photo: Woody Huband
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FIRST COAST FLY FISHERS
www.fcff.org
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Fly Fishing Florida’s First Coast by Dick Michaelson To order additional copies, contact Dick Michaelson 904/641-1903 michaelsongmc@yahoo.com
Updated: January 2009 Copyright @ 2001 by Dick Michaelson First Printing: December 2000 Second Printing: August 2002 Published in the Jacksonville, Florida, USA by OnWaterMedia TM
Original CD Cover Art by B.J. Royster www.bjroyster.com Back Cover Photo by Rob Benardo Title Page and Section-Page Photos by Woody Huband whuband@yahoo.com Cover and Book Design by David Lambert smartcasts@gmail.com
No rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the express written permission of the author.
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DEDICATION This book is dedicated to my stepfather Norris Roberts, a great fisherman and conservationist. Norris took me fishing and taught me to respect our natural resources. I’m forever indebted to him for teaching me to love and appreciate the out of doors.
Thank you to the following people for their contribu-
tions to this book:
To my lovely wife Kitty for her love and her support. . . and her under-standing and encouragment of my fly fishing habit. To David Lambert for helping and guiding me and allowing me to use information from his SmartCast Fly Fishing schools and classes. David edited this book and collaborated with me on it final publication. To Donn McKinnon, Doug Rowden, Bob Minke, and Ed Kalakauskis for helping me to edit this book. The Guides/Instructors: Captains David Borries, John Bottko, Tony Bozzella, Warren Hinrichs Jr., David Lambert, Randy Lanier, Larry Miniard, Doug Moore, Rich Santos, Russell Tharin.
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P art 1: G eneral I nformation Introduction................................................................7 Getting Started.......................................................... .9 Fly Leader Formula..................................................10 Local Fly Shops........................................................10 Catch & Release.......................................................11 Choosing Flies That Catch Fish.................................12 Tides & Weather.......................................................14 Clean Your Fly Line ..................................................15 Knots For Fly Fishing...............................................16 Fishing Calendar.......................................................21
P art 2: B oat R amps Duval County...........................................................24 Nassau County.........................................................26 St. Johns County..................................................... .27
P art 3: L ocal G uides & I n s t r u c t o r s St. Johns Riverkeeper...............................................30 Capt. David Borries................................................. 32 Capt. John Bottko....................................................33 Capt. Tony Bozzella..................................................34 Capt. Warren Hinrichs, Jr..........................................35 Master Casting Instructor David Lambert..................36 Capt. Randy Lanier..................................................37 Capt. Larry Miniard..................................................38 Capt. Doug Moore...................................................39 Rich Santos, Kayak and Casting Instructor................40 Capt. Russell Tharin..................................................41
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Part 4: L o c a t i o n s
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M aps
Canoe, Kayakers, & Waders.............................44 Broward Creek.................................................45 Buckhorn Creek................................................46 Cabbage Creek South & JTB Bridge.................47 Cedar Point.......................................................48 Chicopit Bay East..............................................49 Chicopit Bay West.............................................50 Clapboard Creek East.......................................51 Creek Between Marker 67-71...........................52 Island East and West of Marker55.....................53 Little Clapboard Creek......................................54 Little Talbot Island..............................................55 Mill Cove..........................................................56 Salt Run, St. Augustine.......................................57 Simpson Creek..................................................58 Sisters Creek.....................................................59 SR 206 Bridge South of St. Augustine ...............60 Passing On The Tradition...................................62 Help Save Our Delicate Fisheries........................64
DISCLAIMER The book should only be used as a general guide. Fly Fishing Florida’s First Coast is designed to give general location and fishing information only. Remember, if you go to any of these locations, you do so at your own risk. Use common sense and good judgment when you go into unfamiliar areas. The maps in this book are not navigational quality and may not be to scale. Use U.S. Coast Guard approved nautical charts for navigation. NOAA Nautical Chart 11489 and 11485 Intracoastal Waterway show a good overall view of the areas discussed in this book. The author of this book shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person for any loss or damage caused, or alleged to be caused, directly or indirectly by the information contained in this book. Keep safety in mind at all times.
Caution: Do not wade in brackish marsh water if you have certain medical problems such as open wounds or some skin disorders. Consult a physician if you feel you may be at risk.
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I
N T R O D U C T I O N
I’ve been fishing one way or another since I can remember. It’s something I love and something I know others will love. I began this book with the hope of giving a beginning fly fisher in Northeast Florida a starting point. My thought was: With information like this, I could shorten his or her introduction into this beautiful, lifelong sport. My good friend Tony Leftwich was the first person to help me to learn how to fly fish. I want to thank him for introducing me to all this. After a year of fishing, I joined the First Coast Fly Fishers club in Jacksonville, Florida. First Coast Fly Fishers is a teaching club; they provide instruction, speakers, and relavent outings so you can learn to enjoy fly fishing. The club has members representing a full range of experiences from beginner to professionals, and in all age brackets. They make you feel at home. Their website is www.fcff.org They produce an award-winning newsletter every month: www.fcff.org/newsletters.htm Our club, like most clubs, has monthly meetings with guest speakers. And like most clubs, we put on monthly outings to get members on the water and catching fish with a fly. Speakers at our annual banquet are some of the best in the world. The list of great speakers we’ve brought in includes Bob Clouser, Flip Pallot, Lefty Kreh, Chico Fernandez, Jon Cave, Mel Krieger, Ed Jaworowski, Bruce Richards and others. Five years after I started fly fishing I met David Lambert, a master fly instructor, fishing writer, and editor/publisher. When I showed David my first rough draft he enthusiasically agreed to help me with the book. You hold the result of that collaboration in your hand. I hope it helps jump-start your fly fishing.
Dick Michaelson December 2008 Jacksonville, FL
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GENERAL NFORMATION
G ETTING STARTED RODS The fly fishing industry offers fly rods that vary in price from $30 to $700. Don’t buy the most expensive setup to get started. You’ll want an 8- or 9- weight rod. Most of these have enough backbone for to haul in almost every fish in this area except perhaps large tarpon. There are many very good rods on the market in $150-$300 price range. Look for rods that offer a lifetime warranty.
REELS
The fly reel is where you can save money at first. Unless you are going to fish for tarpon or go offshore, buy a $50-$100 reel that has a good drag and you will do just fine. A good cork disk drag system is generally preferred. The only downside to some of the inexpensive reels is that they are not fully corrosion resistant and the drags are not as sophisticated as the higher price reels. Clean them well and often and those reels will work smoothly for a long time.
LINES
There are many good fly lines on the market. By far the most versatile line is a weight forward floating (WFF) taper. There are many specialty WF lines on the market, like sinking, intermediate, and sink tip lines. Some are easier to cast than others. I would recommend starting out with a good quality saltwater taper floating line. These lines cost from $35-$100. Most of your fishing in this area can be done with this line. The specialty lines can come later.
CO S T
Let’s say you spend the following: $125 for a rod, $45 for a reel, $45 for fly line, $15 for backing for the reel, $3 for a leader or material to make your own, and $3 for a fly. This totals $236 and you are ready to go fly fishing. Nobody said fly fishing was cheap. We haven’t even got to all the accessories yet. 9
FLY L EADER F ORMULA You can use knotless tapered leaders that you buy in the fly shops or you can tie your own. If you tie your own, you can adjust your leader to different fishing situations. Use soft monofilament line. Ande is the type I use. Use the same brand of mono throughout your leader, from butt to tippet. Using different brands can make a very inefficient leader, one that won’t turn over properly. Below is a formula for a typical 9-10 foot leader. You can adjust the dimension to make it longer or shorter. Lengths do not have to be exact. Use either blood knots or double surgeon’s knots to tie sections together and a loop knot to connect the leader to the fly line loop. This is a typical leader size for an 8-9 wt. fly line. You will find different formulas for leaders. Use the one that best suits your type of fishing. With a little practice, you can build good leaders. Butt Section 5ft
18”
Mid Section 14”
10”
Tippet 18”
I—————————I————————I—————I——-----I-------I 40lb. 30lb. 25lb. 20lb. 10-12 lb.
