Fishing Connection Online June 2022

Publisher / Editor

Joe Dionne

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This Month's Column Writers

Page 4 - Nik Bremer

Page 5 - Lee Bowman

Page 6 - Capt Bert Deener

Page 7 - John "Chappy" Chapman

Page 8 - Spencer Brogden

Page 11 - Capt John Eggers

Page 13 - Capt Tim Altman

Page 14 - Capt Todd Philcox

Page 15 - Capt Jim Suber

Page 16 - Jeff Altman

Page 17 - Capt Matt Chipperfield

Page 20 - Capt Cory Sparks

Page 21 - Drew Florez

Page 24 - Will Neimann

Page 25 - Capt Jeff Patterson

Page 26 - Roy Mattson

Page 27 - Craig VanBrocklin

n Marina

k Fish Camp

uto Specialists

e Zone etroleum

Kingfish Tournament

The views, opinions and positions expressed in articles submitted by monthly and or periodic contributors to the Fishing Connection Publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the Fishing Connection The main objective of The Fishing Connection Publication is to provide you as a fishing enthusiast with the best information and knowledge from the top anglers in N E Fla and ask you to please support the paying sponsors and column contributors who make this monthly publication possible.

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Fernandina

By Nik Bremer

Has anyone traded in their flats boat for a sailboat yet? When are we going to get a break from this wind?

With our busy schedules, it’s hard for some to pick and choose the days we could go fishing, so we have to play the cards we are dealt and the weather doesn’t always want to work with us Knowing when and where to go in order to hide from the wind, will allow you to continue catching fish

Some have boats and others don’t, so here are a few locations to hide based on the direction of the wind Remember, what ever direction the wind is blowing, look for coverage in that same direction

So here are a few to take note of. With a north wind in a boat, I like fishing the docks and structure in the Nassau River. Mangrove snapper and founder are my targeted species along that stretch

From the shore, I like having the wind to my back, so finding a spot along the Nassau River in Amelia Island State Park is your

best bet Mixed bag down there, but this time of the year I tend to target flounder

With strong west winds in a boat, I test the waters in Lansford along the docks Shore fisherman, this is the time to hit the beach Wind to your back for an easy cast and one which should lay down the waves and make it calm

When the wind howls from the south, try the structure at Rayonier if you’re on the water. Finger jetty fishing for flounder is where you’ll find me up at Fort Clinch when that southern wind kicks Last of the outgoing and first of the incoming is when I am most successful

If the wind shifts from the east, I hug the west side of the island. The mills, shaker, pipe and fuel dock are all p effective in these w a boat Stuck on s

I‘m a big fan of bridge on outgoin shrimp from located Old Tow Tackle on a pop front of that feede do the trick.

One day we m adjust winds with an iPhone app, bu have to get crea want to go fish windy days H helped, Tight lines

Amelia Island Ba Old Town Bai

J.O.S.F.C.

By Lee Bowman

June is an exciting time for me

The warmer weather and water gets me off the reefs and in the mood for trolling I don't do much high-speed trolling in the cooler months for Wahoo so I do look forward to the slower more fuel efficient speed for Dolphin and Kingfish

The Dolphin have been running pretty well over the last month or so. I have seen plenty of peanuts (the little guys) and some nice bulls and cows, a few even weighing in at 60+ pounds

Let's talk a little bit of gear for trolling The sky is the limit when it comes to the outfits you want but I'm using simple TLD 20’s and 25s. I back them with a few hundred yards of braid (40lb) and top them with 30lb monofilament line

A lot of guys are using 30 wides but if they aren't in your budget just remember it may not be as nice but trolling can be done on about any combo or setup you may have If you sit around waiting until you have the “right gear” you are wasting time not catching fish.

If you find yourself out trolling for dolphin carry some bottom gear with you. If the bite is slow you can always put some of our steadybiting bottom fish in the box to take home The guys out fishing have been catching kingfish on the reefs over the past month, especially around the reefs Even the ballyhoo you are trolling for dolphin with will catch them

Spoons, live pogies, and cigar minnows are all good bait choices as well.

Upcoming Events:

JOSFC Board Meeting - June 6th

June 2nd- Club Meeting. Check the website and Facebook page for meeting location updates

June 16th- Past Presidents Party

June Club Tournaments

Inshore: Junior Angler

Offshore: Junior Angler

You can find us on Facebook com/theJOSFC and check out our website to keep up with upcoming events, schedules, or any changes at JaxFish com

Our meetings are on the first and third Thursday of each month 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

I only heard about moderate catches on the Satilla, but the Okefenokee had a great bite this week Both warmouth and pickerel were chewing well in the swamp. With the calmer winds, saltwater catches were decent In this week’s report I will catch up on my backlog of photos

Your best bet for this weekend in freshwater is the Okefenokee Swamp for warmouth, pickerel, and bowfin The Altamaha is getting right, and the bluegills should be chowing over the next couple weeks. The Satilla is warming up, but the river level is low for running a motorboat Ponds are always a good bet for bluegills and bass, especially on days when pop-up thunderstorms could chase you off the water quickly In saltwater whiting in the sounds are your best bet if the winds will allow it

Last quarter moon is May 22nd. To monitor all the Georgia river levels, visit the USGS website (waterdata usgs gov/ga/nwis/rt) For the latest marine forecast, check out www.weather.gov/jax/.

