be the evening of July 12 with Jr Anglers fishing July 13 both off shore and on the dock. The Captains Meeting for the general tournament will be July 14 with Tournament fishing July 15 and 16 with a 25 ft. Contender powered by twin 150 Yamahas waiting for a new owner! With 10 places for largest fish, 10 places for Aggregate 10 places for single engine and 10 places for Lady Angler anglers, bonus fish and mystery weight fish anglers along with TWT chances have 0ver 35 ways to win!
Considering the Red Snapper days will not be during the tournament week the tournament will move the bonus fish to a SPANISH MACKERAL WITH $1000 00 AWARDED FOR THE LARGEST, $500.00 FOR SECOND LARGEST AND $250 00 FOR THE THIRD LARGEST! ON July 17 the Greater Jacksonville Redfish Tournament will fish with prize structures for largest fish, most spots and kayak division. The tournament will again host the Jacksonville Association for Downs syndrome for a “Down on the Dock Fishing Derby”! July 17 will be an all day festival on the site with a kids fishing seminar, KIDS Zone, Seafood and other foods and refreshments with Awards starting at 4PM
The Mayport Community Center Construction will begin and the Property has become a construction site so this will tighten up the parking options
The Parks and Recreation
Department has opened the park west of the Ferry complex for over flow parking A contract for the dredge project for Oak Harbor Basin has been awarded and work has started When using Oak Harbor Ramp use caution in the area but obstructions and closures are not anticipated The installation of the new adaptive kayak launch and dock extension for Mandarin Park has started and there will be some closures and restrictions when the floating dock extension starts. New dock projects on the south bank area Jackson Street and Post Street continue to work through permits and contracts The Southbank dock additions and the Jackson St dock build has been given the notice to precede so construction barges will show up soon but first the docks will be being built in the shop first so although no direct visible work will be seen work is moving forward. 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, and a new fishing platform at River Road Park in San Marco A request for the 2021 Florida Inland Navigation District Grants were presented by Parks and Recreation on June 18 We should soon see if our requests were awarded. The North Bank Docks downtown is complete and open to the public just in time for the Fourth of July Celebration. Come by boat and have a front row seat! Rafting of vessels will be the rule so bring your lines and fenders sufficient to secure your vessel 1st, 3rd, and 5th vessel rafted require lines to the dock. Docking is allowed for a maximum time of 72 hours and ne open air generators are allowed. As most of you know we have a grounded barge full of coal ash
1 5 miles off shore from Hanna Park The city continues to monitor the progress and we have been in contact with the United States Coast Guard, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Department of Health and the company tasked with the recovery. Several tests of the water, the beaches and the ocean bottom have been conducted and at this time there are no known environmental or health concerns but new tests are expected as the clean up continues. 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 there web site 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 the America’s Boating Club web site at usps org/localusps/Jackson
Continued on Page 22
Offshore Fishin'
By Capt. Tim AltmanThe month of June gave the Hoodoo boat, Triggerfish, Vermillion Snapper, Grouper, Kingfish, Mahi Mahi and gifted us a Marlin Release
Blue Marlin Release Day
June 9th, we took a management team from Formula Boats on a Charter 12-hour trolling trip. The plan was to run all the way to the “Ledge” (Roll Down), deploy the Gemlux Outriggers and troll Rigged Ballyhoo for Mahi Mahi and Blackfin Tuna, but Mother Nature had other plans for us. The seas were sloppy and our plan of heading south was nixed by a stout southern wind stacking the seas up and white capping out of the south So, we went where Mother Nature decided to send us, East North East. It was still a chore getting out as we could only manage 27-30mph for most of the transit. I pulled up short of the ledge at 118ft near the main Elton bottom numbers and deployed the state of the art Gemlux Carbon Fiber outriggers and my right hand/first mate Flynn Jarrett put his best shallow water spread out to include a Cedar Plug on the longline for Tuna, 5 rigged and skirted Ballyhoo for Mahi Mahi, 2 Nomad DTX minnows up tight to the boat for Wahoo, a dredge and a Squid Chain Teaser. I then pointed the Hoodoo eastbound for deeper water with the plan of trolling out to the ledge and playing “connect the dots”
with all my bottom fishing spots along the way On our first pass by some bottom structure we picked up a big Barracuda on a Ballyhoo On the next bottom number, we picked up a nice gaffer size Mahi We picked though the Mahi, Barracuda, Kingfish and missed a Sailfish on the way out to the Ledge Once we arrived at the Ledge, we had 7 Mahi, 2 over 20lbs and a Kingfish in the fish box. At the ledge we spoke to Capt Chris Lettow and he informed me that he had 12 small Mahi on a nice weedline in 500ft It was 1:40 and we needed to have lines out and on the way home by 3:30. Already with a good day in the books I decided to roll the dice and shoot for the moon in the last 1 hour and 50 minutes
released healthy and angry to fight another day!
