Fishing Connection Online September 2022

This Month's Column Writers

Page 4 - Nik Bremer

Page 5 - Lee Bowman

Page 6 - Capt Bert Deener

Page 7 - John "Chappy" Chapman

Page 8 - Spencer Brogden

Page 11 - Capt John Eggers

Page 13 - Capt Tim Altman

Page 14 - Capt Todd Philcox

Page 15 - Capt Jim Suber

Page 16 - Jeff Altman

Page 17 - Capt Matt Chipperfield

Page 19 - Tides

Page 20 - Capt Cory Sparks

Page 21 - Capt Adam Morley

Page 24 - Will Neimann

Page 25 - Capt Jeff Patterson

Page 27 - Craig VanBrocklin

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September 2022

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Fernandina

By Nik Bremer

It’s that time of the year again when the mullet start to make their annual migration along our Florida coast Millions of mullet ranging from small finger mullet to large roe mullet seem so thick at times that you could walk on them With all of this bait in the water comes lots of predators Bull Reds, Gator Trout, acrobatic Tarpon, heavy hitting Jacks, aggressive Bluefish and lots and lots of shark including spinners and Black Tips, will all be found busting on these shoals of endless

(Late August-Early November) baitfish

Get your cast net ready and head to the beach, Fort Clinch or the Nassau Sound All of these spots should be a cakewalk for catching mullet Casting from the shore, I find a 6ft 3/8 Inch cast net is the most effective They are on the lighter side, manageable to cast and provide plenty of net to supply a days worth of bait in just one toss.

New to throwing a cast net??

Not a problem, we are happy to share our techniques with you over at Amelia Island Bait and Tackle If you prefer the comfort of learning at home, grab your new cast net and head to the backyard with your trusty smart phone and YouTube University There are 500 instructional videos with 30 different ways to load and throw your net. Pick the one that feels the most natural to you.

Fishing live mullet is the easiest. Rig up a fish finder with a 1/0-4/0 circle hook matched to the size of the bait Weight will be based on the current, but I feel 3/4oz-1 5oz is typically enough Cast up current allowing the bait to drift down stream keeping the slack out of the line When your mullet has made it down stream, slowly retrieve and recast outside of the mullet schools.

If you’re looking to fish artificial, pick yourself a durable plug or spoon to avoid the toothy critters tearing your gear up I prefer a spoon because you could throw them a mile, bluefish won’t destroy them in one bite and they could be presented in numerous retrievals Gotcha Plugs, Vudu Swim Mullet, DOA Bait Busters, and Yo-Zuri Top Knocks are all great options for you out the there. Catch calm early morning

out there before the sun comes up with a top water plug and you’ll be taking about it for years Questions? Come see us at Amelia Island Bait and Tackle Tight Lines to you our friends!

Nik Bremer

Shop # (904) 277-0775

Mel Wilson with a Nice Spanish Mack

J.O.S.F.C.

By Lee Bowman

The water temp has been hot and the bite has been as well Kings are still all over the reefs and wrecks, with descent numbers also on the beach.

The tarpon are off to a great start from Fernandina to St. Augustine, we have been finding quite a few here in the bait pods The offshore bite has been pretty good, the triggerfish (100-150’) have been fairly easy to find and get into the cooler

I've been seeing some nice mangroves come off of some of the deeper spots as well Cobia are being pulled off of the closer reefs within 20 miles.

The sharks have been on everything I have caught and seem to be everywhere, this year may be a little on the epic side for Bulls Be ready to make a race to the surface with your catch

Thunderstorms this time of year, as usual, have been making afternoons tough for a lot of us but if you can get out after those storms the beach fishing and slow trolling has been beautiful and once the seas lay down a bit, these blazing hot afternoons have been a little more tolerable. School has started back but we still hope the kids make it to the meetings

We are always looking for 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, please send us an email or Facebook message

JOSFC Upcoming Events:

September 1st Meeting-Past Presidents Party

September 10th Fishing rules meeting

September 15th club meeting

The JOSFC Banquet is scheduled for October 22, 2022

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

Come see our brand new Clubhouse!

LATE AUGUST REPORT

Fishing has been good from the reports I’ve received. Saltwater tides will be more favorable this weekend, so you can add that to your options

River guages on August 18th were:

Clyo on the Savannah River –6 6 feet and falling

Abbeville on the Ocmulgee – 2.4 feet and falling

Doctortown on the Altamaha –6.3 feet and falling

Waycross on the Satilla – 7 0 feet and falling (81 degrees)

Atkinson on the Satilla – 4 2 feet and rising

Macclenny on the St Marys – 2 8 feet and falling

Satilla River – The river is back up from recent rains, and you should be able to get a motorboat around pretty well on the upper river Mark Williams and John Fleshman walked the bank on a tributary to the Satilla on Saturday and caught a mixed bag of panfish by pitching crickets Their catch included bluegill, redbreast, warmouth, bowfin, and largemouth bass Catfishing should be good this weekend with the water up and continuing summer temperatures.

Savannah River – Tyler Finch fished the middle river area on

Friday and Saturday and caught his limit of panfish each day, but he said he had to work for them He threw a white Satilla Spin and tipped it with a cricket for all of his fish.

St Marys River – Matt Rouse fished the upper St Marys on Saturday afternoon and caught a few redbreasts on white Satilla Spins and Beetlespins He also caught a few channel catfish on shrimp.