L O C A L F L Y S H O P S & O UTFITTERS Black Fly Outfitter Vaughn Cochran 11702 Beach Boulevard Jacksonville, FL 32246 904/997-2220 www.vaughncochranart.com
Tidewater Outfiters (Orvis) Lou Simmons #40 Amelia Village Cir. Amelia Island, Fl. 32034 904/261-2202
Black Creek Outfitters Salty Feather John and Nancy Bottko 3733 Southside Blvd. #9, Jacksonville, FL 32216 904/645-8998 www.saltyfeather.com 10
Joe Butler Jr. 10051 Skinner Lake Dr Jacksonville, FL 32246 (904) 645-7003 www.blackcreekoutfitters.com
CATCH& R ELEASE If fish are to survive, they must be released unharmed. Here are a few catch-and-release techniques that, if followed, will allow your fish to be caught again another day. 1. Flatten the barbs on hooks to cause less stress to a hooked fish and to make unhooking the fish easier. 2. Land the fish as quickly as possible. 3. Wet your hands before handling the fish. 4. Do not squeeze the fish or put your fingers in its eyes or gills. Covering the fish’s eyes often has a calming effect. A fish that thrashes around can hurt itself. 5. It’s best to leave the fish in the water and use a tool to remove the hook. If the fish is hooked deeply, cut the leader as close to the mouth as possible. 6. If you use a measuring board, wet it first. If you want to estimate the weight of the fish before releasing, use this formula. Measure the length and girth, (a sewing tape works well) square the girth, multiply it by the length and divide by 800. Divide by 900 for long thin fish. You can do this without taking the fish out of the water. 7. If you use a landing net, remember the knots of the net can remove the mucous body coating, which protects the fish against infection. A lipping tool will hold a fish without applying excessive pressure. 8. If you want a photo of your fish, cradle it with both hands, one under the belly and one on the tail. 9. You do not have to kill a fish to have it mounted. Take length and girth measurements and photographs, then have mounts made from fiberglass molds. 10. You may have to revive a tired fish after a long fight. Move the fish back and forth to get water through its gills, then let the fish swim out of your hands. If you can not revive an oversized, undersized, or out-of-season fish, you still have to let him go. Nature will take care of the rest. 11
C H O O S I N G FL I E S T H A T CA T C H F I S H Fish biologists believe that most species of fish use a general search image when hunting for food. They key in on particular characteristics of the food found in a certain area. For example, when redfish in NE Florida tail in the grass, they root nose-down in the mud for fiddler and mud crabs, as illustrated on the cover of this book. Male fiddlers display an orange mating claw during late spring and fall. So buy or tie a fly with some form of orange material (See Bart’s Black Spoon Fly). Spotted sea trout love shrimp, and moving water. If you don’t see shrimp, or you know the season’s wrong, would you choose a shrimp fly? A baitfish imitation may be a better choice. If mullet are present, pick a fly that’s silver or white. However, if the water’s really dark and muddy, you might try something in black. A black deceiver or a Clouser minnow is a good choice in almost any condition. Other times, fish just won’t eat anything you toss at them. Could it be the weather? Could it be the water is too hot…or too cold? Could it be they know you’re close and it makes them nervous? Could it be they’ve grown selective, or they’ve just eaten? Often you just don’t know. When this happens (and it happens more than we’d like), try offering a brightly colored fly. This is an attractor. Generally the best attractors are chartreuse-and-white or all chartreuse with some sparkly material in them. To help keep things simple (and maybe save you some money in the process), here is a starter list of working flies for the northeast Florida area. This list is in no particular order: General Patterns 1. Lefty’s Deceivers in Red/White, Blue/White, Black, or Chartreuse; 2. Clouser Deep Minnows in Chartreuse and White,or Black with Green Flash; 3. Bendbacks in Green/White, Black/ White, White, or Blue/ White; 4. Jon Cave’s Rattle Rouser Local Patterns 1. Dubbed Poly Bear Minnow (Bart Isaac); 2. Milk-em Fly (Capt. Doug Moore); 3. Surfin’ Woolie (Capt. John Bottko); 4. Oyster Mullet (David Lambert); 5 Fiddler-In-the-Grass (Capt. John Bottko); 6. Dupre Spoon (Capt. Jim Dupre); 7. Pheasant-Under-Grass (Kevin Cohenour and David Lambert); 8. Deadly Headly (Mike Head) 9. Turkey-In-TheStraw (Capts. Larry Miniard). Bart’s Black Spoon (Bart Isaac).
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Time Tested Local Fly Patterns
Top: Pheasant Under Grass, Fiddler in the Grass, Surfin’ Woolie; Middle: Oyster Mullet, Turkey in the Straw, Deceiver; Bottom: Bart’s Black Spoon, Dubbed Poly Bear Minnow, Cave’s Rattle Rouser
TI D E S
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WEATHER
New for 2009. See Appendix 2009 MS Word Tides for Mayport Knowing when to fly fish is as important as knowing how or where. The ‘when’ implies that you have at least a working knowledge of tidal action, and atmospheric conditions. Spring tides (higher tides) happen twice a month, during a full moon and again on a new moon. Spring tides have nothing whatsoever to do with the seasons of the year. The following terminology is used in discussing tides. Tide stages— What the tide is doing at certain times. Tide stage terms are rising, flooding or incoming; slack; and falling, ebbing, or outgoing; high water and low water. Tide height— This is the vertical amount the ocean and marsh waters rise or fall as a result of the movement of the tides. Tide height is usually described as ‘feet above or below mean low water’ as predicted on the nautical charts. Good local high tides for chasing reds and sheepshead on the grass flats begin with tide heights at 5.4 high tide. For consistency, we use Mayport Bar Pilots Dock tide readings as they appear in Florida Time-Union and JaxKayakFfishing.com tide charts. This means that the tide is predicted to be 5.4 feet above the mean low water estimate, as indicated on the nautical charts. Tidal range—This is the range of difference between high and low tide, this important index is often overlooked by fishermen. Tidal range predicts the volume of water that will move between high and low tide. Saltwater fish feed based on how much bait or food is swept along the currents during tidal changes. Large volumes of water movement produce greater amounts of food (and generally better fishing). Locally, tides for Mayport and areas south to St. Augustine run less high than tides to the north of Mayport, into Nassau County. A high tide for the Mayport area may be 6.0, but a high tide for Nassau County might be much higher. Wind affects the volume of the tides by pushing water in the direction it is blowing, an influence that will either increase or retard the flow. A 20knot offshore wind that blows for 8-12 hours will lower both the high and low tide. An onshore wind, which blows the water toward land, will
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increase the heights of both high and low tides. Remember, wind always pushes the tide in the direction it’s blowing.
Another meteorological phenomenon that affects tides is barometric pressure. It is defined as the amount of pressure the atmosphere exerts pressure (lower barometric numbers), the air weighs less and puts less pressure on the surface of the water. As a result, tides can rise higher, meaning a higher high tide and a higher low tide than might have been predicted. During high pressure conditions, barometer readings are higher and the air weighs more, which means that it pushes down more on the surface of the water. This reduces high tides and lowers the low tides. The general feeling is that fish feed better just before a low-pressure front and then, as the barometer rises, they slow their feeding.
C L E A N Y O U R FL Y L I N E Clean your line often and it will keep its smooth, slick finish (this is good). Most people wash their lines every time after fishing. Even the new superslick lines like Scientific Anglers’AST need cleaning after each use. Whether or not you dress the line is a question of personal preference. Often it depends on where you fish as to how dirty your line will get. You will not believe the difference cleaning a dirty line makes. Clean lines cast much better. Some things that will harm or destroy your fly line are: 1. Exposure to heat (like storage in a hot car); 2. Solvents found in insect repellents; 3. Sun screens and sun tanning lotion; 4. Some fly line floatants; 5. Soft drinks, gasoline, motor oil; 6. Salt water, dirty water, and casting practice on the lawn or pavement. Clean your line often to reduce friction in the guides, reduce tangling, and improve floatation. To clean your lines: Strip all the line into a bucket of tap water, then add a small amount of liquid detergent. Run the line through a wet wash cloth or clean rag. Rinse and dry. A number of products on the market can be used to dress fly lines. 15
KNOTS FOR FLY FISHING (The following information and drawings have been adapted for this book from David Lambert’s publication, Knots for Fly Fishing.)
