Wind Driven

 I fished two trips with the Walter Mann crew - he and his fishing partner Bobby Horston and Bobby's son Eric on Saturday morning. We meet up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp and headed over to the Jolley River. It was still "shorts" weather but the wind was already picking up. Running up the Jolley, we made our first stop at a point of grass on a high and incoming tide and  fished float rigs with mud minnows. Walter picked up a a couple of Seatrout. We went further up  the Jolley, fished Snook Creek Bank, then eased in to the Snook and switched to Jigs and the minnows. I think we did get a Mangrove Snapper and a Whiting on those jigs.

After the tide hit high we came back to the outside of Tyger and fished the very first of an outgoing and a caught a feisty Redfish right up in the grass. After running thru Tyger and around to the Bell and up Lanceford we fished a dock with jigs to the pilings and a float to the shoreline. Bobby was on the float and after working it around some pilings, BAM! Fish On! He played it perfectly and brought to to the net a keeper sized Seatrout (all fish caught these trips were released)

After fishing around the corner a bit, we headed back to the dock.

Today I met Walter and Bobby up at Old Town again, but it was NOT shorts weather! Luckily we had all paid heed to the weather forecast - windy and cool - and dressed accordingly. This time we headed down the Intercoastal to fish some structure on a tide that had been coming in a few hours. We pulled up and pitched jigs and live shrimp and caught a couple of Toad Fish, a handful of Mangrove Snapper, and a

feisty Redfish. 

Continuing on, thru Horsehead and over to Seymore's Pointe, we fished a dock and here Bobby battled a hard fighting Jack Crevalle to the net. Then, down to Pumpkin Hill where we drifted floats along the flooding marsh grass. We had some nibbles, but no takers. We moved around the corner and continued with the floats, now at a grassy island and this paid off. Bobby had gone up to the grass with an excellent cast and when his float disappeared he began to crank, and crank! The fish was coming towards him! He caught up to it and the fight was on! It was pulling deep and hard but Bobby kept the pressure on and worked him from bow to stern and from port to starboard and finally to the net - a big 22.25" Seatrout! Which moved Bobby into a big tie for 3rd in the Anglers Mark Bragging Rights Tournament-Seatrout Category. (scroll down the right side of this report for standings).

We fished some rocks back at Seymore's and did battle with Mangroves (we won some and they won
some), and Walter put a Grouper n the boat (the third I've seen this year). Then we fished Christopher Creek for a bit and then headed back up the Intercoastal, into the cool wind. But as we made our way to the dock we counted it as another great two days of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Battling The Elements

 Boy what a rain system we had yesterday - it rained so much I had to go out and "lift" the cover on my boat to get the pools of water off of it, Three times! And again this morning! But the forecast had actually improved for today and although it misted a bit between the bait shop and Goffinsville Park, by the time I launched it was clearing. I met Charles Land and his daughter Savanah early and we made a quick run over to Pumpkin Hill and began to toss float rigs baited with mud minnows. The tide was coming in, still for another couple of hours, but I couldn't believe that it was already well flooded up in the grass. It was dead calm with zero breeze and the Sand Gnats were out in full force! We put on "armor" battled on. 

They had a couple of nibbles, but no takers so we moved up to a point and fished down the other side and that did the trick. Charles "knocked the skunk off" when he hooked up long and brought in a hungry Seatrout, then another, then Savanah got on the board and caught a high flying Ladyfish.  We fished down a ways and had a few nibbles and then moved on. 

Over at Seymore's Point Savanah's first cast produced a quick bite and Fish On! This fish was big and running - it headed up into the marsh but Savanah kept the pressure on and kept it out of the grass. It then came towards us and she had to crank, crank and crank to keep up with it, then it went deep on the other side of the boat. Savanah stayed with it, worked it up to the boat and landed a big Jack Crevalle. 

After running thru Horsehead and over to Poteat Cut we fished a bank just as the tide started out there but had no luck. Over in Jackstaff we worked along a bank. Savanah had gone right up in to some flooded grass with a cast and BAM! She had a hookup. I thought for sure it was a nice Redfish but as she brought it to the net we saw that it was a big 19.5" Seatrout! Boy what a fish!

