Capt. John Eggers
Challenging can be the theme for February.
The number one influence on fishing this month will be the cold fronts that bring sunny blue bird days accompanied with high pressure and lots of wind
These conditions will question your abilities as a good fisherman sometimes leaving you scratching your head As puzzling as it can be all is not lost
There will be days when weather conditions stabilize and the fish decide to gorge themselves. Redfish will be schooled up in the very back of feeder creeks Look for them bunched up at high water on top of
the shallow m d l h d during the lo Intracoastal will of the feeder cre the negative tide Fish them extr stick chunk c Speckled Trout up on the shell in deeper water
Slip corks wit the best way to curly or paddle white or chartr
Lots of Yellow deep shell bars dead shrimp usi and small circ everytime Shee but the fish lethargic when water temps dip into the 50s.
That combined with the lack of
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February 2022
Fish Kisser of the Month
Congratulations to our Fish Kisser of the month, who looks really happy laying a big kiss on that fish's slimy lips We have a Free Annual FISHING CONNECTION subscription (12 issues) mailed each month to your home or office ($24 00 Value) for any of you that submit your photo to the contest and are chosen as the winner If you are this month's winner please contact Joe Dionne at fbmgjax@gmail com with your name and phone # to claim your certificate Prize must be claimed no later than midnite of the last day of this month to be valid If you would enjoy seeing your photo in the Fishing Connection please send in your best Fish Kissing Photo. Thanks to all who send in a Fish Kisser photo. Anyone can win, maybe soon it will be you. Send photos to fbmgjax@gmail.com.
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What is Barometric Pressure?
Barometric pressure, also known as atmospheric pressure or air pressure, is the weight of the air as it presses down upon the earth. You probably don’t feel it, but barometric pressure affects all kinds of things, from the weather to the feeding patterns of animals. You might think that air is weightless, and to a certain extent, it is However, gas atoms, water vapor, and other particles all apply light pressure to the surface of the earth At high altitude, there is less air over you than if you were at sea level, therefore, a high-altitude location has a lower barometric pressure than a location at sea level. Altitude, along with low and high-pressure systems, can both affect the barometric pressure There are all kinds of fluctuations that can occur, both during the day as well as during the course of a regular week, month, or year.
Barometric pressure is relatively consistent across the same climate, but there are factors that can influence fluctuations related to local weather patterns, which will create pressure ridges of air that ultimately affect barometric pressure.
Barometric pressure is usually affected by the movement of the atmosphere and by temperature, both of which can create high or low pressure
Slight changes in barometric pressure can dramatically impact the behavior of fish The main reason for this is that everything in water sinks, floats, or suspends midway through the water column. Changes in pressure are similar to changes in gravity, upsetting the ways in which fish move.
J.O.S.F.C.
By Lee BowmanIt looks like the talk of the town for the next couple of months will be Sheepshead
That elusive striped bandit that steals your fiddler crabs and shrimp. We are especially excited about Sheepshead this year because the 2022 El Cheapo Sheepshead Tournament has been announced for March 5th, 2022 and registration is open Early registration will make you eligible to win a Big Green Egg Smoker/grill
We have a new tournament director this year that I know has been working his backside off to put on one of the best tournaments in our area. Thankfully we have an amazing community that supports the local fisherman and backs us up on such a fun family friendly event
Fishing has been great Sheepshead have been found on every rock pile and almost every dock and piling in our area We have been lucky that the local bait shops have had fiddler crabs in stock but if you find yourself in a bind and can't get any don't rule out small shrimp and even sand fleas.
Offshore, the wahoo have taken off Some beautiful fish have made it back to the docks and the
high-speed guys are crushing them I'm not seeing many lowspeed guys fishing but don't rule it out if that is what you are set up for
Sometimes you can get a little fishing- tunnel-vision and miss out on some great opportunitis by sticking to the same routine The bottom species are staying fired up and I wouldn't expect that to change. Pick your days that aren't too windy and get out there.
We feed you at our meetings so don’t miss it Clubhouse doors open at about 6pm and dinner starts at 7pm
February 3rd - Annual Chili Cook off and Club meeting
February 17th - Club Meeting
Capt Lee Bowman
Wind, Rain, or the Cold?
Odds are one (or all) of these were a variable the last time you wanted to get out fishing
This year has been challenging at times, no doubt, but there are things we could do to keep those lines tight
The water temps have been hovering in the low 60s lately making some fish sluggish, but regardless of the cool temps, fish must still eat
With El Cheapo right around the bend and the sheepshead bite starting to heat up, fiddler crabs are in higher demand than gold. I get 50 calls a day at the shop asking for fids, but due to these cold fronts, the fiddlers have dug themselves to the other side of the planet
The worst part is, due to supply chain issues and worker shortages, we can't get them delivered All jokes aside, until we get consistent warmer weather, fiddlers will remain scarce, not only local but statewide.
