March 2023
Volume 21 Issue 255
Tides Pages 3, 10, 24
Tournaments Page 23
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March 2023
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 ($28 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 FishingConnection@aol 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 FishingConnection@aol.com
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We are not responsible if the fish you're kissing bites your dang face off
It has been an interesting year already for fishing That cold snap that we had around the holidays really disrupted the trout season in the Fernandina area
A real shame because leading up to it, we were seeing some nice fish. With that said, we’re still seeing some schools here and there and catching larger girls in those deep cuts found along the Florida Jetty The shaker hole, pipeline and flats leading into the creeks have also held some nice specks
The whiting bite has been red hot and not uncommon to catch fifty+ fish in a day with the majority being larger sized Fresh dead shrimp is always a great option when targeting these fish, but the shrimping has slowed down in the area to the point of boats not even going out in the river because they are losing money on the day
So, if you’re having a hard time finding local river shrimp, that is the reason Surf goers have been
taking live shrimp and cutting them up in order to get the freshest shrimp possible to surf fish with Frozen is always an option of course and to add a little excitement, soak them in diet Pepsi as that has been a little trick that works well
The sheepshead bite has also been pretty good. People have weighed in multiple 10+ pounders at the shop and surprisingly, all have been caught inshore I’ve heard reports of the docks in Egan’s Creek holding nice sized fish, the structure at Rayonier, and of course the south end bridge
columns
Like every year, fiddler crabs are hit or miss this time of year based on the weather Using the mossy head system I carry at Amelia Island Bait and Tackle, plentiful baits like clam, oyster, and mussels are not only useable, but highly effective It’s always a great weapon to pull out when there are long cold stretches and fids are nowhere to be found. All fishermen who entered El Cheapo this year, I hope to see you there and best of luck finding your convicts
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 Tights Lines
The warm weather is finally starting to roll in, the cooler waters have started to roll out And if you know what that means it’s time to get out on the water
Let’s not forget this month Is the El cheapo sheepshead tournament!! I’ve seen some massive sheepshead being brought in !
I've been seeing a lot of perfect slot-size redfish being caught, some of those springtime migrations are going to start happening You’ll start to see more actions toward the end of March leading into April I've noticed that the lure fishing has been on fire I seem to do better catching redfish, and trout using the fishbites yellow or white soft plastic.
The El Cheapo sheepshead fishing tournament is just 2 weeks away with the Mandatory Captains meeting on 3/3/23 ( Friday ) at 7:00 PM and the Tournament on the 4th! Our next meeting will be March 2, 2023, the day before the El Cheapo setup, and we will be stuffing all the Captains Buckets at that meeting this is something I look forward to every year!
Jacksonville Offshore Fishing Club Upcoming Events for March:
March 2, 2023, Captain’s bucket stuffing meeting
March 3, 2023, El cheapo Sheepshead tournament
mandatory captains meeting
March 16, 2023 Meeting
Chris Jones has started a new fun thing at the start of the Raffle, he has a nice prize and asks a trivia question, and the first person to have the correct answer gets it Last meeting NO ONE got it! The question was what is the official name of the Building we were in? Answer = William Gulliford Community Center
Our meetings are on the first and third Thursday of the month. We are open to the public, we would love to have you at our meetings, even if you’re not a member yet. If you have anything you would like to share that is fishing or boat related, sent us an email or Facebook message!
I hope everyone has been having a wonderful fishing year, until next time tight lines!
MarianaSuzette Yachnowitz
. February 16, 2023
Fishing Report
Last weekend’s big rains put a damper on many of the really good bites that were starting And, another Friday cold front will likely make this coming weekend challenging on the water, as well
Altamaha/Ocmulgee Rivers –
The river is flowing through the woods pretty much everywhere again this week I wouldn’t fish it
Satilla River – Nope. Find a good flat-water place to fish
St. Marys River – The river is fishable. Catfish would be your best bet, but the cold front this weekend will probably slow that bite. Shrimp on the bottom is typically the best bait
Okefenokee Swamp – I fished just about as bad of conditions as you could get on Sunday afternoon just to see if bowfin quit biting. The cold front 2 days before dropped temperatures, rain caused the swamp level to rise, and winds were howling about 30mph On most fisheries, any of these factors would shut down a bite. I flung 2 DuraSpins out the back and checked my clock so I could figure out how long it would take to get a
bite (I wasn’t expecting much, but I just had to see) One of the two rods doubled over within 30 seconds, and I never even checked my watch again I only had just over an hour to fish before off-water time, and I had 3 doubles and a total of 23 fish (2 pickerel and the rest bowfin) My biggest bowfin was 8-lb., 5oz and was the only fish that I cast to It boiled on a trolled lure but missed it. I stopped the boat and cast back to it and immediately hooked up That fishery is an absolute blast, and I’m convinced that the bowfin don’t care about environmental conditions – they’re eating machines Fire tiger and a prototype chartreuse/blue color were what I caught them all on because those are the only two colors I used This coming week’s warm-up should get all species in the swamp biting Fliers will eat sallies (yellow or pink are my favorites), pickerel and bowfin will chew DuraSpins, and catfish will hit shrimp on the bottom. The latest water level (Folkston side) was 120 80 feet
Dodge County Public Fishing Area (near Eastman) – The bass bite was good this week Bank anglers caught them on live bait and plastic worms from the fishing piers and points A few nice crappie were also caught by bank anglers throwing plastics from the fishing piers Staff conducted some of their spring electrofishing samples and saw some crappie over 2 pounds and bass up to 6 pounds. The 4 to 5-pounders were numerous and really fat after gorging on threadfin shad and golden shiners all winter
Local Ponds – Fishing was good on Friday ahead of the cold
front. Charles Burch fished a Charlton County pond on Friday and caught a few bass on tomato seed-colored Culprit Worms. His biggest was a 6 4-pounder
During a Friday morning trip, Jimmy Zinker fooled about 20 bass between 2 and 5 pounds on big 12-inch Mann’s plastic worms. He had a pair of lunkers weighing 8-lb , 7-oz and 7-lb , 0
-oz. to go with the smaller fish. He saw his first bedding fish of the year on that trip A couple Brunswick anglers fishing on Thursday morning had a banner day in the wind at a Brunswick area pond. They had a bunch of bass, and their biggest 5 weighed 29 pounds
Continued on Page 10
Dominic Guadagnoli fished the St. Johns River last Thursday and caught several nice crappie like this slab.
