Writers
Page 4 - Nik Bremer
Page 5 - Lee Bowman
Page 6 - Capt Bert Deener
Page 7 - John "Chappy" Chapman
Page 8 - Spencer Brogden
Page 11 - Capt John Eggers
Page 13 - Capt Tim Altman
Page 14 - Capt Todd Philcox
Page 15 - Capt Jim Suber
Page 16 - Jeff Altman
Page 17 - Capt Matt Chipperfield
Page 19 - Tides
Page 20 - Capt Cory Sparks
Page 21 - Capt Adam Morley
Page 23 - Roy Mattson
Page 24 - Will Neimann
Page 25 - Capt Jeff Patterson
Page 27 - Craig VanBrocklin
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November 2022
Fish Kisser of the Month
Congratulations to our Fish Kisser of the month, who looks really happy laying a big kiss on that fish's slimy lips We have a Free Annual FISHING CONNECTION subscription (12 issues) mailed each month to your home or office ($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
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
Disclaimer
We are not responsible if the fish you're kissing bites your dang face off
Water temps this time last month were 12+ degrees higher, but after a strong nor’easter, followed by Hurricane Ian and a heavy cold front, we are now officially in trout season.
This is the time of year when they form large schools and get into their pre-winter routine of moving from the deeper water to hanging out in creek mouths, deep creek bends and oyster bars. Schoolies will pile up so thick that at times, you’ll have a fish on every single cast Egans Creek is a great place to get started. All of the feeder creeks on the outgoing tides are worth a cast or two to see if any trout are sitting on them. Look for depressions on the bottom and mark them throughout the day When the tide gets low, get a live shrimp in those holes and wait for the bite
Float fishing is a great way to locate these fish. If you’re fishing shallow I’d use a popping cork and if you want to go deep for the big girls, I’d recommend using a pole float. Popping corks are an excellent way to get your bait some attention. Tie your main line to
one end, run enough leader off the other end to get your bait near the bottom.
Tie to #2 widebend hook and crimp a little split shot 6” above your hook. When hooking your live shrimp, gently hook the shrimp where the horn meets the head This will help keep your bait healthy and alive. Cast up current to allow your shrimp to flutter down current naturally Every once in a while, flip the tip of your rod which will “pop” the cork, making noise and throwing a bit of water
If you want to target larger trout and go the quality over quantity route, switch to a slip float This will allow you to adjust the depth of the bait with a bobber stop and fine tune your strike zone Start by putting your bobber stop on your main line followed by a small bead
Feed your line through your slip float and tie to your inline “trout” sinker The faster the current, the heavier the weight and larger From the weight, run a 10”-12” fluorocarbon leader.
If I’m fishing with 20# braid as my main line, I’ll use 15# leader. I do this just in case I get hung, so I don’t break off the entire rig
Finish the leader by tying to that same #2 widebend hook. Well, that float fishing for trout in a nutshell More info on trout fishing next month with emphasis on artificials
Nik Bremer
J.O.S.F.C.
By Lee BowmanThe offshore fishing has been pretty decent, outside of the nasty days we had from Hurricane Ian and some NE winds holding us back here and there
The Spanish Mackerel have been near the inlets Dolphin have been caught near the ledge and I expect to start seeing some Wahoo before too much longer
I'd also be prepared to begin looking for some blackfin tuna. While we are transitioning from our summer / fall season into our fall / winter season, now would be a good time to get out the Wahoo gear and get it prepared Respool line as needed, check crimps and connections on lures, make sure all other tackle and terminal gear is in good condition and ready to go, and start watching sea surface temperatures
It's also not a bad idea to schedule maintenance on your boat and trailer. As far as wahoo goes I'm not a high speed guy so I would pre-rig ballyhoo and have them ready for a long offshore run
We would like to recognize all of the winners for the 2021-2022 fishing boards Congratulations on all your hard work and participation over this past season
Light Tackle: Greg Wallace,
Lady Angler: Mariana Suzette, Men's: Jack Ogin, Bluewater: Darrin Willingham, Inshore
Adult: Craig Van Brocklin,
Junior Anglers
Inshore:
1st Max Tavares
2nd Isabelle Bowman,
3rd Atley Tavares
Junior Angler 11 and Under:
1st Mackey Thames
Junior Angler 12-17:
1st Parker Stein
Upcoming Events:
JOSFC Board Meeting
Monday- November 7th
Meeting- November 3rd
Meeting- November 17th
November Club Tournaments
No Tournament for November
find us at facebook com/thejosfc and check out our website to keep up with upcoming events, schedules, or any changes.
www.JaxFish.com
We open the doors around 6:00 if you want to come early to visit, dinner is at 7:00, and we generally try to get started with the meeting at about 7:30 and as always we will have a great raffle All of our meetings are open to the public, you do not have to be a member to attend We are family friendly so feel free to bring the kiddos!