Okefenokee Swamp – Shane Barber went to the west side on Saturday and put it on the catfish He had 40 (yellow bullheads – butter cats) that ate shrimp on the bottom Okefenokee Adventures staff said that not much fishing was happening on the east side with the high water from recent rains. But, the water is dropping out again. They said that a couple people fishing on Wednesday caught just a couple warmouth each I would imagine you could still catch bowfin by trolling inline spinners The latest water level (Folkston side) was 121 04 feet

Local Ponds – Chad Lee caught some small bass on senkos this week. The only big one he had on was Tuesday evening when he broke a good bass off when it wrapped him around shoreline vegetation I saw some bluegills on beds in a pond on Wednesday afternoon Bluegills will continue spawning until it cools down this fall

Saltwater (GA Coast) – Charles West of Waycross fished the Crooked River area with a friend on Sunday afternoon, and they caught about 60 fish on a variety of baits and lures Their main target was mangrove snapper, and they caught a dozen of them up to 13 inches on live shrimp and mudminnows

A dozen undersized redfish ate their dorado-colored Perch Hounders and live shrimp fished under an Equalizer Float Live shrimp skewered on an 1/8-oz Zombie Head and suspended under an Equalizer Float fooled a half-dozen seatrout, and 2 of them were keeper 16-inchers. They also caught a bunch of various other species on live shrimp fished on the bottom on an 1/8-oz Shrimp Hook

Jim Hickox and a friend fished the Jekyll area on Wednesday and caught a keeper flounder and 5 throwback trout With the strong winds, they said the water was muddy in the area they were fishing A highly-skilled Brunswick angler fished the St Simons area on Thursday morning and did well for trout. He had a dozen trout during the morning by casting plugs (topwaters and hard jerkbaits) All but 2 of his fish were keepers (you can usually upgrade your quality by throwing hard bait) He kept a few for his neighbor and released the rest The bite should be good with the better tides this weekend I missed a report from the 6th, which was the same tides we will have this weekend. Tommy Sweeney fished the Brunswick

area that Saturday evening and spanked the trout during the last light. They were fishing shadcolored 4-inch Keitechs under Equalizer floats for their 16 to 17-inch trout We are on the cusp of the best inshore fishing of the year When it cools down just a few more degrees, the bite will start cranking up 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

Charles West of Waycross fooled this chunky seatrout at Crooked River on Sunday by using a live shrimp pinned on a Zombie Jighead and suspended underneath an Equalizer Float

Creeks & Rivers

By John Chapman

What’s in a spot?

Well, this month I want to take a minute to talk about this What is in a spot and what that means to me as it pertains to my fishing Obviously, we all have our favorite spots and we know where we like to go at certain times of the year on certain tides and / or weather patterns.

I know for a fact there are charter guys that have in their heads what spots they are going to according to all the known factors of a particular day To some of us these things seem obvious and we plan out our trips to some of these parameters as well

I want to know though how about a spot that is so good you can go to it on any given weather, tide, and or moon phase and catch fish every time Have you really ever given that any serious thought?

Is there a such a thing as the well running dry for a spot? Can you actually catch all of the fish out of a spot when it is in a tidal area such as the St Johns and surrounding fishery? How about this theory I’ve heard from tournament anglers over and over again? We can’t go there because we will sore mouth all of the fish before the tournament

When I hear these things, I take pause and think about them for a minute or two Sometimes the source of the information makes it sound more important and therefore in your mind you give it a little more credit

In reality how many folks are going to tell you exactly what to do and how to do it in their honey hole

That is why I give exactly ZERO credence to what I hear at tackle shops! I digress though If you don’t have the luxury of being a charter guy who fishes 15 or 20 or 100 rotating spots on every phase of

the moon, tide and weather pattern there is still hope

Pick 4 or 5 and fish them in as versatile patterns as you can Even if you are on the opposite tide as the last time you slayed the fish do NOT ignore the spot and give it a shot Also remember the simple stuff that we all take advantage of or just don’t think to record Tide to me is a huge deal in fishing certain areas

Now some parts of the tide are really close even though they are almost 6 hours apart Middle incoming and middle outgoing are going to have basically the same water movement and depth. Lots of spots are depth sensitive and not just because of the draft of your boat I think this has more to do with structure and hiding places. Lots of spots will definitely work at a higher tide because the water is to the grass and gives the bait a place to hide and run too Conversely when there is too much water like on a big high tide the bait has too many places to hide. There is also a whole other aspect to hitting the right spot and that has to do with your execution of the lure when fishing artificial. I for one like to throw a plastic and a jighead up current and slowly bring it back to me with the current The whole time keeping my cast as close to the grass line or known structure the whole time While fishing top water over structure in current I like to bring it up against the current to simulate a dumb or hurt bait fish on the surface dazed and confused. I guess what I’m getting at this month is take a little time to figure out a couple of spots and then HIT YOUR SPOTS within your spots. Hey, hope this can help take a step back and think about the simple over looked stuff Good Luck and tight lines

John Chapman

904-743-3200

983 University Blvd. N

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

STORE HOURS

Wednesday 7am - 6pm

Thursday 7am - 6pm

Friday 7am - 6pm

Saturday 6am - 6pm

Sunday 7am - 5pm

Closed Mon. n Tues.

