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Sarasota Saltwater Report Updated December 25, 2009

Pompano are getting thicker on the Stephen's Point grass-flats just a little south and off of the Ringling home. Although the fishing has been improving throughout December, we had a slow start Wednesday afternoon. Due to the wind, I opted to fish the east side of the bay for a slower drift and less chop. We fished with live shrimp on and around the Stephen's Point grass-flats for two hours and hardly lost any bait. Then the wind slowed just a little and the fish started to chew. Pompano, large Spanish mackerel, 3 to 4 pound bluefish and some nice seatrout made our afternoon.
We also caught some large ladyfish in the mix. I am sure that my D.O.A. and Silly Willy jigs would have worked just as well as the live shrimp but I didn't want to take the time to re-rig or change our luck.

Earlier in the week I found a large school of Spanish mackerel just outside of New Pass by the small red and green markers. The birds were diving and the fish were boiling as they fed on the schools of baitfish. The macks were mostly small but keeper size. We did well with Silly Willy jigs, especially when we tipped them with a small belly strip from the mackerel we kept. Of course live bait was also working. Over the past few weeks, some the biggest mackerel we caught were in Big Pass, some almost 30" long.

There have been reports of some keeper size gag grouper being caught on the bay. I have not targeted them myself lately but I plan to do so soon. My favorite bait for them is fresh caught pinfish, not over night baits from the bait shop. Pinfish will almost always dive to the bottom, so no lead is needed. Most of the water depths you may fish on the bay are only 10 to 20 feet deep. When a pinfish dances on top of the water it is a good sign of predators below. If it is grouper below, you will see your bait simply disappear under the surface, not a surface blast like a bass would do. If your bait disappears, don't wait more then a few seconds and start cranking like mad until you feel the weight of the fish. Then set the hook hard and keep the fish moving away from the structure. I never like to fish over the structure on the bay. I cast to it so that I don't run off the larger fish.
I may mark a structure by dropping a marker to the side or behind it, out of my way but still giving me a reference point for casting. To have any consistency at bringing keeper size grouper to the boat, you need to use at least 20lb test line, 60lb test mono leader, stout 4/0 to 6/0 hook and lock down your drag. With grouper, you don't have the option to let them run.
Remember, this is for large bay grouper and not deep water offshore grouper.
This is a good starter method but not the only method for grouper on the bay.

Enjoy & Protect

Enjoy and Protect Capt. Bob Smith
sarasotafishing@verizon.net
2529 Temple Street, Sarasota, FL 34239
Phone: (941) 366-2159,
Cell: (941) 350-8583, Fax: (941) 362-4040
 

Northeast region quarterly fishing forecast

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I got serious about bass fishing the first minute I did it. After more than fifty years of serious bass fishing alot of experience and information has come my way. Alot of it through tought times and tough doings. Alot of it through the pure pleasure of pursuiting my favoritest pastime to its fullest. In the late 1960's bass fishing began to take leaps and bounds in popularity and in the sharing of information. Competition began! Not only did competition begin on the water but in the boating industry, tackle industry and clothing industry.

Those "jump suits" Ray Scott tried to put us all in are another story. My first bass boat was a pair of sneekers I used to wade the streams of Missouri in. Then came those 20" john boats that floated the streams. And one day we got a three horse to push that thing up a shoal. WOW! That was a treat back then. I guarantee you it was alot better than pulling a 20' john boat up a shoal. Later a 5 hp, then a ten, one day a hundred, and so on. Well, boats grew and finally trailers did.

I remember the first time I saw a Wonder State Trailer. Here was a trailer with a huge frame, giant 14 inch wheels and bearings you could lube from the outside. No need to take the wheel apart to lube the bearings. And.... YES!!! You DROVE, I say again...You DROVE the boat on the trailer. It was in the early 70's that I saw this trailer. If you were someone you had one of theese. That trailer set the prototype of design for other trailer manufacturers to follow. While Wonder State Trailers fell by the way side and is no longer manufacturing trailers, their original concept of a solid frame, large wheels, and a drive on platform remains the standard of trailer manufacturing.

