Big Trout a Day

It was a guys trip, Grand dad Dave, son-in-laws Bruce and Chris, and grandson Griffin, all set up to fish the back waters of Amelia Island this morning on The Anglers Mark.  We met down at the Fernandina Harbor Marina and headed up to fish Jolley Bank on an incoming tide.  The wind was blowing out of the North East and keeping the stern of the boat out deep but we still worked the bank with the anglers on the bow having first shot at the fish.  Dave picked up the first fish, a nice keeper sized Seatrout, then he put a feisty Redfish in the boat.  Bruce hooked up and netted a high flying Ladyfish then we moved on up the river.  Again, Dave hooked up but this fish was Big! His rod bent over then the line went slack - but then bent again as the fish swam towards the boat then out to deep water, FISH ON!  Dave worked the fish patiently and after an extended battle, landed a 3' Bonnethead Shark on some real light tackle!  We fished that area and a large creek but had no real bites then made a run around to fish the logs of Tiger.  The bite was very slow but these anglers we patient and it paid off.  Chris outsmarted a hungry Sheepshead then Bruce picked up two keeper sized Whiting and just as the older anglers were beginning to poke Griffin, he hooked up!  This fish was giving him a battle and stayed deep but Griffin kept the pressure on and landed a nice 16" Flounder.  They continued to fish the bank and Bruce found another feisty Redfish.  We made the run around to Lanceford Creek to fish some docks and very quickly Dave had a hookup.  This was another big fish and we were all betting Redfish but it turned out to be a 19 1/2"  Seatrout.  After Griffin battled a huge stingray to the boat, we called it a day, another great one to be fishing Amelia Island waters!

Three Generations

I had the opportunity to fish with Dave Howard and his son  Graham  Friday morning, and this time they brought along Dave's dad John to make it three generations fishing together!  There wasn't a lick of wind but the skies were slightly overcast so we had a beautiful morning to do some Amelia Island back country fishing. I pointed The Anglers Mark north and we headed straight to Jolley River to fish an incoming tide.  I had thought we may still have some oysters exposed but they were covered so the anglers began fishing with float rigs and live shrimp (and a left over minnow or two).  All three were getting bites but it took the older generation to "get the skunk off" the boat when John landed a nice Seatrout.  Young Graham followed it up with a hard fighting Jack Crevalle.  There's was some good natured ribbing going on between the two older anglers and I think Graham learned a few things about fishing that he didn't know about his Dad and Grandad!   At one time John had a strong hookup that bent his rod over double and made the drag ZIP, ZIP, ZIP - a Bonnethead Shark had taken the bait and was running up river.  John played the fish expertly but it was having nothing to do with the light tackle we had offered and eventually broke itself off. 

We tangled with some Ladyfish then moved on up the river to fish a big marsh runout.  Again the anglers had bites, tangled with Ladyfish, then Dave's float disappeared and the drag began to rip, FISH ON!  The way the fish was fighting and his drag was ripping out, I thought for sure it was a Redfish but when Dave fought the fish to the boat we netted a big 22 1/2" Seatrout! This fish puts Dave into 3rd place in the Anglers Mark 2014 Bragging Rights Tournament-Seatrout Category (scroll down the right side of this report for standings).   We fished up a small creek where Mitchell picked up a Seatrout and Dave had a brief fight with another Shark, then we headed around to fish the outside of Tiger Island.  Dave caught a hungry Trout then we moved closer to the Tiger inlet and here John added another keeper sized Trout.  The anglers put a couple of Ladyfish in the net then we called it a day, another great one to be fishing Amelia Island waters!

Sharks Prove Pesky

We had a beautiful morning and early afternoon to fish today and I had the pleasure to take Jack and Cynthia Holler along with their friend Tammy out on the back waters of Amelia Island.  We met down at the Big Talbot Island Park boat ramp and headed up the Amelia River, ducking in to Jackstaff to fish the very first of an outgoing tide.  I started the anglers out with live shrimp under floats and even though we had a couple of good bites at the first stop, we had no takers.  We moved over to fish "Jackstaff Bank" and this did the trick.  All three started getting bites  and eventually Tammy got the "skunk off the boat" by landing a nice 18" keeper sized Seatrout.  All the anglers tangled with Ladyfish then Jack had a strong bite, his rod bent over, and the drag began to sing, FISH ON!  This fish went around the boat a couple of times but we used the rod to subdue the beast and we eventually surfaced a 4' Bonnethead Shark!  Cynthia then caught a nice hungry Seatrout then Jack did battle with another Bonnethead.  We made a run around to Nassau River and fished a runout, picking up another couple of Trout, fighting another couple of Ladyfish, tangling with another couple of Sharks and landing one undersized Flounder.  A storm was coming up so we called it a day, another great one to be fishing Amelia Island waters!