Buzz Spivey came down from Tennessee to fish the Georgia coast. He caught this big sheepshead on a live shrimp fished in about 6 feet around trees.
)
Creeks & Rivers
By John ChapmanThe one that got away, not too much like this article which got away from me, believe it or not some get away sometimes I’m sitting here 18 hours past my deadline on a computer without a word program
I will apologize ahead of time to your daughter.
Sometimes fishing is tough, especially if life catches up with you and you don’t get to get on the water as much as you would like to
This is the case for me this year I am having a grandchild, gaining a son-in-law, my wife changed jobs, etc I can stack up a few more excuses why I haven’t gotten on the water as much as I would like to this year but that isn’t going to help.
I can’t imagine all the fish that have gotten away this year. As I sit here in S C after visiting my buddy a guide here in S C I’m reminded that it is not always the ones we catch that make the most memorable marks on our memory as the ones that get away
I will reluctantly share an entertaining story of the biggest most memorable one that got away from me. As you guys know I’m retired from the Navy and I was stationed as a USN Rescue Swimmer in Guam.
The Coast Guard has no air assets in Guam so the Navy does all the air asset rescues civilian and military I belonged to that outfit so I was well versed in filing a safe plan fishing and
keeping in contact with friends and relatives on shore when we went fishing.
So I am setting up the mood and the story the best I can because I’ve never actually put it in words on paper It is still a verifiable story because one of the three of us that was on the boat at the time is still available to verify it
We have lost touch with the other guy on the boat that day It was a hot August day in Guam and we were going out before daylight and going to troll for tuna, mahi, or other pelagic that would bite.
Guam is an island that is in the middle of the Pacific Island and you are immediately in extremely deep water just off a barrier reef that surrounds the island Immediately, off the North tip of the island we were surrounded by fish busting the surface all around us
We quickly set three rods out and started trolling three small baits. They immediately went off. We were in a 26 foot everglades boat with a single motor and no reel radio. We had cell phones but it turned out the bite was very close to the island and blocked the cell phone tower signal (this would become a significant detail later) We quickly started reeling in football size Bonita in one after another Yes I realize in most places these fish are not a delicacy nor even desired, but in Guam the coop buys them whole for $2.oo a pound at the time.
As we were filling to cooler to pay for gas on our 17 or 18th fish, my buddy is reeling in the Bonita I see a huge shadow behind the fish as it is rapidly approaching the back of the boat I immediately yell shark because most likely that is what was going on, we were about the pay our taxes
Continued on Page 17
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
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Closed Mon. n Tues.
Mud Minnows
Live Shrimp
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Cigar Minnows
Spanish Sardines
Boston Mackerel
Clams
* Finger Mullet
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* Live Shiners
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Wide selection of Artificials
* NON -ETHANOL FUEL
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Arlington Marina has been recognized as a Clean Marina by the Florida DEP and The Clean Boating Partnership
Pier & Surf
By Spencer BrogdenMarch is upon us and so is the start of a great couple of months of fishing!
As we closed out February, the whiting bite started to pick up and a few pompano were already starting to show up. What does that mean for March?
It means lots of whiting and perhaps and earlier pompano run in northeast Florida than normal At the time of this writing the water temperature was 62 in Jacksonville beach but with consistent south winds we could easily see it rise into the upper 60's
Once it does that the pompano will arrive in good numbers along with bluefish, Spanish mackerel , black drum and even some redfish T b
they prefer one rig over the other that's why I always have both set ups when I hit the surf
To target these fish consistently, look for run outs, sand bars and deep sloughs. Some days you will catch fish in all three areas and other days they will only be hanging in one of them. Predominantly the first couple of hours the big whiting are biting on top of the sand bar and after that they move in shallower into the sloughs and run outs
You can also target the pompano the same way. As for the redfish and black drum, I tend to catch most of them just behind the breakers as they search for food washed out by the waves. For those new to surf fishing and anyone else interested in learning some surf fishing tips and tricks, me and the Sinker Guy will be holding a surf fishing seminar March 18th in jax beach from 8-10 am
The address is 76 6th Ave S Parking. Check out the Brokenreel23 YouTube or out
Continued from Page 6
St. John’s River (Astor, Florida) / Crescent LakeSeveral friends fished Crescent Lake, and I heard that they were catching quite a few fish Longline trolling produced the best catches in the Dead Lake area, but I’m sure some fish pushed in toward shallow cover the last couple days with the warmer weather I don’t have the details, but should have them for next week’s report.
