June signals the start of the heat here in Northeast Florida, and it also means fast rising water temps in the surf. But don’t lose hope, there are still fish to be caught!
The whiting that were so abundant just a few months ago have now thinned out. Where did they go? Well they actually haven’t left Northeast Florida, they simply moved out to deeper water! With that being said, some large whiting can be caught around the full and new moons The fish come in to lay there eggs and they bring an appetite with them
Use fresh shrimp, clam and live sandfleas to target them Fish runouts and sloughs up near the beach as these fish are splurging on sandfleas and donax clams
Moving on to Pompano, they
really slow down in June as the migration moves north of our area There are still a few that will always be caught but more often than not the little Pompano will get to the bait first.
The standard Pompano rig with your favorite bait cast into a runout or out on the sandbar will give you your best chance to catch one Month of June also sees a lot of Black Drum and Speckled Trout in the surf For the Drum I use a Carolina rig with live shrimp, crab knuckles and sandfleas
Fish the inlets or any type of structure on the beach for your best chance of getting one They eat the same as the Pompano and Whiting, so sometimes a black drum is by-catch! The speckled trout will also be in abundance in the shallow waters along the beach. Early mornings, use top water plugs or lures to target the trout. As the sun comes up, switch over to a float rig and live shrimp. Th fl t i t h b t
anything that swims in the ocean
One word of advice about trout in the surf, when they are there they hit extremely fast
It’s hard to catch something that’s not there! If the winds permit, the float rig tossed in runouts along the beach can produce some really nice fish!
Remember on the speckled trout, 5 per person ams only 1 over 19 inches! The Trout all tend to have a heavier presence around the full moon These are
the basic fish that will be cruising our beaches in June, and if you want to be able to keep up too date on water quality and how rough it is, check my YouTube channel, brokenreel23. We have tips and advice as well as updates from the beach. Another thing, if you have an ocean going kayak, June is the month to try for kingfish and jack crevalle
Continued on Page 9
A
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Editors: Joe Dionne
Danielle Dionne Pacowta
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Jeff Altman
Trina Polkey
Lee Bowman
John Nooney
Brett Burford
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
Capt Matt Chipperfield
June 2021
Fish Kisser of the Month
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Capt.
Charlie Freeman
June, my favorite month of the year for fishing It isn't as hot and humid as the rest of the summer and we have the most daylight of the year But the best part is, fishing will be better Offshore the mahi-mahi, wahoo, smoker kings, and an occasional sailfish will be caught Trolling is the way to go, be it fast trolling plastics or slow trolling the ballyhoo
Closer inshore you will find cobia, kingfish, good bottom fishing at places like FA and other reefs and wrecks Pogies have already been showing up on the beach and will only get better Bottom fishing with cut bait, live bait of any kind will get you fish in the boat
Just remember, red snapper, which will make up the majority of your catch but you cannot keep them.
Surf fishing should be hot with the usual whiting, redfish, maybe Spanish Mack and bluefish, and the return of pompano with the water temperature getting back into their comfort zone
Some of the best baits are fresh dead shrimp, sand fleas and fishbites If you haven't tried using Fishbites, you are missing out on a good thing Jetty fishermen will be finding bull redfish and a possible tarpon We saw one in Egans Creek in midMay that was over 70lbs. Also, sheepshead, seatrout, and flounder will be on the rocks Fishing inshore of the ICW and creeks will find a good number of whiting, slot redfish, sea trout, sheepshead, and flounder Using a float rig with a live shrimp, mud minnow at the mouth of the creeks or around oyster beds or broken bottom
Fish the docks south of the SR200 bridge and around the old shrimp docks downtown and the two paper mills. Fishing the deeper holes using a fish finder rig with cut bait or live finger mullet will work great Fishing the deeper holes of the ICW at places like behind the range marker located where the ICW and St Mary's inlet intersect or directly across from the downtown city marina using both baits like the cut bait / live bait on a bigger rod but also using cut shrimp on a lighter rod will also get you a mixed bag of fish
Just realize the current can move fast so use enough weight to hold the bottom And yes, I knew Rick Hale since 2000 when we had our 43' Hatteras docked at Palm Cove Marina and he had a store open at the site He will be missed by many.
