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November 2021
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
Rules are Simple
Your lips MUST CLEARLY touch the fish's mouth The person in the photo must be clothed but clothing on the fish is optional Remember, all submissions are considered against future entries too, so if you haven't seen your photo yet, you're still in the contest
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We are not responsible if the fish you're kissing bites your dang face off
J.O.S.F.C.
By Lee BowmanNorth East Florida is transitioning from the warmer season fishing that we grow accustomed to over the summer to the cooler months of fishing
I know some guys that are out looking for blackfin tuna and trolling the break for some early wahoo Bottom fishing should be on fire this month.
If we get some good weather days you should be able to get out and see limits on b-liners and start loading up on triggerfish. Cuttlefish for bait is what I'm probably going to tell you over and over for the next few months but with the amount of mullet still around don't be afraid to cut them up and use them for bait also
October was a big month for JOSFC. We had some new additions to board members as well as a few step down, our banquet with amazing food and raffles, and some wonderful meetings
We have had some major tournament restructuring for JOSFC, quite possibly some of the biggest tournament changes in quite a while The biggest thing we have done is gone to a
“Declare a Day” format
You have a whole month to pick and choose your weather days
Please check out our website or visit a meeting to learn more about our new rules and how to properly declare your day
We are excited about the new year, our new board members, and seeing you at the meetings. Awesome job to all the winners on the 2021 fishing boards and Captains of the year
We are always looking for new guests and speakers so if you
have anything you’d like to come and talk to the club about that is fishing or boat related send us an email or Facebook message
JOSFC Upcoming Events:
November 4th- Club Meeting. Speaker TBD
November 18th - Club meeting
Watch for Tournament Schedule updates as we plan the 20212022 season
Find us on Facebook and check out our website to keep up with upcoming events, schedules, or any changes www.JaxFish.com Our meetings are on the first and third Thursday of each month. We are open to the public so we would love to have you at a meeting even if you are not a member.
Capt Lee Bowman
Fernandina
By Capt. Charlie Freeman
November is when the temperatures finally being to go down around here. And cooler water temps are ideal for fishing right now
It will also show the schools of mullet are ready to leave and head south but also time for the shrimp to spawn again in the marshes which will attract the game fish.
Fish tidal creeks using live shrimp on a jig or a popping cork will attract redfish and trout A lot of folks also use combos like the Berkley Gulp on a 1/8th oz jig and worked on the bottom will get a good amounts of hits too
Just remember, flounder will be found in good numbers and size, but must be released as their season is closed till Dec 1st Surf fishing will be productive for species like whiting, redfish, pompano, with schools of Spanish Mackerel and bluefish showing up too.
Dead shrimp, clams, and if there are any sand fleas in the surf are your best bet Also using FishBites will produce hits, either by itself or use with real bait
Offshore gag grouper will be found in places like FA, FC and HH along with other locations like live bottom, ledges and wrecks Using live bait is productive if you can find any and jig them up.
But dead cut bait will work just as well, so make sure you have a few frozen boxes of cigar minnows, squid, or Spanish
sardines
Trolling will still find the last of the kingfish, cobia and Spanish
mackerel at these same locations
If your bottom fishing, be sure to put out a flat line or two with a cigar minnow or Spanish sardine so you can fish all levels of the water
Also the black sea bass will be moving closer inshore which you will catch along with those pesky red snapper that you cannot keep. Inshore bull redfish, big black drum, whiting, will be found in the deeper holes of the Intracoastal waterway
Places like the big channel marker platform where the ICW and St Mary's River come together, the deep hole across from the Fernandina Harbor Marina will be good spots to check out Large dead shrimp, clams, dead bait or half a blue crab will attract them
Flat fishing will be best during high tides for redfish, this is when flyfishermen like Trey Murray will be found out on the flats where he has this down to a science.
Using patterns like a Clouser in the brown/orange pattern or a crab pattern usually get the best results.
If you are new to the area or just pressed for time, there are over 60 local fishing guides available for charter and are waiting for your call
Capt Charlie Freeman jaxfishgyd@aol com
Creeks & Rivers
By John "Chappy" ChapmanKayak vs Boat
I wanted to touch on this subject this month because this time of year at the end of the summer where the last of the tournaments are being squeezed in it becomes a fun to look at topic
Well to me it is absolutely a fun topic to watch the arguing and the exclusivity of some on both sides of the argument First of all, I have fished out of both for the fun of it and in tournaments
There are all kinds of subsets that you could also dive into as well as far as what kind of kayak, pedal / paddle / motorized and there are fun arguments on all sides of this These subsets also apply to boats as well, flats / flats burning tower boats / gigging boats, etc. But for the sake of this discussion, I’m just going to point out some idealistic comparisons between General kayaks vs General boats
This article is in jest and just for opinionated fun, no hate mails required I would list the pros and cons of each but where is the fun in that, so I will just go over some of the most valid arguments One of the best arguments is when I see the offhand comment that if you could afford a boat, you would not fish out of a piece of plastic While this argument may be true in some cases, I have seen some boats that are thousands of dollars cheaper than kayaks Kayaks today can easily reach thousands of dollars with propulsion and electronics. There are many folks that own both and use both Another
argument out there is that you can be stealthier with a kayak Well, I have been fortunate to fish in some seriously stealthy boats and this aspect usually comes down to the captain of the boat and the ability of the angler in the boat casting ability
Although there is validity in the argument on days where there is unavoidable hull slap or a less than ideal maintained trolling motor with excessive wobble and noise I think that one of the best advantages of a kayak gives the boat guys the hardest time is portability
Almost all kayaks can be easily put in the back of a truck or on top of a vehicle and transported anywhere you can take a vehicle which gives a distinct advantage over the lack of landings in small urban bodies of water with no or private only landings, ditches, deep in national forest or parks, and any other area you can imagine.