After fishing over at Back River for just a bit we headed back to the ramp and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Making The Grade

 It looks like we squeezed in today's trip before tomorrows nasty weather shows up. I had met Robert Stettner and his fishing partner David Vice out at the  Goffinsville Park boat ramp as the sun came up and as the weather channel had forecast, it was "Calm" - the water was like glass. We made a quick run over to Pumpkin Hill in an attempt to catch the very last of an incoming tide and sure enough, we still had some current running. Both anglers were tossing float rigs and mudminnows and letting them drift long and within minutes we had fish. They picked up a handful of Seatrout with two of them being of keeper size. Robert also caught and battled a big Jack Crevalle to the net for photograph and release. If I had to grade these two anglers, they were right at a C+!

We then ran around to Seymore's Point and fished a large drainage with the float rigs (we stayed with them the entire trip) and had a good many bites but no real takers. Our next stop, after running thru Horsehead, was over at Poteat Cut where we set up on a point and fished the now outgoing tide. This paid off - they caught Seatrout and Ladyfish, then Robert hooked up with a feisty Redfish and battled it to the boat. David went up to the grass with a good cast and BAM! Big Fish On! He played it perfectly and worked it patiently to the boat and net - a nice 22" Slot sized Redfish.  They were up to a B+!

Back over to Jackstaff we went, and up a creek where we worked the grass line with the floats. They picked up one Redfish along the bank then we moved on. After another run back thru Horsehead we made our way down to the Back River and set  up to fish. School was in! We were at the "Honey Hole"!  We had non-stop action - I think I yelled "Double" a few times. At first it was Seatrout. David put a couple of keepers in the boat then Robert added a keeper to the box. David hooked up and landed a Slot sized 21" Red, then they caught more Trout, more feisty Redfish, another Jack, and Robert rounded out his Amelia Island Backcountry Slam with a Flounder catch. Then David had a strong hookup and this fish wasn't coming in. He played it like a Pro - like an upperclassman -  like a Beta Club alumni! It pulled to the shell bank, and David worked it out and brought it to the net, a big 26" Slot Redfish! That one put us over the limit and had to go back after photographs. 

We had had pretty good day of fishing and had ended with 45 minutes of fish catching and as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida and achieving Honor Roll status - A+ for the day!

Fish'n the Fly

 Oh boy what a beautiful day today!  I was really looking forward to getting out on the water after the temperatures dropped over the weekend and sure enough, cool, clear and sunny was waiting on us! I had met Seth Bush and his son Gates down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early and we headed up the intercoastal, all the way up to Poteat Cut with a plan that Seth would fish spin and bait while Gates tossed the fly on a high and outgoing tide. We baited Seth with live shrimp and started Gates off with a topwater Gurgler. It's hard to beat a live shrimp and Seth "knocked the skunk off" when he boated a couple of hungry Seatrout and tangled with a handful of Ladyfish. Although Gates didn't pick up a fish, he was getting excellent casts and had one "spit" at his fly.

We moved over Jackstaff and fished a couple of outflows, working the bank slowly, Seth on the bow with the bait, Gates off the stern with the fly. Again, Seth had the hookup and expertly landed a feisty Redfish. After running thru Horsehead and down to Back River we set up along a bank as the oysters were just beginning to expose. This time Seth was on the stern and drifting long along the bank, he picked up a handfull of the feisty Redfish. I released the trolling motor and let the boat drop back and Gates made a perfect cast to the shell bank and BAM! Fish On! He was fishing a crab pattern fly and it paid off. Gates played it perfectly and landed a nice Redfish. From then on both anglers were getting fish - Seth off the stern and Gates off the bow. Seth had a big one on, was working it slowly, but this fish had other plans, It made its way to the shore line and submerged oysters and BAP! Fish off! Later, Gates had a big one on the fly rod and the same thing happened, the tippet broke. 

But shortly afterwards Gates made a cast up into a gap between two oyster beds and BAM! A fish took it and ran deep, then dug deep. Gates worked it up slowly, stayed patient, and landed a hard fighting Jack Crevalle. 

