Catch Prediction and Firsts

 

My wife advised me last night that "we wouldn't be catching many fish today" in that two of her friends had called in sick with symptoms of high barometric pressure - one with a migraine and one with vertigo. Unfortunately, she was close to being right - we struggled a bit to catch fish today. I had met David Vice and his fishing partners Lee and Raj out at Goffinsville Park and with the tide just hitting high we made our way around Seymore's Pointe and set up at a large drainage to fish float rigs and mud minnows as the current started out. I don't think we had a single real bite.

We then ran thru Horsehead and over to Poteat Pointe where I thought for sure we'd get into some Redfish. Raj had noted that it was his first time fishing and it was he that "knocked the skunk off" when he hooked up and landed a feisty Jack Crevalle. We had a couple of nibbles along that stretch but no more takers, other than fat Catfish that David put in the boat. We crossed back to Jackstaff and fished a creek off of it with the floats and again, not much happening.

After running back thru Horsehead and down to the Back River we fished a stretch with the oysters now showing (that high tide wasn't very high and it didn't take very long for the oysters to start popping up). We did have a bit of luck here - David hooked up and caught a hungry Seatrout then he followed that up with a Redfish catch. We had one other small Redfish from that spot before we moved on. 

Over on the other side we drifted some floats along the marsh grass and here Raj got busy - he picked up a small Redfish then battled a hard fighting Jack - this one was ripping some drag - it made a dash from the grass to deep water then took Raj from the bow to the stern. Raj worked it in slowly and soon landed the Jack Crevalle. 

Fishing down at Spanish Drop with jigs, it was David who put a nice Flounder in the boat on his first or second cast. We fished two or three drainages with the jigs and minnows but not much was happening as the sun had gotten up. They had counted Nine fish plus one "oyster fish" caught for the day and although it wasn't "on fire", we had a bit of action and had caught our first fish so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Fishing With The Grandsons

 I remember the one time I went fishing with my grandfather, Lawence M. Piper. He and my
grandmother had purchased a "lake place" on Lake Sante Fe down just east of Gainesville, Florida. He was a Jacksonville policeman, she at one time owned and operated Avondale Florist  and they lived just off of Cassat Avenue in Jacksonville, Florida. But they were able to purchase the lake place, and as I understood it, they added on, and added on, and built a dock and boat house, and built a "cabin" for rentals and it became a place for our family to visit and spend summers and holidays. There usually was a jon boat that my cousin Chuck and I were allowed to use - we'd get up early, load the boat with cane poles and Zebco's and tackle box's and snacks and putter down the lake to where the docks ended and the lilly pads started- we fished with worms or crickets and targeted panfish. It was some fun times. One day my grandfather suggested that he and I go and it's the only time I remember fishing with him, alone. He may have joined the family fishing off the end of the dock, at night, but on this trip it was just he and I.  I have to say, I don't even remember if we caught any fish. We did motor over to "Little Lake Sante Fe" and I remember we dropped anchor out in the middle of the lake and dropped shiners to the bottom in hopes of catching Crappie. I was thinking, "boy, this is easy fishing!". In retrospect, as I write this, he was probably thinking, "I don't have to untangle any lines and I don't have to retrieve any lures out of trees!". But I do remember the trip - it was about 60 years ago!

Today I fished with Gary Myers who brought along his two adult grandsons Nicholas and Jackson - we met down at Sawpit Creek and after they pulled an angler out of the river who had slipped and fallen in while stepping on his boat, we headed up the intracoastal and made the long run up to Poteat Pointe and began tossing jigs and mud minnows on a tide that had been going out for a few hours. The oysters were exposed and these anglers were making excellent casts to their base. We picked up a couple of feisty Redfish along there, then we came over to the mouth of Jackstaff and worked that bank.

After running thru Horsehead and down the Nassau to Spanish Drop we fished the drainages. The trio caught another couple of Redfish and also caught a couple of Flounder, one of which was of keeper size -photographed and released. We fished Seymore's Point, then moved around and fished some docks. We had picked up a small Blue Crab and we baited pieces of that up and here we did have a couple of good bites, one that ripped some drag briefly, but it let go, Ouch!

