Fishing Connection Online March 2022

Intracoastal Rivers & Creeks

By

Capt Todd Philcox

Salty Charters

904-403-8575

March fishing in NE Florida can be a tough month to predict due to the uncertainty in weather and water temperatures, but spring will come, water will warm and the action and the variety of species to catch will increase

January and early February provided average winter conditions with 2 or 3 stronger cold fronts and brief warm-ups in between, water temperatures briefly dipped into the 48-degree range but generally hovered in the low to mid 50’s

Slot sized Redfish remained mostly scattered in shallow water far back in the creeks and creek holes towards the lower tides, deeper drops along the Intracoastal held very few fish Water clarity throughout the winter was generally above average due to minimal rain, which resulted in tougher fishing

in the shallows, Redfish could often be seen but were more reluctant to take a bait.

I found better action in those creek holes with depths of 6-8’ where the fish were not quite so wary, Redfish from 14” up to slot and a few over slot fish, and Flounder in the 14” to 18” range along with a few random Sheepshead and Black Drum taking shrimp and minnow baits fished very slowly

As I write this article in midFebruary it appears mild will continue for the nex weeks and water temp should rise into the low 6 how does this play fishing in March?

March is a month of t from winter fishing pat warming water, an i amount of bait inshore moving with that increa supply

Shrimp and mud m fished on a quarter ou head and a slow retrie bring reds, flounder and the boat, if the wind is s 3/8-ounce jig head will h casting and your ability bites

Continue to put some fishing far back in the cr those creek holes afternoons when the warmed the water and tu the Redfish bite, bu hesitate to work grass ed drop offs along the Intr as slot sized reds will b move as the water warms

will find some Flounder scattered amongst those Redfish both along grass edges and drop offs, and back in the creek holes.

The Trout bite will pick up along the ICW drop-offs and later in the month don’t be surprised to see a few Spanish Mackerel and the first schools of Jack Crevalle appear Black Drum action will continue, both in creek holes for eating size fish, and at the mouth of the St

Johns for the large spawning fish, dead shrimp and crab baits will entice that bite The Sheepshead bite which was generally slow this winter should pick up as water temps increase

Give me a call if I can help get you out to enjoy some spring fishing!

Capt Todd Philcox

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March 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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By Nik Bremer

Is everyone staying warm out there? With the water temps sitting in the mid-fifties for the past month, it's forced many anglers to switch up their approach to catching fish

Years ago, I read "trout are like thermometers" which I thought was interesting

When water temperatures drop, so do they, sitting in deeper parts of the creeks and rivers. When water temps rise, they are found in the upper water column. Locating dips or holes ranging from 8-20 feet deep will help you pinpoint these fish If you could pair that up with a nearby flat, you should be in business

They'll move from the deep and on to the flats as the days warm up When fishing deeper, use the current to freeline live shrimp back into these holes on a light jig head.

If you like fishing artificials, soft plastics like Contenders and paddle tails are my go-to. I use a presentation called the triple-P: Pop, Pop, Pause The bite will

typically come on the descend during that pause White (lighter colors) with a chartreuse jig head is my favorite color combo in cool temps.

Feeder creek mouths and deep river bends are great locations for these fish to ambush their next meal The first bend in Lansford Creek is a good place to start

The feeder creeks opposite of the yacht basin and Jackson Creek are a couple more locations I've had a ton of success during the outgoing tide As we move into the early spring, the larger black drum will start to show up. Jetty fishing is the most popular for the big boys, which get into the 90lb range

Depending on the current and size of the bait, it will usually take a solid 6oz sinker to get you to the bottom of the jetty Fish a drop rig or Carolina rig with a #50-80lb leader running to a 7/0 Kahle hook

Bait-wise, large jumbo shrimp or live blue crab halved are both black drum candy.

Drop beachside along the jetty wall on the outgoing tide and wait for the ride. Happy fishing my friends

Nik Bremer

Amelia Island Bait & Tackle

Fernandina

J.O.S.F.C.

By Lee Bowman

My friends have asked me lately how I’m doing and I reply with “I’m Tired”

Tired of the wind, rain, high seas, and lack of fiddler crabs that no one seems to be able to get or find right now

With the JOSFC El Cheapo Sheepshead Tournament here they are going to be even harder to find Luckily we do have a few other bait options that these toothy beasts will eat including sand fleas, shrimp, crab knuckles, and even though I haven’t tried it I hear some of the artificial baits are pretty good Offshore hasn’t given us as many opportunities to get out and fish the way I would like to but I’ve had a chance to break down a few reels and grease them up in prep for spring

It’s a great time to go over your gear and make sure it’s ready for whatever stress you are ready to throw at it Wahoos are still around and I’ve seen some great Cobia come in from the reefs and wrecks. Blackfin tuna can be found in the same areas as wahoo but you’ll need to keep your trolling speed much slower

Even though everyone is keeping secrets right now, I’d bet that there are plenty of sheepshead offshore on the closer wrecks Just move around a little and don’t be afraid to get on the edges or even slightly off the wreck to get away from some of the little fish that’ll pick your baits apart

My go-to rig is the Carolina rig with an egg sinker and short leader or dropper rig If I can get fiddlers

they would be my top bait of choice

JOSFC

4870 Ocean St Jacksonville, FL 32233

United States

We feed you at our meetings so don’t miss it Clubhouse doors open at about 6 pm and dinner gets started at 7 pm

March Club Tournament Non-Live Tournament

* March 3rd - Club Meeting Bucket Stuffing

* March 4th - El Cheapo Captains Meeting

* March 5th - The JOSFC El Cheapo Sheepshead Tournament

* March 17 - Club Meeting

Capt Lee Bowman

Always get in on the Calcutta 2nd place took it all in our Annual club Chili Cookoff. Nice work Jeff Altman