At 3:28pm on June 9th, 2021 Ron Gephart of Formula Boats released his first ever Blue Marlin as a matter of fact the entire team of Josh, Abe and Ron had caught their first ever Mahi, Kingfish and yes even the nasty Barracuda was a first for them
where!! Strike Zone owner Dave Workman Jr has the largest selection of Shimano Reels in Northeast Florida and has a huge selection of Bluewater specific tackle and rigging Ask for Archie or Dalton to get expert advice on all your Bluewater specific needs At HooDoo Sportfishing Charters we specialize in 4 & 6-Hour Kingfish charters this time of year! So, if you’re interested in a great time targeting Kingfish, please contact us at HooDoo Sportfishing @ wwwsaltwaterchallenge com or call/text 904 859 6314
We reeled them in and headed deep. In now calm seas we found the weedline Capt Chris had mentioned in just under 15 minutes. We put our Mahi spread out and gave it just a short time before we reeled it all in and changed out to our Marlin spread. I bumped the speed up and within 10 minutes we had 2 Marlin in the spread. We missed the first one and hooked the second one 35 minutes later we released a small Blue Marlin When we had it boat side on the release where Flynn and I guesstimated its weight at around 160-190lbs.
On the 82-mile transit home I reflected on the epic day we just had I regretted missing the Sailfish and the other Marlin, but I just couldn't stop smiling and laughing with my good friend, expert fisherman and first mate Flynn Jarrett. We laughed because those guy’s first real saltwater trip was going to be hard to top in the future. It’s always about the memories and they made some good ones As we passed thru the Mayport Jetties flying our Marlin Release Flag we were met by my son Chris on his bay boat where he snapped the picture above. It didn’t start like an epic day, but it ended like one I’ve had many great days on the water, but this was special because it wasn’t for me or Flynn it was for these guys And that’s why I love to take people fishing Where can you purchase all of your Bluewater tackle and rigging? Strike Zone Fishing Jacksonville is
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 Take a kid fishing! Until next month, please stay safe on the water and remember that great things happen when you take a kid fishing
Capt. Tim Altman This Small Blue Marlin was
The cost of the classes to th student will continue to be reduce to an affordable $10.00 thanks to donation from Jacksonville Marin Charities from proceeds from th Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament The next class will b announced on the America’ Boating Club web site a www.usps.org/localusps/Jackson.
The Jacksonville Sail and Powe Squadron, America’s Boating Clu of Northeast Florida and Unite States Coast Guard Auxiliary ar back available for vessel safety checks With the New Yea everyone needs to have their vesse re-inspected
I continue to remind all that if yo are aware of an event that wil impact our waterway or if you ar a member of a club or organization that is planning an event that wil impact our waterway please let u 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 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!!
Capt Jim SuberStep outside, and you’re immediately hit in the face by the Florida heat and humidity, reminding you that summer is here but so are the flounder
The summer months are the best time of year to target these flatfish
They will be found in just about all inshore waters, from creeks to flats, to inlets If the water is moving, there is likely flounder waiting to ambush their prey Flounder mainly sit and wait for bait to be washed over them, but they will chase down baits and lures as well.
