fishing JAX Talbot park 'lagoon'

Gents:

My first post to this n.g.

I'm a recent transplant left_coast to JAX Fl. and considering the local
surf-fishing opportunities. Talbot Park is only 30 minutes north, and the
southern end -- where the St Johns River hits the ocean -- is littered
with sandbars / tidal lagoons. Lots of varying current and
wind-at-your-back !
Beautiful territory and seemingly lots of chances for fishing styles other
than "cast-dunk-wait"... locals claim that's all that works, a 4-oz sinker
and squid/shrimp/anchovies fished exactly on_the_bottom.

But I'm thinking maybe some twitchy-splashy surface / diver lures will
tease a few bottom-feeders up from the sand. Has anyone had success with
such non-std techniques ? If so, a few clues will be appreciated.

nss
****

On Fri, 12 Jan 2007 14:49:52 -0500, Harry Krause wrote:

On 1/4/2007 12:44 PM, noshellswill wrote:
Gents:

My first post to this n.g.

I'm a recent transplant left_coast to JAX Fl. and considering the local
surf-fishing opportunities. Talbot Park is only 30 minutes north, and the
southern end -- where the St Johns River hits the ocean -- is littered
with sandbars / tidal lagoons. Lots of varying current and
wind-at-your-back !
Beautiful territory and seemingly lots of chances for fishing styles other
than "cast-dunk-wait"... locals claim that's all that works, a 4-oz sinker
and squid/shrimp/anchovies fished exactly on_the_bottom.

But I'm thinking maybe some twitchy-splashy surface / diver lures will
tease a few bottom-feeders up from the sand. Has anyone had success with
such non-std techniques ? If so, a few clues will be appreciated.

nss
****


I fished there many times when I lived in Jax, from shore, on the jetty
and from boats.

You should visit there at low tide to see where the troughs are between
the sandbars just off the shore. You'd be amazed what you can catch
pitching live shrimp on once ounce and lighter (depending on conditions)
leadheads on fairly light rod, reel and line. Whiting, sandbar sharks,
sea bass, all manner of fish.

The areas between Jax Beach and St. Augustine also offer really good
surfcasting opportunities. Tarpon (yes!) come up to the St. Augustine
area some times of the year.

Check out some of the inexpensive boat rentals around St. Augustine.


HK:

Thanks for the "low-tide" clue. I have visited, but not fished the
southern-end of Talbot Park at low-tide. Yes, the various troughs were
quit evident ( and reminded me of the Susquehanna river ).

Fishing that same area at high-tide with jigs & plugs got me a sore arm,
but nothing else. Guess I'll have to pay-attention to the tide_tables.

Anyrate it's gorgeous territory and only 1/2 hour north of JAX.

nss
******

On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 18:59:20 -0500, Harry Krause wrote:

On 1/15/2007 12:46 PM, noshellswill wrote:
On Fri, 12 Jan 2007 14:49:52 -0500, Harry Krause wrote:

On 1/4/2007 12:44 PM, noshellswill wrote:
Gents:

My first post to this n.g.

I'm a recent transplant left_coast to JAX Fl. and considering the local
surf-fishing opportunities. Talbot Park is only 30 minutes north, and the
southern end -- where the St Johns River hits the ocean -- is littered
with sandbars / tidal lagoons. Lots of varying current and
wind-at-your-back !
Beautiful territory and seemingly lots of chances for fishing styles other
than "cast-dunk-wait"... locals claim that's all that works, a 4-oz sinker
and squid/shrimp/anchovies fished exactly on_the_bottom.

But I'm thinking maybe some twitchy-splashy surface / diver lures will
tease a few bottom-feeders up from the sand. Has anyone had success with
such non-std techniques ? If so, a few clues will be appreciated.

nss
****

I fished there many times when I lived in Jax, from shore, on the jetty
and from boats.

You should visit there at low tide to see where the troughs are between
the sandbars just off the shore. You'd be amazed what you can catch
pitching live shrimp on once ounce and lighter (depending on conditions)
leadheads on fairly light rod, reel and line. Whiting, sandbar sharks,
sea bass, all manner of fish.

The areas between Jax Beach and St. Augustine also offer really good
surfcasting opportunities. Tarpon (yes!) come up to the St. Augustine
area some times of the year.

Check out some of the inexpensive boat rentals around St. Augustine.


HK:

Thanks for the "low-tide" clue. I have visited, but not fished the
southern-end of Talbot Park at low-tide. Yes, the various troughs were
quit evident ( and reminded me of the Susquehanna river ).

Fishing that same area at high-tide with jigs & plugs got me a sore arm,
but nothing else. Guess I'll have to pay-attention to the tide_tables.

Anyrate it's gorgeous territory and only 1/2 hour north of JAX.

nss
******



The upper end of Talbot has an entree from the ocean to the ICW, and was
my favorite place to catch whiting, but from a boat.

HK:

I haven't driven much beyond Talbot Isl Park ---- it's on my TO-DO list.
Guess there's fishin' all the way up to Amelia Isl. But I'll be
surfcasting only.

BTW: Went out to the Talbot Park sloughs yesterday in 30-knot winds ...
one_foot_chop and the air full of sand. Sure it was low_tide, and reminded
me of a couple a' Squaw Valley blizzards I've tried to ski in. No fish
of-course for me, but the para-skiing folks were having a great time.

nss
******