The Sheepshead bite has vastly improved in the river. The spawn is still rolling along and bigger females are popping up daily. The little Jetties are holding some really nice fish. You can expect to catch the big females in water depths ranging from 8 to 25 feet of water. With the recent drop of water temperature, you'll find a more consistent bite in deeper water. We caught a few larger fish at the little Jetties this week while targeting Red Fish. We missed a lot of bites while fishing chunked Blue Crab. There is no mistaking Sheepshead damage on a chunk of crab. The crab gets bitten off bit by bit. Every time we would drop down a chunk, it would get withered down to a knuckle or two. The Sheepshead were actually thicker on the bottom than the Bull Reds. Drop a Fiddler, or alternately, a chunk of Clam or a meshed Oyster, and hang on! In that current, you can expect a tussle you'll likely never forget.

Earlier I mentioned a "Meshed Oyster". What I'm referring to is a product from Mossy Bait Company https://www.wrapfishingsystem.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html.

They sell a kit that will allow you to inject pre-shucked Oyster via an injection syringe. The kit comes with a bag sleeve made of a fine mesh material similar to monofiliment line. Simply cut the sleeve into 1 inch sections. Once cut, you then inject the oyster bait into the 1 inch sleeve. Once in the sleeve, run the hook through the mesh material several times ensuring that the mesh can't come back off the hook. The oyster stays trapped in the mesh, but in a way that still allows the scent to escape. And because the mesh is so fine, the Sheepshead can still eat it without noticing the mesh itself. We tried the product this weekend and it out fished our Fiddler Crabs 3 to 1.

One fish you can nearly always bank on when you're expecting high winds and cold weather is Speckled Trout. When all else fails, the Trout can and often does save the day. Pair that with the fact that March and April is spawning season for Trout and you have the potential for big fish. The bite is definitely on fire right now. They can be found in a lot of areas including the creeks between Mayport Inlet and Trout River, as well as the ICW between Nassau Sound and the Jim King boat ramp. The bite is also going strong in the river from Trout River on towards the Inlet. The Inlet itself has been a strong source for bigger fish for over a month now and has been my "go to" choice for Trout.

The wind has been a problem for offshore fishing so for now, I won't have a blue water report. As soon as the weather cleans up a bit, Ill have some intel for you. I have a number of offshore captains working with me so you can expect to see some good information in the near future.

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For most anglers, when you think about lure fishing in saltwater, you think of creeks or salt flats. Essentially, skinny water. You might envision casting soft plastics, or suspending twitch baits such as the ever popular Mirrolure, Miradine. Those baits are tried and true, make no mistake, however, in a deep water situation, especially deep water with ripping currents, those baits quickly lose their effectiveness. A soft plastic paddle tail can work in both situations, however if you're like me and get more enjoyment out of fishing hard baits, this leaves you looking for other options.

So, what is it about fishing deep water with heavy current that takes away the effectiveness of lipless twitch baits? There are two problems.

1) heavy current takes away your ability to control a suspending, lipless, twitch bait. When casting towards a bank, retrieving across a strong running parallel current, your main line is quickly grabbed by the current, forming a bow in your line. Once this happens, you can no longer control your retrieval. This also negates your ability to pause your retrieval. Since the current is carrying your lure at a quick pace, the lure never stops moving. Also, with the current pulling on the lure, the constant tension takes away the lures ability to stay low enough in the strike zone. Even slow or fast sinking lures have problems staying in the strike zone in this situation.

2) Bottom structure is the second hurdle in this situation. Jigs can get down enough in fast current to reach the bottom, but then you run into problems with snagging the structure. Even if you manage to get a sinking twitch bait down enough to reach the bottom, you then have to contend with the likelihood that the bottom structure will claim those lures as well.

So, how do you get around this situation? Time your trips with slower tide periods? Yes, you can go that route, however, in most spots in my experience, the fish are most active while currents are at their peak. So for me, fishing fast currents is a must. The answer to this problem is simpler than you may think, crank baits or lipped twitch baits such as the Rapala XRap, Bomber Long A, or virtually any floating, lipped lure model that exists.

