Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Jacksonville Fishing report 1-19-10

Tuesday, January 19, 2010
1/19 - Recovering..... s-l-o-w-l-y

As I said in yesterday's non-fishing report post (I got a wild hair) I was heading out with DOA Rob today on his boat. Don't believe Rob had the same thing I had in mind, as today's goal. Because he went and "stuck it too me". Yeah, what a bud. Let me explain.....

As you may know I'm a serious R & D'er. I like to take a day and go throw a lure, try a different spot, play with a new reel, etc. Today, I had plans on trying a HOT new lure, I got my hands on. Problem was Rob just had to have one. So I gave him a sample. And what does he do? He goes out yesterday in his Kayak and catches 30 Trout (boxes a limit) and a few Reds on them. "Hey, it wasn't official but Tuesday was suppose to be the R&D day." I said.

So either way, he wasn't using the lure for it's actual intended purpose any way. Remember, he's a caster, a caster of the DOA shrimp. So what ever he did, didn't matter to me. So I said, let's try float-rig fishing the _______ area, and then we can go and check out the ______ afterwards, with the new lure. B&M bait and tackle had plenty of live shrimp this morning. So we were all set.

First spot, not a Trout to be had. Never lost a single shrimp,either of us. And just on the 7th of the month me and Dave R. caught real nice Trout here. Oh well, I'm used to the inconsistancy.....hell, it's Jacksonville. So we moved on up into a creek area, as the tide continued to flood in.

The catching at first was tough. As we buzzed around on the trolling motor. But we finally did stop, anchored up and fished. According to Rob, it was to appease me. And because I was catching a few Trout on a popping cork and my new lure.

sea trout on popping cork

The Trout were all small. So we again, moved on. As we moved on the trolling motor we were still catching small Trout.

Then, I pitched up to a nice looking bank with the current pushing against it. Popped my cork twice and it went under with authority. I said to Rob, "Damn, now this is a better fish". Rob replies, "ya got a Red!" The water's barely 50 degrees, and no fish seems to be fighting at their best, but this wasn't a 14 inch Trout either.

It turned out to be my first ever popping cork, with a lure, Sheepshead!

sheepshead on popping cork

sheepshead with lure

As we got way, way back in this creek the tide turned. And we did a loop and came back to the main creek and stopped and anchored on the bank with all the Trout. And I caught four in a row. Rob was catching them too. But no Reds......"Hell, I'll take a pup even", I said to Rob. So we both broke out the live shrimp and float-rigs and worked the shell bank. And can ya believe, not a bite. I picked back up my popping cork and lure and caught a Trout right away. Rob put away his float-rig and grabbed a jig and finally caught a Red. Then another, then another......and so on. All small puppers. But something different on the hook at least. I kept on pitching and popping. No Reds for Dave. Just Trout.

Rob really wanted to get out here, and head straight to where he caught his Trout yesterday. And then we had the discussion about; challenges, different areas, and new scenery, versus going to the same ole places all the time. Fish or no fish. Personally, I get so damn bored fishing the same places, same town, same state. Most people I know don't think like I do. For me it's all about business, learning ways to get others on fish, places to go, etc. And I was kinda having a good time. Rob was kinda bent out of shape. He'll thank me one day.

A saying I always go by is; "don't leave fish to go find fish." The exception is Jacks, Ladyfish, Toadfish....ya get my drift.

We were easily over 20 Trout, and at least 10 pupper Reds. And still just the "one" Sheepshead in the fish box. As we worked our way out of the creek and went back to the morning spot on the falling tide to try our hand at float-rig fishing it again......and again, No luck.

Rob thought he knew all about the area, but the low tide helped him learn where the literal in's and out's of the creek were, because at low tide, there's hardly any water. Heck, I'm in a 26 footer and I go in and out of this creek. Today, we were in a 17 footer! Don't believe we'll really have a problem. But Rob's other craft is a Hobie Kayak. So he thinks his 17 footer draws alot of water.

I was happy though. My Hot new lure was, HOT! And my own hand made clicking-popping corks that are for long distance casting worked great. (versus those "cajun thunder" light weight clickin floats) That's what I do for YOU my customers. I go do, "Research and Development".

Yeah, this creek we were in isn't the last word in fish filled creeks, by any means. There was fish. But fish too small.

The water temp rose as the tide fell a solid 4 degrees according to our constant montoring. And at dead low it was 54-55, compared to the 50 in the morning on the surface.

I still have plenty of R&D to do with my new lure, before I let the cat outa the bag. But it looks to have huge potential for what I have planned for it. Yes, I have a lot more plans than what we did today.

Hold on. I'll tell ya about it all in good time.
Posted by Capt. Dave Sipler at 1/19/2010

Captain Dave Sipler's Sport Fishing
904-642-9546
charters@captdaves.com
JacksonvilleFishingReports.blogspot.com

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