Girls Day Fishing At Amelia Island

It's not very often that I get a crew of lady anglers, but today, the "Miller Fishing Team" showed up at Sawpit Creek -Kathy, Sara, Lexi and Zoe - all ready to get out on the backwaters of Amelia Island and fish!  We met down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp and headed up thru the Back River and around to Pumpkin Hill to catch the last hour or so of an incoming tide, and it was a good move!

I think it was Sara's first or second drift with a float and live shrimp
along the flooding marsh grass when her float disappeared and, Fish On!  We could tell it was a nice fish by the way it put up a fight but Sara was patient and slowly worked it in, landing a nice 18" Seatrout. Not a drift or two later, she had another hookup and boated another keeper sized Trout (all fish caught today were released). Sara stayed hot at the stern of the boat when she put a handful of feisty and fun to catch Redfish in the boat. 

Kathy was fishing the stern and after getting a good drift away from
the boat she also had her float disappear and after hooking up, she fought the fish to the boat an landed another nice Trout. Sara added a hard fighting Bonnethead Shark before we left the area.  We cruised over to Christopher Creek, switched to jigs and shrimp and here Zoe got on the board when she caught a Redfish.

We then fished a few spots along the Nassau River, again with the jigs. Lexi was making excellent casts and it paid off when she
tangled with a hard fighting Jack Crevalle. While she was battling the Jack, Sara hooked up and had the biggest fish of the day. She battled it valiantly and soon landed a 19" Sheepshead, big enough to land her in 2nd place in the 2018 Anglers Mark Bragging Rights Tournament-Sheepshead Category (scroll down the right side of this report for standings).

We made one last run thru Horsehead, fished a few more minutes, then called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

We Knew It Would Happen

I met Mark Maron and his Dad, Mark down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp this morning and it was a beautiful day to be fishing! We ran up the Nassau, all the way to Seymore's Point, and began to fish structure with float rigs and mud minnows (no live shrimp today). Mike tangled with a Ladyfish and even though we  had a few more bites, we had not takers. The tide had almost hit it's peak so we ran further up the Nassau to fish Pumpkin Hill and here the tide was still coming in.

The two anglers were still fishing the float rigs, drifting their baits along he flooding grass line and I think we may have picked up one feisty Redfish along there. We ran over to Christopher Creek and switched to jigs, fished some dock pilings and rocks, and had just a few bites before one fish chanced our bait down and bit. Mark played it patiently to the boat and landed a hard fighting Jack Crevalle.

We went back to fish some docks at Seymore's Pointe then ended up back down the Nassau, fishing oysters beds with floats on a now outgoing tide. The two anglers picked up a Trout or two, another small Red, tangled with another Ladyfish, then Mark finally hooked up with something big and, Fish On!  Mark played it perfectly and after a good battle landed a nice Slot sized Redfish. Whoo Whoo!

It was a beautiful day to be out on the water and a great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Lot's of Action Leads to Keeper Fish

The Maron family was back in town - Mike and Shannon and their "kids" Libby, Haley and Troy. I met them early this morning up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park and we ran over to the outside of Tiger to fish the very first of an outgoing tide with float rigs and live shrimp.  I think the first and second casts produced fish -Haley landed a keeper sized Seatrout and Troy put another hungry one in the boat, too.
We had a real good flurry of fish catching after that -small but fun-to-catch Trout, a shark, and a small Red or two.

Shannon was providing logistical support - providing sunscreen, ice waters, snacks, and quite encouragement.

After fishing a nice marsh runout further up the island with jigs and shrimp, and getting one nice Flounder to the edge of the boat, and the Flounder doing what they do best by throwing the hook at the boat, we continued on around to the Jolley and up to Snook Creek. Mike landed a small Red, we had another Shark hookup and a couple of other bites.

We dropped back and fished Jolley "bank" and here things heated up with keeper sized fish. Both Mike and Haley battled and landed Slot sized Redfish then Libby added to the table fare when she put a nice flatty Flounder in the boat. We had a couple of Trout, a feisty Black "puppy" Drum and another small Red or two.

We ended the day around at Tiger Island logs and Troy had a good flurry of catches before we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Perseverance Pays Off

Back to "work" today...fishing with Hughes boys. I met Ted and his sons Webb and Charlie down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp and after the brief safety orientation, we headed up the intercoastal and dipped into Jackstaff. Ted was convalescing but the two young anglers were tossing float rigs and mud minnows (it's Monday - no live Shrimp!) up to the marsh run outs and making perfect casts and getting excellent drifts and....no real bites!  We fished the mouth of Jackstaff, switching to jigs eventually and even though we had a few nibbles, no takers.

After running thru Horsehead we fished an

ambush pointe with the float rigs and again, maybe a nibble or two, then Charlie had his bait literally chased down and engulfed - Shark on!  Charlie made short work of this fish and landed it easily for pictures and release. (All fish caught today were released) After easing around the corner and fishing some structure Charlie had made a good cast to the bank and when his float disappeared he took the slack up and set the hook and, Fish On!  He played it patiently to the net and landed a nice feisty Redfish.

We made the quick run down to Broward Island and went back to the jigs. Charlie landed a hungry Seatrout and finally, Webb's rod heated up!  He caught a handful of feisty Redfish and Seatrout and then he and Charlie teamed up on a "double" hookup, both reeling in Redfish.