Trout Rule the Day

I fished this afternoon with Margaret Lumos and her friends Diane and Butch on the last couple of  hours of an incoming tide.  The anglers were using jigs and shrimp and mud minnows and both were getting eaten.  We had made the run up to Jolley River to fish Jolley Bank and it wasn't long before Diane had hooked up with a hungry Seatrout.  I believe she caught one or two more then Margaret got "on the board" by landing another keeper sized Seatrout.  All the anglers had tangled with Ladyfish but it was Butch who put the first one in the boat.  Our next stop was up at Snook Creek and we had some pretty good bites with one being what looked to be a nice Redfish, but it threw the hook, OUCH!  We eased around to the MOA and before the GPS in the trolling motor could settle, Diane was catching fish!  She landed one, two then three Seatrout right off the bat!  While she was re-baiting, her brother Butch jumped in and picked up another Trout.  He also landed a feisty little Black "puppy" Drum.  We cast netted for some finger mullet then made the run back to the logs of Tiger and even though the tide was where I liked it, and even though the anglers had numerous bites, we had no takers.  After that, we headed in, counting it as another great day to be out fishing Amelia Island waters!

Katie Teaching Lessons

John Crowley had set up a two boat fishing trip this morning with his workmates and The Anglers Mark hosted John and his friends Katie and Bill.  We headed up to fish the outside of Tiger Island on the last couple of hours of an incoming tide.  The anglers were tossing live shrimp and mud minnows under floats up near the flooded grass, but only had a couple of nibbles.  We then moved around closer to the mouth of Tiger Basin and set up outside of a creek run  out as the tide turned and started out.  Katie "got the skunk off" by landing a nice hungry Seatrout.and added another shortly afterwards. We ran around behind Tiger, fished the logs briefly, then headed up to Jolley River to fish the oysters at Snook Creek, but to no avail.  Our next stop was at Jolley Bank and this did the trick with Katie landing three more Seatrout, with two being of keeper size.  Bothe Bill and John had tangled with the Ladyfish and eventually Bill was able to keep one on the hook and land the acrobatic fish.  It was a beautiful morning and a great one to be fishing out on Amelia Island waters.

Ready for some Football!

I make it a point to try and not talk politics and college football on the boat.  Once in a while I get drawn in but I try and stay away from the topics.  BUT, truth be known I'm a Gator fan, graduating in 1983 from the University of Florida.  With that said, I've been getting Jeff Davis to do repair work on my rods, mostly replacing bad eyes and rod tips.  I visited his booth at a local marine/fishing show and he had a rod in Gator colors so I had him build a custom rod for me.  It's 6' long, medium action with  the split grip and down locking reel seat.  Jeff upgraded the eyes and did some Orange and Blue wraps, added a Gator logo and hand laid my name on the rod.  I added a brand new Shimano Stradic 1000FJ reel loaded with orange 10'b braid.  I'm ready for football!  Contact Jeff Davis at jake401@bellsouth.net to get your custom rod built.  CLICK ON PICTURES FOR CLOSE UPS!   I'm sure he'll do a Dawg or Nole if you ask him to!

Lucky $2 David

I had three generations fishing with me this morning - Aaron Self, his sons Isaac and David and their granddad Charlie Saunders.  We met at the Atlantic Seafood dock at the Fernandina Beach city marina and headed north, making a first stop outside of Tiger Island to fish float rigs with live mud minnows.  We had no real bites but the anglers were just warming up.  Grand dad Charlie let it be known that he had a few $2 bills back at the hotel for the first and 2nd fish brought to the boat and that lit a fire under the younger anglers.  We made a run up to the Jolley River, fished a small marsh run out, had a few decent bites, but  no takers.  We then move to a larger creek mouth and this was the ticket.  Young David earned his nickname "Lucky $2 David" when his float disappeared and a fish fight ensued!  David played the fish patiently and soon landed a nice Slot Redfish! Shortly after that he put a hungry Seatrout in the boat then landed a nice keeper sized Seatrout.  But the other anglers weren't to be denied and they soon got in on the action.  Isaac persevered and began to boat fish - first a hungry Seatrout then a nice Slot Redfish.  All of the anglers seemed to tangle with  the acrobatic Ladyfish but they all were throwing the hook before we could get them in the boat and get a picture!  We made our last stop back at Jolley Bank and again the fishing was fast and furious!  The anglers caught a couple of more feisty Redfish,  a couple of hungry Seatrout then Grand dad decided to show them how it was done.  He had a good hookup and patiently played his big fish, landing another Slot Redfish!  But Isaac was after the elusive Ladyfish and this time when his float disappeared and sliced through the water he kept the pressure on and quickly reeled in the "Poor Man's Tarpon", a Ladyfish for picture and release.  With that, we called it a day, another great one to be fishing Amelia Island waters.

