Slow Start BIG Finish

We had an outstandingly beautiful day today, with just a slight breeze and some nice clouds overhead to keep the heat off. I met Russ and Denice Kesel and their two sons Noah and Sam down at the Big Talbot Island Park boat ramp this morning and we ran north up the Amelia River to fish Jackstaff on the very last of an outgoing tide. The anglers were tossing live shrimp and jigs and even though the conditions seemed just right for fish, we had only a few bites and no takers. We moved across the creek and fished a still flooded
sandbar and this heated things up just a little bit. Noah did the Captain a favor and 'knocked the skunk off" when he landed a nice Seatrout then his dad put one in the boat then Noah followed it up with another. Russ tangled with and landed a small Bonnethead Shark and Denice caught a Stingray. We then ran through Horsehead and to Bubblegum Reef where again, the conditions seemed right but  we found only one Seatrout. We fished Twin Creeks briefly, had no luck and even though we had put a few fish in the boat up until now, it wasn't what I'd have called a "fish
catching day". But our last stop made all the difference. We had not been fishing some dock pilings for about a minute when Noah had a strong hookup, and FISH ON! He fought the fish in and out of the piling and after a good battle, landed a big Jack Crevalle. Then BOOM! FISH ON! Russ had a good hookup. His fish fought hard a deep and went from stern to bow and back before the crew landed a Tournament Sized 26.25" thick Redfish!  And shortly after that, FISH ON! It was Denice's turn at a big fish and she played it like a pro. Her fish ripped back and forth and fought doggedly but Denice kept the pressure on and landed a big 21" Sheepshead, big enough for her to squeeze into 3rd place in the Anglers Mark 2015 Bragging Rights Tournament -Sheepshead Caterogy (scroll down right side of this report for standings). Sam got in on the action, catching Black "puppy" Drum, and Sea Bass while Noah answered with a big Blue Fish and Redfish of his own. The anglers already had an Amelia Island Back Country Slam of Seatrout, Red Drum and Black Drum, but Russ capped it off when he put a small Flounder in the boat. We left 'em biting, calling it a day, another great one here at Amelia Island, Florida.