Mud Minnows

Live Shrimp

Fresh Dead Shrimp

Cigar Minnows

Spanish Sardines

Boston Mackerel

Clams

* Finger Mullet

* Fiddlers

* Blue Crabs

* Live Shiners

* Live Minnows

* Live Crickets

Wide selection of Artificials

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Pier & Surf

By Spencer Brogden

Welcome to September, which is the month we start to see surf fishing and pier fishing pick up

At the time of this writing the water temps are still mid 80's and will tend to stay that way through most of September So why does fishing start to pick up in September?

One word, MULLET! The mullet will start to cover local beaches every morning and with it all the usual suspects will be right behind them Flounder, speckled trout, redfish, Spanish mackerel, bluefish and tarpon will all be after the tasty snacks

My favorite rig to use to target them is a simple Carolina rig I use 20-25lb leader with a #2 wide bend hook when using live mullet.

The redfish and trout tend to get in very shallow water early in the morning and right before sunset Remember that the new redfish regulations start in September, 1 per person now instead of 2 The trout limit is still 5 per person

If I'm targeting Spanish or bluefish with mullet I use 30lb leader and a much longer leader I want the mullet to swim up as Spanish tend to feed higher in the water column.

If you want a tarpon, get a reel capable of handling one and try to get a BIG mullet that you can either put on a big popping cork or free line directly behind the breakers

Early morning the tarpon get

very shallow as they are chasing the mullet

As far as other surf fish, whiting and pompano will be scattered still with the warm water temps. One thing to watch for, if we get any type of tropical disturbances in the Carolinas, that could give us an early pompano run

In years past, when hurricanes have hit in the Carolinas we got a much earlier pompano run here in Northeast Florida The fishing off the jax beach pier will pick up as well with the above mentioned fish along with kingfish off the very end Sometime in September we will be putting on another surf fishing seminar, to stay updated check out our YouTube page Brokenreel23

The seminars are free and we always have goodies to hand out in our free raffle! Until next month, tight lines!

Eric Vergara Jr. Jax Pier Kingfish

Spencer Brogden

Fish Your Way in Florida

By Santoo Rinswick

As soon as you decide to go on a fishing vacation to Florida, the land of big bass and warm weather, you should think of ways and means of making your trip both enjoyable and rewarding Even before you leave on your fishing expedition, you should set realistic fishing goals based on the duration of your vacation

The pet ambition of the majority of bass fishermen who visit Florida is to accomplish the ever-elusive goal of catching a bass over ten pounds You must remember that this can not be your goal as it is not feasible to fish for a bass spending eight hours at the water front

Your decision to travel to the waters of Florida is indeed a right decision, but do not forget your primary aim should be only to thoroughly enjoy fishing and not feel frustrated unable to achieve some impossible targets. Central Florida is very renowned for its great bass fishing area There are some of the finest large-mouthed bass lakes found in Florida

Choosing the lake to fish in Florida is quite difficult but the Florida Game and Fish commission releases every year a list of the top ten bass lakes and you should find this list helpful This list is prepared taking into account both shock surveys and creel counts as reported by fishermen during creel surveys

Lake George that is one of the many natural lakes on the St. John's River - situated 18 miles northwest of Deland and 29 miles east of Ocala

Stick Marsh/Farm 13 Reservoir, the expansive 6,500-acre reservoir near Fellsmere, west of Vero Beach is renowned for trophy bass fishing

West Lake Tohopekaliga is the place both recreational and tournament anglers flock for producing excellent fishing and trophy largemouth bass

Lake Kissimmee, spread over nearly 35,000 acres is the largest of five main

water bodies on the famous Kissimmee River in central Florida and is reputed for high quality fishing

Rodman Reservoir, east of Gainesville and south of Palatka is a prime largemouth bass habitat covering 9,500 acres and quite popular for trophy largemouth bass

Lake Tarpon, as is known to many in Florida, is a 2,500-acre lake that has persistently produced high quality largemouth bass fishing for years. Fishes here are 12 to 16 inches long and trophy fish are also present in considerable numbers

Lake Weohyakapka, more familiarly called as Lake Walk-in-Water, is a 7,500-acre lake located south of Orlando and east of Lake Wales This Lake enjoys a national reputation as an excellent source for largemouth bass

Lake Istokpoga is a fairly large natural lake in Florida and it is reported that anglers caught 124,993 bass, of which almost 55,000 were heavier than 2 pounds, and 1,448 bass were over 8 pounds.

Deer Point Lake is a largemouth bass fishing destination near Panama City Largemouth bass fishing is less during the winter months but the season picks up in mid-February and March and climaxes in April and May.

Crescent Lake is pretty enormous and borders the east side of Crescent City on the Putnam/Flagler county line Surveys reveal it is one of the highest catch rate areas on the St John's River You can expect largemouth bass up to 20 inches long and a lot of large fish weighing 8 pounds.