Capt Bert Deener makes a variety of both fresh and saltwater fishing lures Check his lures out at Bert’s Jigs and Things on Facebook For a copy of his latest catalog, call him at 912-288-3022 or e-mail him (bertdeener@yahoo com) For a 20% discount on some really comfortable fishing shoes (the Miami style is my favorite style of Skuze Shoes), use the CAPTBERT20 discount code at checkout on their website skuzeshoes.com.

Capt. Bert Deener

PHOTOS

Top Right - Dionte Smith fished the Okefenokee Sunday evening and caught this and several other chunky warmouth by dabbling a Warmouth Whacker Jig around cypress knees

Top Left - Pickerel are biting the Okefenokee Capt Bert Deener caught this 22-inch jackfish on a crawfish-orange blade Dura-Spin on Thursday He released it and the other bowfin and pickerel he caught that evening

Center Right - Charles Sweat caught this 30-inch snook while fishing at Crystal River, Florida last month

Center Left - Todd Kennedy of Brunswick caught this 10-plus pound bass while fishing from his kayak in a pond in north Florida back in March.

Bottom - Lester Roberts of Blackshear caught the pending state record and IGFA world record (tie) redbreast sunfish on the Satilla River on Saturday while fishing in a bass tournament The monster ate a bass-sized crankbait.

Creeks & Rivers

By John "Chappy" Chapman

The Dog Days of Summer are here

I wanted to take a lil break from all the variety of fish stuff this month Everyone knows that if you get out early or late and dodge thunderstorms you can get into the normal varieties of fish this time of year.

Since we are in the dog days of summer I figured I go into detail a little bit about my partner in crime fishing Well first of all he is a sell out and gets me in trouble every morning that I try and go early I try and sneak out to the garage quietly and get the boat ready but that is impossible.

He tears up the door scratching to get out to the boat barking all the while to ensure he doesn’t get left home Yup my dog days of summer fishing compadre is an eight year old Jack Russell named Revo He makes about 70% of the trips I’ve made since I have owned him

He is 100 mph and no brakes In the beginning he gave me a couple of problems but none I guess I shouldn’t have expected. One morning at about 0500 in the morning at Burt Maxwell Boat Ramp on the Northside he was so excited when we pulled up to the ramp that he darted across my lap and out the door before I could catch him and off to the races Well it wasn’t much of a race, he out

runs my fat butt 5 to 1 and when he started after one particular stray cat that he really wanted to meet up close and personal there was no stopping him

I was hot Anyway two hours later at daylight while I was trekking through the woods and endless spider webs I caught up with him Blind luck would have it that his leash got stuck between two young sapling trees and had him stopped I gently picked him up and took him back to the boat tied him in and launched a couple of hours late!

There were other days where we launched out of Sisters Creek and the current going full speed he decides we aren’t going fast enough in the IDLE ONLY zone to catch up with those pesky seagulls Yup he runs full bore over the bow of the boat and into the water He came up at the other end of the 17 ft flats boat with not a scratch on him and making headway swimming back to the boat against the current

In the summer I used to have to pay particularly close attention to him when we get too close to shore because he has an affinity for marsh hens as well Well as much as he bugs me when he does that I would rather he not become gator bait He’s drank my last bottle of water plenty of times while we are out too I can’t teach him to pack his own yet! He is a pretty good weigh master and always throws the small ones back.

One day my buddy Flint and I did a Wednesday night tournament and I caught a nice trout, well while Flint was netting the trout Revo decided he wasn’t doing the netting job to his satisfaction and tried to jump in and get the trout Flint quickly turned to me and said do I net the fish or Revo! Needless to say the look I gave he knew to net the fish and Revo was a quick second

We took second place that night Anyway, remember your furry fishing partners love to go fishing with you but also remember it is hot and keep them cooled off Revo gets a quick dunking this time of year every hour or so and loves when his portable water bowl is full of ice from the cooler. I hope everyone out there has a furry partner in the dog days of summer as well Tight lines from Revo and Chappy!!

John Chapman

904-743-3200

983 University Blvd. N

Located in the N E corne of the Town and Country Shopping Center

STORE HOURS

Wednesday 7am - 6pm

Thursday 7am - 6pm

Friday 7am - 6pm

Saturday 6am - 6pm

Sunday 7am - 5pm

Closed Mon. n Tues.