Capt Charlie Freeman
S.E. Georgia
Capt. Bert Deener
The Satilla River should be about right this weekend if you fish from a boat Give it a try if you have been waiting for the right timing There is a lot of fish to be caught with all the high water we’ve had over the last year
Altamaha and Ocmulgee
Rivers – The river came up this week due to rains upcountry It is fishable, but you will probably have a better bite in other places Spend time in the clearer oxbow lakes for the best water. The river level on May 20th at the Abbeville gage on the Ocmulgee was 6.8 feet and falling. The Doctortown gage on the Altamaha was 9.5 feet and rising
Satilla River – Wyatt Crews and a couple of friends fished the Satilla basin over the weekend and caught some giant redbreasts on warmouth craw Satilla Spins
They didn’t catch a bunch, but what they caught were roosters I heard of an angler walking the bank of a Satilla tributary and whacking the redbreasts and stump knockers on Satilla Spins and beetle spins They caught a total of 90 fish in two short trips of just a couple of hours each
The upper river should be right this weekend, as it is warming nicely for the first time this year
You can catch some fish anywhere, but the upper river is going to be tops this weekend. The river level on May 20th at the Waycross gage was 6.4 feet
and falling (72 degrees) The Atkinson gauge was 6 2 feet and falling
St Marys River – Chuck Dean fished the middle river on Monday evening and caught 8 panfish (mostly redbreasts and bluegill) by flinging a popping bug with his fly rod Jack Middleton and his son fished the middle river last weekend and caught a good mess of panfish on crawfish and yellow Satilla Spins and beetle spins They also caught some chain pickerel (jackfish) on customized Johnson Spoons The boat traffic aggravated them, but they still caught fish The next Shady Bream Tournament will be held this Saturday (May 22nd) out of the Trader’s Hill Landing near Folkston. Check out the Shady Bream Tournament trail on Facebook for more information. The river level at the MacClenny gage on May 20th was 2.6 feet and falling. Local Ponds – Chad Lee was back at it Monday evening after being tied up with a home project for a while. He fished late evening and flung buzz baits for bass. His biggest was a 4-pounder that ate a black Capt. Bert’s flat-blade buzz bait. A Waycross angler fished a Brunswick area pond on Saturday midday and did really well He caught 21 bass from 2 to 5 15 pounds during a 6-hour trip He caught the first 10 by working the shoreline with a wacky worm (Junebug) By mid-day, the fish had moved a little bit offshore, and he caught the rest on a 3/8-oz copperfield-colored vibrating jig and a 3 5-inch perch Keitech Easy Shiner His biggest 5 bass weighed 21 4 pounds Several folks reported good bream catches, and that bite should improve with the warming water and upcoming full moon
Okefenokee Swamp – The fishing was good this week Numbers are not huge, but the fish folks caught were really good quality One angler reported catching a good mess of warmouth He ran out of crickets and had to switch to worms Some big bluegills were caught on the east side this week, also The east side is not usually known for its catfishing, but anglers caught some bullhead catfish this week by bottom fishing. The flier bite slowed, but some really big fliers ate yellow sallies. The biggest pickerel I heard of was a goldencolored 23-inches. The bugs still aren’t bad, but the yellow flies will be picking up by the end of the month. The latest water level (Folkston side) was 120 70 feet
Saltwater (GA Coast) – One captain I talked with said that inshore fishing this week was slow. The water looked great, but they're just wasn’t much action. The tripletail reports were off because of the northeast winds all week, but
that should improve after Sunday The winds are forecasted to lay down for late in the weekend For guide trip information, call Capt Greg Hildreth at (912) 6171980 or check out his website (georgiacharterfishing com)
Check with the Jekyll Island Fishing Center (912-6353556) for the latest on the Jekyll Island Pier or St Simons Bait & Tackle (912-634-1888) for the latest on St Simons Pier
Keaton Beach, Florida – Capt Pat McGriff of One More Cast Guide Service (wwwonemorecast net – Phone: 850584-9145) said that their best bite was on Friday in the strong winds On that day they had their limit and released 5 of their 6 fish over 19 inches (several were over 20 inches) They also had a pair of keeper redfish Most of their fish ate live pinfish under Back Bay Thunder Floats in 3 5 to 4 5 feet, but they did manage to get a 23-inch trout to take an Assassin plastic
Continued on Page 9
Capt.
Lee BowmanThe weather is getting hotter and so is the bite You don't want to miss the club meetings we have had some great speakers and seminars over the last couple of months and we have some more great ones lined up.
We enjoyed our few days at the boat show. The weather could have been better but we would still like to thank all of the volunteers who came out and worked the booth We are looking forward to meeting all the new members at the upcoming meetings
We have skills nights planned for some of our meetings which will include cast net throwing, knot tying, rig making, and plenty more so try not to miss it Team Buck Rogers came out last month and gave us some tricks and tips on b-liners, triggers and we also had a skills night where we worked on Mahi and kingfish rigs.
If you have suggestions on what you would like to see, learn, or who you would like to hear speak at a meeting let us know. We would love to have your input 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
June 3rd - this will be our annual Presidents Party Come see all the past JOSFC Club Presidents and hope they will share some of their stories
June17th - Club Meeting
Speaker TBD
June 19 - This will be our Jr Anglers Tournament Back-up days will be June 26th Inshore and Offshore Come out and get the kids involved
Find us on Facebook and check out our website to keep up with upcoming events, schedules, or any changes. www.JaxFish.com
Our meetings are on the first and third Thursday of each month. Due to Covid guidelines, we are currently meeting outdoors. Dress for the weather. We are open to the public so we would love to have you at a meeting even if you are not a member
Capt Lee Bowman
Public Participation
John Nooney
Tight Lines and Screaming Reels Fishermen! How do you really feel?
TRUE or FALSE?
67 counties in the state of Florida In Duval County Jacksonville we have a TRUE Commission
It’s an acronym for Taxation, Revenue, and Utilization of Expenditures. The Commission is established pursuant to Chapter 57, Ordinance Code and charged to act as an advisory body to the city concerning fiscal policy Improve the city’s
long range financial soundness, planning, budgeting, and management to keep the public better informed about important issues related to city financing and budgeting
The TRUE Commission may choose to review any aspect of fiscal policy including Recommendations that will help make Jacksonville the most fairly-taxed and financiallysound city in the nation
Hey! Where are we with 20200559 the 50% vessel registration tax increase for Duval County?
See the October 2020 Fishing Connection.
Continuing to advocate for access for not only Fishermen but everyone to our Waterways not only in Duval County but throughout the state It was recommended to me that I needed to attend a TRUE Commission meeting
So I did attended my first TRUE Commission meeting. Going from the 5/6/2021 AgendaDaniel Henry, Chair; Kesha Chamblin’s, Vice Chair; Mark Merritt, Secretary; other Commission members, Ramon Day, John Roberts, Velma Rounsville, and Bruce Tyson.