When targeting flounder on the flats, outgoing to low tide is my preferred tide to fish. Flounder will be laying in the mud between and along the oyster beds and grass flats where the water is moving swiftly or eddying (swirling)
Slowly bouncing a Fishbites
Fight Club Dirty Boxer or Butt
Kicker through these areas will pull flounder
When you feel a thump, let it sit before setting the hook. Flounder like to chew on the bait before they actually get to the hook. I try to wait 3-5 seconds from the time I feel the initial thump to load the rod (lifting rod tip to feel the fish) and set the hook.
In the area creeks, the flounder will be in the deep pockets on the corners. Position yourself to where you’re casting up tide and slowly bouncing your bait through the hole, back towards you
Often times there is a ledge on one side of a hole and a sandbar on the other The flounder will normally be
along the ledge side Again, using a Fishbites Fight Club is a great option, but if live bait is preferred, a mud minnow on a red Fishbites jighead is a tough treat for a flounder to pass up.
Another flounder killer is the 2 5” paddle tail from Ancient City Outdoors. Their compact size matches many of the baitfish in the area and has proven deadly
This is proving to be a banner flounder year, so get out, explore some new areas, and get that rod bent. Good luck and tight lines I’ll see ya out there
Will Niemann
Lead Guide at St Augustine Paddle Sports 772-475-9469
ve zz es ke p , it is loaded with our signature scent technology but the action that comes with it, makes it a bait all its own.
Many of the species hooked with cast and retrieve lures are going to be reactionary strikes, especially in the stained water in NE Florida Rarely does the targeted species get a good look at the bait unless the water is clear
Having a strong scent or feeding stimulant trailing your artificial lure can make as much of a difference in landing the fish as the way your lure appears in the water
The water-based feeding stimulant impregnated in the Fight Club lures, is constantly releasing scent as water actually moves through the bait while being retrieved. This will leave a consistent scent trail that you will not get with a plastic or rubber lure that’s been coated with an oilbased scent
You can rig the ‘Dirty Boxer’ in several different ways
When using a jig head or rigging it weedless, use the lightest weight possible to deliver your bait to the target
You will want a light bounce across the bottom for Flounder and Redfish and a slow, straight retrieve in the water column for Trout
When fishing dirty or stained
water, rigging the ‘Dirty Boxer’ on spinner baits can be deadly Flounder, Redfish and
Daytona Report
By Capt. Jeff PattersonAll kinds of great fishing in July Hopefully, the wind will eventually chill out for us! It’s been very tough to fish the inlet and the nearshore areas with so much wind. Flounder numbers should only get better over the next month or so and we get some 6 to 10 pounders near the inlet at times.
It’s hard to beat a live mud minnow on the bottom but 3 to 5-inch finger mullet work really well too I’ve even done pretty good on live shrimp but have smaller fish mess with you more at times using shrimp
One thing that’s actually pretty cool is fishing for mangrove snapper around the jetties this time of year We get some very nice ones up to two or 3 pounds and some days we limit out pretty quick I actually do very well with live mud minnows for them, which seems to help stay away from some of the smaller fish They are spawning this time of year so some days you can see a big school of them right behind the boat when the water is clear. We also pick up some decent mutton snapper which is getting more common at the inlet the last couple of years.
The permit can be caught around the jetties and in the inlet which is another one that didn’t use to be as common but you hear about them more now They will eat small blue crabs and live shrimp as well.
Tarpon are around the inlet and down the beach You can run down the beach and look for bait pods that they will
hang around and quite often you will see them rolling at the inlet
When the shrimp boats are around, you can always try behind them when they are culling A good place to find Tarpon, Bonita, sharks, jacks, and sometimes king mackerel. Sometimes you will see the fish swimming around right near the surface around all the baitfish that the shrimp boats have thrown out
Get a mixed bag in the river including redfish and seatrout around docks and oyster bars Tarpon also hangs around bridges this time of year and I do well using free-lined mullet Pompano also hangs around mussel beds in the basin and ICW and you’ll see them jump and skip on their side giving up their location sometimes several of them and I’ve even had a couple jump in the boat
Capt Jeff Patterson
Crescent Beach
By Capt. Adam MorleyAlways weigh-in.