There is zero argument boat guys can come up with to argue against this distinct advantage of a kayak. There is one more argument that is irrefutable as well when comparing a kayak to a boat and that is no matter the initial cost the fuel bill on a kayak will 100% of the time beat out cost of fuel on a boat Especially with the events of this year, you know “Oil Prices” and all..
Continued on Page 18
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Pier & Surf
By Spencer BrogdenNovember is the month of big pompano and big whiting in the surf of Northeast Florida At the time of this writing, the water temperature is 79-80 degrees
In November the water hits 7175, which is prime temperature for some of the biggest pompano of the year They can be caught up and down the beach, look for run-outs and sandbars as they feed in both areas
Also, pompano tend to congregate around inlets as well as this time of year there is an an abundance of shrimp exiting the
river Baits of choice are fresh clams, crab knuckles, sandfleas, fresh river shrimp as well as several flavors of fishbites
The whiting, black drum and redfish will also hit these baits as your pompano fishing. My normal rig for targeting these guys is the double hook pompano rod with a variety of different colored beads/floats and circle hooks.
If you want to go another route, mullet will still be in the surf for much of November! Redfish, speckled trout, Spanish mackerel and bluefish will be feeding heavily on them! I typically use a Carolina rig when using mullet when the current permits. Don't forget, flounder season is closed all of November and the bluefish limit is only 3 per person now For weekly updates check my YouTube page Brokenreel23! Until next time, tight lines!
Spencer Brogden
Ponds, Lakes, and Streams
By Capt Bert DeenerThe Southeast Georgia rivers are all still high, except the St Marys Your time will likely be best spent on ponds or saltwater again this week, but it won’t be long before the rivers are worth fishing if they keep dropping at the current rates
I love this time of year as folks head to the woods just in time for some of the best fishing of the year Parking is not usually an issue at most of the ramps this time of year River gages on October 21st were:
Abbeville on the Ocmulgee – 6.8 feet and falling
Doctortown on the Altamaha –11 8 feet and falling
Waycross on the Satilla – 10.2 feet and falling
Atkinson on the Satilla – 12 8 feet and falling (flood stage is 13 0 ft)
Macclenny on the St Marys – 4 0 feet and falling
Okefenokee Swamp – The water is still high, and the fish are spread out in the prairies The swamp is absolutely gorgeous in the fall, and I’ve noticed the flowers have started to bloom in the wetlands around Waycross
Plan your trip for the scenery, not necessarily the catching The latest water level (Folkston side) was 121 30 feet
Local Ponds – The crappie bite has fired off in Waycross area ponds this week. Chad Lee fished an Alma area pond last Thursday evening and caught 20 crappie
(kept 5) on chartreuse shad plastics. On Wednesday, a Waycross angler trolled 2-inch Keitech swimbaits on 1/32 and 1/16-oz jigheads and caught 86 fish (all but 6 were crappie, and he kept a limit of the larger crappie)
His best colors of swimbaits were green pumpkinchartreuse and chartreuse shad, but a few other colors also produced. On Thursday, John Biagi came down from Covington and fished with a friend at a Waycross area lake. They ended up trolling up 82 fish (including a few bass, and a dozen big bluegills – they kept about 40 of the crappie and bigger bluegills)
Their most productive rig was Keitech swimbaits rigged on 1/16-oz Flashy Jigheads (silver blades), but they also caught them on regular jigheads The best colors on their trip were shad, morning dawn and chartreuse shad Most of their crappie were in the 9 to 10 inch range but they had several pushing or right at a pound
Lake Miccosukee, Florida – Shane and Joshua Barber fished the lake on Saturday and did well for bass They caught about 10 bass – all on topwaters Frogs were their most productive lures, and their biggest 2 bass were 3 3/4 and 4 4 pounds Saltwater (GA Coast) – The best report I got this week was from Dillard Winters and a friend They caught 14 keeper trout and a couple keeper flounder at the jetties on Friday
He didn’t give me details, but he usually throws plastics on jigheads On Saturday, Brentz McGhin fished out of Crooked River State Park and caught 22 trout (kept 6) on chicken-on-a-chain Assassin Sea Shads suspended underneath Cajun Thunder Floats. Capt Greg Hildreth has been catching bull reds in the sounds on cut bait and live pogies lately
They have been jumping a few tarpon, as well Ed Zmarzly has been catching a few bull reds from the St Simons Pier using cut bait
For guide trip information, call Capt Greg Hildreth at (912) 617-1980 or check out his website (georgiacharterfishing com) Check with the Jekyll Island Fishing Center (912-635-3556) for the latest on the Jekyll Island Pier or St Simons Bait & Tackle (912-634-1888) for the latest on the St. Simons Pier
Last quater moon is October 28th. To monitor all the Georgia river levels, visit the USGS website (waterdata.usgs.gov/ga/nwis/rt).
For the latest marine forecast, check out www.weather.gov/jax/.