I know this because I've called from Charleston to Key West trying to get them for you That's the bad news, but here's the good news Convicts eat more than just fids and love sand fleas, clams, oysters, and black mussels
The problem with these baits is keeping them on the hook Your solution: The Mossy Head Fishing System. This system allows you to pipe your desired bait in the mesh sacks, put your
favorite sheepshead hook or jig through the two sides of the opening, twist a couple of times, and put the tip back through the heart of the bait
Chum the waters to get the excitement going and drop to the bottom Making sure you stay vertical will allow you to keep good tension on the line helping you to feel the elusive bite of a Sheepshead.
Sometimes the bite is so light that the best thing to do is watch the tip and line for any movement At the first sign of a bite, reel until you become tight, then lift straight up lodging that hook in the top of that crazylooking mouth
Fishing with braid will help The first reason being it has no stretch and is much more sensitive. The second reason is that sheepshead are found on structure. A good braid is more abrasion-resistant than mono as well To remain stealth, use a 20# flouro leader and tie directly to your hook
Questions about anything? Always feel free to drop by Amelia Island Bait and Tackle to chat. Stay warm my friends.
Nik Bremer
1925 S. 14TH STREET
AMELIA ISLAND, FL 32034 904-277-0775
Hours
Monday Friday 6:30am 5:30pm
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Creeks & Rivers
By John "Chappy" ChapmanCold blustery wind with almost freezing temps are what we are ending up January with and with lightning speed heading into February.
Water temps are hanging in the low 60s for a contrast in St Thomas they are in the 80s right now Just a little fun fact they will be back in the 80s here before we know it
Now is the time to hunker down and get all your equipment ready for the inevitable arrival of spring and summer temps We usually have one or two more really cold spells in Feb and then we turn the corner and bid the cold water farewell
Now is the perfect time to rearrange the garage to make that spur of the minute drag the boat after work and hit the river trip possible. If your garage looks much like mine then it’s the garage equivalent of that treadmill in the corner of your room that you use to hang clothes on
It absolutely never ever hurts to pull your favorite rod and reel out and go over all the eyes and make sure they are free and clear
of any damage and are bent the right way.
Check your line on your reel for any wear and tear and you can always go reel to reel and run your line back on and get the fresh line to the outside for the new season I’ve found over the years the most important thing for me is to take the time now and check your hard baits and your jig heads, pliers, and anything else that has moving parts that can corrode
I guarantee if you spend the month of Feb hiding from the cold and neglect these things it will end up costing you in the long run.
One more thing that I have incorporated in my winter month activities is just a little prior planning goes along ways. I try and get a plan together and set up my tackle because in my case I’ve found that when the weather breaks and it looks like a great time to get out on the water, I spend half the day getting the boat and everything ready and don’t make it out til the wind is up.
So in conclusion make February your halfway there to the best months of the year and get ready. Hope everyone had a great beginning of the year and it continues.
Also, might be a good time to check your license and make sure it is up to date, no surprises on the water or at the ramp.
John904-743-3200
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Pier & Surf
By Spencer BrogdenFebruary tends to be a mon that is limited to one fish in th local surf, Big whiting
The last several February's have had some tremendou catches of whiting The wat temps are usually between 62-6 which is perfect for whiting but not so much for the other species
This time of year I prefer light east to southeast winds and light west winds Fresh shrimp soaked in Diet Pepsi is my favorite bait as well
I know there is a lot of disputes concerning this method, however as a 10 year old watching someone fill their cooler up with whiting while everyone around him never got a bite convinced me to try it
I've been using it ever since
The rigs are fairly simple, either use double dropper rigs or Carolina rigs. A few things to keep in mind Some days they hit one rig better than the other, so I always have both rigs in use and whichever one is getting more hits I switch all the lines over too In terms of floats and beads, orange and salmon colors tend to be my go to this time of year. If the water is extremely clean, I go to a Carolina rig with an 1824 inch leader I have found that a longer leader in the clean water tends to work really well
All that taken into consideration, areas to target on the beach are on top of the sandbar, in front of the sandbar and runouts. Day to day the fish can hang in any 3 of these areas so always make sure to try all 3 until you find the fish
If you have any more questions,
you can leave them on our Brokenreel23 YouTube page! Until next month, tight lines
Spencer BrogdenThe back to back cold fronts are rolling through and the temperatures are really starting to drop now.
There's plenty of Whiting in the surf with some smaller Pompano mixed in
Fishbites Sandflea strips continue to be one of the most popular artificial strip baits in the surf right now with Coquina Clam and Pink Shrimp strips not far behind. If you're throwing cast and retrieve baits inshore and you can choose your window, sleep in
Afternoon warm ups in the smaller creeks and shallower waters along with incoming tides flooding warm, sun soaked mud flats will be your best shot.
