Ahoy there Anglers,
COMMENT PERIOD ON NATIONAL REGISTRY ENDS TODAY
NMFS extended the comment period on the proposed rule to establish the National Saltwater Angler Registry Program. NMFS received a request from the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council to extend the deadline beyond its 60-day comment period until a date following the Council's August 11-15 meeting. The extension of the comment period for ten days allowed the Council to adopt comments during its meeting and to submit them before the comment period closes, and allowed other interested parties additional time to submit comments. The comment deadline was extended from August 11, 2008, to August 21, 2008.
Now let's see how much this will cost us to register to fish in saltwater each year. I thought a fishing license was registering to fish but nooooo. Someone needs more money.
ANNUAL CATCH LIMITS AND ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES
NMFS extends the public comment period on the proposed rule to revise National Standard 1 (NS1) guidelines, including guidance on how to comply with new annual catch limit (ACL) and accountability measures (AM) requirements for ending overfishing of fisheries managed by federal fishery management plans. NMFS has received various requests to extend the comment period for the proposed rule beyond its current 90-day comment period. The extension of the comment period for another two weeks is intended to ensure that NMFS provides adequate time for various stakeholders and members of the public to comment on the proposed guidance on ACLs and AMs and other proposed revisions to the NS1 guidelines. The comment period ending date is extended from September 8, 2008, to September 22, 2008.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before September 22, 2008.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by 0648-AV60, by any of the following methods:
Electronic submissions: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking portal: http://www.regulations.gov;
Fax: 301-713-1193, Attn: Mark Millikin;
Mail: Mark R. Millikin, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13357, Silver Spring, MD 20910
(mark outside of envelope ``Comments on Annual Catch Limits proposed rule'');
Boat Anglers Avoid Federal Regulation, Big Fines.
You could have been slapped with a $32,500 fine... all for just running your bilge pump. Or letting rain run-off your boat, or pumping water from your livewell. Luckily, that shipwreck has been averted thanks to a government act that, well, disregards a government act.
In 2006, a federal judge's ruling lumped fishing boats in with commercial vessels which must follow strict rules about water discharge. Commercial vessels must get special permits and are subject to an incredible number of regulations about water-based liquids from their rigs for the purposes of pollution control. It would have also required water treatment plants on board to treat ANY discharged water from inside your boat and even the cooling water going through your engine.
If a vessel fails to meet such a rule, it faces a fine up to $32,500 per day. And the way things stood, so would your small inshore boat starting Sept. 30, if you didn't go through the process of getting a permit. But President George W. Bush recently signed the The Clean Boating Act of 2008 (S. 2766) into law, which re-established the fact that small boats are free from such stringent regulations.
Now you can e-mail your friends the coast is clear. And by the way, 39 congressmen co-sponsored the bill... which proves Washington isn't totally void of common sense.
Thanks to all who wrote the politicians to get this done. Now we only have a two year moratorium on this bill so be sure to look for it coming back up in the forefront soon. We'll have to continue the fight for common sense when it does.
Well, here we are at the turn of the season again. When it gets into July and August then I just can't wait until September and the cooler water temperatures and then, oh boy, October! October is the time I look forward to each and every year. October and November are a couple of the best redfish fishing months, spotted trout seem to be hungrier, the black drum become more numerous, the whiting bite becomes better and of course my winter-time favorite the sheepshead will be firing up! Are we there yet? I can't wait!
CREEKS:
Redfish are hitting better than they were last month and that is usual. Good catches of slot-sized reds along with the few oversized ones in the creeks as a bonus of fun on light tackle. Try top waters as the water temperatures cool down. My favorites are MirrOlure's Top Pups and Top Dog Jr.'s, Rapala's Skitter Walks and of course my ol' faithful the Super Spook Jr.'s. Try the Bomber Long A's for some great spotted trout action. Flounder are cooperating better this year so I bet this year's 'fall-flounder-run' is going to be a blast. Jacks and ladyfish are fun on light tackle. It doesn't always have to be fish that you take home. Have some fun with these species with lures on light tackle. There have been some great tarpon from 30 to 50 pounds in Clapboard Creek, Cedar Creek and a few others and also a few in the Intracoastal Waterway. Nice sized mangrove snappers have shown up better this year and they are some great eating fish.