Mud Minnows

Live Shrimp

Fresh Dead Shrimp

Cigar Minnows

Spanish Sardines

Boston Mackerel

Clams

* Finger Mullet

* Fiddlers

* Blue Crabs

* Live Shiners

* Live Minnows

* Live Crickets

Wide selection of Artificials

* NON -ETHANOL FUEL

* WET & DRY STORAGE

* TRANSIENT SLIPS AVAILABLE

* COMPLIMENTARY WIFI

* BOAT PARTS & ACCESSORIES

* 30 TON TRAVEL LIFT

* HULL CLEANING & BOTTOM PAINTING

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

Pier & Surf

By Spencer Brogden

The month of June is here and with it the the heat. At the time of this writing the water temperature was 78 degrees in Jacksonville beach

By the end of June the water temp will be in the 80’s at this rate With the rise in the water temperature, the migrating pompano will be cruising towards the Carolinas however we still have a local population that can still be caught Hugenot park and Little talbot island tends to be an area our local population tend to hang out during the summer

The whiting bite tends to be sporadic as well with the bigger fish being caught around the full moon of each month as they come in shallow to lay eggs I typically use

use sandfleas this time of year but lately I have been catching ghost shrimp and in all my years of fishing it’s one of the best baits I’ve ever used for whiting and pompano!

You need a ghost shrimp pump to catch them but they are well worth it Speckled trout, flounder and redfish will also Cruising just behind the breakers

Live shrimp, live mullet and even top water lures will work to target these guys! With the June heat, early morning and late afternoon tends to be the best times to target them

Keep an eye on the winds though, the south winds bring the muddy water along the beach so look for northeast and east winds The trout and others definitely bite better when the water is clean and when it’s dirty the sharks and catfish take over

For those interested, The Sinker Guy and I will be putting on another surf fishing seminar in the month of June so check out the Brokenreel23 YouTube page for the date and location l!

Until next month, tight lines!

Spencer Brogden

Intracoastal and St. Johns River

By Capt John Eggers

A lot of choices we can make during the month of June Most of the deeper creeks will have decent numbers of red fish, especially the creeks that have holes on the bends from 5 to 15 feet deep.

Some lingering sheepshead will be around dock pilings and rock structures but the majority will have made their way out to the ocean The flounder will be picking up with the increase of finger mullet at higher tides tight against the spartina grass on the mud flats or the waterway close to those flats

Early morning top water lures or popping corks fished with a live bait this time of year will catch a variety of species from reds and trout to the occasional snook Mangrove snapper will make their way into the river and ICW schooling up on rock piles and shell points

Small tarpon in the backwater can be challenging but fun to catch Big tarpon will be here,until October, in good numbers at the Mayport jetties. Big live mullet or netted pogies off the beach free lined or under a cork will get some bites Bring plenty of leader and hooks though because the sharks are already thick at the inlet.

Kingfish bite will be good during the summer months and be found around most of the closer wrecks including the beach Trolling live netted pogies will be the best method but if pogies are scarce cigar minnows will be a great alternative

Capt John Eggers

Wondering about pricing? Need to know something before you book? Reach out to contact Capt John today and he will be glad to answer any questions you have

Here is an Old Photo of Joe & Rick having a fun day with Capt. Don Taylor Jr.

CMC1249834

Offshore Deepwater

By Capt. Tim Altman

Bluewater Bonanza!

The month of May brought us some of the best Dolphin, Marlin and Sailfish action in years. As of the time of this article (May 20th) Recreational fisherman and Charter Captains reported numerous catches of 25+ Mahi days and Blue Marlin Releases

Captain Jimmy Laidler of Legendary Fishing Charters had 13 days of 25+ Dolphin and 3 Blue Marlin Releases On one trip Capt Jimmy had a Triple Header of Blue Marlin and successfully released 2 now that’s amazing! On the HooDoo boat we’ve had 3 Bluewater Charters, 2 of which yielded us over 25+ Dolphin and the 3rd was a bottom trip that gave us 4 Dolphin and a big Blackfin Tuna.

We also had shots at 2 Sailfish and missed them both Our fishery is having a great year and the east

Along with the Mutton & Mangrove Snapper bite, the Grouper bite has been good in the deeper water with a couple boats getting their limit of big Gag Grouper

The Muttons and Mangrove bite should increase as we get into June in waters 140ft or greater The early May Cobia run that usually happens the during the first week of the month appeared to be nonexistent until the last couple of days of the Ultimate Cobia Championship where Colt Snipes of the Blackfish came in and took the Championship Colt Has fished the Cobia Championship since its inception and has been a Bridesmaid (2nd Place) twice This is a big win for a great group of young fisherman on Team Blackfish Congrats Colt Snipes and Team Blackfish!

Kingfish are all over the nearshore wrecks and beginning to show up on the beach Live bait has been plentiful at times at the Nassau Sound and just off of the Navy Base.

