Northeast Florida Forecast

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Fernandina Beach to Flagler Beach

Capt. Roger Bump covers inshore and offshore fishing in Northeast Florida from Fernandina Beach to Flagler Beach, including Jacksonville and Saint Augustine.

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Action Spotter Podcast

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February 2 - 4 

The winter has been a lot of days with strong winds and very few with light winds. This Saturday may be light enough to get out and Sunday is a definite no. Wahoo is not something you can plan on a specific day. It’s the day that opens itself, weather permitting for you to decide to get out and you better take the opportunity or possibly wait weeks. We are heading into February where things can get more active for wahoo and can provide more opportunities for larger fish. If you do decide to try Saturday high-speed trolling would be the way to go. 
Cover a lot of water fast and get home safe. Bottom fishing has been slow or not many people have been able to get out. One thing is for sure, the farther and deeper you can travel away from shore the better the fishing. The few reports I have gotten have been sea bass, vermilion and triggerfish started at 140 feet. 

Inshore

It was cold this past week but most days had a lot of sunshine. The thing about the Florida sunshine is can heat up shallow mud flats and that attracts a variety of species. Sight-fishing anglers should be noticing redfish, black drum and even sheepshead schooling around shallow oyster beds. Great natural baits to try in these shallow sunny conditions are live shrimp or a live fiddler crab pitched on a lightweight jig head or Carolina rig. Lure anglers will want to try shrimp imitation lures such as D.O.A or small crab imitators. Trout will be in those very shallow waters also but it will be a lot harder to sight fish them. Better to blind cast. I prefer small lipped diver suspending hard baits for trout. Soft plastic swim baits also work well, that is why I would have a couple of rods rigged with both lures. Black drum in the 3- to 6-pound range are also running in the deeper corners of small creeks. Try fresh dead shrimp on the bottom for them. Sheepshead have also picked inshore near jetties, pilings, oyster beds and any shell-encrusted structure. Fiddler crabs are available at most bait stores, so no excuses. I have found best sheepshead fishing in water depths of two to five feet. Overall should be another great weekend to get out, good luck.

Capt. Roger Bump
(904)866-8055
Email Roger Bump
www.jacksonvillefishingtrips.com