Fishing Connection Online August 2023

The Fishing Connection Online is published monthly by the Fishing & Boating Media Group Inc on or before the first Tuesday of each month. No material printed herein may be reprinted or sold for distribution without the express written consent of the publisher.

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Page 6 Nik Bremer

Page 10

Capt. Bert Deener

Page 15 Spencer Brogden

Page 18

Capt. Jim Suber

Page 20

Capt. Tim Altman

Page 24

Capt. Todd Philcox

Page 26

Capt. John Eggers

Page 28

Capt. Cory Sparks

Page 34

Capt. Adam Morley

Page 36 Will Neiman

Page 40 Skye Burkhart

Page 44

Capt. Jeff Patterson

Page 46 Craig VanBrocklin

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Fernandina Amelia Island

By Nik Bremer

Tarpon fishing in Northeast Florida could be a very rewarding experience, as it is a prime time for Tarpon migration in the area. In this month’s article, we’ll talk about a tackle specific guide for a first time Tarpon fisherman, including techniques for using live and artificial baits Now of course, every situation is different which may offer different sized fish, but if you’re targeting larger poon, pay attention

Let’s start with the rod and reel. Depending if you’re on a boat or from shore, the length of your rod may vary, but on average, an 8ft medium heavy to heavy rod is ideal. A long cast is often required to get to the target and it’s always a good idea to cast past the bait pod and work your bait around the perimeter Pairing your rod up with a reliable reel that could handle the stress a Tarpon battle is necessary. The following combos are very popular at Amelia Island bait and tackle for our Tarpon fishermen: Shimano Saragosa and Teramar combo. Penn Slammer reel paired with a carnage rod and the Daiwa Saltist mq on a

proteus. Each of these combos will get the job done and you’ll get style points at the same time On average anglers fish with 65lb braid with a minimum of 200 yards on your spool to handle those big runs Due to the abrasiveness of a Tarpons mouth, using 60-100lb fluorocarbon leader is ideal to minimize break-offs If fishing live or cut bait, use a 6/0-8/0 strong circle hook, like a Seaworx or owner hook. Matching the hatch is good starting point

If they’re circling pods of pogies, fish a live pogie. When the mullet run begins, switch it up and throw on a plump mullet Blue crab are also a great choice. Flatlining, fishing under a float or using a fishfinder rig are all great presentations for live or cut baits.

Locating Tarpon is fairly straight forward, find the bait and the Tarpon will be right behind. On the incoming tide, Tarpon are generally found on the beach side from the south jetty Last of the outgoing tide around the bridge on the south end of the island bait could be generally found. Look for birds along the beach to locate pods of pogies.

If in a boat, lock down stream and allow your live bait to swim with the current to the pod of bait. Keep your bail open to feed line out as it swims away from the boat, if your bait gets picked up, have patience and allow the Tarpon to fully take the bait. These silver kings have very hard mouths, a premature hook set may result in a missed hook set or pulled hook. When the Tarpon has fully consumed the bait, flip your bail over and slowly reel down to the water to apply gentle. When pressure is felt, lift the rod tip to sink the hook it and start the show Once hooked, the fish will most likely go on a powerful

initial run. During this run, point the rod tip towards the water again reducing the tension on the tackle As the run slows, start to retrieve line as it will be a good game of give and take.

Tarpon are a very acrobatically fish and will put on a great show for everyone on the boat or on the beach. When they come up to jump, “bow” pointing the rod tip back at the water reducing the risk of breaking off. When the fish has worn down and the fight comes to a close, keep the fish in the water and secure the fish by grabbing the mouth of the fish using a pair of gloves Get the hook out of the mouth and revitalize the fish before sending it on their way.

Remember that Tarpon are a prized and protected species and its essential to practice ethical fishing and conservation. Please always follow local fishing regulations to handle these fish with responsibility to ensure the health of the population More questions? Not a problem, come into the shop and we’ll take care.

Nik Bremer

Shop # (904) 277-0775

Cell # (760) 212-8131

1925 S. 14th St.

Fernandina Beach, FL.

Tarpon Handling Guidelines

Tarpon is an iconic saltwater fish. When handled properly, these large fish are more likely to survive and evade predators Follow these guidelines to ensure Tarpon remains the strong and viable fishery it is today

Know Tarpon regulations:

•Tarpon over 40 inches MUST remain in the water unless a tag is used.

•Keep Tarpon, especially the gills, in as much water as is safely possible

•Tarpon tags may only be used to harvest potential state record or IGFA record-sized Tarpon. Taxidermy mounts can be made with length and girth measurements and a photograph. Don't tow a Tarpon unless it is necessary to revive it If you must tow, go as slow as possible while still moving water over the gills Do not target from bridges or piers - Releasing Tarpon from bridges or piers requires specialized lifting gear or cutting the line, which leaves long amounts of line trailing behind the fish. Use proper tackle:

•Use barbless, single, non-offset circle hooks for natural bait

•Use single hooks rather than treble hooks

•Use tackle heavy enough to land the Tarpon quickly, minimizing exhaustion, and helping the fish avoid predators after release.