We had some good cloud cover, had a caught a few fish, and the "boys" had gotten to fish with their Granddad so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Slot Reds and Snook as Icing on the Cake

 It's always a surprise when we put a Snook in the boat and today we did just that!  I had met Brad Goodwin and his son Gray, his father-in-law Jack, and brother-in-law Tyler down at Sawpit Creek boat ramp and we made a short run up the intracoastal then up the Nassau to make our first stop at Spanish Drop where they began to toss jigs and minnows to the shore line on an outgoing tide. The bite wasn't "on fire" but they stayed busy catching fish, now and then. I think it was Brad's first cast when he had the "thump", set the hook, and brought to the net a keeper sized Flounder.

We worked four drainages along there and they caught more flounder, a couple of Seatrout, and a couple of small but feisty Reds. Jack was fishing off the stern and letting his jig/minnow bounce down the bottom and hooked up. He patiently played to the boat a feisty little Snook! Boy what a surprise. Also caught along there was a slimy Catfish. Each drainage produced fish. Jack added another keeper sized Flounder and Brad expertly landed a 20" 12 spot Redfish.

After fishing a drainage between two docks over at Nassauville (we added a flounder to the catch there), we moved around to fish some pilings at Seymore's Pointe. I wasn't expecting much but boy was I wrong! After Gray got an ugly old Toad Fish out of the way, he put a fat Sea Bass in the boat. Then he and Tyler had simultaneous hookups and Fish On! They played their fish patiently and worked them slowly in. Gray's was first to the boat, what appeared to be a Slot Red, but the Net Man missed it and, Fish Off! Ouch. Tyler worked his in next and landed the biggest of the day, a 24" Slot. We had another strong hookup and Gray was not to be denied. He expertly worked it in and landed a 19" Slot Redfish. That was a good spot.

We were almost out of minnows - it had been a good morning, but we ran down to Broward Island and worked that bank until we were out of minnows, then we switched to DOA Shrimp and some GULP Minnows. All four anglers were getting excellent casts and we had a couple of "bumps"  but no takers. The sun was up the nice breeze that we had had all morning long had subsided and it was getting hot, so we headed back to the ramp and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Going Sharking

 I was back launching at Old Town Bait and Tackle this morning where I met Nigel and Erin Morton who had their two sons Ronan and Vance with them. We eased out of Eagans Creek and then made a long run up and around to the Jolley River, then all the way up it to the MOA on a tide that had just hit bottom. I have been fishing with mud minnows the last handful of trips but decided to add a little "spice" to the trip with a handful of live shrimp and it was the shrimp that were getting all the bites early. Unfortunately it was fish we didn't want!  Vance "knocked the skunk off" when he reeled in a feisty Grunt, then Nigel battled a huge Catfish to the boat (in the last month I've been pricked three times by Catfish and I was extra careful with this one!) We fished up and back along the oysters and picked up a couple of Croakers on those shrimp.

After fishing across the way at JC's spot and maybe getting another Croaker or two we eased back down the river to Snook Creek and worked it with the jigs and shrimp and minnows. With added incentive, the challenge was excepted for someone to catch a fish with a mud minnow and in short order Nigel stepped up and, Fish On!  Nigel worked it to the boat, let it run, worked it in, let it run, then brought to the net a nice 20.5" Slot Redfish. Ronan was eyeing the creek and thought it looked good to try so we trolled in, turned into the current and began tossing the jigs with shrimp. There wasn't much action until Ronan bent over with his reel ripping drag, and the battle ensued! We were in for a long fight - the fish ripped north, then south, then back around the engine, then back out into the creek. Ronan was up for the battle, kept his rod up and the pressure on and after a long fight, landed a 4' Bonnethead Shark for photograph and release.

All the way back down the Jolley, we switched to float rigs and worked the flooding oyster beds, to no avail. Back up the Jolly at Tyger cut we stayed with the floats and this a paid off. We picked up a nice keeper sized Whiting then it was Nigel's turn to battle the Sharks - he had a good hookup and after having fought that Slot Red to the net he was ready for this Shark. He played it perfectly and brought it in for a photograph. We finished up over on the outside of Tyger, going back to the jigs and here Erin wrapped things up with a nice Seatrout catch. We had some great weather with just a breeze and a bit of cloud cover there at the end so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Action at Most Spots

 

Brook Benge brought along two of his fishing buddies - Tommy and Roger, when I met them out at the Amelia Island Marina early this morning. We eased down the canal and made a short trip over to some structure to try our luck with some jigs and mud minnows on the first of an incoming tide. The conditions were good, it wasn't "on fire" but Tommy did "knock the skunk off" with a Flounder catch. 