Capt Bert Deener makes a variety of both fresh and saltwater fishing lures Check his lures out at Bert’s Jigs and Things on Facebook For a copy of his latest catalog, call him at 912-288-3022 or e-mail him (bertdeener@yahoo com)
Capt Bert Deener
9549 First Coast Hwy
Fernandina Beach, Fl 32034
904-624-7293
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Well, the weather has cooled ever so slightly and it is high time for some flatties and grouper! And as we head into our holiday season we prepare first for Thanksgiving, a time to reflect on and celebrate the things we are thankful for My list is too long to share but there are a few things worth noting you might be able to relate too
I am thankful that God called this prodigal child back when He
did In His perfect timing as always, He called me back right before I entered a season of setbacks and tragedies that would last over 5 years He knew I would need Him and I know it was the ONLY way I made it through
I am thankful that through the storm God repaired our family and gave me the friends I would need perfectly orchestrating who I needed to meet and when, as well as re-kindling friendships that were smoldering. My tribe has never been so strong
I am thankful for a family that loved the outdoors and let us go outside and get dirty! That we grew our own food, fished, and hunted That we camped and that we explored And thankful that they taught us to cook, sew, and encouraged creativity
Finally, I am thankful for my kiddos, their spouses, and their littles..the source of inspiration for much of this I am so excited
to share ALL of this with them as we create our own memories. For those of us blessed to have grown up in this lifestyle or who have been mentored by others, it is our job to pass it on. To be patient and teach just as those who taught us were Be intentional in making time it means so much to your people and tomorrow isn't promised. Now get out there and fish!
Trina Polkey
Intracoastal St. Johns River
By Capt. John EggersThe Bull Red bite in the river and jetties will start to cool down but some other species will start to heat up
The flounder will be here thick from the mudflats and creeks to the river and ICW Finger mullet will be their main focus, but remember the season will be closed starting October 15th and running through the end of November so catch and release only Yellowmouth Trout and Speckled Trout will be biting and in better numbers The
Yellowmouth will be stacked up in the deeper holes and ledges of the river and ICW
Dead or live shrimp will be the best bait for them on jig heads or Carolina rigs Black drum will be in the creeks but the big girls will be showing in the same spots of the river and jetties that the bull reds were in
Whole or half fresh blue crabs or fresh clams will definitely do the trick The Sheepshead bite will be kicking off on the oyster shells and jetties
Fiddler crabs on 1/8th or 1/4oz jigs at the jetties and most bridge pilings will be the most effective technique but clams and or oysters work very well if you cannot find fiddlers
Look for schooling reds at low tide in the ICW pushing around outside big flats and creeks There will be a mixed bag of slots and rat reds in the creeks but good numbers of both
Good luck!
Capt John Eggers
Intracoastal
By Capt Todd PhilcoxNovember fishing on Jacksonville’s inshore waters begins a transition to winter patterns, redfish start to school up and move into the creeks and backwaters, trout action will improve and flounder will continue to be caught along the intercoastal edges and in the creek holes.
I’ll begin to push farther back into the creeks south of the St Johns river, all the way to Palm Valley as the water cools, preferably fishing the middle to the end of the outgoing tides, on colder days I will favor a late afternoon low tide working around oyster mounds and the creek bend holes which will hold a great variety of fish including reds, trout, black drum and an occasional sheepshead or flounder
As the days continue to get shorter and cooler the necessity to fish early mornings subsides, choose your time on the water now based more on tides and don’t hesitate to enjoy a sunny warm afternoon working your favorite creek
This month will offer the last opportunity for flood tide fishing until next fall, pursuing tailing redfish up on the flooded grass flats Tides will be optimal from Wednesday the 3rd thru Tuesday the 9th, if you fly fish, or have an interest in fly fishing, flood tide fishing offers the best opportunity to stalk, sight and hook into 20-30” redfish in shallow water
Bull redfish action will slow but can still be found from the jetties up the river to the Dames Point bridge, fish the drop offs
from 35-45 feet deep with cut crab, mullet or ladyfish, use ample weight to hold the bottom, circle hooks and heavy tackle
Don’t be surprised if you tie into a bull red along the intracoastal as well, they scatter and wander away from the river this month and will be caught along the deeper sections of the waterway.
Live shrimp are my primary bait throughout the winter along with mud minnows, I fish those baits on a 1/8, 1/4 or 3/8-ounce jig, go lighter in the shallows so as not to spook fish Soaking cut blue crab on a circle hook will also payoff for redfish throughout the cooler months
Trout will aggressively strike swimming and diving plugs fished along the intercoastal banks in 4 to 8 feet of water, schools can be located by slow trolling those banks to cover a bit more ground.
Get out fishing and enjoy some cooler days on the water! Give me a call if I can help get you out there.
How Often Do You Visit Your Past?
By Vishal Thawani
As often advised by many - visit your past once in a way but don't rent a house over there.. but don't many of us love singing the title track of 'poor me'? Do we do this to seek empathy or simply to caution ourselves from committing the same mistakes over and over again?
I was once told, in order to forget old memories, you got to create new ones sad, the same is so extraneous and despairing
to those who've lost their near and dear ones to catastrophes or tragedies beyond their control
All of this is so incisively ironic. Sometimes based on the past we adjudicate our current actions in order to avoid hiccups in the near future
Whereas sometimes we shrug away the past to refrain losing what we have (for the future) But why is it that the circle of life brings us back to the same place - the same spot where we were a few years or months back? Is it to test us if we have learnt our lesson well or simply to heal?
