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AS SEEN IN THE JAN/FEB 2008 ISSUE
January / febuary Northeast Fishing Forecast:
by: Captain Jim Hammond -
Hammond Fishing Charters
Winter is just
now kicking into high gear here in Northeast Florida, and as the
water continues to cool and game fish move from the shallow creeks to
the deeper portion of the St John’s River and ocean, the bite
should continue to heat up for several of the local favorite species.
During the
initial weeks of January and into February, the trout bite should be
spectacular. I suggest tossing a Sea Striker grub with chartreuse
tail, or a Trout Killer grub attached to a ¼ oz. lead-headed
jig. These combinations bounced slowly off the bottom are deadly in
these parts. Other artificial lures that have been productive during
past winters are sinking or deep-diving crank-baits. There are
several companies that manufacture these lures, and I have found that
the most effective color patterns for this region include chartreuse,
blue/chrome and black. As water temperature drops, game fish become
slow and lethargic, so the most important thing to remember about
winter fishing is that you can never work your lure too slow. In
Northeast Florida, speckled trout season is closed during February
but you can still have lots of fun catching these frisky fighters.
For an easy and stress free release, I suggest removing the barbs
from your hooks.
To the local
angling community, chilly water means big numbers of feisty,
great-tasting whiting. I suggest targeting these fish around inlets
and sandy shorelines with a 1/0 Daiichi circle-hook rigged Carolina
style. For bait, use a small piece of shrimp or squid, and when I say
small, I mean small as in no larger than the last joint on your
little finger. You may ask, why such a small bait? Look at the mouth
of a whiting, it is tiny. When fishing for whiting you must be on
your toes because these little guys can be quick on the draw.
Around area
inlets and bridges, anglers should find healthy populations of those
hard to catch, bait-stealing convicts better known as sheepshead.
These tasty critters can steal your crab, shrimp or clam offering
before you can even react to set the hook. In past winters, I have
had the best results using a live shrimp rigged on a 4/0 Daiichi
Octopus hook with a 1/8 oz. egg sinker. I prefer to toss this rig
into the rocks and let it ride the current past prime sheepshead
territory. I have found that with the aid of a swift current, when
fish pick up this rig, the hook often sets itself. I suggest fishing
with braided line when targeting sheepshead - the abrasion-resistant
attributes and extreme sensitivity make it the only choice for
pulling villainous sheepshead from their rocky lairs.
Offshore, look
for big numbers of snapper and grouper on the shallow reefs and rock
piles that are within six miles of the beach. These demersal species
should also be stacked on the reefs and wrecks that are located on
the HotSpots charts. When purchasing a HotSpots chart, remember that
if the GPS numbers end in 0 or 00, these are typically converted
loran numbers that have been run through a conversion table and may
be far from accurate.
For anglers
wishing to battle with hard pulling pelagics, wahoo, tuna and
sailfish will be making their way through the warmer waters along the
west wall of the Gulf Stream. Iland Lures, Tuka Trolls and cedar
plugs are all good choices, and the use of downrigger will help to
place your offering in deeper water. Effective natural baits to use
in conjunction with these artificials are squid, ballyhoo, small
Spanish mackerel and large mullet. Whether inshore or off, January
and February are great months to get out on the water and enjoy some
really exciting action. See you there!
Jim Hammond
17184 Dorado Cr.
Jacksonville, FL 32226
(904) 757-7550
Email jim@hammondfishing.com
Website: http://www.hammondfishing.com
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