Other tips:

•Do not drag Tarpon over the gunnel of a boat

•Use a dehooking tool

•Tarpon smaller than 40” should be supported horizontally when removed from the water.

•Do not fish for Tarpon when large predatory sharks are in the area feeding. If sharks show up, move to another fishing location

Fishing the Swamps Creeks and Ponds

By Capt. Bert Deener

July 27, 2023 Fishing Report

By Capt. Bert Deener

We are definitely in the dog-days of summer and the fish are in their summer patterns Just when the Satilla was getting right for panfish, we got over 3 inches in essentially the entire basin last weekend It’s high again, but the other rivers are fishable Saltwater and ponds are producing the best reports right now.

Altamaha/Ocmulgee Rivers – The only report I got this week was from Hunter Dean. He fished the Altamaha on Friday and caught 3 bass. Two of them ate a crankbait, and their biggest fish was right at 3 pounds The river is rising again, but it’s still fishable With the offcolor water, try bright colors first

Satilla River – Dane Clements fished the middle river for just a short trip, catching and releasing 7 bass up to 2 1/2 pounds on a small crawfish crankbait. Chuck Dean fished the lower river backwaters on Saturday for both panfish and bowfin (mudfish)

He flung a popper early and caught a couple bluegills and then switched over to casting and trolling Dura-Spins He ended up catching 18 bowfin and a longnose gar on crawfish and lemon-lime colors. He had 3 that measured 29 inches, and they weighed 8 1/2, 8, and 7 1/2 pounds. The river started rising again after the 3 inches-plus of rain over almost the entire basin this weekend. It is back in the floodplain again, but you can probably catch some fish in the backwaters in the lower half of the river until the slug of water gets down there sometime next week

Okefenokee Swamp – Josh Ward fished the east side of the Okefenokee Swamp on

Saturday and caught a bunch of fish. They had 30 bowfin and 6 chain pickerel (jackfish). They had 3 bowfin over 5 pounds, and their biggest was 6 pounds. They caught their fish on fire tiger and black/chartreuse

Dura-Spins Mike Snell and his buddy Dustin fished the east side on Sunday and caught about 40 bowfin on Dura-Spins Their best colors were blood red and crawfish When the heat has most other species shut down, bowfin fishing in the swamp is excellent. They’re not much as table fare, but man are they feisty fighters! The most recent water level (Folkston side) was 120.40 feet.

Local Ponds – In the latest Saturday installment of the Guyton Saga, Charlotte got up early so that she could get a jump on her brothers, Tripp and Waylon It played out almost like the week before with Tripp and Waylon flying out the door as soon as they woke up and realized that their sister was several bass up on them. All three were flinging Bert’s Bugs tipped with a beetle spin body for weight when casting on ultralight gear.

The boys preferred the black/chartreuse, while Charlotte threw the chartreuse version All 3 of them caught mostly bass when Waylon exclaimed, “I’m gonna catch a big shellcracker because that is my expertise ” and he did – catching some big enough that he had trouble holding them.

All three ended up catching some nice bass, bluegills, and shellcracker before calling it a day. Tripp invited his buddy Graham over later in the week and they fooled several bass and nice bluegills with the same chartreuse bugs Tripp’s dad, Mark, got in on the action too and caught an 11 1/2-inch bluegill on a chartreuse bug Gilbert Ellis, Jr fished a Nicholls area pond for a couple hours on Saturday and had a blast catching bluegills and brown bullhead catfish.

He released the bluegills and invited the catfish to a fish fry…. Jeff Blair fished a pond on Friday and caught a bunch of green sunfish by pitching a bumblebee-colored Okefenokee Swamp Sally. Those little buggers are aggressive but don’t usually grow very big Jimmy Zinker fished at night in a south Georgia pond this week with buzzbaits and had a bunch of blowups

He caught 2 and missed about 10 small bass. Three of his blowups were big bass. He lost one of the big ones at the boat (he estimates it was a 7-lb. class fish). All of them ate black buzzbaits. A group of 17 teens along with some Lions Club members fished the Lions Camp for the Blind pond on Saturday morning and caught a bunch of

bluegills and a few catfish. The bluegills ate worms fished on a drop-shot, while the catfish ate cut bluegill. One of the Lions Club members caught her first fish ever during the event.

Saltwater (GA Coast) – Jay Turner fished from the bank for a couple hours in the Savannah area this past weekend and hooked a couple small tarpon while casting a 4.8-inch electric shad swimbait on a Zombie Eye Jighead.