Improperly tied knots are the reason a great many fish are lost. The knot is generally the weakest point of your tackle, so take the time to learn to tie them right. Many knots can be used for the same application. Learn the knots that best suit your type of fishing and practice them. You many have to tie these knots while you are on the water and under less than ideal conditions. Make it Routine! It is good to develop a few routines when tying knots. Specific knots work better for specific situations, like attaching backing to arbor, attaching backing to fly line, attaching leader to fly line, making tapered leaders, or tying a fly to the tippet. Choose the best knot for your application. Second, always moisten the knot before you cinch it down. Saliva is the best lubrication, water is the next. Heat caused by friction will lower monofilament’s strength. Lubrication will reduce friction. Third, test your knots before you go fishing. Give a few sharp tugs and some long slow pulls. That is what the fish will do. You need to know a few terms in knot tying: The standing part of the line is the longer or main part of a line or leader. The tag end is the part of the knot that you wrap over the standing line. The tag end is the section you will trim after the knot is finished. The terminal end is the section of leader to which you will tie the fly. The following knots will help get you started.
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DUNCAN LOOP OR UNI-KNOT The Uni-knot or Duncan Loop can be used to tie backing to the reel, backing to the fly-line, the leader to the fly-line, or as a terminal knot, which connects the hook/fly to the leader.
SURGEON’S KNOT (OR DOUBLE OVERHAND KNOT) This knot retains a high percentage of the line’s original strength and is one of the simplest, most efficient knots you can tie. Use the surgeon’s knot to create leaders and tie on tippets. 17
BLOOD KNOT: This is the cleanest, most trim knot to use when building leaders. It takes practice to tie this knot quickly and it is not as strong as a double surgeons knot.
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NON-SLIP
MONO
LOOP:
This may be the best terminal connection (fly to tippet), since it maintains close to 100 percent of the line’s original strength.
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SI M P L E
NAIL KNOT:
Use this knot to attach backing to fly-line or the leader butt section to your fly line.
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FI S H I N G C A L E N D A R JAN Look for schools of reds in the Intracoastal Waterway around creek mouths and mud flats. Bluefish at Mayport jetties. FEB Bluefish at Mayport Jetties. Reds on the mud flats. MAR Bluefish at St. Augustine inside the Inlet and in Salt Run. APR Start looking for redfish at Talbot Island. MAY Redfish at Talbot Island. JUNE Seatrout in Mill Cove and Nassau Sound. JULY Redfish inshore creeks. Sight fishing. AUG Flood tides of 5.3 feet and higher. Tailing reds in the flooded grass. Late August, reds in the surf if mulet run early SEP Mullet run. Redfish in the surf. Reds in the grass. OCT Redfish on inshore flats and at Guana Dam. NOV Fish flooded mud flats during cold weather. Redfish in creeks. Flounder around pilings. DEC Look for schools of redfish along the Intracoastal Waterway and on mud flats. Redfish in creeks.
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B OAT R AMPS Locating and verifying boat, canoe and kayak ramps in the counties of North Florida is a challenging job. We have given you here the latest locations and type of ramps, but these change almost daily it seems. For the most recent info, click on the links below links: 1. http://www.coj.net/Departments/ Recreation+and+Community+Services/ waterfront+Management+and+Programming/ Waterways+and+Boating/Boat+Ramps.htm 2. http://www.jaxkayakfishing.com/fishing_spots.html 3. http://www.jacksonville-boating.com/boat_ramps.htm
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DUVAL COUNTY Talbot Island State Park - ICW, Sawpit Creek at old A1A bridge over Nassau River/Nassau Sound. Single lane ramp with launch fee. Fort George River – (Hugunot Memorial Park) Unimproved sand and shell ramp behind Camp Alimacani at A1A bridge over Fort George River. Suitable only for small craft and personal watercraft. Limited parking. Great access for small craft, but beware at low tide. Joe Carlucci - (Sisters Creek) McKenna Drive at Heckscher Drive. On north bank of St. Johns River at juncture with Intracoastal Waterway (ICW). New, double wide, rippled-surface ramp with amenities like restrooms. Sisters Creek Park - 8203 Heckscher Dr. Northwest side of bridge over Sisters Creek. Doublewide ramp with lots of parking. Mayport - Off US A1A at village of Mayport just east of the ferry slip, about 3 miles from the St. Johns River entrance. After an extensive expansion and renovation over the last two years, probably one of the finest ramps for ready access to the ocean on the East Coast. For that reason, it can also be one of the most crowded, despite expanded parking and other facilities. Oak Harbor - In the Oak Harbor Subdivision at 2428 Seaway St. in Mayport off Florida A1A. Good access to the ICW and ocean. Good facilities, secluded and seldom overcrowded. However shoaling is an ongoing problem and shallow water at low tide can be a danger even for smaller boats. Beach Boulevard - (Intracoastal Waterwa) Located east of B.B. McCormick drawbridge in Jacksonville Beach behind Beach Marine and Florida Marine Patrol headquarters. Good launching ramp, but parking is very limited. Clapboard Creek - On Heckscher Drive east of 9A. on Eastside of Clapboard Creek at Plams Fish Camp. New ramp with floating docks. Fulton Boat Ramp: At the end of Fulton Road of Fort Caroline Road. The road dead ends into the South side St. Johns River across from Blount Island. There is no ramp but small craft can be launched with caution. Good for Canoes and Kayaks. Cedar Point – Located at the end of Cedar Point road just past Black
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Hammock Island. New ramp scheduled in 2009. New Berlin: Take New Berlin Road South from Hechscher Drive, turn right on Apollo and left on Fredricks. Rough concrete ramp with parking for about three trucks with trailers. Launches you into Back River behind Blount Island. Lonnie Wurn - 4131 Ferber Road in Ft. Caroline area on St. Johns south bank. Recent renovations and dredging have improved the facility, but like all old ramps built in residential areas, space is limited. Bert Maxwell - (Trout River) Located just north of I-95 at 680 Broward Road. about 3 miles from the St. Johns — this little-used ramp has plenty of parking and a good launching surface. But despite recent dredging, care is needed in going in and out. Dinsmore - On upper reaches of Trout River at junction of U.S. 1 North and Dunn Avenue. Recently renovated, it has limited parking. T.K. Stokes - On upper reaches of Ribault River at 2120 Riverview Ave. Located off Lem Turner Road, it has limited parking. Harborview - On upper reaches of Ribault River on Harborview Drive with limited parking. Arlington Lion’s Club - Lion’s Club Park at 4322 University Blvd., north above Jacksonville University campus. One of last new ramps built in Duval County and one of the best on St. Johns. Set in an idyllic park with plenty of parking, nature trails, restrooms, etc. Arlington Road - Foot of Arlington Road just north of Mathews Bridge. An old singlewide ramp that has been renovated some over the years, but parking is extremely limited. Pottsburg Creek - On upper reaches of Pottsburg Creek (Arlington River) at 8508 Beach Blvd. Old ramp with very limited parking. St. Johns Marina - Last ramp going south directly on St. Johns river in Duval county. Located at 901 Gulf Life Drive downtown directly behind River City Brewing Company restaurant. Although wide and well surfaced, parking and access are limited due to location near restaurant and other businesses and ramps to bridge. Wayne B. Stevens - Located on Fishing Creek off Ortega River at 4555 Ortega Farms Blvd. and Seaboard Avenue (off Timuquana Road). It’s been recently renovated with adequate parking. Shoaling is a problem at low tide, but city will conduct dredging next spring.