Saltwater (GA Coast) Capt. Tim Cutting (fishthegeorgiacoast com) has been slipping out into the protected backwaters this week and has done well His charters pitched shrimp on jigheads to shallow oysters and caught over 20 redfish each day on Monday and Tuesday. Steve and Brenda Hampton fished the Jekyll Island Pier on Wednesday and caught a pair of 15-inch trout and a solid
4 pound black drum They caught them on artificials – both rootbeer and chartreuse paddletail grubs Dr Robert Bringolf fished from the bank on St Simons Island on Friday morning and caught 2 seatrout and lost a couple others He was casting paddle-tail grubs. For the latest marine forecast, check out weathergov/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).
Intracoastal & St. Johns River
By Capt. John Eggers
Spring is almost here and March is the beginning of warmer weather finally. We had a brutal beginning in January with water temps hitting the 40s for the first time in years.
Not only did it shut down most fishing, it literally killed hundreds of snook and small tarpon that had been surviving here in north florida
February was a little better as far as hard freezes go and the fish responded to the warmer temps We caught good numbers of reds and trout March will really get things fired up. With water temperatures getting into the mid to upper 60s the bait fish will start getting more active. Silver side minnows make there way in from the ocean and are being gorged on by blue fish, spanish mackerel, jacks, and lady fish
Schooling speckled trout and big yellow mouth trout will be mixed in the frenzy from the mayport jetties to downtown Jacksonville Red fish schools on outgoing tide can be located up and down the banks of ICW. Feeder creeks will be loaded with reds and have a mixed size range from rats to oversized. Big sheepshead make their way in from the ocean for their yearly spawn and will be thick on the jetties, bridge pilings, and rock or hard shell bottom in the river Bait shops should have fiddler crabs, the preferred bait for
sheepshead, more frequently than the winter months with the warmer weather
Some of the sheepshead will be pushing 10 pounds with lots of fish from 4 to 7lbs to add to the box. Don't overlook the occasional triple tail tucked up under some of these blue crab buoys especially near the inlets. Keep your eyes open while running past them you never know if you'll run by one Still not much on the flounder it seems we pick one or 2 small ones up here and there but not consistently
Offshore Deepwater
By Capt. Tim AltmanNearshore Seabass Extravaganza!
The nearshore “Green Head” Seabass bite has been as good as I can remember in recent years From 12 to 20 miles off of the beach in and around natural bottom and artificial structure the Seabass have returned.
In recent years, the Seabass by has dwindled. Some say it was due to over fishing in the Carolinas, and others say that the Red Snapper are so overpopulated that they have taken over the offshore structure and forced out all of the keeper size Seabass
You are still going to catch your fair share of Red Snapper, so please remember to bring your barometric descending device (required) for a safe and proper release With the exception of the overabundance of red snapper, it appears the “Party Grounds” the public fishing haunts within 30 miles of the beach look to be returning to a semblance of something we can recognize as prior to the Red Snapper closure in 2010 I’m charters when targeting Seabass I use cuddlefish, squid, cut bait, and even parts of blue crab
When targeting the bigger
Seabass, get your bait up off the bottom about 15 feet. And remember just because a Seabass is 13-15 inches, pay attention to its girth. There are a lot of those fish in the 13 to 15-inch range that are just plain skinny. So, don’t be afraid to throw them back and look for a 13 to 15-inch fish that has some girth or some meat on its bones Seabass is one of my favorite fish to eat They make great and I mean really great fish tacos On our near shore charters, we have been limiting out fairly quickly on big fat Seabass Occasionally when we are up in the water column trying to catch bigger Seabass, we get an occasional triggerfish. If you get a triggerfish, be patient, there are more down there. The vermilion snapper bite inside of 30 miles has been excellent too You have to pick through the under-size ones but if you’re patient, you will get your limit of great vermilion snapper
The February Wahoo bite has continued to be “off the chain” In the Northeast Florida Wahoo Shootout, the largest wahoo tournament in the world, several fish over 80 pounds have already been caught with a month left to fish. On February 14, Valentine’s Day on the Hoodoo boat we fished a tournament day. On one of our most consistent and productive numbers there must have been at least 25 boats all jockeying for a pass over the top
Continued on Page 25
Intracoastal Rivers & Creeks
By Capt. Todd PhilcoxMarch fishing in NE Florida can be a tough month to predict due to the uncertainty in weather and therefore 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 above average winter temperatures with just 1 stronger cold front and nice warmups in between, water temperatures briefly dipped into the lower 50’s but generally hovered in the mid 50’s to low 60’s
Slot sized redfish remained mostly scattered in shallow water far back in the creeks and creek holes towards the lower tides, mud flats along the Intracoastal held a 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 action in creek holes with depths of 6-8’ fishing shrimp and minnows where the fish were not quite so wary, redfish from 14” up to slot fish, a few flounder in the 14” to 18” range along with a random sheepshead and black drum As I write this article in mid-February it appears mild weather will continue for the next couple weeks and
water temperatures should hold in the low to mid 60’s So, does this play out for fishing in March?