Two Big Fish

Ron Paxton was visiting his hometown of Callahan and took in an Amelia Island back country fishing trip with his brother Lee, nephew Paul and friend Wade. We met down at the Fernandina Beach Harbor Marina this afternoon and made a run up to the Jolley River to fish the first of an incoming tide.  The anglers were tossing jigs and shrimp to the exposed oyster bed and I believe Wades first cast produced a strong hookup!  Wade worked the fish patiently to the boat and landed a nice Redfish.  We continued to fish the bank and then Wade landed a keeper sized Seatrout.    Both Ron and Lee had Ladyfish hookups and all the anglers had to deal with the pesky Croaker.  We ran further up the river, fished some more oysters and here Paul landed a nice Seatrout and Ron landed another feisty Redfish.  We fished a small creek but had no real bites then made the run to Tiger Island.  Paul rounded out an Amelia Island Back Country Slam with a Flounder catch and Ron caught one, too.  Our next stop was Temptation Cove on a flooded high tide.  We had a few bites on live shrimp under a float but no real takers.  As we were leaving the Cove we checked out some flooded grass flats and immediately saw tails!  Redfish tails!  One was barely in casting distance but it just wouldn't eat then Paul spotted a different tail only 15' from the boat. Wade dropped his mud minnow under a float near the fish and a minute later we saw a boil near is bait but thought the fish missed it.  Seconds later his float slowly began to disappear and Wade set the hook, FISH ON!  It was a furious, but brief battle - I don't think the big fish knew what had got a hold of him!  Wade kept the pressure on and we netted a nice Slot 23" Redfish!  We checked out a few more flats and saw a few more Redfish tailing but they were too far away to cast to.  After fishing a grass line for Trout we made one last run to the outside of Tiger Island. The water was high, high, high but we had a few minutes to spare.  We had had no bites and most of the anglers had put there rods away when Lee yelled, "FISH ON" and his rod bent double!  The drag was ripping and we could tell he had a big fish on.  Lee worked the fish patiently and eventually we landed the 21 1/2" Seatrout.  This fish placed Lee in 3rd place in The Anglers Mark 2014 Bragging Rights Tournament-Seatrout category. Scroll down the right side of this report for standings.  Now that's the way to wrap up a great day of fishing out on Amelia Island waters!

Beginning with a Bang

I fished this morning with Joanne Esch and her friends Frank, Kim and Jim, launching from the Atlantic Seafood dock down at the City marina in downtown Fernandina Beach, and running up to the Jolley River to fish the first of an outgoing tide.  I think it was the first cast when we hooked up with a keeper sized Seatrout and Joanne worked it in patiently to the landing net.  Only a minute or so later Kim caught a high flying Ladyfish.  We had a few more Ladyfish hookups that threw the hook then Jim landed another keeper sized Seatrout then  a nice feisty Redfish.  We fished up a small creek, had a few nibbles, then, hit the MOA spot with no real bites, then ran to Jolley Bank and switched to jigs and shrimp.   It didn't take long for Kim to land another keeper sized Seatrout and Frank put a larger Whiting in the box.  All of the anglers had their share of dealing with the pesky Croaker.  It was an overcast morning but that and the light breeze made it a perfect day to be fishing out on Amelia Island waters!

Keeper Sized Trout

Another beautiful morning and a great fishing day!  I met Aaron Perlstein and his day Mitchell down at Big Talbot Island Park and we headed up to the Horsehead area to fish the first of an outgoing tide.  We had exactly (9) shrimp...and a bait well full of mud minnows and we began fishing with the float rigs.  It wasn't long before Aaron had a hookup and he soon landed a thrashing keeper sized Seatrout.  What a great way to start a fishing trip!  Shortly after that he had another hookup but this fish buried deep then boiled at the grass line - a nice Redfish!  Aaron played the fish patiently and after a good battle, landed a slot sized 22" Redfish!  We fished the bank for a while and when we came to a large creek mouth Mitchell switched to a jig and minnow and it may have been his first cast - BOOM!  Fish on!  He fought the fish from bow to stern and around the engine and eventually landed another big keeper sized Seatrout.!  We worked the bank a second time with jigs and picked up a couple of more keeper Trout then another feisty Redfish.  Our 2nd stop was at Twin Creeks over in the Nassau River and found a nice Ladyfish to battle with.  We then made a run over to Broward Island fished the deep river bottom and BOOM!  Both anglers had a hookup - a Double!  Mitchell boated a nice feisty Redfish and Aaron landed another keeper sized Seatrout.  After Mitchell fought and released another Ladyfish, we called it a day, another great one to be fishing Amelia Island waters!