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Hood Landing - Located on Julington Creek at foot of Hood Landing Road at Clark’s Fish Camp. An old single wide ramp with poor dock. Parking is virtually non-existent, but ramp offers only ready access to St. Johns between downtown Jacksonville and St. Johns and Clay counties. Lighthouse Marine - Ramp on Cedar River at 5434 San Juan Avenue at bridge. Limited parking. Jacksonville Naval Air Station: US 17 on the St. Johns River County Dock: County dock is a hand launch area at the terminus of County Dock Road in Mandarin. The facility has limited space and is part of a larger park and fishing pier. There is no trailer parking and limited turnaround area. From I-295/County Road 13 (San Jose Boulevard) Intersection 1. Head south on San Jose Blvd. 2. Turn right onto Loretto Rd. 3. Merge right onto County Dock Rd. 4. Landing is at terminus of County Dock Road. Goodby’s Lake: Goodbys Creek Boat Ramp is lcoated on the south side of Goodbys Lake and San Jose Boulevard. Ramp amenities include picnic tables and rest rooms. The ramp, which serves the busy Baymeadows area, has three lanes and is ADA accessible (Americans with Disabilities Act). From I-95 and Bay Meadows Road: 1. Head west on Baymeadows rd 2. Turn left onto San jose Blvd. 3. Ramp is on southeast side of bridge crossing Goodbys Lake. Mandarin Part: Mandarin Park Boat Ramp is located in Mandarin Park, along Julington Creek. From Downtown and I-95: 1. Head South on I-95 to I-295 North. 2. Exit Sand Jose Blvd. South ramp. 3. Traveling south on San Jose Boulevard, turn right on Mandarin Road 4. After a distance, park entrance in on the right, follow entry to boat ramp Thomas Creek: Access to Thomas Creek for small, motorized vessels as well as canoes and kayaks. 1720 Ethel Road, Jacksonville, Fl. 32218
N
ASSAU
COUNTY
Holly Point Park - On Christopher Creek / Nassauville community off FL 200. Fernandina Harbor - Foot of Ash St. downtown Fernandina Beach. It has very shallow water, shoaling, heavily used by commercial fishermen. Parking is extremely limited.
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Egan’s Creek: 1620 North 14th Street just before the Egan’s Creek Bridge North End: Intracoastal Waterway, Take 14th st. past Egan’s Creek to Pogy Pl. Melton Neslson Park - Fla. A1A east of Yulee. Surface good but parking limited. Nassau Landing - On Bogie Creek, 4 miles west of I-95 on Fla. A1A, Edward’s Road. Wilson Neck - South of Yulee off U.S. 17. South of Wilson Neck Road. St. Marys River: (1) Kings Ferry- Middle Road, Nassau Co. 108, northeast of Hilliard; (2) Walker Landing/Scott’s Landing - Off U.S. 1, Lake Hampton Road north of Hilliad at Boulogne.
S T. J O H N S C O U N T Y Call 904-209-0333 for updates on exact location Intracoastal Waterway/ocean - (Vilano Beach) - St. Johns Co. Park, A1A just west of Usina Bridge. Good surface, adequate parking, but is extremely crowded at peak periods. Shoaling exists in channel to Matanzas River. Follow navigation markers carefully. Intracoastal Waterway/ocean - (Lighthouse Park) - Located at St. Augustine Lighthouse on Salt Run, off San Marco Boulevard south of Bridge of Lions. A good surface, with limited dock space. Follow navigation markers through Salt Run. Intracoastal Waterway - Butler Park, off Fla. A1A between St. Augustine Beach and Crescent Beach. Turn on Riverside Blvd. Guana Lake ( 6 Mile)- Located in Guana State Recreation Area off A1A between Jacksonville Beach and St. Augustine, 6 miles north of Guana Dam; unimproved ramp for small boats, kayaks, and canoes. Guana River/Intracoastal Waterway - Concrete ramp on south side at Dam leads to Intracoastal; dirt ramp to north side to Guana Lake. Both located in newly revamped Guana State Recreation Area at South Ponte Vedra. Trout Creek - Located off SR13, 4 miles south of Shands Bridge at Green Cove Springs. Good surface with access to St. Johns River. Limited parking. Extremely crowded at peak periods. Boatclub Road - Located off of A1A in Vilano Beach at the end of Boatclub
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Road. A very rough ramp with little parking. Devil’s Elbow - Located just south of SR206 off of A1A. There is a fee to launch. Doug Crane Boat Ramp - Off of Shore Drive just south of SR SR 312 bridge in South St. Augutine Green Road: South of SR 206 on A1A. Palmetto Road: Off A1A South of St. Augustine Beach and North of Butler Park Ramp Moultrie Creek: Shore Drive in St. Augustine Shores. Palmo Road: CR 13 South of SR 16 Riverdale Park: CR 13 South of SR 214 Palm Valley: SR 210 under the new bridge on West side of ICW.
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L O CAL
GUIDES
& I NSTRUCTORS
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What is St. Johns Riverkeeper? St. Johns Riverkeeper is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that serves as a full-time advocate for the St. Johns River, its watershed, and the public to whom it belongs. Our mission is to work on behalf of the community for clean and healthy waters in the St. Johns River, its tributaries and its wetlands, through citizenbased advocacy. Riverkeeper is a membership-based organization. Riverkeeper does not receive government funding but must rely on the generous support of businesses and concerned citizens that recognize the value and importance of the St. Johns River and our work to protect it.
How does Riverkeeper accomplish its mission? Patrol the River on a regular basis in our Riverkeeper boat to identify and investigate pollution problems and make sure the responsible parties are held accountable. Respond to citizens’ complaints and work with them to resolve problems. Hold polluters accountable for their actions. Ensure that our environmental laws and regulations are implemented and enforced. Educate the public about the St. Johns River and the issues affecting its health. Participate on important committees, such as Mayor John Peyton’s Environmental Advisory Committee, City of Jacksonville Parks Task Force Committee, the St. Johns River Alliance, and the Water Quality Committee of the Jacksonville Waterways Commission. Routinely attend public meetings and participate in the public policy decision-making process to represent the interests of the river, our members, and the public at large. For more information about St. Johns Riverkeeper, visit www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org or call 904-256-7591. Take an interactive journey on the St. Johns and learn about the history, culture, ecology, and access points along the river at www.mystjohnsriver.com.
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FI R S T CO A S T FLYFISHING GUIDES & I NSTRUCTORS Hiring a fly fishing guide or instructor is a fast-track way to learn how and where to fly fish. If you are new to the area or new to fly fishing, hiring a fly fishing guide is a good place to start. A guide knows the area and will help you catch fish. When you hire a guide, let him know what experience you have so he will know how to plan your trip. If you can’t cast well, your guide needs to know so he can give you some instruction or plan to take you where a long cast is not needed. A full-day trip can be expensive, but most guided trips are for two people, so you can split the cost with a friend and still have good day fishing. Always ask a guide if he or she furnishes equipment and food. It is also reasonable to ask your guide how long you will be fishing and what you should bring with you on the boat. Remember, a guide wants you to catch fish and enjoy your trip. The guides listed in this book are some of the best in the area. So hire a guide the next time you want to go fishing. Fly fishing guides and instructors featured in this book are:
Capt. David Borries Capt. John Bottko Capt. Tony Bozzella Capt. Warren Hinrichs Jr. Instructor David Lambert
Capt. Randy Lanier Capt. Larry Miniard Instructor Rich Santos Capt. Doug Moore Capt. Russell Tharin
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C A P T . D A V I D B ORRIES Backwater Fishing Adventures captdavidborries@aol.com 904/708-8915 I’m a a full-time U.S. Coast Guard licensed charter captain who specializes in light tackle and fly fishing who has fished northeast Florida for over 20 years. I graduated from Univ. of Southern Mississippi with an anthropology degree and pursued a career as a archeologist. I’m currently a staff writer for OnshoreOffshore Magazine and I‘ve been featured in Florida Sportsman and Trailer Boats Magazine. I was the 2002 Mercury Celebrity Classic grand champion guide, but one of my most satisfying accomplishments is teaching young kids how to fish. Chicopit Bay is one of my favorite places to fly fish in the Jacksonville area. It is a large and very shallow flat where the Intracoastal waterway meets the St Johns river on its south bank—just off the St. Johns River in Jacksonville. It extends to both sides of the Intracoastal Waterway, East Chicopit and West Chicopit. This flat is a great place to sight fish for reds during the cold months when the water is clear. Chicopit will produce reds all year, but I prefer to fly fish when you can see your quarry. During the months of November through March, algae and plankton die off due to the cold water, making the waters of Northeast Florida very clear and great for sight fishing. It seems that reds like to move on to these flats not just for food but to get the warmth of the sun. One way that I like to fish Chicopit is to pole onto the flat as it is draining and look for reds moving off of the flat. Chocopit has some deeper grooves that run through the flats and it is through these channels that the reds will move to deeper water. If you position your boat in the right place at the right time you can see reds exiting the flat in schools. For fly fishermen this is a great opportunity to sight cast to reds. For Kayakers, Chicopit can be a great place to explore. Launching at Sisters Creek one only has to cross the St. Johns river to get in to Chocopit Bay. In some parts of the bay the bottom is sand making it possible to get out of your kayak and fish, however sighting reds from your kayaka shouldn’t be a problem during the cold months, when the water is clear. If you do decide to exit your vessel in Chicopit Bay be aware of the abundance of stingrays found through out the area. Finding stingrays is not a bad thing, it seems that reds and stingrays hang out together. Reds can often be seen feeding on small crustacions that a stingray has flushed out of the mud. If you would like more info on Chocopit Bay or would like to book a charter in Chicopit Bay give me a call.
