I thought for sure the cold and nasty weather would clear up this morning...NOT! But my guest anglers were up for fishing and fishing we did! I had met Adam Alfrey, his daughter Rose Marie and the two grandfathers Randy and Bill down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp and we headed up the Nassau River to set up along side some exposed oyster shell on an outgoing tide. The 4 anglers were tossing jigs and shrimp up current and when Adam put a small Trout in the boat, I thought, "here we go"! But there weren't a
whole lot more, maybe one or two, caught along that stretch.
We ran further up the river to some docks at Seymore's Pointe and fished back to the pilings. Adam had the hot rod early and began to put one after the other Seatrout in the boat. Young Rose Marie joined him and she too began to catch fish. We bounced around to the other side and both Adam and Bill caught a couple of fat Weakfish, one of which was 17".
After moving further down a few docks we found a nice spot that was holding some Redfish. They had to cast to a certain spot but when the did, BOOM! Redfish on. Most were in the 16-17.5" range, but Rose Marie did put a nice Slot fish in the boat. When that slowed we ran down to Broward Island and here things got hot. The tide was at the very bottom, still going out, which made it just right to fish the downed logs. We found one "honey hole" right off - Randy worked it good and landed a good handful of Reds, Rose Marie began to follow him in and she too caught a few Reds, then Bill joined in. As that spot slowed, Bill found another spot just up the way within casting distance and it was just as loaded as fish as the first spot. Adam squeezed and caught his share of fish - again, most just a tad short, but we did land a few more that were in the Slot size, one that was up to 20". We fished it until we ran out of bait then called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
Foggier today than yesterday! When I met Bob Blalock up at the Dee Dee Bartels park I already had my navigation and stern lights on and we crept away from the boat ramp, taking it easy out thru the channel and around to Tiger Island. We eased up to some flooded oysters and began tossing live shrimp under a float with a short leader and....BAM, Redfish on! I think Bob had more stamina than I did and he needed it - he was getting a fish or a bite on every cast! It was crazy. Most of the Redfish were short but as we moved around we began to get into some bigger, 20" Slot sized fish. Two
hours later I looked at my watch and we were still catching fish. It seemed like when the tide changed and started out was when the fish bite began to slow.
We bounced over and fished a large creek mouth on the first of an outgoing tide, then ran up to the Jolley River to fish a spot that had been hot from yesterday's trip. However, the conditions were a tad bit different and although Bob did put a feisty Black "puppy" Drum in the boat, there wasn't much going on.
We continued on around to the Bell River and set up off from some docks and switched to jigs and shrimp, tossed to the shore line, and fished slowly back. This did the trick. Bob found some fish and put a good handful of Seatrout in the boat. We did find one that was of keeper size. We worked in and out of the docks, caught another Trout or two, then headed in, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
The radio announcer was warning about the fog as I trailered my boat to the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp this morning and sure enough, when I launched, there was fog causing a tad bit of visibility issues. But my navigation lights and stern light were working and when Jim Barron, his son David, and grandsons Wyatt and Walker walked up we were ready to get out on the mirror like water and get some fishing in!
It was a short jump over to Tiger Island and with a high and incoming tide, we found some flooded oysters to toss live shrimp under floats to. In short order Wyatt had a hookup and landed a feisty Redfish. Then it was almost bedlam! All anglers were hooking up! Walker had a big one on - you could tell when it ripped drag and boiled up out by the marsh grass - it was going to do it's best not to come to the boat. But Walker worked it patiently and after a good battle, landed a nice 24" Slot Redfish. Both David and his dad Jim were putting fish in the boat then it was Wyatt's turn to
fight the big fish. These Reds were fat and had some "shoulders", but Wyatt played it perfectly and he too landed a 24" Slot fish. We worked up and down the bait, sometimes having "double" hookups, and caught a good umpteen Redfish.
When the bite finally slowed we made the run through Tiger and around to Bell and set up at a grassy point as the tide began to change.Walker and Wyatt found a hot spot for hungry Seatrout and landed a good handful of them. We came back to the outside of Tiger and now the tide was really moving out. I think we landed one or two Seatrout then we made one final run, and a good final run it was!