If you can’t find Pogies on the beach you can always run out to the Twin Wrecks or Nine Mile to jig some huge Sardines and Cigar Minnows that have been plentiful

Beale at the helm, Capt Beale’s wife

Yes Sequana put Roger Walker on the Sailfish that claimed his 3rd Men’s Sailfish Pot, a new Men’s Sailfish Pot record As of the time of this article the amount of this year’s pot is still undetermined, yet it is expected to be over $6000 and it is also yet to be determined what his Lady Captain’s cut of the prize money will be

Roger Walker, Roger Beale and Capt. Sequana Beale’s Winning Sailfish

- Top 5 in each Category get individualized crystal trophies in addition to their prizes.

Top Boat Prize - Top boat will be determined by the total aggregate weight of all kid’s fish Only 1 fish per kid

First Kingfish - Drawing and awards A kid that catches their first ever kingfish will be put into a drawing for a prize We plan to give away as many places/prizes until we run out of money Every kid that weighs a fish gets a medal. Every Cent taken in will be spent on the kids!

The Kids Kingfish Derby is a 501c3 Charity and if you are interested in sponsoring this great event, contact me through my contact information at the bottom of this article And please remember that great things happen when you take a kid fishing!

Do you have any questions about rigging for Dolphin, Sailfish or Marlin? Then visit Strike Zone Fishing Jacksonville for all the info and techniques Mr Dave Workman Jr and his expert staff will guide you through every step of the process

The HooDoo Boat is rigged and ready for Mahi Season If you’re game for some of the most fun and best eating fish here in NE Florida, then give us a call at HooDoo Sportfishing Charters for your Mahi Mahi Adventure! Dates are filling up fast, so give us a call

Team Blackfish!

The Big News: Not even one week after the Sailfish Pot Party, Capt Roger Walker claimed the Men’s Sailfish Pot! Yes, Capt Roger Walker while Cobia fishing on the St Johns River tidal rip just off of the south jetties released a Sailfish to claim the men’s pot Capt Walker was aboard the “Sandbar Willy” owned by Capt Roger Beale of Beale Marine & Casualty and on this day, the Sandbar Willy was being operated by Mrs Sequana

Above is one of my favorite pictures taken by a good friend while my son Chris, Grandson TJ and I were fighting a Kingfish during the Kids Kingfish Derby last August.

This year’s Kids Kingfish Derby is Saturday, August 6th The "Back to School" Kids Kingfish Derby is an invitation to go fishing

Unlike a tournament or fishing rodeo, where the emphasis is usually on competition and profit, our fishing derby places emphasis on the kids and their exposure to fisheries resources and the sport of fishing.- 2 Age Brackets: Pre School: ages 6 and under and Juniors ages 7 to 15,

Shout-Out to Denis Werner from Ohio was visiting Jacksonville last week and came by to visit the Hoodoo Boat Thank you Denis for all your kind words.

Capt. Tim Altman

Capt. Jimmy Laidler with a 61 lb. Mahi on the Legendary

Intracoastal Rivers & Creeks

By Capt. Todd Philcox

June on Jacksonville’s inshore waters will bring in our consistent summer pattern of extreme heat and afternoon storms, set your alarms earlier to take advantage of earlier sun rises and calm morning waters

On those early mornings I’ll focus on fishing flats along the Intracoastal banks around the high tide and the steeper drop offs closer to low tide Redfish, trout and scattered flounder will be feeding along the weed line on early morning higher tides

Target those fish with finger mullet, mud minnows or live shrimp on the lightest jig possible, an 1/8-ounce jig will work in shallower water and light wind conditions, chunks of mullet or ladyfish will also produce slot reds, fish these baits on 3/0 circle hooks, use a small sliding egg sinker if needed in areas of stronger current.

The number of fish species to pursue continues to increase, larger creeks in the Palm Valley area will hold tarpon and some snook along with an increasing population of mangrove snapper and smaller bait stealing species like pinfish, as the summer progresses I tend to fish mud minnows and finger mullet more than shrimp

If you are intent on fishing live shrimp over the summer pick up a couple dozen extra as the smaller mangrove snapper, pinfish and juvenile reds and trout will pick many a hook clean.

Tarpon inshore are extremely wary, but I have found large live shrimp, mud minnows or mullet, fished under a cork or free lined with 5 to 6 feet of fluorocarbon leader to be productive. I’ll use a 20 to 40lb test leader and 3/0 to 6/0 circle hook dependent on bait size and the size

of the Tarpon targeted Fishing topwater plugs early mornings throughout the summer is a blast and will elicit aggressive bites from trout, redfish, jack crevalle and an occasional snook

Throughout the summer be more aware of water conditions, mid-day weekend boat traffic will make fishing the intercoastal banks quite uncomfortable, if not outright impossible after 10am on Saturdays and Sundays, if you are able, try to fish weekdays for more peaceful conditions.