We hope to see you there!
October 20th Fishing Report
Fishing was great just about everywhere before the strong cold front mid-week. The best reports I received were from the rivers and saltwater River gages on October 20th were:
Clyo on the Savannah River
4 0 feet and falling
Abbeville on the Ocmulgee – 0.4 feet and falling
Doctortown on the Altamaha –3 4 feet and falling
tournament out of Altamaha Park on Saturday with a 5-fish limit that weighed 18 9 pounds They also had big fish – a 4 2pounder
A couple of Waycross anglers fished the Baxley area of the Altamaha on Sunday afternoon and caught 7 bass up to 3-lb., 5oz Their two biggest bass ate white-chartreuse River Rat Spinnerbaits, and their other 5 bass ate green pumpkin candy Keitech Mad Wag Worms and speed craws (green pumpkin with orange).
report was from an angler fishing off the pier on Wednesday evening
He caught 8 crappie averaging about 3/4 of a pound apiece Anglers reported catching a few bass each trip this week, but nothing big was reported. Plastic worms worked best.
Expect the peak bite to be in the afternoons and evenings after the water warms
Local Ponds – The crappie bite was wide open in ponds and lakes. A Baxley angler fished a local lake a couple times this week and caught his limit each time by spider rigging 1/16-oz Tennessee shad Specktacular Jigs tipped with minnows His biggest crappie this week was 2 9 pounds
(fishthegeorgiacoast com) had a great day trout fishing around Cumberland Island on Monday They were mostly throwbacks, but his charter set the hook a bunch using live shrimp under a Harper Super Striker Float and also Gulp lures on jigheads. They did manage some keepers and also keeper flounder, sheepshead, and reds On Tuesday, his charter fished around St Simons and caught almost 50 redfish (all small slotsized fish).
Live shrimp and Gulp fooled those fish, as well. On Wednesday, they fought the wind for 6 bull redfish fishing cut bait in deep holes along the Intracoastal Waterway All anglers didn’t do well, as I heard 2 reports of folks getting skunked for trout this weekend, as well.
Waycross on the Satilla
6 6 feet and steady (65 degrees)
Atkinson on the Satilla – 5 5 feet and falling
Macclenny on the St Marys – 3.4 feet and falling
Altamaha/Ocmulgee Rivers –
The river ticked up a little with the heavy rains last week, but they fell right back out and stayed clear the whole time It will be tough getting around, so be careful navigating.
A Fitzgerald angler went to the lower Ocmulgee on Thursday and fooled 41 bass up to 7 1/2 pounds Junebug Texas-rigged worms worked best in the slightly stained water, but they also caught a few on crankbaits He and a friend went to another Ocmulgee River landing on Sunday and stopped fishing midafternoon after they had caught 54 bass
Their biggest that day was 6 1/2 pounds The water had cleared, and they caught essentially all of their fish on Texas-rigged worms (green pumpkin primarily, but they caught a few on other colors) Lester Roberts and Hunter Strickland won a bass
Satilla River – Last week’s rains brought the river up enough that you should be able to get around in a motorboat if you want to, or it’s still low enough to float The lower river produced some good reports of anglers catching crappie on both minnows and jigs I’d fish the oxbows in the Burnt Fort area if I were going to the Satilla this weekend
St. Marys River – Matt Rouse fished the upper St. Marys on Monday for a half-day and had a blast. He caught some giant bluegills, a few redbreasts, and some nice channel catfish The panfish ate white Satilla Spins, while the catfish bit shrimp fished on the bottom
Okefenokee Swamp – Fishing on the east side was slow, but the west side has been producing good catches of pickerel, bowfin, and catfish Darren Sexton fished out of Stephen C Foster State Park this past week and did well
He flung crawfish Dura-Spins on Thursday evening for two hours and caught 5 pickerel and 4 bowfin On Friday, he fished for 4 hours and landed 5 pickerel, 9 bowfin, and a largemouth bass while using crawfish and jackfish DuraSpins
Dodge County Public Fishing Area (near Eastman) – The crappie bite was strong this week with the cooler weather The best
Saltwater (GA Coast) – Trout fishing has picked up this week Jody Gill fished with a friend at Crooked River on Friday and caught 20 seatrout (7 keepers) up to 20 inches (most of their keepers were 16 to 17 inches) They caught a couple on gold Fighter jerkbaits, but the vast majority of their fish were on 4inch Keitech Swing Impact Swimbaits under Equalizer and Cajun Thunder cigar-shaped floats
Their biggest fish ate a sexy shad color, but they caught most of their fish on rootbeer and rootbeer chartreuse back versions
Don Harrison and Rob Weller fished the Crooked River area on Friday and caught 10 trout (4 keepers to 17 inches) and a keeper flounder Most of their fish ate a Texas roach Assassin Sea Shad suspended under an Equalizer Float.