Whenever I catch fish at a certain spot I always ask myself, "why here?" Well, we had fairly deep water, flooded oysters up near the bank, a large creek flowing out, and a back eddy happening. We got into some more Redfish and it was every angler for themselves! We put 8-10 Slot Redfish in the boat, another good handful of small ones, a few Trout, and a small Black "puppy" Drum. Then Wyatt wrapped things up when he hooked, fought, and landed the biggest fish of the day, a 27.5" Oversized Redfish! Now that's the way to wrap up another great day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
We had an absolutely beautiful morning today - slightly cool and almost zero wind which made for a run up the river on water that was like glass. I had met David Martin and his son-in-laws Mike and David down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early and we headed up the Nassau River and around to Pumpkin Hill thinking that surely we'd find some nice Trout on the last of an incoming tide. All three anglers began tossing live shrimp under float rigs and we had a few wayward bites now and then, but no real action. Then David's (the Sr.) float went under and when he tightened up and set
the hook we were thinking, "alright, Trout on". But the fish began to make a run for deeper water and then the drag began to rip and, BIG FISH ON! The fish wasnt' but about 15 feet from the boat so the battle progressed right at us. David kept the pressure on, thru numerous runs and soon landed a big 24" Black Drum. Boy what a fish. We fished that area and around the corner for another 30 minutes and had no more bites - crazy.
It was almost high tide and Christopher Creek was accessible so we
bounced over and fished some dock pilings with jigs and live shrimp. Again, just a few nibbles, then as we reached some marsh grass, BOOM! Someone must have thrown a switch! All three anglers began to hookup up with fish - Redfish, Redfish, THEN A SNOOK! Another Red, another Snook. Triple hookups on Redfish, then another Snook! They caught 4 Snook in all - the most I've ever had in one day (just one Snook is rare this far north) and a couple of them were bigger than we usually get -about 18-10". Mike had the biggest Redfish, a nice 22" Slot fish. The anglers could also claim and Amelia Island Back Country Slam of sorts - Black Drum, Red Drum and....Snook!
When things slowed down we made the trip back to Seymore's Pointe and fished some dock's. It didn't take long to begin catching fish. They added a couple of Trout (Grande Slam) and then David (Sr) put a keeper sized Weakfish in the boat (Super Grande Slam) and David (the younger) put a keeper sized Seatrout in the boat. Mike added a couple of Reds on a Temptation Bait Co. fluke. When the bite slowed we ran thru Horsehead and fished the mouth of Jackstaff with some artificial stuff but had no more takers, so we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
We had an afternoon trip today, and a beautiful one it was! I had met Richard Morris and his friends Eddie and Dalton in town and we made the short run up to Dee Dee Bartels Park, launched, and then made a short run around to Eagans Creek with plans to fish the last of an outgoing tide. As always, I made a "demo" cast to get things started and when something picked up the live shrimp on a jig...I handed it off to Dalton and BOOM! Fish ON! Dalton worked him in and landed nice feisty Redfish! From then on it was non stop
catching for about 2 hours. This was the same dock we fished Monday and we never did run into any big Black Drum, but the Reds were more than enough!
Rich got hot and put 2-3 Slot Redfish in the boat, Dalton added a Slot, and Eddie added a Slot
Before it was over we were "culling" Reds to stay within our limit. The anglers did catch a few smaller Black Drum while we were there. and had one Sheepshead to round out their Amelia Island
Back Country Slam. With the limit in the box, we decided to make a run around to Bell River and set up outside a deep hole.