He was targeting flounder and trout but the silver kings were a fun sidetrack. He returned on Thursday morning and caught 8 keeper trout (released 7 of them) and the same number of barely-undersized redfish He was flinging fire craw and mossback shiner Keitech Swimbaits on Zombie Eye Jigheads

Jamie Hodge caught a monster 31-inch, 23pound tripletail off our southern coast on Tuesday. He said that he had never seen that much fat in a fish before, and its belly was full of shrimp. So, I guess that’s confirmation that it’s a good match to throw live shrimp at them. Shane and Joshua Barber fished the St Mary area this weekend and caught a great mess of trout, black drum, and redfish They caught almost 40 trout (most throwbacks – kept 4) all on plastics

They fooled most of their other fish on fiddler crabs. They also hooked and jumped a really big tarpon. I heard of a strikeout where the Waycross anglers fished the St. Marys Jetties targeting flounder and sheepshead.

They caught a few undesirable species and a few sharks but didn’t catch any of their target species Capt Greg Hildreth (georgiacharterfishing com) had a good week with a few tarpon and some tripletail along with a bunch of sharks

One of the most memorable catches was Garrett Page’s giant scalloped hammerhead shark. It was the biggest fish he had ever caught.

Steve and Brenda Hampton fished the Jekyll Island Pier over the weekend and only caught toadfish and stingrays Randy Bryant caught a big flounder that day while fishing the rocks at the pier

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 912-2883022 or e-mail him (bertdeener@yahoo com)

Garrett Page caught this giant scalloped hammerhead shark while fishing with Capt. Greg Hildreth this week. It was the biggest fish Garrett had ever caught.

(Photo courtesy of Capt. Greg Hildreth)

Rules are Simple

Your lips MUST CLEARLY touch the fish's mouth. The person in the photo must be clothed but clothing on the fish is optional.

Disclaimer

We are not responsible if the fish you're kissin’ bites your dang face off

Fish Kisser of The Month August 2023

Pier & Surf

By Spencer Brogden

Sunrise and sunset. If you aren't seeing either of these then more than likely your are fishing the wrong time of day. With the water temperature around 85/86 in the northeast Florida area the fish have been biting much better early morning and very late afternoon.

The only time I even consider fishing the middle of the day is if we have overcast skies or we have a good thunderstorm that cools things down.

Although there are still a few whiting and Pompano around, the surf right now has more speckled Trout, Redfish and Tarpon it seems.

For the Trout I use topwater at the crack of dawn and big live shrimp on a float rig. The Redfish will

also hit the float rig with shrimp but I prefer a Carolina rig with live mullet to target them.

Right now mullet are plentiful in the river on the low tide and schools of them are also showing up in the surf. If you want to hook a Tarpon, I've been seeing a bunch between 6-8 am just about every morning right behind the breakers.

A large swim bait, topwater or live pogie, mullet or sand Trout will usually get one to strike. Be prepared to have patience though as many times they throw the hooks. If you plan on targeting Tarpon make sure to have the proper tackle.

You need a reel capable of holding a LOT of line, preferably 20-30lb moon or braid. Of course if you are using braid you will hold a lot more line. Check out the Sinker Guys rig for catching Tarpon off the beach as he has landed several over the last few years.

For weekly reports don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel Brokenreel23!

Until next time , hydrate and tight lines!

Spencer Brogden

Our Waterways

By Capt. Jim Suber

COJ Waterways Coordinator

Dock Master

Division of Natural Marine Resources

Department of Parks

Recreation and Community Services

1410 Gator Bowl Blvd.

Jacksonville, Fl. 32202

Office (904) 630-0839

Cell (904)509-0588

Jsuber@coj.net

www.JaxParks.com

www.COJ.net

Greetings,

Well here we are still able to do the outdoor activities we love. The temperatures have been flirting with 100 degrees, The water temperatures are reaching the 90’s, Our Red Snapper days came and went, and the Kingfish have shown our tournaments a great year

We are starting to see construction on our downtown waterfront, and we are still getting the full benefit of our waterways and estuaries.

The City of Jacksonville continues to make improvements and several projects are seeing progress. Metro Park Marina has been closed and demolition should begin any day

We moved the pump out station to the east end of Metro Park so that amenity will continue to be available The pump system is on the bulkhead, so it takes a little caution to use it.