The sooner we unhitch from regrets, the quicker we become more receptive to a new surge of exciting experiences. That is to say, why go through life walking down the street backwards Forget 'what lies behind' and strain forward to 'what lies ahead'
To that end, I'd say a positive
approach of dealing with the past mishaps would be by not asking 'why me'? In fact, 'why not me'? Some of us, to coin a phrase have become masochists.
We derive satisfaction from revisiting our painful pasts but then again who am I to judge I always see it this way, maybe some people came into our lives to toughen us up whereas some to help us get in touch with our repressed emotions.
The advent of some may have carved wounds in us whereas others may have healed ones that we never knew prevailed. Time waits for no one and joyous moments spent with our loved ones simply become cherished memories that keep flashing by after they are gone.
So, let's learn to live in the moment happily, enjoy all that we encounter and bask in, not basing it upon pasts, expectations or gains 'better an oops than what if' -
isn't it better to fail while doing something than having to live with the regret of not having tried it when given a chance to?
Furthermore, the sooner we close old doors, new one's open up Then why doubt passing through them fearing the past Why not look on exits as being entrances somewhere else?
A positive approach of dealing with our painful past is by unhitching from regrets and becoming more receptive to a new surge of exciting experiences
Feel free to reply to Vishal on his blog at www.facebook.com/notes/ 3392701514147724/
Our Waterways
Capt. Jim Suberaware and keep a look out. The Mayport Community Center
Construction is making great progress and moving as planned
The Parks and Recreation Department has opened the park west of the Ferry complex for over flow parking and is getting some use.
We will have to be patient on the parking opportunities when using Mayport Ramp We are going to work through some days the need for non trailer vehicle parking when the current community center has events and training classes
We have asked them to try and stay in the spaces around the center and on the west side of the parking lot A contract for the dredge project for Oak Harbor Basin has been awarded and work started but a small glitch in the pre-surveys has caused a small delay and permit modifications are in review by the permitting agencies
start before the end of the year The construction of the new dock on the east side of the Jacksonville Zoo, the dredging of the Kayak access at Castaway Island Preserve, and a new fishing platform at River Road Park in San Marco is moving through the process
There were several complaints and photos of a land management project on Pottsburg Creek near Beach Blvd. This turned out to be a mitigation project for a new convenience store in the same water shed Sediment was draining in to the creek and after the Florida Department of Environmental Protection the City of Jacksonville Permitting Office and Jacksonville Environmental Quality Division the Permits have been denied and FDEP iscontinuing to work the case for compliance and mitigation of damages
opportunities for sports complex events, the Jacksonville Spring Boat show held by the North Florida Marine Association as well as a dock space to just a visit to the park From proceeds of the Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament, Jacksonville Marine Charities has donated $12,500 00 along with donations from North Florida Marine Association and Greenland Biomass to TISIRI (Think It Sink It Reef It) Joe Kistel of TISIRI has advised two vessels will be move to the area of Harms Ledge and the two will spend eternity holding fish and dive opportunities for North Florida
The Weather is cooling off and boating and fishing are still full speed ahead! We are still in the Hurricane season so make sure you stay ready and prepared for another month but thanks to the Bermuda high and cold fronts working down the activity has been a blessing for North Florida
The water temperatures are starting to make a steady decline and we are in the low 80’s and nearing high 70’s With cooler nights these temps will continue to fall. We have experienced a relatively heavy algae bloom in our waterway but this should settle and fade away
Our weather patterns are starting to fall in a normal pattern and the dryer conditions and less rainfall will continue to stabilize the water salinity, which really means we are hovering around “normal”?
This time of year the manatees continue to move out of the north Florida area but a few will linger for a few extra days so remain
We may not see dredge activity for a couple of more months. The installation of the new adaptive kayak launch and dock extension for Mandarin Park has started and there will be some closures and restrictions when the floating dock extension starts
The docks are being built so actual on site activity should start soon. This project has had a slow down due to materials and availability New dock projects on the south bank area, Jackson Street and Post Street continue to make progress and the Southbank Dock at River Place Tower has mobilized and docks are being installed and should be complete any day As soon as this dock is completed they are ready to move to Jackson St to install the docks. Post St. is moving forward and all permits and leases are in place and the contract process is moving forward
We are still working through the process to begin construction phases for the dredging of Burt Maxwell Boat Ramp The bids were opened and a contractor is in place so actual digging should
We have repaired some of the wood rafting docks at Metro Park. This will add docking
Continued on Page 19
Offshore Deepwater
By Capt. Tim AltmanBefore I get into the local fishing reports and forecasts I’d be remiss if I didn’t reflect on my current situation.
As I’m sitting here writing this column just hours prior to the editor’s imposed deadline, I’m enjoying a stunning Mexican Sunrise at the Magbay Lodge in San Carlos BCS, on the Mexico Baha California Peninsula
I was invited down here by Toby Larocque and Eric Larsen if MagBay Lures and the MagBay Lodge Accompanying me are my good friends Casey Smith, Dr. Mike Coulter and 2time Winner of the North Florida Wahoo Shootout and Co-Owner of the Southern Coast Seafood, Matt Joseph.