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C A P T . J OHN B OTTKO Salty Feather Fly Shop www.SaltyFeather.Com 904/645-8998 I like to fish the Nassau Sound area north of Jacksonville. The nice thing about Nassau Sound is that state parks surround it. You have Big Talbot Island State Park and Little Talbot Island State Park and from these state parks you can access some of the best fishing available in North Florida. From Big Talbot Island State Park, walk back south along the beach and fish the backside of Nassau Sound. If you go into Little Talbot Island State Park, walk to the beach, then go north or south. If you go south, it is about a 45-minute walk to Fort George Inlet. If you go north it is a 45-minute walk to Nassau Sound. Both of these areas have some great fishing. I usually target redfish at Nassau Sound. The great thing about Nassau Sound is the variety of fish you can catch. I have caught 11 species of fish and I have had three other species on and not landed. April through November is the best time to fish the surf. My peak month is usually September. For redfish I like to use a large, weighted minnow pattern. The Surfing Woolly, which I specially designed for the surf, is the best fly I use. If you are fishing for black drum, sheepshead, or pompano, crab patterns seem to work best. The tide is not as important as water clarity and the position of the sun. When I fish this area I usually walk and look. I fish from 10 a.m. to 3p.m. At this time of day the sun is in the best position for sight fishing. Either incoming or outgoing tide is o.k. If I had my choice of tides, I like the incoming just because it usually brings in clearer water. I look for clear water and bright conditions. The Salty Feather is a full service fly and light-tackle dealership that has six fishing guides working through the shop. All the personnel in the shop are guides so we are on the water all the time. We provide fly fishing and light tackle guide service from Fernandina to St. Augustine.
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C A P T . TO N Y B O Z Z E L L A TBS Jigs www.tonybozzella.com bozzella@aol.com 904/651-0182 I am a full-time professional guide and a tournament pro with a top 5 and multiple top 10 finishes on the Professional Redfish Tour. I have won the Mitzi Skiff Redfish Shootout, Key Largo Backcountry Challenge and the Top Guide Award. I have won first place in the 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008 Celebrity Redbone Tournaments and have over 30 top 5 finishes throughout the Southeast. I own and operate TBS Jigs and Charters, a company that manufacturers custom rods, flats lures/Jigs and which runs inshore charters. I specialize in Light Tackle and Fly fishing. I am a field reporter for the radio show 930AM the FOX on Saturday morning and I am one of the instructors for the Advanced Inshore Fishing Techniques School in North Florida as well as Pro Staff with the Florida Sportsman Magazine. My charter boat is an 18’ Hewes Redfisher, 18’ Beavertail Skiff. I fish the St. Johns River to Nassau Sound, March to October is mainly fished in sections of the river as far South as Doctors Lake. I fish a lot of structure, sand flats and various spots/ areas depending where the fish are holding that particular year. I like fishing around high water. I also focus my fishing from October to March in back country shallows around mud flats and oyster bars in 4 inches to 4 ft., when the water starts to fall below 65 degrees average. I like fishing around the low water. During warmer months I launch at the Lions Club boat ramp, cooler months Sisters Creek Marina/Hecksher Dr. I target Trophy Trout, Redfish, with a mix of Jacks, Ladyfish, Bluefish, Flounder, Black Drum. I like to fish high tide in the St. Johns and low tide in the backcountry. In the St. Johns I like to use Poppers, Clousers (Chartreuse). In the backcountry I use Black Clouser, Crab/ Shrimp Patterns.
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C APT. W ARREN H INRICHS, J R. Angling Adventures www.warrenhinrichs.com 903/384-0096 I’m a Coast Guard-licensed fly fishing guide and writer. My articles and photographs have been featured in Saltwater Sportsman, Florida Sportsman, Fly Fishing Saltwater, Saltwater Fly Fishing, and Fly Fishing Quarterly. Also, I’ve been featured in John Kumiski’s Fishing the Everglades – A Complete Guide for the Small Boater and Flyrodding in Florida Salt. One of my specialties is sight fishing for redfish at low tide in the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve. I look for creeks that have oyster bars, good tidal flow, cordgrass banks, a lack of fishing pressure, and a deep channel or ledge nearby. When sight fishing, I look for redfish cruising with their backs out of the water, I refer to this as ‘backing.’ Wakes are a dead giveaway to the presence of fish, but don’t be fooled into chasing a school of baitfish. A redfish produces a very pronounced “hump,” or a large, uniform wake. Most baitfish produce several small wakes that merge together to form what looks to be a large wake. Look for bait being chased by redfish, the birds also feed on the same bait. When spring tides flood the grass flats the reds move in to feed on fiddlers. Look for small disturbances on the water or a tail waving like a flag. Use your ears, redfish are sloppy eaters and when they feed you can hear splashes in the marsh.
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DAV
ID
L
A MBERT
smartcasts@gmail.com 904/403-5525 I teach a method of casting called Smart Casts. As part of this method, I incorporate Positive Practice, a technique that allows the caster to see how and what his fly rod is doing during the casting stroke. When a caster can see the rod, his hand, and the fly line, it’s much easier to diagnose the casting stroke and timing problems. One of the more helpful tools in the Positive Practice section is called ‘The String.’ Cut a 40-foot section of nylon construction string or some other tightly woven string or small rope. Fold it in half and make a one-foot long mark at the center. Make a smaller mark exactly nine feet away from the center mark on both legs of the folded string. Tie loop knot in each end of the string, then stretch the string out and stake it down with nails. It will look like this:
Center 9 ft. 9 ft. Stand facing the center mark of the string a little more than a rod length away. Pull out 25 or 30 feet of fly line. Now, while holding the rod in a normal thumbon-top manner, turn your hand so that the palm would be facing up. Your reel face will be parallel with the ground. Now you’re facing the string in a normal casting position, except that your rod hand is palm up. The object of The String practice is to make controlled, tight loops by making your fly line follow a straight path, parallel to the string. To do this you must make the rod tip follow a straight path. Your stops must be controlled and abrupt. Here’s where the string helps. With your palm always facing up, point your rod tip to the mark nine feet left of the center mark. Move your forearm and the rod tip slowly (but accelerating) toward the center mark. When the tip of the rod reaches the center mark, stop your forearm movement and at the exact same time, make a short, controlled wrist snap and stop. The rod tip must stop at the mark nine feet to the right of the center. Done correctly, this produces very tight loops which will lay your line out parallel to the string. Reverse the process for the forward cast. Then combine the two into a single cast. Do this 20 minutes a day for a week or two and your casting will improve significantly. For detailed information on this and other methods of perfecting your casting, look for Smart Casts: The New Aproach To Efficient Fly Casting and Practice. Fly casting instruction rates: Individual, $75/hr; group, $45/each/hr.
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CAPT. R
ANDY
L
ANIER
Black Fly Outfitter www.vaughncochranart.com 904) 997-2220 I like to fish Clapboard Creek and Sisters Creek up to Nassau Sound. The best time to fish in these areas is at low tide. You will see all the structure, sloughs, and pools that you can’t see at high tide. This also allows you to figure out how long you can stay in this creek on an outgoing tide. Do not try and fish the whole area on one trip. Fish small areas over and over. This will enable you to learn more about the area you are fishing, and hopefully catch fish. I like to fish a low tide in the morning with low light and no wind. I like to start fishing on the incoming tide and pole back into the creeks until I see feeding redfish. Sometime you may not see feeding fish. You may see a swirl around an oyster bed that you recognize as a redfish. When fishing under these conditions you must be very quiet. The wake from the hull of your boat, or the hull slap on an aluminum boat, can spook a fish. The best time to fish these areas is October, November, December, and January, until you get the first couple of hard freezes. When the water temps get below 62-65 degrees the redfish get lethargic. I prefer to use #4 short shank Mustad 34007 hooks for most of my fishing. Three of my favorite flies are the Black Clouser, tied with gold flash and blue and green flash; the Chartreuse clouser; and the Dupree gold spoon. With these three flies you can catch most species of fish in this area. I charter out of Black Fly Outfitter. I have fished this area my whole life and have been flyfishing since 1981. I mainly do fly fish charters and some light tackle for redfish, trout and flounder. I do some tarpon charters during the summer when the tarpon are in. I don’t do live-bait charters.