March is a month of transition from winter fishing patterns to warming water, an increased amount of bait inshore and fish moving with that increased bait supply Shrimp and mud minnows fished on a quarter ounce jig head and a slow retrieve will bring reds, flounder and trout to the boat, if the wind is strong, a 3/8-ounce jig head will help with casting and your ability to feel bites
Continue to put some time in fishing far back in the creeks and those creek holes in the afternoons when the sun has warmed the water and turned on the redfish bite, but don’t hesitate to work grass edges and drop offs along the Intracoastal as slot sized reds will be on the move as the water warms
You 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 IC 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.
Give me a call if I can help get you out to enjoy some spring fishing!
Our Waterways
By Capt. Jim SuberCOJ 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
wwwJaxParks com
www.COJ.net
OK It is time to get started on your boating and fishing! The weather is starting to see more of the better days than bad days and the fish are taking notice. The tournaments are starting to get going and we are looking forward to some really great boating and fishing events in the North Florida area Winter has given us a good amount of cold making us look forward to the spring! The City of Jacksonville Continues to make improvements and several projects are seeing progress Access to the Mayport area by boat and space for the commercial industry is getting near. The new docks of Mayport continue to make progress and the deck is getting installed.
The repair process is a little more complicated due to including the FEMA and insurance process The new Jax Beach Pier operator is in full operation and starting to add to the options available for all visitors
The dredging of Goodby’s Creek will start soon The upland park construction from Hogan to Pearl St. in front of the Times
Union Performing Arts Center is still under development so access to the floating docks in that area is still restricted
The wood docks at Metro Park is being re-built for boater use Metro Park Marina will be closed mid April for a total removal, dredge and re-build
The debris in the river is still an issue but improvements are being noticed. There is still debris along some of the river bank so that will hit the water on our higher tides.
The derelict vessel war is still full speed ahead The new budget by FWCC is in place and we are starting to see FWCC work the cases to get us approval to remove FWCC is working to complete the process for the sunken sailboat northwest of the Beach Blvd channel on the ICW We have derelicts working in the 5900 block of Heckscher Drive, on the Trout River and one back in Cedar River.
The El Cheapo is days away so best of luck to Jacksonville Off Shore fishing Club and all of the Sheepshead anglers!
The Jacksonville Marine Charities Redfish Roundup Spots Tournament is fast approaching May 20 so go to the web site and get signed up the prize structure is impressive and the proceeds will go to local youth charities.
The Jacksonville Sail and Power Squadron, America’s Boating Club of Northeast Florida is again hosting the BLESSING OF THE FLEET Palm Sunday April 2 at 2pm
The Blessing will be at the Lone Sailor on the South Bank Try to take a couple of hours to participate it may come in handy!
The Jacksonville Waterways Commission continues to address the Offshore, Near shore, and in shore reef concepts.
The City of Jacksonville owns
the permits for the offshore reefs and two reefs in the St Johns River
The Idea of a near shore reef with in the 3-mile limit as well as Deep water Fish Aggregating Devices (FAD’s) are being studied Grant opportunities have been identified and are being explored If you are interested and have ideas stay in tune and make your ideas known. The Chairman of the Waterways Commission has named a
committee to explore a slow speed zone at the Cesery Bridge as well as all lower level bridges in the county
I want to continue to remind all, On the east end of the Back River behind Blount Island we have a sand bar developing It is on the Ramoth Drive side of the river A solution to this concern is being worked on. Please use caution and a look out anytime you are underway..
Continued on Page 24
Rodney Scott’s Honey-Butter Fish
Ingredients
HONEY BUTTER
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup honey
RIB RUB
½ cup kosher salt
¼ cup MSG
¼ cup freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup paprika
¼ cup chili powder
¼ cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
FISH
Six 6-ounce skinless fish fillets, such as trout, catfish, red snapper or branzino
2 tablespoons rib rub
6 tablespoons honey butter
1. MAKE THE HONEY BUTTER: In a medium bowl, beat the butter and honey together with a whisk until well combined
2. MAKE THE RIB RUB: In a medium bowl, mix all of the rib rub ingredients; transfer to an airtight container
3 MAKE THE FISH: Heat the grill to between 225°F and 250°F
4. Season the fish fillets with the rib rub Cut pieces of aluminum foil big enough to fit each of your fish fillets lengthwise, then fold the foil into a sling so that it will nestle the fish and keep the melted butter from running into the coals. Place the empty foil slings on the grill (just the foil, you’ll add the fish in a minute) Add ½ tablespoon of honey butter to each piece of foil As the butter starts to melt, nestle each fish fillet on each piece of foil Leave the foil open to allow maximum smoke flavor to get to the fish.
5. Close the grill and cook until the fish loses its translucent appearance and flakes easily when a fork is gently inserted, 30 to 35 minutes Serve hot, with additional honey butter on the side.
