Finally -- A Day of Catching

After nearly a month of disappointing results of my fishing outings, I finally had a good day yesterday -- with the help of some Jumbo shrimp I had purchased the day before at a nearby seafood market (recommended by the campground manager here). I couldn't resist sampling the shrimp on Friday night and sauteed seven nice ones in some margarine, garlic and wine.

Yesterday didn't start out with much promise when I first started fishing at one of my favorite points along the river beach. Two guys were already there with about six rods just off to my left and two more guys were to my right with another half dozen rods already planted and them in their beach chairs waiting for a bite.  The tide was on its way out and the current was running swiftly from right to left so I had to continually leap-frog one after another of my two rods -- even tried doubling the 3 ounce weights on my deep line but, it kept drifting anyway.

After about an hour of this annoying effort and no bites, I decided to move on up the beach, past the mouth of Nassau Sound and the horse ranch area (where vehicles are banned). I found that pile of rocks they refer to as a jetty and decided to fish on the north side of it -- no one else was around when I arrived there except for people walking the beach. I tried fishing with one deep line with my surf casting rod and walked the area nearest the rocks with one of my smaller rods -- missed a couple bites on my large rod in the process (took my pieces of shrimp too). Since I didn't get any bites with my small rod, I decided to move the large rod closer to the rocks and threw it deeper to the left of the rocks and one piling off the point.  I left the small rod propped on the one pole support and held the large rod, hoping to feel the bites and hook the little bait stealers.

Almost immediately, I hooked a nice little puppy Drum (a Black Drum) but, he was only 12 inches (two shy of the minimum size) so, had to throw him (or her) back. Soon after, I caught a few small Blues and one nice 15 inch sea trout -- he went into the cooler. A little later, I had a bite and missed whatever it was but, left the line where it was hoping both pieces of bait hadn't been taken. My patience was rewarded with a really nice hit and the fish immediately peeled some line off with the hit as it seemed to head for the nearby rocks to my right so I tried to steer the fish toward me and keep him on the beach side of the rocks -- the frothy waves helped to push him my way and I pulled in a nice 22 inch Black Drum.

A few minutes later (after getting the Black Drum in the cooler), something big hit hard again and took everything off the end of the 50 pound line.  I reluctantly tried the smaller rig a few times but, didn't get any bites so, I put new tackle on the large line and almost immediately caught another two nice size Blues which also went into the cooler. That's about when I began to regret eating those seven shrimp as I got down to just shrimp heads left in my bag of bait and they didn't seem to get the same response. Well, other anglers had arrived during the course of my catching and one took up a position just to my left, another two farther to my left and another pick'em up truck just to my right.

It was nearly 1:30 and I had fish to clean so, I happily headed back knowing fish would now be back on the menu -- not the frozen Tilapia from Walmart.

Falling Asleep at the Reel

At best, the fishing has been "poor" and the lack of "bites" has had me nearly asleep at times -- even when I am nearly ready to pack up the last pole and head back to the campground or to a bar on the beach -- usually that is when I do get a bite and that is when I miss getting the hook set. Asleep at the Reel, I would call it. The only things I have managed to catch are a Stingray, a smallish Whiting and one Puffer, in that order and only one of each on separate days. That's "fishing", not "catching" and I probably was sleeping while standing a few of those times out in the sunny warmth. Can't complain about being too cold like all those folks up north.

If only the fishing forecasts were as accurate as the weather forecasts, I would have a stocked freezer of fresh Black Drum (they were predicted to be coming in with yesterday's full moon). Not a single bite yesterday -- just nibbles from crabs, I think, and the constant sound of "I wish I was in Dixie" coming from the fort behind me.

I wish I was in Panama City Beach catching my limit of Spanish Mackerel or in Fiesta Key catching some of those tasty Mangrove Snappers. Maybe next spring.

The weather forecast called for an 80% chance of showers last night and I think it rained 80% of the night and it is still raining off and on with grey skies prevailing -- and dampening my thoughts of getting out on the beach to wet my lines -- but, we'll see if there is an opening or not. In the meantime, guess I'll check the stock market and the radar.

HAPPY ST. PATTY'S DAY (guess it might be a better day to visit that beach bar and order a Guinness or a green beer).

Back In Yulee

Actually arrived here on Saturday the 1st of March and settled in mid afternoon after the four and a half hour drive up from St. Petersburg. The drive took me back up through horse country again in the Ocala area and temps dropped nearly ten degrees as I came north -- signs of spring were visible with the red bud trees blooming along the sides of the highway (a sign that winter had hit harder in the northern portion of Florida).

The weather up here the first weekend and the Monday after was just perfect as the temps were in the 70s and low 80s but, that changed as the rains arrived Tuesday and chilly temps followed for the next four days -- time to fire up the space heaters as the temps dropped into the 40s at night.

I tried fishing that first Sunday and Monday but, had no luck at all at the southern end of Amelia Island (Nassau Sound). This past Saturday, I went to Fort Clinch State Park and fished Cumberland Sound but, had no bites at all. Next day, I went back to the southern tip and ran into lots of traffic as there were two car shows and an auction going on -- only caught a stingray that day.  Monday was another beautiful day in the low 80s and I fished off the main beach in Fernandina -- only caught glimpses of Pelicans catching something way out past the first waves.  I did catch glimpses of some beautiful young (and some older) women in bikinis as it's getting to be Spring Break time of the year down here.

I stopped for a beer at one of the nearby beach bars to ask about Spring Break and what to expect. Shouldn't be as bad as Clearwater or Panama City Beach or Fort Lauderdale -- though, they are nice distractions when the fish aren't biting.

I finally caught a little Whiting yesterday at the southern tip of Amelia Island and had hoped to catch a couple more -- which didn't happen. So, I grilled that one up anyway with two rib-eyes, four turkey dogs and the last burger from the freezer. The cats enjoyed half of the little fish while I enjoyed one of the rib-eyes and a salad. They will get the other half tonight while I get that second steak.

I did finally make it out to where the jetty is on the southern end of the island and it turned out to be nothing more than a pile of rocks a short distance off the beach -- talked to one angler there and he said he hadn't caught a thing all day. So, I'm not the only one having bad luck, it seems.

Raining now and thunder accompanying it so, may be staying in today -- with leftover bait in the cooler.

Sadly, when I arrived back here in Yulee, I learned that four of the permanent residents had passed away during the two and a half months I had been in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area. The woman who did the wood carvings that I tote around with me (her name is Joanne) lost her husband James around Christmas time. Another guy who had his sickly mother living with him (his name was Buddy) dropped over by a newly finished porch he had rebuilt onto a new trailer for him and his mother -- he had a massive heart attack and died on the spot.  His mother (Faye) died a couple weeks later in the new trailer. The other man that died had been sickly and I had never met him during my time here in the RV park. I'm still not drinking the water anywhere I go and for sure not here.