We have several FIND grants moving along. Riverview Park new boat ramp is still in permit process, Liberty Street Marina is in design and permits, Pottsburg Creek / Beach Blvd design and permits to

rebuilt, Mike McCue Boat Ramp bulkhead replacement design is near completion, Thomas Creek Fish Camp Adaptive Kayak launch is in design and permits

The City of Jacksonville is submitting grant requests to the Florida Inland Navigation District for design of dredge needs in the downtown area, the design of extending the floating dock system at Jim King Park and Boat Ramp, St Johns Boat Ramp Boardwalk and the replacement of the Oak Harbor Bulkhead We have started the dredge project of Goodby’s Creek which will deepen the channel from the St Johns River to the Boat Ramp area This project is close to completion. We installed a fish cleaning station at Lions Club

A new city ordinance has been approved by the city council to develop an anchoring restriction zone in the Ortega River This will require vessels leave the area after 45 days on anchor. New signage for enforcement will be installed soon

The Snapper Slapper Tournament and the Oh Snap Tournament went well. The Ancient City Kingfish Tournament and the Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament and Redfish Tournament went well. Congratulations to Dan Crowley and his crew for the 57.7 Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament Record breaker. The last record 0f 55 2 caught by Tommy Rady held for 21 years!

Tommy gave Dan a run for his money by weighing in a king over 50 lbs winning the aggragate division for the second year with 83.13 pounds of Kingfish! Owen Holmquist won the Jr Angler Tournament on his 13th birthday fishing with his dad and brother bringing in a 39.13 fish. Congratulations to Amber Adams for winning the Lady Angler Division with a 37.21 King!

The derelict vessel war is still full speed ahead all over our waterways. More are piling up and the process and funding is working really slow I want to continue to remind all, 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 solution to this concern is being worked on

The Jacksonville Waterways Commission continues to have a committee to address this issue and discussions continue with The Army Corp of Engineers and a source

of the sand is being explored The Waterways Commission has submitted legislation to fund warning buoys for the area as well pursuing a funding source to study a cause and solution.

Please use caution and a look out anytime you are underway especially when up on plane in your boat, debris items are just under the surface and seeing them can be difficult Day time always use good, polarized sunglasses and at night slow down and double your caution and lookout

As always allow me to continue 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.

Check their web site for classes through 2023 The cost of the classes to the student will continue to be reduced to an affordable rate thanks to a donation from Jacksonville Marine Charities from proceeds from the Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament. The next class and all future classes will be announced on the America’s Boating Club web site at www.usps.org/localusps/Jackson

JSPS continue to do vessel inspections so you can contact an inspector at the same web site or reach out to me and I will assist getting you with an examiner

Last but not least, show pride in the facilities provided for your use with your tax dollars by properly disposing of your by-products when you clean your fish and dispose of your trash appropriately! BE SAFE!

Dan Crowley's Crew weighing the new Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament record

Owen Holmquist with his Birthday Win, a 39.13 King!

Let’s Talk Offshore Fishing

favorite is Kite Fishing Kite fishing for sailfish is one of my favorite things to do. Why? Because 90% of the time you watch the sailfish stalk and eat the bait That visual is amazing. Kite fishing is not easy and it takes a while to learn, but in the end it in my opinion is worth the hassle. If you have any questions about Kite fishing, dredges, or rigging for sailfish you can go to Strike-Zone Fishing Jacksonville and ask Mr. Dave Workman or his expert staff They have everything you need to get you started

Kingfish

The Live Bait Situation!

Pogies have been “Good” this summer from the Saint Mary’s inlet to the Saint Augustine Inlet for almost the entire month of July. When you can’t find the Pogies just how do you get live bait for live bait out of Mayport and where? Well the answer is the places like the Twin Wrecks or Maxies to jig up live sardines and cigar minnows You must prepare by rigging Sabiki Rigs on small spinners and have your crew (preferably more than one person) ready to pitch into the schools as you mark them on your sounder. You should be able to load your livewell pretty quickly Remember if you jigging for bait offshore, bring a few sabiki rigs because the Barracuda and Spanish Mackerel love to cut you off.

Sailfish

In late August and early September Sailfish will inhabit the Near-Shore wrecks and known Kingfish Haunts. The “Southeast Hole” along with the “MR”, “RL” and “Jax Wreck” will sailfish over the first 3 weeks of August. The traditional way to catch sailfish here in NEFL is to just go Kingfishing, using the same tackle and gear you use for Kingfish. But the better way to live bait is instead of using the Kingfish wire setup is to replace it with a single circle hook. The other methods for late summer sails is trolling small ballyhoo or Kite Fishing live baits. If you are going to troll small ballyhoo, ensure you buy the “Smalls”. Trolling also brings into to play dredges to get their attention. My personal

The Kingfish bite is still wide open. The Beach Kingfish bite (within 3 miles) has been what I would consider pretty good. Capt. Chris Altman of Hoodoo Sportfishing has done well in July with a 32lb fish to win the Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament “Media Day”. The crew for the media day was partially made up of (as it is every year) the local staff of our own Fishing Connection. Joe Dionne, his beautiful daughter Danielle and son in law Alex. Capt. Chris caught the “Smoker” on a ribbonfish down 15ft on a downrigger During the Greater Jacksonville General tournament, fishing the beach again he landed a 28lb and 22lber to take home a little pocket change in the aggregate category.