Over all the years I have been in the public eye, or out dealing with the public I can't possibly imagine how many times I have been asked about bass boats. You know every one has an opinion and every one has a favorite. I do not remember ever answering a trailer question. The wrong trailer, or an improper trailer can lead to a world of problems. Most trailers are well made and will do the job. You can go to any boat dealer and select the boat of your choice. But, guess what, unless you special order a boat you get what ever trailer is under the boat. That should get you to thinking. Not that it is usually a problem. But there are some things to consider.

I have two bass boats now. So, I have two trailers. One boat is a 20 foot...all boat.... boat. And the other is a little shy of 18 feet with lots of back and a pointed front. Not as much weight. But, a well built boat. Each comes with the manufacturers trailer. Each trailer made to fit the boat it is under. Each trailer was manufactured by the boat manufacturer. There are trailer companies that manufacturer trailers for several different boat manufacturers.

I know your boat is important. One dealer can reduce the price of a boat package by short changing you on a trailer. You pay less and get less. Does it make a difference. Yes. A trailer is important. Think of a boat trailer as a frame. You would not put a subcompact frame under a pick-up truck body.

What to look for in a trailer. Things I have found in my years of pain and gain to be of importance. Does the trailer have enough guts to hold up the boat? Is the freame strong enough? Is the frame treated for the kind of water you will put your boat into? There is only one trailer tire to put on a boat trailer. If you go any where or do any towing, at all, the only trailer tire you should allow on your boat trailer is a Goodyear Marathon Trailer Radial!!!! These tires carry 50 lbs of pressure. I have NEVER had a problem with one. Some manufacturers put tires that look pretty on the trailer. Well.....my tire is supposed to hold my boat. It needs to be the best.

Was the trailer made with my boat brand and model in mind? If so, that is AWESOME! If not, look for another trailer. Does the trailer offer any kind of protection for occupants in a vehicle in the event the vehicle has a head on? Or if the boat is hit from the rear? Boats have been known to come through the back window of vehicles in head on collisions or in the event the boat is hit in the rear. What kind of protection is awailable? If the front eye of the boat is BELOW the front roller and the hook to the winch hooks on to the bow eye below the roller you are set. If not, there are chains and ties available that go from the trailer frame to the bow eye of the boat. Back tie downs are essential and valubale but, not very helpful in a collission. Back tie downs are designed to hold the boat on the trailer as it travels down the road- basically- to keep the boat from bouncing on the trailer.

Brakes!!! Essential!!! I HIGHLY reccommend disc brakes. They are easier to maintain and easier to take care of. They also work better and work longer. Years ago Chevrolet had an advertisement on television with a Chevy Luv Truck towing a railroad car. AWESOME display of power. Well...... they never showed you the truck trying to stop that railroad car. Think of your tow vehicle as the Luv Truck and the railroad car as your boat. What is the relationship of weight to weight? Your tow vehicle better be way more than what it is towing. Brakes help on the trailer, but, there is a limit. A four wheel drive goes great in the snow and ice, but, it stops the same as a two wheel drive. The best vehicles have four wheel disc brakes- most of the stopping power comes from the front brakes- front brakes on almost all vehicles are disc brakes- why not disc brakes on the trailer that carries your prized possession?

Look over the photo carefully. You will note that the axle and tires are gone. Where did they go? The trailer owner never found them. This trailer dissentigrated from under the boat. The owner had gone off to buy a new trailer while the pieces of the old trailer and boat laid on the road waiting for his return. Oh, they had to gather the pieces of the old trailer and put them by the boat that was dropped on the road.

Legendary Professiona Angler and Guide, Hugh Crumpler, takes his clients out catching in Stick Marsh and Farm 13, Florida. Hugh' website, www.HughCrumpler.Com offers guide service, photos, lake maps and more.

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Jacksonville Fishing Report Updated July 22, 2010

Ahoy there Anglers,



The fishing has been good even though it's been hot. The water temperature has heated up but there are certainly some strange things happening anyway. How about the sheepshead biting at the jetties and in the river? Can you believe the sheepshead are fired up? Now "fired up" during the summer time months isn't like the fall, winter and spring firing up but we've been catching anywhere from 10 to 20 sheepshead in the past couple of weeks. I certainly call that "fired up" for this time of the year. the black drum are another species that fires up during the cooler water temperatures in the fall, winter and spring but we're still catching them right in the middle of summer. Tarpon have been all up and down the rocks at the jetties when the tide slacks off. It doesn't seem to matter if it's high slack or low slack but they're out there before and after each change of tides.