That heavy boat traffic will stir up and muddy inshore waters to the point of being unfishable, find protected waters farther up creeks if possible Be mindful of water temperatures as well, our spring has been on the cool side and water temperatures have remained cooler than normal, but they will rise quickly once those 90 degree days start adding up.

I’ll seek moderate water temperatures during periods of extreme cold or heat, this summer we will see inshore waters reach 90 degrees some afternoons, some 5-7 degrees warmer than morning water temps If I am fishing afternoons or evenings during the summer, I’ll run closer to the river or jetties where the ocean’s influence will keep water temperatures more consistent

I look forward to seeing you on the water, give me a call if I can help get you out fishing!

Capt. Todd Philcox

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

Time marches on and SUMMER is upon us! The water is warming up and the salinity levels have been a little off base With heavy rain fall the freshwater dumps in the river system but departs and salinity lowers and increases. For whatever way the scientist explains it the reality is mother nature is showing she is in charge We are starting to see algae blooms in the main river which is extremely early for such an event This will hopefully level out or we are going to see fish kills irritated eyes and respiratory system difficulties So be aware and avoid areas with outbreaks. We are full speed in the manatee season, and we have had a manatee fatality created by a boat strike We have been doing great in Duval County with our manatee boat fatalities, so I need to remind everyone please stay vigilant when running your vessel and be aware of the manatee zones to include the shorelines of our system Although we are above the rainfall average the amount of rain comes rapidly and we are seeing some drought areas

I would like to take a moment to congratulate all Jacksonville Marine Charities REDFISH ROUNDUP

REDFISH SPOTSTOURNAMENT

for Safe Harbor Boys Home and Maritime Academy and the anglers who fished the tournament The day was great, but the tides were high which created a challenge The goal of raising funds for Safe Harbor and

creating a great fishing event was met We will soon see the Kingbuster, the 50th annual Blue Water Tournament, Old School Shootout, Ancient City Challenge the Fernandina Beach Fishing Rodeo, the Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament and the Greater Jacksonville Redfish Tournament in June and July We will also celebrate the 200th birthday of the City of Jacksonville on June 11th with bands, fun and celebration at River Front Plaza downtown with fireworks Another Boater Skip Day at Bayard Point south of the Shands Bridge on June 3 will happen and let me remind everyone check your safety equipment and be safe and play well and cooperate with each other!

DON’T OPERATE YOUR VESSEL UNDER THE INFUENCE of alcohol Use a designated SOBER Captain of the vessel

The City of Jacksonville Continues to make improvements and several projects are seeing progress The Mayport Community Cen Construction continues and maki progress and is near occupancy some of you may have seen w the new Community Center a n Pavilion has been built on waterfront Jacksonville Mar Charities (Greater Jacksonvi Kingfish Tournament, Redf Roundup Spots Tournament a Jacksonville Redfish Tourname and The Jacksonville Offsho Fishing Club (El Chee Sheepshead Tournament) ha partnered up to place new cleani stations at the pavilion and it being used by the anglers! The n docks of Mayport are bei installed These docks will be the OSEARCH vessel when Jacksonville as well as oth commercial operations and Shrim Boats There will also be designated recreational vessel do for public use So, access to the restaurants and parks of Mayport will soon be accessible for your enjoyment

We are still working through the process to begin construction phases for the dredging of Burt Maxwell Boat Ramp. A contractor has been awarded and contracts are in place I still have to say work should start soon Oak Harbor Dredge is still going to happen soon

I have been promised!! The construction of the new dock on the east side of the Jacksonville Zoo, the dredging of the Kayak access at Castaway Island Preserve is still working through the process and contractors should be able to mobilize soon All of these projects are on a schedule, but the schedule is more within seasons The new fishing platform at River Road Park is still under construction and near completion There was a small delay to correct an engineering issue, but we should soon see the platform going in The fishing pier under the Dames Point Bridge has been cleared to replace and the contractor should start soon The derelict vessel war is still full speed ahead We have had a slow spell getting the approvals. We have 6 that have been approved by FWCC and working through city council approval and two more we are waiting on FWCC to approve We have two that have sunk at our city facilities, one at Exchange Island

and one at the transient Dock at Jim King Park During the month of April, we were able to remove vessels in the Ortega River, Trout River and the Intracoastal Waterway area!

