2/3 - Brrrrrrr......not for all of us
I got a call on Tuesday night from Lima, Peru. It was Kirk M. a long time customer who's a Navy officer stationed there. The call wasn't all that surprising, because Kirk calls me from time to time on "SKYPE", and we talk for an hour at least, each time.
Kirk said, "you open, so we can go out on Wednesday afternoon?" I was a bit surprised. Because I knew he was coming to J-ville for work business, but his day wasn't booked till the 13th. He then explained how he was packing and heading to Florida early, and that he could be at the Mayport boat ramp, by noon on Wednesday.
Reminiscent of James Bond, Kirk is a savvy traveller. And he's not a guy to mess around, or "himm 'n haww" about a charter. When he says, "I'll be there." YOU can count on it. It doesn't matter how cold it is. How windy it is. The water could have ICE on it, and he's ready to go! And he has a HUGE tolerance to COLD.
Being a "native son" of those super tough folk from the great white north of....North Dakota. Kirk never seems to be dressed the same, as I am.
He ran across the Mayport Boat Ramp parking lot, from dashing in with his rental car, to the dock where I had the Jettywolf tied off ready to go. And I was in Grunden wind stopper fleece pants, long sleeve T-shirt, heavy sweatshirt with a hood, and my Grundens Fisherman's Jacket. Plus, I had my hood up and over my "hat" wearin' head.
Kirk had a light jacket on. No hood, no hat. Just his lowered Navy ears out there in the wind. I said, "Dang Kirk, I have a hooded sweatshirt in my truck, ya want to wear it so ya have a hood?" "Naaww.... I'll be fine, let's go." He said.
What do I always say? "A sweatshirt is just a sweatshirt, but one with a HOOD is a friend!"
It was max high tide. The wind was blowing from the N.N.E. I had one game plan. Fish the creeks.....or at least what I call, creek fishing. So we started in Hannah Mills area. But good gawd the tide was so high with no sign of it falling any time soon. So we left out of there and went back to the Sisters Creek Bridge. The current was rippin' there. So we eased up into East Hannah Mills, I guess folks call it. There we found current and as the tide fell we caught some Trout. Small ones. But we at least got bit.
Kirk worked a float-rig and live shrimp. I worked a popping cork, with my hot new float/cork lure under it.
I knew it was gonna be a tough afternoon. Being we had high water, N.E. winds, cold, and zero....nada.....no sun shine at all. At least sun shine would have warmed our bones a bit and with it possibly sparked a decent bite of fish. But Kirk knows. He's a very experienced angler. He always says to me, "Dave I'm your easiest charter. No stress here."
So we just hopped from point to point up in the creeks. Finding areas where there was current running down the bank. Catching a few here and there. But I brought some ice. That meant a Sheepshead, Drum, or Redfish.....more like a little Redfish, is what I wanted to put in the box. (since Specks are closed now)
We always have a great time together, that's for sure. When I started in this business 14 years ago, Kirk is the kind of customer I always wanted to have aboard. Laughing and cutting up and yelling at the fish in the water, or bait stealers we couldn't even see. We just had plain "cold weather fishin" fun.
I was very surprised how well I did casting my "home made popping cork-clicker rig", with my hot lil' lure. If a Trout see's it, the fish is gonna eat it. Because every bite bite I had caught a Trout. There's no half hearted take down's of my cork. It's Pop-pop, fish on!! And I like that. In shallow water, 3-6 feet it's like fishing a lure, without all the casting. Because I still let it drift along with the current, and no re-baiting, and no pinner (pinfish) bites Interesting......huh? I also tossed a 3/8ths oz jig and a Bass Assassin "chicken on a chain" Sea Shad.
We worked our way out of the Sisters creek area and to the lil' Jetties. Fished around there, but the tide was still too high. Then, we ended up back into shallow water.......really shallow water! (for me, at least) We picked up a few more Trout and Kirk caught a nice one, that would have been in the box if we were able to keep Specks.
Does Kirk look cold? Well if the camera was turned around pointing at me you would have seen "hat plus hood, Dave". But as the day got closer to sun down, the wind faded off nicely to a mere puff. We fished awhile longer and moved about the area. Picked up another small Speck.
And even though Kirk and I have caught on a windy winter day as many as 28 Redfish from 16-28 inches on this exact same spot, a few years ago. Just goes to show ya how things change. Especially on a year when the water temp took such a dive, south. But heck, we caught fish. And as you can see in these photos it wasn't a Florida sunshine kinda day.
But, dang we had a good time. And no matter what, that's what it's all about. Especially, when your customer flies all the way from Lima, Peru to go fishing with you. (not really, but almost)
Saturday: 15-20 knots out of the Northwest
SUPER BOWL SUNDAY- 10 KNOTS OUT OF THE NORTHWEST. It's gonna be way more fishable Sunday.....withless people around?
IF SO, I'LL TAKE $50 OFF FOR A 1 PASSENGER, SUPER BOWL SUNDAY CHARTER, FOR UP TO 6 HRS.
Departure 8-8:30am
Captain Dave Sipler's Sport Fishing
904-642-9546
charters@captdaves.com
JacksonvilleFishingReports.blogspot.com
Nice read! I love those shallow water trout!
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