Paddle tail swim baits worked slow for blind casting and covering water are still producing With the colder, clearer water, stick to the light c l lik l d
Fight Club Butt Kickers in the Haymaker (Pearl), Counter Punch (chartreuse shimmer) and White Knuckle (white) are producing along with Slayers Pearl and Speckled Trout just to name a few The aforementioned baits can work for sightfishing but having a rod rigged with a bucktail or tube bait packed or tipped with a Fishbite strip can be a secret weapon
With a decent cast, they can be quietly dropped in next to a sitting Redfish without spooking it to disperse scent and hopefully initiate a good look and a bite
Top Water baits worked slow just before sunset or on cloudy days can still produce while suspending baits like the MirrOlure Paul Brown and MR series lures can produce all day
Fishbites Trading Post has all "factory fresh" Fishbite baits made right on the premises along with all of the other tackle, rods, reels, rigs, etc you might need. We're at 170 Nix Boat Yard rd in St. Augustine, right next to home depot and open 7 days a week.
Brett Warren
Ponds, Lakes, and Streams
By Capt. Bert DeenerThe cold nights have put a damper on the early morning bite, but some good trips were still reported this week Crappie, bass, and saltwater species (when the wind allowed) were the best bites I heard of this week
River gages on January 20th were:
Clyo on the Savannah River – 9.2 feet and falling.
Abbeville on the Ocmulgee – 9.4 feet and falling
white catfish and striped bass or fish elsewhere.
St Marys River – I did not get any specific reports this week from the St Marys, although it is the river at the most fishable level The first Shady Bream Tournament will be held on February 19th out of the Kings Ferry Boat Ramp Check out the Shady Bream Tournament trail on Facebook for more information.
Suwannee River – Shane and Joshua Barber fished the river just barely into Florida on Saturday, and they caught about 20 channel and speckled catfish by putting shrimp on the bottom They tried for bass a little bit but didn’t catch any
Okefenokee Swamp – Very few folks fished the east side again this week, but an angler pitching jigs did manage to catch 8 warmouth on Thursday The latest water level (Folkston side) was 121 16 feet
Doctortown on the Altamaha
10 5 feet and falling
Waycross on the Satilla
13 4 feet and rising (51 degrees)
Atkinson on the Satilla
12 2 feet and rising
Macclenny on the St Marys – 5 0 feet and falling
Satilla River – Nope – fish the extreme lower river around Woodbine or White Oak Creek for
Paradise Public Fishing Area (near Tifton) – There were 2 angler award crappie caught this week, and both were caught on Friday morning. Ethan Lien’s fish weighed 2-lb., 1.5oz. and Ronald Phillips’ slab pulled the scales down to 2-lb. 4-oz. They also had some smaller fish Both of the angler award fish ate live minnows fished off the dock in Lake Patrick
Local Ponds – Chad Lee and Daniel Johnson had a great weekend bass fishing They fished the gorgeous weather on Saturday and had a “stellar” evening. Daniel’s best was a 6pounder that he fooled with his go-to Christie Craw. Chad’s 4-pounder ate a Keitech swimbait rigged on a Flashy Swimbait Head They caught a bunch of smaller fish, also Chad couldn’t stand sitting at home after the cold front and howling wind, so he bundled up and anchored up in a pond to catch 6 bass up to 3 pounds on Sunday afternoon He started with a spinnerbait, but the fish didn’t want to chase So, he switched to a black/blue Christie Craw and fished it around wood for all of his fish Taylor and Riley fished with their father (Chad) on Thursday afternoon and caught 2 nice bass in the 3 to 4-pound range using shiners in a Blackshear area pond.
Continued on Page 27
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Guana Lake
By Capt Matt ChipperfieldWhen I tell clients that North Florida has a year round fishery they’re usually surprised Winter isn’t typically thought of as a good time to target sport fish And since we do have an actual winter in North Florida temperatures can become frigid at times.
But, this doesn’t mean our local fishery shuts down Its actually quite the opposite, it heats up. You have to adjust your tactics and change with the weather to stay successful during the cooler months.
The first thing you can do is sloooooow down Cold water means lethargic fish. If you are moving your lures too fast or reeling your baits in too quickly you are most likely missing opportunities.
Slow your lures down, take long pauses between twitches, let the live bait sit a little longer. Slow sinking and suspending twitch baits are absolutely ideal artificials for this slow presentation.