We are on day 4 of our 6 Day fishing excursion and thanks to some north wind this has become a “lay-day” where we are giving the Striped Marlin a break I’m by the pool admiring a Guy Harvey mural the he himself painted above the Jacuzzi. This lodge while located in a very small authentic Mexican town/village that is steep in fishing history
There is one set of pictures on the lodge wall that grabbed my attention particularly It is a frame with 2 pictures of two old friends. These pictures are fifty years apart of two fishing buddies that came to this Mexican gem of fishing for over 50 years.
They in a way reflect the allure of this remote village and the epic yearly Striped Marlin bite that goes off just offshore in the Pacific Ocean Our mornings start with a 5am wake up with
our breakfast being served by 5:15am
These authentic Mexican meals are served by our wonderful cook that prepares our all of our meals At about 5:40 we are shuttled down the 36ft ProCat with our Captain Aldo waiting and ready to go
The transit to the fishing grounds includes catching bait just off of the beach of a small island village along the way. This happens just around the time of the gorgeous Mexican sunrise.
As we arrived on the Pacific Offshore fishing grounds Captain Aldo was looking for Frigate birds that would indicate the baitballs on the surface being pushed up by packs of our intended target fish Striped Marlin
We caught 5 over 2 days and probably missed another 17 More marlin than I’ve ever seen For the local forecast for NE Florida for November: By Thanksgiving the Wahoo bite should be in full swing That is good news for we high-speed trolling Wahoo Junkies. For Wahoo start putting lines in around 120ft and work your way out to 180ft
If you are high-speed trolling play “connect the dots” with all your bottom fishing spots Concentrate on those bottom spots that produce Triggerfish and Bliners .
Blackfin Tuna should start showing up in good numbers by the middle of November For Blackfin troll cedar plugs and small ballyhoo in 140-190ft
When slow trolling for Blackfin always pull a diving hardbody style lure in the prop-wash close to the boat for Wahoo to “double dip” Wahoo love the MagBay Magtrax, Nomads and the Yozuri Bonitas.
My favorite colors are purple and black in these style lures, but they all work Remember to bleed your Blackfin before putting it on ice to optimize the flavor
Bottom fishing remains excellent
with Triggerfish and B-liners a staple of every trip If you are planning on bottom fishing the Ledge for Grouper, take the to get live bait such as Sardines, Threadfins or Pogies if they are still around. This isn’t just for Grouper, but for flat lining behind the boat for Wahoo, Kingfish or if your brave enough
great folks down at Strike Zone Fishing Jacksonville Mr David Workman Jr and his great staff will handle all you offshore specific needs
**Shout Out** to Mr Denis Werner of Seville Ohio that is an avid outdoorsman and reads the Fishing Connection religiously Thank you Denis for the kind words and encouragement
Continued on Page 18
For everything Wahoo or Blackfin Tuna related visit the
Continued from Page 7
But wait there is more, there are a couple of absolute advantages of a boat over kayaks as well First of all, the one that is my personal favorite is just over all storage space, notice I didn’t say comfort because that could be argued depending on your boat or kayak
I personally like taking everything fishing that I may or may not need the next 100 times I go fishing but if I do need it then I have it!! The next advantage of a boat is directly related to the storage aspect but not the same As a direct result of more storage space is the ability to add much more horsepower Once you are on the water the undisputable advantage of movement from one place to the next on that body of water is with the boat.
Again, you can argue the stealth and accessibility of your favorite fishing hole until the cows come home but actually getting there once on the water goes to boats hands down
I’ve heard so much more on this subject, comfort, exercise, stealth, basically anything that makes your argument better. My point is do what you like, never burn bridges because you might want to do both Nothing wrong with a good healthy fun disagreement but the undeniable way to shut down any argument on either side is not the size of your kayak or boat but your FISH!
John Chappy ChapmanContinued from Page 17
At HooDoo Sportfishing Charters we specialize in Wahoo charters this time of year! So, if you’re interested in a great time targeting Wahoo, please contact us at HooDoo Sportfishing @ saltwaterchallenge com or call/text 904 859 6314
I’ll say it again and again until we get through this COVID-19 has affected our economy on every level. Please support your local businesses because they are the one’s disproportionality impacted Until next month, please stay safe on the water and remember that great things happen when you take a kid fishing
Capt. Tim Altman
904.859.6314
Public Participation
By John NooneyTight Lines and Screaming Reels Fishermen! How do you really feel?
LOVE!
Fishing in Florida
The October 9, 2021 CCA Florida STAR award banquet at the JAM Indoor Family Entertainment Center in Crystal River, Florida was truly a Fishing Connection
The CCA Coastal Conservation Association is a non profit organization of Anglers from 17 coastal states spanning the Atlantic Coast, Pacific Coast, and the Gulf of Mexico
The CCA is primarily concerned with the restoration and Conservation of Coastal Marine Resources
The 2021 CCA Florida STAR Tournament that ran from May 29- September 6, 2021 is the largest Fishing Competition in Florida with almost $500,000 in prizes
To date, STAR has awarded over $1.2 million dollars in prizes with $600,000 of that being in college scholarships
And non angling participants have gathered over 6,600 five gallon buckets of garbage
I reside in the Northeast Florida Region in Duval County. This was my 3rd CCA Florida STAR Competition At the October 9, banquet we were seated at a table that had the family of 9 year old Jacob Wiggins from Middleburg
One of the many Divisions of the CCA Florida STAR Tournament is the Academy Sports and Outdoor Youth
Scholarship Division
Jacob Wiggins was the recipient of the $5000 Tailn’ Toads Scholarship in addition to 11 other youth Scholarships being awarded totaling $100,000
Congratulations to Jacob Wiggins
Just asking the question Will you be participating in the 2022 CCA Florida STAR Competition and creating another Fish Connection?