The reason crank baits are the answer to the problems listed above have to do with the baits plastic lip. I mentioned earlier that casting across fast current forms a bow in the line and in turn takes away your ability to control a lure. Lipped baits, when caught in fast current will stall due to drag caused by the plastic lip being pulled into the current. this situation is similar to the mechanics of a drift sock on a boat. The drag created by the lures lip slows the movement, and in turn, reduces the amount of bow that can form in the main line. This gives the lure a more direct connection to the rod tip and in turn, better control over the lure.

The other force at work here that makes lipped baits work best in current is that the current forces the lure to dive. When pulled into current, the lure will dive to it's maximum allowable depth. Bare in mind that even in the most ridiculous current, a floating lure will never dive beyond its maximum rated dive depth. This is important because we are choosing a lure that will dive to a depth close to the bottom without ever actually touching the bottom. So with that said, we're able to control our lure in current, we're reaching our strike zone, and we're accomplishing this without snagging. The final silver lining is that when you twitch a lipped bait, your pauses are actually stopping the lure. Rather than skimming along with the current, the lures lip creates enough drag against the current that your pause actually stops, or dramatically slows your retrieval when attempting to do so.

The above reasons are also why you can fish lipped baits in windy conditions and still have control over your presentation. Simply target locations where the wind will carry your casts and you can defy mother nature.

These reasons are why anglers can be deadly productive fishing deep river shoulders with cranking style baits.

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The easiest, and most consistent bait for Tarpon is live bait. Several live bait options work great including: large live Mullet, Croaker, Menhaden, Thread Fin Herring, Needle Fish, Pin Fish, and smaller Lady Fish. Yes, a small Lady Fish is absolutely killer live bait for Tarpon. They also stay alive on a hook remarkably well.

My personal preference is most definitely live Menhaden. Menhaden, or Pogy as they're locally called, is heavily targeted by Tarpon on the beach. The fact that you can load up hundreds in one cast of the net is another reason they're at the top of the list. Another added benefit is that Pogy stay lively on a hook, except, without being so agile that the Tarpon have difficulty catching them. This is a bigger deal than you might think. When the barometer is high and see temps are in the mid to high 80's, Tarpon can and often do get lethargic. When Tarpon get to this point, you can't beat the effectiveness of a live Pogy.

There are a number of ways to fish live bait. All of which have a situation or application that apply. For example, when fishing a Pogy pod with a flat lined bait, it's good to hook your bait under the tail or belly. Hooking a bait from it's belly or lower tail, will cause it to swim upward towards the surface. Doing the opposite, and hooking the top of the tail or the baits collar, will send the bait diving. Both methods work great, but again, there's a situation for both methods. If you want to fish two flat lined baits, you can hook one underneath and one up high to force your two baits away from each other. This is Important for 2 reasons: 1) You'll be covering the top of the pod as well as the middle and 2), because your baits are on different parts of the column, they won't tangle together. When currents are strong, you'll need to hook your baits in the nose. You couldn't hook them in the tail, otherwise the fish would be dragged backwards into the current and drown. This presentation looks unnatural and will result in not catching fish.

Flounder have started showing up in the river and creeks around Mayport. We've been finding them on soft, mud bottom around creek mouths and docks. You can catch them with live Shrimp, Mud Minnows, Mullet, and Pilchards. I prefer to fish them on jigs however, when currents are too strong to stay on the bottom, I'll switch to a Carolina rig. Use as light of a weight as you can get away with and a short leader. I use a short leader because this will limit snags to some degree. 8 to 12 inches is plenty. As far as hooks go, J Hooks are ok but, I prefer a 1/0 to 2/0 Kahle Hook when casting live bait. They keep live bait hooked the best when a lot of casting will be taking place. J hooks tend to come out of live bait too easily.

Once you've located a spot, fan cast your bait around the area, being sure to maintain close proximity to the bottom. Slowly drag your bait back towards the boat. When a Flounder grabs the bait, stop moving and give the fish at least 1 full minute to eat the bait. Flounder are notorious for grabbing bait, settling back to the bottom, repositioning the bait in their mouths, and eventually swallowing it. Because this can take a minute, we give them ample time before setting the hook. I even open the bail on my real and allow the fish to swim off with the bait without letting the line get tight. The idea is to let it eat without giving away the presence of a rod on the other end. This is also why we use as light of a weight as we can get away with. Its all about making the presentation feel natural to the Flounder.