Dead sticking the plug and letting it sit for long periods of time allows trout and Redfish to catch up and strike Use heavier weighted sinking plastics in deeper water and lighter weighted suspending or floating lures in shallow water
Speaking of shallow water this is where you’ll find the Redfish this winter Slot and overslot Redfish like to get skinny this time of year
They’re after warm water and stranded baits caught in the tight backwaters of the Intracoastal
Large schools of reds will p their way across mud fl oyster bars and creeks attack shrimp and minnows in t path. If you have a shal drafting kayak, paddle board poling skiff this is the time to what it can do
Look for a midday to afternoon low tide and push b into shallow Look for wa tips of tails, scattering shr and even the occasional strike the surface Use live shrimp mud minnows on jig he lightly weighted soft plastics your favorite fly
Just remember, m slooooooow. You don’t wan spook fish you haven’t spo yet If you have a larger b limited to deeper water or yo like to fish the inlets and brid Sheepshead and flounder entertain you for hours
You can use the same jigh for both fish and fish the ex same area for them You have to change the bait B sheep and flounder love h structure areas with current
The jetty rocks, dock pilin bridge pillars and any other s structure will have these fish around them The sheep will be hanging mid to bottom column on the structure while the flounder will be on the bottom surrounding the structure
Use a large finger mullet or mud minnow for the fatties and a fiddler crab or live shrimp for the sheep Be sure to bring some extra tackle though, that structure is gonna snag
Capt Matt Chipperfield
chipscoastalcharters.com
Winter fishing on NE Florida’s inshore waters offers a great opportunity for continuous action with a variety of species including redfish, flounder, trout, black drum and sheepshead Recent weeks have seen many days with 20 - 40 fish counts including numerous Redfish up to 27”, Flounder from 12 - 18”, Spotted Seatrout and Yellowmouth Trout from 12 - 18” and a random Black Drum or Sheepshead.
I expect this type of action to continue throughout February as our winter months are my favorite time to fish.
I primarily fish light tackle, a 7’ medium light rod with a 2500 class reel spooled with 10lb test braided line and a 20lb test fluorocarbon leader working live shrimp and mud minnows on a 1/8 to a 3/8-ounce jig, depending on wind and tide conditions I offer this information because, while I have another 4 size setups with progressively heavier tackle, I fish this lighter setup 85-90% of the time with consistent success and enjoyment for my clients. My expectations are to land Redfish in the 15-30” range on this gear, though I have had clients land 25-30lb Reds on this lighter setup.
The area I fish predominately, the Intracoastal waterway between Butler Blvd and the St Johns river, offers a great variety of conditions, shallow mud flats, oyster beds, winding creeks with significant depth changes and the intracoastal banks and grass
lines. All these areas will be productive at different times and under different conditions, the hard part is figuring out when to target each area
I find the most success during our colder months fishing shallower waters farther back in the creeks and those deeper creek holes as the tide drops. There are no charts for most of our creeks, so the only way to learn them is to get out around the low tides and explore, slowly!
Redfish success will be had during the last half of the outgoing tide deep into the creeks, looking for slightly deeper holes and oyster bars where the tides are draining off larger mud flats and the water will be slightly warmer Flounder will also be scattered in those creek holes with 6-10’ of water along with some black drum and Sheepshead taking shrimp baits as well.
Focus on trout on the higher incoming and outgoing tides, some action will be found along weed edges and creek run-outs along the Intracoastal, but greater quantities of Trout will be in slightly deeper water along the banks, docks or rocks in 6 to 12 feet of water where a good current is running Wishing you good luck and great days on the water, call me if I can help get you out fishing and into the action!
Florida Bass Fishing
By Paul Bruessow
Florida bass fishing is a great way to spend your vacation time and enjoy plenty of sunshine especially in the colder months
The largemouth bass in Florida tend to spawn in January through April
The large Florida female bass are easier to catch at this time of year because they are in the shallow visible cover which is most sought by the avid bass fishemen
The air temperatures in Central and South Florida average in the 60's in January and gradually warm to the 80's in April
These temperatures are not only ideal for the bass, but they provide the fishermen an memorable outing on the some of the best largemouth bass waters in the country
The lakes are relatively shallow as compared to other states, often averaging 10-15 feet deep in the center This fact allows the avid bass fishermen a greater chance for success since they can easily probe these depths with a variety of baits such as: Texas rigged worms, flippin baits, crankbaits, spinnerbaits and jerkbaits to name a few
The shorelines often offers cover in the 2-5 foot range which is ideal for the spawning largemouth bass
The main structure in Florida lakes are weeds, both submerged and emergent vegetation.