The warm-ups have been getting stronger the last couple weeks, and that is forecasted to continue into this coming week

Expect both bass and crappie to begin spawning soon Look for them to break out of the winter pattern and move toward the shallows. The key during the transition is finding them each day

River gages on February 17th were:

Clyo on the Savannah River –10 3 feet and rising

Abbeville on the Ocmulgee – 8 1 feet and falling

Doctortown on the Altamaha – 10 4 feet and rising

Waycross on the Satilla – 10 1 feet and falling (54 degrees)

Atkinson on the Satilla – 9 6 feet and rising

Macclenny on the St Marys – 4 3 feet and falling

Ocmulgee River – Tim Kegebein fished the Ocmulgee River a couple times over the past couple weeks and caught 16, 17, and 18 bass on the trips On his most recent trip on Friday, he caught 17 bass up to 5 pounds Most of his fish ate plastic worms fished around cover adjacent to deeper water On all the trips, he caught his fish on worms or crankbaits

Satilla River – The river is still high but should drop within the banks this week if we do not get much rain out of this next front Catfish and crappie will be your best bets during the coming warm spell next week.

St Marys River – The first Shady

leve fore and surp gra som The side Par (ne bee to m up. wel hea Gre crap Ray whi oz Hor typ larg and war Loc crap wee Joh on 2 p stic St. Cre crap Exp wee sho fem bac wee on inch rigg Ass 1/8 Sha and

chartreuse hues have worked best for me over the years For the latest fishing information or to reserve a room or cabin in Astor, you can call

Bass are moving toward the shallows to spawn. Brothers Taylor and Riley of Blackshear caught some nice bass during January using shiners in a Blackshear area pond.

Creeks & Rivers

By John "Chappy" Chapman

We are rapidly approaching the best fishing of the year in NW Florida It won’t be long until the winds calm and the waters start to warm up

I’m sure that everyone is excited about leaving behind the cold winter, even though we were blessed with only a couple of small freezes this year I was going to rehash some tips of spring time fishing etc but I decided to go a different direction to help prep for the coming season

I was actually inspired this early Saturday morning by something I saw leaving Dunkin Donuts on the way to pick up my son at University of Florida (he’s in his senior year, bragging complete) for a celebration of life family event for my great aunt in Winter Haven, Fl She was my great grandmother’s only surviving sibling (my great grandmother is one year older than the Queen)

I was leaving Dunkin Donuts and noticed a decked-out BASS fishing boat and so I eased over to get a better look at it and low and behold it was pretty fancy with all the bells and whistles but what struck me was the wrap It was a full color beautiful wrap portraying a Mexican Restaurant. I’ve been to a tournament or two but never

have I ever seen a boat wrapped with a Mexican Restaurant before I asked the gentleman where they were headed and they told me they were heading to a Veteran’s fishing tournament put on by the Coast Guard near Kissimmee

I had to ask about the wrap after we discussed the tournament and supporting veterans and the fact that him and his partner were just thrilled to be down south in shorts again

Evidently Maryland where they reside had a real winter. He said that he and his partner had frequented that particular restaurant for over 15 years and tons of memories were made there What I’m trying to say is fishing means a lot of things to a lot of people and I think it is also okay if it morphs into something else the older you get I remember as a small kid with a cane pole and cork over a bream bed in the rivers of South Carolina.

I have fond memories of that kind of fishing and what it meant to me was I got out on the water and a chance to play with the fish in the bottom of the boat Highlight being that at the end of the day I got to gather them all up in the 5 gallon bucket for cleaning The fish fry that followed with all my cousins and aunts and uncles was pretty cool too.

The point is it’s a fond memory of fishing I also have memories of tournaments ending good and bad Memories of being pulled out of the boat by a Marlin while fishing in Guam Memories fishing with my Dad, son, daughter, and even one time my wife went out on the kayaks with us altogether

Continued on Page 27

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

Now that February’s cold water temperatures are in our rear view mirror, good fishing is in front of us!

Warming water temperatures also mean the bite along our local beaches will pick up Once the water hits the 62-65 degree mark, the whiting will be feasting

Fresh shrimp soaked in Diet Pepsi is my go-to bait this time of year to produce coolers full of whiting What is Diet Pepsi shrimp you ask?

It’s simply putting the shrimp in a container and letting it soak in the Diet Pepsi before fishing. There are a lot of theories on why it works, but just know I will never tell anyone to use something I myself would not use

I use both a double-dropper rig and a single-hook Carolina rig, and I usually bring four rods

with me along with both rigs

Some days the double-dropper works better, and other days the latter, so whichever is working better, that’s the rig I put on all four rods

For the rest of the tackle, I like using Eagle Claw 2/0 circle hooks, 20 lb fluorocarbon, and the Sinker Guy’s sputnik sinkers. Once the water hits 66-68 degrees, don’t be surprised if you start seeing the first few scouts of the big pompano schools moving north as the water temperature rises

When looking for the best place to fish on the beach, as always, look for runouts, sloughs, and sandbars, as those are the main areas the fish will congregate in their search for the next meal I always try all three areas until I find where the majority of the fish are hanging out to eat.

I hope everyone gets on some big whiting this March, as they are very good eating! For more information, check out our YouTube page, Brokenreel23, and our Facebook page with the same name for daily and weekly reports throughout the month Until next month, tight lines!

