Fishing Connection Online March 2021

"Our Waterways"

Capt. Jim Suber

Waterways Coordinator

Dock

Master

City of Jacksonville

Division of Natural and Marine Resources

Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services

1410 Gator Bowl Blvd Jacksonville, Florida 32202

(904)630-0839 office

(904)509-0588 cell

(904)355-4857 fax

jsuber@coj net

in Pennsylvania says I am hoping spring is about to return. The river salinity has mostly been from the normal to somewhat light range depending on the rainfall days we have experienced over the last month

Waterway activities have been slow but the fishing has been steady We will start seeing tournaments kick in now and a couple of boat parades are scheduled The Jacksonville Sail and Power Squadron will host the Blessing of The Fleet at the Lone Sailor on the Southbank on March 28 at 2:00 pm

This is just east of the Main Street Bridge on the Southbank of downtown Jacksonville The vessels will stage outside the channel at Metropolitan Park Marina area at 1:30 pm This event is a great positive way to get the spring and summer boating and fishing season started in a positive way

The Jacksonville Waterways Commission is working on several issues and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission via the State Legislature

development world. The access to our waterways all around the county is full speed and your input is always a good thing! The new floating dock replacement and bulkhead replacement on the north bank is now going in and should be complete by summer We have received the design for the new lighting at Lions Club and installation should start in March or April We do not expect any ramp closures during this project but if it is needed it will be short term

The design correction at Half Moon Island Ramp is complete and positive reports are coming in from the users

Winter has shown her stuff in North Florida but we have not seen the bad stuff like the rest of the country. The waters have worked down to the mid-’50s and I don’t care what that rodent

will be considering several issues and state laws that may affect you as a waterfront property owner or waterway user. Stay informed and let your representative and local Council Members aware of your concerns or approval. Speed Zones, Fish limits, anchoring zones, and funding for waterfront improvements are on the table and continue to move forward The City of Jacksonville has several new public dock opportunities planned and the downtown waterfront is at the top of the

A contract for the dredge project for Oak Harbor Basin has been awarded and work should be full speed this month. Getting this contract signed out and a notice to proceed has been somewhat slow We have a failure of the ramp at the Pottsburg / Beach Blvd Boat Ramp

Our contractors and engineers have delivered the evaluation report and a quote to repair has been submitted for an immediate solution to get the ramp usable again for all boats A larger replacement and site rebuild plan is being developed The issues develop due to a drainage overload For the time being the ramp will stay usable for hand launch only until work begins

Continued on Page 19

HALF MOON ISLAND REVENTMENT REPAIR

HALF MOON ISLAND RAMP AJUSTMENT

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Trina Polkey

Lee Bowman

John Nooney

Roy Mattson

Will Neimann

John Chapman

Capt Jim Suber

Spencer Brogden

Capt Tim Altman

Richard Hamilton

Capt Bert Deener

Capt Cory Sparks

Capt John Eggers

Capt Todd Philcox

Craig Van Brocklin

Capt Adam Morley

Capt Jeff Patterson

Capt Charlie Freeman

Capt Matt Chipperfield

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904-242-BUGS

March means one thing in Fernandina Beach, Black drum And just the small ones We're talking BIG BLACK DRUM, Up to 100lbs People here will not give a 40lb one a second look Yes, there is plenty of other good fishing, as always but this is the month a lot of fishermen (and fisherwomen) live for

The bait of choice is hands down blue crab Put your crab trap out or hope to find them at the local bait shops but have plenty of them. Most anglers will cut them in half and some take off the top shell, some don't.. Those that do claim the hookup ratio is much higher while the others claim to leave the top shell on keeps the pinfish from eating all the meat Can't find blue crabs? You can use cut bait, live pinfish, and of course clams, oysters, shrimp, and squid A lot of fishermen will steal their wife's nylon stockings, cut them in squares, fill them with some combo of them, and sew it up so it stays on the hook

Another difference is the type of hook to use, Some like circle hooks, others use Kahle hooks

Just make sure you use big, strong ones.

Fishing the tip of the St Mary's south jetty is a proven spot as is the ridge located about a mile off Main beach. Don't know where the ridge is at? just look for all the boats anchored up and you found the spot

There will be a black drum

tournament this year. Capt Meeting is March 12th at ChemCell, 2951 Riverside Dr, Fernandina Beach with fishing starting at the end of the meeting and running thru April 18th with a 100% payout You can check the Facebook page or call Robert Haddock at 904-753-0891 for more information

The best time is the evening of the full moon but it will stay strong for several weeks anyway Plus you have the added bonus of bull redfish hitting in the same spots

Inshore you will also find schools of smaller black drum in the ICW and deeper creeks We live on our Hatteras on Egans Creek and it's not unusual to 'hear' schools of black drum passing by... You can actually hear them grunting. Most of the ones I catch off the aft deck will run 5-15lbs, which is fine to me as that's the size I prefer to eat anyway

Surf fishing for smaller black drum, Redfish, occasional schools of Spanish macks, and bluefish will be found but whiting will be your best bet Inshore the flounder, Seatrout, and Sheepshead will be found in schools but slow and steady is the way to fish for them in most cases Jigged shrimp and jigged mud minnows should be fished as slow as possible Fishfinder rigs also work, cast them out, let sit, then take one turn on the reel and let it sit again for a while.