The submerged variations include hydrilla, coontail, and peppergrass
Although these exist primarily underwater, their upper most stalks often lay on the surface and create a canopy which is often used by the Florida bass as ambush cover The best techniques to use to fish this type of cover is:
A - Throw a rattletrap and rip it
through the submereged weeds,
B - Work a hard jerkbait along the outside edge of the topped out weeds with a jerk-jerk pause action,
C - A topwater prop bait or Zara Spook in the pockets and edges of the canopy can bring explosive strikes
The emergent varieties of weeds include Kissimmee grass, cattails and bulrush This type of vegetation is great for spawning fish Work both pockets and points with a Texas rigged worm or tube
Sight fishing these areas can be awesome Look for sandy areas and look as far as you can from the boat as the fish on these beds often spook upon your approach. Once a fish is sihted, stay back as far as possible and toss a Texas rigged worm of tubebait beyond the bed. Work the bait into the center of the spot, and create a twitching motion on the bait by jiggling the rod tip with very small motions. Try to keep the bait in the center of the bed and if you see the line twitch or moving sideways, immediately set the hook!
Pitching and casting weedlines in the winter months is also very productive The bass are often staging to spawn and are cruising these lines They also may actually be bedding, but due to the depth of the beds you may not be able to see them
So if you have the itch to fish for bass, give Florida Bass Fishing a try and I'm sure you won't be disappointed
Paul Bruessow Rick Southerland fishing Cypress Trees at Lake HarrisOur Waterways
By Capt. Jim Suberfingerlings and opportunities for the fish food chain is affected by the loss of the grass beds
FWC has some new programs being considered for the manatee food opportunities but solving the grass bed causes needs to be considered. This time of year the manatees continue to move out of the north Florida area but a few still linger so remain aware and keep a look out.
The river salinity has been less than stable. Mayport has been varying from 18 to 28 PPT and near downtown on the St. Johns has been from 2 to 15 PPT The water temps have been hovering in the mid 60’s
According to all reports we will be affected by the La Lina Pacific weather patterns for the next few months This according to experts will cause a dryer and warmer than normal for the Southeast US
Here we are welcoming 2022 to our world and I think we can all agree there is great hope 2022 is going to be a great improvement to 2020 and 2021 But we also hope the fishing and boating world continues to be as great as 2020 and 2021!
We were fortunate to have more boating activity in Duval County but We had no manatee deaths connected to boaters This shows the boating community has taken notice of all of the awareness campaigns and actually watches for the manatee
The news is not fully good news though! Duval County had 19 manatee deaths from other causes and state wide the mortality of manatees is not as bright!
There has been over 1000 deaths state wide and the number one cause is starvation This is due to the grass beds not as abundant and the food chain is diminishing. This also affects the fishing habitat Cover for
The Mayport Community Center Construction continues and making progress. You should see the cleaning station area go under construction soon for a new pavilion that will create a weigh station opportunity for tournaments and more cleaning tables.
We are still on hold for the Oak Harbor dredge. The Mandarin Park dock extension and adaptive kayak launch has started and completion is getting closer. New dock projects on the south bank area, Jackson Street and Post Street continue to make progress and the Southbank Dock at River Place Tower has mobilized and docks have been installed
There has been a small delay on the additional gangway We are still working through the process to begin construction phases for the dredging of Burt Maxwell Boat Ramp
The bids were opened and a contractor is in place so actual digging should start soon. 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 is moving through the process.
All projects have been awarded and work should be seen soon. We have been advised the rebuild of the El Faro Park Fishing Pier under the Dames Point will be cleared soon for replacement
There are old pilings in Pottsburg Creek that was an old
bridge at Hogan Road has been discovered and the issue is being handled by Public Works
Due to the efforts between the Waterway Mgmt Department
The City of Jacksonville Environmental Quality Division, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and Florida Fish and Wildlife and Parks and Recreation Maintenance staff we have continued to remove several derelict vessels
Continued on Page 18
Offshore Deepwater
By Capt Tim AltmanDay of Days
Wahoo fisherman can be secretive, uncooperative and downright stand offish With that being said a few years ago while visiting a friend of mine I met a gentleman named Jerry Moulton Jerry was bringing my friend a tag for the front of my friend’s truck that had the Contender Boats logo on it
I loved this tag as I have a Contender Boat also and remarked how cool it was to Jerry He quietly walked back out to his truck and got another custom tag that he paid to had made and gave it to me.
I tried to pay him for it, but he’d have none of that. It was obvious to me that this guy could not possibly be a Wahoo Fisherman, he was too nice and generous. Well folks as usual I couldn’t be more wrong
Fast Forward four years until Wednesday January 19, 2022
The longstanding record (that I know about) for 20+ years for the local (North Florida) area for largest Wahoo belongs Capt Don Combs with a 125lb Wahoo But on this day as we always say, records are made to be broken
Jerry leaves the dock much sooner than I do. Unlike me, he doesn’t have triple engines that cruise at 44mph and nearly forty feet of boat under him, his boat is a 25ft Contender with twin engines and cruises at 30mph and on this day he is fishing his final day in the Don Combs Wahoo Roundup and enjoying
day 234 of his retirement.