The big news is that this year the GJKT tournament record was broken with a 57lb Kingfish caught in 90ft of water well south of Jacksonville. There has been some real discussion about the decline in numbers of boats participating in the Greater Jax Kingfish Tournament from its hay-day of well over 1000 boats for many years to now being a mere 300 boat tournament. An argument can be made that the main factor is the that the “Mom & Pop” small boats can’t compete with the triple & quad engine boats that will run 70+ miles south to fish off of Matanzas or Ponce Inlet sometimes going as far south as Canaveral. Those boats gravitate to the Old School Kingfish Shootout that produces numbers close to 700 every year since its inception. The additional knock on the Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament is described as the “Weigh in Goatrope” . It appears for a number of years now one of the two docks is jam packed with “party barges” as described by a member of the staff of the tournament These big

boats are said to belong to the tournament staff of which they utilize during the tournament This causes the flow of traffic to drop their anglers off to weigh their fish at the one remaining dock and then sit in the creek while the fish is weighed and the anglers weighing are then loaded on a pontoon boat and ferried to the other side This year it became what some described as dangerous as the anglers weren’t dropped off on the “Kingfish Island” barge, but loaded back into their boats via transfer from the pontoon boats. This was a precarious transfer especially during the Junior Angler This became even more dangerous when a boat trying to load their anglers back on rammed the pontoon It is believed that no one was injured or nothing damaged but the Captain’s pride of the boat that hit the pontoon, but it was not a good situation Look, the Greater Jax, a GREAT tournament run by some wonderful people all VOLLUNTEERS raising money for Jacksonville Marine Charities. After all it is about the experience you have during this tourney, not the number of boats that fish it. Does it have things to improve on…yes. But I will continue to support it as long as it exists, I will always fish it…it is a family tradition.

Take a Kid Fishing!

Folks, bait may be tough to find, Kingfish might be tough to find…but schools of Bonita busting the surface on Rain Minnows are not tough to find at all They have been off of the Nassau-Sound and the offshore areas just south of the Jacksonville Pier since late May While we in Florida don’t particularly like to eat them, they are a great fish to let kids fight on light-tackle! They are also when cut into chunks great to use for bottom fishing bait. Chunked Bonita was my primary bait for all of my Red Snapper

Opening Charters

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

Capt. Tim Altman

Another Hoodoo

Sportfishing

Sailfish caught on a kite!

L-R

Capt. Chris Altman (TJ’s DAD) , David Bryant and Capt. Jeffery Lentz with a nice Smoker Kingfish on Media Day for the GJKT

TJ Altman with nice Nassau Sound Bonita!

Enjoying a Trip on The Saltwater Challenge with Capt. Chris Altman and Capt. Jeffery Lentz

Capt. Chris Altman & David Bryant

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Intracoastal Waterway

By Capt. Todd Philcox

Summer fishing on NE Florida’s inshore water can present some challenges due to heat, storms and higher water temperatures but persistence will pay off with some nice Redfish and Flounder.

Fishing has been decent but finding action with Redfish and Flounder requires covering quite a bit of water as the fish tend to be scattered. Try to plan your fishing days, or days off, for those with a morning low tide. I’ve found the last 3 hours of the falling tide through the first hour of the incoming to be the most productive for Redfish.

When Flounder are your target, fish the higher tide phases

around weed edges that show a good tide rip. Flounder action picked up in July and should continue to improve this month along the docks and rocks in the St. Johns River.

The Redfish bite throughout the summer has been challenging and slot size fish have been scattered, juvenile Reds showed up in force in July and readily ate shrimp.

I generally prefer active casting and working shrimp, mud minnows or finger mullet on jig heads, along weed edges, flats adjacent to creek runouts and some of the steeper drop-offs along the Intracoastal

Shrimp baits become more difficult to use this month and next as the increased quantity of smaller fish will clean your hook before a decent Redfish or Flounder gets a shot at your shrimp,

I prefer larger mud minnows or finger mullet this time of year. Throughout August another productive technique will be to fish stationary baits, mud minnows, live finger mullet or cut mullet on fish finder rigs Find banks along the Intracoastal

with bait activity and let your bait sit right in the middle of that activity, patience will pay off!

The quantity of finger mullet has been a bit light this summer but should increase over the next couple months.

They are just getting to be the optimal size to entice slot size and larger Redfish as well as good size Flounder to bite, using finger mullet will exclude the smaller species from stealing your baits so bring along a cast net.

Boat traffic will continue to be heavy once the sun gets high in the sky, so, once again, get out early Be courteous to other fisherman as well, when cruising down the Intracoastal give fisherman working the banks as much room as possible and when in creeks or shallower waters be sure to slow down to idle speed and once again give fellow fishing boats room. Get out fishing, stay cool and be safe!