We fished between two docks and Seth caught a couple or three Mangrove Snapper then we ran down to Spanish Drop and fished the bank. We were about to wrap things up and Gates made an excellent long cast up into the mouth of a drainage. As we worked it back, the fly came over a shell point and he had a hookup. The fish wasn't putting much of a fight, but was heavy, and sure enough when Gates worked it to the surface he had a nice keeper sized Flounder! Boy what a catch. And with that, we called it a day, another great one to be fly fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Finding the Sweet Spot

 

This morning was the first since last Tuesday - a week ago - that we didn't have high winds. What was with that? But this morning was perfect weather, just a slight breeze and overcast skies when I met Todd Johnson and his fishing buddy David up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp. The tide still had about and hour and a half of going out so we hit some docks to fish the pilings with jigs an mud minnows and live shrimp.  The first dock I thought for sure we'd get fish and David did "knock the skunk off" when he hooked up and expertly landed a feisty Redfish. We had a couple of other hookups but they threw the hook. Before we left the area we moved down a dock or two and fished those pilings. Todd had the strong hookup this time and when it was ripping drag and trying to dig back into the pilings we knew it was a nice fish, Fish On!  Todd kept the pressure on and worked it out of the pilings and eventually to the net, a nice 23" Slot Sized Redfish (with 8 spots)!

We then made the run over to Tyger Island and fished the "logs", working slowly along the bank as the tide started back in . We had great conditions and the perfect tide but not much luck. These two angles did reel in a few Mangrove Snapper and a wayward Black Sea Bass. 

After making our way around to the Jolley River we worked back to Snook Creek, getting a few nibbles, but no real takers. But when we reached a point of oysters David had made a good cast up beyond the point and BAM! He had a hookup. I think David caught a handful of hungry Seatrout before Todd could get his rod unlimbered!  We had hit a "Sweet Spot".  They caught Seatrout and a handful of feisty Redfish and tangled with Shark and Gar Fish. And then they added a keeper Seatrout to the box. 

Our final stop was back down the Jolley, fishing another point and again David's first cast produced a fish - a hungry Seatrout- and again, he hooked up with a couple of more BAM, BAM, BAM!  Todd was fishing long out  of the stern and found Seatrout and a couple of nice feisty Redfish. We tangled with one more Gar Fish here. We had found our 2nd Sweet Spot of the day!  We had had some good action for the most part and as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

We Beat the Wind

 

I knew it was going to be a pretty day, and it was, but I was also aware of the winds that have been battering us the last week and they were forecast for today, and sure enough, it was blowing! I met Ed Hill and his friend Tina out at Goffinsville Park and with my "plan" in mind, we ran down to Broward Island to try and fish the very last and first of an incoming tide. As we worked the bank, pitching jigs and live shrip to the bank these two anglers began to get bites. Ed "knocked the skunk off" when he hooked up and patiently brought to the boat a feisty Redfish.  Then both anglers caught a couple of Reds, and...a Catfish!

We moved back down the river to Pumpkin Hill and fished a point, drifting float rigs with the current and wind. They caught another Redfish, Tina put a keeper sized Seatrout in the boat, then they both battled hard fighting Jack Crevalle. And they added one small Mangrove Snapper to the catch. After fishing a small grass patch we moved on - the wind was really kicking!

Our next stop was up between two docks, tossing the jigs and shrimp again. It didn't take long for this duo to find some Mangrove Snappers up under a tree and they quickly mastered the hookup. Although most of them were small, they did put two large one in the box.  They also put a surprise in the boat - a small Gag Grouper!

The tide was really up, the wind was still blowing so we stayed in the lee of the land and drifted some float rigs to a point, then moved into Christopher Creek to try our luck. But the fish were done so we headed back to the ramp and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

The Grande Finale

When we talked last night we agreed to touch base this morning as to whether we really wanted to get out and fish with forecasted rains. And when I launched it was dark and stormy and pretty much stayed that way the entire day - all around us - north and south and east and west - but we never got wet! I had met William and Dara Blalock up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp and after easing out of Eagans Creek we made our way over to Tyger Island and set up on a corner of grass just as the tide started out. 

We didn't know it at the time, but Dara's first cast was to set the tone for the rest of the day. BAM! She had a hookup on her float rig and mud minnow! She worked it to the boat and landed a keeper sized Seatrout. They had a few nibbles after that, then we drifted down the bank with the tide and we were beginning to think that first fish "jinxed" us but we hit a pocket and William reeled in a keeper sized Flounder, then both he and Dara caught a handful of Redfish, one of which was a small Slot sized. Things were picking up. 

Working around the corner we found that if we fished the back side of some grassy points, where there was a bit of current, we'd get fish. This duo of anglers caught another few Redfish, two were in the Slot, and they caught a good 4-5 Flounder, one of which was keeper size. We switched to jigs and minnows and caught fish along that entire bank. The bite seemed to be best on the higher outgoing tide.