Spring is on the doorstep! Pollen is already coating my windshield and the temperatures are rising
Wading marsh birds have invaded the swamp and are foraging through the shallows as southerly winds push them north. All of these signs point towards the arrival of warmer weather and the end of our winter season
As local water temperatures begin to rise through the 60’s and low 70’s the fish will be feeding vigorously
Their metabolism will be peaking and their appetite will be nearly insatiable at times While you will be able to regularly
the weeks ahead two species in particular will be primed and ready for local anglers Trout will be entering their spawn and will begin staging along structure in moving waters or will lay up in shallow, protected flats.
They often group up in large schools as females and males rub shoulders, lay eggs and fertilize them. Heavyweight breeders will be in greater concentration than usual, which means the likelihood of landing a trophy fish is very high Many of these large female trout will key into full moons and new moons to trigger their egg production and release This makes them predictable and easier to pattern during the spring
Something to keep in mind while targeting any spawning fish is proper catch and release methods Large female trout are much more rare than most other species and are highly regarded as far as sport fish go A 24 inch fish can carry over 500,000 eggs with some of the largest females carrying nearly one million! This is a great reason to throw back any trout that are 24 inches or greater during the spring.
This ensures the vitality of the fishery and promotes the overall health of the population. So, please handle these trophies with care, keep them wet and keep catching!
Cobia will also begin to trickle into our region over the coming month These brown bombers are incredibly strong and taste amazing They like to ride manta rays up the beach as they migrate northward making for prime sight fishing opportunitie Large jigs, soft plastics or menhaden are perfect presentations tease a cobia off these rays Just be sure to keep the hoo the mantas or you will spook them and lose the shot at co
Capt Matt Chipperfield
Chip’s Coastal Charters
chipscoastalcharters@gmail com
Chapman - Continued from Page 7
Sharks are famous for taking it all fish, tackle, lure, line, etc hence the expression paying the tax man. All of these potential losses added up even more in Guam because there are no ready available places to just go replenish your supplies. I did not have on expensive polarized sun glasses like my buddy did and when it got close he yelled out that’s not a shark it is a..
Well folks, if I kept you interested so far then I promise you won’t wanna miss next month’s article It will be much more detailed and it will be revealing much more of the lifetime one that got away from me This was 07:30 in the morning and much more to come Tight lines everyone!!
John
Palm Valley St. Augustine
By Capt. Cory SparksPalm Valley March 2023
Look for seasonal changes this month in the bite pattern. Schooling redfish will still be cruising the banks but will become more cooperative and willing to bite.
They can stay very finicky through the winter, but they typically will break those lethargic attitudes this month and begin more aggressive feeding habits Approach fish quietly and try to cast well in front of the school
When sight fishing reds, any pressure or disturbance will scatter them most times Stay as far off the bank as you can cast and allow your bait or lure to be in their path rather than going to them with your presentation
Another common trend will be to find success in the creeks when the main channel is rough or wind-blown and stirred up. March can have
erratic weather and the location of fish can change drastically day by day A stretch of success on the ICW banks can come to a halt with a bit of bad weather and many times finding calmer cleaner water in a creek will result in locating the fish again
Just as weather conditions can be inconsistent in March, so can the preference of bait I always try to have at least 2-3 baits onboard to use this month One day mud minnows may work great and the next day you can’t get a bite on them only to find out shrimp are the ticket By varying your baits, you will begin to see what fish are feeding on at that specific time
Trout fishing should be great and it’s time to break out those topwater lures during low light conditions Learn to retrieve using a walk the dog action or use a cupped face lure where you straight retrieve while yanking or “popping” it every so many seconds
Once the sun is up, I prefer a sub-surface lure such as a Fish Bites Dirty Boxer or Butt Kicker on a ¼ oz. jig head. These soft plastics can be steadily retrieved or bounced along the bottom.
Continued on Page 27 .
Well, we’ve made it through the coldest, windiest months.
Now we look forward to warmer water and manageable winds Although March still has its share of cold, windy days, by the end of the month, they will be far and few between.
In our area of Florida, it’s generally calm in the mornings then by 10:00 AM the winds pick up Getting an early start will be helpful in avoiding wins, as well as being on the water during the best time for top water
Dawn is my favorite time of day to bend the rod. The fish are most aggressive in the low light.
Trout and redfish are both very responsive to top water baits. Throwing them along the oyster beds and grasses will generally draw hit or two.