Tight Lines and Screaming Reels Fishing in Florida LOVE IT!
John
Nooney904-434-0839
vendo5@yaho
Continued from Page 16
One of the vessels is a large project sail boat and the other is an old tug boat that has a 12 ft propeller which will remain with the vessel.
The sailing vessel reef has been named Greater Jax Kingfish Reef and the tug has been named in honor of a deceased member of Mobro Marine, Jimmy Dales Mobro Marine was great in donating tugs and staff to assist with preparation of the vessels and the deployment.
The funds were used to insure the vessels are clean and environmentally safe for deployment
The vessels have been deployed at Harms Ledge and we are impressed to say both vessels landed on the bottom upright Marine life is starting to grow as we speak! Congratulations to Craig Van Brocklin for a great job with the Jacksonville Premier Trout Tournament This is a great event for two great causes.
Jacksonville Marine Charities has announced the date of May 14, 2022 for the JMC Redfish Roundup Spots Tournament to benefit Safe Harbor Boys Home and Maritime Academy
So save the date The JMC has improved and increased the prize structure so don’t be left out. Speaking of JMC they have worked hard in the off season to make very important changes in the rules of the tournament and they have made more choices for the angler
Can you live within Ponce Inlet and Brunswick? We hope so! They will again have a 2022 Contender 25T with twin 150 Yamaha outboards as the big fish 1st place prize
Due to the efforts between the Waterway Management Department, City of Jacksonville Environmental Quality Division, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and Florida Fish and Wildlife and Parks and Recreation Maintenance staff we have
removed several derelict vessels from our waterways.
We secured contracts with Salonen Marine Contractors to remove derelict vessels in the ICW, Trout River, Julington Creek, Broward River and Mandarin Point in the St Johns River. We removed 7 derelict vessels over the past few weeks
All of this is due to grants issued by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Boating and Waterways Department thanks to funding provided by our State Legislature. But we can not stop now! We continue to have a few that are under investigation by Marine Law Enforcement
The state legislature approved a new state statute to allow local government agencies to develop anchoring zones that will allow no more than 45 days Local legislation has been introduced to City Council to develop such an anchoring zone in the Ortega River
Continued on Page 23
Palm Valley St. Augustine
By Capt Cory SparksHeavy handling can strip them of their protecting slime and minimize success rates of released fish Wetting your hands can reduce damage to the fish and using fish grips instead of hands can help as well Take care of our trout! They offer an amazing fishery that deserves to be cared for!
November is an amazing month to fish the Valley Water temps are cooling and so is the weather You can fish early, late or mid-day depending on what tides you prefer or what species you are targeting
Flounder is closed so unless you're chasing that “Doormat picture” remember to release those flatties They will be around and the big ones are increasing in numbers around the creek holes and bends
Redfish will be more than willing to chew Mud minnows or mullet will be key but if shrimp is all you have then use it.
Fish run outs and funnels coming off of creek fingers and main channel flats to find congregations of bait and feeding fish Areas where a shallow creek or flat has falling tide dropping into a deeper channel or hole is a perfect scenario for fish to sit and allow food to come to them. Baits on a ¼ oz. jig head or any soft plastics like paddle tails or curly tails can be thrown up current and retrieved into those ambush points.
If your targeting Trout, try working higher in the water column by swimming your artificial through various depths, or suspend the baits with popping corks or slip rigs Drifting a popping cork through a current of water around structure is almost guaranteed to “go under” on these drifts. Twitch baits are deadly as well in 4 ft or more of water Remember to minimize handling of trout that are being released.
The Black Drum are everywhere! Sheepshead as well! Any ledge or scattered shell bar will be holding these fish Slowly cover the depths of the bank by starting deep and working your way up the bank until you located the depth these fish are holding in Shrimp, fiddler crabs, or Fishbites strips bounced along a shelly bottom will all get the bite A few feet of depth can be the difference between a cooler full of "empties” vs a cooler full of dinner!
Keep Reeling!
Capt Cory Sparks
310charters.com
716-307-7654
Dennis and Bradley Smith with an upper slot!.
Brigitta Hair wore out the Redfish!
Charmaine and Dylan with a Nice Flounder!
St. Augustine Crescent Beach
By Capt. Adam MorleyI Missed You
Last month things got a little crazy down here at Genung’s with projects that became quite the can of worms (if we were in freshwater a can of worms wouldn’t be so bad)
It was supposed to be “a weekend project”, a month later, hundreds of man hours later, and a period of hemorrhaging money to fix things we are finally seeing light at the end of the tunnel with a partially dredged marina and plans for a food truck on our newly elevated common space. Not to brag but we will be the only place boaters can stop for food between St Augustine and Palm Coast.
The common space can also be used for fishing clinics, workshops, and private events right on the Matanzas River
I didn’t get much fishing in last month (for obvious reasons) but I did manage to catch some Mangrove Snapper and Jack out of our marina on a micro stix that proved its not the size of the rod that matters, it’s how you use it
As I write this we are a couple days into our first “cold front” of the season so I expect the Pompano bite will be in full swing by the time you read this, the mullet run to be at its tail end, and the fishing to be firing up Black Drum and Sheepshead will be the target species in the coming months around the rocks, docks and jetties.
