By Capt. David Lifka
mail@floridanewsline.com
It seems that everything has been lining up to a great start to this year’s fishing season on the St. Johns River. Lack of heavy spring rains had the salinity levels near perfect, inviting many species of saltwater fish into our area of the river. Decent sized shrimp had also begun to run, making fishing conditions even better; however recent rains and passing tropical weather could have a cause and effect that could hamper fishing and shrimping in our parts of the river that could last days, a week or two, or even longer.
For most of its 310 miles, the St. Johns River is considered to be a mostly freshwater river. Because the St. Johns flows north, we are actually part of its lower basin with about the last 45 miles running through St. Johns, Clay and Duval counties. With our close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, salinity levels fluctuate with wind and rain throughout the year. North of the Main Street Bridge, downtown Jacksonville is considered the official border of the saltwater portion of the remaining river.
While local rain can be heavy and occur nearly every day over the summer, it has the least effect on our area salinity levels; however, the rainfall that falls south of the remaining 250 plus miles of river can have a much larger effect on how salty or fresh our area waters are. With the St. Johns upper basin beginning just west of Vero Beach in an area known as the St. Johns Marsh, all the rainfall between here and there will eventually end up here. So while local rainfall can have some effect on our salinity levels, rainfall to our south can have even a greater effect.
Current salinity levels often help decide the quality of a fishing season, but can fluctuate greatly in days or weeks — not due to the weather we are having here, but due to the weather 100 miles away. Watch the weather here and there, and remember the river is always draining and what is here today is gone tomorrow.
Despite recent weather, we have been off to a great start with both fishing and shrimping this year. Lots of slot reds and larger have been caught around the Buckman Bridge, weakfish and good sized croakers have been abundant from the Buckman to Green Cove, and of course the shrimp are here.
Fishing Report: Reds, mangroves, weakfish, and croakers from the Buckman to Green Cove. Shrimp being caught in Doctors Lake.
Whether you catch one some or none, the family time spent fishing will last a lifetime.
Email your Catch of the Month photo to catchofthemonthpictures@gmail.com. Be sure to include the name of the person(s) in the photo, the name of the person who took the photo, the type of fish and date and location of the catch. We will select a photo each month for publication.
Photo courtesy Edie Hartley
Marvin Hartley caught this redfish in May, south of Doctors Inlet on a gold spoon.
