It’s been a windy week on the water with tough conditions for local anglers but the weekend forecast is shaping up to show some reprieve. Last weekend we had a nice window on Sunday and the start of the week wasn’t too bad but the blustery conditions since have the swell stirred up offshore and the water dirty inside.
Inshore the larger Redfish schools are breaking up and the finger mullet are thick in all the creeks around the inlets. Switch from using shrimp for bait to live mullet or mud minnows to stay on the action. On the negative low tides at the start of the week we did pretty well fishing the deeper creek holes and drains at the last of the outgoing. With the water so low some of the usual staging areas were too shallow to hold fish and it concentrated the action to the deeper bends in the backs of the creeks.
Drifting a live finger mullet or mud minnow under a cork or free lined through the bend was very effective until the fish started moving out of the holes and following the incoming tide back into the flats. Fishing the back bends like these can be hit or miss because depending on your boat you likely will have to pick one spot and commit to it for the tide. It’s a gamble for a fish in a bucket situation when you get it right, or a two hour or more birdwatching sit when you get it wrong.
On the higher tides the bait are pushing up into the grass for cover so working the grass edges is a great way to target Redfish and Flounder. A spinner bait is very effective in our tannic water this time of year fishing along the grass lines at high tide. If you’re in cleaner water towards Vilano using a more natural presentation with less flash like a paddletail can work better.
The Trout bite has been wide open the last couple weeks. With all the Mullet moving in the fish are gorging. I’ve had good luck both in the creeks at high tide and the river along hard bottom areas and docks. We’ve also caught a few mixed in with Spanish and Bluefish under birds working the river around Mayport this week. The bigger fish have been in 5-8 feet of water but there are plenty of smaller ones shallower in the creeks chasing around finger mullet. Topwater plugs, paddle tails, jerk baits, twitch baits, live baits on corks are all great ways to target Speckled trout. They are opportunistic predators and if you find them feeding they will readily take artificial or flies.
Offshore the Mahi are starting to show up more and more each day as the waters around the shelf warm up. There were some good reports of Mahi and Blackfin out of both Mayport and Vilano by the boats that went last Sunday. Reel Dream out of Vilano had a nice day on Yellowfin tuna last week, if you’re looking for a Yellowfin charter out of North Florida Capt. Adam is the man to book. We’re into the window for our prime blue water trolling season with the next month or two being the best time of year for getting on Mahi, Blackfin Tuna, Sailfish, and Yellowfins on the otherside. This is the last week to register for the Eastside Yellowfin and Mahi Roundup check out their website for details. www.eastsideroundup.com
As always wishing y’all tight lines, fair winds, and following seas going into the weekend! If you’re looking to book a charter, submit a photo, or have a report to share reach out to me directly at chris@fishjax.org or visit www.fishjaxcharters.com.
Joe Pulido with a Mayport Mahi that’s almost as colorful as the man holding it.
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