Capt. Todd Philcox

Top Left

Ella Suggs with a nice Redfish

Top Right & Bottom Right Rod Johnson Jr and Sr with nice Redfish.

St. Johns River & Intracoastal Waterway

By Capt. John Eggers

Water temperature will be the biggest influence on how active the fish are and what fish are actually here this time of year. The best time to fish typically during this hot month is the very early morning hours for inshore. The water temps will be the coolest and fish most

active including the bait fish. Top water walk the dog style lures will be an excellent choice for Reds and Trout, especially at high water up in the spartina edges. As the sun gets up the aggressiveness will slow down and so should you. Switch to live bait dragging on the bottom or dead sticking it near oyster beds, docks, and grass flats. I normally stay away from the very shallow backwater creeks and concentrate on the deeper holes of them and the ICW drop-offs. Keeper Mangrove Snapper are not as moody and will be schooled up on just about any hard structure, especially in the river. Make sure you bring lots of shrimp because they are an aggressive feeder. My favorite inshore fish for tacos this time of year. Another great time to fish is just after an afternoon thunderstorm which is pretty typical for us. They may only

cool the water by a degree but it's enough to fire up the bite.

Some fish are not as affected by water temps but more so by the tides Incoming tide with clearer water brings a lot of bait in and really gets some fish going. Look for the diving birds and you will find fish. Jacks, Ladyfish, Bluefish, Trout, Mangrove Snapper, and bull Reds will be under the birds feeding on whatever the birds are. I like to throw Clark spoons or small jigging spoons at them when they are on a feed and a whole crab or chunk of cut bait on a circle hook for the bulls. There are tons of Tarpon at jetties and on the beach around the pogy pods.

904-591-1611

Capt. John Eggers

George Doyle from Jacksonville with a top water Red

Tyler from Texas with a Nice Trout

Palm Valley

By Capt. Cory Sparks

The dog days of summer are here and fishing early morning or late afternoon will typically be the better bite pattern this month. Water temps are high 80s and the water clarity is poor. Moving around to find clean cool water will result in finding the feeding fish. Mullet becomes a key bait this month and everything will be feeding on them!

On low tides, locate schools of Redfish outside of creek mouths and flats that have drained with the falling tide. Throwing live mullet or shrimp along the banks will entice

a Redfish to eat while they are trapped on the outside of these areas.

Once the tide turns and fish can return to the flat, use popping corks along the grass to keep baits suspended above the oysters and hangups. Fish will also strike artificials but they have to see or hear it in this dirty water.

For this reason, curly tails, spoons, and spinnerbaits are great for covering ground this month. They all have flash, movement, and vibration that helps fish find them in poor visibility levels. Tarpon seem to be rolling everywhere in Palm Valley and they are the perfect size to fight on lighter tackle. Drifting a live mullet under a float or free lining it to water currents where the silver king has been seen will put your bait in a natural presentation for these fish to eat.

Using heavier leader and circle hooks will be needed to land these fish. When Tarpon are hooked, they can jump repeatedly while trying to throw the hook.

Remember to "bow to the king" and lower your rod tip when they

jump to create slack and keep the hook in their mouth rather than being violently spit out by these brutes

Big Trout are lurking near bait concentrations where funnels of falling tide create current and ambush points. Live mullet fished in multiple ways will be irresistible to these fish.

Free-lined, pinned on a jig head or even fished under corks are great ways to use this bait, but one of my favorites is using live mullet on fish finder rigs with circle hooks. This allows the bait to stay in a zone but move freely creating commotion in the area. The circle hook eliminates deep hook sets and allows your gear to do the work for you.

Some of my biggest Trout catches are in the summer heat in the mullet schools. Get out there and get on em! Keep Reeling!

Capt. Cory Sparks

716-307-7654

Right - Kyle with a Black Drum on Fishbites!

Bottom Left - Jackson and Louie doubled up on Redfish!

Bottom Right - Danny Warren with a surprise Triple Tail!

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Talking Tides:

By Capt. Adam Morley

Unraveling the Secrets of Fishing's Rhythmic Dance

As an angler, stepping onto the shores, I've always been intrigued by the unseen forces that govern the rise and fall of the ocean's waters. These rhythmic movements, known as tides, have a profound impact on the behavior, feeding patterns, and overall fishing experience. In this article, we delve deep into the world of tides, specifically focusing on neap tides and spring tides, and how they influence the marine environment, offering valuable insights to anglers like us.

Understanding the Language of Tides

Tides are the result of gravitational forces exerted by the moon and the sun on Earth's oceans.

