Four Pounds and Four Foot

 Catching the big fish. That was Betty's plan for the morning. I had met John Raker and his mother Betty out at Goffinsville Park and we had the water to ourselves for the most part of the morning. We headed over to Pumpkin Hill on the last of an incoming tide and set up alongside the marsh grass with plans to drift float rigs with live shrimp. It didn't take long to get bites and soon John had a good hookup and while he fought it, Betty had an even bigger hookup, Fish(s) On! John got his to the boat quickly, a feisty Bluefish, but Betty had her hands full. She fought it valiantly, worked it to the boat, and John then netted a big 4lb Jack Crevalle, boy what a battle!

We eased around the corner where John picked up a hungry Seatrout, then fished a grassy island. Both anglers were getting good drifts when all of sudden Betty's float disappeared then it zipped across the water and Betty had another fight on her hands. I was pretty sure it was a Shark because of that initial run and then subsequent runs. Betty worked it to the boat where we saw it was a 4 foot Shark, then John stepped in and helped,

and they eventually wore it out and brought it alongside for me to break the leader. 

We then ran over to Seymore's Pointe and fished a large outflow where the tide had started out. John picked up a couple of keeper sized Mangrove Snapper then Betty tangled with another, bigger, Jack Crevalle. This time it was a piece of cake! Our next stop was around the corner, fishing some rocks with the float rigs and here we got into some Mangrove Snapper and caught 'em until we tired of catching them.  The biggest was right at 12", but they sure are good to eat!

After running down to Spanish Drop we began easing along the bank pitching jigs and shrimp.  John caught one Seatrout that was just a tad bit undersized then he picked up one that was well in the keeper range. We were just about to call it day as John pitched his jig to the shell bank, worked it thru the shells, then BOOM! He had a strong bite and hookup. John played it perfectly, walked to to the stern and from starboard to port then played it patiently to the net - a nice 22" Slot Redfish (with 9 spots!). That was a great way to wrap up a good day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.