Friday, May 11, 2007
5/11 - AFTER THE BIG BLOW
Capt Dave Sipler's Sport Fishing
Jacksonville-Amelia island Florida
904-642-9546
WHY THE HELL AM I OUT HERE TODAY BY MYSELF?
Because I get calls, for you guessed it......for Wednesday, and then Thursday....and last but not least, Friday. TODAY!!!!
I'll refer to today as the "Officially the First Day after the big Blow". But not everyone gets it. It's HOWLING upwards on the coast a gale or better. A Gale; is defined as 32 knots or more. And people in the area actually think we can fish in that?? But when the wind drops, as in today. They never call, then. Only on hainous days.
I know we have had damn near the worst weather anyone can think of in the last 2 months. And believe me, no one feels it more than a fishing guide. I cannot remember such a windy/gale filled April & May, than this year.
So, I went to do some after storm R&D.
I've done a lot of that lately. Every time it's gale force plus winds, I go the exact day it calms enough to "actually fish".
And when I tell ya', I had a tough time catching fish. Believe me, I know EXACTLY what I'm doing. I would bet, you'd have a real hard time.
(remember....I don't sit on a trolling motor and fish all day during YOUR charter, like many fishing guides. So when I hook'em up, I can hand them off to you. And pretend you're having a great day catching them yourself.)
When you fish with me, unless we're on a single passenger trip. I do not have time to fish. I'm busy helping YOU.
So, my day started after waiting and waiting, then waiting some more for live shrimp to appear at the bait shop. Yes, shrimp do not grow on tree's.
I think I left the ramp around 11am. And I headed straight up river.
But first, I took a pic of Tiger Woods' yacht "PRIVACY", sitting at Mayport Marine. Quite convenient, travel in your "ship" to and from Golf championships.
Can ya imagine being that young and that wealthy.
I had plans of fishing dead low at several spots. But we never really had a good low tide, anywhere. That pic of the Flounder is from under the Mathews Bridge!! I fished momentarily a Flounder spot there, where I've caught them before. But they were bigger before.
Previous to that Flounder, I fished 3 spots. And only caught Lady Fish and Jacks. I worked in the 15-20 knot gusting winds from the ENE some seriously great Trout areas at low tide till I worked my way to the Mathews Bridge. To check the Salinity Levels!
THE MONSTER OF ALL FLIP FLOPS: Last Thursday south of the Dames Point Bridge area, salinity level in river 22 Part Per Thousand. NOW? Let's just say, with a stiff breeze holding all the water up in the river for the last 4 days at least, now all the way to my measuring point, the salinity level today was 35-36 PPT.
I could just look at the water and tell it's not right, as it was last Thursday. The color, and the other dead give away was the salt covering the boat & engine. I want no salt or much less salt water.....I'd love a 10 parts per thousand. That's serious Trout water!
But I caught some fish.
I boxed 3 Trout to 4 pounds, (threw back one 14-1/2 incher), and the "chipper" Flounder, and one big Spanish Mackerel. Plus hads 6 ladyfish and 4 Jacks.
On one spot, where I caught the 4 pounder. On my first drift of my float, I GOT MY ASS HANDED TO ME! It's a dock, and man do these fish wait till you're floats up between two pilings, and then they hit and hit hard. But that's not all...I received 2 more "ass handings" before I left the spot. Man, it was exciting. Pitch back to the dock, drift in beween two wood pilings and next to a concrete one and BAM! Float goes down and I set the hook, I got it....and then against the drag pulling the fish ducks for cover around that nasty wood piling. I LOVE IT! Maybe big Trout, maybe a Red. I caught not a single Jack or Ladyfish at this spot and can't remember the last time I did. But have only caught and lost Reds and Trout here.
It's fun, getting slam dunked. If you think Trout do not PULL hard, then you've never hooked a really, really big one.
We really need less wind and less wind with EAST in it's name. ALL was right on track. And then came this storm Andre (?) and now everything is totally FLIP-FLOPPED. I know for a fact, I'm back-stepping. I was right where I wanted to be. Now all has changed........
AGAIN!
Man, I love float-rigging a live shrimp through dock pilings. Backing up and anchoring next to massive structure, right where you know they are. It's truly NE Florida's version of addictive fishing for me.
I hope mother nature will cut me a break and let me get back to taking people to do some really good Trout fishing, again.
Memorial Holiday is wide open. The tides are good that whole week. Call now to reserve your day, because.........
Not another single fishing guide in this whole area gives you this kind of info as you get here, to make the right choice in a charter.
I want educated anglers aboard.
REPORT FROM: www.captdaves.blogspot.com
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