Offshore you will find Wahoo, Blackfin Tuna trolling and bottom fishing on the wrecks and reefs will put a bend in your rods

New to the area? There are plenty of fishing guides here on the island you can charter for any type of fishing you want to do Now get out on the water

Capt Charlie Freeman

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

75lb black drum weighed in at Atlantic Seafood. One of the two weigh in locations for the black drum tournament

Fishin' S.E. Georgia

Capt. Bert Deener

The weather was awful this week, but the few folks who went still caught fish well, especially in ponds and lakes

Most rivers are still in their wintertime high and cold stage Some areas are still flooded out into the floodplain, but other stretches are back within the banks

I will let you know when I hear good reports from rivers, but let it suffice to say that your time in the winter will usually be best spent on lakes, ponds, and saltwater In general, crappie fishing and catfishing for white catfish in the lower portions of our rivers are your best options in the winter.

You can usually find crappie in slack water areas of the main river or in oxbow lakes During warm spells, specks will pull up to shoreline cover, but you will catch them best when it’s cold by drifting or trolling the openwater areas with curly-tailed grubs (Assassin 2-inch Curly Shads and Keitech 2-inch swimbaits are my favorites) or live minnows

Bass fishing in rivers can be decent during warming trends if you know where they lurk in the winter (oxbows are usually good places to start searching)

You can try the rivers if you would like, but they are not easy systems to fish in the winter. I will get back to specific river reports when they get right in the spring, but I will focus attention

on the prime flat water bites for the next couple of months

Local Ponds Wyatt Crews pitched a Fish Food Fly to the bream in his pond and caught a halfdozen hand-sized bluegills on Friday Also on Friday, Chad Lee fished an Alma area pond and caught a giant bluegill that inhaled an albino Assassin Tiny Shad fished on a jighead with gold sickle hooks

Todd Kennedy fished a Brunswick area pond on Monday and caught 40 bass between 2 and 4 pounds in just 3 hours of fishing The key was to catch the bite just ahead of the thunderstorms ZOOM Flukes were the ticket for him Crappie fishing around Waycross was good during stable weather but slowed after the fronts this week. On Thursday, Mike Czaplinski and Dave Maiorano fished with a friend at a Brunswick area lake and landed 23 bass between 2 and 5 pounds, and several channel catfish.

They caught one bass on a vibrating jig and a few on a Capt Bert’s Satilla Spin Magnum spinnerbait (blue glimmer shad), but the rest were on Keitech Mad Wag Worms (Texasrigged with 3/16 to 1/4-oz weights)

Their best worm colors were black-blue flake and midnight blue An angler fished a Brunswick pond on Thursday evening for 2 hours and caught 43 channel catfish up to 3 pounds on cut bluegill threaded on a Catfish Catcher Jighead and fished on the bottom

Okefenokee Swamp Staff from Okefenokee Adventures said that a few folks got out in the swamp between the rains this week and a few fliers bit for them This coming week’s weather forecast is exactly what is needed to spur the bite The flier fishing should be off the chain this coming week

Yellow and pink sallies fished under small balsa floats should fool them well if they bite what has been working well over the last month. You may be able to fool a chain pickerel (jackfish) with an in-line spinner or minnow plug on a warm afternoon. The latest water level

was 121 0 feet

Dodge County Public Fishing Area: (near Eastman)

Bass and crappie fishing have been great over the last couple of weeks, but the cold, rainy, windy weather reduced the effort this week The bite will really pick up this coming week with the forecasted warming trend

Ocmulgee Public Fishing Area (near Hawkinsville)

Andrew Laney fished Wednesday and was targeting crappie with jigs tipped with minnows He caught and released 15 slabs up to 2 pounds, but he also caught 3 big bass up to 9 pounds with the minuscule rig That’s a hoot to hook a big bass on light tackle! If you want to catch a trophy bass, this is a great place to fish Remember, bass are catch-and-release only at the area

Saltwater (GA Coast) Between the wind, rain, fog (and there were LOTS of it this week), and cold fronts, I did not get any reports from the brine this week

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

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

Continued on Page 6

Fernandina Beach - March 2021

Continued from Page 4

St. John’s River (Astor, Florida) / Crescent Lake- Ed Zmarzly fished St Johns in the Jacksonville area on Saturday and fooled several bass on topwater prop baits His biggest was 6 pounds, but he pulled off a couple of other big fish.

Several anglers around him caught some crappie, as well. Jim Hickox made a day-trip south to Crescent Lake on Tuesday and caught 36 crappies. The bite wasn’t as good as it was the week before, but they still caught some nice fish.

Their best baits were Jiffy Jigs and opening night straight-tailed plastics rigged on Capt Bert’s jigheads On Thursday, Ed Zmarzly returned to a tributary of St Johns and landed 11 bass up to 4 pounds His fish ate Senko worms fished around docks and vegetation

He pulled of a big fish on a hollow-body frog He also caught and released a pair of 11-inch crappie on curly-tail grubs For the latest fishing information or to reserve a room or cabin in Astor, you can call Kerry at South Moon Fish Camp 386-749-2383 On Crescent Lake, you can contact Bull Creek Fish Camp at 386 437-1991 for the latest information

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 Shoe), use the CAPTBERT20 discount code at checkout on their website skuzeshoes com

C B D

Wyatt Crews of Waycross caught this 42-inch redfish while fishing with a white Capt Bert's bucktail jig at the St Marys Jetties

Capt. Bert Deener

Public Participation

John Nooney

Tight Lines and Screaming Reels.

Fishermen! How do you really feel?

Where’s the Fence?

Just asking the question Are the Navigable Waterways in your county being shut down to Fishermen?

In Duval county a recent Facebook post about a fence that has been there for years blocking a Navigable Waterway from a tidal creek to a private pond has garnered attention throughout

the county

In full disclosure. I reside in Duval County and actually live on Pottsburg Creek. This column is not about the recent collapse and shutdown of the Pottsburg Creek boat ramp at 8505 Beach Boulevard Or the FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency demolition of homes on Waterways after natural disasters reverting back to nature.