Make no mistake, lure fishing is a lot of fun but, at the end of the day, live bait is king.

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It's that time of year again. Winds have started blowing out of the Northeast, water temperatures have fallen into the low 70's, and we're breaking out the Winter clothes. In Northeast Florida, Fall conditions mean one thing to anglers, Southern Flounder.

So, what makes Fall so special when targeting Flounder? It all has to do with Flounder biology. Flounder are a migratory species. During the early Summer, adult fish migrate from offshore and head for our coastal inlets and river systems. They'll spend the Summer fattening up on small fish and crustaceans in anticipation of their annual spawn. The first major cold front of October marks the start of the Fall return trip offshore. This will happen once colder northeasters start blowing in. Once water temps drop into the low 70's, Flounder will start heading for the Inlets. During the migration, they'll periodically stop to spawn. Spawning will take place in a number of areas, including creek mouths, various river shoulders, Flats, bays, or inlets. Once spawning has concluded, they'll push offshore and remain there until the following June.

Both migrations offer excellent Flounder fishing in Northeast Florida however, the Fall run is by far the most rewarding to fish. The big females tend to be easier to locate and in bigger numbers. Male fish can also be harvested however, they only grow to around 14 inches. The vast majority of harvested Flounder will always be female.

Now that we understand Flounder movements, where do we start? I start off at the furthest inshore portion of their route, where water starts to turn fresh. Keep in mind that Flounder have a high brackish water tolerance. You'll find them far up river in less salty habitat. That means you'll potentially find them in areas that also hold Large Mouth Bass, Blue Gill, and other freshwater species. In the case of the St. Johns River, we catch them as far South as the Buckman Bridge. Earlier in the Fall run, Ill start off at the furthest point of the inshore route. specifically, near Orange Park and Downtown Jacksonville. Ill hit various Flounder haunts that I've fished with success in previous seasons and work my way back towards saltier territory. I wont spend a lot of time prospecting each spot. Ill fan cast an area, if nothing bites, Ill move to the next area. Flounder are very aggressive feeders and will make their presence known pretty quickly if the desired forage is around.

Flounder feed on a plethora of different baits. The more common are Finger Mullet, Mud Minnows, Pilchards, live Shrimp, and artificial baits. Shrimp also head towards brackish water during the Summer and it is believed that the Shrimp run is why Flounder move so far up river. I happen to agree with this idea and will often fish live Shrimp on a jig while working brackish territory. Ill also fish soft plastic baits that mimic a live Shrimp. I've had days where they wouldn't take anything else. Flounder are aggressive but like any fish, they can and will crave certain forage at different times. Its best to have multiple options available. I'll pick up plenty of live Shrimp from the bait shop and catch Finger Mullet before heading out. This way, I have all my bases covered, increasing the odds of a good day.

Bottom type is another very important detail when Flounder fishing. Once Fall temperatures start dropping, Flounder will head for softer mud bottoms with shallower water. Mud holds heat better than shell or rocky bottom and Flounder will be drawn to it like a Moth to a light. In the morning, when the suns too low to heat up the flats, Flounder will sit further away from banks in deeper water. As the sun moves higher into the morning sky, mud will begin to heat up and Flounder will move towards the shallows to warm up. Based on this behavior, during low light periods,(early mornings or cold cloudy days) I'll fish deeper holes or drop offs as well as deep water structure. On sunny days, Ill head for shallow mud bottom.

Now that we know "when" and "where", lets talk a bit about "how". A good day of Flounder fishing requires covering a lot of ground. You'll be fan casting areas, dragging the bait along the bottom back towards the boat. You can dead stick baits on the bottom and do well enough, however, Flounder are often stationary and I find fishing for them to be more productive when I bring the bait to them. By casting a bait out and slowly working it back towards the boat, you increase your chances of crossing paths with a fish. Cast the rig out, and bring the bait back in slowly. If a Flounder grabs the bait, you'll usually feel a thump or a series of vibrations on the end of the line. Once this happens, pause, and take some of the tension off the line. Once a Flounder grabs a bait, especially a live Mullet, Pilchard, or Mud Minnow, they'll take a fair amount of time to swallow it. They tend to hit the bait from behind, settle back to the bottom, and then reposition the bait so that it can be swallowed head first. This process can take as long as a full minute. The bigger the bait, the longer the process can take. Everybody has a different opinion on this and I've heard of anglers waiting close to five minutes. There's an old saying and it goes "Once you feel the thump, smoke a cigarette, then set the hook". The bottom line, they take a good minute at a minimum when fishing live baits.

