Creeping Thru the Fog

 

We had almost zero wind this morning and clear skies, when we finally saw them! I had met Gordon Fowler and his fishing buddy Reid up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp just after sunrise and after easing out of Eagans Creek to the main river we hit some fog and had to creep over to our first spot - just off of Tyger Island. I think the first cast produced a bite - Reid worked it to the boat to land a hard fighting Jack Crevalle. We had a few bite there then we moved on up and around Tyger, and boy did we have to creep along - visibility was so bad I had to rely on my Garmin to keep from running aground.

We made our way over to the Jolley River and turned into a slow incoming current and pitched float rigs and live shrimp. The two anglers were getting good casts and good drifts but with the slow current and dirty water we didn't get much. But after moving down to Tyger Cut and setting up along a submerged shell bar, we got some action. Gordon had switched to a fly rod and boy was he getting some good loops! Reid drifted in behind him with the float and began to get Seatrout, one of them was right at 17".  We caught the Trout, some Ladyfish, and Jack Crevalle.

Our next stop was up beyond Snook Creek where the duo fished the float rigs. Reid had made a good
cast up into a pocket and when a big fish swirled on his bait, and took it, it was time for a big battel. Reid's drag was ripping as the fish came out of that pocket and zipped across the stern. We all had to scramble to re-arrange ourselves. Reid stayed with the fish, worked it in, let it run, worked it in and  eventually he landed a nice 4" Bonnethead Shark which we photographed and released.

We fished that stretch pretty good, then came back to the outside of Tyger as the tide came to a standstill. We couldn't cast without a Needlefish tacking our bait! Our final stop Reid tried his hand using a jig rod and the shrimp and had numerous bites but no takers. The fog had finally lifted and we had sunshine! We had dealt with the fog, caught a few fish, and now had sunshine so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Mixed Bag as Temperatures Rise

Finally, a warming trend! It was just a tad bit warmer this morning and I noticed the backwater water temperatures were in the low 50's. I had picked up John Raker out at Oyster Bay marina and we eased around the corner to fish some dock pilings on the first of an incoming tide. John picked up a couple of small Sheepshead - I had a nice one on but it "threw the hook", then John landed a good handful of feisty Redfish.

We made our way down the intercoastal and turned in behind Piney Island and set up off a dock and here it was John's turn to have a big one toss the hook! But boy did that drag ripping sound good! He then caught another few of the feisty Reds, then had a keeper size Seatrout chase down his jig and shrimp - he hooked it up and landed it. Then shortly afterwards he had another strong bite, hooked it up and landed an even bigger Seatrout.

We tried our hand at some other docks, but deeper, then ran further down the intercoastal to dip into a creek where I thought for sure we'd get some fish, but that's what I get for thinking. We then headed back to Oyster Bay and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.