No it’s about an issue that I can kayak to from my backyard.

I’m familiar with the fence and it’s been years since I’ve kayaked to that part of the Creek

The initial response back was that the property was deemed private property and therefore not sovereign submerged lands that would then have jurisdiction to prohibit the fencing

Sovereignty submerged lands include but are not limited to tidal lands, islands, sandbars, shallow banks, and lands waterward of the ordinary or mean high water line, beneath navigable fresh water or beneath tidally influenced waters

The state of Florida acquired title to Sovereignty Submerged lands on March 3, 1845 by virtue of statehood Sovereignty Submerged lands include all Submerged lands include all Submerged lands Title to which is held by the Board of Trustees (Governor and Cabinet) of the internal Improvement Trust Fund

The collaborative effort that is looking into this issue is Jim Maher, with FDEP Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Northeast District; Melissa Long, Chief, Environmental Quality Division City of Jacksonville/ Neighborhoods Department; Susan Grandin, OGC, Office of General Counsel with the City of Jacksonville; Pete Goody, JSO Jacksonville Sheriffs Office /Marine Unit; and our newly elected District 4 Jacksonville city councilman Kevin Carrico.

At this writing the resolution to the issue is still being reviewed. Tight Lines and Screaming Reels Where

Pottsburg Creek

Top 9 Tips For Bass Fishing In The Spring

By Steven Pease

I see the new lures, and the advertising for new equipment, and I need to get some

Looking at all the new lures and fishing equipment, I have to get it Even though I have several things purchased last year I have never used yet. If you are a Bass fisherman, you know exactly what I mean.

Early season Bassin can be the best time of the year to catch big bass. They have eaten little through the winter because cold water slows their metabolism and now that the water is warming; they are getting hungry and ready to eat

The biggest Bass I have caught was on an opening day of the season, in about 6 feet of water, near flooded timber

I was using an original black and gold Rapala twitching it on the surface near the trees I cast

it and let it sit near a tree. I saw the wake coming through the water from about 10 feet away. She hit with so much force her entire body came out of the water Six pounds 4 ounces It was awesome

Getting ready to spawn.

1. Many baits work well in the early season because most of the Bass will stay in the shallows for most of the day where the water is warmer.

The fish are looking for a place to lay eggs, or have laid eggs and are protecting them Even after the spawn, when they are protecting the fry, they will be close to their chosen bed

They can be aggressive, or they may not move even if you hit them with the lure, I have seen both reactions

It can be very frustrating when you see the fish and put the lure in front of their face, and they don't move

2. The warmest water will be at the north end of the lake in the spring

The sun is still low in the sky to the south, so the north end will get sun much longer during the day. The sun hitting the lake can warm the temp of the water 5 degrees or more in one day.

The bass will go to the shallower warmer water because there is more activity from small fish, crayfish and other food sources Dark bottom areas on the North end of the lake will warm the fastest, because the black bottom holds the heat better than light colored sandy bottoms

Where to fish.

3 Do not pass by the sandy bottom flats though

There is a lake I regularly fish, that I love to get there before the sun comes up There is an area on the North-east side of the lake, about 10 acres of sand flat,

about 3 to 6 ft deep. I can't even count the number of bass that I have caught in this area, fan casting a medium diving crankbait and bouncing it along the sandy bottom The bass love to cruise the sand flats at sunrise, and they are aggressive, and love to bite

4. Keep quiet When you are fishing in shallow water, the noise you make travels a long way through the water, and is amplified considerably over what you hear I have a great radio with a cd player in my boat, I never have it on when I'm fishing Can you imagine what that sounds like to the fish

I recommend you even shut off your motor before you get to your spot and use the trolling motor to get close I think it's even better if you set the trolling

Continued on Page 11.

Continued from Page 9

motor on a very low speed and leave it going while in the shallows, so it makes a low constant sound If you have it on a high speed and you keep hitting it on and off, it can also spook the fish Set things down quietly and move around as little as you can when you're actually in the shallows, especially if you are in an aluminum boat. Just think about any noise you make is amplified through your hull and through the water

Structure

5. When you're in the shallows, look for any structure you can see A weed line forming, any trees in the water, any boat lifts, rocks, etc Never pass a dock without fishing it from the front to the shore. If you have ever fished from a dock, you know that small sunfish and crappies and other small fish like to hang out around docks. What do bass like to eat?

Smaller fish The Bass know that the food will be there, so they go there to eat

Any weeds like reeds that stick above the water and grow on the sand flats can be unbelievable at the right time There is a lake that my brother and I have fished extensively. There is a reed bed in about 5 feet of water on a sand flat that we had fished before and caught fish

don't spook the fish If you're fishing on a sand flat, you can switch to a rod with a lighter line, because you don't have to worry about the fish getting hung up in weeds The lighter line will let you cast farther and use the smaller baits if you need to.

7. Wear polarized sunglasses It will amaze you at how much better you can see through the glare on the surface of the water and see the fish if the water is relatively clear Seeing fish always gets you excited I have never tried one of the underwater cameras, but that is why they have gotten popular It motivates you if you see the fish The cameras look cool, but I think I would spend more time watching the screen than fishing, so it wouldn't help me catch more fish

Use your full arsenal.

Morgan Metals & Designs Inc.

