No pictures....but pay attention!

bswiv

Spoke to a friend who guides for a living a little while ago in regards to a charger he had today. These folks wanted to "learn something" about the river down in the Palatka area while also catching a few fish. 

In a effort to keep it short:

Caught shrimp in Palatka area sufficient for bait and then set up on one of the drops near the bridge down there.

Lots of undersized reds, a flounder, some sunshines, a bass or two, a couple of big croakers and a 12+ inch mangrove. All on dropshot rigs. Only one freshwater cat.......which if you've been reading reports of late you know that there are a pile of them around the docks up north.

River is alive.........

Battlefish

Thanks for the report

Sea-Squatch

Sweet!

BottomBumpin

Always informative!  thanks

jawray

We fished white shell, Chicopit and docks outside clapboard with mud minnows and shrimp and could only find catfish. They have definitely invaded the north river. 

Tony Roma

Took the advice, went to power lines for bait. More pilchards then shrimp. Moved to channel maker straight out of the city ramp. 7-8 per cast in 14-15 ft, I don’t eat them so don’t ask about size, they were good enough for bait. Tried to find a drop by the bridge but all I could manage was rays and cats. One big bite that snapped my hook in half , likely big ugly  gar. 

Black Water

i fished last 2 weekends in Palatka with no success on reds or mangroves. Cats and rays. 

bswiv

Fish are there......and.....one of the guys who catches shrimp for the guides has been getting all he needs of late in short order on a "secret drop".......that's a joke.....no secret drops out there, just ones with fish or shrimp on them that we don't know the tide/time/season particulars of......in no time.

Here at Fruit Cove they are still too small to justify other than hanging on a hook but plenty of them.

FISH HARDER.................