Again, Rich hooked up and this one was big, ripping drag as it dove deep. But Rich kept the pressure on and soon landed the biggest Red of the day - a 23" fish. They caught a few smaller Reds, a Seatrout (Grande Slam) and a Flounder (Super Grande Slam) before we moved on. Later, we fished some oysters beds with float rigs but the bite had died. The sun was creeping down and the temperatures were following it so we headed in, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
The last time I checked my truck thermometer this morning before I hitched the boat it was 34 degrees! But the forecast called for sunny skies and almost no wind and warming to the low 60's, so Tim Parker and I decided to brave the early cold and get out and fish the backwaters of Amelia Island. We launched from Dee Dee Bartels and made the short run around to Eagans Creek and set up current from some crusty dock pilings. As I was getting the trolling motor locked on anchor Tim was already tossing his TBC "Temptation Bait Company" shrimp colored fluke and....BOOM! Fish On! Tim
worked it patiently to the boat and landed a nice feisty Redfish. Now that's the way to start a fishing trip!
We fished that dock for over two hours and put umpteen Redfish in the boat - I lost count at 7 Slot Reds with the biggest being 23". While Tim continued to work the dock I went deep and found a few Seatrout and for the day we landed a good handful of them, the biggest being just 16", but we did have few of them that size.
Then, just when I thought things might slow down, the Black "puppy" Drum began to bite. It was non-stop action and more than once we had a "double" hookup. Tim and I were handing off the catch net as we landed our limit in 18-24" Drum. Things finally slowed down so we made a run around to Tiger, fished a bit, landed a few more Redfish and a Trout or two, then called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida
Yep, we got another Snook here in North, north Florida! I had met Duane Schumacher and his daughters Jasmine, Samantha and Savanah out at the Goffinsville Park boat ramp early this morning on the very last of an incoming tide and we popped down to Pumpkin Hill and set up off some flooded oysters. I think the demo cast produced a hungry Seatrout which young Savanah reeled in!
Duane and Samantha figured out that they could let their floats drift down along the marsh grass with the current and BOOM!
Seatrout caught! We picked up a few there then eased on around the corner and Jasmine got on the board with another Trout catch, too.
The tide was still coming in so we ran back to Christopher Creek and fished the docks and rocks, now switching to jigs (we had both live shrimp and mud minnows). Duane made an excellent cast up to some marsh grass and immediately hooked up with a nice feisty Redfish. He went back to the same spot and landed another Red. He went back to the same spot and hooked up with what we thought
was going to be a Seatrout, but no, it was a sleek Snook! It's always cool to catch one of those.
We fished on around the bend, hit some docks, and the Redfish bite got real hot. All four anglers were catching fish, and they were biting on both shrimp and minnows. Although the bite was fast and furious, so was the "no-seeum" bite! We took all we could stand then cranked and ran!
Our next stop was outside some flooded oysters at Seymore's Pointe and again, we found some Trout and a couple of Redfish. We then bounced down the Nassau River hitting marsh run outs and each stop produced Seatrout. Although the day stayed overcast and cool for the entire trip, we had some good action throughout and we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
Today was like "fishing on a pond" - the rivers were so still the water was like glass. I met Brian Parent and his friends Pat and Brian up at the north end boat ramp early this morning at dead high tide and we ran over to the outside of Tiger with plans to drift float rigs and live shrimp over some flooded oysters. We had only been fishing for a short while when the anglers began to pick up some Seatrout. Most were undersized but we did put one or two in the box.
We crossed over and fished another marsh line and here things really heated up. BOOM! Seatrout. BOOM! Seatrout. BOOM! Seatrout. We caught one after the other. Again, most were smaller, but we did get another keeper to go in the box. We decided to move on, breaking one of the cardinal rules, "never leave fish to find fish"....but it paid off!
After leaving the Tiger area we cruised up to the Jolley River and found a nice bank to fish, one that had submerged oysters. It was on
fire with Redfish. Pat, the "Assassin" went in and hooked up, FISH ON! He played it patiently to the boat and landed a nice Slot Redfish. Both Brian's followed him in and from then on for about an hour is one Redfish after the other. I quit counting Slot Reds at #12 but I'm sure we had a few more than that. Dozens of smaller Reds were caught and tossed back. A couple of Trout were caught, too.