They returned on Saturday and had a better bite They landed 24 trout (7 keepers) using electric chicken Sea Shads under Equalizer Floats Andy and Susie Heisey fished out of Crooked River on Friday and fooled 8 trout (4 keepers) with Keitech swimbaits under Equalizer Floats and live shrimp Capt Tim Cutting
A Waycross angler fished the Jekyll Island Pier with several friends on Friday and had a really slow day The four anglers only caught 2 short flounder and a stingray during their trip, and they didn’t see other folks around them catching fish either.
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
Jody Gill of Blackshear caught this seatrout on a rootbeer Keitech swimbait suspended under a Cajun Thunder Float while fishing out of Crooked River State Park
Creeks & Rivers
By John ChapmanIt’s is hard to believe we are flying through this year and it is now already November, that’s right, turkey day is almost upon us and then next month it is the Fat Man breaking in to leave lures and trinkets around a tree. Crazy thing is that the weather we’ve had lately actually feels like it As a matter of fact even the fish know the weather is changing and they are acting appropriately with the change of weather
The end of flounder season has approached us and now we are in the mandated cooling off season for them Coincidently, it coincides with some of the best times of the year to fish for them
Soap box alert, I’m all for the size change and if you FWC (last time I published a phone number I got a call from the person directly and was asked about it) would enforce this fairly I would be 100 % for it
But when you drop the hammer down on the recreational anglers but do not close it off for the commercial fishermen then well it is really garbage. I guess the ole adage about money talks and you know what walks is in full effect over at the FWC season making offices
Sorry I digress, again flounder were prevalent and fun to catch this year right up until the season closure that runs now through the end of the month The giant goldfish are thick in the river
People have been catching them quite regularly the last month Please if you partake make sure you use the right gear and revive (vent if needed) your fish before returning it. These are our breeders. Now for the
fun stuff, get out there and gather up all your fiddlers because the sheepsheads are back.
One of the best eating fish around Again, I’ve went over how to catch these over and over and they continue to be my nemesis, I can catch them but they are definitely the most challenging one for me.
Fun stuff when they are thick and cooperative. Seems like the nastier cold the better for them Hey if you have the time get you some fiddlers and hit the numerous rocks and bridge pylons all over the St Johns You will be rewarded with the funniest looking best table fare around.
The main thing is get out and enjoy this beautiful mild weather we have been having I was fortunate enough to get out on the river numerous times in the last month with friends, family (dad), and my first mate Revo. He is approaching 9 years old and still loves every minute of our fishing time
He loves the occasional Jack Crevalle thrown on the bow of the boat for him to release This lil dude will turn any trip into a good time and he has a better fishing IQ than most adults. I figured I would mention him in honor of his 9th Birthday month I hope everyone gets out there and tears them up this
904-743-3200
983 University Blvd. N
Located in the N E corne of the Town and Country Shopping Center
STORE HOURS
Wednesday 7am - 6pm
Thursday 7am - 6pm
Friday 7am - 6pm
Saturday 6am - 6pm
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Closed Mon. n Tues.
Mud Minnows
Live Shrimp
Fresh Dead Shrimp
Cigar Minnows
Spanish Sardines
Boston Mackerel
Clams
* Finger Mullet
* Fiddlers
* Blue Crabs
* Live Shiners
* Live Minnows
* Live Crickets
Wide selection of Artificials
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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 BrogdenIt's hard to believe that we are nearly finished with 2022, yet here we are in November However, before we get to November's forecast I want to talk a little about what happened in October.