The oil in the Gulf has finally been stopped for the most part. I sure hope they keep it stopped so many of the fishermen and women can enjoy their sport as well as make a living over there. I see that NOAA has re-opened some of the previously-closed areas to fishing. That's a relief to a lot of people over there.

CREEKS:
Big redfish in the creeks still. We've been catching them up to 33" this year. They're a blast! Nice slot-sized reds are biting too. The flounder are just starting to pick up now. We're catching a couple here and there when we really concentrate on them but the numbers are just not there. Everyone has been talking about the same thing, flounder and spotted sea trout. There is a few larger spotted trout in the creeks on the higher tides during the early mornings but after that people are catching small ones. Try slip-float fishing deeper down for more action on the trout.
Black drum and sheepshead are being caught in the creeks also. We've caught some good sheepshead in the creeks to about 1 to 4 pounds. The reason we're catching some sheepshead and black drum while redfish fishing is we've been using cut blue crabs in certain areas and that seems to be the ticket. A few mangrove snapper are in the creeks too. Mud minnows or live shrimp are the baits of choice for this species. Tarpon are moving into the creeks now also. Starting to see more and more of them.
Schools of jacks from 2 to 8 pounds will start splashing when they've got the bait schooled up. I love casting top waters to these guys. Check the ICW for some good action on the jacks too.


JETTIES:
Huge redfish, a few slot-sized redfish, black drum, sharks, jacks, tarpon, sea bass and loads of tiny croakers are what's happening mostly out at the rocks now. Redfish from 5 to 45 pounds are being caught along with 4 to 15 pound drum.
Whiting in the sandier areas along with some yellow mouth trout and there are a few legal-sized black sea bass at the stones too it's just most of them, hundreds, are too small to harvest.
Check out the tarpon mostly at the turn of the tides when the current slows enough to cast a live pogie or a big live mullet out in front of one. Most of the tarpon I've seen so far are along the inside of the South rocks. In looking for the jacks I like to be out there on the last of the incoming, high and first of the outgoing tides. They'll be splashing water 3' high and the birds will be all over them inside and outside the rocks. Catching and releasing large sharks are such a blast! Pound for pound you won't find a stronger fish to fight. A live pogie or small croaker either soaked on the bottom on the outgoing tide or suspended about 5' under a float during slack water is exciting. You can also freeline a pogie out if you're outside the rocks where there isn't as much current.



RIVER:
About the same as last month's report with one exception, sheepshead. The sheepshead are biting better than normal for this time of the year. Some real good-sized ones too. Whiting, yellow mouth trout, black drum and big bull redfish are the ticket in the river to bend a rod right now. A cut blue crab will get you a black drum or bull redfish. A dead shrimp can get you some nice dinner-sized whiting and yellow mouth trout and live shrimp or live mud minnows fished around the dock pilings can get you some nice mangrove snapper. I like fiddler crabs for the sheepshead. I haven't seen any tarpon in the river but they've got to go through there somewhere to get to the creeks. I haven't seen the schools of jacks I usually see in the river yet.


MILL COVE:
A few spotted sea trout, yellow mouth trout, whiting and redfish in the Cove. I like to check out the reds in the flooded grass during the higher tides and while doing so you can find an occasional sheepshead or two in the grass. The tarpon are moving in the Cove now also but most of them are still at the jetties. A couple flounder here and there but looking for them being concentrated is tough. I sure hope the fall flounder run is better this year than last.

SURF:
The surf report I get from Rick at Rick's Bait & Tackle saying the whiting are still doing good along with some nice black drum and redfish being caught in the surf. He mentioned people are catching flounder around the pilings of the Jax. Beach Pier. People are also float-fishing for spotted sea trout and catching quite a few at the Pier. Rick has said they've caught some real nice kingfish right off the end of the Pier this season.

That's about it for now. Please remember to bring a trash bag out with you and bring your trash back to the dock. There are trash cans at every ramp and at every park. Please help keep our waterways clean and trash-free.


You can say what you want about the South but,
you never hear of anyone retiring and moving up North,,,

Captain Vic Tison, USCG Licensed
P. O. Box 122
Jacksonville, Florida 32219
Phone Number: (904) 765-4936
or pager (904) 636-4987
VIC2FISH@aol.com
 

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