Inshore/nearshore report Jacksonville area waters
It looks like summer is finally here, afternoon thunder showers and temps in the 90's. Water temps are in the high 70's.The Kingbuster tournament was held this weekend and the big boats were roaring along the beach and, later in the day, crying at the fuel docks. I actually caught a few kings and some huge spanish a couple of days ago off Atlantic Beach. I don't king fish too often. Finding pogies is a hit or miss operation. Be prepared to jig up bait with sabiki rigs.
Some nice size reds are schooling at the jetties. We've caught them up to 17lbs so far. The tarpon have shown up also, and are a real surprise when the redfish you were expecting turns into an airborne tarpon. Most of these jetty tarpon seem to be in the 15 to 50 lb range. A customer caught a 20-30lb tarpon Wed on a greenie(threadfin herring) at the north jetty. It's not unusual for one of them to hit a live shrimp on a float rig. The larger tarpon will be hanging around pogie pods along the beach, or behind shrimp boats.
Flounder have moved in from offshore and can be caught along the rocks and around dock pilings in the river. Ladyfish, jacks, and blues are still around. Speckled trout reports continue to come in from the Blount Island, Mill cove, and Dames Point area, though they have slowed some due to the warmer water. Fish topwaters and lipped diving plugs early and late on the higher tide phases. We're getting the larger local shrimp from the bait shops now, and they work well on sliding float rigs.
Whiting and the occasional pompano are likely surf and pier catches.
Good fishing!
CAPT Bob Cosby
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Captain Bob's Fishing Charters,Inc.
http://www.captainbobsfishingcharters.com