A
Storm Chug Bug or Rapala
Skitterwalk are what I throw
I’ll throw subsurface lures if it’s too windy for a top water
A paddle tail is an easy subsurface lure to use
An Ancient City Outdoors
Hawg or a Hackney Jr Belly are my goto’s, usually choosing a natural color. Blues and purples are also good color choices. Rigging them on a 1/16th or ¼ ounce jighead will do the trick
Fishbites Fight Clubs are another good option for a soft bait, rigging it in the same way and bouncing it along the bottom will tear the flounder up
A downside to using soft plastics is they get destroyed if bluefish are in the area, which they are in March. If your baits are getting bitten in half, switching to a hard bait such as a Mirrolure or Unfair RipN-Slash is a good idea Another option for a bait that can’t get bitten half is a Swingin Buck bucktail jig All these baits should be worked with a twitch pause retrieve. This will work in both the creeks and the flats March also marks the beginning of the black drum spawn This normally kicks off on the first full moon in March The giant big uglies will be moving inshore and can be found on the area bridges and inlets . Whole live or halved blue crab is the bait of choice Heavy gear is required for these monsters 7/0 circle hooks and at least 60 pound test should be used. Some of these fish can’t exceed 90 pounds. Put the crab on the bottom and hold on Another bait that is proving to be a winner is the new Fishbites
Blue Crab Strips
Use these in combination with the halved crab to help keep the crab on the hook. Even if they steal the halved crab, they will come back for the Fishbites. Fishbites can also be used by itself Just take a piece of the strip and wad it on the hook, throw it out, and let it sit
Continued on Page 26
Daytona Ormond Beach
By Capt. Jeff PattersonWe are coming into some great fishing right now with Spring right around the corner.
We have already had temperatures in the upper 80s just past mid February. I’ve been running inshore trips and a bunch of nearshore trips and getting some really nice fish! Inshore has been producing redfish, seatrout, and snook pretty consistently
I’ve been using mud minnows around oyster bars first thing in the morning with just a split shot and another way that works well is putting one on a jig head. Free lined live shrimp on the edge of these bars especially one with a drop off is a great place to get into some seatrout
I’ve also been tearing them up with white soft plastics on a jig head. Snook season opened up and knock on wood we lucked out this winter and didn’t get too cold to kill any fish We had a couple frigid cold fronts for Florida and I heard of possibly a couple fish dying in areas where the water got just cold enough but for the most part the fish were ok I’ve actually seen a bunch of fish in some areas over the past month where the water has been very clear with a lot of slot fish and possibly over just hanging around some docks
The inlet has still had a pile of smaller blues hanging around but I’ve been able to get away from them at least when I’m targeting other fish
Lots of sheepshead have been around the jetties with some good 2-4 lb fish One of my favorites for the dinner table. The bite around the inlet has been hit and miss targeting some of the bigger fish like snook, reds, and drum but I think coming into Spring it should really pick up soon
I’ve been outside of the inlet a lot lately and finding some good tripletail from time to time on some weed patches and other debris We have caught some nice 10-15 lb fish just using a free lined shrimp when we target them Some of the nearshore artificial sites have been holding some big sheepshead.
This is where I tend to get some of my biggest fish some of them 6-8 pounds There’s sand trout and weakfish hanging around them as well. Pretty soon the big rays should be moving north up the beach with cobia tagging along I’ve already seen a few myself but didn’t have any fish on them It’s one type of fishing where it’s all or nothing but in my opinion it’s worth the effort
We should have a lot of great fishing this month so get out there and get your rod bent!
Pole Dancer Fishin’ Charters
Capt Jeff Patterson
386-451-4992
St Augustine Crescent Beach
By Adam MorleyIf you’re like me and love to fish, boat, swim, paddle, surf, or enjoy any activity based in or around water, your help is needed Here is a partial list of some of Florida’s recent water quality issues that restricts Floridians’ ability to enjoy all of the above and negatively impacts small businesses like mine throughout the state
• Eighty percent of our 1,000 artesian springs are polluted
• Red tides have increased dramatically in frequency, duration, and virulence during the past three decades, causing massive fish die-offs, respiratory problems in people, and injury to local tourist economies.
• Increasingly common bluegreen algae blooms cause marine die-offs, too, and are being linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s
• We have nearly a million acres of estuaries and 9,000 miles of rivers and streams that are contaminated with fecal bacteria
• No state has more acres of polluted lake water than does Florida
• Impacting recreational and commercial fishing, no state has lost more acres of wetlands than has Florida:9.3 million.
• Seagrass beds, also important to recreational and commercial fishing, are nearly in a death spiral
We are fortunate to be located on the Matanzas River, the last stretch of water clean enough for commercially viable oysters in the state, but the trend in declining water quality is a major concern to me and a threat to tackle shops and small businesses like mine. When it comes to our polluted waters, the buck stops with the state. Florida waters are in these conditions because our state government permits pollution and environmental degradation through its actions and inactions It actively permits the destruction of vital wetlands to make way for unchecked development
Through its inactions, it fails to monitor, enforce, and, in some cases, establish water quality standards Special interests that wield undue influence over legislators and thus environmental policy are a big part of the problem
In 2015, for example, water district managers were about ready to crackdown on agricultural pollution when they let a sugar lobbyist dictate edits to an annual report that paved the way for weaker regulations. The final policy took polluters at their word regarding environmental safeguards and held no one accountable if water quality suffered.
In 2020, looking to clean up their polluted waterways themselves, an astounding 89% of Orange County voters approved a Rights of Nature / Right to Clean Water charter amendment Obviously, Floridians of all types understand the paramount importance of clean water to our quality of life in the Sunshine State
But ignoring this mandate from the people, and to protect special interests, the Florida legislature swiftly preempted the authority of local governments to pass such laws
In its February issue, Florida Sportsman ran not one, but two articles on a proposed “Right to Clean and Healthy Waters,” constitutional amendment now being advanced through a citizens’ initiative for the 2024 ballot for voters to vote on. This is where your help is needed.