During Public Comment I raised
2 Primary concerns The first regarding fishing spots in Jacksonville. And the second being allowed to speak up during the Legislative Process in Duval County. As for the fishing spots see the Feb 2021 FC and 20210075 is the FIND (Florida Inland Navigation District) Project list paid for with Jacksonville’s property tax money The TRUE Commission may choose to review our FIND Projects
TRUE or FALSE
Just asking the question In your County is it easier for you to participate in your Legislative Process In Projects that benefit Anglers?
Tight Lines and Screaming Reels John Nooney
vendo5@yahoo.com
904-434-0839
Continued from Front Page
Follow the pogies and other baitfish The fish many times in the morning are extremely hungry!
If you want to learn more about king fishing from a kayak, let me know and I have a buddy who can definitely help out! With all that being said, don’t forget to check my channel out. With the fishing report out of the way let’s take a short ride out of memory lane. I grew up with a dad who was a commercial fisherman but because I didn’t like waves crashing over the boat so I always stayed landbound
I grew up solely fishing tide pools That was until my best friend who is no longer with us said “you want to come up to the pier” The rest is history as they say Learning to fish from a pier really helped me learn a lot about surf fishing One of the things I stress the most is 90
percent of the fish come from the areas within a couple of hundred yards Of the shore
The same logic applies when solely surf fishing Remember, these fish love the waves churning because it creates a smorgasbord! Always have a rod in close. You really never know when that big fish will tut into baby sharks needing feeding haha. Ok enough of the flat jokes, get out and fish!
Always bring a variety of baits and catch them up I look forward to seeing the catches! I hope everyone has a great month of June!
If you have any questions or comments you can leave them on my YouTube channel and I will get back to you! Until next month, tight lines!!
Spencer BrogdenContinued from Page 4
His charters caught trout limits on Saturday and 9 on Sunday as they had to work harder for their fish those days Capt Pat predicts that the best bite this weekend will be on the early morning rising tide Brentz McGhin and a group of anglers fished out of Keaton Beach over the weekend and they caught a mixed bag of trout and lots of other species. They used plastics and Gulp both under a float and plain on a jighead. Their biggest trout was 20-inches. They caught their fish from 3 feet all the way out to 9 feet
The full Moon is May 26th To monitor all the Georgia river levels, visit the USGS website (waterdata usgs gov/ga/nwis/rt)
For the latest marine forecast, check out wwwweathergov/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.
Capt. Bert Deener
Sonny Lloyd is the President and CEO of Lloyds
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Continued from Page 19 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 www.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 With the New Year everyone needs to have their vessel re-inspected
I continue to remind all that if you are aware of an event that will impact our waterway or if you are a member of a club or organization that is planning an event that will impact our waterway please let us know so we can help you with promoting North Florida is fortunate to have a large number of organizations and individuals that invest hours and hours of volunteer time to make opportunities for our
friends in need with the participation of our gracious anglers and business owners If you send the information to me at jsuber@coj net we will publish 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 Suber
Always check FWC Website for Recent Changes to the above Regulations at MyFWC.com
Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) Report Exotic Species
Sightings: 888-IveGot1 (888-483-4681)
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) consists of 1,947 full-time-equivalent employees, including more than 700 sworn law enforcement officers More than 900 Other Personal Services employees also work for the FWC All personnel work together to protect and manage more than 575 species of wildlife, 200 species of freshwater fish and 500 species of saltwater fish The FWC works to balance the needs of these fish and wildlife species and the habitats that support them with the needs of Florida's nearly 19 million residents and the millions of people who visit the state each year Mission: Managing fish and wildlife resources for their long-term well-being and the benefit of people
Intracoastal Capt. Todd Philcox
June on Jacksonville’s inshore waters will bring in our consistent summer pattern of extreme heat and afternoon storms, set your alarms earlier to take advantage of earlier sunrises and calm morning waters
On those early mornings I’ll focus on fishing flats along the Intracoastal banks around the high tide and the steeper drop offs closer to low tide Redfish, trout, and scattered flounder will be cruising the weed line on early morning higher tides, they will be looking to ambush the mullet schools that arrived in May in full force.
Target those fish with finger mullet, mud minnows or live shrimp on the lightest jig possible, a 1/8-ounce jig will work in shallower water and light wind conditions, chunks of mullet or ladyfish will also produce slot reds, fish these baits on 3/0 circle hooks, use a small sliding egg sinker if needed in areas of stronger current The number of fish species to pursue continues to increase, larger creeks in the Palm Valley area will hold tarpon and some snook along with an increasing population of mangrove snapper and smaller bait stealing species like pinfish, as the summer progresses I tend to fish mud minnows and finger mullet more than shrimp.
If you are intent on fishing live
shrimp over the summer pick up a couple dozen extra as the smaller mangrove snapper, pinfish, and juvenile reds and trout will pick many a hook clean
Tarpon inshore are extremely wary, but I have found large live shrimp, mud minnows or mullet, fished under a cork, or free lined with 5 to 6 feet of fluorocarbon leader to be productive I’ll use a 20 to 40lb test leader and 3/0 to 6/0 circle hook dependent on bait size and the size of the Tarpon targeted Fishing topwater plugs in early mornings throughout the summer is a blast and will elicit aggressive bites from trout, jack crevalle, and an occasional snook
Throughout the summer be more aware of water conditions, weekend boat traffic has been crazy and will continue to make fishing the Intracoastal banks quite uncomfortable, if not outright impossible after 10 am on Saturdays and Sundays, if you are able, try to fish weekdays for more peaceful conditions.
