# Introduced my 8 & 9 yr. old sons to jiggin this weekend - the results...



## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

This weekend I decided that my 2 boys have finally reached the age to have enough patience to try strictly jig fishing, without having to rely on live or dead bait. Went up and stayed the weekend again at the fantastic Hilton Bayfront in St. Augustine. The routine is to eat breakfast early at the hotel, take 1 of the boys with me and go fish at Vilano where I caught a nice flounder last time I was there. I checked the tides and high tide was at 10am so it was going to be good. Got a late start and was heading over the bridge at 8:15am:










Got to the Vilano fishing pier just outside of St. Augustine and showed my 9-yr old how to rig a jighead and split tail mullet Gulp! Rigged one up for myself and started casting up current and jigging back under the dock. We were the only ones out of 21 people on the pier not doing 2 things:

- Casting as far away from the pier as possible (we fished under the pier)
- Not using 3oz pyramid sinkers, cut bait, and ugly sticks :biglaugh: 

Well 2hrs went by and I missed 2 Flounder (one was halfway up when he spit the jig). My son ended up pulling up this weird creation (please identify for me?, cowfish?):










Only saw one other fish caught the entire time we were there and it was an underslot drum. Oh well... if the fish ain't biting, then the fish ain't gonna bite til they get ready. That's about it, not much else happened and we left shortly thereafter. The next morning I was a little disenchanted since I didn't know any other places to try but I still made my 8-yr old son get up at the crack of dawn and go eat breakfast with me:










Headed over the bridge as the sun was peeking up this time:










Hit Vilano pier again and it sucked. Decided I wasn't going to sit there for 2 hrs so we set out to find another spot to fish. Found a spot on the West causeway before crossing the main Vilano bridge and it was going to be good I could tell right off the bat. Rigged up the little guy with a Gulp! and a jighead and put him casting on the downcurrent shoreline. Right off the bat he pulls in a small Flounder:










His first flatty on a artificial and he was stoked! About 10 minutes later his rod doubles over and drag on the Stradic starts singing. After about a minute long fight he hands me the rod to slap it on the dock for him since he didn't want to lose it. It was his first legal flatty on an arty:



















Released the fish to fight another day and went back to jiggin. I was coaching him on retrieve techniques when this little grouper grabbed his bait:










Then he got this one on the other side of the bridge:










I must say it was a very rewarding trip to see my kids jigging for fish and actually having the patience to do it. The little one seems to be more into it than the older one, but both did a great job and I am very proud of them.


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## The Crew (Jul 8, 2007)

Nice Job Kodiak! Way to raise kids!!! :fishing:
I think that's a trigger fish. I'll look for a link.


http://www.reefimages.com/Surgeons/Surgeons4.htm

Here's a better one right on P&S:
http://www.pierandsurf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=342867#post342867


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## HellRhaY (Jul 6, 2007)

you can't pay for that smile no matter the price. glad you took your kids fishing. teach them while they re young and you won't go looking for them on friday nights when they get older, they'll be fast asleep waiting for the next day to fish.


>


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## fishinmama (Oct 14, 2006)

looks like a trigger.
and very report!


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*Yea*

baby trigger....nice pictures and report. Who uses uglystik and fishes with cut bait?? Maybe somebody didnt get the facts right Cause at jettypark it depends on what you are going after. If you are using cutbait or large livebait you do try to cast to the channel your best bet for anything moving in. But I also have a rig set up for fishing under our pier and if i want to catch the smaller stuff. Let me know when you want to come to Jettypark, i am alway willing to learn things...........uglystik and 3oz will be my weapon of choice......Maybe you can bring the person or persons that you are talking about.....I might be able to give him some pointers 

*Death smiles at everyone MARINES smile back
*


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## Jigmaster (Apr 3, 2006)

*Nice Catch Zack*

Well Put Hellrhay!

Zack-
Seems like you get to Ol' St.Augie a bit.
Ever Fish the Vilano Inlet? 
Its pretty good in the Pocket on the South Side 
Alot of Flatties there!

We usually stay at the Casa Del Mar its just behind the Inlet. 
Awsome place but its not cheap.

Breakfast Bar is incredible too


http://www.casadelmaroceanside.com/


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## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

Yeah, I saw the Casa Del Mar this trip. Even drove around to the beach side on North side of the inlet. That was my plan to fish the inlet but it was extremely rough, choppy, and windy so I decided to pass this time. Thanks for the heads up!


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## emanuel (Apr 2, 2002)

filefish is the answer to the mystery fish question. on my way back to panama city. i'll have a fish report posted in the morning.


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## eaglesfanguy (May 1, 2003)

Thats a cow fish... There prevelant around the piers.. they are close to the trigger family.. But thats a Cowfish..


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## snookman (Sep 13, 2004)

Terrific report.
My children are grown now, but your pictures brought back some great memories. I think they enjoyed the early morning breakfast out as much as the fishing trip.

Clay


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## emanuel (Apr 2, 2002)

Cowfish:








Triggerfish:








Filefish:









Filefish are common inshore whereas triggerfish are found offshore. Caught some triggerfish this weekend. Notice how they have a broom-like tail, sort of like a scamp grouper.


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## barty b (Dec 31, 2004)

Yup, Cowfish

Zack,next time,drive just east of that little bridge and pull off the road,follow it around and park under the bridge,you can hit those docks and shell bars on the south side,There is a deep drop that holds all kinds of fish on a falling tide. Also the seawall all the way around the point behind Vilano inlet holds mad flatties.


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## Railroader (Apr 13, 2005)

Nice work, there, Zack! I love to see the young-uns' doing the job..


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## SnookMook (Jan 7, 2004)

Man two little grouper, and nice flattie. The smile on your little guy's face is indeed priceless. Nice work there.

I'll bet he's a fisherman for life now.


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

*That's great*

Ya can't beat a smile like that.


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## bcssux (May 23, 2005)

emanuel said:


> Cowfish:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


yeah that one in the top picture looks like the ones stealin my bait last time at the pier. i just switched out to a TINY hook and got em


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## Coffeeguy (May 27, 2006)

*New Fishermen!*

Kudos to you on two fronts: One, for teaching the boys how to fish, and two, for teaching catch-and-release! I know that would be tough to have to release a first-time legal fish, but the lesson will go a LONG way. Hope you and the buys have MANY more years of fishing fun! Tight lines...


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## mpkuczynski (Apr 20, 2009)

Awsome. I just started my boy fishing on our last trip up to Alligator Point, Fl (south of Tallahassee on the Gulf). As soon as he caught one he was hooked (no pun intended).


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## emanuel (Apr 2, 2002)

And an old thread arises...


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## kooler (Nov 2, 2006)

yea Eman i was reading that thinking it was fresh until i got down to Rail Roader's post...


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