Spencer Brogden

YouTube page, Brokenreel23

Hannah Moye with a nice 18 1/2 inch Black Drum

Intracoastal and St. Johns River

By Capt John Eggers

March is finally here marking the beginning of warmer water and better fishing. Although March can be unpredictable weather wise due to fronts and northeast winds the air and water temperatures will consistently rise

With this rise the bait will also start flowing into the inlets and funnel down the river and ICW areas bringing Speckled Sea Trout and flounder with them

Schooling reds wi feeding aggressive waterways, especially Speckled trout will with them but the m schooled up in the jetties to the downtow

Bridge pilings, dee and rock piles seem biggest numbers of be caught with b artificial lures Live minnows on a jig o will get great results

3/8 oz jigheads paddle or curly tail white or chartreus combination altern crankbaits work extre can be fished in de shallow flats

Blue fish start everywhere With temps we will finally be able to get fiddler crabs again for bait just in time for the Sheepshead before they move out to the ocean.

Lots of fish are still in the area from bridge and marker pilings to oyster beds, rock piles, and jetties. Look for triple tail around crab trap buoys especially the ones close to the inlets

Make sure you keep a few live shrimp handy just in case you get lucky and see one

John Eggers

CMC1249834

Offshore Deepwater

By Capt. Tim Altman

Cold Weather, Hot Action

Wahoo fishing is on fire! If you thought the month of January was a red hot month for Wahoo, well my goodness it was only a prelude to February

The first 2 weeks of February have given us some of the hottest Wahoo action in years. As of the date I’m writing this article (February 19th) in the Northeast Florida Wahoo Shootout 90 boats have fished

The Wahoo Shootout is a Captain’s Choice 3-Fishing Day, 3 fish aggregate tournament. Captains get to pick their days they want to fish over a 50-day period and can weigh up to 2fish per day

So far 90 boats have fished at least 1 day, with 7 more boats that have fished 2 days and 1 boat has fished all 3 days. That one boat that has fished all 3 days is the “Reel Team” and they are in the unenviable position of being the Tournament Leader with 36 days left to fish

But the good news for them (bad for the rest of us) is that they have a tournament record 3 fish aggregate of an amazing 260 50lbs Yes, folks that is an 86 83lb average! Their 3 largest fish weighed in at 69 16lbs, 82 68lbs and a monster 108 66lber!

In a normal year I’d say there would be little or no hope for the rest of us to surpass them but this isn’t a normal year

More Big Wahoo have been caught this year than any other year in recent memory Just in this tournament alone that began on February 5th there has been

18fish weighed in over 70lbs, 10 of those have been over 80lbs, 1 more over 90lbs and of course the 108lb fish caught by the Reel Team. This leads us to believe that the monster fish caught since January 1st are here and as migratory fish they may be stalled in our fishing grounds that could be due to a myriad of factors

So this is good news to all of us within striking distance of the tournament leader. Guys like Casey Smith and Frank Vining have a more realistic chance needing only a sub-100lb fish to take the lead, but they both only have 1 day left to fish Myself on the other hand have a less realistic chance to overcome the leader with my largest fish on day one being a poultry 60 48lb fish

I have 2 days left to fish and need a combination of fish to exceed 260lbs (as it sits, I would need 2 100lb fish) But anything is possible in this crazy 2022 Wahoo fishery.

On the HooDoo Boat I fished for Wahoo twice so far in February

The first day was a cancelled charter Receiving the news of the cancellation my mate, expert fisherman and good friend Flynn Jarrett and I said lets go a We tried at the last m put a crew together w success With a 2-man C left the dock at 8am stopped nearshore and j livewell full of bait for M & Muttons The plan wa speed into the bottom n and hi-speed out.

Trolling only 3 lines, we up one Wahoo on the We got excited and spun only to pick up anoth Now really excited we co to hi-speed troll and pic our smallest fish only t him for over 40 minutes. last 20 minutes we thoug hooked a turtle becaus was no head shakes a could not gain line subsequently found out got the fish closer to t that this 38lb Wahoo was hooked in the side center mass

It's now 2:15 and we are done, I mean that last fish wore us out completely!

So, I got on the radio and called the other boats to see if anyone wanted our livewell full of Cigar Minnows and with no takers we headed in. Flynn cleaning Wahoo in the Daylight something that hasn't happened in a long time We fished less than 4 Hours hi-speeding and we caught 3 fish (52, 44 & 38 pounds) After these fish were cleaned they yielded over 60lbs in fillets These fillets made a bunch of friends and neighbors happy with gifts of fresh Wahoo

Day 2 was our first day in the Wahoo Shootout tournament We left the dock at 4:30am sharp and returned at 7:43pm With lines in at 7am, during this 15-hour day we boated 7 Wahoo with our first coming at 9:02am and ended with a double Hookup at 4:51, just 9 minutes before lines out Our biggest 2 fish were 60 and

Continued on Page 17

Reel Team with a 108.66lb Wahoo

Flynn Jarrett and I after our 2-Man Mission

Guana Lake

By Capt. Matt Chipperfield

More importantly, our local sport fish are starting their spring time rituals: speckled trout are entering their yearly spawn cycle and cobia will begin trickling into the First Coast Let’s start out inshore and work our way offshore

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

The extra body fat accumulated during winter and the added weight from full egg sacks make for some gargantuan female trout These monsters are reaching the peak of their activity and are an absolute blast to catch

They detonate on impact and go absolutely ballistic on the end of a line Topwater plugs and twitch baits are favorites for teasing these massive gators.

PLEASE REMEMBER that fishing during the spawn can be harmful to breeders if you are not careful. Handle the large fish

and 2 pm while the sun is in the upright position Minimal swell and light sea breezes will also make spotting these fish much easier

Gulp eels on jigheads, brightly colored bucktail jigs and large soft plastic paddle tails are classic presentations for cobia.

Capt. Matt Chipperfield

Our Waterways

By Capt Jim Suber City of Jacksonville Waterways Coordinator

Dock Master

Division of Natural Marine resources

Department of Parks, Recreation & Community Services

1410 Gator Bowl Blvd

Jacksonville, Florida 32202

(904)630-0839 Office

(904)509-0588 Cell

Jsuber@coj net

www Jaxparks com

www COJ Net

Here we are full speed into March and our North Florida Waterways are open for business!