That heavy boat traffic will stir up and muddy inshore waters to the point of being unfishable, find protected waters farther up creeks if possible Be mindful of water temperatures as well, our spring has been on the cool side and water temperatures have remained cooler than normal but they will rise quickly once those 90 degree days start adding up
I’ll seek moderate water temperatures during periods of extreme cold or heat, this summer we will see inshore waters reach 90 degrees some afternoons, some 5-7 degrees warmer than morning water temps If I am fishing afternoons or evenings during the summer, I’ll run closer to the river or jetties where the ocean’s influence will keep water temperatures more consistent I look forward to seeing you on the water, give me a call if I can help get you out fishing!
Capt Todd PhilcoxSalty Charters
(904) 403-8575
Saltychartersjax.com
John
It is with a heavy heart that I write this column this week As much of you know, even if you didn’t know at the beginning of this paper you have realized that Rick Hale passed away at the end of May.
He was so much to so many people, to me he was a friend and just a great guy who was always hanging out at the store, radio show, places around town, and tournaments to chat with
Always no matter the time of year there were two subjects that lit his world on fire and those were his grandson’s baseball and fishing.
I met Rick many years ago and then really got to know him in spirited debate over bait fishing vs artificial in tournaments We went back and forth, of course I had no idea what I was up against him being an owner of a bait shop and him being so well versed and all aspects of the argument being able to do both sides of the equation
Shortly after that, I spent many a day just stopping by his bait shop to shoot the bull Being a veteran myself I really enjoyed competing and having a great time drumming up support and partaking in his Luce Series fishing tournaments which were dedicated to a friend of his who did not make it back from Vietnam
They were always a blast and fun affairs Lastly and the most
fun were the radio shows, it was always “a hoot” and they were always interesting fun affairs from the spirited fun conversation on the air to the downright, well off air episodes as well!
So with that I want to offer my heartfelt condolences and a hearty sincere prayers to Rick’s family and he will be sincerely missed by all to know him now that he has now Gone Fishin' in a better place!
Fishing is heating up here in the St Johns and the tidal flats all along the river as well Finally, you can put away all your subsurface plugs and pull out your dusty rusty top water and give them a whirl
More to come next month on my favorite top water this year Tight lines everyone.
Creeks & Rivers
Chapman
Did you know a pogy can filter up to 7 gallons of water per minute?? As they consume phytoplankton it helps clear the water and gets us ready to catch kingfish and cobia!
Depending on what part of the country you come from they might be called menhaden, bunker, bug-head, or fat-backs. I have read they can reach up to 15 inches long but I have yet to see that with my own two eyes Regardless, they are a great bait to have on board and this is the right time of year to get 'em! As
you cruise along the beach just after sunrise you may start to hear the sweet sound of the pogy's flipping
Sometimes it takes them a minute to get up and get going, but when they do and you get into them good it will sound like a rain shower all around your boat Don't go blasting into the pod now! Just creep up on it. Drop it into neutral and maybe even kill the motor if it is safe to do so and drift into the pod Get your cast net ready for when they start coming back up all around the boat Throw into the sun when you can so they don't see the shadow of the net. Once you have a live well full, (but not overcrowded), rinse off your net and get ready to fish! You can rig them up on a wire for kingfish, put one on a single hook on a pitch rod for cobia, or drop one down for a grouper or a snapper. One of many of God's gifts to fisherman, good luck!
Trina Polkey
Intracoastal Capt. John Eggers
Water temps are climbing making the fish more active in June and with the warming water the bait increases as well Finger mullet shrimp and pogies will be from the surf on the beaches all the way down the St John's river including the ICW and backwater creeks Redfish, trout, flounder, and even some snook will be actively feeding especially early low light periods or late afternoons.
I like throwing topwater lures during this time not only because it's effective but it lets you know how aggressive the fish are. If the fish consistently short strike and miss the lure ill slow down and start using live bait on a popping cork.
The popping cork will get the fish interested and the live bai will make them commit to biting and not just chase Either way, they are both effective and are probably the funniest way to catch fish to me
The big tarpon starts showing around the jetties and on the beach in and around the bait
pods. Some bull reds will be here in the river so target that 35 to the 40-foot range or try fishing the jetties for them. Jacks, bluefish, and Spanish will be feeding on mullet and pogies all over the ICW and the river and will bite just about anything. When the morning bite slows try fishing the ICW or river in 5 to 15 feet just off the flats with live bait.