Another important detail when targeting Flounder is rigging. There are a number of productive rigging options that work well when targeting Flounder. My personal favorite is the Carolina Rig or Fish Finder Rig. Ill use the lightest Egg Weight I can get away with. Heavier weights will sink into the mud and create too much drag when working the rig along the bottom. This is something you'll want to limit as much as you can. A Flounder bite can be pretty subtle, often times resembling a sensation of weight or friction at the end of the line. Lighter weights dig in much less and slide along the surface of the mud smoother. The smoother the rig slides, the more obvious a Flounder bite will feel. This will also limit snagging in bottom structure.

Hook type is just as important. The two most popular hook types for Flounder are wide gapped hooks and Kahle style hooks. My personal favorite is definitely the Kahle. They hang up in the bottom less and hold live bait better than most hooks. Ill use Hooks from 1/0 to 3/0 in size. Bait type will play a factor when selecting your hook. When fishing Finger Mullet, Ill use a 3/0, when fishing smaller, more fragile baits such as Mud Minnows and Pilchards, Ill go with a 1/0 hook.

Flounder fishing will require a bit of patience and a willingness to cover a lot of ground. But, make no mistake, once you start dialing in on them, you'll be hooked for life.

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The Trout bite has shut down quite a bit as they tend to stick to cleaner water. You can still catch them, however, you'll want to fish the Mayport or Nassau Sound areas and on the ladder end of the incoming tide. The incoming tide brings in cleaner ocean water. Often times, you can get a window of productive Trout fishing while the water is cleaner, with higher salinity. Odds are good that the Trout haven't eaten since the previous high tide and often times in this situation, they'll be pretty hungry. When conditions are tough, timing is very important, especially for Trout.

The Flounder situation hasn't changed much since last week. We're still between seasons right now. This is that weird time of year where the fish are showing up, but the majority of the schools haven't arrived yet. You can find them in the creeks, just not in big numbers. Fish are also being caught in Nassau Sound right now. The falling tide near the George Crady Bridge is a good starting point.

The Red Fish bite is going strong! The great thing about Red Fish is their tolerance for dirty water. The Bulls in the river have been cooperative all week. Leon Dana of Prime Time Charters picked off a few solid fish this week. One in particular was completely covered in spots! Not just a few, but hundreds!

The Bulls have been eating both Blue Crab and cut Lady Fish. Other cut baits such as Blue Fish and Mullet work just as well.

River currents are brutal right now with all the excess rain water and wind. You'll definitely need to time your trips with the tide. The last hour of the falling tide has been best, however, the last hour of the incoming tide and the first hour of the outgoing will also produce solid action. The trick is catching the slowest moving tidal periods. Reds will sometimes eat when it's ripping, but rarely.

Think about the environment on the river bottom when currents are ripping through. There is next to no visibility, and scent is forced down current too rapidly to form a proper scent trail. Fish can swim right by the bait and not realize it's even there. When the tidal current slows down to a crawl, the situation changes. The scent trail from your baits widen, and disperse like a cloud. When currents are strong, scent disperses in a line. In other words, the scent from your baits become far more effective as an attractant.

Another thing that changes with the slower tide is Red Fish behavior. When currents are strong, Red Fish ride the tide. They're cold blooded animals and have to conserve energy. That means fighting a ripping current is simply not an option. While currents are strong, they run with it. Once the tidal currents slow down enough, feeding Reds will turn around and swim against the slow moving tide. Doing this allows them to pick off bait fish and crustaceans as they move towards them. Sooner or later, a Red Fish school will cross paths with your baits scent trail and when they do, they'll follow it right to your bait. This is exactly why we get more bites at the beginning and end of any tide cycle. Once that tide begins tearing through again, the bite turns back off.