The water temps over the last month offshore got into the mid 50’s and the inland waterways made it down to the high 50’s to 60 and have been hovering in the lower to mid 60’s A couple of near freeze evenings have cooled off the waterway and the salinity levels are balancing off.

The fishing tournaments are in planning mode and we will soon see some great announcements on the tournament opportunities for the year

The City of Jacksonville has opened several projects that will improve the boating and waterfront opportunities. The Mayport Community Center Construction continues and making progress

You should see the new pavilion at the water front for cleaning fish and housing scales during the tournaments project finishing up. But we now will continue to see the days get longer and the temperatures rise which will not only set off the fishing but the human species will get fired up and our waterways will get active We have several fishing tournaments kicking off in

March and they will continue somewhere in North Florida

Now is the time to get your boat in top knotch condition and your fishing gear, wake boards and tubes dusted off

The waterfront and waterway events will pick up and be looking for a major announcement for our downtown waterfront for our City's 200th birthday

Yes we will be celebrating our Bicentennial! The marina is always open and available for coming to Daily’s Place or VyStar Veterans Arena so why not come by boat? Every day is a good day to come downtown by boat and visit our new docks to catch a lunch or dinner!

The Mandarin Park dock extension and adaptive kayak launch has made progress and completion is getting closer.

The adaptive kayak launch is complete and ready for use and the boat ramp dock extention is getting close to completion New dock projects on the south bank area, Jackson Street and Post Street continue to make progress

The Jackson St. Dock and the Southbank Dock at River Place Tower is complete 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 work should start soon.

The same contractor has been awarded the Oak Harbor Dredge but an engineering misunderstanding of water depths caused the city to apply for an amendment of the permits and we are hoping the permit correction approval is issued soon to allow work to start again. I know it sounds like the same old story but these projects require a process and unlike you building a pool in your back yard large projects are long on process

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. When a notice to procees issuance to the contractor absolute approximate dates are closer to close in on

The new fishing platform at River Road Park is 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 engineering called for a hollow core deck that is no longer available so an amended engineering review for solid concrete deck use.

The contractor is ready to start as soon as the green light is issued This is a FEMA project so they had to approve the

correction also Metropolitan Park Marina we will soon see site work and construction starting on the upland property previously called Metro Park II or Kids Kampus

The approximate time line is still on go so a Four Seasons hotel and office building will start first then a marina building, new Riverwalk will come next In about 18 months to two years we are hoping to see the marina rebuilt

Continued on Page 19

Boater view of the Ortega River Bridge.

Hook It & Cook It

By Jeff Altman

Shrimp and Grits

Ingredients

* 2 cups water

* 1/2 cup grits

* 1tsp salt

* 2tbsp butter

* 1/2lb shrimp or more peeled and devained

* 8oz Andouille sausage cut into 1/4in slices

* 2 slices bacon chopped

* 1/2 cup cheddar cheese or substitute your favorite cheese

* 1/2 cup total bell peppers red,green and orange can be bought in frozen sections at Publix

* 1/4 cup diced tomato

* 1/2 cup chopped onion

* 2 stalks celery chopped *

cook your grits In a medium pot add 2 cups water, salt and 2 tablespoons butter, bring to a boil and add grits stirring to keep from sticking

Turn on low cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes the last 5 minutes add Half cup cheddar cheese

In a 10 inch frying Pan over medium high heat cook bacon until crisp then set aside. Next add 2 tablespoons butter saute bell peppers, onions and celery for 5 minutes add andouille sausage 1 cup chicken broth and bring to a boil and reduce by half

Add shrimp, bacon and tomatoes cook 3-4 minutes until the shrimp turn pink If the sauce

Wahoo - C from Page 13 and 54 pounds I day on numbers o little disappointing them I’ll say it aga until we get t COVID-19 has a economy on every support your loca because they are disproportionality im Until next month, safe on the water a that great things h you take a kid fishin

The HooDoo Boat Wahoo Mode If for some of the mos fishing here in NE give us a call for Adventure!

Capt. Tim Altm

HooDoo

Sportfishing C

saltwaterchalle

904.859.63

HooDoo 7-Fish Tournament Day

Deener - Continued from Page 6

and a 29-inch redfish in just 1 1/2 hours of fishing on Friday evening

A few bit live shrimp on an 1/8-oz Shrimp Hook but the rest ate a morning dawn 3-inch Keitech swimbait rigged on a 1/8-oz jighead with a Gamakatsu sickle-shaped hook. On Saturday the duo managed 14 trout (only 2 keepers), 4 redfish up to 28 inches, a 17-inch black drum, and a small bluefish They caught a half-dozen on live shrimp rigged on 1/8-oz Shrimp Hooks and the rest on the same head as the night before and 3-inch Keitechs That day they caught them on chartreuse pearl and morning dawn colors, primarily Another group of anglers got on some keeper redfish in the Cumberland area They caught a limit on shrimp An angler reported catching 35 trout (not sure how many keepers) on Saturday while using live shrimp in the Brunswick area. For guide trip information, call Capt Greg Hildreth at (912) 617-1980 or check out his website (georgiacharterfishing com) For

the latest fishing information or live shrimp in the Brunswick area, check with J&P Bait and Tackle on Hwy 303 (912-282-9705)

Last quarter moon is February 16th To monitor all the Georgia river levels, visit the USGS website (waterdata usgs gov/ga/nwis/rt) For the latest marine forecast, check out wwwweathergov/jax/

Capt Bert Deener makes a variety of both fresh and saltwater fishing lures Check his lures out at Bert’s Jigs and Things on Facebook For a copy of his latest catalog, call him at 912-288-3022 or e-mail him (bertdeener@yahoo.com).

