Redfish and Trout Catching Bonanaza

 

I met the Richmond family, Dale and his daughter Katie, her husband JR and their son Neil, out at the Goffinsville Park boat ramp the early morning of the Time Change. The tide was just starting out up here so we made the quick jump over to Pumkin Hill and set up fishing some grass patches and it wasn't long before all four anglers were catching fish. The Seatrout bite was on fire and they reeled in one after the other. They added a Bluefish and a Bonnethead Shark, and may have had couple of Redfish. A couple
of the Trout were of keeper size.

When the bite slowed there we hit another bank and these making were making pinpoint casts and it payed off. They picked up a good handful of Trout and another Red or two.

Things slowed so we buzzed back down the Nassau and down to Spanish Drop and set up along a bank that had submerged shell along the bank. Redfish, Redfish, Redfish, Redfish, Redfish....and a
few Trout were caught. We were using live shrimp and mud minnows and it didn't matter what we used for a bait. We finished the day tossing jigs and minnows and plastic grubs and caught fish on those, too!  It was an outstanding day for fish catching and another great one here at Amelia Island, Florida

We Lost Count

You know when the first cast of the day catches a big Seatrout and then you lose count of how many fish you've caught within the first thirty minutes - it's been a good morning of fishing!  That was how it was this  morning. I had met Ann Mastroserio and her friends Rich and James up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp but we had a stiff wind blowing out of the North West, so we made the first run down to Lanceford Creek to try and get out of the wind, and it worked! Our first cast was to marsh run out and BOOM! Float Gone! Rick was on the rod and patiently worked in a big Trout that measured a little over 18", now that's the way to start a fishing trip.


 From then on it was game on and all three anglers were putting fish in the boat, one after the other! Seatrout, mostly under 15", but once in a while a "keeper" then as we got near some oyster beds, they began to catch Redfish. Most of those were undersized unit Ann hooked up with one that ripped drag. She played it like a pro and soon landed our first Slot Redfish. These anglers added another Slot Red to the catch and a couple more keeper sized Trout before we move on.

We fished some dock pilings on Lanceford and had one Redfish catch then we made the long run back to Tiger Island and set up fishing. Again, first cast, and BOOM!  James had a good hookup. He worked it to the boat and landed another Slot Redfish. We worked the bank thoroughly,  then crossed over to fish the opposite bank and found a keeper sized Whiting to round out our catch. It was beautiful morning, albeit a tad bit windy, but we when we called it day we counted it another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Puppy Drum Bite

I had the Pete Nolan group today and I fished with Tom, Eric and Dimas, meeting them all up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park. We made our run over to Lanceford Creek to fish some docks and we began to pitch jigs and shrimp up to the pilings. I was beginning to think that it was a tie between the gnats and "baitstealers" as to what was biting the most. Luckily these anglers hung in there and were able to catch a few fish - one a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum, then a feisty Redfish, then a nice sized Grouper, believe it or not!

When we tired of the gnats and baitstealers we ran back north and around to Tiger Island and spent the rest of the day there and it turned out pretty good. The trio put three more keeper sized Puppy Drum in the boat, a couple of more keeper sized Seatrout, and a nice 18" Flounder to round out a good "mess 'o fish"!  When we ran short of bait we switched to jigs and plastic grubs and caught Trout. The two hottest colors were a silvery/glitter grub with a chartreuse paddle tail and then the age old red head/white twister tail.

Although we started slow we finished strong and it made for another great day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Already In The Winter Pattern?

Boy what a beautiful day we had today! I had met Clint and Jean Davis up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp as the sun was coming up and we made a quick buzz around to Tiger Island to take advantage of the very first of an incoming tide. We fished the north end for just a bit and the "baitstealers" made their presence known so we eased down to the tree tops and this did the trick. Jean had made an excellent cast up into a pocket and as she worked it out she felt a faint bump, set the hook, and FISH ON! She played it perfectly and soon landed a nice 18" Black "puppy" Drum. The "Skunk" was off!  Dean had been casting to another pocket and wasn't quite

getting it to where he wanted it, but after a perfect cast, BOOM! Big Fish On!  You can always tell when you have a big fish on light tackle because it Just. Doesn't. Come. In!  But Clint was patient, let it make a few runs, then slowly worked it to the net, a nice 25" THICK Slot Redfish!

After the two anglers put another Slot Red and another keeper sized Puppy Drum in the boat, and some smaller Reds to go along with those, we crossed the creek and set up where we had seen some bait getting busted. Sure enough, both Clint and Jean began catching Seatrout, up to 14" in length. We caught a good handful and probably could have caught another handful, but we decided to make a run up to the Jolley River.