As most in florida know we had to deal with hurricane Ian in one form or another Here in Northeast Florida we dealt with high winds along the coast and big surf and then the hurricane went north of here into the Carolinas
Why do I bring this up? Well, in the old pier log books that I have, the few times we had a hurricane follow around the same track as Ian did the pompano showed up hot and heavy a week later.
Can you guess what happened a week after Ian? It was one of the best pompano bites I have seen in over 30 years surf fishing
Several times I caught my 6 fish limit within 20-30 minutes of fishing for them
What does this mean for November when they typically arrive? I believe we will continue to catch some nice pompano as long as the water temps stay in the mid to low 70 degrees mark. At the time of this writing they are still catching pompano in the Carolina's so that means the run is far from over
The bait of choice has been fresh local river shrimp and crab knuckles on a double drop pompano rig The next key ingredient is clean water
Pompano always seem to bite much better when the water clarity is great
We can also expect the big whiting to start invading the local surf zone and fresh shrimp will do the trick for them Clean to semi clean water is preferred for them as well.
The dirtier the water gets, the more sharks and stingrays will be present. Redfish, black drum and speckled trout will also be cruising the surf in the cooler temps
All three will hit fresh shrimp with the redfish and trout also readily taking a live finger mullet thrown directly behind the breakers Bring your net to the beach as well since the mullet tend to be around for most of November unless we get numerous cold fronts. Make the most out of November because December and January can be very slow Don't forget to check out our YouTube page Brokenreel23 for weekly surf fishing updates
Until next month, tight lines!
Spencer BrogdenBelow: Hayden Nesbitt with a couple Jax Pier Pompano
Amelia Island Guides Association AIGA Inshore Classic
The Amelia Island Guides Association (AIGA) has rebranded their fishing tournament and is excited to announce the AIGA Inshore Classic! It is scheduled for Saturday December 3, 2022 and it will be hosted by Old Town Bait and Tackle located at 1620 N 14th Street, Fernandina Beach, Fl 32034
The tournament is being organized by the AIGA with half the Net proceeds pledged to benefit our local American Legion Post 54 Entry forms can be picked up at local bait and tackle stores or by visiting the website at AmeliaIslandGuidesAssociation.com
Note that early entries will be eligible for a prize drawing
This year there will be two categories: The original Redfish Spot category with Adult and Youth divisions Prizes will be awarded to the anglers who enter a legal Redfish with the most spots.
The second category is a team aggregate of (1) Redfish and (1) Seatrout Prizes will be awarded to teams with the heaviest aggregate of the two fish Anglers are required to attend the Captain’s Meeting that will be held at the Old Town Bait and Tackle on Friday December 2, 2022. Final registration and entries will be accepted at the meeting beginning at 6:00pm.
The Captain’s meeting and raffle will follow at 7:00pm All entry fee money will be paid out in prize money There is also a youth category with prize money and trophies Cash Sponsorships, Silent Auction sales, and Raffle Sales are where the proceeds that will benefit the
American Legion come from The AIGA hopes that the community will turn out and support this event and our local veterans The American Legion Post 54 is located at 626 S 3rd Street, Fernandina Beach, Fl. and has a mission “To enhance the well-being of America's veterans, their families, our military, and our communities by our devotion to mutual helpfulness
The American Legion's vision statement is The American Legion: Veterans Strengthening America ”
The Amelia Island Guides Association is a group of licensed guides and charter boat operators who joined together in 2014 to promote the charter fishing industry and outdoor activities on Amelia Island by building relationships with tourism, lodging and other local business entities
AIGA promotes professional standards, a code of ethics among its members and safe-boating standards set forth by the US Coast Guard. All members are encouraged to observe good conservation practices and to help educate the public about fishing and outdoor activities on Amelia Island The AIGA is a 501(C)(6) nonprofit organization Old Town Bait and Tackle is located up north 14th Street at the Egans Creek bridge and has a full selection of live bait, tackle and supplies, especially those that you may have forgotten back a the house! And if you need a larger selection of rods and reels, visit the “sister” shop at Amelia Island Bait and Tackle 1925 S 14th Street, Fernandina Beach, Florida Contact Capt. Matt Harrelson for more information 904-206-9527
Intracoastal & St. Johns River