We then ran down the intracoastal, took the shortcut thru Sailboat Cut and went around to Jackstaff, turned into the current and fished the "bank".  All three anglers were making excellent casts (all day long) and it paid off for Brook - he hooked up and expertly landed a hard fighting Jack Crevalle then a feisty Redfish. After running thru Horsehead we made a short stop at a dock and Seymore's Pointe and tossed to the pilings. Here the trio caught and landed a fairly nice sized Sea Bass (for the backwater), and then a Toad Fish, then Tommy had a strong hookup. This fish was ripping drag and digging towards teh pilings. Tommy worked him out then the big fish made a dash to the pilings and that was "all she wrote". After it broke off we checked the leader and it was rougher than 80 grit sandpaper!

Moving down the Nassau to Spanish Drop, we worked that bank with the jigs. We caught a couple or three small but fun to catch Flounder, another Jack or two, a Catfish, and then Tommy again had a big fish on. This one had taken the bait and swam out with the current. When Tommy tightened up he realized he had a fish on and boy what a fish! When it realized it was hooked the battle was joined - it took Tommy to the stern and around the engine then back towards the bank, ripping drag as it went. He worked it in slowly, let it run, worked it in, let it run, then finally brought to the net a bulky 26" Redfish. Boy what a fish!

We drifted floats at Twin Creeks and picked up a hungry Seatrout, then made our way down to Pumpkin Hill where Brook wrapped things up with a Seatrout catch and another Jack Crevalle catch. We had a slight breeze all morning, sunshine, and had some good action here and there, so as we headed back to the Marina we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Double 24's

 I wrapped my week up (kinda slow week, but next week is slam full) fishing with Steve Locke, who
brought along his fishing buddy Tony. We met out at Goffinsville early and with a tide that had just hit bottom, we made a short run down to Broward Island and fished deep with jigs and mud minnows. Steve put the first fish in the boat when he hooked up and expertly played a nice keeper sized Seatrout to the net. Tony landed a small but feisty Redfish then Steve brought a small Flounder to the boat. 

We then ran back down the Nassau to Spanish Drop and worked the bank - the water had covered the shell and was at the base of the marsh grass, but we stayed with the jigs for a bit. The duo picked up another keeper Seatrout and Steve battled a nice 18.25" Slot Red to the boat,  but as we worked along some flooded shell the jigs became a bit aggravating so we switched to floats. I had just pointed out a nice drift to Steve but Tony was already in it and BAM! Big Fish On!  Tony played it perfectly as it took him from the bow to the stern and under the boat and back out, then it dug deep. But Tony kept the pressure on and eventually landed a nice 24.5" Slot Redfish. They caught a handful of  Catfish(one poked my knuckle -man those things hurt), they had a nice Jack Crevalle, and then Tony battled another 24.5" Slot Red to the boat.

After fishing Seymore's Pointe for a bit, to no avail, zero Mangroves, we made a final run back up the river to Pumpkin Hill where after a drift or two they added one more keeper sized Seatrout. Although it was a little hot, we had a breeze and we had a nice box of fish so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing hear at Amelia Island, Florida.

Big Girl

 We were back at it today, fishing with Tom Gaslin and his buddy Steve. I met them early out at
Goffinsville Park on a tide that still had about 30 minutes of coming in, so we headed over to Pumkin Hill to "kill some time" and drift float rigs baited with mud minnows along the shell bank. That first stretch didn't produce a bite but after we eased up and fished down the side we had some luck. Steve had made an excellent cast to the grass and was letting his float drift when his float "bobbed", then came to a stop. A few seconds later it did go under - Steve tightened up his line and let the circle hook set and Fish On1 He brought it patiently to the boat to land a nice hungry Flounder to "knock the skunk" off

Both anglers continued to do that and a after a drift or two it was Tom's turn -his float disappeared with a vengeance - he hooked it  up and boy what a fish. It was ripping a bit of drag and pulling deep but Tom kept the pressure on. He worked it in slowly and when we saw it was a Big Seatrout the excitement grew. Tom brought it to the net and landed a big 20" SheTrout. Boy what a fish!

