Steve Addison : Mayport Inlet: Sheepshead, Flounder, Redfish and Trout

Recent inshore fishing reports from the Northeast region.

Mayport Inlet: Sheepshead, Flounder, Redfish and Trout

Florida Sportsman member: Morocco_madness

The transition from late October to November is always prime time Sheepshead fishing. The largest concentration of fish come through Mayport Inlet every year at this time. They quickly disperse throughout the river, the ICW, and neighboring estuaries. The best fishing tends to be at the tips of the Mayport Inlet Jetties.

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Bridge Fishing with the Mayor

Florida Sportsman member: Sea Snake

The one thing that I took off of that trip, was that it is way more to fishing that bridge, than just wheeling out a cart and tossing shrimp over. It takes patience, preparation, and timing to be successful. Knowing what the fish want and how to present it, are crucial.

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Jacksonville Inshore: Bull Reds

Florida Sportsman member: Cast&Blast

Finally getting around to posting some shots from our day fishing the Full of Bull tournament. We did decent catching and releasing three fish from 29 to 38 inches. It was a little slower than the previous days we were out “practicing” for the tournament.

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Jacksonville Mixed Bag: Flounder and More

Florida Sportsman member: Morocco_madness

The retrieve I go with is simple, “bump, pause, bump, pause.” Roll the bait back towards the boat slowly and once you get bit, pause roughly 1 to 2 seconds and sting it! The bite of a Flounder varies from fish to fish but most of the time, if the fish is of half way decent size, you'll feel a single thump followed by a sensation of weight.

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Pine Island Variety

Florida Sportsman member: slobouf

I stopped in the creek across from Pine Island to catch more bait. I got lucky and caught a nice ladyfish while netting some mullet at sunrise. We went south and found a few places that looked fishy. By 9AM, (2 hours of fishing) we had five 22 to 24 inch redfish and a nice 25 inch trout.

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Fun with the Boys

Florida Sportsman member: Sea-Squatch

It was pretty steady action for about 2 hours. We caught rat reds, trout, mangos, and flounder. We lost some good hits too. The tide came up, and water covered up our sandbar, so we decided to call it a day.

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Redfish Palooza

Florida Sportsman member: Morocco_madness

The Big, breeder Red Fish have started their annual movement up river from the St. Johns River Inlet in anticipation of spawning season. These fish begin staging on the 40 foot dredge lines that edge the shoulders of the rivers shipping lanes every June. This period is what we call the “Pre-Spawn”. The breeders gather up in numbers and gorge on fish and crustacions to fatten up for the spawn that typically begins in the early weeks of August.

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Northeast Flatties

Florida Sportsman member: jameslentz

I got about a dozen finger mullet and paddled north out of beach marine. Fished the finger mullet on cork and Carolina rig for the last two hours of the incoming with no luck. As the tide started flowing out I switched to a 1/4 ounce jighead and penny gulp shrimp. Started dragging it in creek mouths and banks and ended up with three keepers.

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Jacksonville Action

Florida Sportsman member: Morocco_madness

The Shrimp boat action is hot and there is no shortage of fast and furious, line screaming craziness to be found. No hassle, no wait, instant gratification. Big Jacks as large as 50 pounds and all manner of sharks. You can pitch large plugs behind the these boats and get these guys nearly every cast.

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Fishing the Flood

Florida Sportsman member: Cast&Blast

I've never really scouted for the flood tide around home so last night I decided to go check out some areas I thought I might be able to walk once I felt confident that those pop up storms weren't going to be an issue.

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Buckman Reds

Florida Sportsman member: REDROB

Went out after work yesterday to soak a few crabs, fishing the buckman in 20 feet of water, the bite was on fire! 9 reds all over 36 inches with the biggest being 42 and one 40 incher with a tag in her.

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Back at It

Florida Sportsman member: Chongg

The reds are on fire around the little jetties. Last Saturday we brought in seven upper/over slot reds fishing shrimp on the last of the outgoing and first of the incoming. All the fish swam away healthy that day.

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Late Spring Fishing

Florida Sportsman member: Guanagator

At this point I know what I have and am overcome with mixture of excitement, nervousness, excitement, this is why I've been using 30 pound leader after all! After the first jump the fish found the current and ran towards the ICW and deeper water, line peeling off my 1000 letting the drag work.

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River Reds

Florida Sportsman member: trousertroutman

Fellow forum member and childhood fishing buddy “Flounderpounder” was gracious enough to take me out on his sick ranger whip, and we got a couple nice reds fishing docks with live and cut mullet.

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Hot Artificial Bite

Florida Sportsman member: Guanagator

Fishing all artificial, mostly working the docks on mid tides and natural structure on West side closer to the bridge and just south at high tide to mid low, some nice sized reds, a couple of flounder and a few smaller trout first couple trips then Saturday night my buddy put the first North Florida snook on my boat.

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Beachside Action

Florida Sportsman member: Sea Snake

Sunday I went back with my grandson Hunter, my daughter and momma Snake, we had a nice catch of fish in a couple of hours of fishing. With this time all of them being keepers.

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Northeast Pompano

Florida Sportsman member: Sea Snake

All in all a good day for us. I got to spend some time with my sweetie, and catch some fish too, and anytime the targeted species is acquired, then in my book it's a good day!

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Northeast Big Uglies

Florida Sportsman member: Morocco_madness

It's that time of year again! The first full moon of early Spring has past and the “big uglies” have reached the North East Florida inlets. These massive inlet monsters head up from south Florida and migrate north every year around february.

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Epic Week in the Valley

Florida Sportsman member: Slug-O

The past week in the valley has been nothing short of “EPIC” for me. With the water temp in solid 70 degree range and bait thick as fleas on a stray dog, the bite has been the best so far this year. With mullet as thick as you can imagine, the reds, trout and a few flounder have all the food they want.

