Well-known local fisherman Butch Garvin, with brothers Rick and Jack Ryals, teamed recently to catch their legal limits of 15 sea trout while fishing live shrimp near the little jetties area of the St. Johns River (south side, at the Intracoastal Waterway). Garvin reports they caught nearly 100, releasing all but their limits using 12 dozen live shrimp and float rigs.
Local flounder fishing is still red hot in virtually every inlet region, with many fish weighing more than 8 pounds. Rusty Borthwick in Mayport reports a massive 15 pounder was caught near there recently. In the lower St. Johns, flood tides are best, with hot fishing on both sides of the river from the jetties at the mouth to the Hess Dock well up the St. Johns. Mud minnows and mullet score best.
Good action from stout croakers is available in the lower St. Johns, usually on bar drop offs at 18 to 22 foot depths for those using dead shrimp on the bottom.
Sheepshead action is tops in the Intracoastal Waterway north and south of the St. Johns for fishermen using fiddler crab baits on shell bars, near rocks, docks and pilings. Most fish are in the 2-pound size range, with bigger fish slated to show soon.
Capt. Don Whitman in Fernandina Beach agrees that the flounder action in his area is the best had in years. Flat fish commonly weigh 6 to 8 pounds, and 10-pounders have been caught. Late incoming and early outgoing tides are choice, for those fishing near oyster bars, jetties, pilings and creek mouths. Sea trout fishing also has been outstanding, with Egans Creek and Tiger Basin among the best bets.The Fernandina Inlet jetties are giving up hefty sheepshead, too, High wind can quickly spoil surf fishing, but Don Edwards in St. Augustine says good action from pompano is available in good weather. Some catches up to 30 pomps have been reported, and some bull whiting are being caught beyond the second sand bar. Flounder fishing is hot in St. Augustine, too, especially around the inlet, and some limits even are being caught off area piers.
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