As these celestial bodies dance around our planet, their alluring gravitational pull causes the water levels to rise and fall in a cyclical manner. These tidal movements follow a predictable schedule and play a vital role in maintaining the ecological balance of marine habitats

Neap Tides: The Subtle Whisperers

Neap tides occur during the first and third quarter phases of the moon, where the gravitational forces of the sun and the moon act at right angles

to each other. The term "neap" comes from the Old English word "nep," meaning "scant" or "low.“

During neap tides, the difference between high and low tides is minimal, leading to weaker tidal currents

For anglers, neap tides can be both a blessing and a challenge. The reduced water movement can make fishing conditions more predictable and calmer, providing excellent opportunities for fishing from small boats or from shorelines. However, the decreased tidal flow also means less suspended food in the water, which may lead to less active feeding behavior among certain fish species

Spring Tides: The Symphony of Abundance

In contrast, spring tides occur during the new moon and full moon phases when the sun, moon, and Earth form a straight line, intensifying their combined gravitational pull. Despite the name, "spring" tides have nothing to do with the season Instead, they signify a time when the tide "springs forth" or rises higher than usual.

For anglers, spring tides offer a grand spectacle of abundance The stronger currents and higher water levels bring an influx of nutrients, plankton, and smaller fish, attracting larger predatory species to feed. Fishing during spring tides can be incredibly rewarding, with the heightened activity and increased chances of hooking prized catches.

Leveraging Tidal Knowledge for Angling Success

To maximize our angling success, we must learn to adapt to the everchanging tides. Understanding the tidal patterns in our favorite fishing spots allows us to plan our excursions wisely

By checking tide charts and knowing when neap tides and spring tides

occur, we can tailor our fishing strategies to match the conditions

During neap tides, focus on using natural baits or lures that closely mimic the local forage, as fish may be more discerning during these periods. Targeting areas with structure, where fish seek shelter from the calmer waters, can also lead to productive catches.

On the other hand, when fishing during spring tides, opt for larger lures that imitate the plentiful baitfish

Follow the currents to locate areas where baitfish gather, as this will often be where the larger predator fish are lurking.

Conclusion

As we immerse ourselves in the world of tides and their influence on fishing, we discover that understanding these natural rhythms is key to successful angling.

Neap tides bring us moments of tranquility and require finesse, while spring tides provide a spectacle of life and excitement. As we align our fishing adventures with the ebb and flow of the tides, we come to appreciate the profound interconnectedness of nature's rhythmic dance and gain a deeper appreciation for the wonders of the marine world.

So, let us embrace the language of tides and embark on a journey of fishing adventure, guided by the secrets of this mesmerizing symphony.

Capt. Adam Morley from Genung’s Fish Camp with a Red caught on a Fishbites “Butt Kicker” deep in a tidal creek

Janine from Genung’s Fish Camp with a Sunset Red caught on a Fishbites “Dirty Boxer” deep in a tidal creek

Kayak Fishin’

By Will Neimann

As East Coast fishermen and women, we wait all year for this No, not having all the kids back in school, although that is nice. No, we wait all year for the major increase of bait fish in the area, also known as the fall mullet run. This generally begins towards the end of August and goes through September and into the first week or so of October. The fall run is normally much better than the spring mullet run There is usually more bait, which spawns more predators, BIG predators. Monster Tarpon, Snook, Redfish, Trout, and jacks will be very common predators in the huge mullet schools.

There will also be a ton of the toothy variety as well, aka sharks.

The next few weeks are my favorite time

of the year to fish

The biggest of all the inshore species will be accessible and hungry

There will be days that you’ve only dreamt about. Bait spraying in every direction with 100-pound plus Tarpon exploding right next to you It doesn’t get any better, especially when it’s done from a kayak

Fishing the mullet run can be extremely exciting or extremely frustrating. With all the bait in the water, your bait will often get lost in the mix Think about it, there are millions of options at any given time, so the likelihood of your one bait being seen is sometimes low

Other times, everything that moves gets crushed These will be the days you’ll remember forever and will make your love affair for the fall mullet run grow. However, when the bite is tough, ill mix it up a little and throw a shrimp pattern A shrimp among mullet is different, and since you want your bait to be seen, different is good

Also, the fish will be engorging themselves on mullet, so having something a little different to eat sometimes works. There will be times that you’ll have fish blowing up all around you and the standard paddle tails and Mirrolures just aren’t doing the trick.

This is when to switch to a shrimp pattern Another method for finicky fish is to use a chunk of cut mullet, Ladyfish, or blue crab on the bottom, under the

school of mullet There will always be fish under them scavenging on the leftover bits and pieces

Doing this will catch undesirables as well though, including catfish, sharks, and rays. But, one of the big predator species will just as easily pick it up A Carolina rig with a 4/0 circle hook usually does the trick. This bait chunk technique is a last resort method for me

Generally, the shrimp pattern amongst the mullet works out well My favorite shrimp imitation lure is the Fishbites Fight Club Fighting Shrimp. It’s a very durable bait, even with all the sets of teeth around I’ve caught over 30 fish on one bait before.