By Capt. John Eggers
Fall is upon us and we finally get a break from the heat I think the fish feel the same and become more aggressive. Red fish will start schooling in
fish but fish bite 3 to 4 inch paddle tails will be a close 2nd
I also like to fish shallow water crank baits in mullet pattern that dive less than 3 or feet which create a great reaction strike this time of yearSpeckled trout are also starting to school from the inlets to the creeks
From shell bars to rocks and docks these fish will be schooling and feeding in 5 to 20 feet. The bigger yellow mouth trout and croaker will be stacked up in the river on the drop offs that have good shell bottom I normally locate them on my fish finder in 15 to 30 feet of water My favorite fish to target throughout the fall and going into winter are finally starting to show Sheepshead
From the jetties at mayport to downtown these guys will be on the dock pilings, rock piles and bridge pilings They will be small at first but as the water continues to cool the bigger fish will show. It takes practice to be good at catching them and can be frustrating to the beginner but loads of fun when you do Fiddler crabs will be key bait for catching them I use a small 1/4 oz jig head with a small hook to avoid snagging every cast
"SPECIAL NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHERS DESK"
Congratulations to Beach Life Rentals who recently secured the vendor bid to manage the recently rebuilt Jacksonville Beach Pier. Finally, a local company familiar with the Jax Beach area, the people and city officials who we all hope will work together to create a FUN, SAFE, and hopefully a FAMILY FRIENDLY ENVIROMENT for all who frequent the pier, including Anglers, Surfers, Tourists and the locals who just want to take a friendly walk on the pier to see whats biting and to view the surfing public as well Beach Life Rentals has appointed River Hoellwarth as Manager and with the help of a well known face familiar with the Jax Pier, Vera E Bryant will be assisting the new management to assist in making this a successful operation.
The Fishing Connection Publication wishes you The Best of Luck and hope the Start-up goes well
Offshore Deepwater
By Capt. Tim AltmanFall Wahoo Season Begins
Nothing says its Wahoo time in Northeast Florida like the first cold snap of the season. So here it is, as I’m writing this in late October it got down to 39 degrees last night in GreaterMetro Callahan, Florida where I live
Yes, folks it is Wahoo Time! Wahoo is definitely my favorite fish to catch here in NE Florida. Captain David Law of Crockett Sportfishing on October 7th went 4 for 5 on Wahoo before 10:30am
No big ones, but he had 2 in the 40+lb range, with one 32lb fish and a small 23lb fish He fished in depths of 125-160ft straight out of Mayport about 45-55 miles This time of year usually marks our first hi-speed Wahoo trips
Because we are rusty and because the beautiful sound of a screaming drag gets us a little crazy, remember to follow your basic hi-speed rules of engagement:
1 Mark the spot!
2. Keep your speed up after a hook up for at least 20-40 seconds or as long as you can stand it
3. DO NOT back off the throttle to quickly. Ease it back to 12mph slowly and start clearing lines
4. Once lines are clear ease back to 7-8mph and diagnose the fight What does this mean? It means can you get line back on the reel If not very gradually bring the speed down until you
can Once you get to where you can get line on the reel, pay close attention to the angler on the reel. Wahoo love to charge the boat and if you let them they will use the trolling weight as a dehooker
5. Speed is your friend Especially when gaffing If you go too slow the Wahoo will own you and cut themselves off in the motors.
Flynn Jarrett and I with 3 November Wahoo from last year
At Hoodoo Charters we are happy to announce the addition of a new boat and new Captains to our fleet.
The new Boat is 2022 Contender 25T powered by twin Yamaha 150s
It has all of the newest and state of the art electronics and safety gear The newest Captains will by one of my best friends and a great fisherman Capt. Flynn Jarett and my son Capt. Chris Altman (better known as TJ’s Dad)
Flynn is a Docking Pilot with the Mayport Docking Pilots and will have limited availability as his work and home schedule allows
Chris is a newly promoted Lieutenant with Nassau County Fire and Rescue Both of these guys can really fish and even better, they love to put you on fish
WAHOO Mode If you’re game for some of the most exhilarating fishing here in NE Florida, then give us a call for your Fishing Adventure!
Capt Tim Altman
HooDoo Sportfishing Charters www.saltwaterchallenge.com
This year there is a new Fall Wahoo Tournament in Jacksonville
The Strike-Zone Fishing
Jacksonville North Florida Elite 60 is put on by the Jacksonville Bluewater Club
It is a Pick your day tournament that gives you option of picking 3 days from the 26th of November until January 15th (2023).
