Drumming up Fish

Fish the dock pilings or fish the marsh grass?  That's what I was asking myself this morning as I was getting The Anglers Mark ready.  I was meeting Michael Furhman and his crew down at the Atlantic Seafood dock to fish the last 3 hours of an outgoing tide.  When Michael made it to the boat I found that most of his crew had "mutinied" but he had drafted his sister-in-law Erin to come along and fill their shoes.  I decided on "docks" so we headed over to Eagans Creek, found a likely spot, then began to toss shrimp and mud minnows on a jig up to the pilings.  It wasn't long before both

anglers were catching feisty Redfish but when Michael's rod bent double and drag ripped out, we knew he had a bigger fish, FISH ON!  The big fish tried to get back up in the pilings but Micheal was a savvy angler and worked the fish out. Once in deeper water it plowed deep but it was no match for Micheal!  He soon landed a not so "puppy"  Black Drum measuring at 22"!  Shortly after catching another couple of feisty Reds, Erin took a turn at a hard fighting Black Drum. She too had to keep the pressure on to keep the fish from getting back into the pilings but she soon landed a

nice 18" Black Drum.    They caught another couple of smaller Reds, then Erin had a strong hookup and, FISH ON again!  She played the big fish patiently, working it away from the pilings, letting it run when it wanted to run, but eventually landing a 25 1/2" Slot Redfish!  After photographs we released the big fish to hopefully make it to the oversized limit!   Michael caught a keeper sized Sheepshead to round out the anglers Amelia Island Back Country Slam, then we headed up to Jolley River, fished some exposed oyster banks, then BOOM!  Michael had a drag ripping hookup, then BOOM! Erin did to. We had a double!  Both anglers patiently fougt their fish, bow to stern, port to starboard, stern to bow, going 'round and 'round.  I had to shuffle from one angler to the other trying to figure out which Bonnethead Shark to net first but soon we had both of them flopping around the boat!  We got some good photographs then tossed them back.  After fishing another spot with no real bites, we headed in, counting it as another great day to be fishing Amelia Island waters!

After a long lunch break I met Michael again at the Marina and this time he had a brother-in-law

Andy and his daughter Ella.  We had planned to do a short fishing trip and boat tour so I headed up to the outside of Tiger Island to fish some now flooded oyster beds with live shrimp under float.  After just a few minutes Ella had a hookup and a fish fight!  She worked the fish in and we netted her first ever fish - a hungry Seatrout!  Her dad and uncle Michael joined in and in less than an hour we the anglers had caught 7-8 Seatrout, a high flying Ladyfish, and a hard fighting Jack Crevalle.  We then did a tour of Fort Clinch, crossed to veiw some wild horses on Cumberland, cruised up Beach Creek and saw two manatee, then headed in - another great Amelia Island fishing trip and boat tour!