The tide had changed back at Nassaville so we ran back and fished a large drainage but only had a bite or two. We ran thru Horsehead and over to Poteat Point and worked it good but to no avail, other than a couple of Catfish catches. Back thru Horsehead we came and down to Twin Creeks where we fished with the floats for just a bit, then we switched to jigs and the minnows and this did the trick. All three of us (I picked up a rod and fished a bit) caught Flounder - we had 4-5 of them, with two of them being of keeper size.

We fished two more spots down the Nassau, added another Catfish to the catch, then headed back to the ramp. It had been a sunny, clear morning, with just a slight breeze. These guys were off work,  had caught some fish, had a few in the box, so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Mud Minnows and a Plan

 

I went with straight mud minnows for the second day in a row when I met Ray Pinkston and his son Jack out at Goffinsville Park early this morning. And we had a plan: fish those minnows at the drainages along the Nassau River. We stuck to it for the most part and it paid off with some solid action. We deviated just a bit at the first spot, across from Goffinsville at Back River Point - we drifted minnows under a float along some shell that were just showing. I had to try it! Jack did get the skunk knocked off early when he hooked up and landed a 14" Flounder. This would be the story of the day - 14" Flounder!

We then ran down the Nassau and made a stop at Twin Creeks and switched to jigs for the rest of the morning. Every once in a while Jack would put a 14" Flounder in the boat. We lost count but for the day, he had about 7-8 and Ray added one - all undersized. The duo did catch a handful of Seatrout as we bounced down the river hitting drainages and they slowly put a bag together, getting four of keeper size.

Every once in a while another variety would slip in - a Blue, a Jack, a Whiting and a Catfish. But then,
down at Spanish Drop, we fished up from a drainage, caught a few, but when we got to a submerged "bar" they began to get Redfish, one after another. Jack had a 21"  9-spot Red and they had a couple of other Slot sized fish, along with a whole handful of "almost" legal" Reds. They kept one of the Slots but released the rest. 

Boy was it still, and hot! I broke out my floppy hat and a "cool rag" for the first time this year. But we had stayed fairly busy catching fish, had a few in the box for dinner, so as we headed back to the dock we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Flounder Girl

 We went early today to beat the heat and it worked out pretty good. I had met Allen and Lavern Webb up
at Old Town Bait and Tackle - they open at 6:00am - I was about 3rd in line- and as I was leaving there was a line out the door! Allen and Lavern and I pulled away from the dock at 6:30 and eased out of Eagans Creek and made a quick run up and around to the outside of Tyger. I went with mud minnows today, and they worked, kinda. Lavern had a quick hookup early and brought to the boat a nice Flounder for a quick boat-side release. After moving around the corner and working along Jolley "bank" Lavern had a good handful of Flounder catches and eventually got one that was of keepable size.

We fished a large drainage further up the Jolley, then moved on up to Snook Creek where Allen, fishing off the stern, had a good "thump" - he hooked it up and patiently brought to the boat a keeper sized Seatrout.

We fished the MOA at the last of an outgoing tide, then made the run back around to the Fernandina area, up Lanceford, and fished TM's spot. That sun had gotten up and it was getting hot but getting out early had paid off with a bit of action so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

New Anglers Find Some Action

 I fished this morning with Jason Wells and his two younger kids Allison and Joah, meeting them out at Goffinsville Park boat ramp early. We made a short trip down and back up to the mouth of Back River to fish a stretch of oysters on a tide that had been going out for a few hours - the oysters were well exposed. I don't normally fish that stretch on a low tide but thought I'd give it a try, but now I know why - we didn't get much of a bite drifting the float rigs. But the two young anglers got a taste of the float rig and them being more difficult to cast, it was a good start. They both picked it up quickly and were making excellent casts and getting good drifts.

We made a short run down to a drainage on the Nassau and this paid off. Allison "knocked the skunk off" when, after making and excellent casts with a jig and live shrimp to some exposed oysters, she hooked up and expertly played to the net a feisty Redfish. Shortly after that she had another bite, this one stronger. Allison worked it patiently in and landed a big 17" Flounder. As we worked a few of those drainages Joah got in on the action - he reeled in a couple of Jacks, his own Flounder and a Catfish. Noah was getting some long casts and both he and Allison hung in there fishing, even when it got hotter later in the morning. And boy did it get hot!

We had caught a few fish, seen some Rosette Spoonbills and dolphin, and had a nice Flounder in the box, so as we headed back to the ramp, we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.