Our next stop was around at Jolley Bank, Dara fishing the stern with the float rig and William fishing the bow with the jig - and it appeared that the jig was the trick - William put a few Redfish in the boat, and another Flounder. We ran up a ways and fished a point with the floats and caught a couple of Seatrout, then further up the river we fished a large drainage. Here, Dara got hot with the float rig, drifting it long to a bend and "rift" in the water and BAM! Redfish. Bam! Redfish. Bam! Redfish. William was on the bow and picked up another keeper sized Flounder (William was the Flounder King today). 

That last spot was pretty good for action  and it was going to be hard to top but little did we know we were in for a 'Grande Finale"! We made our way around to the MOA, and set up down current and almost immediately began to catch fish. Dara was hitting the top of the oyster bar with her jig and shrimp and was catching one Redfish after the other. William followed her to the bank and caught a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum, then went deep and caught a keeper sized Seatrout. Then both anglers were catching Redfish. I think we had at least three "double" hookups. We fished until we ran out of bait then William put a little piece of shrimp on for "one last cast" and BOOM! Big Fish On! William played it perfectly and after a good battle landed a nice 25" Slot Redfish. 

We had a good handful of keeper sized fish but most were thrown back and a only a few kept for dinner. and as we headed back to the ramp, we finally had a sprinkle but we still counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Offshore in the Backwater?

 We gambled with the weather forecast today - it was calling for winds up to 16-17mph and when I launched the  skies were ugly with storm clouds. I was meeting Douglas and Cindy Bailey and their son Dylan up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp and we had decided that we'd give it a go and hope for the best, and I'm glad we did!

After running up the creek we set up current from a dock and pitched jigs and shrimp and minnows back to the pilings. Dylan got hot early and put a good handful of small Mangrove Snapper in the boat and then they hooked and landed a small Grouper!  Then Douglas had a strong bite, set the hook and, Fish On! Douglas played it patiently and after a good battle landed a nice Slot Redfish. We fed a bunch of "baitstealers", too, while we were there.

We then made a run down the intercoastal and fished some rocks and here Douglas found a hole that had some feisty Redfish that he handily hooked up and brought to the boat. Then we had a good bite deep and as it ripped drag and we knew we had another big Fish On!  Dylan was on the rod and did outstanding keeping it out of some structure that was behind us. He worked it slowly away from them but not too forceful and when he got it out deep; we know we had 'em. Dylan played it expertly and eventually brought to the net a Slot sized 22" Redfish. 

After running thru Horsehead we found a dock to fish out of the increasing wind and again, this trio of anglers caught small Mangroves, but one of two were of keeper size. Cindy hooked up an landed a hungry Seatrout and Dylan added a Sea Bass to the catch. We then ran around to Nassauville and fished between two docks and again caught Mangroves, with Cindy putting the biggest of the day in the boat. Douglas was fishing deep but then hung up on some bottom and when he pulled it off, BAM! A big fish hit his bait. Douglas kept the pressure on and worked it up to land a big 21" Gator Trout, boy what a fish. He also added a small Flounder to his catch. 

After fishing some rocks with float rigs and getting a couple of more Mangroves, we ran thru Jackstaff and fished some flooding marsh grass with the floats. They added a couple of more feisty Redfish to their catch total then we headed back to the ramp, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

(Almost) Everything But the Kitchen Sink

Today we caught Mangrove Snapper, Pinfish, Grouper, Seatrout, Flounder, Redfish, Ladyfish, Jack Crevalle, Bonnethead Shark and Needlefish - and almost the Kitchen Sink!  I had met Jon Beall and  his son Brian up at Old Town Bait and Tackle, and after running over to Lanceford, we fished a dock on the very first of an incoming tide with jigs and live shrimp.  Just like I thought, they began to get "nibbles"  on every cast and managed to hookup and land the Snapper, Pinfish, and a small Grouper.

We then made the run around to Tyger and fished the logs and here we had some success. Brian hooked up and landed a hungry Seatrout, then a small Flounder, then a nice keeper sized Flounder. They also picked up one small but feisty Redfish. 