The fish tend to be more aggressive in the deeper water during the high sun period of the day Good luck
Capt John E
Photo Below Ryan from Atlanta with a Flattie
Photo Right The Repass Family with a nice Redfish
Our Waterways
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
It is time to welcome SUMMER to North Florida! I first would like to pay respect to our friend Rick Hale. Rick was a great friend and advocate of our fisheries on North Florida. His presence will be missed, May Rick Rest Peacefully We continue to see fishing, boating and waterway activities keep up the steam and the activity is strong The water temperatures are warming and continue to maintain seasonal normal The month of May continued to keep our rainfall at a normal range but the wind seemed to give us a little more action than normal With warmer temperatures the Manatees are back in the North Florida waterways With the increase in boating activity it is more important than ever as Waterways Coordinator I remind all to be aware manatees
will be in the shoreline areas and not only in manatee zones We have had a good couple of years showing no boat related fatalities of manatees so with everyone being observant and aware along with wearing a quality pair of polarized sunglasses we can share our waterways with the wildlife. The river salinity has continued to balance out to a more normal level and has maintained the levels. We have seen some great tournaments during May and June will kick off our area Kingfish Tournaments CCA held a trash pick up tournament at Jim King and the event seemed to be well supported We had Three Redfish Tournaments in May with the Jacksonville Marina Association Redfish Roundup Spots Tournament benefiting Safe Harbor Boys Home and Maritime Academy on May 15 Congratulations to A J Hunter on Winning the Redfish Roundup with a healthy 40 spot redfish! With all of the fishing tournaments we will see the celebration of our Nation on the 4th Of July with brand new docks on the downtown North Bank The Jazz Festival will return to the waterfront in October
The Jacksonville Waterways Commission continues to work on speed zone requests The Commission voted to move forward with slow speed zones for Clapboard Creek / Heckscher Drive, Shad Creek and Ft George River from Kingsley Plantation to the Huguenot Park area The lighting project at Lions Club boat ramp is complete and really makes a difference in the park after dark! The trees have been trimmed and we will soon clean the sand off the ramp AGAIN! The ramp improvement at Pottsburg is being placed on the capital improvement request list for a total replacement The parking is
being improved now and soon we will have spots for non trailer vehicles for Kayak users and boating passengers
A contract for the dredge project for Oak Harbor Basin has been awarded and work should be full speed soon The contract has been issued and Pre-construction process is complete. The installation of the new adaptive kayak launch and dock extension for Mandarin Park has also made progress. The contract has been executed and work should begin soon! New dock projects on the south bank area Jackson Street and Post Street continue to work through permits and contracts
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
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
Continued on Page 12
IT’S KINGFISH TIME!!
The Old School Kingfish Shootout is less than 2 weeks away (June 11th& 12th)! The Old School is my favorite tournament of the year
Most folks would say I’m crazy to have a 36ft triple engine boat and love to fish the beach, I’d say you’re probably right, I’m crazy. But there is something I truly love about beach fishing and joy of taking my kids and grandkids on a low-stress fishing adventure. Paul & Lauren Dozier, the great folks that gave us the Wahoo Shootout, last year gave us the Old School Kingfish Shootout
The “Old School” is a different style tournament built to level the playing field to allow my son in his 21ft Skeeter Bay Boat compete against me in my 36ft Contender with Triple 300 motors equally and nullifies my advantage of speed and size because you must fish inside Florida State Waters only and not go beyond the 3-Mile Limit A smart fisherman will prevail regardless the size of their boat or the size of their wallet. No Purchased Live Bait or Bait caught outside of the 3-Mile Limit may be used. First Place is a 2021 Yellowfin 21′ Bay Boat
Yamaha 200 HP 4-Stroke Outboard Engine AmeraTrail
Trailer Valued at $85,000
25 Places Paid, kids and Ladies divisions and every boat that submits a qualifying picture of a Kingfish with the beach in the background with their boat number will automatically be entered into the Kubota Lucky Ticket (Boat Number) Drawing for a Kubota RTV XG 850 valued at over $15,000 This family friendly tournament is for everyone! You can register by picking up a brochure from your favorite bait & tackle establishment or online @ wwwoldschoolkingfish com
Where can you purchase all of your Kingfish tackle and rigging? Strike Zone Fishing Jacksonville is where!
Strike Zone owner Dave Workman Jr has the largest selection of Shimano Reels in Northeast Florida and has a huge selection of Kingfish specific tackle and rigging. Ask for Archie or Dalton to get expert advice on all your Kingfish specific needs.
At HooDoo Sportfishing Charters we specialize in 4 & 6Hour Kingfish charters this time of year! So, if you’re interested in a great time targeting Kingfish, please contact us at HooDoo Sportfishing @ saltwaterchallenge com or call / text 904 859 6314
I’ll say it again and again until we get through this COVID-19 has affected our economy on every level Please support your
local businesses because they are the one’s disproportionality impacted 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
HooDoo Sportfishing Charters www saltwaterchallenge com
June marks the beginning of our summer season With the warming weather, comes more people on the water, both in kayaks and in boats
With the increase in water sports throughout the summer, kayakers need to be especially vigilant Our town is driven by tourism, but with this comes people on the water, unfamiliar with the area.
They may not follow the channel markers or the “No Wake Zones”, never assume you are safe just because you’re out of the channel Keep your eyes and ears open, pay attention, and enjoy your time on the water
Now that my PSA is done, let’s talk fishing The summer flounder have started their migration back into the inlets, ICW, and the surrounding creeks Look for them on ledges, docks, oyster beds and sandbars along the ICW In the creeks, fish the outflows, holes with adjacent sandbars, and along the oyster beds and grasses.
Flounder will be schooled up in these areas, so often when you find one, there are likely more. Another species worth mentioning is the mangrove snapper They will be moving in along with the flounder
These fish are found on any and every piece of structure or hole in the area Snapper provide a steady day of rod bending in
between the flounder, redfish, and trout
Not only are mangrove a ferocious fighter, for their size, they are also delicious. Plenty of snapper will be caught while targeting flounder, as well as reds, and trout.
