Jacksonville, FL Fishing Report
1 April 2025
Welcome to Fish Whisperer Charters in Jacksonville, FL!
Water surface temperatures range from 66° - 69° around the Mayport area depending on the tide. Water clarity has some “café con leche” appearance since the rain on Sunday. On my charters this week, it was certainly a hot and cold bite with one trip requiring some grinding while others, the fish were waiting for us to drop another bait.
Black drum, sheepshead, redfish, trout, and flounder were the harvest and I seemed to do a bit better on the mid-high tide to low shift. I heard rumors today the Spanish are showing up but haven’t caught any yet. Always fun with those and still looking out for pompano and tripletail as the warming trend continues. Did some R&D with topwater lures and only found some juvenile trout but certainly expect the larger ones to follow within a week or two as the spawn begins.
TTPs (Tactics, Techniques, Procedures)
As mentioned earlier, we caught quite a few sheepshead on Carolina rigs this week and wanted to share the technique I like to teach folks that seems to be much better than setting a hook. These rigs are simply an egg sinker on the main line (usually 1-2oz), a low-vis bead, swivel, then 10” leader with 1/O owner hook. My main line is 15lbs braid and leader is #20 SEAWORX fluorocarbon.
To fish this rig inshore, lower it down until it touches bottom and immediately raise it 6-8” so the sinker does not snag and all pressure can be felt from fish. Hold it with a loose grip and with your arms; not your hip or stomach because this is much harder to feel the delicate pressure of the sheepshead bite. Hold it level and count 10 or so seconds, then slowly raise it up. If it bends over and stays over, that’s a boulder bass or granite grouper (rock). If it bends over then begins to move and give a bit, that’s the sheepshead! Just keep raising the rod up and this small bit of pressure will set the hook in flesh.
I have seen MANY people “setting” the hook with these fish and I’m convinced the jerky movement is more likely to cause the hook to bounce off of the sheepshead’s cavern of teeth. If you raise it and nothing is there, reset the rig near the bottom, count to 10-do it again. Try this technique and see if it works as well for you!
Hope that helps! If there are ever any questions, just post them up on my Facebook Page and I'll get back with you. Catch em' up and stay safe!
Until next time...
Fair Winds & Following Seas,
Capt Kris Kell
Hope that helps! If there are ever any questions, just post them up on my Facebook Page and I'll get back with you. Catch em' up and stay safe!
Until next time...
Fair Winds & Following Seas,
Capt Kris Kell
