Anticipating a great day, I tried to launch The Anglers Mark Saturday morning early. I'd purchased six dozen lively local shrimp from the Bait House and had the boat backed down at the ramp by 7am. When I turned the key and heard the slow sluggish groan of the engine I knew that an early morning of fishing was not to be. After about an hour of trying to charge my starting battery with jumper cables up in the parking lot I decided to run to the Super Walmart in Yulee and get the battery checked
out or replaced (it was less than a year old). The battery checked out good and the mechanic set up a quick charger on it. Being out that way, I changed my plans and ran to the Holley Pointe boat ramp and launched by 9am. The tide was high around 8:30am and I decided to try some new areas on the falling tide. Running up the Nassau River, past Pumkin Hill Creek, I came to what the map said is Broward Island. The river ran along side it similar to the way it does at Tiger Island - deep water with a shoreline of downed trees and stumps. Except this was a lot bigger island. Starting on the southside of the island, I drifted along the shore, tossing live shrimp under floats. The wind was out of the SE so the tree line broke the 10mph breeze and I had "lake-like" conditions. On about my third cast I was hooked up with a nice fish that ripped the PowerPro braided line off of my new Stradic 1000 reel. This fish hooked up so soon that I hadn't had time to get my net out of the locker so I reeled the 20" Redfish up to the gunwale of the boat, leaned over to lift it in, and....BAP...the fish gave one last lunge and broke the leader....and lazely swam off to the depths of the river - I watched him go! OUCH! I fished the entire bank of the island and ended up catching another five redfish, most undersized, but at least one a nice slot sized fish. These fish were real aggressive eaters with one of the Red's even coming out of the water like a Largemouth Bass. I checked some other area's out - Pumpkin Hill Creek and on up the Nassau to Lofton Creek, but came back to Broward Island in the afternoon to catch the incoming tide. Now that the river was low I could see all the tree's, stumps, and limbs on the bottom so I switched to a jig with live shrimp. I had just thought to myself that, "hey, the tide has gone slack", when I felt a heavy tug on my bait and the battle was on! This fish pulled strong- running back to the bank, down deep, up to the bow of the boat, back to the stern of the boat....and came off! I couldn't believe it! A few minutes later, another hookup...and another fish lost. And then another. These last two felt like nibbles until I raised the rod tip and I began to think that maybe I was in a mess of flounder, so the next "nibble" I got I actually let the line go slack, counted to ten, then raised the rod tip firmly and ...FISH ON! After a good battle I netted a beautifal, fat, 22" Trout. I ended up catching about seven more trout, losing a few, and having a great time. Once they were hooked they put up a ferocious fight and I really believe that first one that got away was probably bigger than the 22 incher. As the sun went down I was treated with a visit from America's national bird - a bald eagle that landed in a dead pine tree on the island. What a great day of fishing!
out or replaced (it was less than a year old). The battery checked out good and the mechanic set up a quick charger on it. Being out that way, I changed my plans and ran to the Holley Pointe boat ramp and launched by 9am. The tide was high around 8:30am and I decided to try some new areas on the falling tide. Running up the Nassau River, past Pumkin Hill Creek, I came to what the map said is Broward Island. The river ran along side it similar to the way it does at Tiger Island - deep water with a shoreline of downed trees and stumps. Except this was a lot bigger island. Starting on the southside of the island, I drifted along the shore, tossing live shrimp under floats. The wind was out of the SE so the tree line broke the 10mph breeze and I had "lake-like" conditions. On about my third cast I was hooked up with a nice fish that ripped the PowerPro braided line off of my new Stradic 1000 reel. This fish hooked up so soon that I hadn't had time to get my net out of the locker so I reeled the 20" Redfish up to the gunwale of the boat, leaned over to lift it in, and....BAP...the fish gave one last lunge and broke the leader....and lazely swam off to the depths of the river - I watched him go! OUCH! I fished the entire bank of the island and ended up catching another five redfish, most undersized, but at least one a nice slot sized fish. These fish were real aggressive eaters with one of the Red's even coming out of the water like a Largemouth Bass. I checked some other area's out - Pumpkin Hill Creek and on up the Nassau to Lofton Creek, but came back to Broward Island in the afternoon to catch the incoming tide. Now that the river was low I could see all the tree's, stumps, and limbs on the bottom so I switched to a jig with live shrimp. I had just thought to myself that, "hey, the tide has gone slack", when I felt a heavy tug on my bait and the battle was on! This fish pulled strong- running back to the bank, down deep, up to the bow of the boat, back to the stern of the boat....and came off! I couldn't believe it! A few minutes later, another hookup...and another fish lost. And then another. These last two felt like nibbles until I raised the rod tip and I began to think that maybe I was in a mess of flounder, so the next "nibble" I got I actually let the line go slack, counted to ten, then raised the rod tip firmly and ...FISH ON! After a good battle I netted a beautifal, fat, 22" Trout. I ended up catching about seven more trout, losing a few, and having a great time. Once they were hooked they put up a ferocious fight and I really believe that first one that got away was probably bigger than the 22 incher. As the sun went down I was treated with a visit from America's national bird - a bald eagle that landed in a dead pine tree on the island. What a great day of fishing!
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