My preferred method to target flounder is to bounce or drag a Fishbites Fight Club or live bait slowly across the bottom I prefer a 3/16 oz Fishbites Fight Club red jighead Slowly drag across the bottom until you feel a thump At that point, let the fish chew on the bait
Sometimes waiting 5 or 6 seconds before I set the hook For those who prefer live bait, mud minnows and mullet are your best bet If you have a cast net, tiger minnows also work great Shrimp is another option, but shrimp is often picked off by pinfish before the target species can pick it up.
Whatever your preferred method is to find these fish, do it safely. Summer is here and the water is crowded. For the next few months, this will be the norm
Stay aware of your surroundings and enjoy your trips Good luck and tight lines, I’ll see ya out there
Will Niemann
772-475-9469
Lead Guide @ St Augustine Paddle Sports
Capt. Matt Chipperfield
The first factor that I always look at before planning a fishing trip is temperature This will ultimately determine where the fish are, what species of fish are present, and what they are eating
Right now our local waters are heating up This means that it’s migration season. Cobia and manta rays have already pushed through our waters and are continuing to head north toward the Carolinas. We are seeing the first small wave of menhaden arriving from down south and following them up the coast are jack crevalle, kingfish, and most importantly, tarpon
Early summer marks the beginning of an exciting time to be a fisherman on the First Coast, so let’s get to it.
We will start on the beach and work our way offshore Cobia can still be found floating and swimming through the surf or riding manta rays up the coast I like to zig-zag between 20-50 feet of water and scan the surface for free swimming Cobia or manta rays
I usually throw 1 5 to 2 5 ounce skirted jigs in bright colors to target these nearshore fish. If the Cobia is not around grab a cast net, fill your lve well with a load of pogies and head offshore You can troll these baits for kingfish at the wrecks, holes, and structure between 6 to 30 miles off As the water heats up the kingfish will move further inshore and you can troll the
beach for the same fish Keep an eye on the surface while you troll, if you see explosions and bait showers have a bait or topwater plug ready to cast Massive schools of jacks prowl our coast this time of year and will test your tackle They fight like hell and can rip line from the spool
If trolling isn’t your thing and you’d rather do some sight fishing, the tarpon is beginning to filter into our area Tarpon can often be found at the tips of the jetties, under bridges and passes, or more preferably stacked up along the beaches
The best methods to target these world-class gamefish are freelining pogies on large circle hooks, suspending them below float rigs, or dropping them deep with ledger rigs. The method you choose largely depends on where you’re seeing the fish If they are deep, drop the baits down with some lead.
If you are seeing them rolling or busting on the surface keep the baits up with a cork or let them swim on the flat line. The most exciting tarpon fishery is on the beach just outside the surf line If the pogies stack up along our coast you are sure to find some aggressive tarpon feeding among the pods
Capt Matt Chipperfield
Chip's Coastal Charters
Providing anglers & outdoorsmen with the most unique coastal experience in North Florida Choose between a skiff, paddleboard or kayak charter!
ChipsCoastalCharters com
(904) 610-8501
With so many scented baits on the market these days I wanted to take this opportunity to share with you what separates Fishbites from the rest as well as answer some questions on storing Fishbites that I get on a weekly basis
There is only one word that can accurately describe the difference in the Fishbites scent technology versus others and that word is Science!
Contrary to popular belief, there is little in common between what humans smell in the air and what fish detect in the water Most of the other scented baits you will find are scented in a variety of ways from garlic or plastic to mask human odors, to ground-up fishery products like squid, crab, and shrimp or fish oils.
Scented products that smell fishy to us in the air don’t necessarily dissolve in water and become detectable to the fish.
Fishbites flavor/scent technology is vastly different It uses a mixture of natural, water-soluble ingredients that replicate the chemical makeup of feeding stimulants fish use to track prey in the water
More than 30 years of research went into the creation of Fishbites and while our baits might not smell like much to humans, compared to garlic or ground-up fishery products, they certainly smell right to a fish in the water in search of prey Not
only do Fishbites smell like real prey to a fish on the hunt, but when that fish bites our products, it gets a burst of flavor associated with what it tracked Hence the term flavor/scent
If you’re going to store Fishbites for an extended amount of time, refrigeration is the best way to go.
Our products are biodegradable, and the colorant and pliability will break down over time if not handled correctly Fishbites will generally maintain their color and pliability for up to a year at room temperature but if at any time during transit or storage, they’re exposed to excessive heat that timeline can be reduced
With that said, our flavor/scent technology is mixed evenly throughout the entire bait The scent will always be there until the gel is completely gone So even if you lose a little color or they become stiff, if you can get a hook through it, you can still catch fish until there’s nothing left but the mesh!
Brett BurfordFishin' Inshore
Awesome fishing in June of all types! Let’s start with inshore Snook season is closed June July and August but I don’t mind catch and release because we do very well back in the Tomoka River and the basin this time of year
Live finger mullet and select shrimp also work great when you can get them. There’s quite a few Tarpon back in the Tomoka this time of year and I always do best with free-lined mullet I try to get bigger finger mullet for them if I can, 6 to 8 inches Just keep an eye out you’ll see them rolling in the channel back there
The intracoastal holds a variety this time of year including redfish, Snook, tarpon, Seatrout, flounder and others as well
Try the oyster bars for seatrout first thing in the morning
Topwater can be a blast A good fi d fl d i h
the sand every once in a while you’ll find one right on top of it oyster bar. Mud minnows and rubber jigs work great for flounder. Redfish will be all the move up against the shorelines and around docks.