Dan Morgan, Owner 6541 Powers Avenue #11

Rick Hale

One day in a light rain in early June, we went to this reed bed and over the course of the next 5 hours caught over 80 Bass in the 2 to 4 pound range, not huge but nice size and fun to catch in Minnesota We caught them all on bright purple weightless Texas rigged plastic worms. It was the most phenomenal single fishing experience I have ever had We finally quit because we were tired of catching fish. We have caught many more Bass from those reed beds, but never anything like that day

Longer casts

6. Cast longer When in shallow water, and especially if it is clear, you want to cast longer so you

8 Try all your lures Sometimes any lure will work in the spring Start with the lures that can cover the most water the fastest. If you're fishing a sand flat that is open, start with a crankbait If you're fishing a weedline or other structure and the water is choppy, start with a spinnerbait or a chatterbait If you get out when the sun is coming up, definitely try a topwater that you can cast near cover and entice them to bite If the faster fishing lures aren't working, switch to jigs and or worms Every obvious structure.

I start with a spinnerbait and then go to a tube jig or plastic worm before moving on If you find a lure, that's working, use it until it isn't The fish can change what they want several times during the same day, so don't get hung up on one lure. Try different lures and you will catch Bass

9. Go to smaller lures If you just can't find anything that is working. Go to a smaller bait and something that can be fished slower A smaller crappie size spinnerbait or smaller tube jig, or 4 inch plastic worms may just be the ticket for finicky Bedding or post spawn Bass

Good Luck, Have Fun!!

Hopefully, the rain from February won't follow us into March, and salinity levels will get back to normal.

Rising water temps will have the reds fired up and aggressively feeding in shallow water and in the creeks. They will still be schooled up and should be ready to feed on live shrimp and cracked blue crab The warming shallow mudflats will be holding reds on the incoming and high tides and the creeks will have good numbers on the outgoing to low Look for the spotted sea trout to h h i l d i

especially the last of the incoming White or chartreuse Fishbites paddle and curly tails rigged on 3/8oz jig heads will do the trick Sheepshead and mostly oversized reds will be biting on both sides of the big jetties especially if you can find fiddler crabs for bait

Sand fleas will be a great alternative choice for both as well The bluefish will be arriving in big schools so make sure you bring lots of bait or soft plastics with you if trout fishing. You can also troll or cast Clark spoons in the waterway and river all the way to the jetties for lots of bluefish action good luck!

Capt. John Eggers

March is here and you know what that means The El Cheapo Sheepshead Tournament is finally here Rob Darner deserves a huge thank you for all the work and effort he has put in getting us to this point Some things will be different in how the tournament operates this year but we have been able to work around the Covid struggles and still be sure this will be another great tournament

We had the clubhouse heated up with another great chili cookoff The club tournament Sheepshead tune-up was blown crazy winds and eduled. Plenty of been fishing and Club emails go s are looking for a ride out with some fish rnament Calcutta

You know you on this action so club membership d you will be able a meeting or ck out s join or renew at

Upcoming Events

March 4th

Club Meeting- El Cheapo Bucket stuffing at the clubhouse. Our dinner will be provided to the club by Insurance Wagon

March 6th

El Cheapo Sheepshead Tournament

The day we have all been waiting for

March 18th

Club Meeting- speaker TBD

March 20th

Club Tournament “Non-live”

Back up weather date for this tournament will be March 27th. You have to be a member to participate

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

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 St. Johns River

Capt. Todd Philcox

March fishing in NE Florida may be the toughest month to predict due to the uncertainty in weather and therefore water temperatures

February was a challenging month for inshore fishing due to excessive rain and large variations in water temps, as of mid-February over 19” of rain had fallen in Mayport compared to a February average of 7” of rain, and inshore water temperatures varied from 47 degrees to 63 degrees in the shallow backwaters.

The bite on those cold, damp, cloudy mornings was scarce, sunny warmer afternoons tended to produce the best action.

Slot-sized redfish remained mostly scattered in shallow water far back in the creeks and creek holes towards the lower tides, deeper drops along the Intracoastal held very few fish if any Throughout February I also found flounder in the creek holes, fish in the 14” to 18” range pulled out of water 6’-10’ deep

As I write this article in mid-

February it appears mild weather will continue for the next couple of weeks and water temperatures should moderate and settle in the low to mid 60’s

So how does this play out for fishing in March? March is a month of transition from winter fishing patterns to warming water, an increased bait inshore, and with that increased

Continue to put so fishing far back in th those creek hol afternoons when t warmed the water a the redfish bite, hesitate to work gra drop-offs along the sized reds will be on the water warms

You will find so scattered amongst along grass edges a as well as back i holes The trout bit slow in February, w pick as we tide c until minu doesn move Mar wind fishin areas shield wind minn ounce retrie and t is str will abilit

action will continue this month, both in creek holes for eating size fish, and at the mouth of the St Johns for the large spawning fish, dead shrimp and crab baits will provide great action

Get out and have a great time on the water!

Fishing, and the most important factor to enjoy fishing

As much as I hate to say it I’m a victim of the timing aspect of fishing. This year has been rough, it seems every one of my days off has been predictably coinciding with the harsh elements of winter. Rain, Wind, Full Moon, and bitter cold temperatures have been the norm

Ok don’t get me wrong I’m not really complaining I also have a

daughter 17 going on 27 so it is nice to be home with her before she flies the coup but the weather has been difficult for me

I’ve had to do a lot of “fishing” through FaceBook posts for most of this winter These posts are awesome to watch throughout the Winter when you just can’t get out.

Some of my favorites are Eddie Cabler’s page, he could probably catch a fish in a mud puddle He is mostly a trout fisherman but not limited to them exclusively and his comments are always funny when he has to take time out of his day to unlatch a Red that is in his “trout spot”.

I always razz him because when I run into him at the boat ramp, his son is his personal winch. Winds that boat up like a champ, I’m just jealous my daughter is not winching my boat up, she’s more of the truck backer upper!

Another favorite is Shawn Beltz I love to live vicariously through his mostly kayak fishing

posts and stories He catches all varieties and you can just tell through his posts how excited it is to catch these things out of a piece of plastic

So much fun getting out there right in the water with these guys and sneaking up on them under your own power Plus, all the rest of the wildlife that you have no choice but to take in while you are out.