Please remember it may not be prudent to go fishing in Florida without the aid of a Guide Once you have identified the right Guide, you should know from him what baits are currently working and what to carry with you. In fact, the baits that work well in Florida are only a handful and some Guides may even supply baits and tackle Make it a point to inquire about fishing licenses as the law in Florida enjoins all non-residents to carry a fishing license

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Intracoastal and St. Johns River

By Capt. John Eggers

Redfish should be getting more aggressive with the arrival of more finger mullet. The early morning top water bite will be really good especially if the tide is high Look for them tight to the grass on the flats and edges of the ICW The creeks have already started producing good numbers of under and slot fish Target low outgoing tide if possible and though the

majority of fish will be in the deeper holes there will still be plenty of fish just cruising the banks looking for shrimp in the mud

Listen for them crashing bait or visually see the tip of their tails as they ease through the shallows Although bull reds can be caught most of the year September is the start of big numbers of bull reds coming in from the ocean These fish will be stretched out from the jetties all the way down to the Buckman bridge

The St. Johns river will be where I spend most of my time on charters Speckled trout in good numbers will be in the river and icw on most structure areas that have good current and depth

I like fishing artificial lures to find them and switch to live bait after they stop biting the lures

Flounder numbers and size will increase dramatically this month I use a lot of 4 inch white paddle tail or curly tail fishbites on a 3/8oz jig head and it normally comes close or even out fishes live bait

Not only will it catch good numbers of flounder but reds and trout as well Mangrove snapper will still be biting on docks and rocks in the river and are one of my favorite fish to keep for dinner

Capt John Eggers

Capt. Suber - Continued from Page 15

America’s Boating Club, continuously offers America’s Safe Boating Course at Lamb’s Yacht Center and classes have resumed monthly.

Check their web site for classes through 2022 The cost of the classes to the student will continue to be reduced to an affordable rate thanks to a donation from Jacksonville Marine Charities from proceeds from the Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament The next class and all future classes will be announced on the America’s Boating Club web site at wwwusps org/localusps/Jackson

JSPS continue to do vessel inspections so you can contact an inspector at the same web site or reach out to me and I will assist getting you with an examiner

Last but not least, show pride in the facilities provided for your use with your tax dollars by properly disposing of your by-products when you clean your fish and dispose of your trash appropriately! BE SAFE! AND WASH YOUR HANDS!!

Capt. Jim Suber

Offshore Deepwater

By Capt. Tim Altman

September Sailfish

September is traditionally when the Sailfish move within a stone’s throw of the beach in good numbers Although just yesterday (August 20th) on a 6hour charter we had 2 sailfish enter our Kingfish spread, but we couldn’t entice them to bite. We watched as 4 other boats near us as they fought and released sailfish with 7 miles of the beach On August 7th on a 4-hour charter we released another beautiful sailfish within 5 miles of the beach. On August 15th, one of our HooDoo Captains, Flynn Jarrett went Solo fun fishing in his boat, a 20ft Pathfinder specifically targeting Sailfish Well, Flynn went 1 for 2 on Sails and was successful on his first attempt this year targeting specifically Sailfish.

Flynn’s technique on this day was to pull a large holographic dredge on his downrigger and slow troll live Pogies rigged with a 6/0 circle hook on 30lb Diamond Fishing Products

Fluorocarbon Does he get cut off by Kingfish? Yes, but he’s not fishing for Kings, he’s fishing for Sailfish and he buys his hooks from Strike-Zone Fishing Jacksonville in packs of 50 The sails once inside the spread of live baits worked in tandem to kill one of the baits and then just swam away. Flynn not to be deterred by this continued to position his live baits to work perfectly in conjunction with his Holographic dredge and within

minutes he was hooked up 20 minutes later after some fancy reeling and boat work Flynn released this beautiful sailfish.

In September we @ Hoodoo Sportfishing Charters will be in FULL Sailfish mode The HooDoo boat is a 2-time winner of the Sailfish Pot, the oldest fishing competition in the Jacksonville area and we take a lot of pride and joy on giving our customers the best opportunity to catch and release a Sailfish

We will be running Kite-Fish charters specifically targeting Sailfish starting September 1. These charters are limited and fill up very, very fast So, if you are interested, please contact me with the information provided at the end of this article

Cobia continue to be plentiful on the nearshore wrecks The HooDoo boat had several nice keeper Cobia on our 4&6-Hour nearshore Charters The Kingfish bite remains strong! We have limited out with Kingfish in 4 of our last 5 trips. Just yesterday there was a report of a 57lb Kingfish caught just off of Jax Beach WOW!!! That’s a monster fish! Bait has been very thick along the beach all the way

down to the newly reopened Jax Beach Pier If you need assistance Sailfish Rigging and Tackle please visit Southern Kingfish Hall of Fame Fisherman 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 Sailfish needs! Also, GAS prices have affected our economy on every level So please support your local businesses as they are the ones most 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 immeasurablyUntil next month, please stay safe on the water and remember that great things happen when you take a kid fishing. The HooDoo Boat is in SAILFISH 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!

Intracoastal Rivers & Creeks

By Capt. Todd Philcox

September is a great month to fish Jacksonville’s inshore waters

Our mullet run will begin this month as millions of our most predominate forage fish begin to form larger schools and head out of inshore waters toward our ocean inlets to migrate south This enormous quantity of bait will have every species large enough to eat a mullet fired up and feeding actively this month through October

There are opportunities to target many different species in a variety of different conditions, from redfish, flounder and trout on shallow mud flats, to bull reds along the St Johns riverbanks and deeper stretches of the Intracoastal, to tarpon, jacks, sharks and more bull reds along the jetties at the mouth of the St Johns River

Make sure you bring along a cast net for the next two months to secure a good supply of mullet and fish them live or as cut bait either on jig head or a fish finder rig up on the flats and weed edges at high tide or along the Intracoastal banks and creek holes on lower tides.