Tarpon will even hang around the bridges near the channel especially early in the morning and in the evening after dark The inlet Will hold both slot redfish and the big bull reds as well and I usually do best with finger mullet or pinfish and if you’re looking for a big bull red try a big chunk bait or a big live blue crab
You’ll see Tarpon of all sizes around the inlet and the jetties as well as off the beach especially around Bait pods. Free lined bigger mullet and pinfish work great. You’ll find sharks, Bonita, big jacks, and even king mackerel on the bait pods off the beach this time of year so it’s good to have a variety of tackle and baits
Sometimes it’s a little tricky for me to figure out which way to go with so many different things going on in June so I like to give my clients some options and see what works best for them Summer is coming along with hot temps and hot fishing!
Capt Jeff Patterson
smallboatbigfish.com
Crescent Beach
Capt. Adam Morley
Pack it in, pack it out.
If you’re heading to the River to Sea Preserve just south of Marineland you might notice the clean unspoiled views, the lack of pungent odors, and a showing of personal responsibility long thought to be gone What I mean by that last part is that people are practicing the common and growing philosophy of pack it in, pack it out thanks to a citizen lead effort to reduce trash around and along our waterways by removing the trash cans from the beach and park (full disclosure: I’m part of the group effort).
While it is a counterintuitive strategy, the reality is that our current waste “management” practices are failing at an alarming rate and costing us financially as well as impacting our quality of life. Your lack of faith in humanity aside, the concept is simple; litterbugs are going to litter regardless of the availability of trash cans
They’re lazy and just can’t be
bothered, “slobs” they’re often called Are you a slob? Didn’t think so
Now that we’ve established that, we can address the issue we actually have control over; our own trash. Trash cans are a significant source of the litter we see at beaches and parks because they’re convenient and wellmeaning individuals who would never intentionally litter use them because it’s what’s been asked of them. Unfortunately most trash/litter these days is made of lightweight plastic and probably contained food
In natural areas such as beaches and parks you’re going to have birds, animals (that are attracted to the odors), and winds that will get into those “convenient” trash cans and spread the litter (you might say “but I bag my trash up” before putting it in the can That’s great, you’re ahead of the game)
This is compounded when the trash cans overflow on busy days and people start placing trash (“bagged” up and otherwise) around the cans because “well someone will be by to pick this up” - while that statement is partly true, it’s not going to happen before that trash starts to spread
And that “someone” isn’t going to conduct a beach cleanup while on their trash collection route. Now you might be thinking “just add more trash cans, with lids, and have them emptied more regularly”, seems logical at first But let’s explore that real quick, more trash cans means more money and studies show that trash cans with lids accumulate more litter around the can because of the “eww factor” of touching/opening public trash
can lid and more regular service means more labor and again that means more money Where does all this money come from? Taxes More trash cans collected more often means more taxes. Period. And now knowing that trash cans aren’t even effective, they stink, are unsightly, are a significant source of litter, and don’t stop litterbugs from littering.. why would we continue to pay, with our taxes, for an ineffective government-run program that only enables the lazy Pack it in, Pack it out (see what I did there?)
Capt Adam Morley
904.540.7245
Palm Valley Capt. Cory Sparks
It’s heating up and that means the mullet are getting thicker in the Valley! Make sure you're bringing your cast net each trip for the remainder of the summer to catch live mullet
These baits will lead to many great catches this month Whether it's live or cut, mullet on a Knocker rig or Carolina rig is a great presentation to throw in funnels, runouts, deep holes, and flats where bait and gamefish are seen.
Even throwing out a mullet head with somebody meat still attached in creek holes will get reds to bite. Anything from redfish to tarpon and big sharks will eat a soaking mullet so be ready!
You can also target fish, especially flounder, with live mullet on ¼ oz jighead Mullet won't live as long on the hook as mud minnows do though, so be sure to change your bait more frequently When covering the bottom for flounder with live mullet, drag the bait painfully slow Many times, you will feel a sudden stop or thump That Flounder has just ambushed and
grabbed the bait, but most likely doesn’t have it completely in its mouth.
Give it time to fully eat before lifting up to feel pressure before setting the hook. Low tide cruising redfish will also smack that live mullet along the banks
I like putting circle hooks on the rigs listed above and leaving out a rod or two
That frisky live mullet making all types of commotion on the bottom will eventually get ate by something big Mud minnows under popping corks also will get redfish and trout to bite
A tactic I use more and more is a circle hook under the cork Many conditions like wind and tide create a ton of slack and sag between the rod tip and the cork and when you see the cork go under, your reaction is to set the hook before reeling all the slack out first.
This will drive you crazy in resulting in missed fish If you use a circle hook with the popping cork, all you need to do is calmly reel until you feel the pressure and the fish hooks itself Then lift the rod and fight the fish accordingly
Throw these corks uptight to grass lines and over-covered oysters and hang on! It’s going to go under! Keep Reeling!
Capt Cory Sparks
310charters.com 716-307-7654.