After running up to the Jolley, we turned into the current and fished the "bank" with float rigs and the live shrimp. They were getting good casts and good drifts and it paid off with a handful of Redfish catches. Brian added another Flounder to his catch, then had something big take his bait and, Fish On!  The drag was ripping as it headed south but Brian kept the pressure on and soon turned it, brought it back to the boat, then followed up current for a bit, then settled in for a game of patience. After a good battle Brian landed a nice Bonnethead Shark. And then followed that up with an even bigger one. 

Further up the Jolley we fished a bank and got into some Ladyfish, then finished up fishing a point. Jon had some good battles with Ladyfish and Jacks and put another feisty Redfish in the boat. We had some good action under some dark skies but as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Look'n For a Slam

 

A Keeper Slam!  I fished again this morning, meeting Glenn and Patti Lanford up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp. We made a short run  up the creek and fished some dock pilings with jigs and live shrimp - the tide had been coming in for about an hour.  Glenn made short work of knocking the skunk off when he hooked up and landed a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum - the first I've seen in months. Pattie had a Red to the boat but it threw the hook, then Glenn brought in another feisty  Black Drum.

We made a way over to the Jolley River and fished the "bank", first with jigs where Patti fought to the net a feisty Redfish, then we switched to float rigs and picked up another couple of Redfish. They tangled with a couple of Jacks and Lady fish.  After moving around to the outside of Tyger we went back to jigs and this did the trick. Glenn had a strong bite, hooked it up, and patiently fought

to the net a nice sized Flounder that measured right at 18". Both he and Pattie caught a few more smaller Flounder along that stretch. This duo of Nassau Sports Fishing Association anglers were looking for a "Slam" of Redfish, Flounder and Seatrout (to keep) and although we had a "slam" of sorts caught (Black Drum, Flounder, and Redfish), we only had one in the box!

Back up the Jolley we went to fish a flooded point of oysters. The bite started off slow and I was getting a bit worried but then they began to get bites. Pattie caught a feisty Redfish, then Jacks and Ladyfish, then a couple of Seatrout, then Glenn reeled in a nice 17" Seatrout, and then another 15'5" keeper sized Trout. So we ended up with the Flounder and Trout but were missing the Redfish for the "in the box Slam", but as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Birthday Bash on the Water

 I fished with the Stein girls today - Ellina, Emily, Liz and Erin - meeting them early down at the Sawpit
Creek boat ramp. In addition to getting a break and visiting Amelia Island, they were also helping Erin celebrate a birthday!  We ran up the intercoastal and turned into the Nassau and made our way up to Spanish Drop where we turned into the high, incoming tide and began to drift float rigs with live shrimp, and eventually mud minnows. I noted that the water temperature was 83.5 -still hot-still summer.

Sure enough, these lady anglers began to get bites and tangled with high flying Ladyfish, hard fighting Jack Crevalle, and we got to see a Bonnethead Shark track Erin's bait down and take it and, Fish On!  Erin played it expertly and reeled to the net the Shark which was photographed and released.

We ran down to Pumpkin Hill and fished a stretch and again had some good action catching feisty
Redfish, hungry Seatrout, Ladyfish, Jacks, a nice Mangrove Snapper, a big Bluefish, and a Croaker. We made a stop at Littlefields, switched to the jigs and caught a good handful of Mangrove Snapper, then made our way thru Horsehead, switched back to floats, and here Ellina picked up the biggest Redfish of the day, played it perfectly to the boat, and landed it for a photograph. 

We ended the day with a .....Needlefish catch! Hah! But as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida 

Honeymoon Fishing At Amelia Island

 ...but just a fish battle! I had met Jack and Karina Drinkard, newlyweds, down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early this morning and after running up the Intercoastal and dipping in to Jackstaff, we drifted with the last of an outgoing tide, tossing jigs and live shrimp. I think the "demo" cast produced a bite and a small Seatrout which Karina expertly reeled in. 

We worked along that bank until the tide changed and picked up  a hard fighting Jack Crevalle and a solitary Catfish. After running thru Horsehead we made our way down to Spanish Drop and began to fish into the incoming current, sticking with the jigs. The new fishing team hooked up and landed a couple of feisty Redfish, another  Jack or two, and tangled with a couple of Ladyfish. Then Jack had a strong hookup up near the bank and when it made a big run I was thinking "big Redfish" but then, after a good few minutes it settled to the bottom and it had me guessing Shark.. but it never made that long run. I was hoping for a massive Flounder but it would have been huge!  Jack couldn't have been more patient and fought it expertly, working it slowly, letting it run deep, and working it up again. Finally, after a good thirty minute battle, he was able to bring to the net a huge Stingray which we photographed and released. Boy what a battle!

