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Low Light Conditions for Trout
It won't be long before the shrimp move into the river and the
trout fishing at night will be on fire. With the warm temperatures and the lack
of rain, it won't be long before the trout start feeding at night. When
this happens you can have just about all of the fun that any angler could want
in a short period of time.
Here are some of the key items, that will help you get
prepared for this fun fishing.
1. The best times to go.
Try to pick a night that you have a falling tide about one
hour after sunset. For what ever reason, the trout seem to bite the best on the
falling water, when the summer weather patterns are here. Most of you should
have access to some sort of tide chart or table. For those of you that do not,
you can pick up a tide chart in just about any fish camp/ bait store. Now that
you have the chart you will probably want to know what you are looking for.
Under the column marked high tide, look for a high tide at Mayport around 8 to 9
pm. This means the water will be falling off of the high, hence, high outgoing
tide.
2. Understanding the tide chart.
Most of the best spots for this type of fishing are not at the
Mayport Jetties and this is where the tide chart gives the highs and lows. Here
is some help on understanding the chart. From Mayport the tide times will be
different depending on how far from the jetties you fish. The Blount Island area
is about 1 hour later than Mayport. The downtown area is about two to two
and a half hours later than Mayport. The Epping Forest area is about three hours
later than Mayport. (example: If the chart has the high tide at Mayport at 8:00
pm, the high tide at Blount Island will be about 9:00 pm.).
3. Finding a spot to catch these
trout.
I like to look for areas that are lighted, such as docks,
piers, bulkheads and bridges. Look for an area that has a good strong
current or in in an eddy area. An eddy is an area, usually near strong current
that has a backflow of current. This area will have a current that is going the
opposite way of the main current or the water will be swirling around in
circles. These are all areas the trout lurk, in search of the bait being swept
down stream.
4. What to do with the boat, boat
positioning.
Now that you have found a spot to try, either anchor your
boat, so you can throw your bait along the down current side and work it along
the edges. Remember what I say about putting your anchor down, send it over the
side GENTLY, do not throw it. Now that you are anchored, I would work this area
for about ten minutes and if you have not had a bite in that time, move to the
next spot. If you have a trolling motor, you can ease this over and use it
instead of putting the anchor down. Do not get on top of the area that you want
to fish. Stay back as far away as you can and still make good
cast.
5. The baits that I like to use.
If the fish are coming to the surface and striking or popping,
then I generally throw something that floats or floats and dives, such as the
MirrOlure, Top Pup, Provoker, or the 12 Fathom floating jig head with a 3 to 5
inch paddle tail minnow. If you do not see any surface action, then throw
something that sinks or dives, such as the Jaw Jacker lead head jig with a
curly tail rubber bait or a paddle tail minnow. You can also work the MirrOlure
Catch 2000 or the 52M.
6. Fly Fishing.
For the FLY FISHERMAN, just about any fly will work. I
have had great success with the Bearded Charlie, Bead Eye Charlie,
Clouser, Gotcha, Flexo Popper and the Albie Anchovie. Position the boat as I have described above and cast along the edges, let
the fly sink for a couple of seconds and start with short two inch strips and
work up to fast four to six inch strips.
7. Being prepared.
Here are a few cautions for night time fishing. Nothing looks
the same at night as it does in the daylight, there are shadows on the water
that look like things floating and there are things floating that you can not
see. The tug boats that you have complained about in the daytime for
making a big wake, will make much larger ones at night.
Local fishing action:
Offshore: The dolphin are wearing it out
about 40 to 50 miles out of Jacksonville and St. Augustine. Raymond McCauley and
his party had around 15 in the 20 to 30 pound class, this past
Saturday.
The second run of cobia are just south of St. Augustine, with
record numbers reported in the schools. The new cobia regulations for this
year are: One fish per person, not to exceed six fish per boat, with a minimum
size limit of 33 inches at the fork.
The bottom boats are still having banner catches of most of
the bottom fish (red snapper, grouper, seabass and vermilion snapper) with a few
more striking fish than last week.
Jetties: There are a few reds, drum and
sheepshead along the rocks. The were a few spanish at the tips this past Sunday.
There are some monster whiting at the end of the south jetties and along the
edges.
River and Creeks:
The creeks are full of trout and reds with too many small
jacks and 10 inch spanish,
Don't forget to watch Fun Fishing in Jacksonville, Tuesdays at
10:00 pm on cable channel 7 WTWN and in St. Augustine and St. Johns County,
Thursdays at 7:30 pm on cable channel 53 A1ATV and channel 22
A1ATV.
For charter information you can contact me at (904) 757-7550
or email me at funfish@mediaone.net.
Good Fishing
Capt. Jim Hammond
Here is a happy trio, The Guys, not the fish.
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