The first 50 yards of oysters we fished produced nothing but baitstealers, and a lot of them, but finally Clint had a good bite on a float rig and live shrimp and he hooked and landed another Slot Redfish. And that was it!  We fished another couple of banks in the Jolley and only caught a fish or two. After we fished some flooding oysters in the Bell River, we called it day, another great one fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

We had somke good fishing early around the logs but not much along the oyster beds, later. Makes me wonder if the water temperature (67 degrees) is already affecting the fish!  We also saw a Bald Eagle, Blue Heron, and a Manatee during this trip!

Grande Slam on a Great Day

What a beautiful morning to start the week here at Amelia Island, Florida! I met John Cipriani and Dean Miller out at the Goffinsville Park with the tide still going out but due to hit bottom within the hour so we made a bee-line for  Broward Island and set up off of the tree tops with plans to fish with jigs and live shrimp. The Redfish were busting bait all along the bank and it wasn't long before they were busting John and Dean's baits too!  We began to catch one Redfish after the other and then picked up a good handful of Seatrout, too.  Dean added a Flounder to round out his  "Slam" early then John had a
strong bite and the battle was on!  He played the big fish patiently, kept the pressure on, and soon landed a 26" "Tournament" Slot Redfish, boy what a fish!

We fished that spot thoroughly, then moved down the island and picked up a couple of fish before we made the run back to Seymore's Pointe and picked a dock to fish. One side didn't produce but he other one did! Both John and Dean both put some Black "puppy" Drum in the boat to garner their "Grande Slam" for the day and they also had a feisty Redfish to go along with the catch.

Our next stop was down at Spanish Drop and here John picked up a couple of Reds and then a Trout. Our final stop was back at Pumpkin Hill and just when I thought we'd get "skunked" on this one, Dean had something roll on his bait, take it with a vengeance and then it was off to deep water. Dean kept the pressure on and let the light tackle rod do the work as the fish took him to the bow then it fought from one side of the boat to the other. But Dean was up to the task and eventually landed a nice 4' Bonnethead Shark, boy what a battle. And with that, we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida

Grass Patches

I fished again this morning with the Blalock fishing team William and Bob, meeting this time out at the Goffinsville Park boat ramp. With just a short jump over to Pumpkin Hill, we were fishing in a matter of minutes. Both Bob and William were set up fishing live shrimp under floats on a high and still incoming tide. Although our first spot produced nothing but nibbles, we eased forward 50 yards and began to catch fish. Bob had the hot hand early and picked up 2-3 keeper sized Trout behind a small grassy island.

We eased around a point and drifted down the bank, pitching to the grass, and when we got to
another couple of stand-alone grass patches, BOOM!  We began to catch fish. It was only about 3' deep and I knew there were oyster beds underneath the water. Bob had landed a fish or two and William had yet to "get on the board" when his float went by a patch of grass and slowly went under. William set the hook and the fish went crazy!  It fought and splashed and jumped all the way to the boat but William easily landed the biggest fish of the day, a nice 21" fat Seatrout (all fish caught today were released). Boy what a fish! After getting few more fish there we made the short run over to Christopher Creek.

As we worked some dock pilings with jigs and live shrimp,  William stayed hot, catching a feisty Redfish and a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum. Bob had a good bite that thru the hook then he had a huge bite - one that ripped drag and stayed put...and thru the hook, ouch! 

We fished some docks at Seymore's Pointe then switched to some jigs and plastic grubs and we did pick one more Trout before we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida

Herculean Effort

It was a dark and gloomy....morning...but the winds of the last two days had died down and the rain was offshore so Bob and William Blalock and I headed out from the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp and over to the outside of Tiger Island to fish the last of a high and incoming tide. Bob was tossing live shrimp under a float and William was pitching a topwater Zara Spook Jr (red head, white body). The two anglers worked the grass line - Bob got a bunch of nibbles and William had zero "pops" until finally, BOOM! He had a vicious strike, a hookup, and skunk off the boat with a nice Seatrout. But there just
weren't any fish to be had.

We ran thru Tiger Basin and around to Bell River and set up at a point of grass and this did the trick Both anglers were fishing the float rigs and they began to get a Seatrout here, and a Seatrout there. And another Trout. And another Trout. They gradually began to build a good "mess 'o fish". 

After running over and then up into the Lanceford Creek, we found nice grass patch to fish and again, the duo put fish in the boat with every once in a while one being a keeper sized fish. We also picked up a first couple of Reds there as the tide started out.