Anglers will be using whatever new jig head is the “best ever” with live sand fleas or fiddler crabs for the sheepshead and a
Carolina rig with fresh shrimp or blue crabs for the Black Drum.
As for the artificial anglers out there the top water bite will likely be starting to slow down with the cooler water temperatures so you’ll want to move to a suspending jerk bait or my “go to”, a Fish Bites Dirty Boxer in the color they call “Counter Punch” on the lightest red jig head you can cast Redfish, Trout, and Flounder will hit this bait with no mercy but the Dirty Boxer can take hit after hit and remain undefeated (Note the new Flounder Regs has the season closed this month). By the time you’re reading this I should be back to giving my regular reports on the 904 Now App with all my de-bait-able jokes so check that out and I hope to catch you back here in next month’s Fishing Connection
If you have anything you’d like mentioned related to outdoor recreation in southern St Johns County, jokes, or have fishing questions you’d like to see in this monthly write up; email them to me at capt morley@yahoo com
Capt Adam Morley
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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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
Non-Resident 7-Day: $30 00
As Floridians we don’t really participate in Fall One day it's 80 degrees and then all of a sudden it's 50.
We have enjoyed a warm summer in North Florida, but cooler times are on the horizon Nor’easters have started funneling chilled water down the eastern seaboard and into our local waters
The days are becoming noticeably shorter and this further accelerates the cooling trend Soon enough winter will arrive and with it some of the best inshore fishing our region sees. In previous years you’ve probably read my articles on the “Fall Blitz” This is a unique period of time between late summer and early winter when fishing is on fire
We still have a lot of baitfish left over from the mullet run and the shrimp are usually starting to get super thick inshore With plenty of bait in the water our inshore fish feed voraciously Their metabolism is functioning at its highest level
Cool water also holds more dissolved oxygen so not only are these fish more aggressive they have more stamina and energy while on the end of a line
The first species I target during the “Blitz” is usually large gator trout These big females can feel winter on the doorstep They know this is the time to fatten up and prepare for the frigid days to come
Large suspending/slow sinking twitch baits are absolute killers during the fall and winter. Twitch and pause retrieves will draw violent strikes from big trout
looming in shallow mud flats, along oyster bars in the creeks or along the grass lines
These twitch baits work best in water under six feet so be sure to watch your depth If you find yourself in deeper water consider using a crank bait or lipped bait that can dive deeper to target the lower column
I also like to tug on flounder this time of year Look for these fatties during outgoing tides around rocks, pilings, docks, oyster bars, creek mouths and any structure with moving water Depending on the current I typically rig 1/4 oz - 1 oz jig heads with 30 pound fluorocarbon leaders hooked up to a finger mullet
Knocker rigs with egg weights are also a great way to bounce mullet across the bottom Just remember to wait on the set after the thump, give them some time to chew on the bait before you pull back on the rod. Although the harvest of flounder is closed until November 30th you can still have a blast wearing out some doormats.
Capt
Matt Chipperfield
Chip’s Coastal Charters
Chipscoastalcharters@gmail.com
Continued from Page 19
This area has been a historical problem area for derelict or at risk vessel being left at anchor This ordinance will help to insure after 45 days a vessel will be required to leave the waterway This will help with insuring these vessels are being maintained and show proof of ability to maneuver Other areas of the waterway will be considered in the future
As always allow me to remind everyone to always check your boat and yourself Use of a lookout and being aware of your surroundings are always a priority. Invest in a QUALITY EPERB, File a float plan with someone that will miss you first so if things don’t go as planned, the search for you can be narrowed and recovery can be quicker
Take a safe boating course and do your part to activate our waterways! The Jacksonville Sail and Power Squadron, America’s Boating Club, continuously offers America’s Safe Boating Course at Lamb’s Yacht Center and classes have resumed monthly so check there web site for 2021.
The cost of the classes to the student will continue to be reduced to an affordable $10 00 thanks to a donation from Jacksonville Marine Charities from proceeds from the Greater Jacksonville Kingfish
Tournament. This donation was renewed by JMC.
The next class will be announced on the America’s Boating Club web site at usps.org/localusps/Jackson.
The Jacksonville Sail and Power Squadron, America’s Boating Club of Northeast Florida and United States Coast Guard Auxiliary are back available for vessel safety checks
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 SuberIt’s a calm, brisk morning on the flats, there’s a school of mullet running the grass line, and then out of nowhere, CRASH!!! You throw your lure into the commotion and BAM!! FISH ON
Drag is screaming, your heart is pumping, and many scenarios are playing through your head as you get drug off into the distance As a kayak angler, this is what we live for
November is a great month for this to play out As the water temperatures move out of the 80s, into the mid and lower 70s, the big gator trout bite kicks off Cold fronts will be periodically moving through and the couple days prior, as the pressure drops, the bite will be on fire
Trout are notorious topwater feeders When actively feeding, trout make a popping sound as they hit baits Listen for this sound and you know you’re in the right area Focus on grass lines, oysterbeds, channels, ledges, lights, and creek mouths
There will be a lot of schoolies and slot trout in these areas, with the occasional gator in the mix. Present your bait in a natural fashion, with the tide
In my opinion, trout are one of the easiest, most forgiving fish that swims A trout will continue to hit your lure until he successfully takes it I’ve had them follow a plug all the way to the side of my kayak before fully committing
My favorite trout baits fall into three categories, topwaters, suspending twitchbaits, and soft plastics The topwaters I prefer for trout are a Storm Chug Bug, Heddon Spook Jr and a Rapala
Skitterwalk. These plugs can be worked in a pop, pause fashion or you can walk the dog, adding pauses to your retrieve
Trout will usually hit when the bait is paused. When fishing suspending baits, I reach for an Unfair Lures Rip-n-Slash 70, a Sebile Stick Shad, or a MirrOlure MirrOdine.
