Jacksonville, FL Fishing Report
12 November 2025
Welcome to Fish Whisperer Charters in Jacksonville, FL!
Water surface temperatures have significantly decreased with the fronts blowing through over the last couple of weeks causing them to drop to 64° - 65° in the Mayport area depending on the time of day and tide. I love this water temp decrease because it triggers a better bite with the inshore fish. Clarity of the water remains a café con leche color due to the high winds but is very fishable.
Bull reds continue to chew, although not as abundant, and most have been caught while fishing for other species. The bait that’s worked the best for me has been steaked or stripped mullet. Sheepshead have been the ticket lately though, with some trout and black drum to add to the box. The black drum and trout have taken shrimp and most of the black drum we’ve caught were around 20-24”. For the sheepshead, fiddler crabs and sand fleas have done the majority of the work and most of the fishing for all of these has been around the jetties.
I love this time of year because a wide variety of species are active, but sheepshead are my second-favorite fish to catch next to flounder! There is certainly a challenge for those not used to them but teaching it on trips, watching folks begin to catch them, and seeing their excitement is extremely rewarding. Plus, they taste VERY good!
TTPs (Tactics, Techniques, Procedures)
Sheepshead are a peculiar fish to catch and the majority of clients I take out either hate them and express such feelings with various curses/rants, OR are absolutely addicted to the things. I like a tide shift when I fish for them and look for clarity and current that forces fish to a certain area. Most of the fish this time of year have been in the rocks fairly tight and we’ve reached them using regular sheepshead jigs with the flexible hooks. If you’re not getting a consistent bite in one area, move to another because there are plenty of places to fish and I will typically keep an eye on my side scan to pick up some “blow-through” spots along the jetties where water circulates through the wall. It just looks like turbulence clouds.
I like to vary my rigs for sheepshead and have found that they will hit one better than the other on different occasions. My favorite is the splitshot rig or jig. I will use mosquito hooks or Owner 1/O with splitshot rigs but be sure to check your hook after each fish because their hard mouths and teeth can bend or destroy it easily. Carolina rigs are probably the most fun for clients because they can feel the pressure a bit better. The problem with these is that we cannot always get close enough to the structure we’re fishing; therefore, we have to pitch jigs or something else at them. If using Carolina rigs, I rig a 12” leader on it with the #1 Mosquito and I will have my folks lower the sinker down until it touches the bottom and immediately bring it up about 6-8” from the bottom to avoid snags. This also aids in feeling the pressure when a fish begins to feed on the bait. When pressure is felt, simply raise the rod up and the fish is normally hooked. Not all of the time, but most of the time…lol.
Jigs and splitshot rigs are so much fun for more experienced folks who can cast and really be in touch with the bottom. The technique I use is to pitch around the rocks and give it a few seconds to sink. Then, while slowly raising it up and allowing it to walk off of the jetty wall and fall like a natural piece of bait, feel for some pressure. If it is felt, continue raising it and if the rod tip bends over and stays over, that’s a snag. If pressure is felt and the rod bends like it’s on a rock but starts to give a little, that’s a fish! Don’t jerk it like you’ve been shocked by a dog collar! The steady pressure will allow the hook to slide over the teeth and slip into some flesh somewhere. The hardest thing to teach my customers is to not set the hook like a Bassmaster Elite touring pro every time something is felt. The tackle will ricochet out of the fish's hard mouth and fly right back into the boat or hit someone. It happens every trip at some point! I teach a slow and graceful style of hooking these guys and not a full body lift.
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
