Bring along a frozen block of chum to attract catches

Our local anglers are reporting the action is heating up along with our summer temperatures. There is plenty of live bait available at the buoy line, reefs, wrecks, jetties and the backwater. The arrival of the bait means plenty of action when slow trolling, bottom-fishing or live-baiting.

The backwater anglers can expect flounder, trout, reds and puppy drum at the end of their hooks, but I would try to be on the water early in the morning or late in the evening. Live shrimp, mud minnows or finger mullet will work well for bait for the live-bait angler.

The topwater action continues to be good, especially fished over or around the oyster bars holding bait.

Once again, you will get your best results fished early or late in the evening. Zara spooks, Rapala skitter walks or pops and the Mirrorlure Top Dog are excellent choices for summer time topwater plug fishing.
Tarpon, sharks, cobia, bull reds and the occasional kingfish are fired up at the jetties. Pogies are by far your No. 1 choice of bait, although mullet, live blue crab or shrimp boat by-catch also will do the job. I prefer to fish on the bottom although floating your baits also will work.

I would also bring along a frozen block of chum to help attract fish closer to your lines. Sheepshead and puppy drum are still being caught around the north and south jetties and the George Crady Bridge State Fishing Pier. Fresh shrimp, fiddler crabs or cut blue crab will do the trick for you. Jim O’Grady this week caught a 24-pound kingfish at the jetty, along with a tarpon which was approximately 130 pounds, fishing with cut pogie on the bottom.

Barracuda, Spanish mackerel and kingfish are being caught around the towers and the buoy line, especially around the massive schools of glass minnows and greenies. Slow troll live bait in these areas for some hot action.

The offshore fishing has been hot with kingfish, cobia, amberjack and barracuda holding around BA, FB, FC, HH and AH. Gerald Wilder reports a nice catch of kings and cobia on a recent charter. Live greenies, cigar minnows and threadfin herring are great baits jigged up and slow trolled over the reefs and wrecks. Forty-three-pound test wire leaders rigged with two, 4X trebles will be your best rig when trolling the inshore reefs. Keep your eyes open for this is an excellent time to catch a sailfish trolling the reefs.

The surf anglers have been reporting small sharks, whiting, blues, summer trout and the occasional flounder and pompano. Fresh shrimp fished on the bottom on the incoming tide should give you excellent results. The banks along Fort Clinch have been producing flounder, trout and whiting this past week. Amelia Island State Park has flounder, puppy drum — with some anglers reporting drum in the 10-pound range — trout and whiting.

We are now in our summer weather pattern. Plan to be off the water by late afternoon to miss those thunderstorms. I wish you a great weekend on the water.

Until next week … Capt. Jim.