Last month I got to fish with the great Mark Heffley, (Flagler Sportfishing Club’s “Angler of the Year”) in the Club’s Team Tournament. We were Team Litter Gitter since we were fishing from the Matanzas Riverkeeper’s skiff that is used to conduct waterway cleanups
Conditions were near perfect except we struggled to find quality fish The first fish Mark put in the boat was a 19” redfish and watching him fumble through the cast, the allowing of too much slack, and the nervous/anxious hook set (with too much slack in the line) I began to think maybe the Club meant to give him the “Rookie Angler of the Year” award instead of “Angler of the Year” it was probably too long for the plaque, but I digress
At least it was early and only a 19” redfish and not the upper slot we were going to need to place in the tournament
The Tournament was for Redfish, Trout, Flounder,
Whiting, Bluefish, heaviest single pers aggregate limit It w tide all day and we w water along the gra were fishing
Disappointed in the Red we managed we target Flounder unti tide spot turned on F minnows on a jig hea or more Flounder in only 3 were legal Team Litter G struggling, don’t get we were catching fi stingrays, sharks, snapper, Black Drum in addition to the t fish in our cooler B was winding down, o spot failed to pro Mark’s rear was getting jealous of the crap coming out of hi Team Litter Gitter he to the dock at Gen Camp
With more weight i fish, we head to the w Palm Coast There wa crowd for the sm tournament with lo coolers in the weighour small one-han which was much hea needed to be due to the excessive amount of ice the Rookie of the Year insisted we needed. We didn’t get to see all the fish that were weighed in and there wasn’t a leader board being updated so we weighed our fish, the one 19” redfish and 3 average size Flounder and grabbed a plate of food Imagine our surprise when during the awards we are announced as the
FIRST PLACE WINNER for the biggest redfish at 2lb 6oz! Baffled and confused we approach to collect our check halfway expecting the Weighmaster to yell “stop! There’s a mistake!” But it didn’t happen. We won There were bigger redfish caught that day but either the anglers weren’t in the tournament or didn’t think they had a chance Either way, we won because we showed up and weighed in the fish “that didn’t have a chance”
Capt Adam Morley
Palm Valley
By Capt. Cory SparksIt's summertime in North Florida and that means temperatures are hot midday Fish at first light and last light as much as you can get out. Midday fishing can be done but the bite typically slows as the day heats up
Another time of the day that is great to fish is before, and especially after the afternoon thunderstorms.
Typically, the weather is calm and quiet before and after theses blow through There is usually no one on the water and you can just about have the Valley to yourself! Obviously exercise caution and don’t be on the water during these storms though Learn to watch and read the radar to know when it is safe to go versus when those storms are going to continue firing off and it may be best to pick another day
Redfish have continued staying schooled up and you just can’t beat a calm wind and low tide morning
When conditions don’t allow you to see these fish, target banks with structure such as oyster bars or scattered shell bottom Give 10 or so minutes to work an area before moving on If you're using the trolling motor, pay close attention to reading the water as you ease
down a bank. Mullet will continue to pass you, but then all of a sudden, a slightly deeper wake or different look to the water movement on the surface will signal something bigger is in the area
These can be visible with a keen eye, even when the water isn’t “glass” Most likely when you see this sign, it means you bumped some redfish. Try to watch where they are going and how fast they are moving and ease away from them Then plan to get in front of them up the bank where you're predicting they will pass by. This takes practice and patience
Some days your setup can be perfect and they will still swim right by Don’t get discouraged and stay persistent When you learn to ambush them and they cooperate and chew it is unbelievably exciting and rewarding!
There are a ton of big sharks, tarpon and even some triple tail in Palm Valley right now! Don’t forget to soak a live mullet, croaker, pinfish or any cut bait to see what critter is grazing nearby. A bigger rod out of the boat with a big bait on it will be your best catch on many days It is just too easy of a meal for fish to swim by without picking it up!