When the bite finally slowed we cruised around to the Bell River, picked up some small Mangrove Snapper around some docks, then came back to Fernandina for a reload of bait. We fished mud minnows for a few stops, had a one Trout, then called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida
The weather has been warming over the last couple of days - I heard on the radio we're having record highs - and the fishing is staying hot, too! Today, I met Dale and Kay Bullard up at the north end boat ramp and we then made a quick run over to Lanceford Creek to find some docks to fish on an outgoing tide. Both anglers were tossing jigs and live shrimp up to the dock pilings and picked up a couple of small, but fat Seatrout. Then Dale had a strong hookup and he had a battle on his hands. He played it perfectly and soon landed a big 18" Black "puppy" Drum. We also had a couple of feisty Redfish. Moving
on to a second dock, Kay caught the only fish there, a keeper sized Flounder.
The tide was still going out so we took a trip over to and up the Bell River with plans to fish some more dock pilings. Kay switched to a traditional Trout "slip float" rig and caught a small Trout then we dropped moved around, fishing docks until we found fish. Kay, still working the float rig, landed a nice Seatrout - the biggest of the day - then Dale and I had a "double" keeper Trout hookup. We had a good flurry of Trout catching ( some were keeper sized) then some Dolphin moved in and everything shut down.
Our next stop was around in the Jolley River, and we made a quick stop at the MOA where Dale landed one small but feisty Redfish. We continued to bounce down the Jolley, now fishing oyster beds, but the tide was coming to a standstill and we had no real bites.
The sun was getting up but the tide was turning as we eased up to the logs of Tiger. It was a slow bite but we did pick up another small Red, and a hungry Trout before we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
What a beautiful day to get back to work after a great birthday weekend! I met Jane Carver, her friend Clay and is son Brook up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park early this morning and we had clear skies, sunshine and just a slight breeze to greet us. With only about an hour of an outgoing tide left, we made a quick run over to Lanceford Creek and found a dock to fish. I think first cast produced a feisty Redfish then we picked up a few more as the tide went slack.
We ran back to Tiger Island and began fishing the logs as the tide started back in and things picked up. Both Clay and Brook put a few more Reds in the boat, with one of them being of keeper size, then Jane landed a keeper sized Seatrout. We had just a few more Trout - not many as I expected. After working the island thoroughly, we pulled up "anchor" and made the quick trip around to the Jolley River and set up along the "bank", still tossing jigs and live shrimp, but this time to the base of the oysters. After working along the bank about half way back to the point with no real bites,
BOOM! We were in to fish. The trio of anlgers caught Redfish after Redfish, sometimes getting doubles, and at least having a "triple" hookup. It was on fire. Then, as Brook was fighting a feisty Red on the stern, Clay had a strong hookup and, FISH ON! This was a big fish. It wasn't coming in. His line zipped down the bank then zipped back up the bank, then ran deep. Clay kept the pressure on - that's all he could do for a while. But we had the fish out deep and we chased him down as we needed, and after a good battle, Clay landed a huge, oversized 33.5" Redfish - big enough to slide him comfortable into 2nd place in the Anglers Mark 2017 Bragging Rights Tournament-Redfish Category (scroll down the right side of this report for standings). Boy what a fish! We continued to fish until we ran out of bait, and left 'em biting. For a while.
After making a pit stop at the bait shop for some more live shrimp, we came back to the Jolley, but continued on down to Snook Creek where we switched to float rigs. Although it wasn't as hot as the "bank", we still caught fish, and added one more Slot sized Redfish. We hit the docks in Bell River, added a Redfish and a couple of Trout, then cruised back towards Fernandina to make a stop at some flooded oyster Beds. After one fish busted on Jane's bait, Clay went in behind her and picked up another Slot Red. The wind was really beginning to kick so we ran through Tiger and back to Tiger Island. I don't normally like to fish the island on a high tide but it was blocking the wind and I thought we might pick up a Trout out deep. As we worked along, we knew there were one or two spots we could pitch in to, and sure enough, Brooks made an excellent cast, worked it out deep, and BOOM! Big Fish On! He played it patiently, worked it slowly to the boat, and landed a big Slot 24" Redfish. Now THAT's the way to wrap up a fishing trip here at Amelia Island, Florida.