These can be worked several ways, but my top two methods are bounced along the bottom on a 1/16 oz jighead or under a popping cork. Both ways have proven time and again effective during a tough bite. Vary your retrieve until you’ve figured out if the want it fast or slow. Every day will be different

So get out there and enjoy the spectacle we call the fall mullet run. It’s an incredible time of the year Good luck and tight lines. I’ll see ya out there.

Daniel with his first Redfish

Sarah with a beautiful slot red

Bryson with his pb Black Drum.

August

Fishing Florida Summer Time

By Skye Burkhardt

A bad day on the water is better than a good day in the office. That old saying may not feel so true with this mid Summer heat High temps are sending us running back inside to enjoy the air conditioning an sip on a sweet iced tea. Even though it’s uncomfortably hot, running for shade isn’t an option for this lady angler. With the summer heat it may feel a little more challenging on the water to hook up, however there’s still plenty of good inshore action.

can find them year around, both Redfish in the estuary as well as Snook in the basin.

Fishing the tide as well as dawn or dusk is key this time of the year!

where you will find the most activity I use artificial baits but you can freeline a live bait for a guaranteed hit.

When to fish

This time of the year you will find the bite is going off early in the morning at dawn, first light and before the sun goes down

I specialize in sight fishing Redfish from the grassy flats of Mosquito Lagoon and Snook fishing in the Tamoka Basin. The great thing about these specific species is you

Baits To Use

I am all for artificial baits! My go to for sighting Reds and targeting Snook, Tarpon and Trout is a basic 3” paddle tail a no live bait needed is my top choice. Depending on if I’m in a shallow flat in the lagoon or a deep creek or canal in the basin I use a weedless or weighted jig head. Obviously the weedless in the grassy flats and weighted in the deeper waters. DOA, Egret shrimp (especially for Tarpon) Bomber lures such as a Bodonk a Donk, popping cork, Mir-o-lures and Super Spooks are a few of my personal go-to’s.

Don’t be that angler, folks How many of you are excited to get in the water and thought certain you had everything you needed

You tried everything in your tackle bag but nothing hit your baits? I’ve been there and it’s surely a bummer, especially in the summer heat Can make things a little more challenging to bring fish to the boat.

I recommend bringing live and artificial baits to be prepared for whatever the case may be.

One day you could be plucking every catch on artificials, and find the next day they won’t chew, toss out a live bait get smashed and listen to your drag scream!

Where To Find The Fish

In this summer-time heat., you will find fish scattered. For instance Redfish will be along Mangrove lines , Tarpon under bridges, and Snook next to pilings. I look for vegetation and structure and when targeting Tarpon and Snook I typically prefer fishing for them at night. Tarpon are typically nocturnal feeders and the night in the summer is fire aka extremely active At night under brides and docks these species like structure so that’s

It’s always best to be prepared or have choices so you are guaranteed a successful fishing trip.

Daytona Ormond Beach

By Capt. Jeff Patterson

I’ve had some awesome trips so far this summer! I don’t know which is hotter, the weather, or the fishing.

I haven’t been fishing the Intracoastal near as much as the inlet, out off of the beach, and a little bit of offshore too. The inlet has either been red hot or dead. Last week I could easily go through 150 shrimp in a couple of hours.

This week it’s like you get one or two really nice fish if you’re lucky. There’s a pile of Mangrove Snapper out there and I have limited out to 15 to 20 fish some days in an hour with some decent ones for inshore up to 15 inches or so.

I’ve been doing best about halfway through the incoming tide. There’s been a bunch of big Snook out there and some nice upper slot and over slot Reds.

I’ve been trying to keep a live croaker, pinfish, or pigfish in the water for them. There’s a bunch of Tarpon hanging around the inlet and I’ve seen some good schools of them north of the inlet right up against the beach.

I personally like targeting them up against the shoreline more than around the inlet, being that they don’t get pressured as much. I like using a 6 to 8-inch live croaker if possible and 8 to 12-inch live sand Trout or weakfish work great too if you can get your hands on them.

Pretty easy to catch them this time of year just using small shrimp or half of a shrimp, especially around the nearshore artificial reef sites. We’ve been doing awesome with Flounder but not a ton of big fish being caught. We’ve caught a few 5 to 6-pound fish but a lot of them have been in the 1 to 2-pound range which is still a decent fish. Before you know it, we’re going to be working our way into the fall mullet run, which usually starts about mid-August.

Last year was awesome and I highly recommend setting up a charter during this time! Call me to set up a trip!

Capt.

TOP LEFT - Sharon Oxford from Ormond By the Sea with a really nice Flounder

TOP CENTER - Doug from Granada Bait, Mark and Lisa with an awesome trip in limit of Flounder

TOP RIGHT - Ron and Olivia Shaffer with an awesome Inlet trip

BOTTOM - Steven Dobek with a nice Mackerel he caught on 15 lb test

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