JETTIES:
Bull redfish, blacktip, nurse and bonnet head sharks are still at the jetties as usual and there have been a few bull sharks still hanging around and that's pretty uncommon for this time of the year. Whiting in the sandier areas along with some nice sized yellow mouth trout. Black drum are still at the rocks and that's as unusual as they are in the St. Johns River also this time of the year. Tarpon are being spotted at the tip of the rocks as well as along the sides of the rocks on the turn of the outgoing tides. Larger jacks and small bluefish are also in the areas either side of the rocks. A few flounder here and there inside as well as outside the rocks. Mangrove snapper are biting usually on the inside of the rocks.
RIVER:
Bull redfish are the most fun in the St. Johns River right now. Redfish to 50 pounds are being caught regularly again but some schools hold the 29" to 36" ones. Flounder are being caught at rock banks and at grass lines when the tides are higher. Spotted trout have shown back up better since we're getting quite a bit of rain South of us again. Tiny croakers are being caught by the hundreds and I've seen a lot of people keeping a bunch of these tiny fish. People, please let the majority of these fish grow up to at least the spawning size so we don't have another species overfished to the point of having limits imposed on these also. They'll be spawning in September and October and releasing their eggs to flow back South down the St. Johns River for next year's batch. This year's mangrove snapper have been nice size ones and not real hard to locate. Whiting are not as thick as they should be for this time of the year and try using cut bait for larger yellow mouth trout.
MILL COVE:
Spotted trout, redfish, flounder and black drum are what's happening best in the Cove. A few whiting and yellow mouth trout are in some of the areas but mostly seem to be smaller than in the main river. Jacks and ladyfish does not seem to be as numerous as they should be either. A few tarpon in the Cover but they just don't seem to want to bite anything. Bluefish are a nuisance when you get into them in there.
SURF:
Whiting and a few pompano are being caught in the surf now. The pompano are a bonus when you catch a few as they're not normal fare for this time of the year. Bluefish are a nuisance while surf fishing too. Kingfish are still being caught right on the Jax. Beach Pier along with hooking up a tarpon or two so you have a chance tying into one of those monsters while surf fishing also. Rick from Rick's Bait & Tackle told me that they have seen a lot of sheepshead around the pilings at the Pier now but when bait is put down in front of them there has been no takers yet.
OFFSHORE:
My good friend Captain Chad Starling of www.TeamBuckRogers.com tells me kingfish continue to be the offshore staple. The pogies seem to be showing up now and then and kingfish love them. You just have to check up and down the beach when you get out there. Trollers can also expect barracuda, sharks, and bonita. Bottom fishermen can expect red snapper, vermillion snapper, black sea bass, triggerfish, sharks, some grouper, and amberjack around structure and ledges. A few sailfish are being caught now also. The fish are still biting so get out there and catch your limit!
Let's ALL remember to keep our trash secured in our boats. All of us can help keep Northeast Florida's waterways clean. Whether you're inshore or offshore, WE can make a difference!
You can say what you want about the South but,
you never hear of anyone retiring and moving up North,,,
Captain Vic Tison
Co-Host of WOKV's 'Just Fishing' Radio Show, Saturdays 6:00am to 8:00am
United States Coast Guard Licensed Captain
International Game Fish Assoc. Certified Captain
Regional Director for the Florida Guides Assoc.
Member of the National Assoc. of Charterboat Operators
Member of the American Professional Captain's Association
Sponsor of The Inshore Saltwater Anglers Club
Vic2Fish & Adventures, Inc.
P O Box 28208
Jax., Fl. 32226
904-699-2285
Web Site http://vic2fish.com
Neither Captain Vic nor Vic2Fish & Adventures, Inc. claims any responsibility for any injury or loss of property arising out of any party using these Fishing Reports.
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