Capt. Bert Deener

Josh Brumfield visited a friend and caught Trout and Redfish in the Brunswick area He caught this nice Trout on a live shrimp and an 1/8-oz. Shrimp Hook.

Suber - Continued from Page 15

and remain accessible to the public. As we all know Pottsburg Creek is going through several issues and a waste spill from a lift station added to the list JEA gave the Waterways Commission a very complete report on the lift station failure caused waste spill.

JEA has discovered additional steps they will add to prevent a failure going to the waterway

The derelict vessel war is still full speed ahead We have had a slow spell getting the approvals we have funded but the process is moving as fast as the system allows.

From last month we have added several new ones at Exchange Island dock, Ortega and Fishwear Creek, Trout River and the ICW at Beach Blvd We will soon see contracts for removal issued

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 met 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

We continue to remove old docks, pilings and tree parts from our waterways Please use caution and a look out when you are on plane in your boat Some of these debris items are just under the surface and seeing them can be difficult Day time use good polorized sun glasses and at night slow down and double your caution

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 2022

The cost of the classes to the student will continue to be reduced to an affordable $10.00 thanks to a donation from Jacksonville Marine Charities from proceeds from the Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament The next class will be announced on the America’s Boating Club website at usps.org/localusps/Jackson.

JSPS has also started the 2022 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

I continue to remind all that if you are aware of an event that will impact our waterway or if you are a member of a club or organization that is planning an event that will impact our waterway please let us know so we can help you with promoting

North Florida is fortunate to have a large number of organizations and individuals that invest hours and hours of volunteer time to make opportunities for our friends in need with the participation of our gracious anglers and business owners

If you send the information to me at jsuber@coj net we will publish on the website and promote on Facebook pages. The city of Jacksonville has several events around the city and Beaches that we are just not getting credit for as a community

We want to promote our city and our beaches as a city with great waterways and beaches with tournaments, events and entertainment opportunities that are happening just not being included in the Big Picture Last but not least, show pride in

the facilities provided for your use with your tax dollars by properly disposing of your by product when you clean your fish and dispose of your trash appropriately! BE SAFE! AND WASH YOUR HANDS!!

Capt Jim Suber

Palm Valley St.

Augustine

By Capt Cory Sparks

March can be a transition month with warming waters If water temps stay cool, keep presentations small profiled and slow

The bite coming out of February has been painfully soft bites and slow-moving lures to trigger a bite If water temps warm up, you can get back to a more typical pattern of feeling fish and having them feed more aggressively

March is a great month to target Black Drum and Sheepshead on shell bars and scattered bottom structure Cast up current with shrimp, fiddlers or a Fishbites strip and feel for your bait bouncing with the current

Keep the bait moving by lightly lifting off hang ups while not reeling too much to bring it off the bottom. You want to barely feel the hook bouncing along Many bites will feel like small snags or hang ups and then the rod tip will load up with slightly more pressure

This is when the fish has the bait, and you want to set the hook. Both these species have soft subtle bites so a sensitive rod tip with braid will help you feel every small tap

Areas to fish are oyster mounds in creeks with clean moving water and scattered shell bars along the main ICW

Trout will be chasing soft plastics and twitch baits. Water temp should dictate the rate of retrieve with cooler water forcing you to use slower action

The Mirrolure mr17 is a great choice as well as any paddle tail with a tail that really cranks back and forth, pinned to a ¼ oz. jig

head will both catch their fair share of Speckled Trout Redfish will still be schooled up on sun-soaked flats at low tide along with deeper creek holes and bends.

In March the bite preference can suddenly change so try to have 3 or more different baits to try

One day shrimp will get the bite and then the next it could be mud minnows or fiddler crabs The point is to try a variety to see what the fish want that day Many times, you may think the bite stinks only to switch the bait and have the fish key in on a different offering

- 307 - 7654

By Drew Florez

I hope everyone was able to take advantage of these clear winter conditions over the last few weeks because the sight fishing has been insane!

As we predicted, we finally got to experience that “Florida winter” which means when the cold comes in the algae dies off giving us the clarity, and man has it been clear

The last month, we have spent almost all of our time back in the flats and creeks working the different oyster bars and in that skinny water we love so much! There has been absolutely no shortage on redfish and big trout

In our area, (Crescent-Matanzas)

we have been going out on an early/mid morning low tide and been using this clarity to our advantage. I suggest starting out in some of the larger flats that are still about a foot or two deep and work these areas first.

We have found several schools hanging near the oyster beds and some very big free swimmers

The larger reds have seemed to be a little bit farther away from the schools swimming in just enough water to cover their backs Mud minnows and shrimp on a jig head have worked very well for the live bait of choice on these big guys.

Gulp shrimp and Fight Club

Butt Kicker Paddle tails from Fishbites have also been the plastics of choice After working the larger oyster covered flats make your way back into the creeks. If you are not familiar with area I highly recommend using google earth or any other satellite image to find the creeks that you know dead end or roughly stay about 2 to 4 feet

deep We have been able to see tons of schooling redfish and large trout back in the shallows The key is to be be super stealthy and not to pressure them

Remember, if you can see them they can most likely see you, and as soon as they’re spooked it's over so take your time Use a nice long fluorocarbon leader and stay as far away as possible letting your bait go as slow as possible These cold waters have these guys moving very very slow!

The Sheepshead and black drum bite has still been excellent Like I said last month, if you haven’t checked out bridge donkey yet, you’re missing out Tip these jigs with fiddler, crabs, or sand fleas and them by any dock or br pilings and you’re in there your having a hard time most people finding these you can also try using fr sand fleas, or wrapping any c or crustacean in a small bait and tip the hook

Also, don’t be afraid downsize your gear for t fish Using a small rod and combo can make a world difference as you can feel alm every bite!