Jerry puts lines in at 7am by 7:30 Team “Another Tang has their first fish in the bo It’s a nice fish, but not the they are looking for As t continue to hi-speed troll action slows down and aro lunchtime Team Another Tan gets a knockdown on t longline or the line affectionately refer to as “Shotgun” Per Jer description it was crazy, the was “bucking” and taking like he had never seen before. After a forty-minute fight they have what looked to be a “telephone pole” with stripes to the boat. It takes 2 gaffs to get the fish inside of the boat, the fish hit’s the deck and Team Another Tangle looks in disbelief The boat lists as to portside with the weight of the fish as the begin to realize that they have most likely caught the tournament winning fish
They guestimate that the fish is over 100lbs, but they won’t know for sure until they get to the scales Jubilation turns to logic, big fish run together and maybe there is a bigger one in the area. So, they pack the fish in ice and get lines back out trolling again. They catch one more fish in 50lb range and the bite dies down again. Eventually they work out to deeper water, but logic overtakes impatience and Jerry heads back inshore to the “spot” where the sea monster was caught
As they arrive on the spot around 2:30 the “shotgun” goes off again and it’s another screamer 35 minutes later at the side of the boat they have another “Striped Telephone Pole” It’s another huge fish, not as big as the first one but a legit monster
The next morning as they are pulling into the tournament scales as a crowd of anxious tournament fisherman are gathered, waiting to see just how big this fish is and if Jerry and
Team Another Tangle will take the lead. The current tournament leader has a monster 91lb fish Jerry’s fish needed to be greater than 91lbs It took 3 people to get the fish on the scale and as Jerry watched the readout climb past 91lbs, he knew he was now in the lead When the scale stopped climbing and locked the weight Jerry and Team Another Tangle had not only the lead, but a tournament and local record of 126.8lbs. This broke the late Capt Don Combs record and put him in the tournament lead by an amazing 35lbs
So just for giggles they weighed the other big fish just to see how much it weighed Amazingly the 2nd fish weighed 97 2lbs and would have been enough to put him in the lead.
So, I’m a data geek and because the NEFL Wahoo Shootout website leaderboards at present does not display historical data I
validate the information y, but the 2 fish Jerry on this “day of days” 224lbs. I know for sure am Another Tangle’s 2-fish te would have won the Shootout tournament at times and the Wahoo ut is a 3-Fish Aggregate ment. Yes, Jerry’s 2 fish, have won a 3-fish ment at least 4 times. And more amazing the three fish he caught in the Don Wahoo Roundup (126 8, 5 9) equaled 299 90lbs and would have beaten the 2021 Wahoo Shootout winner by a whopping 67 34lbs It was truly a Day of Days for a good guy and his crew Congratulations to Jerry Moulton and Team Another Tangle!
Another Story from the same day was Capt Chris Rooney and Team “Driftn & Dreamin” while high speed trolling fishing the same tournament had what they thought to be the world record Wahoo on only to get it to the boat find out it was a Blue Marlin
Capt. Chris estimated that the Blue Marlin weighed in the vicinity of 500lbs. The Blue never jumped, so they didn’t know until they got it to the boat that it wasn’t a Wahoo They were both disappointed and elated all at the same time Revived and released, that marlin will live to fight another day
Continued on Page 19
from our waterways through our boat ramps. We have more to remove as soon as funding is secure and Law Enforcement investigation is complete
One vessel is a sunken sailing vessel east of the Roosevelt Blvd Bridge on the south side of the river, one in the basin near the old Moody Boat Yard at Atlantic Blvd and the ICW, One sunken near Browns Fish Camp one near marker 34 in the ICW and one in the river near the 5000 block of Heckscher Drive.
On the east end of the Back River behind Blount Island we have a sand bar developing it is on the Ramoth Drive side of the river
A Waterways Commission sub committee is meeting with government agencies to determine a cause and solution
As most know this is the original St Johns River prior to the development of Fulton Cut Look for meeting notices if you are interested and if you boat in the area use caution because it will bring you to an abrupt stop and damage lower units and cause injury
As always allow me to remind everyone to always check your boat and yourself. Use of a lookout and being aware of your surroundings are always a priority Invest in a QUALITY EPERB, File a float plan with someone that will miss you first so if things don’t go as planned, the search for you can be narrowed and recovery can be quicker
Take a safe boating course and do your part to activate our waterways! The Jacksonville Sail and Power Squadron, America’s Boating Club, continuously offers America’s Safe Boating Course at Lamb’s Yacht Center and classes have resumed monthly so check there web site for 2021
The cost of the classes to the
student will continue to be reduced to an affordable $10.00 thanks to a donation from Jacksonville Marine Charities and proceeds from the Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament
The next class will be announced on the America’s Boating Club website at usps org/localusps/Jackson
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 SuberContinued from Page 17
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 disproportionaly impacted Until next month, please stay safe on the water and remember that great things happen when you take a kid fishing
The HooDoo Boat is in FullWahoo Mode If you’re game for some of the most exhilarating fishing here in NE Florida, then give us a call for your Wahoo Adventure!
