Savior of the St. Johns? Mighty River Recovery steams ahead; intro meetings coming soon

Nothing says “formalized establishment” quite like an official T-shirt, and the fledgling Mighty River Recovery organization now has shirts.

Oh, and a board of directors, as well as two upcoming introductory meetings set for late June in DeLand.

“We want people to go away from our meeting saying, ‘this is it, this is what we’ve been waiting for. These people will go to bat for us.’ And we will be here forever,” says Joe Balog, a driving force behind the long-awaited, statewide “voice” for those who enjoy the 310 miles of the St. Johns River.

Meeting dates: June 27 (Thursday) at 7 p.m.; June 29 (Saturday) at 1 p.m., both at Highland Park Fish Camp.

A RIG BY ANY OTHER NAME Pompano season means pompano rigs, which aren't just for pompano. True story

“Things are moving along well,” Joe says. “We’re still setting up the infrastructure of the company, getting our paperwork into the IRS, getting our board established.

“The board represents a lot of people. People from the business community, the fishing community, tourism people, kayak and paddlesports people … we have a very diverse board. We’re setting up all the things we need to do to make it work from Day 1.”

Big-picture speaking, the problem is often dressed up as the solution. The stewards of the St. Johns are each large-scale bureaucracies — Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, St. Johns River Water Management District, and the Army Corps of Engineers.

“It’s just, ‘this is the way we do it,’ ” Balog says. “They say, we have the right to do it and the order to do it by fill-in-the-blank, whatever agency, whatever government … this is the way we’ve always done it and the way it has to be done.”

The chief concern is invasive-plant management, which has involved a lot of spraying for as long as anyone can remember. The need isn’t questioned, but the methods are.

“There’s no consideration for anything but flood control, navigation, things of that nature,” Joe says. “There’s almost no consideration for the fallout of the ecosystem. And while I don’t disagree that those plants have to be managed — because we have such a unique ecosystem — the way of doing it in 2024 is exactly the way of doing it in 1960.

“I don’t know anything else in environmental management that hasn’t changed in 60+ years. That’s ludicrous, to think we do it the same way and aren’t more advanced about it.”

By and large, users of the St. Johns get their river-related information in a time-honored manner: From the dude at the boat ramp, the woman behind the bait counter, or perhaps the teenager holding the sign-out sheet at the canoe rental.

Mighty River Recovery aims to become the reliable, one-stop shop for information and a hard-wired conduit between that dude at the boat ramp and the three-headed administrative state.

“When it comes to management or concerns, the transparency of that to the average person is nonexistent,” Joe says. “There’s no way they feel they know everything that’s going on. No way they feel everything is being done in their best interest.

“We want to be the group that people say, ‘Mighty RIver is working for me and working every day. If you ask them a question they’ll get you an answer.’ ”

Halifax/Indian River

Tarpon season is teed up, awaiting the go signal.

To fill the void, flounder and thick reds are attacking.

“We’re getting flounder around the inlet and in the river,” says Capt. Jeff Patterson (Pole Dancer charter). “I found a big school of redfish around the inlet a couple times, too. Upper-slot reds up to the mid-30-inch range.”

Big jacks are providing lots of catch and (hopefully) release fun for river anglers. They’re never shy, but certain times of year they’re also huge, and this seems to be one of those times.

Surf

Breaking news: The wind doesn’t blow under water.

The steady east and northeast blows have made it a challenge, but rewards are there, apparently.

It’s the time of year when the normal surf fare (whiting, blues, hopefully some pompano) includes some tasty game fish normally found elsewhere.

For our resident surf-angling maestro, Marco Pompano, it’s been a matter of adjustments.

“I was starting to convince myself the fish were going away,” he said midweek, “so today with some adverse conditions and the wind out of the northeast, I started fishing at noon going into low tide, which hasn’t been very good for me lately.

“... Until today in the sudsy water, I started hauling in big pompano one after another with some whiting in the mix and then a nice slot redfish. The same conditions are gonna be here for the next few days so I’ll definitely be out there”

Flagler

Capt. Mike Vickers, out of Hammock Bait and Tackle, has a tip for escaping the wind, assuming your lifestyle accepts it.

“The night bite seems to be the hottest ticket right now, after the winds have calmed,” he says.

His folks are reporting catches of trout, snook and some small tarpon under the dock lights.

Thick schools of whiting are dominating the Flagler surfside. Blues and ladyfish are interrupting the quality bites.

“Use a heavier leader when they’re biting,” says Cathy Sanders (Florida Fishin’ Girl).

Cathy says FishGum has been working well, along with the world’s best-ever surf bait — the sandflea.

Offshore

A couple of windy days earlier this week interrupted some productive trips, but before and after have seen production aplenty.

“We’ve been thankful for the recent runs of good weather and good fishing,” says Capt. Nic Stephens, who owns and operates the Sea Spirit in Ponce Inlet.

Capt. Scott Housel (Sudden Strike charter) says the mahi bite, a popular target this time of year, has been hit-or-miss so far.

“Most fish have been caught in 150, out to 230 feet,” he says. “The grouper bite has been solid in 180-230 feet, with blackfin tuna in the 150-180 range.”

Promising marine forecasts suggest a quality weekend ahead for those heading to deep water.

St. Johns

Bluegill and specks remain the go-to catches while bass fishing has been spotty.

“For bluegill, try pitching crickets, live worms or beetle spins against the banks and tree tops,” says Capt. Bryn Adams (Highland Park).

For specks, “deep water, docks and over-hanging trees is where you’ll find them,” says Highland Park regular Don McCormick

“I went out twice this week and we caught our limit both days.”

Hook, line and clicker: Send us your fish pics

We want to see your most recent catch. Email your fish photos to ken.willis@news-jrnl.com.

Please include first and last name of angler(s), as well as type of fish (we're occasionally stumped). All are included with our online fishing report, and some occasionally make the print edition.

Do I need a fishing license?

You can find all the license info, including exemptions, on Florida's Fish and Wildlife Commission website: MyFWC.com. But the basics are: No: If you're 65 or older, 15 or younger, you don't need a license. “Probably” Not: If you're fishing with a licensed guide or charter boat, both of which often purchase commercial licenses that cover their customers. Yes: Most everyone else, including visitors from other states. Yes: Even if you're a shore-based angler (shoreline, dock, pier, bridge, etc.), and even if fishing with a shore-based guide.  However: The shore-based license is free . . . But: You still need to register for that free license.

Where do I get a license and what does it cost?

Many bait shops sell licenses, as do the bigger retailers (Bass, Dick's, Walmart, etc.).  Florida's FWC uses a third-party site for buying or renewing fishing licenses:  GoOutdoorsFlorida.com. The cost: $17 for an annual license. Don't forget: Whether you're fishing fresh or saltwater, you need the specific license. Freshwater and saltwater licenses are both $17 annually.

I’m here on vacation, do I need a license?

Yes you do, and they're also available at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or certain bait shops and big retailers. Cost: $17 for three days, $30 for seven days, $47 for a year. Also: Non-residents need to purchase that license even if they're just fishing from shoreline or shore-based structures. (Florida residents need that license, too, but they're free.)

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Meet the Mighty River Recovery effort next month | Daytona Fishing