My good friend Charles McGill and I headed for St Augustine and launched the boat on an incoming tide that was almost high. In my book, that’s probably the worst tide in that area to try and fish, but we had the day and the time, so we went anyway. I was intent on finding some fish without going very far.
The first stop we made was an outflow from Hospital Creek, right under the big cross that dominates the St Augustine skyline. We began by working some topwater (Spinana) baits and some plastics on jig heads as we moved along with the incoming tide.
Literally, within minutes we had two bluefish in the boat. Both were caught on the Spinana, but I was leery about continuing that pattern for fear of loosing my lure. Blues have a habit of chopping baits off! So, I switched to a jig head with a Saltwater Assassin sea shad in the electric chicken color. It worked every bit as well, and we continued to use the plastics.
We fished for about an hour and I proved to myself that I could catch fish “downtown” without running. So – I figured I would run to some other spots and find some bigger redfish and maybe some seatrout. After a run of about five miles north, we began fishing again. But, we did not begin catching again. I moved to multiple areas that had always been productive in the past, but we found no fish.
We fished for about three hours as the wind began to pick up. We were on the front edge of a cold front, and the wind, while very light earlier, picked up to a steady 20 knots. That did not help our fishing.
Frustrated, I ran back to St Augustine Bay – right downtown. We began chunking plastics up against the old fort walls as tourists watched us fish. It didn’t take long until we were right back into the bluefish again. Wham! One after another, we brought blues to the boat, often with double hookups.
And now I wonder why I ever decided to make that run. Ten or twelve miles of running; several gallons of fuel; and, the fish were right here under our nose. I could actually see my truck and trailer as I reeled in fish after fish.
These weren’t huge fish – the biggest may have gone three pounds. And, they were not my favorite fish to eat. I have a lot of friends in the New York/New Jersey area that would rather have a plate of bluefish than any other brand. In this area, not many people crave them.
But, they were fish – they pulled my string – and we could probably have caught 100 of them had we not made our run.
So, next time you fish, try staying close to home. See if you can find a way to catch fish within site of the boat ramp. It will make you think, and it will make a better angler of you as you figure out how to catch fish at home!