Capt Tim Altman
HooDoo Sportfishing Charters
www.saltwaterchallenge.com
904.859.6314
Palm Valley St. Augustine
By Capt Cory SparksPalm Valley February 2022
February is here and it’s time to hit the snooze button Cold early mornings and water temps give the opportunity to fish later in the day this time of year.
Feeding fish in the Valley have been biting very soft and slow. If your line is not tight and you're not feeling every bump and movement of the hook then you will most likely be missing fish
Redfish, Drum, Sheepshead, and even Trout will be caught through the month using finesse and concentration
Eliminating all slack in your line while still barely holding your presentation on the bottom is not the easiest thing, but when you master it your catch ratio will increase
If throwing artificial, think SLOW, SLOW, SLOW! With cooler water temperatures fish will be hesitant to chase more Force them to bite with slow moving action and retrieves Also go with smaller profile lures this month and go as light as you can fish with to assist in slow falling action of the lure
Redfish are stacked up in creek holes on low ends of the tide stage One day they won’t touch a shrimp and only eat mud minnows The next day it can flip flop.
Try having a couple options of bait and use various ones at each spot You may think nothing is there only to find out the creek hole is loaded but they are being picky eaters that day. Also target
reds on any sun-soaked oyster mounds or mud banks during sunny mid-day low tides
That dark bottom will be warmer than surrounding bottom and typically hold fish over other areas.
Black drum and sheepshead can be targeted on shell bars with Fishbites strips and small bits of shrimp.
Use enough weight to bounce through the shell bed with your bait while lightly lifting over any small hang ups.
Many times, the bite will come when the bait pops off a shell that is holding it and begins drifting freely again Be ready for the subtle taps and rod pressure to build That’s when you set the hook! Keep Reeling! Capt
PHOTOS
Above
Rick with an upper slot redfish!
Top Right Sheree Girty with a Creek hole pig!
Center Right
Carter with "rat red" on his new Zebco!
St. Augustine Crescent Beach
By Drew FlorezIt’s February and we have finally felt some of those “Winter” temperatures
Personally, this is some of my favorite conditions to fish. The water is still cold so you don’t have to rush out at the crack of dawn to find fish
(Running a bait shop means more often than not we are up way before the sun, so on days off its nice to sleep in a little)
I like to wait for an early/mid morning low tide and let that sun rise and heat up the water as much as possible
The water clarity continues to do its best FL Keys impersonation and stays relatively clear throughout the whole month
This opens up so much room for different styles of fishing
My personal favorite is being super stealthy and pushing around back in the creeks and flats sight fishing for redfish Try and look for nice holes near the grass lines and some moving water near the oyster beds. When you find these fish, use your personal favorite 1/4oz Jig head attached to 2+ ft of fluorocarbon Pitch either a paddle tail, mullet, or mud minnow and you should have no problems hooking into one
Another great technique is having a Carolina rig fitted with a 1/0 or 2/0 circle hook on you as well Pitch it out with a live blue crab, mullet, or mud minnow and let it sit in the rod holder while using another pole to throw a jig around working
the bottoms for flounder and trout
January and February are also notoriously famous for a hot sheepshead and black drum bite. I would use shrimp or any kind of crustacean such as sand flea, fiddler crab, clam, or mud crab on a “Bottom sweeper/bridge donkey” jig
These Jigs are the future of black drum and sheepshead fishing
If you are not familiar with these jigs look them up now! They have almost doubled the amount of fish I have caught in the past years They are symmetrically designed to resist roll over with an astounding front to rear balance
Coupled with its ability to drop quickly, glide over structure, and stay in place in a rushing tide. Essentially it keeps the bait upright on top of jig so the fish sees it first which is great for these clear winter waters. This jig also eliminates having to use a knocker or fish finder rig, so you can use it for several different species without having to change set-Ups
The trout bite has been pretty hot as well During the day you can run a live shrimp down the grass lines under a popping cork; or find the deeper holes with some running water along the oyster beds pitching a topwater or paddle tail.
The dock lights at night however has provided the biggest numbers Between live lining a shrimp or pitching a lure of choice under the lights we have had no problems getting our few man limits
All in all I’m hoping for a pretty solid February filled with Sheepshead, Black drum, Redfish, trout and flounder Good luck out there and stay warm!
