It’s been another beautiful spring week along the First Coast with some great weather and a few windy days mixed in. The fishing is as good as it gets in our local waters right now. With just about everything on the menu from backwater stalking Redfish to Bluewater Mahi fishing it’s hard to choose what to do some days!
Inshore the bite this week has been pretty much wide open on all the major local slam species of Redfish, Trout, and Flounder. We’re seeing Redfish in smaller groups patrolling the grass lines and oyster bars. The larger Trout have been pushing back into shallower water as the mullet fill in and the creeks warm up. The spring Flounder migration is on with fish moving from offshore towards nearshore spots and into the river and ICW chasing all the mullet and pogies.
Off the beach the Whiting are still here with some slot size Black Drum and the occasional Redfish mixed in. We’re not seeing as many Bluefish as last month especially those giants that were here for a couple weeks. The much anticipated Pompano run is just starting to happen along our local beaches. Reports have been a little better to our South still but expect to see more fish filling in this week and through mid May should be really good for Pompano surf fishing.
The radio chatter was hot out deep last weekend with a great Mahi bite from Vilano and Mayport. We had a good push of fish move in with both high quality and quantities of Mahi caught over the weekend. There’s still been some Blackfin Tuna around with a few caught shallow on the party grounds which is normal for spring. We’re into that time of year where the smaller boats have a good shot of getting on some blue water pelagic fishing at the party grounds 15-25 miles offshore. Every spring we see some action well inside the ledge, look for weather windows after a few days of East or South East winds push in clean water and life on those shallower areas.
Even if Mahi and Tuna are your main goals on a ledge trip it’s always good to have a few bottom rods and a box of squid to save the day when the Mahi don’t want to play. We catch plenty of Mahi and Blackfin while bottom fishing by sending a small live bait out the back on a flatline and having a few jigs ready on pitch rods for when the school shows up under the boat while you’re on anchor. The bottom fishing has been good all year and with our shortened Grouper season starting May 1st it’s about to be go time for getting on some keeper Gags and Scamps. The staples of Triggerfish and Vermilion snapper are always on the menu if going deep and the bites held steady for them over the last few trips.
Now for the section many of you fellow addicts were probably skimming ahead for. For the last couple weeks the spring Cobia run has been on along the First Coast. With good conditions last weekend there were a flood of mixed reports coming in from Matanzas through Mayport. Like the last few years we have seen plenty of Manta Rays but with only a few holding Cobia. I have racked up the days the last few weeks running Cobia charters and the key to success has been trying to make the most of the shots that we do find. Having multiple baits ready, staying off the Rays and making long casts, fishing slow and being patient. Despite the overall slow fishing we've made a few memorable catches so far this season. Fish number one stands out, a 40 plus pound free swimmer that Justin Quintal hooked right beside the boat. Another highlight was Allen Andone landing his first Cobia on fly last week after a few seasons of trying. All saltwater fly fishing is difficult. Fly fishing for beach run Cobia is right up near the top of the difficulty ladder. Distance and Accuracy both are equally important, there's no blind casting this is pure sight fishing. I can only put the boat in a place to take a shot. The angler has to make it count, feed that fish the fly. Accurately casting from a moving boat, to a Cobia that's moving around a Manta Ray, and teasing the eat from the fish, then successfully navigating the ensuing chaos of fighting a Cobia on the long rod is an ultimate test of a fly anglers patience and skill.
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.
Local legend Justin Quintal stuck the first Cobia of the beach season with me a few weeks ago, 30 catches later as we approach the end of this year’s run he still holds onto the lead for biggest fish with this giant free swimmer.
Riley Malling and his dad Scott had a memorable day on the water last week capped off by this awesome Trout on fly! It’s great seeing a new generation of local fly anglers getting into the sport at a young age!
Allen Andone and I share a love for fly fishing, it was awesome being a part of his first Cobia on the fly rod.
Comments