Fernandina Beach to Flagler Beach
Includes Jacksonville and St. Augustine.

Nov. 20-22

Inshore

The wind has finally calmed down after weeks of relentless havoc. Fishing has not been as hot as most would suspect. Trying to figure out the puzzle has started all over again. My personal attitude was to get back in the small creeks where water clarity has been very good and try my hand at sight fishing for redfish with small crank baits. Though tides have not dropped super shallow for most, redfish were there to be seen and either grouped up in schools or a lone single aggressively pounding the bank. I like a 1xs Strike King crank bait or a Flat Crank from Yozuri but recently have become attached to the Rapala Super Shallow X Rap. All lures work well in the natural silver black patterns.

From Fernandina south to St. Augustine in most creeks you can get a boat in, or a kayak, and this is an easy, fun way to catch upper slot redfish and explore new water with these exceptional search baits.

Accharters.net reports speckled trout, redfish and flounder mixed at creekmouths and structured banks off the main intracoastal or Bells and Jolly Rivers. Sheephead have turned on slightly at the St.Marys jetties. The Mesa Marsh Pirate on the upper Nassau River reported good numbers of keeper sized trout using live shrimp and popping corks. Lofton, Pumpkin Hill, and Alligator creeks are all holding.

Brown’s Creek Fish Camp reports a mixed bag of trout, black drum, flounder, whiting, and pompano in the Nassau river inlet and nearby Talbot island beaches.

Vic2fish.com reports out of Sister’s creek that it’s that time to fish for sheephead but, like flounder, they have fallen short of a stellar run so far this week. Vic instead has been staying on top of black drum to 25 lbs and a few upper slot redfish at the jetties and in the river to Dames Point. Also he reports on keeper trout in the Mill Cove area. When one species won’t cooperate try for one that will.

Don’t give up on those sheephead so fast. There are a few being caught and at least one close to 9 lbs that I was made aware of. Disappointed about flounder in the St. Johns? Try for them in the small creeks especially creek mouths on the outgoing tides. Inline spinnerbaits slowly dragged with a plastic grub or a live mud minnow have been effective.

Avid Angler bait and tackle in St. Augustine reports flounder have been biting but most fish are small. One 10-pounder made it to their scales the past week.

Devil’s Elbow Fish Camp in south St. Augustine reports black drum at the Matanzas inlet, sheephead around the bridge pilings and speckled trout around docks or creek mouths in the keeper size.

Offshore

The ocean has been a washing machine for the last couple of weeks but is finally starting to calm a bit.

Accharters.net reports from Fernandina that snapper and grouper were found close--60ft with double digit numbers of sea bass, a few oversized redfish and triggerfish on recent trips.

C&H lures and new Salt Life store report that Charles Erickson had a banner day at the ledge Sunday with 7 sailfish with numerous sightings. Dolphin to 25 lbs and a few lost wahoo finished up the day. Charles fished again this week and was goose egged which shows fish are moving but one great day out of two is well worth the trip to the ledge. Bottom fishing 10 to 15 miles out has been steady with catches snapper in the 10lb range consistent with most boats that got out.

It was good to see so many passionate fisherman expressing their concerns last week at the snapper closure hearings. The battle is not over and if there are any more hearings you should know about we will make sure everyone is well informed. The pictures in the Jacksonville Times were a testament that anglers in Jacksonville will stand up for all our rights. I was moved.

By Captain Roger Bump
bumpstraightjacket@comcast.net | www.captainrogerbump.com

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