Hook It n Cook It
Jeff AltmanMojo Fish Bake
I found this great barbecue rub at lowe's it is called Florida Mojo Rub made by Operation Barbecue Relief It is a blend of citrus garlic and cumin It will give a very earthy tone to any food that you use it on. If you have another type of citrus blend you could always add some cumin to it to come up with this great flavor There are several ways that you could cook this dish i cooked it in the oven but could you put it on the grill for some additional flavor This recipe can easily be changed from fish to shrimp or by changing the vegetables to what you like The cumin really goes well with the fish and veggies and the citrus really brings out the flavor of the fish I hope everyone enjoys this quick and easy recipe as much as I did
Ingredients:
4 fish fillets
1/4 cup Mayonnaise
2 tsp Florida Mojo Rub
1 naval orange
1 yellow squash
1 zucchini squash
1lb Asparagus
1 small sweet onion
fresh Parmesan
Place filets on aluminum foil then coat them with mayonnaise add seasoning then add some parmesan cheese Place the vegetables on top of fish add salt and pepper then squeeze some orange juice and top with orange slices and more cheese
Cook in 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes or till fish is flaky.
386-255-2345
Bayliner, Carolina Skiff, Hurricane, Key West, Regal, Sweetwater, and Trophy center console fishing boats We offer Mercury, Suzuki, or Yamaha outboard engines
Tournaments
Craig Van Brocklin (904) 887-0762
Spring Tournaments
Florida Lure Anglers Championship
1st Bob Morris/Chuck Dehlinger 27.40
2nd Phil Zeller/Scott Coons 16 82
3rd Matt Lewis/Nathan Johnson 15 75
Cobia Clash
1st - Fish Story, 78 8 lbs
2nd - NexGen, 68 6 lbs
3rd - Blackfish, 58 5 lbs
4th -Low Down, 50.2 lbs
5th - Shawbanger, 44 8 lbs
Lady Angler 1st Place - Tanya Liebal
Lady Angler 2nd Place - Nicole Nettles
Big WT (whiting)
1st David Steeg 25 5oz
2nd John Wesley 23.4
3rd John Jenkins 22 8
1st Ladies Jennifer Arckst
Jacksonville Elite Redfish Series
1st Frank Risk 13 88 and Big Fish at 7 25
2nd Tom Riley 12 34
3rd Charley Kealey 11 74
4th Alec Pope 11.70
Wednesday Night Tourney
Lions Club
1st Scott O’Brien/Wade Hastings 6 42 lbs
2nd Richard Hulett/Jessica 6 13
3rd Logan Griffith/Kane 4 89
4th Jimmy Pausche/Brenda Pausche 4 66
5th Alec pope/Kieran O’Brien 4.49
Sisters Creek
1st Eddie /Elijah Cabler 9.44
2nd Richard Hulett/ Jessica 9 35
3rd Scott O’Brien/Wade Hastings 7.44
Mike McCue Ramp
1st Cru Cabler and Jimmy 8.43 lbs
2nd Alec Pope and Kieran O'Brien 7 34 lbs
3rd Marvin and David 6 99 lbs
Alec & Kieran big trout - 6 72 lbs
Elite Redfish Champions Team Tour
1st Danny Sheldon/Kyle Craven 13 92
2nd Brad Hoffman/Alec Pope 13.85
3rd Richard Hullet/Jessica Dotson 13 66
4th Justin Ownby/Patrick Marsonek 12.99
5th Brian Clark/Jonathan Lee 12 26
Safe Harbor Boys Home Redfish Spots
1st AJ Hunter 40
2nd Chris Kellem 14
3rd Jim Price 11
4th Jeff Altman 10
5th Ron Lendvay 9
6th Dawson Fietsam 8
7th Clayton Brogdon 8
8th Craig Van Brocklin 8
9th Jacob Stephens 7
10th Frank Risk 7
Ladies
1st Melissa Smith 6
2nd Brittany Allen 5
3rd Emilee Brown 4
Juniors
1st Garrett Hart 8
2nd Cheyanne Greer 6
3rd Omry Hoffman 5
Ancient City Inshore Slam (SAHS)
1st Greg Van Fosson 7 5
2nd Devin Carter 7.5
3rd Micah Drozd 6 35
4th Jess Burchfield 5.95
5th Henry Benoit 3 95
Big Redfish Mark Harvey 2 65
Big Trout Kaysie Nicklo 3 9
Big Flounder Connor Liebal 2 95
Florida Surf Casters
Whiting
1st Wendell Nolan 1.38
2nd Gerry Drolet 1 37
3rd James Ferrell 1 36
4th Trong Le 1 18
5th Allen DeLoach 1 10
6th Adorado Angel 1.07
Pompano
1st Kyle Billslourogh 3 26
2nd Larry Finch 1.26
3rd Evan Lousitano 1 14
Jr Angler
1st Alaiah Brogdon 1 22
2nd Iyla Vaughn 82
Upcoming Tournaments
June
Jim Price - 3rd Place
Safe Harbor Boys Home Redfish Spots
Jacksonville Elite Redfish Series
* 1st Big WT
* 3rd Kingfish Mayhem St Augustine
* 12th Jacksonville Elite Redfish
Championship
* 26th Anglers with Angels Vilano boat/kayak
July
Upcoming Tournaments
June
* 6th Big WT
* 9th – 11th ACGFA Challenge *12th –16th GJKT Kingfish
* 17th GJKT Redfish (boat/kayak)
* 24th Pro Redfish League Fernandina
* 1st Big WT
* 3rd Kingfish Mayhem St. Augustine
* 12th Jacksonville Elite Redfish Championship
* 26th Anglers with Angels Vilano boat/kayak
July
* 6th Big WT
* 9th – 11th ACGFA Challenge *12th – 16th GJKT
Kingfish
* 17th GJKT Redfish (boat/kayak)
* 24th Pro Redfish League Fernandina
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