Shawn carries that kayak all over Jacksonville from creek to creek and that makes his post so interesting, it will most definitely be a potpourri of fish and settings

I would be remised to not mention my two favorite Charter boat Captain's pages as well True inshore charters that if you see their posts and the smiles on their customer's faces it will make you wanna be on the water immediately

Captain Vic Tison and Captain Steven Crowder are awesome Captains and great guys to follow on Facebook As a disclaimer, I’ve not been out

with either of these guys on a guided trip and have only seen them on the water. As a courtesy, I always give these guys wide berth when I’ve seen them but they are the type of Captains that would help you even when you are on your own boat and not the type that thinks they own the water because they are Charter Captains.

Great guys, once I was sheepshead fishing and drifting and I left my jigs in the truck I was frantically searching the boat and Steven noticed and I explained to him what I did and right there on the water offered and gave me enough to make it through the day. Class act.

I’ve chatted with Capt Vic numerous times at the dock before and/or after a charter while waiting to get the boats in or out and he’s the same way Just class acts and I’m sure well worth the charter, definitely worth the peek on FaceBook.

Thinking Outside the (Tackle) Box

Trina Polkey

It’s hard to believe it is already March but here we are! Historically we see a lot of wind in March that might make offshore fishing a bit sporty but we have some great fish running up and down the beach

Whiting are plentiful, fun to catch and delicious! No need to have super long surf rods and cast a mile out, you can catch them in the first trough right off the beach. Increase your chances

by looking for troughs in the sandbar and fish there A sevenfoot rod should be plenty long enough.

Use the freshest shrimp you can find in small pieces on a 1/0 or 2/0 circle hook. Use the lightest pyramid or sputnik sinker you can for the conditions. If you are having to use more than 4 ounces it may be better to wait for a little calmer day

Pompano should be showing back up any time now as the water starts warming back up They are one of the best-tasting fish out there!

You will look for them in the same places as whiting and while they will eat shrimp they REALLY like sandfleas!

I highly recommend watching Spencer Brogden’s video “Catching sandfleas and hooking them properly” along with his other fishing videos that can be found on Youtube at brokenreel23.

Both fun fish to catch, both

delicious, and a great way to spend the day with the family on the beach Catch ‘em up!

Trina

Spencer Brogden

March is here and with it, we begin a stretch of several weeks of some of the best fishing in all of northeast Florida

Water temps tend to hit the mid 60’s and low 70’s by the end of March With it, the fish invade the local surf. Whiting galore, pompano, black drum, and redfish.

For the whiting continue to use the Carolina rig or the double hook pompano rig! Fresh shrimp, clam, sandfleas, and fish bites work well to target the whiting Look for nice sloughs and cuts that are near the sand bar If you check out my YouTube page Brokenreel23, I have several videos showing what to look for when deciding where to fish on the beach

The pompano will also hit in the same areas, but the pompano rigs are the way to go Make sure to carry a wide selection of beads and floats as the color that works one day may not work the next!

Clam and Sandfleas are my favorite bait to target the pompano.

The black drum and redfish will hang in the same general areas, although they tend to be closer to the surf break Drum and reds feed on crabs and sand fleas stirred up by the waves

You can use the pompano rig for them as well, fresh shrimp, sandfleas, and pieces of blue crab work well

Bluefish and Spanish Mack’s

will also be here in March Pick up a few gotcha plugs, and on days the water is clean and the winds are down, you can work this lure from the shoreline with great success!

I’m excited about what the next few months hold, as there will be such a wide variety of fish to catch! If you have any questions, you can leave them on my YouTube page! Until next month, tight lines!

Spencer Brogden

Continued from Front Page

The installation of the new adaptive kayak launch for Mandarin Park has also had a slight delay in paperwork and contract execution but we are hoping work should begin this month as well as an extension of the docks at the boat ramp

New dock projects on the south bank area Jackson Street and Post Street continue to work through permits and contracts so we should soon see construction sometime this summer

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.

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

The Redfish Roundup will have a general tournament entry for $75 00 a lady angler division with a $25 00 entry fee and a Jr Angler division with a $15 00 entry fee First place winner with the most spots will receive $5000.00 cash and 10 places will be awarded.

The lady Angler will fish for 3 places with a $500.00 first place. Jr anglers will be fishing for gift cards to spend as they wish.

The registration for this tournament is on line at safeharborspot com or call the tournament office at (904)2513011. The Jacksonville Offshore Fishing Club will have the 2021 El Cheepo Sheepshead tournament March 6th with the Captains meeting March 5th.

The Power Pole Pro Open will be returning to Jim King Park March 13 And the Elite Redfish series will fish in Jacksonville from Jim King Park April 30May 1

The BIG news is the Spring Boat Show at Metropolitan Park and Marina will return April 1618 presented by the Jacksonville Marine Association. Tickets are on sale now! 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

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 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 wwwusps 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.

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

February has been a good month for Wahoo.

Several boats have weighed good fish in the Northeast Florida Wahoo Shootout As of this article (2/20/21) Captain Chris Townsend and Team Undecided are in the lead with a solid 115 04lb 2-fish aggregate While there are still 36 days left to fish and the majority of the 183 boats entered in the Wahoo Shootout have yet to fish the first of their allotted 3 days, Team Undecided is off to great start!

only while fishing and hunting specifically when the son is turning into a young man Shortly after getting lines in we boated and released a 40+lb Amberjack.