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CA
P T .
L
A R R Y
MI
N I A R D
First Coast Angling Adventures www.larryminiard.com 904/285-5373 I like to fish the Palm Valley area between St. Augustine and State Road 210. I prefer to fish the low tides early in the morning before the boat traffic increases. Sometimes the incoming tide will cause fish to start feeding. As the tide comes in, I follow the fish into the creeks and fish along the grass banks and oyster bars. I look for mud flats with oyster bars that fish will move onto as the tide floods the marsh. I’ll fish the creeks that flow into the main waterway. Fish will often stack up in the mouth of these creeks. Year-round you can target redfish in this area. In the winter I use a sinking line and fish the drop-offs for trout. From spring through the summer during high tide, I fish poppers over oyster bars and around grass islands. Ladyfish and jacks can be caught during this time of year. Starting in mid-June, you can find tarpon in the Intracoastal Waterway. For me the best overall time to fish this area is April, May, and June. If I could only use one fly, my choice would be a black and chartreuse Clouser minnow. Another good fly I use is a Surf Dog, a pattern that I developed. It uses a zonker/bunny strip and I tie them in purple and black. When the water is very clear, I go to a chartreuse and white Clouser. If the water is muddy I will use a darker color fly. When the mullet run starts (late July, August, and September) use a Lefty’s Deceiver or mullet pattern. Fish these patterns in shallow water. For redfish, the best tide is the last of the outgoing and first of the incoming. When the high flood tides start in September the best time to fish is during the highest part of the tide. I like to use a fly I developed (Turkey in the Straw) for these tailing reds and sheepshead in the grass.
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C
A P T .
D
O U G
MO
O R E
904/757-3323 I like to fish the Cedar Point area on the Intracoastal Waterway north of the St. Johns River. You have good access to this area by using the Joe Carlucci boat ramp and the new Sisters Creek boat ramp located just north of the bridge over Sisters Creek. There is an unimproved boat ramp on Cedar Point at the end of Cedar Point road and another unimproved ramp at Alimacani Park. Garden Creek, at the entrance to Ft. George Inlet, has been a productive spot for me during the winter. I prefer to fish this creek on the first of the incoming tide. The redfish seem to stage in deep holes in the creek during the low tide and when the tide starts to flood the creek the fish become real active. Flounder and trout fishing is good in the Ft. George River all the way up to Alimacani boat ramp. On the outgoing tide, fish the mouths of the feeder creeks. On the incoming tide fish seem to follow the shorelines. When the water temps get to 70-75 degrees, the fishing picks up in this area. When the weather gets cold, I fish the deep holes for trout with a sinking line. During an early morning low tide, a good place to target flounder and redfish is along the shoreline of the Intracoastal Waterway. I use big Clousers tied in white and chartreuse and a fly I developed called a “Milk-em” fly that is tied like a Clouser with feathers. I tie this fly about 4 inches long on a 1/0 hook. At certain times the fish seem to prefer bigger bait and the “Milk-em” fly moves a lot of water. I am not a full time guide at this time. Most of my guided trips are for people that work in the dairy business.
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R ICH S ANTOS
First Coast Complete Fly Fishing FFF Certified Casting Instructor www.flyfishjax.com (904) 497-9736 My fishing grounds start at Amelia Island (Nassau County) on south to the Marineland-Pellicer Creek area in Flagler County. Special trips are made to Mosquito lagoon/Indian River lagoon systems. I offer 2 different kinds of fishing methods. For the beginner to novice fisherman we paddle a short distance and wade fish all day in a couple spots for easy casting just south of St. Augustine area. This is a blind casting event that offers a variety of fish depending on the season. For the more advanced fisherman and caster we paddle 3-8 miles (depending on location) and cast out of the kayak all day in the Jacksonville area. No wade fishing. Also depending on tide, weather conditions and season will determine my best place to fish. My fishing trips from Nov.-June are mostly planned around the low tide periods. This is when the fish become more active and hungry and sight fishing is at its best in the backwater estuaries of the Timucuan Preserve in Jacksonville. The bottom of the out going tide forces the bait out of the shallow water creeks and mud flats into concentrated areas where predatory fish are staged. I like to prowl these areas and actively sight and blind cast these feeding stations which are often stacked with redfish, trout and flounder. I especially focus around any kind of structure like oyster bars, bank edges and points or where several creek mouths meet together to find fish. During the colder winter months I look for schooled up redfish on the move in the morning during warmer temperatures periods. During colder temperature periods I look for more fish activity late in the day after the mud flat and water temperatures have heated up on the incoming tide. This low tide fishing is available 12 months out of the year if you should choose to stay away from the high tide flooded grass flats. I actively pursue high tide fishing in the flooded grass flats from June through late October for tailing Redfish and Sheepshead. This is the best sight fishing that Jacksonville has to offer! Fiddler crab flies are the absolute choice for hooking up these clear water Reds. Other high tide fishing areas include the lake side at Guana State Park for an opportunity to catch a gator trout.
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CAPT. R
U S S E L L
TH A R I N
w w w. f l y f i s h i n g a m e l i a i s l a n d . c o m 904/491-4799 904/491-4277FAX
A lot of my fishing is done from Little Talbot Island to Cumberland Island. Whatever area I fish, I focus on sight fishing. In northeast Florida we sight fish for redfish three different ways: We sight fish the clear water at Nassau Sound in the surf; we fish the low tides; and we sight fish in the grass during the flood tides. I also like to sight fish behind the barrier islands where the tides come together. I fish the creeks along the Intracoastal Waterway behind Amelia Island. When scouting these areas, I look for shallow banks along the edge of the Intracoastal and the creeks. If you look at a shore line and you have a very steep or abrupt bank, this is not going to give you the best conditions to sight fish. You can spot fish moving in the shallower water. These shallow areas tend to give the redfish a safe area to feed. These fish do not migrate far during the year. During winter months fish will school and compete for food. During spring and fall, you can target redfish tailing in the flooded grass flats. In summer, the best time to fish is the early morning low tides. Look for waking or backing fish. I also fish high tides using top-water flies. I will fish along the grass banks. You can catch redfish or trout fishing this way. I use a variety of different flies. A black Clouser has always been a good fly. I like to use bait patterns during some conditions. I am a full-time fishing guide and I’m one of the few guides who concentrates on fly fishing offshore. I catch tarpon, jack, cobia, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and barracuda. June through October is a good time for sight fishing tarpon offshore. I am an Orvis-endorsed guide and a master fly casting instructor certified by the Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF). Casting lessons are provided at Amelia Island Plantation prior to your fly fishing charter. I am a charter member and past president of First Coast Fly Fishers in Jacksonville, Florida.
