0 Comments | Florida Times Union, Jul 24, 2010 | by Capt. Jim Johnson
Seas were choppy last week and the surf rough with a strong undercurrent due to persistent southeast winds. Those strong southeast winds did give us a nice breeze, alleviating some of the 90-degree temperatures – just a little. High tide for today is 8:11 a.m. and the low will occur around 1:57 p.m.
Anglers who will be slow- trolling the reefs with live bait can expect plenty of action from kingfish if you can get it gaffed and into the boat before a barracuda takes a big bite from your catch.
Along with barracuda and kingfish you can expect to catch amberjack, cobia and blacktip sharks along with the occasional dolphin.
Bottom anglers are catching grouper and snapper, but remember to release the snapper because recreational fishing for snapper is still closed.
There has been plenty of live bait available at the buoy line and the inshore reefs and wrecks. But for good measure, I recommend bringing along a box of cigar minnows or Spanish sardines in case the live bait has moved.
Sharks, bull reds, tarpon and the occasional cobia are still being found among the pogy pods cruising the near-shore waters of Amelia and Cumberland islands. The tips of the north and south jetties and near the by-catch of shrimp boats have also been producing many of these species.
Cast-netting pogy or jigging up greenies at the tip of the north or south jetty will give you plenty of live bait this time of year.
Anglers should fish with a live shrimp, mud minnow or finger mullet along the rocks of the north or south jetty for slot reds, trout or flounder. The last couple hours of the outgoing tide and all through the incoming is usually the tide to fish at either jetty.
There are large schools of glass minnows, small pogies and small mullet cruising the backwaters. Predators are exploding into these pods of live bait. This will be a great weekend for topwater plug casting around these many schools of live bait.
Flounder, trout and redfish are being caught in the creeks and mouths of our tributaries. Many reports of nice-sized flounder have come in this week, as well as a lot of undersized redfish being caught. If these small fish stay in our area, we are going to have some great redfishing this fall.
The surf was rough this past week with strong undercurrents hampering even the most seasoned surf angler. Many said they were even having trouble holding bottom with a sputnik sinker.
Whiting, puppy drum, bonnethead sharks, and pompano were reported to have been caught this past week on the slower moving tide. Flounder are being reported from the banks of Fort Clinch State Park and Amelia Island State Park
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