We went back to that stretch and fished it again and here Katrina brought in dinner - a keeper sized Flounder and a keeper sized Seatrout. We then ran down to Broward Island and fished it with jigs where they added a couple of Mangrove Snapper to the catch and we finished the day drifting floats at Pumpkin Hill, catching some huge high flying Ladyfish. We had some good action thru out the day and as we headed back to the boat ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Off Day Leads to Big Trout

 I had the day off and decided to get in some "fun" fishing before we had to batten down the hatches for the approaching storm.  After be first in line at the Amelia Island Bait and Tackle for some live shrimp, I headed down to Sawpit Creek boat ramp, launched, and ran up the Back River to hit a flooded point in the Nassau. Tossing float rigs and the live shrimp on the last of an incoming tide, I hit the Ladyfish jackpot! Every cast - BAM! The first couple of times I got excited when the float went under but then I got complacent.

Fishing the point, the tide was so high my float was drifting the wrong way but when it went under I reeled up a bit of slack and let the circle hook set and when it bent the rod a bit I thought, "well great, a nice little Redfish". I even remember giving complete slack as I reached behind the Yeti to grab the catch net but when I lifted the rod up I saw a huge Seatrout!  I got that line tight quick! And got that net under it and landed it - a big 21" Seatrout!

As the tide started out I fished a couple of more spots with the floats and picked up some small Mangroves and Jacks, then moved down the Nassau and switched to jigs and shrimp and picked up a couple of small Seatrout, a couple of small Redfish, and then a big Bonnethead Shark. Moving further down I fished the back side of a submerged "bar" and caught one small Redfish after the other.  I'd had a fun day of fishing and had dinner for the evening (see next report) so as a I headed back to the ramp I counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Recipe Of The Month: Trout Almondine

 Whenever I've seen this on a restaurant menu I tended to shy away from it because I didn't know what it was!  Donna Givens sends this tasty recipe in, via her husband John, angler,  who I run in to at the bait shop on occasion. It's easy to prepare, doesn't need a whole lot of ingredients and as mentioned, very tasty! Thank you Donna! I "fun" fished today and lucked up on this 21" Seatrout so the fish was FRESH for this recipe!

Makes 2 servings

1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds(toast on stove top: 1 T butter, almonds - watch it! Be careful not to burn!) I did this first and set aside.

2 Trout filets

1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper.

1/2 cup all purpose flour

Salt and pepper both sides of Trout, then dredge in flour, shake off excess.

2 tsp olive oil

1 tsp butter

Heat in non-stick pan on medium heat a few minutes on each side until opaque white. Set cooked filets aside.

In same pan stir in

4 tsp butter, 

1/4 cup lemon or lime juice

1/3 cup chopped parsley.

Toasted Almonds.

Cook until hot then ladle over Trout. Enjoy!

Pulled One Out In The End

 I wrapped the week up today fishing with Chuck Butler and his sons Trey and Trent, meeting them out at Goffinsville early this morning on a tide that had been coming in a few hours. We headed down the Nassau and set up to initially fish jigs and minnows to the bank, but we had no luck. We then switched to float rigs and worked along a bank and after Chuck had let his float "go long", he had a take - he cranked up the slack, lifted his rod and let the circle hook do its jog. Chuck worked to the boat a fat Seatrout. 

We then moved back up the river to Twin Creeks and fished that stretch for a while, then made a run back up the Nassau to fish a flooded point at Pumpkin Hill and this did the trick. After a few drifts the fish began to bite - the trio of anglers caught a small Redfish, a small Seatrout and tangled with bookoodles of high flying Ladyfish. Trey hooked up with something big which he played perfectly for a few minutes but eventually the big fish headed south and parted the line. Later, it was Trent's turn to have a nice fish on - this one for sure a Redfish - it rolled up in the grass, over the oyster beds and as their nature, probably buried it's nose in the shell and cut the line. After fishing the other side of the point, we moved on. 