I want to continue to remind all, on the east end of the Back River behind Blount Island we have a sand bar developing

Continued on Page 19

Mayport Community Center

Algae in St. Johns South of Ortega

Hook It & Cook It

By Jeff Altman

Creamy Shrimp Pasta

1 (16 ounce) package spaghetti

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 ¼ pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 splash dry white wine

1 cup heavy whipping cream

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Step 1

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes

Step 2

While spaghetti is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat Cook garlic until soft, but not brown, about 1 minute Add shrimp and cook until opaque, about 3 minutes Add wine, reduce heat, and pour in cream Simmer until sauce starts to thicken, 3 to 5 minutes Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper

Step 3

Drain spaghetti and spoon creamy shrimp on top. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Guana Lake

By Capt Matt Chipperfield

Well guys, I think it’s fair to say summer is officially underway The heat has arrived and with it some of the largest fish we will see all year

Tarpon and Kingfish will be all over the beaches and local wrecks as the water heats up Massive menhaden bait pods have piled into our waters and these large pelagic predators have followed them up the coast Inshore the Guana lagoon is still producing one of the best trout bites I’ve seen in years.

There are plenty of exciting options right now so let’s break down the bite!

Tarpon are without a doubt the baddest fish that swims These prehistoric monsters are absolute brutes and are capable of some incredible feats of strength They can leap nearly 10 feet in the air in and go absolutely ballistic at the end of a line.

It is common to see a hooked tarpon hurl itself across the surface multiple times and burn hundreds of yards of line off the spool in between jumps The best part of this fishery is the fact you can sight fish to these behemoths in just six feet of water

They like to follow the bait pods down the beach just outside the surf. They blow up and strike the menhaden making for one hell of a show If you’re lucky enough to hook into one of these monsters I promise you it will be the memory of a lifetime

If you’d like to try trolling for King Mackerel and hear the drag scream we can do that as well Our nearshore wrecks are teeming with these silver bullets right now King fish are a staple of North Florida offshore sport fishing and provide some epic trolling action They’ve

been know to burn hundreds of yards of line off the reels, hence their nickname “smokers” They taste great on the grill and can make a huge batch of smoked fish dip

The trout bite in Guana has been consistent thus far and should continue as the summer progresses Trout will feed vigorously during the cooler periods of the day, primarily during the mornings and evenings

Topwater fishing usually reaches its peak during the hotter months, which makes for some very exciting bites There is nothing better than watching a massive gator trout inhale your lure right off the surface

Any cast may result in the fish of a lifetime. The potential to land a “trophy ” gator trout is very real So, give me a call and book a trip It’s beautiful out there and the fish are hungry!

Capt

Above - Eddie Cabler's Snook

Below - Pam Wirth & Lynneia Holladay Tournament Fishing

Below - Eric Hartmann at Palatka City Docks.

Continued from Page 15

It is on the Ramoth Drive side of the river

A Waterways Commission sub committee met with government agencies to determine a cause and solution The city has received an engineering recommendation and quote to mark the shoal for safety

There are federal requests that the city has made to determine a cause and solution.

Please use caution and a look out when you are on or off 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 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 2022 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 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! AND WASH YOUR HANDS!!

Capt Jim Suber

Palm Valley St. Augustine

By Capt Cory Sparks

This month the tide chart predicts some great sight fishing opportunities in Palm Valley during a midmonth stretch

If weather conditions call for light winds during these negative low tide windows, prepare for some magical mornings of cruising redfish on any given bank in the ditch

Fish will continue to bite throughout the days and month as well, although warming weather will make mid-day bites slower at times as we move to our summer patterns

Redfish will start focusing more on mullet this month. Make sure you always bring a cast net and spend some time catching a few mullet

Fishing a rod or two out of the back of the boat while you actively cast throughout an area will result in many great catches

Put a live or cut mullet on a fish finder or knocker rig and throw it in a different area or depth than you are fishing When you hear that drag suddenly screaming behind you, it will most likely be a quality redfish, shark, or even a tarpon (live mullet)

Anywhere you see good current or bait moving are great places for a flounder to be lying in wait A mud minnow, mullet, paddle tail, or curly tail pinned onto a ¼ oz jig head and retrieved slowly will get you the THUMP you're looking for

Sometimes the flounder will hit it and be hooked, but many times it’s a wait game

Flounder will ambush and grab a bait while holding it before getting the hook completely in its mouth

Unless they absolutely smoke it, fight the urge to lift the line Give the fish a 20 count to allow it to get the entire offering in its mouth. After that time, lightly feel for

pressure and if the slightest resistance is felt then set the hook! You will miss a few while you develop the touch but that is part of the game

Stick with it and you will recognize what is at the end of the line as you gain experience.

Continue to work your topwater plugs for the first/last 30 minutes or so of daylight Slot sized trout and redfish will be willing to chase early and late in these low light conditions.

If there is noise and chop on the water surface use a higher pitch lure When it’s calm and quiet pick a softer sounding lure

Being too loud and disturbing on slick water conditions typically result in spooking more fish than attracting Once the sun gets up, fish lower in the water column with your artificial preference Cover ground and keep moving. You will find them with these techniques! Keep Reeling!