Now let’s get to my fav part of March, and that is c talk! Towards the latter en the month the cold days sta disappear the water s warming up drastically

When the water gets to a 68-70 degrees you can wit something truly unbeliev the great manta ray migra These creatures start in the and make their way around Florida and head all the way up to Outer Banks, NC and beyond.

Cobia swim in schools underneath these giants using their massive wing span as protection which range anywhere from 3-25 feet long

My absolute favorite kind of fishing is sight fishing cobia. It’s almost more of a hunt than fishing This is the one time of the year that us inshore guys get to fight 40lb-70lb fish right in our backyard

The key to finding these fish is

to go off the beach making figure 8’s in 30’-60’ ft of water and look for these massive mantas.

When you see the large black shadows make your way slowly to them without gunning it too hard and scaring them Once you are in casting distance pitch a 2-4oz Alien jig or bucktail on a long 50lb leader in front of the manta ray striping it so the lure falls in front or below the ray If the ray has cobia underneath them you will see these fish leave the ray and crush your lure

Next, hold on because these powerful fish gives you the fight of your life! They typically dive to the bottom shaking their heads almost giving you a redfish like battle

To me these are one of my favorite fish to eat and provide enough meat for the whole family! Check in next month as we will dive way more into detail on sight fishing these beasts!

Until then, good luck out there!!

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

FISH RULES

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Get it on the App Store USE THE WEB APP Fish regulations made easy

Fish Rules App simplifies saltwater and freshwater fishing regulations into an easy to understand format With a glance, know if a fish is in season, how many you can keep, how big they have to be, and more.

All the fishing hotspots

Fish Rules App includes saltwater fishing regulations for Federal and State waters from Maine to Texas to Hawaii, and now includes freshwater for Florida fishrulesapp.com

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

CONNECTION Publication has gone Digital!!

How many times have you gone to your local Fishing Connection outlet to pick up your Monthly Issue only to find they are already out?

Well, besides having the option of becoming an Annual Print Subscriber and having your 12 Monthly Issues mailed to your home or business for only $25 00 per year you can now have the option of becoming a Digital Subscriber and enjoy The Fishing Connection online via your Computer or Smart Phone for the low cost of only $11.88 for 12 Months. That's only .99 per issue for dazzling color pages!!

TWO OPTIONS TO ORDER

Option 1. Order online by simply going to our website at www.FishingConnectionUSA.com and locate the Digital Application form, fill it out and send it to us Do Not Pay at this time! Once we receive your Application we will create an Invoice and send it to your E-Mail address on the Application and you can simply Pay via Credit / Debit Card, or send in a Check or Money Order and your Subscription will begin on the 1st of the following month It's a Very Simple Process!!

Option 2 Simply locate the Subscription form on Page 3 of this paper and cut it out and send in with a Check or Money Order

The Fishing Connection will still carry the Printed Subscription but there will be occasional cost increases due to Postage and Supplies and Envelope price increases

So, now you have more options to read The Popular Fishing Connection Publication each Month.

1. The ever popular FREE Printed Issue found at dozens of Stores, Bait Shops, Walmarts, etc

2. The Printed Annual Subscription mailed by USPS each month to your home, business or as a gift to a friend or family member for only $25 00 per year to cover S/H

3. The New Digital Online Annual Subscription for $11 88 thats only 99 per month

Kayak Fishin' By Will

Neimann

With another brutal Florida winter behind us, it's time to look forward to warmer water and longer days

March in NE Florida is a beautiful time of year to be on the water, although trips may need to be planned around the wind As the water temperatures rise, the bite will steadily improve Marches full moon also kicks off the black drum spawn, where the biggest of the big uglies move inshore to lay their eggs Some of these will push or exceed 100 lbs

As long as there are no out of season, major cold fronts, the water temps will be reaching the mid to upper 60s by the end of the month This water temperature is what really kicks off the spring bite

Then the mullet start showing back up and all the predators follow. Redfish, trout, flounder, and pompano will be cruising the flats looking for an easy meal The snook and tarpon in the area will start pushing out of the brackish creeks back onto the flats and bridges as well

Water temperatures will dictate the fishes behavior through the month of March 68°-76° is the ideal water temperature for our springtime fish

Covering water is key to fishing the flats The fish will be schooled up, so moving around until you find them is the best approach Throwing artificial baits such as a Swingin Buck, a Hackney Jr Belly, or an Unfair Rip-N-Slash are deadly when doing this

When you get a hit, work the area for awhile, fan casting in all directions before moving on I will throw all 3 baits, mentioned, in the area before moving on as well I

keep that approach until I determine what that days preferred bait is going to be Each day is different and what works today, may or may not work tomorrow Usually they will prefer one presentation over the others

Matching the hatch is a term referring to matching your bait to whatever is “hatching” or migrating through, in our case. If 3” mullet are what’s in the water, then a 3” bait is what should be thrown

As the mullet runs begins, the bait will start off smaller and gradually get bigger, until the big “smoker” mullet arrive in April. When smaller baits are what is in the water, Ancient City Outdoors has a really nice 2 5” paddletail that is a great option

A Swingin Buck can also be made to have a smaller profile Since they are all custom tied, any size profile can be achieved with the Buck As the size of the bait increases, the size of your lure can increase. Although, smaller baits catch fish year round as there is always a 2”-3” baitfish in the water somewhere

I gravitate towards natural color patterns such as white, bone, mullet, red, blue, and purple

Lure color is determined by water color and clarity The darker the water, the darker the lure I choose to throw I also throw a darker profile on cloudy days. Once I determine a particular color or bait is outperforming the others, I stay with that lure the rest of the day, or at least until the bite stops Just keep moving and keep casting and you will fill your cooler

March is a fun month for kayak fishing, so make it a point to hit the water Good luck and tight lines

I’ll see ya out there

Daytona Ormond Beach

By Capt. Jeff Patterson

We’re getting into a bunch of great fishing this time of year with Spring right around the corner Water temps are still pretty cool and I’ve been seeing quite a few snook sunning up against the bank back in the Tomoka River and Stricklands Creek

There’s also been some seatrout back there but it seems there are a lot of 14-16” fish so no gators I do very well using small YoZuri divers and soft plastics with a jig head.