Drew Florez
SALTWATER FISHING LICENSE
Required to take or attempt to take saltwater fish, crabs, clams, marine plants or other saltwater organisms (other than non-living seashells and lionfish with certain gear) A Florida fishing license is required to land saltwater species in Florida regardless of where they are caught (state or federal waters)
Resident Annual: $17.00
Resident Five-Year: $79.00
Non-Resident Annual: $47.00
Non-Resident 3-Day: $17.00
Non-Resident 7-Day: $30.00
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FRESHWATER FISHING LICENSE
Required to take or attempt to take native or nonnative freshwater fish
Resident Annual: $17 00
Resident Five-Year: $79 00
Non-Resident Annual: $47 00
Non-Resident 3-Day: $17 00
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r that y, we s and theast water gets, g weeks, we will have days with great visibility, for our area These days present some amazing sight fishing opportunities, especially on the flats
During the winter months especially, the redfish tend to school up on the area oyster and mud flats An afternoon low tide is the easiest time to go on the hunt. The sun will heat up the mud between the oyster beds throughout the day and the redfish will be schooled up on that warmer mud, the shallower the better
Once the tide drops out, standing and pushing slowly across the flat is the best approach The water will clear and shallow enough to be able to see quite a ways in front of you, but having a good pair of polarized glasses really helps cut the glare.
Not only are you looking for fish, but you are also looking for transitions from shallow to deeper water This may be a small pothole, an oyster bed, or a channel If you’re pushing along and notice one of these, make a few casts at and around it before pushing past
Many times, there are reds sitting there waiting for the tide to come back in If you make a few casts and get nothing, move on to the next one. Not all transitions will hold fish, but
they are all worth a few casts. Redfish won’t be the only fish on a transition either, trout and flounder also really key in on them.
One can have a very fun time just bouncing from pothole to pothole and pitching a small jig into them Being able to make a long, accurate cast with minimal splash on impact is key
These fish are smart and can see in the water way better than you or I A almost alway spooked fish choose a lure itself in the m possible. Th fishing excels itself the mos artificial baits.
The problem everyone can o and a fly cann conventional s this problem
“castable fly”
The Swingin B jig bucktail ba absolutely de fishing redfish
It casts a coun tiny splash on with just a f action like no redfish have y from one Other good options for sight fishing reds are Ned rigged craws or small paddletails
Keep in mind, minimal splash when deciding what lure to throw Live shrimp freelined through the holes is a great method if live bait is preferred
Whatever your method of approach may be, February is THE month for sight fishing reds on the flats. Good luck and tight lines I’ll see ya out there Swingin Bucks are available at St Augustine Paddle Sports or contact me directly for custom or shipped orders
Will Niemann Lead Guide at St Augustine Paddle Sports
772-475-9469
Daytona Ormond Beach
By Capt. Jeff PattersonWe have had some beautiful weather in the 60s and 70s and even up in the 80s which has been keeping the water warmer for this time of year.
Out off the beach we are normally tearing up the tripletail this time of year but they haven’t been as plentiful There have been some bull reds and some nice black drum on the nearshore spots I’ve been getting the reds on chunk bait and the black drum on live shrimp.
There are some really nice sheepshead out there through February but I haven’t been catching as many as last winter I prefer sand fleas or small live shrimp for them Fiddler crabs work great too of course but I feel sand fleas stay on the hook better.
Weakfish are piled up on the nearshore sites and you could literally fill the fish box if you wanted to I keep it to a more reasonable 15” minimum size limit and 5 fish per person on my boat although there is no size limit and 100lb per person through FWC
The inlet has been very slow for me although there are some fish around Bull reds, sheepshead, black drum, spanish mackerel, and bluefish I try to have a little variety for bait at the inlet. Live mullet, sand fleas, live shrimp, and even blue crabs are good choices of bait for Ponce in February
Ormond has been pretty good for me especially in the basin Lots of seatrout and we’ve been getting them on live shrimp but
I’ve been doing very well with a DOA shrimp or other artificial shrimp on a popping cork
Live mullet have been working good for seatrout, reds, and snook. We caught a red that was 42” in the basin a few days ago on a free lined mullet and set a PB for biggest redfish caught on my boat in the Ormond/Daytona area I’ve never seen a fish in the basin pull like that It literally hooked up and ran for at least 5 minutes straight without gaining an inch and that was along with us following it 150 yards with the trolling motor! Oh and it was just on a 1/0 circle hook!
That was a fish I’ll never forget! We have had some stronger winds after some of these fronts recently so we do what we can to try and stay out of it.
The beginning of the Tomoka coming from the basin has been a pretty productive area for snook and redfish and a good place to get out of the wind We’ll see what happens over the next month or so before you know it Spring will be here!
Tight lines!
(386) 451-4992
by Roy Mattson
F L A Winners
Randy Padgett & Brenda Smith 3rd F L A
Lynneia n Kyle