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F ly F ishing N otes
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FISHING L OCATIONS & MAPS Note: The maps in this publication are for fishing spot location only. For the most part, the maps are not navigational quality and may not be to scale. Use U.S. Coast Guard approved nautical charts for navigation. NOAA Nautical Chart 11489 and 11485 Intracoastal Waterway show a good overall view of the areas discussed in this book. These charts can be purchased at local fly shops. In recent years, satellite images from companies like Google earth have become very useful to anglers. Note that most of these images are not current, and they may not reflect sand bars, oyster beds, or similar hazards to navigation. www.earth.google.com
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C ANOES, K AYAKS,
&
W ADERS
Some of the best fly fishing areas on Florida’s First Coast can be accessed by canoe, kayak, or by wading. Be aware that many creek bottoms and flats are composed of detritis and mud. Also, much of the First Coast fishery is subject to strong tidal currents. In both cases, wade with extreme caution and wade with a friend. Listed below are just a few of the areas that can be accessed by canoe, kayak, or by wading. See corresponding maps for these locations. Note that one good way to discover kayak launches is by viewing the satellite photos in Google Earth, www.earth.google.com and by viewing the launch ramps at JaxKayakFishing.com www.jaxkayakfishing.com/fishing_spots.html
1. Mill Cove 2. Little Clapboard Creek (strong currents) 3. Clapboard Creek East (strong currents) 4. Chicopit Bay East (Sherman Point) 5. Simpson Creek (wade) 6. Little Talbot Island (wade, strong currents) 7. Cedar Point 8. Salt Run 9. SR 206 Bridge (wade)
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Marker 66
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BROWARD CREEK Access: Intracoastal Waterway north of Ft. George Island and just west of Marker #66. Launch from Sisters Creek/Carlucci ramp, Cedar Point ramp, or Sawpit Creek ramp. This spot has two entrances. The main entrance is west of Marker #66. The first part of the entrance is deep, but it becomes shallow as you get farther into the creek. Once inside the creek, look for oyster beds to fish around. Small creeks run off the main creek. Some of these go up into the marsh and open up to small pockets of water. During certain stages of the tide you can pole into these small pockets and find fish. Some of the oyster beds are fairly flat, others have very steep sides with deep cuts between them. In some spots, it is easy to get cut-off when you hook a fish over oyster beds. When schools of jacks are in the Intracoastal, the main entrance can provide you with some good action. The creek across from Broward is another good spot. There is a sandbar across the entrance. The mouth just inside the sandbar has oyster bars on both sides. The creek winds into the marsh for about 1/3 mile and then gets very shallow. You can fish the mouth or pole and fish the edge of the creek.
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N
Marker 9
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Buckhorn Creek Entrance
BUCKHORN CREEK Access: Off the Intracoastal Waterway, just south of the St. Johns River, near Chicopit Bay. Launch from Sisters Creek/Carlucci ramp, or Oak Harbor ramp. A sand bar has formed at the entrance to Buckhorn Creek at low tide. Both sides of the entrance are soft but can be waded at low tide. The first part of the channel is deep. The creek branches off to the left and right. At this point there is a mud bar against the far bank. Where the creek makes a turn to the right, it gets deep for a few yards, then you come onto a mud flat with little finger creeks protruding in different directions. This mud bar is exposed at low tide, making it a good winter time spot. If you take the branch to the left, there are oyster bars to fish as it winds back through the marsh. During winter months, the first part of the creek (deep part) can be fished with a sinking line along the edge of the grass. You can get high and dry in this area at low tide, so plan accordingly.
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JTB Bridge
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Marker 48
C ABBAGE C REEK
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J TB B RIDGE
Access: Beach Marine public ramp. Head south to Marker #43. Between Markers # 43 & 46 on either side of the J. Turner Butler Boulevard Bridge are mud flats that drop off into the deep water of the Intracoastal. These flats are the entrance to feeder creeks that wind through the marsh. They are exposed at low tide and they will heat up on sunny days in the winter. Since fish are cold blooded, they like the warmer water temperatures and often hold there on sunny winter days. Just south of Marker #48 on the east side of the Waterway is the entrance to Cabbage Creek. This creek winds through the marsh and has many small feeder creeks. Some of the feeders are deep channeled with shallows and oyster beds along the banks. On weekends, boat traffic can be a problem.
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Boat Ramp
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Mud Flat Marker 75
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Marker 74
C E D A R PO I NT Access: Launch a small boat at the ramp at the end of Cedar Point Road. Also, launch from Sisters Creek/Carlucci ramp or Sawpit ramp. Enter from Intracoastal Waterway at Horseshoe Creek between Marker #74 and #75. From the boat ramp, if you follow the creek out to the east you will see a small bay/mud flat on the east side of the ramp. This is the area to fish. This flat is high and dry at low tide. Oyster beds run throughout the area. There are two entrances off the Intracoastal Waterway. The creek from the north entrance is deep, but a sandbar blocks the entrance at low tide. Some of the bottom is wadable, but use an oar or paddle to test the bottom before you step out. Cedar Point is a great spot for the canoe or kayak enthusiast.
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Marker 17 St Johns River Little Jetties
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A1A
Sherman Ck. Bridge
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CHICOPIT BAY E AST Access: If you use a canoe or kayak, launch on the south side of the Little Jetties Park off Mayport Road except at low tide. You can also enter from the Intracoastal Waterway. There is an unimproved ramp east of the Sherman Creek Bridge on Mayport Road. This ramp accommodates small boats, canoes, or kayaks. You can also park at the end of Little Jetties and carry a kayak down to a point on the south side of the jetties. The water is deeper at this point. At the east end of Chicopit Bay is a mud flat that can leave you high and dry at low tide, even in a canoe. The south bank is lined with oysters and soft mud. Wading is possible, but very limited. There are some good spots at the opening to the ICW around the small marsh island. If you launch at the unimproved ramp on Sherman Creek you can follow the creek into this area. There are a lot of spots to fish on the way. You will find oyster beds, wadable flats, deep water, and mud flats all along this stretch. This area may require a lot of exploring. Pablo Creek is another area creek with small feeders that are worth exploring.
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St Jo hn sR ive r
Marker 6
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Marker 8
CHICOPIT BAY W E S T Access: Sisters Creek/Carlucci and Oak Harbor ramps are close to this area. Chicopit West has deep water bordering a shallow bay. Enter from the Intracoastal Waterway or from the St. Johns River. Learn the area before you get confident, lots of sand shifts around and you might run aground . On the good side, there are many spots to fish, like oysters beds, grassy areas, and hard-sand bottoms for wading. In some of the deeper cuts the tide can run pretty fast, so again, caution is advised. Once you learn this spot, you can move about in a fairly large boat. There is an unofficial channel that runs off the Intracoastal to Greenfield Creek, which runs into Spanish Point. Do not rely on this channel; the area has changed over the years. Greenfield Creek is deep all the way up to the Bridge that crosses over the creek at Mt. Pleasant Road. This creek does not offer as many fly fishing spots as Chicopit bay; other creeks are better for the fly fisher. As you can see by the map, this is a large area with many areas which hold fish.
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↑ St Boat Ramp .J oh ns R ive Heckscher Dr. r
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C LAPBOARD C REEK E
AST
Access: Clapboard Creek boat ramp off Heckscher Drive. This area has some deeper spots than Little Clapboard Creek. When you leave the boat ramp head north and turn into the first creek to your right (maybe a ¼ mile from the ramp). It is deep and winds and turns into the marsh for a long way. There are feeder creeks off to the left and right that have mud flats and oyster bars. If you turn into the second creek to your left (North) you will find oyster beds with deep cuts between the beds. Here is a mixture of hard and soft bottom. Another creek goes off to your left just inside of the entrance to this creek. This creek winds through the marsh with some good fishing spots along the way. You could spend days exploring this area and probably should.
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Marker 67
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Marker 71
C R E E K B E T W E E N MA R K E R 67-7 1 Access: From the Intracoastal Waterway, enter from Marker# 67 or 71, just north of Fort George River. Launch at Cedar Point, Sisters Creek/Carlucci, or Sawpit ramps. The creek is U-shaped on the west side of the ICW with oyster beds lining both banks. The entrance at Marker # 71 is deep and the entrance at Marker # 67 has a shallow bar on the west side just inside the entrance. Work the shoreline at low tide and fish over the oysters at high tide. The mouth of both entrances can be productive during the outgoing tide. At low tide the reds will hang in the deep water and come over the oyster bars as soon as there is enough water.
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Marker 53
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Marker 55
I SLAND E AST and W EST of M ARKER 55 Access: Sisters Creek/Carlucci ramp, Cedar Point unimproved ramp, and Sawpit ramp. East: The island is on the east side of Marker #53. During flood tides the grass flats around the entire island flood. The backside is best. A small creek runs into the grass flats on the far south end of the island. Depending on the winds, you have the same amount of fishing time on the east as on the west. West: This island is located on the west side of the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) west of Marker #55. The backside of the island is a large grass flat that will flood with 5.4-foot tides. Reds and sheepshead will feed on this flat. West of marker #53 is the mouth of a creek on the north side of the island. You can park your boat in the grass at the tip of the island and wade carefully. This flat will flood about two hours before, and one hour after high tide, depending on the winds. Crab patterns and gold spoon flies work well.