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Lots of Bait, Lots of Fish

Florida Sportsman member: Slug-O

Three ways are really working well with mullet. Popping corks with 24 inches of 30 pound flouro with 3/0 khale hook works well at creek mouths or oyster beds with current. Freeline live mullet hooked through the back, casting to schools working the banks. The last is 1/8th ounce jig head with a live mullet that can be used about a 1000 ways.

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Northeast Trout and Reds

Florida Sportsman member: Morocco_madness

Focus on the river, not the creeks, but river shoulders. Find spots with current breaks, bottom contours, and sharp drop offs. Bottom type is definitely a factor. Gravel, shell and rocky bottoms are all good signs to look for. I don't do well in areas with sand or mud bottom.

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Fun in the Creeks

Florida Sportsman member: Guanagator

Got out this morning and picked the right creek, Alexis had a fat 16 inch flounder within a minute of the mullet hitting the water. Was expecting reds but no complaints. My second cast, I hooked something solid on the catch 2000 and unfortunately it got me in the oysters and sliced the leader, downside of using a 1000.

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Northeast Sheepshead

Florida Sportsman member: sydngoose

We hit channel markers and pilings from the inlet up the intercostal. Number one circle hooks and very small leaders (6 inches of 15 pound flouro) was the ticket. We ended up with six nice sheeps but two absolute STUDS, at 10.25 pounds and 7.20 pounds.

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Oak Harbor Slam

Florida Sportsman member: Cast&Blast

Went and hit the Harbor in the cold wind with two buddies and 4 dozen shrimp. Most fish caught were under slot reds and trout but we found a 20 inch red and a 17 inch flounder to bring home for dinner.

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Cold Weather Convicts

Florida Sportsman member: fsu11

We managed nine keepers the majority were 2 to 4 pounds again. We didn't go through half a pint both days. The key was moving water, we fished the exact same spot both days and when the tide was moving we caught fish and when it stopped, so did the bites.

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Cold Water, Hot Bite

Florida Sportsman member: Slug-O

This is my favorite time of year, the water temperature drops into the 50s-60s and the reds start to school up thick. Low tides and mud flats are a few degrees warmer than the rest of the ICW and I target them there. Moving slow on my push pole, no trolling motor, I can get close to a school and start picking them off.

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Northeast Redfish

Florida Sportsman member: Spongking

Wednesday we got out and went to jetty. Beautiful weather and fish biting. We got one giant red on light inshore setup. He swam away strong too which had me worried after a 15 minute fight.

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Northeast Drummin'

Florida Sportsman member: Morocco_madness

I spent a day hitting a number of productive Inlet holes in an attempt to reassess what's around out there. I haven't been spending much time in my usual playground. It didn't take long to figure out that the bull reds and black drum were pretty thick.

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December to Remember

Florida Sportsman member: Slug-O

Aside from the windy afternoons you can't ask for anything better. The bait situation is just amazing with all the shrimp, mullet and blue crab right now in the valley. Fishing creek mouths, oyster beds, mud flats, and drop offs this time of year will produce big payoffs.

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Palm Valley Report

Florida Sportsman member: Slug-O

Water temperature is still in the high 60′s and will stay there until something big comes along to change that. Trout, reds and flounder are still thick and are feeding on mullet and a second hatch of shrimp in the valley. Best bet is popping corks fishing with 3/0 kale hooks working the last outgoing tide and incoming tide.

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December Tarpon

Florida Sportsman member: Alec_904

However about 30 minutes later my rod tip starts bouncing, I pick it up and i'm on! This one did the same thing as the last, immediately screamed drag and jumped, it proceeded to jump four more times before we got him to the boat.

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Inshore Variety

Florida Sportsman member: Morocco_madness

Eventually, we reach a spot where I'm hooking up pretty consistently. Chips getting some action on the Fluke but not near the action I was getting. Eventually, he ties on an X-Rap he happened to have. His was orange and yellow. Before long, we're either hooking up or getting hit on every cast.

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Valley Report

Florida Sportsman member: Slug-O

The wind will be great the next few days to fish the valley. Water temperature is still from 67 to 70 degrees, last year it was 57! Lots of shrimp, mullet and pogies are still here to be used as bait.

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Fishing the Creeks

Florida Sportsman member: sydngoose

We had one hour of nonstop action- rods bending, fish retrieving, rebaiting, casting, releasing fish, kept a few. Every bait was eaten, all three said presentations. I would subjectively say the live mullet was the most popular choice.

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Family Fishing

Florida Sportsman member: creekgeek

We finished the day in the same spot my dad landed his big fish and my 11 year old, Marina, connected with her best red ever. She wanted to give the rod up as the big fish made several long runs on light tackle and with the help of a strong outgoing tide.

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Northeast Reds and Trout

Florida Sportsman member: Morocco_madness

I've been on a healthy dose of both species as well as some of the largest sand trout I've ever seen. The same places I mentioned above are holding ridiculous numbers of trout. I was actually targeting trout when I realized that the Bull Red presence was so thick in the shallows.

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Northeast Reds

Florida Sportsman member: Spongking

A few nice fish came unglued but all in all a win. Good weather and beat crowd back to ramp by about 20 minutes. Just enough time to clean up boat and get in line to get out of there.

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Fall Fishing

Florida Sportsman member: Morocco_madness

The slot reds are chewing VERY well right now at both the little and big jetties. The bull reds have emptied out of the river and are officially done spawning. The good news is they are a year round species for us and the inlet is where you'll be finding them from this point on through early June.

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Fishing with the Wife

Florida Sportsman member: butchbal