By Jimmy Tomazinis
mail@floridanewsline.com
I hope everyone is doing well and staying cool as the warmer part of the year begins to ramp up. With the hot temperatures and Memorial Day later this month, May can mean the beginning of the busy boating season in Northeast Florida. Considering this I wanted to take a few words and remind everyone of the wonderful water resources we have available to us here and that it’s everyone’s responsibility to keep them safe and enjoyable places for everyone.
While no and minimum wake zones can seem like inconveniences, they were placed there for the safety of people and wildlife and are not optional. We have plenty of space in our area of the river, so be courteous to others and don’t crowd them while they enjoy their own little slice of paradise. If you must pass someone at a close distance, please be mindful of your wake and know that you are liable for it. Kayaks, paddle boards, canoes, and other small watercraft are much more sensitive to boat wakes than larger boats, so think of how they will be impacted after you pass them.
If you are new to boating or have never taken one before I would highly recommend taking a boater safety course. An FWC-approved course can be found online at www.boatus.org/florida. Another valuable resource for in-person courses and vessel safety inspections would be our local Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla. You can reach out to them via email at division07014@gmail.com for a schedule of courses and any other information.
One last thought is to be aware of your trash while on the water and if you see some in the water, please remove it so we can continue to leave the river better than when we found it.
Now let’s talk fishing. The larger redfish have shown up and many over slot fish are being caught on crab around dock lines and shell bars. Sheepshead are around if you want to move a little closer to the docks and present them with a smaller piece of crab or a clam. The stripers are still hanging on the bridges, biting on frozen shrimp and I’m sure they are partaking in the live shrimp that we no doubt have around already. We just can’t throw the nets for them yet. That all starts next month. Until then stay safe, think of others, and tight lines.