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Boat Ramp
L
ITTLE
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St Johns River
He ck sc he rD riv e
C LAPBOARD C
REEK
Access: Clapboard Creek boat ramp off Heckscher Drive. Head north from the ramp and turn left into the first creek, about ¼ mile. You can fish this area from a canoe or kayak. The entrance is deep with a shallow flat to the right just behind a small marsh-grass island. If you follow the creek straight back, you’ll find a small mudbottomed bay with oyster beds and a small creek running off to the west. From the entrance to the mud bottom bay, several creeks run off to the north and south. The creeks to the south are very shallow and can leave you stranded at low tide. The creeks to the north are deeper and can be fished from a larger boat. This entire creek offers some good fishing. The area is easy to pole, but offers little wading because of the soft mud bottom. Reds are found anywhere in this vicinity, but they can be spooked, so keep the noise down. If you spook a fish, try the same spot in about half an hour. The fish may return. During the winter, the deep channels of this creek can be fished with sinking fly line. A slow retrieve across the bottom may produce fish.
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A1A
State Park Parking Lot
L ITTLE TALBOT I SLAND Access: Little Talbot Island State Park. This park has a $3.25 entry fee. Launch boat from Sawpit Creek ramp. Park in north parking lot and walk to the beach via the boardwalk, then head north. It is two miles to the northern point of Talbot Island. If you walk, it will take about 45 minutes. If you ride a bicycle it takes about 15 minutes. If you come via boat through Nassau Sound, you can beach your boat on the backside of the island. Large redfish move into the surf as early as May and stay until December. Sight fish for schools of fish in two feet of water or less. Also, sharks in the surf can be taken on a fly. When the conditions are right, you can see schools of 20 to 50 redfish. An intermediate fly line is a good choice. If you use the clear tip or mono-core fly lines, you can use a shorter leader. I use baitfish and large Clouser minnow fly patterns. Long casts are not needed to catch these fish. It is best to fish the mid-incoming tide with the sun high (less glare on water). Redfish follow the baitfish into shallow water as the tide rises and if the sun is high, they’re easy to see. If you fish off the tip, be aware of the strong currents. Do not venture out beyond thigh deep!
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SR 9A
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Dames Point Bridge
Lonnie Wurn Boat Ramp
M
ILL
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C OVE
Access: Launch from Lonnie Wurn boat ramp or Arlington Lion’s Club boat ramp. To the east you can launch at Clapboard Creek ramp off Heckscher Drive, or you can launch at an unimproved ramp at the end of Fulton Road. Mill Cove has it all, oysters, wadable flats, flooded grass with mud bottom, hard bottom, and deep channels next to shallows. The east entrance into Mill Cove is deep, and the rest is best checked out at low tide before you run your boat on a plane. Even at low tide, there are plenty of places to fish in a small boat. The Dames Point Bridge divides the Cove. The oyster bars and flooded grass are best fished from a boat. The grass grows from a soft mud bottom in most places. You can wade some of the oyster bars, but be careful! You can wade at the last half of the outgoing and the first part of the incoming. You can also pole or drift with the tide. The Army Corps of Engineers has recently dredged the channel from the entrance on the east side to the entrance on the west side. Recently, large tarpon have been caught in Mill Cove on a fly. It will take a few trips to learn the Cove, but it will pay off. Canoe and kayakers can launch at Lonnie Wurn ramp and fish most of Mill Cove.
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Boat Ramp
SALT R
UN
Access: St. Augustine Lighthouse boat ramp on Anastasia Island launches you into Salt Run. The Vilano Beach ramp will put you across the Intracoastal Waterway, about one mile north of Salt Run. You can fish this area from all size boats. A lot of the area is wadable and you can use canoes and kayaks. A basin at the south end of Salt Run is accessible for wade fishing. Wading access is through Anastasia State Park. This can be a good spot when the bluefish are running. Blues can also be caught at the intersection of Salt Run and the Intracoastal Waterway just inside the inlet. The east bank is lined with grass, oysters and small creeks. Sand bars and deep channels border shallow water. The best spots to fish are on the east side of Salt Run. If you wade the south end you will be restricted to the south and west side of
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Simpso n Cree k
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A1A
Wading Entrance
SIMPSON C REEK Access: This is easy access for waders. Simpson Creek is located off of A1A, north of the entrance to Little Talbot State Park. You can park along the road and step into the grass flats and start looking for tailing redfish. The entrance to the grass flats is marked by two poles and a cable gate. After you go by the entrance to Little Talbot Island, the entrance is off to the right just past the first bridge and before the Simpson Creek bridge. I’ve seen fish tailing in the grass so close to the road that I could cast to them from my truck. The area to fish is the grass flat south of Simpson Creek. During flood tides of 5.4 feet or higher the redfish come onto the grass flats to eat fiddler crabs. You can fish this spot with a 5.4-foot tide, less if there is a northeast wind (which pushes water and floods the flats higher than the published tide). The flood tides start as early as June and last until December. Fiddler crabs will go underground at the first cold snap. You can also find sheepshead on these same flats. The flats stretch for about a 1 ¼ miles all the way to Nassau Sound. Some soft spots in the mud can be easily avoided. Stay close to the wood line if you plan to go all the way to the point.
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Hannah Mills Area
Marker 85
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Boat Ramps
S ISTERS C REEK Access: Sisters Creek boat ramp (Joe Carlucci Park) located off Heckscher Drive at the intersection of the St. John’s River and Sisters Creek. Turn at White Shell Fish Camp. This ramp can be pretty busy on weekends so get there early. A new boat ramp is now open just ¼ mile to the north. The ramp is located on the north west side of the bridge. Oak Harbor boat ramp, located in the Oak Harbor subdivision off Mayport Road, is a short run across the St. Johns River to Sisters Creek. To access the Hannah Mills area from Sisters Creek ramp, head north. After you pass under the bridge take the first left, just past the docks of the new ramp. The creek winds back to the right and has several smaller creeks running off into the marsh. Mud flats and oyster bars run all through this area. Another productive area is across the Intracoastal Waterway from the Hannah Mills area.
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SR 206 B RIDGE S OUTH OF S T . A UGUSTINE Access: Take I-95 south out of Jacksonville and turn east on SR 206. You can wade on the north and south sides of the bridge on the west bank. This large area has grass flats and oyster bars. It is best fished on the high side of the tide on the grass flats. Launch a canoe or kayak from the bank and fish the edge of the flats close to the Intracoastal. This is a good spot to fish the flood tide or when there is a northeast wind. It’s also an easy spot for wading access with some good fishable structure.
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F ly F ishing N otes
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A Fly Drawing by Kayla, 7 years old
It’s great to get kids involved in fishing. The first fish my granddaughter, Kayla, caught was on my fly rod. My grandson William, pictured below, began his fly tying at age three. Kids learn fast and are fun to teach. Anytime you get a chance to take a kid fishing, do it! --Dick Michaelson, 2009
William At Tying Vice William, age 3
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Another Book You’ll Want To Read From
OnWater Media
Smart Casts Is A Fresh Look At Fly Casting From David Lambert, A Nationally Recognized Master Fly Casting Instructor Known For His Innovative Teaching & Practice Techniques. Get your copy today! smartcasts@gmail.com
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Help Save Our Delicate Fisheries Ecology Our First Coast fishery is a delicate balance between human activity and nature. It is in much better condition now than in past years dueto much concentrated effort by citizens and county, state, and national government. The St. Johns River estuaries and its fishery have improved. We should all want to pass on this beautiful river in its cleanest form to future generations of fly fishers. Recently, however, governments along the river have granted water removal rights to big cities and counties upstream. Those rights include removing more than a million gallons a day of St. Johns River water to help agricultural and industrial insterests in and around Orlando. The potential threat of this water removal is very significant to the health of the St. Johns River and it’s estuaries. Reduced volumes of freshwater at the river’s mouth will mean that saltwater may intrude as far south as Picolatta, which will kill off all the native marine vegatation and fish that cannot survive salt intrusion. Please help us maintain and improve the condition of our St. Johns River and its estuaries so future generations can enjoy it. Join and Support groups like St. Johns Riverkeeper www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/ Coastal Conservation Association Florida www.ccaflorida.org/ The Trust for Public Land, which administrates the 2008 St. Johns River Initiative: www.tpl.org/tier3_cd.cfm?content_item_id=22268&folder_id=250
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