Our final stop was over in Soap Creek and things got crazy in a hurry! Both William and Bob put fish in the boat - Trout and Red's, then Bob had a strong hookup...but it was on the other side if a grassy island, and as it turned out, on the other side of an oyster bed! The fish ran up a slew then buried itself in the grass and stuck. We moved in closer with the boat and Bob leaned out and pulled the fish loose and the battle was on again. After a herculean effort, Bob worked the fish to the boat and landed a nice 24" Slot Redfish.

We ran out of live bait catching fish then switched to artificials and continued to catch fish. Bob was using a natural colored/chartreuse tail weighted shrimp under his float and William caught fish on a rootbeer grub with chartreuse tail and also a black spoon with rootbeer grub, all of which made for a great way to end a day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Trout Flurry Early

We had a beautiful morning today when I met Pete Nolan and his friends Victor and Sherif down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp. We made the short run up the intercoastal to dip into Jackstaff Creek and then went a tad bit further up into the marsh. The three anglers were tossing float rigs and live shrimp under floats to the marsh grass on a high and outgoing tide and it didn't take long for them to begin to get hookups. Pete started it off with a Trout catch then all three anglers were getting fish. Most of the fish were Seatrout, but Sherif put a couple of hard fighting Bluefish in the boat.

When things slowed down we dropped back to the mouth of Jackstaff and fished that shell bank and again, we got plenty of smaller but hungry Seatrout.  We also had a couple of feisty Redfish caught then Sherif hooked up with something and big and the battle was on. By the way it ran deep, and like a freight train, I guessed that it was a shark, and after a tremendous battle, I was proved correct. Sherif worked it to the boat a patiently and soon landed a nice 4' Shark.

We fished some docks at Seymore's Pointe to no avail, then ran down to Spanish Drop and even though we hand some slow action, Victor managed to find us a nice Redfish. We finished up fishing at Broward Island tossing jigs and shrimp and finger mullet then we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

 

Amelia Island Super Grande Slam...and Perch

After some nasty days of weather I was back fishing today, meeting Billy Redfield, his dad Bill, and uncle Cliff up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park early with plans to fish the outgoing tide. We made the run around to and up into the Jolley River, making our first stop at Snook Creek. The three anglers began making their casts with float rigs and live shrimp up to the still flooded marsh grass and it only took a minute or two before all three were putting Redfish in the boat. As long as we were up near the grass with our casts, Boom!
Redfish. We worked that bank thoroughly, then moved on down the way and picked up another fish or two, and then the baitstealing Perch moved in.

Our next stop was back at Jolley Bank but even though these anglers were making excellent casts we had no real takers so we ran back up the Jolley to the MOA and switched to jigs. Again, just baitstealing Perch. You gotta be good to catch a little fish!

We were up that way so we continued on around to the docks at Bell River and set up current from the pilings and did this did the trick. Billy had made a pinpoint cast to a "stob", let it sit, and BOOM! Nice Redfish on! He worked it out from the pilings then patiently played it to the net and landed Slot 23" Redfish, boy what a nice fish!  We continued to work the docks and the three anglers put Seatrout, a keeper sized Sheepshead, and a feisty Black "puppy" Drum in the boat. And some Perch.

Our final stop was way back at Tiger Island and here we wrapped things up with another couple of Redfish catches and to top it off, a Flounder catch that gave us a Super Grande Slam. What a way to wrap up a great day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

We Got The Slot Reds

I fished this morning -another beautiful one - with Dut Leblanc and his son-in-law Stephen, meeting them down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp as the sun came up over the horizon. We made a quick run up the Nassau River and made our first stop along some exposed oysters on an outgoing tide. Crazy how one day can make a difference - yesterday morning we fished the same spot with the same bait and just tore up the small but feisty Redfish. Today - not a single Red, but these two anglers were not deterred and began to get Seatrout, bouncing their  jigs and shrimp down the river bottom. Most were just undersized but finally Stephen put a keeper in the boat.

We moved further up the way, fished a large run out, and again, Seatrout but no Redfish. Crazy. After fishing some docks at Seymore's Pointe with no real bites, we made the run down to Broward Island and fished the jigs deep, and it paid off. I had caught some finger mullet and it was this that Stephen had a huge bite and, Fish On! He played it patiently to the boat an landed a nice 21" Slot Redfish. Both Dut and Stephen picked up a couple of more smaller Reds before we worked our way down the island. We got a bite here and there - Dut had a huge bite and as he worked it to the boat - it let go!  We could see the teeth marks on his mullet but it didn't get the hook!

As we dropped back to the original spot before we left the island, Stephen had another good it, set the hook, and successfully fought to the boat another 21" Slot Redfish. We fished the rocks at Seymore's where Dut tangled with a big high flying Ladyfish, then fished the oysters at Spanish Drop one  more time before calling it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.