With such large quantities of bait present and water temperatures still quite high I find it more productive to fish very slowly or just let baits sit this time of year I will also fish cut mullet more often as the increased smell makes those baits easier for a lazy redfish to

find. Flounder action will pick up along the docks and other structure along the St Johns River

I fish live mullet and shrimp on a 3/8-ounce jig head, slowly bouncing those baits along bottom The trout bite improved in August and should remain decent with the mullet run in full swing

Action for the bull reds will begin at the jetties and move up the river to the Dames Point bridge as the month progresses, fish the drop offs from 35-45 feet deep with cut crab, mullet or ladyfish on a circle hook, use ample weight to hold the bottom, heavy tackle and hold on!

The scene at the big jetties at the mouth of the St Johns river will be quite a spectacle as the mullet schools pour out of the inlet and are consistently harassed and blown up by large jack crevalle and tarpon, hanging below the topwater action will be bull reds and a variety of sharks.

Free line larger live mullet, or fish them under a float, and be sure to also fish a line or two on the bottom with live or cut mullet All the species mentioned above will be feeding up and down the water column at different depths

Give me a call if I can help you get out fishing and enjoy one of our best months on the water!

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

wwwJaxParks com

wwwCOJ net

The summer has been a great one and the waterways gave plenty for the fishing and boating community!

School is back in session and our Jr Anglers in North Florida were able to return with great memories and stories to tell their friends! The tournaments of North Florida were all successful and great charities and causes will benefit the work of great volunteers through out the year! I would like to congratulate all of the tournament directors and volunteers for making fishing happen!

Tournaments are big economic drivers. Volunteers make the difference of an ok tournament and a great tournament If you like to fish, like people who fish or just like to be involved in a worthwhile event offer yourself to a fishing tournament or event as a volunteer

Your efforts will be very much appreciated! When you are participating in a waterways event or tournament remember

to thank a volunteer!

The Jacksonville Beach Pier is proving to be a much-needed asset to North Florida. Anglers continue to experience a good variety of catches!

August 18th proved why the pier has to be cleared during storms producing lightning The pier was struck by lightning and damage to the pier and a couple of unfortunate seagulls proved safety procedures insured no injuries to the pier users and guest

The Dredging of Bert Maxwell has continued and near completion Oak Harbor Dredge project is complete, and boaters and anglers have a clear deep path to and from the ICW. 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 the dredging of Goodby’s Creek is still working through the process and contractors should be able to mobilize soon

The new fishing platform at River Road Park is finishing up and should soon produce a great access for local anglers The City of Jacksonville has several new access docks in the Riverside area and Southbank. The North Bank docks are getting closer to completion to add additional boater access

The derelict vessel war is still full speed ahead We have had a slow spell getting the approvals We have removed the derelict vessels at Jim King Park and Exchange Island. A sailboat has been left at Arlington Rd Ramp by JSO after it was recovered floating free in the St Johns The owner can’t be found so when and how the vessel is removed is being evaluated

FWCC has been working on a Vessel Turn in Program which will allow owners of vessels that have been tagged as at risk can turn in the title to FWCC and the vessel will be removed and demolished prior to it sinking! The plan was approved by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in

mid July here in Jacksonville

We look forward to this program helping remove vessels prior to sinking. FWCC is working to implement the program within the next couple of months

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 Please use caution and a look out when you are on or off plane in your boat, debris items are just under the surface and seeing them can be difficult Day time always use good, polarized sunglasses and at night slow down and double your caution and lookout As always allow me to remind everyone to always check your boat and yourself. Use of a lookout and being aware of your surroundings are always a priority Invest in a QUALITY EPERB, file a float plan with someone that will miss you first so if things don’t go as planned, the search for you can be narrowed and recovery can be quicker.Take a safe boating course and do your part to activate our waterways!

The Jacksonville Sail and Power Squadron, Continued on Page 12

Top Photo - Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament Celebration

Center Photo - Jax Beach Pier

Bottom Photo - Derelict sailboat removed from Exchange Island

Hook It & Cook It

By Jeff Altman

Parmesan Crusted Flounder

This is a great time of year to get some of the best table fare to be found Flounder are plentiful around the creek mouths and docks of the river and are easy to catch Flounder can be caught using live bait, mud minnows or finger mullet on a jighead or Carolina rig or with Fish Bites dirty boxer Slowly work the bait along the grass lines and around oyster mounds and wait for the THUMP! Flounder are one of my favorite fish to target, fish in the 14"-18" are pretty common but some times you get lucky and catch one of the big girls 25"+ also known as Doormats Here are some pictures from the last two week's the flounder are thick in the river

This is a very simple recipe that you are going to love The first thing you need to do is get out on the water and catch a couple of nice flounder then you need to fillet your catch and get them ready for a wonderful dinner. Once you have your fish ready to cook arrange the fillets on a sheet pan or baking dish. Season fish with salt and pepper and a little Old Bay. Mix panko crumbs and fresh grated Parmesan cheese in a bowl with melted butter, mayonnaise and parsley flak es Spread mixture over fillets and bake in 425 degree oven or 15 minutes or until fillets are cooked and and topping is golden brown This is very easy to make and goes well with a rice dish and green vegetable

Ingredients:

2lbs fresh flounder fillets

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp melted butter

3 Tbsp mayonnaise

1 Tsp parsley flakes

2 tbsp Old Bay seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste

Nancy Altman with a couple of nice Flounder

Guana Lake

By Capt Matt Chipperfield

How would you like to sight fish a tailing red in the grass or hook up with a hundred pound tarpon off the beach in the same day? I’d the answer is no you are probably dead inside If the answer is yes then this is your time to shine