Our final stop was back at Seymore's Pointe fishing a dead high tide and right off the bat the anglers were dueling with Mangrove Snapper. The Snapper won a bunch but the anglers boated a couple of nice sized ones. Then we had a good hookup off the stern, but over near the shore. Trent was on the rod and worked it patiently to the boat to land a nice 20" Slot Redfish. After tinkering with the Mangroves a bit more, we headed back to the ramp and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Epic Battle Leads To Bragging Rights

 

I had the Wytiaz's fishing today, Frank and Joanne, and we met up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp early. After running up and around and into the Jolley River we turned into the current at the "bank" and began fishing back to the pointe with float rigs and mud minnows on a high and still incoming tide.  The two anglers were making excellent casts to the grass, letting it drift along the marsh line and in just a while we had hookups of small Seatrout and Ladyfish. Then, after Joanne had got a cast close, I heard her drag begin to rip and, Big Fish On! And boy was it a battle! This fish was doing its best to stay up in the grass and over the oysters. It boiled up a time or two, then I saw a huge tail and confirmed it was a massive Redfish!  Joanne hung with it and began to work it out from the edge and when she got it out deep I felt sure we had it. She kept the pressure on during numerous runs, worked it close, let it run, then after a long and epic battle, brought to the net an oversized 35.5" Redfish, big enough to move Joanne into a solid lead in the Anglers Mark 2023 Bragging Rights Tournament -Redfish Category. (Scroll down the right side of this report for standings). Boy what a fish!

We then moved up the river and set up a point and drifted the float rigs and had a quick flurry of catches- Seatrout, Jacks, and Ladyfish. Joanne added a keeper sized 16" Seatrout to the catch. We moved further up the river and fished back into the current and here Frank got hot, real hot!  He caught a couple of feisty Redfish up close to the grass, then Joanne added one, then Frank had a strong hookup and, Fish On! He played it perfectly, worked it to the boat, and landed a nice 23" Slot Redfish. 

The tide had come to a standstill so we ran back to the outside of Tyger and fished a point as the now outgoing tide swept by. Again, we caught a couple of small Trout, small Reds, then a small Flounder, then Frank put a keeper sized Flounder in the boat and an 18" Seatrout.

Our final stop was around the corner, fishing a sand bottom for Flounder, but Frank found another nice Slot Redfish, this one measuring right at 21".  They landed another small Flounder and Seatrout before we headed back to the dock and as we made the run, we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Captain Lawrence Piper is a fishing guide in Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island and is a licensed US Coast Guard charter boat operator.

Good Practice

I fished with the Averbuch crew this morning - Jared and his son Max and Cutler and his son Harvey. We
met down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp and headed north up the intercoastal then turned into Poteat Cut to fish a point with float rigs and mud minnows on an outgoing tide. It didn't take long before Harvey "knocked the skunk off" when he hooked up and landed a hungry Seatrout.  We worked that bank thoroughly then moved on. 

We made a quick stop over in a creek off of Jackstaff and here the dads let the young anglers have the floor and they wiped it - catching a good handful of feisty Redfish and Max added a hard fighting Jack Crevalle to the catch.  After running thru Horsehead we made our way down to Back River and fished an edge and although it looked fishy, we had no real bites. 

Down the Nassau we went, down to Spanish Drop and turned in to the current and worked the bank with jigs and minnows. When we got to a corner Cutler lit up, catching a couple of the Reds and a couple of Seatrout out deep. I didn't expect it but the wind picked up! We were getting buffeted pretty good so we ran up to Seymore's Pointe and got some relief and here the anglers added handful of Mangrove Snapper to the catch, and we also supplemented our bait by cast netting some nice finger mullet.

Our final stop was around at some rocks at Nassauville and here the anglers perfected their craft, dueling with the Mangrove Snapper. The Snapper would "win" about 6-8 times but the anglers would pull one out on occasion, getting good practice quickly setting the hook. But boy was it hot! We had caught some fish and a we headed back to the dock we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Captain Lawrence Piper is a fishing guide in Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island and is a licensed US Coast Guard charter boat operator.

Early Bird Gets the Fish

 It's been the norm all week - the fish are biting early, up until about 9am, and then the bite fall off, and the
same happened today. I had met Tim and Crystal Hanley up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp and after easing out of Eagans Creek we made a run down to Lanceford and set up current from some dock pilings to toss jigs with live shrimp and mud minnows on an outgoing tide. Crystal was fishing shallow while Tim was fishing deep and deep paid off when Tim hooked up and expertly brought to the boat a big 19" Seatrout. They added one small Redfish to the catch before we moved on. 