Black drum are back there around the Tomoka bridge and also around the fallen trees in Stricklands Creek When I have a good feeling there are black drum around I try to have both live and dead shrimp. Sometimes it really seems like they prefer the stinky dead shrimp

At times you can find a handful of fish or more in one spot so if I catch one I definitely give it a shot for a while longer There has been some tarpon back in the Tomoka but I haven’t targeted them at all.

Seeing them rolling they looked like 10 to 30 pound fish maybe

Fun size fish to catch in my opinion

The inlet has been tricky but should get better this month and hopefully conditions will start to get better. We’ve had a lot of wind with these cold fronts and it’s been tough to even make it out there

Redfish should get more and more consistent of all sizes Tarpon will be starting to show up around there as well and typically in good numbers. You

can get lucky at times and find pretty big schools of both redfish and Tarpon at the inlet this time of year

In the Intracoastal in Daytona there’s been quite a few flounder and I’ve heard of some people gigging them at night with the water being as clear as it’s been but I personally haven’t heard much about size lately Seatrout have been around oyster bars and a few pompano around mussel beds

Some of the creeks in Port Orange have been holding some pompano as well

(386) 451-4992

Capt Jeff Patterson

Surf Fishing Tips - How to Improve Your Catch Rate

By Richard Obie

The secret to a successful day surf fishing is what tackle to use and when to use it Don't waste your time employing tactics that simply will not work for the conditions or the fish you are after Here are my top surf fishing tips to improve your chances of landing a fish

#1 Planning ahead will definitely make the day more productive Find out from local surf fishermen and tackle shops what is being caught and what baits or lures are being taken

#2 Don't just arrive at the beach with half a bucket of shrimp and expect to catch something. Make a point of targeting a specific fish with the best baits or lures for that particular fish

#3 Take only what you really need for the day to enable you to be mobile if the spot you are fishing is producing no results Trying different areas of the beach and various lengths of cast is a key element to being successful

#4 If possible check out the beach you intend to fish at low tide and take note of key features Sand banks, rock formations and natural hollows will be excellent places to get your bait in and around

#5 Check the tide times for the beach you intend to fish, dawn and dusk tides are the best for surf fishing If you intend to fish around dawn or dusk make sure you pack a torch.

#6 Pack four or five ready made rigs as a back up for the ones you intend to fish A quick replacement for lost tackle will ensure you spend more time with bait in the water, rather than wasting valuable surf fishing time making rigs up on the beach

Chapman - Continued from Page 7

I have pictures of my daughter sleeping in the front hatch of my kayak during the middle of the night

My son staked up in his kayak catching a few z’s then waking to a big red fish trying to pull him off his stake out pole. Traveling with friends to kayak tournaments all over the US Fishing with my Son and my Dad and all of us placing in the same tournament

My dad and I first and second with less than half an inch separating us I remember fishing a Wed night tournament out of the boat with a friend and coworker and while netting a 26 inch trout Revo (my second mate Jack Russel) jumping overboard to try and wrangle the trout.

My partner looked at me and asked me should he net the fish or the dog! I said the dog got himself in that situation get the fish, get the fish!! I’m sure my language was more colorful than that

I recently turned 50 years old and my mother-in-law made it her mission to let me know that unless I plan on living over 100 I’m officially over the hill and on the way down. LOL Anyway my point is get out and fish and make memories of a life time.

I have too many to print and that is what it is all about When the weather is bad and you can’t get out on the water you can still always reminisce about the times that you have had on the water and what those mean to you

Hope everyone gets out an has a great fishing season

Don’t forget to take the time and make memories.

John

"Chappy' Chapman

Do you give new lures a fair chance?

Whenever you head out and test a new lure you've never thrown before, how much of a chance do you really give that bait?

Maybe you bought it at the Fishbites Trading Post because it looked great and or because we told you it worked for us

Maybe your buddy slays the fish on it or just won a tournament with it.

Those are both good reasons to give a new bait a shot but just how long do you stick with it until you set it aside and retreat back to your favorite confidence lure or live bait?

I believe anytime you see fish and are aware they are currently feeding, that's the time to experiment with a new lure! I don't think having a slow day with no bites on your favorite baits is a good time unless you just pick them up and throw them out of pure desperation (been there)

Why give up throwing a new lure at fish that you don't see or may not even be there or be feeding anyway?

Example: Like every other lure angler, I have a few favorites that I always carry, including the Fishbites Dirty Boxer and the Butt Kicker in the Haymaker color

These are a simple pearl white shimmer, curly tail and paddle tail baits I can either swim, roll slow or fast in the water column or bounce them off the bottom to

find fish. Topwater plugs are also a favorite of mine and can identify fish by giving up their position with a look, roll, swipe, or even a hookup

Subsurface suspended plugs like some MirrOlure suspenders and the Paul Brown family are great right now for finding fish

All can be good baits right now at finding and or identifying hungry or at least inquisitive fish After all, if you dont see fish or get bit, how do you know the fish are there?

For instance, I generally start out using my current aforementioned "go to" baits that I have confidence in until I start identifying fish or getting bit Boom, now I know there's feeding fish and that's when I will switch off and start experimenting with new lures or maybe a different color I've never caught fish on before

Some anglers may identify feeding fish by getting bit on live bait first, then try different lures to identify which ones still work on those same fish.

Either way, make sure there's feeding fish around to give your new lure a fair chance before you write it off.