Our North Florida fishery is thriving right now Intracoastal flood tides during new and full moons are producing some of the best sight fishing in the state. Redfish are tailing hard through the grass during peak tides and have been very aggressive on the take Small crab flies and soft plastic crawfish lures have been smashed on a regular basis during my charters

A few things to remember while casting at tailing fish and working through the flood: (1)When you spot a tailer identify where the head is, which direction the fish is facing and where it is moving. This allows you to lead the fish properly when casting. (2) Lead the fish, do not cast directly on the fish’s head This is especially true when using weedless soft plastics

The impact of a bait on the surface will often spook wary fish It’s best to cast 3-5 feet in front of the fish and cast long past the target zone Reel the plastic on the top of the water back to the target zone and drop the lure into the target area as the fish approaches. Give it a few tiny twitches and wait for the

redfish to crush it (3) Move slowly through the grass Do not pole quickly while looking for reds.

They often layup on the flooded grasses and take long periods of rest before tailing again. Move slowly and look for the tips

After the flood tide motor out of the inlet and down the beach Keep an eye out for rolling tarpon and blow ups in the surf Our coast line and inlets are still packed with mullet and occasional pogie pods which means these silver kings are likely to hang out for a while longer

Just make sure you put away the light tackle and break out the big sticks because these guys will go nuts at the end of your line. If you can’t find the tarpon on the beach they are very likely hanging on structure like the jetties and the bridges

They love moving water and deep ledges as well as shallow sandbars and concrete pilings The key is moving water My favorite tide is outgoing when bait and nutrients are flushing out of the backwaters

There is a chance you may also find some inland tarpon lingering around creek mouths and rocks. You just have to spend some time looking, but trust me this fish is worth the effort

Capt Matt Chipperfield CHIPS

COASTAL CHARTERS

505 Guana River Rd #6527 Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082 Tel: (904) 610-8501

What's

TJ Altman and Eli Meehan with Eli’s 1st ever Kingfish

left of a Large Kingfish

While the Angler was bringing it in off the Jax Beach Pier a shark got both ends leaving mid section only

Photo by John Tesh

Palm Valley September

The dog days of summer are winding down and our fall transition is on the way! This means the mullet run is nearing and fishing is about to fire off! With each passing front and nor'easter, more and more mullet will begin showing around our inlets, bridges, and throughout the Intercoastal

Spend the extra time during your outings to catch a few of these baits. They can be fished multiple ways and are a big draw to the predators that are around. Mullet can be fished on ¼ oz Jigheads, under popping corks, live on bottom rigs, or cut and soaked as dead bait on the bottom They can also be frozen and used at a later date so make use of our valuable resource but as always, only take what you will use!

Redfish are in their usual haunts this month. Just about any tactic you prefer should get them to cooperate. There are schools along the banks on low tide as well as along grass lines on higher water

Any curly tails or paddle tails and jigheads will land these fish I prefer the white or silver color patterns this month to match the increase in mullet that are around The valley is loaded with under slot fish so try your best to release these fish unharmed. Don’t dig out your hooks. I’ve caught more reds than I can count with jigs hanging out of there anus.

The fish will pass the hooks and survive. But if you dig the hooks out and fish get injured internally, they will not make it Do your part in taking care of this up-and coming stock of fish!

Flounder will be holding over shelly banks with water funneling through run outs on falling tides The Fishbites Dirty Boxer on the FFC Lures jighead is my go-to set up when targeting these fish. Slow dragging or slowly hopping these across the bottom will typically result in a “thump” The tail action on these baits just drives the fish crazy and they rarely refuse the passing by lure If live bait is your preference, use a jig to cover the bottom the same way you would throw the curly tail bait mentioned above Also, drifting corks through these areas while watching how they go down can teach you to identify the bite of a flounder by observing how the cork acts. Flounder will grab the bait and take the cork down slower than a striking fish such as a trout

If you see the cork just barely under the water or faintly moving, give it a few seconds Most likely that flounder has your bait but hasn’t completely eaten it yet

The extra time before setting the hook will help you reduce the number of fish you miss on the hook set Keep Reeling!

Capt

Cory Sparks

310charters.com

Top

always gets it done throwing Artificials!

Below: Steve Bowman with a big Drum on light tackle!

Top Left: Darin Key with a nice Trout off live shrimp!

Right: Austin

Crescent Beach

By Drew Florez

September is here and it’s one of my favorite months! The mullet run starts, big fish will be chewing, football is back, and the weather should start cooling off! The fishing has been great the last few months - and I only see it getting better!

The tarpon have been showing up the last couple weeks; back in the flats, around the bridges, and off the beaches. These “aerial artists” put on quite an amazing show when they're hungry You will typically see an explosion of mullet erupt from the surface, while these giants come flying out behind them

You will also see the classic tarpon roll, typically by bridges when they show their backs and leave a huge boil in the water If you want to target these silver kings I would recommend using live mullet, pogies, or large shrimp There will be plenty of mullet around, so I would use them as my 1st priority. Back hook them on a free line, and toss them into schools. You can also use a nice long heavy 50lb leader, under a cork, to target these beasts The key is to present a nice natural live target for them

The inshore bite has been heating up for gamefish as well! We have already been catching larger keeper mangrove snapper, flounder, redfish, black drum, and sheepshead The mangs have been hanging around bridges and rocky areas

Best way to target them is using small, live shrimp - or small pieces of shrimp on a jig head or

free line You can also pitch out and drag the shrimp along the bottom and find some flounder! The reds don’t seem to be too picky this time of the year I have caught them on topwater, paddle tails, gulp shrimp, live shrimp, and mullet the last few weeks

At dusk and dawn is when I typically like to throw topwater and paddle tails; the motion in the calm waters can grab any fish's attention Once the sun comes up and starts getting hotter, I like to bring the fish to me

I will typically use: cut mullet, lady fish, or blue crab on a Carolina rig, to put some stink in the water; while with another rod, pitch either a live mullet on a jig, or paddle tails around

This is definitely the month to get out there and fight some gamefish! Whether you're looking to jump a massive tarpon or just wanting an epic fresh catch dinner, September is your time to shine!