This rule works the same way with most inshore fish species.

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Baits been plentiful virtually everywhere. There's plenty of finger Mullet in the Creeks and river mouths around Mayport. The usual Pogy pods are thick on the beach, especially from the Hannah Park Poles, on south as far as the Pier. We've been finding them from the break on out to 25 feet of water.

The real story is the arrival of Pilchards! Pilchards are a species of Herring that migrate up the coast from south Florida during the Summer. They range from 2 inches to around 6 inches in size. The majority of the ones we get up here average 2.5 to 4 inches long. They're nicknamed "White Bait" down south due to their ivory, white color appearance. One thing is certain, EVERYTHING eats them! Red Fish, Trout, Mangrove Snappers, and one of my personal favorites, the Southern Flounder.

Catching Pilchards is really easy! They aren't net shy and wont spook easily. However, depending on the cast net you use, they'll either go right from the water to the livewell, or they'll all get gilled and stuck in your net! There is little in this world more frustrating than a cast net with around 400 live Pilchards stuck in the mesh of your net. With a standard 3/8" or 1/2" mesh Mullet net, Pilchards will make you pull your hair out. What you really need is a 1/4" mesh cast net. 1/4" mesh is small enough in diameter that most Pilchards won't fit in the openings. Glass Minnows and smaller Pilchards will still get stuck however, the majority will not.

Pilchards in North East Florida tend to hang around docks. I find mine around the floating docks at the Mayport boat Ramp. I'll usually get more than I'll ever need in one cast. They form densely packed schools that you can easily see on the surface. If Glass Minnows are around, Pilchards are somewhere close by. They tend to haunt the same areas. Usually, you'll see the bright flashes of Pilchards just underneath Glass Minnows. They are broad bodied, similar to their larger cousin, the Thread Fin Herring.

Another sign to watch for are small flips or splashes on the surface. Pilchards travel to North Florida to spawn in the Summer and those small splashes are females hitting the surface to drop their eggs. You can actually see the males darting into the clouds of eggs fertilizing them. Most of the time, the larger females will be just out of sight, under the smaller male fish. Don't be deceived by the small Pilchards on the surface. 9 times out of 10, the bigger bait is right there, just under them.

Pilchards do ok on a hook in terms of staying lively. They won't stay alive as well as Mullet or Mud Minnows, however, they more than make up for being fragile with shear numbers. Not to mention, Flounder will take a Pilchard over any other bait nearly 100% of the time.

When fishing live Pilchards, avoid j-hooks. They'll work but, you'll find that your bait comes off too easily. I find that kahle style hooks hold them better than virtually any other type. You'll need to hook them through the chin, up through the top of the nose. The very tip of the snout is composed of cartilage and that is where your hook will sit. The tip of the nose is dark and you'll be hooking into that dark tip from the chin, up through the tip of the nose. Once you see one in person, you'll understand what I mean.

Give Pilchard fishing a shot. Head out there after work one day with a cast net and do some R&D. Once you figure out what to look for, you'll be hooked for life. One things for sure, they're the best Flounder bait that swims in the river this time of year.

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One of the biggest mistakes anglers make, myself included, is fishing without a shock leader. A good shock leader is as important if not more important than the use of circle hooks. I'll tie a Bimini Twist loop at the end of my main braided line and from there, Ill attach an Albright Knot to the loop of the Bimini. Bimini loops do two thing. 1) They offer the strongest anchoring point that exists in the knot world, and 2), They offer additional shock absorption. As for the shock leader, I use a 40 to 50 foot section of 60 pound Diamond Mono. You can use Fluorocarbon Leader if you wish, however, in my honest opinion, it's not totally necessary. If you think you're going to be fishing in or around heavy structure, Fluorocarbon can be worth the extra expense.