While the Amberjack was a nice fish, it wasn’t our intended target for this day Just after 9:30 am while working a large school of suspended bait we have a knockdown with a no-doubter Wahoo About 20 minutes later the father boats the first Wahoo of the day After getting pictures with the nice 40lb class fish I learn that although he was an avid saltwater fisherman, the son had never caught a Wahoo.

With the pressure now on us to produce this kid’s first ever Wahoo, we went in search of a trophy class fish. At 11:45am while slow @ 10mph we were clearing wees off of the lines, the deploy a rigged bait (Ballyhoo) on a smaller 30w reel and instantly we were on again with a no-doubt Wahoo Because the Wahoo hit the rigged bat and there was no inline trolling weight it allowed the kid to fight this fish in stand-up gear

The first time we got the fish to the boat, we saw it was a big one. Every time we got it close, it’d peel of 50-60 yards My mate and I flanked the kid, each of us with a gaff patiently waiting for the fish to get within distance

It became a delicate dance and the rod work and stamina of this kid was amazing. Eventually I stuck it after about 25 minutes and the young man’s first Wahoo was trophy class

The El Cheapo Sheepshead Tournament This year's tournament will take place on Saturday, March 6th. JOSFC President Robert Vermillion says due to COVID-19 issues this year's Captain's meeting will be virtual (online) and onsite registration & Captain's Bucket pickups with be at the JOSFC Clubhouse on Friday March 5th beginning at 5:30pm For more details on everything El Cheapo, visit their website @ wwwelcheapojax com

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

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

Hoodoo Sportfishing

February Charter

Because of the uncooperative weather pattern and an even more uncooperative work schedule, I’ve only been able to get one charter in this month

The HooDoo boat did a highspeed Wahoo charter for a father and his 15-year-old son, it was his son’s Christmas Gift This charter reminded me of the father-son bond that happens

At the scale it weighed 62lbs The aforementioned bond was present for the entire ride home with the young man smiling & laughing while talking to his dad about the fish that didn’t get away all the while reminding dad that his fish was much bigger! This is the stuff I love and why I became a Charter Captain.

Offshore Fishin' Capt. Tim Altman

Capt. Chris Townsend with a 67.8lb Wahoo

Take a kid fishing!

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Green Cove Springs

Fishing Forecast

by Richard and Judy Hamilton R&J Tackle Green Cove Springs

This month will be the beginning of the season of seasons We'll start with the Speckle and Perch.

These beauties should be in full swing, with the area lakes being hammered by fishermen, and the baits of choice will be minnows, followed by jigs, like Road Runners and the Abu beetle spins

Colors on the jig normally like redheads with a curl tail grub chartreuse or black chartreuse work well, and of course, the whites yellow or the everpopular black / yellow

So grab some jigs, a bucket with some minnows, and some floats and go to it!

Next up will be the Large Mouth Bass. These heroes of the river will be in a great prespawn mode, followed by a great spawn. Having a nice variety of top waters, followed closely by rigs and the ever poplar crankbaits.

Fire tiger, chartreuse, and shad are a good choice Lest we forget, Shiners are the best fish locator you can have

Tossing one of these beauties out and just wait for the running up the line to avoid the Large Mouth trying to encase it! So hold on!

Next will be War Mouth These stocky beasts will be in the pass, waiting on a nice piece of bait shrimp or a wiggler will work just as well

What you want to do is dip the

pads by working around a clump of them and then moving to a new clump and repeating the procedures. You also have to work at it, but they're well worth it!

Towards the latter part of the month, if the weather to put on hold will be able to start the Bream bites. These beauties will be around docks, usually near the slack side of the piling All you need to start is red worms or wigglers, some floats, a split shot, and a number 4, or 2, size hook.

Mullet will start showing up by the end of the month Remember to start checking in the latter part of March

Reds will start gaining in activity with the most shallow feed followed by the deeper water activity increasing Baits of choice will be bait shrimp, crabs, lipless crank bait, and shiners So grab it and get to it Stripers will be active aroun the bridges while workin around the pilings and betwee them, a good bet.

Remember, they'll be bustin the heck out of schools of bait s fish and a nice plump bai shrimp Cast towards the piling and let the tide do the majority o the work. So go to it! Well that's about it for now

So til next time, keep your lin wet and your lure movin'

Richard.

Richard

Capt. Bert Deener Bert's Jigs and Things

Scott Dwyer - Caught 1-19-21 In Green Cove Springs 10 5 " Zoom

Purple Worm

Well, the days are getting longer and the water is getting warmer With the warming water, the bite will fire up, both in fresh and saltwater

March begins the spawn for many fish species The big uglies will be moving in on the full moon, the sheepshead is in full spawn, and the bass are sitting on their beds Florida fishing at its finest. The black drum spawn is triggered by the first full moon of March. Some of these breeders can top 70 lbs., making them a great trophy target this month You will find them in the inlets, along the jetties, and under the area bridges

Live or quartered blue crab seems to be the best bait to catch these big ugly beautiful fish Heavy tackle, strong leader, and a large circle hook using a Carolina or knocker rig to get your bait to the bottom Often, when targeting the guys, you will be in high current situations, so make sure to wear your PFD and pay attention to your surroundings

A large black drum can potentially tip you over. Sheepshead will be along the pilings, docks, and bridges. Work a fiddler crab vertically against the structure, dropping all the way to the bottom

Don’t be surprised if a big ol' slime ball picks up your fiddler and takes you on a ride

The creeks off the St Johns River provide kayakers some fantastic freshwater fishing this time of year

The bass are on their beds and the crappie are schooled up Although most of the creeks are clear, a few of the creeks haven’t been fully cleared since the hurricanes, making certain areas only accessible by kayak. Throwing finesse worms or creature baits onto the beds will surely provide several nice hookups.