Come stop by Genungs Fish Camp and pick our brains for more tips and tricks on what’s biting in our area! We’ll catch y’all later!

Drew Florez

SALTWATER FISHING LICENSE

Required to take or attempt to take saltwater fish, crabs, clams, marine plants or other saltwater organisms (other than non-living seashells and lionfish with certain gear) A Florida fishing license is required to land saltwater species in Florida regardless of where they are caught (state or federal waters)

Resident Annual: $17.00

Resident Five-Year: $79.00

Non-Resident Annual: $47.00

Non-Resident 3-Day: $17.00

Non-Resident 7-Day: $30.00

FISH RULES

An innovative way to understand complex fishing regulations. Get it on Google Play

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

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

All the fishing hotspots

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

New Florida Redfish regulations go into effect

September 1

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

Fishing In USAA Popular Hobby

By Abhishek Agarwal |

In USA fishing is among a very popular and famous sport and also a recreational activity It is enjoyed as the most loved hobby of the Americans and also the tourist coming to visit USA. Also the fishing opportunities are enhanced by the presence of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico with many other streams of water cutting across the country This is ideal for salt water fishing. USA has many rivers, inland stream and lakes and all these provide the right opportunity for the water adventures

When one will notice about the variety of fishes found in USA he will be amazed as it is very diverse due to the migration every season The weather is one cause of concern which can prevent people venture out for fishing Other hindrances include Rain, snow, fog and wind

making fishing some what dangerous

As the fishes found are very diverse, the fishermen have to adjust accordingly for different fishes The different technique includes surf fishing, bait casting, fly fishing, pier fishing and many other different techniques

Florida is one of the states where fishing is very popular You may find people of different ages; young, adults, men and women very enthusiastic about the fishing

You may spot the people having fishing lines in causeways, bridges, piers and riverbanks

Charter fishing boats can also be spotted all around the coast of Florida

Florida is famous for the fly fishing and the salt water fishing

You need to be adventurous and versatile to have most of the fly fishing adventures in Florida

Whether you want to go for salt water fishing or for fly fishing depends on the time of year you are planning to fish

Abundant of Redfish are found

in Titusville, Daytona Beach and St John's River You can also spot the Sea Trout in Florida State. A local guide will know the right places to fish and you can take their help in making your fishing experience an enjoyable one

At the start of the month of October the weather is quite hot, so there are a lot of Redfish in mid morning When the temperature rise during the after noon the Snooks can be found in abundance A large amount of jacks, routs and ladyfish can also be spotted by the fishermen in

Florida

So the Americans and the tourist visiting there have plenty of reasons for fishing. It also gives them a chance to watch the sunrise and sunset Apart from fishing they can also spot dolphins, birds and whales Still the fishing is the main attraction for them Thus the best time pass for the people in USA is fishing whether alone or in groups The money spent for fishing is worth for the fun and excitement it gives So happy fishing!

Buy - Sell & Cash Offers

Kayak Fishin' By

Will Neimann

Well, it’s that time of year again Time for some of the most fun fishing imaginable Time for experiences normally saved for TV What time am I talking about? It’s the mullet run!

Every spring and fall our area experiences a huge influx of mullet The fall run is always better than the spring run With the huge numbers of mullet in the area, there will be an increase in large predator fish eating them. Tarpon, snook, jacks, redfish, trout, and flounder will all be filling their bellies. The mullet run also coincides with our flood tide season, which provides some amazing site fishing opportunities

Fishing during the mullet run can be an incredible experience, but it can also be a very frustrating experience. There are millions of mullet in the water with fish crashing in all directions but your bait is lost in the mix, and not getting touched Then some days they will hit anything that moves

Sometimes when the fish are ignoring my baitfish presentation, I’ll switch to a shrimp imitation or live shrimp and that’ll do the trick They’re eating mullet continuously, so giving them something to eat besides bullet is an option to keep in your back pocket

The main concentrations of Mull it will be in the inlets, under the bridges, and along the beaches, although the area flats will have a ton of mullet on them Matanzas Inlet is an easier inlet to fish than the Saint Augustine Inlet for kayakers, but

both inlets will be slap full of mullet, and fishermen If inlet fishing is the goal, be sure to wear your PFD. There are a lot of inexperienced boaters moving to the area and it can get dicey out there quick

If I’m fishing the inlet, I’ll use live or cut mullet on the bottom

A 6/0 circle hook with 6-8 oz of weight will be what I’m throwing. I use 65 pound braid with up to 80 pound leader. Big fish equal big tackle. On the bridges I throw medium heavy tackle, 30 pound braid and leader using artificials or free lining live baits

Jumping over to the grass flats during the flood tides will provide some awesome sight fishing opportunities for tailing redfish Flood tides occur during the full and new moon phases through September

During a good flood tide, you’ll be able to paddle or push your way through the grass is looking for tails, backs, and wakes.

