Anglers of the State, UNITE!

On: Tue, Oct 5, 2010 at 11:36AM | By: Captain Vic Tison

I know, it's been a while. I got back to working a lot and when it's been as hot as it's been lately I just don't have the energy to write all these articles I write so my fishing reports happens to be the one that suffers. I have to get these other articles out at certain times, deadlines you know.

Anyway, everyone take notice! The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission are becoming more and more aware of how the anglers in this state feel about their fishing so they're wanting to "give back" a little to anglers. Remember the yellowmouth trout new limits starting July 27th? There is some talk about maybe allowing the anglers of the state of Florida in the North East and North West areas to be able to keep 2 redfish per person perday bag limit. The FWC wants to hear from us anglers.

PLEASE show up at the Deerwood Branch Public Library on Tuesday, November 23rd at 6:00 PM. The address is 10599 Deerwood Park Blvd. With all the environmental groups trying to take fishing away from the citizens of this great country, the anglers of this country simply cannot lay down and not participate. When the anglers do not show up it tells all these fisheries commissions that we don't care. The environmental groups show up and guess what, they get what they want byshowing up, because the anglers of this state and this country do not care enough to show up, and then want to gripe about the limits and new laws. We're going to loose it all. The old saying is very true: "the squeaky wheel gets the grease". The enviro-nuts are all together, banded in unison, one for all and all for onefora hugepurpose: to STOP US from fishing. Where are the anglers? Scattered all over, not banded together, fighting amongst each other. Inshore anglers not helping the offshore guys and gals, the freshwater anglers not caring about the saltwater guys and gals. You know where that is going to lead us? Off the water.

When Congress wants to pass a new gun law the NRA and its millions of membersstand up and stop it so quick by threatening to vote the bums out. The RFA, Recreational Fishing Alliance, has been the ONLY organization in this country that has actually started lawsuits from Texas to New York. All the other fishing organizations, like CCA and more, are all talk. Their BOD vote to decide what their members should have. I will not belong to any organization that doesn't care what their own members want. I will, however, put my money into the RFA. It's only $25 per year, and it's well worth it for them to go to Congress and the courts and state that they have this many members and WE ALL VOTE. That's the only thing Congressmen, women and Senators care about is who will vote for them. I call and write to each and every one of the candidates and plainly ask, "what is your position on fishing because that's how I'm deciding onwho to vote for". Either make yourself heard or loose it.

CREEKS:

Redfish in the creeks have been on one day and off the next. I think it's because of all the flood tides we've had over the past month and not only are they gorging onplenty of bait up in the flooded grass, but the anglers are hammering them up there also. Even though they're catching and releasing most of them they're still being caught. Spotted trout are finally starting to show more and more lately. Still a lot of shorties around, but there are a few, very few, real nice ones too. The flounder are showing up a little more and I sure hope this year's fall flounder run is better than 2009's. The mangrove snapper haven't showed up yet, but any day now they should show themselves. Black drum and sheepshead are in the creeks and there has actually been some real nice 22" drum and sheepshead up to 10 pounds in the creeks. Usually the drum in the creeks are short or just over legal size but this year seems to be different for them. There is still a few tarpon around along with the jacks and ladyfish.

RIVER:

We all know this is the time to play with the huge bull redfish. We've been catching them up to 48 pounds so far this season. Oversized redfish gather in schools and feed up getting ready to go offshore to spawn this time of the year. Play with a few for some good fights before most of them leave the middle of November.

The larger Virginia croakers just haven't made it down river so far. They're catching them up around the Shands Bridge and just South of the Buckman Bridge but they'll soon be here between downtown Jax. and the ocean. As soon as we get a little more rain about 100 miles South of Jacksonville you'll see them all of a sudden fire up. It's when the shrimp run gets flushed our way. The black drum that we've been catching in the river has been good but watch for that same shrimp run and you'll see them fire up more also. Spotted trout along the rock ledges, rock shorelines, and grassy shorelines. Mangrove snapper to show up any day now. Nice whiting in the sandier areas all of a sudden now. Will get getter and better. The yellow mouth trout, new limits, will be here any day now also. Sheepshead biting but more will come very soon. I'll be looking for them tomorrow as October is the month they show up in large numbers. Spanish mackerel in Nassau River too.

JETTIES:

October is THE month for the sheepshead to fire off. I love October for several reasons. The water temperatures start falling more and more and that just makes everything happen better and better. Yellow mouth trout, whiting, sea bass, and croakers all get better in October. The sheepshead and black drumreally start biting so good. That's why I get booked for October, November, and December ahead of time (although I still have some November and December dates open along with 2 dates in October). Loads of action during these months and you can take home plenty of dinner too. The redfish, some slot-sized, are biting out at the rocks along the same areas as the black drum, sheepshead, sharks, and tarpon. Just switch your bait up for some different action. Usually the sharks and tarpon will leave the end of October so get a pull on one while you can. It's a blast! Spanish mackerelare offthe tips of the rocks too.

SURF:

Whiting and a few black drum are biting in the surf and we should be looking for pompano any time now. Huge bull reds will be cruising the surf any time now checking out the pogie pods. Spanish mackerel and small bluefish are along the beaches too.

Remember, please carry your paper and plastic back to the docks and put it in the trash cans there. We can all help to keep our waterways clean. The enviro-nuts say they're all about conservation, but I don't see any of them out there cleaning up our shorelines except one day a year and I'm out there all the time. I'd see them if they were there. Let's show them we're better conservationists than they ever thought of being.

Posted In: Conservation, Fishing, Fishing Reports
Tags: redfish limits, jacksonville fishing, st johns river

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