A Hackney Zipper Worm in Junebug Red is a great choice A topwater plug or frog, towards the end of the month, will produce some amazing topwater takes, especially at dawn and dusk Crappie will be schooled up, so if you find one, there will be more

White, Orange, Orange/white, or chartreuse crappie jigs or beetle spins will do the trick Work the deeper holes, especially where trees have fallen in the water, oftentimes in the creek corners

If you’re running electronics, they will look like a school of suspended baitfish.

Regardless of what water you prefer to fish, March will be a good month for some serious hookups Get out, try a new location, target a new species, make every trip unique, but most importantly, enjoy your time on the water

Good luck and tight lines I’ll see ya out there

Will Niemann

Lead Guide at St Augustine Paddle Sports 772-475-9469

Capt. Matt Chipperfield

Spring is on the doorstep guys! We are seeing some 80 degree days and the water temperature is slowly starting to trend upward.

The arrival of warmer weather means two things to North Florida anglers: big trout and cobia on the beach

If you are interested in catching the trout of a lifetime now is the time to go These fish reach their heaviest body weights between winter and spring. Trout gorge on mullet and shrimp throughout the colder months and begin their spawning rituals as the waters warm

The extra body fat accumulated during winter and the added weight from full egg sacks make for some gargantuan female trout. These monsters are reaching the peak of their activity and are an absolute blast to catch. They detonate on impact and go absolutely ballistic on the end of a line

Topwater plugs and twitch baits are favorites for teasing these massive gators

Just be sure to practice swift catch and release methods so these pregnant fish can have a chance to propagate the species.

Cobia AKA “Brown Bombers” will be invading the coastline any day now. They migrate toward the beaches from local wrecks and reefs as the water temperature begins to climb. They also migrate up the coast

from southern numbers and ride manta rays, turtles, sharks, and just about anything else they can hide behind The best hours to go looking for these “terds” are between 10 am and 2 pm while the sun is in the upright position Minimal swell and light sea breezes will also make spotting these fish much easier

Gulp eels on jigheads, brightly colored bucktail jigs, and large soft plastic paddle tails are classic presentations for cobia. So, what’s it gonna be? Do you want to wrestle with “Troutzilla” for your next wall-hanger or do you want to watch a cobia chase down a jig off the beach? Hard choice, I know, but either way you’re going to need to wet a line Get off the couch and get tight!

Rules of the Challenge / Surf Fishing Tournament from the Beaches March 19 - 21

Bluefish, Pompano, and Whiting will be the Prize Fish.

Whiting Min. size 12" For Tournament !

Pompano 1st. $400.00 2nd. $250.00 3rd. $100.00 4th. $75.00

Blue Fish 1st. $400.00 2nd. $250.00 3rd. $100.00 4th. $75.00

Whiting 1st $400 00 2nd $250 00 3rd $100 00 4th $75 00

Jr Anglers 1st $300 00 2nd $200 00 3rd $100 00 4th Prize

Lady's 1st $200 00 2nd $150 00 3rd $75 00 4th Prize

Prize money based on 100 anglers across the board

1st Place is Based on Money and Gift Card to Make Dollar Value

For complete details and to Sign up go to www.surffishingchallenge.com

Fishing Inshore Volusia County

Capt.

Jeff Patterson

I’ve had some awesome trips recently with quite a variety of fish! I’d say my favorite thing lately has been targeting tripletail.

I’ve been getting them around the inlet using live shrimp with a lot of 8 to 10-pound fish and even had some close to 15. They are such a strong fighting fish and delicious eating!

It seems like over the last week or so I’ve been starting to see more redfish around the inlet and it should only get better into March and April Good time of year to get slot fish as well as the big bulls

We’ve also been picking And a few sheepshead in the same areas but I haven’t been specifically targeting them much recently Around the inlet jetties, bluefish and Spanish mackerel have shown up in numbers

I’ve actually been getting them between Port Orange and the inlet right off the side of the main channel and I’ve been doing great just slow trolling very small diving Lures.

I’ve been seeing the Spanish jumping out of the water first thing in the morning all throughout the river which has given me good ideas where to try and target them

This time of year we do well with pompano fishing all the small creeks branching off of the main Intracoastal And it seems

like they are more consistent on the outgoing tide but I have gotten some really nice size fish in the incoming

Try fishing deeper drop-offs outside of oyster bars. I’ve actually had a few areas recently where we can catch bluefish, Spanish mackerel, and pompano all in one spot so that’s been awesome.

I’ve been using smaller live shrimp and sand fleas with a little split shot or on a jig head for the pompano That should be enough to keep you busy, tight lines!

Capt Jeff Patterson

Pole Dancer Fishing Charters

www.smallboatBIGFISH.com

(386) 451-4992

Fishing Crescent Beach

Capt. Adam Morley

February was a hit or *mist* month for fishing the Crescent Beach area This was not the case just to the north and south of us in Ponte Vedra and northern Flagler county where they have steeper sloped beaches and deeper troughs in close to shore.

Lots of Whiting caught in those areas on good days But the water was too cold for the Pompano I recommend Spencer Brodgen’s YouTube channel: Broken Reel 23 for tons of helpful surf fishing tips for the North Florida beaches

We did have a considerable amount of Pompano reported throughout the month of February from just inside the Matanzas Inlet

These are likely to have been resident fish because the water temperature was too cold for the migratory Pompano.

On the warm days there were big schools of reds in the skinny water but the water was exceptionally clear making stalking them in the shallows difficult to say the least

When the cold snaps came through there were plenty of rat reds down in the deeper holes but the larger fish never really fired off

The Black Drum and Sheepshead were fairly consistent throughout the last month, I’d expect to see that

taper off this month while other fish start to get more active with the warming water.