Capt Cory Sparks

Inshore and Backwater Fishing Guide Service and Charters in the Palm Valley, Florida and St. Augustine, Florida areas www.310charters.com

Happy Father's Day Dad! Great Trout!

David Demello with a bank cruising Redfish!

Steve Ralys with a Fishbites EZ-Shrimp victim!

of luck lately catching them on artificial

My go to has been 5”-7” paddle tails fitted with a 3/8-1/2oz jig head Keep it simple, the key is to find the bottom, if you can’t hit it go heavier “Hunting and Fishing Depot” makes some killer 1/2oz weedless and inshore slammer jigs that are great for the areas with more current

Pitch them out and bounce the bottom covering as much ground as possible and you will find them!

The Redfish bite has picked up as well too We have been hitting the creeks on low incoming tide and have been finding them stacked up

ggest arize look the and n the al If nger rimp holes you me to Try rface ullet its! I Kiss who The are

amazing Come to Genungs Fish

Camp and check them out for yourselves! This time of the year the big bull reds and tarpon are hanging around the bridges and inlets too. For the reds, sink either a nice sized live mullet or use some cut bait like mullet, lady fish,or blue crab

One of the easiest ways to get these silver kings is a nice live bait fish such a mullet or pin fish under a large float or free lined if you see them rolling

Good luck everyone, tons of species out there chewing this month. Let’s go find them!

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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Kayak Fishin' By Will

Neimann

If you’ve been out in the past few weeks, then you’ve probably noticed a Tarpon or two rolling or crashing bait

They’re here y’all They’ll be cruising the flats or sitting under one of the area bridges. There are a bunch of juveniles, but I’ve seen several over 100 pounds They are generally hanging close to the large mullet schools Watch for them to come to the top of the water and roll.

They will almost always be facing into the current when rolling There isn’t a more prized target inshore than a big Tarpon They are fairly easy to get to chew, but not so easy to keep hooked up Free lining a shrimp or mullet or putting it 18 inches or so under a cork is probably the easiest way

Cast it up current, beyond where they are rolling, and let the current carry it back through the area the Tarpon are in After dark, especially on the bridges, they will be focused on the shadow lines They will often sit in the shadow and wait for bait to pass by them in the light

Another proven way to catch a Tarpon is using a dead mudminnow, shot full of mullet procure, and letting it soak on the bottom This method sounds silly, and I laughed at my buddy the first time I saw him use it, then he started catching not once, not twice, but three times, and that’s not counting the ones that got off

I prefer to throw artificials at Tarpon, large swimbaits, topwaters, and suspending baits An Unfair Rip-N-Slash 90 is my go to Tarpon lure. Twitch, twitch, pause gets em every time The Hawg from

Ancient City Outdoors has been proving deadly on the Silver Kings as well, rigged on an 1/8 or ¼ oz jighead and slowly retrieved has been the ticket

A couple other Tarpon killers are the new large 6” Fishbites Fight Club Dirty Boxer and the Hackney

4 5 Belly Shad Both are larger swimbaits that drive the fish nuts

Tarpon are a blast on light tackle, especially the juveniles If juvies are what is in the area, then a medium action rod with a 3000 series reel is what I’m using 20 pound braid main line to a 30 pound fluorocarbon leader, will usually do the trick, as long as your drag is set properly

If the bigger Tarpon are in the area, a heavy action rod with at least a 6000 series reel would be better 65 pound braid with 60-80 lb leader will get most fish Undertackled and you’re in for heartbreak city

When fighting a Tarpon, the very first thing it will do is jump. There’s a term, “bow to the king ” This is very important, when they jump, drop the rod tip and extend your arm out as far as possible, giving a little slack in the line. This will help keep the fish on the line Be prepared for a long fight with several jumps, and remember, a Tarpon over 4 foot must stay in the water If you want a picture with it, jump in. These fish are a fun target, but can be very frustrating

Stay the course and you’ll get yours Good luck and tight lines, I’ll see ya out there.

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

Daytona Ormond Beach

By Capt. Jeff Patterson

We have some really good fishing in June up in the intracoastal, at the inlet, and off the beach We get some big seatrout around the oyster bars using pigfish and croakers.

I usually free line them and hook them in the tail If there’s a lot of current sometimes I’ll hook them in the lips so they live longer You can fish these same baits around the docks and pick up these seatrout as well as snook and redfish

I really try and release the big seatrout because a lot of them are full of roe Keep in mind snook season closes June 1 and reopens September 1

The inlet is good for the species mentioned above as well as tarpon, flounder, mangrove snapper, and we even catch a decent amount of Permit out there this time of year I like to try and have a few different baits in the livewell if possible. Live shrimp, pinfish, pigfish, and mullet are some good choices

I’ll fish the bottom around the jetties with more weight and also try baits with just a split shot for reds, snook, and mangroves. Free line some of these bait fish or even a blue crab to try for tarpon When the water is really clean you can even see a bunch of tarpon out there and it’s a pretty awesome site to see

Off the beach you can find schools of bait to fish that will hold big jacks, tarpon, sharks, and king mackerel There is usually some nice flounder off the beach and around the piers Live mud minnows and finger mullet are great baits as well as bucktail jigs Lots of very good consistent fishing in June Call me to set up a charter!