Again, working these baits with a twitch, pause retrieve, allowing the lure to suspend Like with topwaters, most bites will come on the pause Soft plastics are the easiest option to throw due to their built in action
A simple cast and reel retrieve is all that is usually needed, although slowly bouncing it along the bottom is also very effective. The exception are the jerk style soft baits, these do require a jigging retrieve There are many companies that offer great soft baits Fishbites Fight Club Dirty Boxer, Hackney Baits Jr Belly, or St Augustine based companies
Trout are the perfect target for the angler that is looking to switch from live baits to artificials They are fun to catch, great to eat, and when they are biting, can be caught on every cast Get on out there and target the tasty trout, but be ready for that 30” gator to grab ahold Good luck and tight lines. I’ll see ya out there.
Will NiemannLead Guide at St Augustine Paddle Sports 772-475-9469
Daytona Ormond Beach
By Capt. Jeff PattersonThe water temps have started dropping finally and we’re at the peak of the fall mullet run Awesome fishing this time of year! All kind of stuff going on at the inlet.
The redfish bite is wide open and I’ve been getting slot fish and over slot reds up to the mid 40 inch range. I’ve mainly been using live finger mullet and Croakers for Bait
Some days they have been so aggressive they have chased a bait up from the bottom and busted them right next to the boat I have found big schools some days and other days smaller schools or even just one or two in a spot
If I’m not getting bites I’m moving around which is limited on the weekends with a pile of boats at the inlet If you can get out during the week it’s much nicer! There have been tarpon out there at the inlet and off the beach and I haven’t targeted them much but we’ve hooked a few
There’s been quite a few around up over 100 pounds Free lined croakers and live mullet or even pinfish are my baits of choice
Some very nice snook around the jetties as well and using these same baits but on the bottom or using a rig with just a couple split shots.
There has been permit being caught here and there and they’ll eat a live shrimp, chunk of a blue crab, or even a whole smaller crab on the bottom There have been A few black drum around the inlet and should only start to see more of them over the next
couple months There has also been some around the bridges and docks in the intracoastal The water has been high in the river so you can fish some backwaters that are normally tougher to get to and find some snook, redfish, and flounder back there There’s plenty of bait around so keep that in mind when fishing the intracoastal.
Capt Jeff Patterson
Pole Dancer Fishin’ Charters
386-451-4992
OBait n Tackle
1949 A1A South St. Augustine, FL. 32080
David Privett * Candace Burke
Open 7 Days a Week
serving the St. Augustine area since 1991.
Products include Live, fresh & frozen baits, rods & reels, and a wide variety of fishing tackle (904) 461-0244
Fishing with Artificials
By Brett WarrenArtificial Bait vs Live/Cut Baits
Can an Artificial Bait Out-Fish Live / Cut Bait??
With bait availability and prices climbing for those who can’t or don’t procure their own, throwing artificial baits is always another option The age-old question is, Which one out-fishes the other?
To answer that question, you would have to define “Out-Fish” I think we can all agree that for the most part one piece of live or cut bait equals one fish On the other hand, one artificial lure or synthetic cut bait can equal a handful of fish if not more. So, in that respect, artificial baits do out-fish live or cut baits in terms of number of fish caught per bait The next question would be, do artificial baits catch as many fish in quantity and quality as live or cut bait?
If you followed the recent Kids Can Fish, Bull Red Surf Fishing Tournament, two of the top 3 fish were caught on Fishbites cut baits Most anglers were using a combination of live and cut mullet, but the Fishbites baits seem to do the trick and not many could understand why
For those not familiar with the science and chemistry behind Fishbites, each product whether it be the Fight Club line or the Cut baits, contain feeding stimulants that are synthetically recreated from those found in nature
One piece of the Fishbites strip baits or swimbaits releases 10
times the feeding stimulant of an equal size, natural cut bait. The Fight Club baits are injected and impregnated with a water-based scent technology
With the Fight Club material being 100% biodegradable, this allows that liquid scent to release from the solid bait as it’s worked through the water. This technology would not be possible with a lure made of plastic, rubber or pvcs
As soon as the Fishbites baits hit the water, the feeding stimulant impregnated into the bait, begins to release This scent continues to release for hours, unlike a plastic or rubber lure coated with scent that generally washes off after a couple casts and needs to be reapplied or soaked Swimbaits rely on constant casts and retrieval to maximize efficiency versus a live or cut bait sitting still or drifting Whether artificial baits out-fish live or cut bait will be debated for years to come but with some diehard, professional, live baiters finally giving the artificial baits a shot, we may find out real soon!
Brett Warren
Bayliner, Carolina Skiff, Hurricane, Key West, Regal, Sweetwater, and Trophy center console fishing boats. We offer Mercury, Suzuki, or Yamaha outboard engines. 386-255-2345