The trout bite from shore in the Rattlesnake Island area was solid for those who knew how to target them; walking the shore casting and retrieving soft plastic yielded the best results with live shrimp two feet under a popping cork coming in at 2nd Flounder bite was slow but not because they weren’t here, plenty were stuck at night by giggers They just weren’t eating much

For daily fishing updates from me check out “The 904 Now App” Facebook page (or the App) for my daily reports

Capt Adam Morley

March should be a transition month from cold water temps to warmer ones that trigger the bite. Trout will be a main target and more than willing to cooperate Grass points or oyster mounds with moving water around them are a great starting point Shrimp on popping corks are the tried and true presentation, but for challenging and exciting strikes, use a topwater lure in low light conditions

Work your topwater with the current and try variations of action and speed Many times subtle differences in your presentation is the ticket to drawing a strike Pay attention to how you are working the lure and when you get strikes, repeat that retrieve.

If a high pitch lure is not working, switch and try a softersounding one. “Popper topwater surface walker” types with cupped faces are an easy lure to work as well and if you can’t “walk the dog” These lures, such as a Mirrolure Poppa-dog, can make you look like a seasoned vet with a basic straight retrieve and surface commotion that the lure creates on its own

The amount of redfish that have been schooled up in the Valley, but sluggish all February, should fire off for an amazing March. Reds will still be in large schools and can be found along the main channel as well as on shallow flats. Look for wakes or backing fish on the banks These schools have covered Palm Valley ICW all winter!

If your pushing shallow flats, reds will displace water and create differences in the surface appearance of the water over flat Schooling redfish will disturb mud on the bottom they move These “muds” t create look like a trolling m bumping bottom and kicking mud clouds

These clouds of mud are a d giveaway that you just bumpe school of fish. Approach th schools quietly and cast m minnows, shrimp, or cut well ahead of the fish or to edges of schools.

These fish will graze immediate area and usu locate your offering W hooking up with one, wa where the school moves to you can continue to follow th after an initial catch

With the cold winter we h had, spring fishing should incredible this year! Get on water and enjoy Palm Valley!

Keep Reeling,

Capt Cory Spark

310 Charters 310charters.com

Top Right - Pearson caught this big Sheepshead on a shell bar

Top Left - Black drum on family vacation!

Bottom - Duncan with a upper slot Redfish from the main bank

"Hook it n Cook It

Jeff Altman

Creamy Feta Shrimp a la

This fabulous dish will surely be one of y Delicious shrimp and a creamy Feta cheese sau make and you only need a few minutes to put it I get fresh local Mayport shrimp from Ryles

Flea Market on the westside of Jacksonville. M for20 years selling the best shrimp around, you can reach Mike at (904) 924-5515 tell him Jeff sent you.

Ingredients:

1lb fresh Mayport shrimp peeled and deveined

1- package Grape or Cherry tomatoes sliced in half

1- 8oz package fresh mushrooms sliced

1- 4oz package Feta cheese crumbles

1- medium onion sliced

2-tbsp chopped garlic

2-tbsp Italian seasoning

4-tbsp butter

1/2- cup half and half

8oz- penne pasta

salt and pepper to taste

In a medium pot boil, 2 quarts water add salt and a little oil and Pene pasta, and cook 10 minutes until al dente

i used a 9×12 rectangle casserole dish add chopped tomatoes, sliced mushrooms, onions, and Italian seasonings cook in a 400deg oven for 10 min then add shrimp and butter mix thoroughly and cook another 10 minutes pull from the oven and stir in half and half You should have a rich creamy sauce serve over penne pasta goes great with a salad and garlic toast Have fun making this dish and Bon Appetit!!

Tournament Scene

Craig Van Brocklin

Winter Tournaments

Florida Lure Anglers (1 Redfish, 2 Trout)

1st. Robert Lytle / Chris Warde 14.68

2nd. Scott Koons / Phil Zeller 10.71

3rd. Scott O’Brien / Wade Hastings 10.63

4th. Bill Lancaster / Everett Barts 13.01

5th. Bob Morris / Charles Dehlinger 12.07

6th. Austin Woolf / Alec Pope 9 14

Jacksonville Elite Redfish (2 Redfish)

1st. Mark McMillan 13.61

2nd. Heath Batchelor 13.22

3rd. Wade Hastings 12.97

4th. Nick Bonura 12.80

5th. Jeff Pope 11.94

Power Pole Redfish Florida East Coast Jax (4 Redfish over 2 days)

1st. - Justin Paulk / Skip Swain 30.12

2nd. - Chris Cenci / Andrew Price 30.04

3rd. - Jonathan Lee / Brian Clark 28.10

4th. - Michael Lauer / Jesse Craddock 27.11

5th. - Josh McClendon / Michael Cunningham 26.06

7th. - Raymond McDermott / Michael Whittier 24.15

8th. - Braxton Blitch / Brandon Woods 23.10

Upcoming Tournaments

March

2nd. - Big WT

6th. - FLA Sisters Creek

6th. - El Cheapo Sheepshead

13th. - Power-Pole Pro Open

13th. - Hook ‘Em & Book ‘Em in St. Marys

14th. - Cobia Clash begins

18th. - Wahoo Challenge at Conch House

20th. - Surf Fishing Challenge New Smyrna

20th. - Jax Elite Redfish

April

2nd. - Ultimate Cobia begins

6th. - Big WT

10th. - FLA Steinhatchee

May

1st. - Elite Redfish Champions Team Tour

1st. - FLA 2 day Championship

8th. - Jax Elite Redfish 2 day Championship

15th. - Safe Harbor Redfish Roundup Spots

15th. - Florida Surfcasters Spring Tourney

15th. - SAHS in St Augustine

29th. - CCA Star begins

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