Here's a Clean Boating Act of 2008 update as it sits now. My letters to the Governor, Senators and Congressmen are being heard. Anglers had better speak up or we're going to loose a lot of privileges and it'll cost you thousands of dollars to fit your boats with the discharge treatment plant.
Here's just one response I received so far from Senator Bill Nelson.
Dear Mr. Tison:
Thank you for contacting me regarding exemptions from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations for recreational boating. Recreational boaters do not need to obtain operating permits from the EPA, but a recent court decision threatened to eliminate this exemption in September 2008.
I introduced the Clean Boating Act of 2008 (S. 2766) to ensure that recreational boaters can operate as they always have--without EPA permits. To help protect the health of the nation's waterways, on which recreational boaters depend, the bill also would require the EPA to examine best-management practices for boaters. The bill passed the House and Senate unanimously on July 22.
I also cosponsored S. 3298, which would establish a two-year moratorium on incidental discharge permits for commercial fishing vessels and for all other commercial boats under 79 feet while the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducts an environmental impact study on vessel discharges. This bill passed both houses of Congress on the same day as the Clean Boating Act.
I am committed to preserving Florida’s waterways without placing an undue burden on boaters. I appreciate your interest in this issue, and I hope you will not hesitate to contact me in the future.
CREEKS:
The redfish in the creeks are on and off this past week. During the first part of the week they were doing good then slowed down the last couple of days and I think that was due partly because of that low pressure spinning around almost on top of us. It's now moving up the coast so the bite should get better and better again as the barometer should be rising again. The flounder in the creeks have been showing up more and more. They're not as large as the flounder will be later on in the year during our 'fall flounder run' but you can sure luck up on some 4 to 6 pounders during the summer if you concentrate on them enough. Spotted trout are still downtown and south of downtown Jacksonville as the salinity line just keep staying down that way this year. We actually need some rain about 100 to 125 miles south of here to flush the salt-line back to where it usually is. I know, we're having rain almost each and every day but when it rains here the fresh water gets flushed out too quickly to make a difference. Schools of hungry jacks blow up here and there so keep a top water lure tied on for some fun action when you see the water surface start to explode. Just drive right up to the splashing water and cast out and hang on.
JETTIES:
The action at the jetties has picked up for some real rod-bending. Bull, (oversized) redfish, tarpon, bull sharks, black tip sharks, nurse sharks, larger jacks, a few cobia and even a few kingfish are being caught at the rocks and just outside. Believe it or not there are a few black drum still around. I don't ever recall black drum staying around here this late in the summer but we've caught some 4 to 12 pounders and friends of mine are saying they're still catching a few also.
Whiting and yellow mouth trout are hit and miss right now but should be picking up better this time of the year. Some small sea bass with a few nice sized ones mixed in at the rocks and the mangrove snapper are looking better than last year's crop. I can't wait for sheepshead season. Come on October!
How would you like to spend two hours chasing a king-sized shark like Skip and Steve did this day. Man, can that Shakespeare Ugly Stick take the punishment!
RIVER:
Bull redfish, black drum, yellow mouth trout, whiting and small croakers are all hitting in the rivers now. We've even caught some yellow mouth large enough to eat a 5" croaker. Now that's nice. If you're lucky enough to find one of the "secret spots" some people are hitting the croakers are nice sized ones, especially for this time of the year. I've actually had people show me some 1 1/2 and 2 pound croakers at the ramps but they sure aren't going to tell you where they're getting them. I know down around the Buckman Bridge usually during July and August they're some real nice croakers but I really haven't found any over 1 1/2 pounds myself.
Schools of jacks are up and down the river. Just look for splashing surface water and drive to them in a hurry. They're be back down and schooling bait up again and may show up 500' away from that spot. Spotted trout downtown and south of downtown to past the Buckman Bridge.
Here's a couple of nice river-reds.
SURF:
Kingfish in the surf? Yes. They're regularly catching kings right off the pier now. I've actually seen photos of three up to 40 pounds that was caught in the last few days. There was a nice tarpon hooked up at the pier yesterday also. Whiting and pompano are hitting Ok. I wouldn't say it's really hot for these two species but you can catch enough for dinner. Flounder and black drum are being caught in the surf along with a few redfish. Of course the sharks are out there too so be careful not to wade out, especially if you smell like bait.
OFFSHORE:
My good friend Captain Chad Starling of Team Buck Rogers Fishing Charters tells me the hottest thing going right now is Kingfish. Slow trolling or drifting with live bait will work best. Several 40's and a couple 50's have been caught during tournaments this year. Several sailfish have been hooked over the past few weeks. Live bait or skirted ballyhoo work best. Please take the time to revive these fish; take your picture and get them back in the water as soon as possible. Amberjacks are running a close second. Live bait over artificial wrecks or butterfly jigs work great for amberjack and fish in the 40lb range have been pretty regular. Make sure you have heavy gear and you have the drag set right because they will test your equipment and your back! They love a big bait. Grunts and beeliners are probably best. Make sure the bait is really frisky though. They like a challenge. If the bait is half dead, they will swim by it all day without eating. If your bait makes a run for it, hold on! If you have back problems, they will either fix it or make it worse. Bottom fishing has been red hot for red snapper, vermillion snapper, mangrove snapper, and some grouper. Vermillions up to 3 lbs have been coming over the rails if you make it outside 25 miles.
Please everyone, let's keep the sandwich and snack wrappers, drink cans and fishing line out of our waterways. If we all take our trash back to the cans at the ramp we can sure improve the quality of our favorite past time and save our waterways for our children and grandchildren.
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
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