You will be allowed to weigh 1 fish per day to form your best 2fish aggregate The person with the largest 2-fish aggregate wins Only 60 boats will be accepted in this tournament
So, if you’re interested you better get registered ASAP The tournament was half full in the first 24 hours of opening online registration Top prize with a 60boat field will be $50,000!
To find out more about the North Florida Elite 60 go to www.jaxbluewaterclub.com
If you need assistance Wahoo Rigging and Tackle please visit Dave Workman Jr @ Strike Zone Fishing Jacksonville and see Dave or his top-notch staff for expert advice with the widest selection for all your Wahoo needs!
GAS PRICES are starting to rise again and impacts out economy on every level
So please support your local businesses because they are the ones most disproportionality impacted Take the time to go to your local store even though giving your money to Jeff Bezos (creator of Amazon) may cost less because of soaring fuel prices In the end it hurts your local community immeasurably
Until next month, please stay safe on the water and remember that great things happen when you take a kid fishing.
The HooDoo Boats are in
Intracoastal Rivers & Creeks
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 Intracoastal 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 fall flood tide fishing, pursuing tailing redfish up on the flooded grass flats Tides will be optimal from Sunday the 6th thru Wednesday the 9th and Wednesday the 23rd thru Sunday the 27th, if you fly fish, or have an interest in fly fishing, flood tide fishing offers the best opportunity to stalk,
sight and cast to 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 Intracoastal 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
Our Waterways
By Capt. Jim Suber COJ Waterways Coordinator
Dock Master Division of Natural Marine Resources
Department of Parks
Recreation and Community Services
1410 Gator Bowl Blvd.
Jacksonville, Fl 32202
Office (904) 630-0839
Cell (904)509-0588
Jsuber@coj net
www.JaxParks.com
wwwCOJ net
Fall has arrived and what a month it has been!
Thanks to Hurricane Ian our waterways have been interesting to say the least. We were fortunate the storm made some moves and direction adjustments that saved North Florida from direct impact but the Southwest Coast, Middle Florida, and the shoreline all the way up the east coast were affected.
Our thoughts and prayers continue for The Southwest coast With the path across the state an extreme amount of rainfall effected the headwaters and southern section of the St Johns which has caused our St Johns River to remain on the high tide status. The entire river system and tributaries experienced tides to breach the banks and some flooding conditions linger and this has caused an abundance of fresh water which has reduced the salinity levels throughout the system to Mayport. We are starting to see close to normal
levels again. The temperatures have dropped to the 70’s and with cooler nights starting we will see continued drops for the next few months
From reports I am seeing the fishing has improved and Big and slotted Reds, Trout, Pompano, Sheepshead, and whiting are being well represented in the fish boxes!
The City of Jacksonville Continues to make improvements and several projects are seeing progress
The new docks of Mayport continue to make progress These docks will be for the OSEARCH vessel when in Jacksonville as well as other commercial operations and Shrimp Boats
There will also be a designated recreational vessel dock for public use So, access to the restaurants and parks of Mayport will soon be accessible for your enjoyment The Jacksonville Beach Pier continues to be the place to fish with various species making it on the deck The City has named a vender to operate the pier so improvements and changes are soon to be seen with access to bait, Ice tackle and refreshments to soon hit the scene!
The construction of the new dock on the east side of the Jacksonville Zoo is in progress and floating dock sections are being installed The dredging of the Kayak access at Castaway Island Preserve has been given approval to proceed and the dredging of Goodby’s Creek will soon get approval
The new fishing platform at River Road Park is complete and anglers will be directed to the platform and off the bulkhead. The North Bank docks are complete along with the bulkhead and sea wall
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.
I have had the pleasure of joining the Jacksonville Offshore Fishing Club the last month or so and I want to thank them for the hospitality and fellowship We are working on the club getting full access of the community center Congratulations to their new President Chris Jones and the New Board of Directors. We look forward to watching your success!
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.
They have completed the investigation and requested removal assistance for the vessel south of the Atlantic Blvd Bridge and working to complete the process for the sunken sailboat northwest of the Beach
committee to address the Offshore, Near shore, and in shore reef concepts
The City of Jacksonville own 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) will be studied. If you are interested and have ideas stay in tune and make your ideas known I want to continue to remind all, On the east end of the Back River behind Blount Island we have a sand bar developing It is on the Ramoth Drive side of the river.
A solution to this concern is being worked on The shoal became an Island during our low tides in August, so it is obvious the dynamics causing the shoal is continuing Blount Island
By Roy Mattson