Keep Reeling,
Capt Cory Sparks
310charters com 716-307-7654
Hook It n Cook It
By Jeff AltmanBaked Buttery Lemon Fish
Summer is here and so are the fish. there is plenty of table fare swimming around in the creeks and river just waiting to be caught. If you are like me you want to enjoy your bounty from the sea. Here's a great way to feed the family with a great meal.
Ingredients:
1 1/2- 2lbs - whole fif or fillets
4tbsp - Butter
1/4c - Heavy cream
2 cloves - Garlic minced
1tbsp - Dijon Mustard
2tbsp - Lemon Juice
2tbsp - Onion fine chopped
2tbsp - Basil chopped
salt and pepper
1/2 c - Tomatoes or Cherry Tomatoes
Pre heat oven to 400ﾟ .
In a microwave safe bowl mix butter, cream, garlic, Dejon mustard and lemon juice heat in microwave for 1 minute until smooth add salt and pepper then stir. sprinkle chopped onions and tomatoes over fish then pour sauce on top then add chopped basil Bake for 2025 minutes until fish is done Goes great with rice dishes. I hope everyone enjoys this dish until next month tight lines!
386-255-2345
Bayliner, Carolina Skiff, Hurricane, Key West, Regal, Sweetwater, and Trophy center console fishing boats We offer Mercury, Suzuki, or Yamaha outboard enginesTournament Board
By Craig Van Brocklin (904) 887-0762Summer Tournaments
Big WT (whiting)
1st Dave Johnston 26 5oz
2nd Randy Hjelm 22 7oz
3rd Larry Finch 22 3oz
Lady angler - Taylor Chenoweth
Jacksonville Elite Redfish Series
Championship
1st Scott O’Brien
2nd Alec Pope
3rd Danny Waters
Angler of the Year Frank Risk
Wednesday Night Tourney
Lions Club
1st David /Kyle 11
2nd Alec Pope/Kieran O’Brien
3rd Paul Gallup Jr
Brenda Smith 5 5 Trout
Sisters Creek
1st Alec Pope/Justin 8 89
2nd Cru Cabler/Jimmy 8 81
3rd Chase/Danny 3 53
Mike McCue Ramp
1st Matt Pollard/Bryce Reyes 8 52
2nd Paul Gallup Jr/Jake Stevens 2 82
3rd Brett/Leddy 2 49
Northeast Florida Ultimate Cobia
1st Finnikki, Luis De Souza
2nd Beale Marine & Casualty
King of the Beach Mike Valenti
Largest Fish Mike Valenti
Largest Aggregate Roger Beale
Old School Kingfish
1st Reel Breeze 38 31
2nd Reel McCoy 37.61
3rd Ruff’n It 37 19
4th Bam Bam 35 75
5th Turn 3 35 52
Lady Angler
1st Jennie Dean 31 44
2nd Barbara Hornsby 27 03
3rd Reel Gies 25 13
4th Amy Ward 20 17
5th Sailor Yunick 20 12
Junior
1st Logan Murrer 34 37
2nd Matthew Strickland 29 84
3rd Anderson McCurdy 27 6
4th Grady Sequi 21 79
5th Drew Holmquist 20 68
Kingfish Mayhem
Pro
1st Time Served 46 20
2nd Deja II 37.85
3rd Ocean Roulette 37 60
4th Set 4 Life 36.40
5th Flossy 35 65
Open
1st Rock Bottom 48 20
2nd Knot Without Me 45 65
3rd How Ya Reelin 38 90
4th High Premium 35 10
5th Deja II 32 90
North Florida Inshore Slayers (3 Redfish)
Kayak
1st Craig Van Brocklin 81”
2nd Corey Sanchez 79 5
3rd George Brown 79 5
Boat
1st Travis Wilson 80 9/16”
2nd Matt Davis 78 9/16
3rd Derek Jolly 76 7/8
Upcoming Tournaments
July
* 6th Big WT
* 9th – 11th ACGFA Challenge
* 10th Palms Snapper Slapper
* 12th – 16th GJKT Kingfish
* 17th GJKT Redfish (boat/kayak)
* 24th Pro Redfish League Fernandina
August
* 4th Big WT
* 7th Kids Kingfish Derby
* 14th King of the Beach
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