Capt. Jeff Patterson

Pole Dancer Fishin’ Charters

(386) 451-4992

Surf Fishing Daytona

By Roy Mattson

Thinking about how good I had it this season 9/2021 - 5/2022 with catching lots of different fish and having to not fight or worry about chasing baits

There was a number of baits that were hard to locate for one reason or another

First off no Chowder Clam's to speak of then the storm hit, no Sandfleas Then I ran out of fresh White River shrimp. Blue Crabs were a hit and miss

I don't fish Mullet unless looking for Redfish, Bluefish in the surf I am blessed to be part of the Fishbites Pro Team and know the family for a long time

I am proud of different colors and flavors that turn the fish on It's like this, when Gator bait landed

in my hands 30 years ago. I only remember about 4 colors Mr William " Bill " Carr waited a long time to fire up what is known today as Fishbites

We keep adding more flavors and colors for the fishermen to enjoy Fishbites has alternative saltwater baits

Fish' N Strips, E-Z Bait, Bag o' Worms, Fish N' Chunks, Fight Club Lure's, Fishbites Chum.

Freshwater Fisherman don't run, your covered also, Yeh Monn Fishbites Catfish Bait, Bob's your Uncle Ask for it by name at your Local Bait Shop

Roy Mattson

owner of Roy's Surf Fishing Guide Service and Host of the Surf Fishing Challenge Royssurffishing.com

Tournament Board

By Craig VanBrocklin Spring Tournaments

Florida Lure Anglers Championship –

2 days, 6 fish

1st Philip Zeller/Scott Koons 21 25

2nd Justin Flowe/Alec Pope 19 86

3rd Wade Hastings/Scorr O’Brien

16 71

4th Bubba Miller/Mike Smith 16.32

5th Matt Lewis/Nathan Johnson 16 08

6th Steve Yurkevicius/Lynneia

Holladay 17 73

Elite Redfish Series Jax – 4 redfish

1st Matt Davis/Nathan Morgan 24 72

2nd Chris Cenci/Josh McClendon

21 61

3rd Barnie White/Dwayne Mills 19 15

Big Fish Richard Hulett/Damien Solorzano 6 97

Hadasassa’s Hope Redfish

1st Benoit/Landon Smith 12 13

2nd Carson Booth/Conner Gaunt 12.11

3rd R J Corley/Dan Harris 7 51

4th Phil Eddy/Trey Wetjen 7 27

Jr Angler

1st Brantly Davis 9.98

2nd Ethan Warner 3 4

NE FL Veterans Surf

Pompano Aggregate

1st Shantel Curlett 4 56

2nd Robert Wingate 4 44

Pompano Biggest

1st Sef Ali 2 50

2nd Gary Samuel 2 19

3rd Larry Sies 1 88

Whiting Aggregate

1st Jennifer Buksar 3 31

2nd Bryan Curlett 2 75

Whiting

1st Zane Gensler 1 44

2n Anthony Eglan 1 19

3rd Gregory Davis 1 13

1st Game Fish - Austin Chambless

3 38 trout

Jr Pompano

1st Jairam Jonos 1 56

2nd Owen Pytel 1 50

3rd Cullen Berg 1 50

4th Eliza Rehberg 1 31

5th Elon Morley 1

Jr Whiting

1st Abbey Demo 1 0

2nd Noah Poffenbarger81

3rd Braymer Biddle 75

4th Ella-Grace Rehberg 69

Florida Surfcasters

Pompano

1st Brook Daley 4 125

2nd William Rehberg 2 42

3rd Brian Hooie 2 27

4th Ashley Rehberg 1 98

5th George Katsaras 1 88

6th Brian Curlett 1 87

Whiting

3rd Shelly Williams 3

Jr Angler

1st Omry Hoffman 7

2nd Gavin Altman 4

3rd Kaylee Cook 3 Upcoming Tournaments June

*4th Historic St Marys

* Kingfish Mayhem Vilano

* 7th Big WT

* 11th Old School Kingfish Shootout

* 18th Clay Roberts July

* 7th Big Wt

* 8th ACGFA kids Challenge

* 9th ACGFA Challenge

* 16th GJKT Redfish

* 22nd GJKT Open

* 23rd GJKT Kids

Bayliner, Carolina Skiff, Hurricane, Key West. Regal, Sweetwater, & Trophy center console fishing boats. We offer Mercury, Suzuki, or Yamaha Outboards

386-255-2345

Jeff Altman and Gavin

Redfish Spots Tournament