Fishing St Johns Mandarin Area
March 11, 2010 - 10:27pm
New to the area and trying to take the boat out Sunday to try out the river. Does anyone have any tips on where to fish, what bait, and any techniques? I'll have my young son with me so don't necessarily care what we catch but some constant action would be great.
Not trying to take anyones spots but just some general ideas would be great
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If you're hoping for saltwater species it would be better to work north in the river. I am assuming you are going to use the Mandarin Park Ramp?? By north I mean at least the Buckman but it would be even better to get closer to downtown Jax.
Our crabber was by yesterday and he has been seeing a few yellowmouth and some croakers in his traps up near town. Further south nothing so far.
If you are into catfish then you can fish south. The cats are starting to think about spawning and the water is a little warmer than it was so they could be almost anywhere. Still it's a better bet to work around hard drops or structure in current. The Shands Bridge is a good place to start.
And if you are running that far you should pay attetnion to the area out in front of Governers Creek. Look for boats to be anchored up out in about the middle of the river. If by some miracle the trout/croakers have gotten that far south in any numbers this is one of the places they will show.
Dead shrimp is a good starting bait but as soon as you catch a small croaker a strip of him will do more to catch trout.
The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.
George Bernard Shaw
They are calling for winds to 20 mph SW Sunday (Saturday is like 20-30). It's not the ocean, but the River can get ugly. This wind will also drop the river level pretty good so use a little caution at the ramp.
be sure to carry salt & fresh water liscenses. Just a reminder, because you prob already knew that.
...now back to your regularly scheduled distraction!
Legally speaking there is no demarcation line between salt and fresh water. The different license applies to the species. For example, Spotted Sea Trout is a salt water fish. If you keep one you need a saltwater license. Stripped bass is a freshwater fish (in Florida) so if you keep one you need a freshwater license.
http://myfwc.com/Fishing/Index.htm
As the others have said the river is three to four miles wide at Mandarin. It can build up some big waves quickly. They can be confused by boat wakes sometimes too. Look out for old pilings and the Manatee zone buoys. Some of the old pilings don't project above the water much at high tide around the docks.
I have seen some bream caught on crickets along the docks near the park. But it may be too cool for them. You can fish for freshwater fish to get out of the wind. Some have been caught off Westminster Woods too. Taking a boat ride back up Durbin or Julington Creek is a bit of an adventure if the fishing isn't producing or the wind it high. It is more sweet water back up there. There will likely be some jet skis or skiers up Durbin on Sunday.
I live right off a canal on Julington Creek and I don't waste my time fishing in the river around Mandarin. What little time I have to fish, I prefer to work my old salt water haunts of the ICW or get offshore when I can or even in the river east of downtown. I have spent some time out in the river, mostly shrimping but from my experience and what research I've done here's what I can tell you:
If you want to catch a bunch of fish with your kids, or fill a cooler with croakers/yellowmouth, so a search on this site for "the croaker hole" it's not a secret and always holds fish when they're around. I'd tell you where it is but I don't know as I've never been there as croaker fishing isn't my bag, but I've seen it posted on this and many other sites.
Secondly, if you spend any time running the river anywhere between downtown all the way to Palatka on a nice weekend, you will pass pods of boats anchored up on top of each other fishing underwater structure. Pull up next to them and drop down dead shrimp.
If you have a trolling motor, hit the closest boat dock and cast a jig/shrimp jig/mudminnow around the pilings and just keep working every dock. You will find some produce better than others... usually those that have a drop off at the end. I have caught reds, trout and flounder using this method, but alot of effort for very few fish.
ALL of the bridges hold fish, If you drop a dead shrimp anywhere near the Drs inlet bridge you will catch something, but chances are it will be a catfish, tiny yellowmouth or tiny croaker.
The river has lots of fish in it, it's just huge and intimidating. After bridges and docks, underwater structure is the key. I have caught croaker, yellowmouth trout, speckled trout, flounder, reds, catfish, largemouth, bream, gar, shrimp, rays, mangrove snapper etc.. out there, just have put a ton of time in doing it and have much better luck fishing other waters.
This post was modified at March 12, 2010 - 8:15am (EST) by Element