After running back and around the Tygers we pulled up at Jolley "bank" and began to work the exposed oysters and almost immediately Crystal began to get bites. She hooked up and landed a handful of feisty Redfish. They added a Jack to the catch then Tim had a strong bite and when we heard his drag began to rip we  knew it was of some size. He played it perfectly and let it tire itself out and eventually brought to the net a Slot sized 22" Redfish.

We moved further up the Jolley and fished thru Snook Creek. Tim was tossing to the bank and Crystal was fishing a bit deeper - she hooked up and landed a small Seatrout then shortly after hooked up and landed a fat keeper sized Seatrout.  After fishing the MOA unsuccessfully we motored around to the Bell and fished some docks and boy was it hot! The temperature, not the catching! After fishing just a bit we headed back to the ramp and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Captain Lawrence Piper is a fishing guide in Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, Florida and is a licensed US Coast Guard charter boat operator.

Girls Rule, Boys Drool

 Crazy how big fish just come out of no where!  I fished with Marty and Cathy Siciliano again today, but met them down at Sawpit Creek boat ramp with plans to fish south. We made a long run up the Nassau (it almost feels like you're going to Tallahassee) and up to Broward Island and set up fishing with a tide that had just a few minutes to hit bottom. I had Marty and Cathy throwing jigs with Mud minnows and live shrimp, first to a drainage, and then as we drifted back to the bank and fishing down thru some rough bottom and it paid off. They picked up a couple of small but feisty Redfish and a Bonnethead Shark. 

Then the current changed and just after I had turned the bow into the incoming current, BAM! Cathy had a strong hookup off of the stern. It boiled up and I called it a Redfish". Boy was I wrong! Cathy worked it to the boat and eventually landed a huge 22.75" Seatrout - a fish big enough to move her into sole possession of First Place in the Anglers Mark 2023 Bragging Rights Tournament-Seatrout Category.  But Cathy wasn't finished. We fished just a dozen yards or so and BAM! Another Big fish on! She fought it valiantly and worked into the net an EVEN BIGGER Seatrout - this one measuring right at 23"! Boy what a fish! (scroll down the right side of this report for Bragging Rights standings).

All fish caught today were released.

We worked that bank for a while, then moved on up to ways and fished, then moved on.  Our next stop was up at Pumpkin Hill and here we switched to floats and the live baits, drifting them long with the current. The duo of anglers picked up a couple of Jacks and small Seatrout. After moving around a point and fishing that side they caught a good handful of hungry Seatrout, fishing along the current line. 

After fishing Twin Creeks with the floats and catching another Jack or two, we finished up fishing at Spanish Drop where Cathy tangled with a Ladyfish and Marty battled a huge Shark. As most know, I use very light tackle and those Sharks tend to win the battle, as this one did, but Marty gave it the best that you could do. And with that, we headed back and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelai Island, Florida.

Captain Lawrence Piper is a fishing guide in Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island and is a licensed US Coast Guard charter boat opoerator.

Full Moon Fishing

 Crazy how a full moon gets people talking...and seems to affect the fishing. At 7:30 t his morning when Marty and Cathy Siciliano and I made it to our first spot - the "bank" of the Jolley River, Marty pointed out the still visible  full-ish moon. We had ran from Old Town Bait and Tackle and had a tide that had been coming in for a couple of hours, but it looked like it was already high!

Marty and Cathy began to toss float rigs and mud minnows up to the grassy bank, drifting over oysters. We worked along that bank and Marty picked up a keeper sized Seatrout and a Jack Crevalle. (All fish caught today were released). We then made our way up the Jolley and fished the mouth  of Snook Creek and here Marty picked up a couple of feisty Redfish in quick succession. We fished that stretch for a bit then moved back down the river to the mouth of Tyger Creek. 

Here, Cathy had "gone long" with a drift and at great distance, had her float disappear - she tightened up her line and let the circle hook set and, Fish On!  Cathy worked it patiently back to the boat and brought to the net a huge Catfish - the biggest fish of the day!

We came back around Tyger and fished the outside with the tide still coming in and this turned out to be the "hot spot" of the day. Marty caught another couple of Redfish, one of them being of Slot size, and another Seatrout while Cathy hooked up and landed a keeper sized Mangrove Snapper. 

We fished a point over in Bell River, ran up Lanceford and fished  a grassy island (which was almost covered), then we headed back to the ramp and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Captain Lawrence Piper is a fishing guide in Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, Florida and is a licensed US Coast Guard charter boat operator.