You don’t cast until you see a fish. Then your cast needs to be accurate, casting ahead of the fish to where you can drag the bait through its path It’s skinny water fishing at its finest Medium weight or fly tackle is what is preferred for flood tide fishing. Crab and shrimp imitations are my preferred flood tide baits, something I can rig weedless Paddletail baits are also a great option

The next few weeks are the best fishing we get in northeast Florida in my opinion It’s not necessarily easy fishing, but you will have opportunities at some of the best and biggest fish inshore Florida has to offer Don’t let the mullet run pass you by Good luck and tight lines I’ll see ya out there

Daytona Ormond Beach

By Capt Jeff Patterson

Some of the best fishing of the year going on in September The inlet has been red hot!

The redfish bite has been awesome with some days landing double digit numbers Finger mullet have been working great and there’s been tons of bait around I didn’t witness it but I heard about the reds feeding right on the surface near the jetties one day and were eating anything thrown at them There’s also been a good amount of tarpon around the inlet but they’ve been tricky to get to cooperate

Snook fishing has been really good at the inlet with a lot of big females being caught in the mid 30 to 40 inch range I noticed some finger mullet right on the beach and it’s getting to be that time of year for the fall mullet run. They should only get more plentiful this month with some consistent fishing

Lots of nice inshore mangroves hanging around the inlet and throughout the river too We have limited out quite often with them

Lots of other things going on in the river lately too Awesome snook fishing from New Smyrna up to Ormond at docks, bridges, and mangroves. Redfish and flounder have been around oyster bars and I’ve been doing well with live shrimp and mud minnows.

Jacks have been throughout the river around docks and sea walls with some fish from 5-10 pounds for some good drag pulling

Tournament Board

By Craig VanBrocklin

Summer Tournaments

North Florida King of the Beach

1st Joseph Stover Lo-Joe 39 5

2nd Geoff Stam Turn 3 38 4

3rd Craig Sutton Fishtastic 37 7

4th Chris Stephen Beer Money 37

5th Will Inman Big Deal 35.4

6th Dennis Ball Runnin’ Deep

33 56

7th Zach Crabtree Vamoose 32.98

8th Bradley Cooper Shawbanger 31

9th Larry Nelson Just One More

30 16

10th Robby Taliaferro Erleigh Bird

28 9

Lady Angler

1st Monica Stam Turn 3 38.24

2nd Christina Stevens Beer Money

37

3rd Kristen Inman Big Deal 35.4

Jr Angler

1st Addison McMaster Reel

Improvement 28 25

2nd Eli Harrison Crooked Toe

26 04

3rd Jaylee Carter 25 1 Reel Quick

25.13

4th Colton Chapman Better Than Nothing 24 98

5th Thomas Patterson Snatch Um 24 76

6th Owen Lowry Get Hard 23 98

7th Sean Hassan Jr Special K 23 9

8th Cade Young Flat Nasty 23 56

9th Ethan Bowles Persistance 23 54

10th Ethan Joe Polce Hall Pass

23 42

Fernandina Beach Rodeo

Kingfish

1st James Powell 51 30

2nd Ryan Linsley 41 42

3rd Joseph Stover 39 52

4th Craig Sutton 37 72

5th AJ Proescher 35.42

6th Brian Richburg 33

7th Cal Lang Jr 28 44

Single Engine

1st Ricky Sparkman 28 32

2nd Chris McDougald 25 55

Youth Angler

1st Terry Lacoss 27 98

2nd Nathan Stuart 25 46

Lady Angler

1st Spencer Ross 28.76

2nd Andrew Pelton 24 90

Dolphin

1st Eddie Bennett 16.32

2nd James Powell 13 22

Sea Bass

1st Brad Reese 1 38

2nd Dave Smith 1 10

Redfish

1st Tom Riley 7 35

2nd Matt & Brantley Davis 7 29

Spots Lawrence Piper 9

Seatrout

1st Scott Pflbsen 3 84

2nd Jeff Altman/Craig Van Brocklin 2 76

Flounder

1st Austin Brychta 3 26

2nd Jeff Altman/Craig Van Brocklin 2 68

Sheepshead

1st Tom Riley 5 60

2nd Scott Pflbsen 2.84

JOSFC Jr Angler

Offshore

1st Derek Siegel/Amelia

Inshore

1st Craig Van Brocklin/Ethan

Bennett

2nd Jake Ogin/Destiny

3rd Jeff Altman/Gavin

JOSFC July

Kingfish Tune Up

1st Jack Ogin 22 91

2nd Derek Siegel 12 3 Inshore Roulette

1st Jeff Altman

2nd Craig Van Brocklin

3rd Jake Ogin

Upcoming Tournaments

September

* 10th FLA Sisters Creek

*24th Anglers for a Cure (Vilano)

* N FL Inshore Slayers

October

* 1st Netti Kayak

* Full of Bull

*4th Big WT

* 7th- 9th Young Life

* 8th Flounder Pounder

* Cowford Redfish Craig

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

386-255-2345

North Florida King of The Beach Tournament Team BEER MONEY

Jeff Altman (left) & Craig VanBrocklin (right)

2nd Place Fernandina Rodeo