Not all circle hooks are the same! Especially when Tarpon fishing. Avoid Octopus hooks, Mustad hooks, or hybrid circle hooks. The best hook I've found is the standard Owner circle hook. They have an elbow or catch area just before the turn of the hook point and barb. That notch is what makes that hook the best in my opinion. Once they lock in, they don't pull. Mustad circle hooks as well as any brand of Octopus hook, have a round sweeping edge with no notch to lock the hook into place. That is the ultimate failing of those hooks. As the fish swims and changes angles to the boat, the hook pivots and rolls in the jaw. That's a massive problem when fighting Tarpon. The more the hook is able to pivot and move, the more likely you are to pull it. The other problem with these hooks comes into play when only the tip of the hook makes penetration. The wide sweeping angle of the hook simply can't handle tremendous pressure on the cutting end. I used to bring up broken hooks all the time. It can still happen with Owner Hooks, however it's extremely rare.

NEVER use a Carolina/Fish Finder rig when bottom fishing for Tarpon. Instead, use a Dropper Rig. The reason has to do with that weight being flung around during jumps. Tarpon tend to head shake violently when they jump. A weight as small as 2oz can be flung with enough force to actually break 50+ pound line. Their power is immense. Instead, when tying the dropper loop section to your sliding clip or 3 way swivel (depending which dropper rig you prefer), use a lighter leader material than the leader running to your hook. I deploy a 30 pound leader to my weight, and a 60 pound leader to my hook. My main line braid is 65 pounds. This way, when the fish goes to the air and starts flinging that head, my weight leader will always snap before the hook leader or main line. This leaves me with a straight connection to the tarpon with no threat of a heavy lead that could potentially cause a problem during the course of the fight.

I pick up big rolls of 60 pound Diamond Mono. You can get 1000 foot spools from Strike Zone tent sales for very cheap. As long as you keep the line out of the sun and in the ac, that line will last a long time. Mono will only dry rot from lengthy time in the heat or UV. Avoid setting it near windows where UV can dry it out.

I strongly suggest you learn how to tie a Bimini Twist for attaching your Top shot connections. There are plenty of tutorials on YouTube that do a great job of illustrating the tying process as well as explaining how they work. The added shock absorption for those critical moments when the fish jump is huge and can make the difference between landing or losing that trophy Tarpon of a lifetime. You can't make a single rod handling mistake running straight braid to a standard leader. There isn't enough give to keep the main line or leader from reaching their breaking points during jumps. If you get two consecutive jumps back to back, it's over. A proper shock leader is extremely important. When that sometimes difficult Tarpon strike finally happens, being properly rigged will definitely increase your chances of bringing a Silver king to the rail.

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Tarpon are being caught in a wide number of areas. The Creeks, in particular, Clapboard and Saw Pit, as well as the Pogey pods on the beach, and of course, Mayport Inlet. Nassau Sound and Vilano are also hot spots right now.

If you're ever unsure where to look for Tarpon, Get out at first light, way before the Summer heat kicks on and scout areas for rolling Tarpon. They're hard to miss with their chrome colored backs and sides flashing as they roll across the surface. Early morning as well as late day, when the sun gets low in the western sky, are always your best bet when searching for the illusive Silver King. Once the water surface heats up, generally by 11am or so, Tarpon will head for the bottom to cool off. This is why when you're unsure where to look for them, you do so at cooler hours. Once you figure out their patterns, you can target them in areas whether you see them rolling or not. During the day, I'll target them even though I may not see them on the surface. It's all about confidence.

Your bottom machine takes over when the Tarpon head deeper. They tend to run in small clumps of 2 to 4 fish. Sometimes the groups are bigger, often times they aren't. Those small groups have an unmistakable look to them on the bottom machine. They'll often be suspended 5 to 10 feet off the bottom and appear as a large solid mark. Not all machines display the same way, but, once you understand what you're looking at, you'll get a boost in confidence.

There is no one way to target Tarpon! I know half a dozen other Tarpon anglers in Jacksonville and most of us fish a method completely different from one another. Creek anglers tend to stick with fishing floats baited with live bait, or a flat lined live bait. In shallower water, these are easily the best methods as they put the bait where Tarpon will always see it. The other benefit is that you'll cover more water. By opening the bail, or free spooling conventional reels, you can let the bait drift with the current. This allows you to cover more area as well as make the live bait appear more natural and unhindered.