Senior Editor Blair Wickstrom writes, “It’s time yet again for citizens to do the work our legislators choose to ignore, We need the Right to Clean and Healthy Waters written into the state constitution ”
891,589 signed and approved petitions are needed by November 30th, 2023, to qualify for the 2024 ballot Before that, 223,000 petitions are needed to trigger a Florida Supreme Court review (We have petitions that can be signed down here at Genung’s Fish Camp)
This amendment would establish an environmental right on par with other fundamental rights such as the right to free speech and the right to bear arms. Given how critical clean water is to Floridians, we merit this right. With it enshrined in our constitution, we can hold state government accountable when it permits pollution and degradation of our waters and aquatic ecosystems
Go to FloridaRightToCleanWaterorg to read the full text of the amendment Browse the FAQs
Learn that under this law your neighbor cannot sue you for fertilizing your lawn, that there will not be a proliferation of lawsuits, and that winning a court case doesn’t mean someone will walk away with wads of cash It means our
government has to provide real remedies for polluted waterways
Note the growing list of nearly one hundred organizations and businesses supporting this amendment. Florida Wildlife Federation, Florida Springs Council, Florida Fly-Fishing Association, Florida Scuba Divers, Florida League of Women Voters, Florida Veterans for Common Sense, Friends of the Everglades, VoteWaterorg, Waterkeeper chapters, and Genung’s Fish Camp are just a few
So, if you are a registered Florida voter, print out, sign, and mail the petition (or sign one next time you’re in Genung’s) It takes three minutes Get family and friends to do the same You can mail five petitions in one envelope with one stamp.
Florida’s environmental regulatory system is failing us and Florida waters. A constitutional, fundamental “Right to Clean and Healthy Waters” can bring the systemic change that is needed
904.540.7245
Tournament Board
By Craig VanBrocklinWinter Tournaments
FLA – 2 Redfish
1st Scott O’Brien/Alex Buchanon 11 99
2nd Bob Morris/Charles Delinger 11.73
3rd AJ Hunter/Doug Horton 10.74
PowerPole Pro Redfish Tour (2 Redfish)
1st Zach Foltz/Andy Fantini 13.54
2nd Josh McLendon/Michael Kepinski 13 39
3rd Fred Rounsaville/Ron Schurr 12.84
4th Greg King/Steve Ivey 12 76
5th Jimmy Pausche/Kyle Pausche 12.656
6th Scott Koons/Scott O’Brien 12.28
7th Bill Pittman/Troy Sakraska 12 19
8th RJ McDermott/Tony DeSilvestro 11.92
9th Joseph Gumble/Joseph Wortham 11 91
10th Kyle Craven/Danny Sheldon 11.84
PowerPole East Coast Go Live (3 Redfish)
1ST Corey Durako/Richard Gilligan 20.09
2nd Rennie Clark/Drew Arndt 19.15
3rd Chris Edmonds/Jerry Condenzio 19 06
4th Hank Edwards/Ian Matthews 19.05
5th Scott Koons/Scott O’Brien 18 10
6th Stan Allen/Josiah/Riffle 17.13
7th Jonathan Halker/Jon Halker 17.12
8th Lee Waters/Tommy Parkin 17 06
9th Justin Sweat/Tim Cole 17.02
10th Tom Riley/Bobby Erwin 15.12
North FL Inshore Slayers Sheepshead (weight) Boat
Big Fish Louis Joseph/Bubba Miller 8.25
Aggregate
1st Campbell/Merry/Thomas 25.187
2nd Brook Dailey 23.5
3rd Greg Foxworth 22.25
Kayak
Big Fish Chris Sulenski 7
Aggregate
1st Edison Pedro 18.187
2nd Miles Forster 11 75
3rd Daniel Winkles 10.687
Junior Angler
1st Waylon Hearn 4 312
2nd Caroline Lewis 1.875
3rd Atley Tavares 1.625
Upcoming Tournaments
* March 4th FLA
* El Cheapo Sheepshead
* FL Redfish Series
* April 1st FLA
* Florida Surfcasters
* Inshore Extreme Kayak Challenge
* 15th Hadassaah’s Hope Vilano boat/kayak
* 22nd Elite Redfish
* 23rd Elite Redfish Kayak
* 29th Jax Premier Trout boat/kayak
FLA March Winners
Suber - Continued from Page 15
especially when up on plane in your boat, debris items are just under the surface and seeing them can be difficult
Day time always use good, polarized sunglasses and at night slow down and double your caution and lookout
The Jacksonville Waterways Commission have formed a committee to address this issue and discussions continue with The Army Corp of Engineers and a source of the sand is being explored
As always allow me to continue to remind everyone to always check your boat and yourself Use of a lookout and being aware of your surroundings are always a priority Invest in a QUALITY EPERB, file a float plan with someone that will miss you first so if things don’t go as planned, the search for you can be narrowed and recovery can be quicker.
Take a safe boating course and do your part to activate our waterways! The Jacksonville Sail and Power Squadron, America’s Boating Club,
continuously offers America’s Safe Boating Course at Lamb’s Yacht Center and classes have resumed monthly Check their web site for classes through 2023. The cost of the classes to the student will continue to be reduced to an affordable rate thanks to a donation from Jacksonville Marine Charities from proceeds from the Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament The next class and all future classes will be announced on the America’s Boating Club website 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 byproducts when you clean your fish and dispose of your trash appropriately!