Brett Warren

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

Surf Fishing Volusia County

by Roy Mattson

Roy Mattson Jr - Born July 1964 in Daytona Beach Fl

My Dad took me fishing for the first time at age 5, I caught a huge 4lb Black Drum under the Seabreeze bridge, I was hooked for life

I continued fishing with school buddies for the next few years I decided to leave home as both my parents suffered from drinking addictions. During one of my many walks, I was lucky enough and found a 12ft. wooden Myers Boat

The gentleman who owned the boat told me that if I could move it you could have it

I used 4 skateboards a rope and bike as a motor I moved the boat down the road about 3 blocks when a police officer pulled up and ask me what i was doing and I said I am going fishing. The officer followed me to the boat ramp

He assisted me in launching the boat I used this boat for years and fished at the local Main St. Pier Several years later the State of Florida created the commercial fishing license program, unfortunately I was too broke to afford the license

My favorite fishing markets unified & purchased a commercial license for me I have been a Florida Commercial licensed holder since that time

I’ve done a lot of different things in my 58 years My first job was cutting people's yards , Burger King , convenience store cashier , public service , fishing on Shrimp Boats , fish cleaner at fish docks to area markets, commercial King mackerel fishing, Roy's Bait House Tackle

Shop, Flagler Beach Red fish Tournament, Flagler Beach Ocean Pier, Flagler County sports Fishing Club board of Directors, Wholesale Bait & Seafood to Roy's Surf Fishing Guide Service, sales for the Fishing Connection , and the Surf Fishing Challenge director & host

My nickname is Ribbon fish man, Mr Sand flea, and Mullet man

If you want to learn more about surf fishing, come see me at The Halifax Sport Fishing Club’s March seminar on March 17th, 2022 at 7:30pm

The Halifax Sports Fishing Club location is 3431 S Ridgewood Ave, Port Orange, FL 32129 Also learn more about the Surf Fishing Challenge on March 25, 26,2022 at Lost Lagoon Wings & Grill 2004 N Dixie Fwy, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168. For more information check out Roy Mattson and Halifax Sport Fishing Club on Facebook or the following Website's: royssurffishing.com

surffishingchallenge.com

Roy Mattson

Boat Launched by US Students Lands in Norway

A small boat launched in October 2020 by some New Hampshire middle school students and containing photos, fall leaves, acorns and state quarters has been found 462 days later by a sixth grader in Norway

The 6-foot-long (1.8-meter) Rye Riptides, decorated with artwork from the kids and equipped with a tracking device that went silent for parts of the journey, was found Feb 1 in Smøla, a small island near Dyrnes, Norway, the Portsmouth Herald reported Monday

It had lost its hull and keel on the 8,300-mile journey and was covered in gooseneck barnacles, but the deck and cargo hold were still intact The student who found it, Karel Nuncic, took the boat to his school, and he and his classmates eagerly opened it last week The school in Norway plans a call with the Rye Junior High students soon

“When you’re sending it out, you have no idea where it’s going to end up, how it’s going to get there, if it ends up (anywhere) at all,” said Cassie Stymiest, executive director of Educational Passages, a Maine nonprofit that began working with the school on the project in 2018

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Tournament Board

By Craig Van Brocklin

Winter Tournaments

Florida Lure Anglers - 2 Redfish

1st Phil Zeller/Scott Koons 12.52

2nd Wade Hastings 11.13

3rd Chasey Riley/Thomas Riley 11 13

4th James Howard/Noah Smith 11 03

5th Bill Lancaster/Everett Barts 10.92

6th Paul Gallup Jr/Paul Gallup Sr 10 74

Kappa Alpha Redfish

Boat – 2 Redfish Weight

1st Leigh Davis/Brian Dutcher 12 23

2nd Matt Davis 12 16

3rd Jakob Stephans 12.04

Kayak

– 1 Redfish (length)

1st Craig Van Brocklin 30.25”

2nd Ryun Snyder 27 5

3rd Johnathan Goolsby 27

Youth

Brantley Davis 8 48

Spots Evan Cutshall 11

North Florida Inshore Slayers Sheepshead (Weight)

Aggregate, 5 fish

1st Boat Ashley Rehberg 31.88

2nd Boat Jake Ogin 30 5

1st Kayak Miles Forster 19 56

2nd Kayak Chinh Phan 17.88

Big Fish

1st Boat Brian Olson 9 63

2nd Boat Patrick “Ryan” Cook 8.88

3rd Boat Ben Sports 8 44

1st Kayak Carson Craven 7.81

2nd Kayak Brad Lewis 5.75

3rd Kayak Dill Lawrence 4 44

Junior Anglers

Macon Lammi - Biggest Redfish

Ethan Bennett - Biggest Yellowmouth & Speckled Trout

Freya M - Biggest Toadfish

Bryson Nelms - Biggest Sheephead

Don Combs Wahoo Roundup

1st Another Tangle - Jerry Moulton 126 8

2nd Finnikki - Marc Padgett 96.3

3rd Beamish Custom Tackle - Jimmy Laidler 91 1

2-Fish Aggregate Another Tangle - Captain Jerry Moulton

Upcoming Tournaments

March

* 5th FLA * El Cheapo Sheepshead

* 12th Pro Redfish Fernandina

* 26th Inshore Xtreme Kayak

* SAHS Annual (St Augustine)

* Surf Fishing Challenge, New Smyrna Beach

April

* 1st NE FL Ultimate Cobia Starts

* 9th FLA Steinhatchee

* 22nd Redfish Rodeo (Flagler)

* 30th Hadassah’s Hope Redfish (Vilano)

May

* 11th Annual Bluewater St Augustine

* 13th NE FL Ultimand Fte Cobia ends *

KA Redfish winners

Leigh Davis / Brian Dutcher

Scott and Phil

FLA (Florida Lure Anglers) Winners