Inlet Tarpon on the other hand, are a bit different. I tend to target them on the bottom in the Inlet. Even if I can clearly see them on the surface. I will occasionally flat line a single bait on the surface depending on the speed of the current. If it's ripping, Ill only fish the bottom.

Tarpon, as well as other saltwater fish, will sit behind tide breaks in heavy current. They like to sit idle behind any structure that has fast moving water flowing over it, or even to the side of it. Tarpon in particular have eyes that sit in a position high on top of their heads. They're literally designed to attack bait from underneath. They will sit on the low side of any drop-off and watch for bait to pass overhead. The Big Jetties in Mayport are littered with rocky depth changes that hold big numbers of Tarpon. I simply place my baits on the bottom around the back side of these obstacles and wait for one to get hammered. Simple as that.

Depending upon how many clients I have on board, Ill either run with a 2 rod spread or a 4 rod spread. A hookup can be and usually is chaotic. I'll assign everyone on board a job going into our day. If I have 4 passengers, 2 will be responsible for bringing up the other rods once a rig hooks up. 1 person will be assigned the job of throwing out the anchor ball(Anchor Balls float the anchor rope allowing us to get off anchor and chase the fish down. We'll retrieve the anchor after the battle). This is extremely important, especially when we're hooked into larger Tarpon in excess of 150 pounds. These guys will spool a 10k series spinning reel in a matter of a minute and we will have to chase it down with the boat quickly. Doing so requires organization as well as a quick reaction. 10 seconds can be the difference between landing a world class fish and getting spooled.

Give Tarpon fishing a shot. It's hard to keep them buttoned up but, once you get that first one to the boat, I guarantee it wont be your last! If I had to pick a single fish species to call my favorite, The Silver King would always be it.

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Flounder have started showing up in the river and creeks. Most Flounder right now are on the smaller side with many being barely legal. This is just the beginning of the run however and will start to improve in the following weeks.

Sheepshead are surprisingly still in the river and Inlet right now. Their numbers have thinned out in a big way, but, you can easily still find them along the rocks at the Big Jetties and the Little Jetties Park. The bigger females seem to have already left however, the smaller fish, between 2 to 5 pounds are still around.

The Bull Reds are steady moving into the River. Huge ones are being caught between the Little Jetties Park and Dames Point Bridge. This week, Linda Carver caught an absolute monster at 49 inches long and an estimated 60 pounds. This fish tied the IGFA "Total Length" World Record. After she caught that pig, her husband caught one at 48 inches and an estimated 55 pounds. Reds this size happen, albeit, rarely. Both of those were truly fish of a lifetime.

Lady Fish and Jacks are all over the river right now as well. They aren't the most prized fish you can find but, they do make fine bait for monster Bull Reds. I've been starting off my mornings throwing lures at the Big Jetties for large Lady Fish. I throw them in the live well and use them for cut bait to target big Reds. You can catch them days before and freeze them, however, they don't hold up as well after they've been frozen. The meat tends to wash out of the skin in heavy currents. It's like comparing firm meat to flesh that has the consistency of Hummus. It doesn't stand a chance vs current and trash fish. It takes me roughly 15 to 20 minutes to locate and catch 2 decent Lady Fish. They're everywhere from the Big Jetties, on towards White Shell Fish Camp. Throw any lure you like and if they're around, you get hit.

Don't rule out Blue Crab! I never leave home without Blue Crab. Even if the fish haven't been eating Crab consistently. The one day you go without them will be the one day you'll need them. It's not uncommon for Red Fish to change forage out of the blue. One minute only cut bait works, next thing you know, they're only eating Blue Crab. It happens, a lot.

The Trout fishing has been on fire. The better bite has without question been either early in the morning, or later in the evening. The bigger fish are sitting in very shallow water. I'm talking a foot or so. You can easily get bigger Trout in deeper water, but for me personally, I'm finding a much more consistent bite in skinnier water.

The top water fishing in particular is just out of control! We've been catching Trout from 18 inches on to larger fish in excess of 25 inches. We lost fish this week that may have been even bigger. We're throwing Rapala, Skitterwals and Hedden, Super Spooks. You'll do best with the 4 inch models and in lighter colors. My favorites are the Redhead/white body model, and silver bottom/Chartreuse top model. The Bone color models also produce.

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