Happy New Year!
BE SAFE! AND WASH YOUR HANDS!!
Capt. Jim SuberIt looked like the Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament with all the boats in the chum hole at the end of the North jetties.
I don’t know that I’ve ever seen so many boats in one spot in a Wahoo tournament ever. I’ve seen them bunched up in Kingfish tournaments, but never like this in a wahoo tournament.
Nevertheless, it was a great bite that day The historical Wahoo forecast for March is as the month progresses, the bite will slow down. Also, historically speaking, the largest wahoo of the year come off of the full moon in March.
Offshore sheepshead are not only one of my favorite fish to eat, they are also one of my favorite fish to catch. It’s not easy catching sheepshead. You’ve got to develop a touch or a feel for the unique sheepshead bite.
Some folks just count to three and pop the rod in hopes that they will arbitrarily hook a sheepshead Folks, I’ve tried this, and it doesn’t work very well
But when you’re being out fish 5-year-old, you have two result of something different to save some face. Nothing can replace quick reactions and a hard hook set So far this year the offshore sheepshead bite is excellent.
If you can find the fiddlers and conducive weather then get offshore and test your hand at catching those big offshore sheepsheads
Use the same method as trying to target large Seabass
Target structure inside of 15 miles or make the run all the way up to the KBY reef North
of the Saint Mary’s inlet Again, be prepared to release a number of juvenile and large red snapper The red snapper have taken over all the nearshore structure and they love fiddlers also.
But if you’re patient and persistent, you will get your limit of those delicious sheepshead. On our Hoodoo charters we use as light of tackle as we can get away with. It allows us to feel the fish bite, and it makes for a great fight getting a 7 to 10pound sheepshead into the boat
Where can you purchase all of your offshore tackle and rigging? Strike Zone Fishing Jacksonville is where! Strike Zone owner Dave Workman Jr. has the largest selection of Shimano Reels in Northeast Florida and has a huge selection of Wahoo specific tackle and rigging.
Ask for Archie or Dalton to get expert advice on all your fishing needs.Offshore sheepshead are not only one of my favorite fish to eat, they are also one of my favorite fish to catch It’s not easy catching sheepshead. You’ve got to develop a touch or a feel for the unique sheepshead bite Some folks just count to three and pop the rod in hopes that they will arbitrarily hook a sheepshead Folks, I’ve tried this, and it doesn’t work very well. But when you’re being out fish 5year-old, you have two result of something different to save some face Nothing can replace quick reactions and a hard hook set So far this year the offshore sheepshead bite is excellent If you can find the fiddlers and conducive weather..then get offshore and test your hand at catching
those big offshore sheepsheads Use the same method as trying to target large Seabass. Target structure inside of 15 miles or make the run all the way up to the KBY reef North of the Saint Mary’s inlet. Again, be prepared to release a number of juvenile and large red snapper
The red snapper have taken over all the nearshore structure and they love fiddlers also. But if you’re patient and persistent, you will get your limit of those delicious sheepshead On our Hoodoo charters we use as light of tackle as we can get away with It allows us to feel the fish bite and it makes for a great fight getting a 7 to
Where can you purchase all of your offshore tackle and rigging?
Strike Zone Fishing Jacksonville is where! Strike Zone owner Dave Workman Jr. has the largest selection of Shimano Reels in Northeast Florida and has a huge selection of Wahoo specific tackle and rigging Ask for Archie or Dalton to get expert advice on all your fishing needs.
Until next month remember that great things happen when you take a kid fishing!
HooDoo Charters Wahoo, Bottom Fishing and Nearshore Trips are in full Swing. For more information or to book a trip use the contact info below
Capt Tim Altman
HooDoo Sportfishing Charters Call: 904.859.6314
Email: tim@saltwaterchallenge.com Visit: www.hoodoocharters.com
during the fight Although an hour long fight is fun for the angler, it’s hazardous on the fish March is a fun month to be on the water, lots of fish, warmer weather, lighter winds, and warmer water. Plus the days are getting longer, so after work trips are back
Good luck and tight lines, I’ll see ya out there.
Lead Guide @ St Augustine Paddle Sports 772-475-9469
Palm Valley March 2023
- Continued from Page 18
Cover multiple depths with your lure action to find where they are feeding in the water column
Now is the time to start heavily targeting Black Drum Shrimp, fiddlers, sand fleas, or Fish Bites EZ Strips will be deadly bounced along shell bars with current flowing over them
The big breeder fish will be congregating in the deep holes and troughs along the intercoastal These big ugly monsters will not resist soaking a chunk of blue crab on the bottom for them
You want to use heavy tackle and have the bait holding bottom to get a scent trail building. Weights from three to eight ounces will work in most spots but heavier currents may call for ten to twelve ounces at times
When these large fish do hook up you are in for a ride
Try to land the fish quickly and get a clean release after a quick photo so they can live to make more fish
Keep Reeling, Capt.
Cory Sparks
310charters.com
Joe with his flounder off a mud minnow!