Although things started out slow, both of these young anglers showed patience and their perseverance paid off with some fun fish catching action here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Young Anglers Top The Board

I wrapped my week up today fishing with the Rowland family, Michael and Heather and their two kids Jonah and Jesse. We met up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp early and headed over to the Jolly River to fish the "bank" on an outgoing tide with jigs and minnows and live shrimp. We had been working up current for just a short while when Jonah, after making an excellent cast to the bank, had a strong hookup and, Fish On! Jonah played it perfectly, keeping the pressure on and working the big Redfish to the boat - we saw it "boil" a couple of times  - and we soon landed a nice 20" Slot sized Redfish. Skunk knocked off!

We continued to work the bank and picked up a couple of smaller Reds then Michael had a strange bite and a fish that wanted to stay on the bottom. He worked it slowly to the surface and we netted a keeper sized Flounder (all fish caught today were released). Michael added a hungry Seatrout to wrap up an Amelia Island Back Country Slam of Redfish, Flounder and Seatrout - and as he was fighting it Jesse had a hookup. She had made a pinpoint cast to the edge of the oysters and BOOM! Fish ON! She fought it valiantly and soon landed another Redfish that was right at Slot sized, boy what a fish!

After running further up the Jolley we stopped at Snook Creek and here Jesse's rod stayed hot as she put a couple of feisty Redfish in the boat. She was neck and neck in the "fish count" with her dad but then Michael got hot. He put 2-3 Croaker in the boat then a hard fighting Black "puppy" Drum and now they had a "Grande Slam"! After easing around to the MOA Jonah caught his second breath and began to catch fish - a couple of feisty Reds and a Seatrout.

We fished Tiger logs briefly but the sun was up and it was getting hot so we did a short tour of the southern end of Cumberland and Ft. Clinch before calling it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Big Fish Wrap Things Up

You just never know when that big fish is going to hit!  I had been fishing with Todd Shcroeder and his dad Dennis all morning today - we caught a couple of small Seatrout over in Jackstaff, working jis and mud minnows on the bottom, and when we made it over to the Nassau River, fishing shell beds, Dennis picked up a nice keeper sized Flounder and they had a few "feisty" Redfish caught.  But, although the duo were making excellent casts and working the bank expertly, we just weren't getting any decent fish.

Our last stop was over at Seymore's Pointe where
we switched to float rigs and minnows (no shrimp today). We fished down the bank slowly and finally, Todd's float disappeared and when his drag ripped, we knew he had good fish. Todd worked it patiently to the boat and soon landed a Slot sized Redfish.  And shortly after that Dennis's float disappeared with a vengeance. Dennis caught up to it, set the hook and, Boom! Big Fish On!  He fought it to the boat and I was thinking, "another Slot Red", but know, as I netted it I saw that it was a huge Seatrout! Boy what a fish! Now that's the way to wrap up a great day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Kinda Spooky

I fished yesterday morning with Alex and Jesse Deen, meeting them down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early and heading up the Nassau River to make a quick stop along a shell bed on an outgoing tide. The forecast had called for about 25% chance of rain...and I think it was all headed for the Nassau River! We had only been fishing for a few minutes, bait was getting busted, things were looking right, and Alex hooked up and had a good fight on his hands - a nice Jack Crevalle. But off across Amelia Island and heading our way was a couple of huge rainstorms so we pulled up and raced to Goffinsville with one of
them right on our stern, but we made it! After the storm had passed, we went back to that same edge and here Alex picked up a nice keeper sized Seatrout.

Jesse's casting was on target and when we got to the next stop - some docks as Seymore's Pointe - she got in on the action. She landed a feisty Redfish and then a feisty Black "puppy" Drum and the duo added a small Croaker to the mix. With rainstorms all around, both Jesse and I commented that it looked "kinda spooky"!  We fished Broward Island for a good while where Jesse added another Redfish to her catch, then we came back to the Horsehead area to fish some structure with float rigs. Jesse had made an excellent cast and within seconds her float went under with a vengeance and, Fish On! She played the big fish expertly and after a good battle landed a nice Slot sized Redfish, making it a great way to wrap up a "spooky" fishing trip here at Amelia Island, Florida.

First and Third and Tied

We got an early start down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp when I met the Allen family, Cami and Glen and their son Walker. There was just a slight breeze as we ran up the intercoastal and made a stop at the mouth of Jackstaff. The trio of anglers were pitching jigs and mud minnows - no shrimp today on the very last of an outgoing tide, and boy was it low! We worked up the bank and it seemed like Glen was going to be the only one catching fish! He boated an ugly old Toad Fish, a Catfish, and a Whiting at that first stop, giving him a tally of three fish.

After buzzing thru Horsehead we fished some docks over at Seyomore's Pointe and here Walker hooked up and expertly reeled in a feisty Redfish. We bounced around the corner and began fishing float rigs along some structure and I think Cami's first cast produced a bite and , Big Fish On! She played it patiently to the boat and landed a big 23.5" Seatrout, big enough to put her in 2nd place in the Angler's Mark 2018 Bragging Rights Tournament-Seatrout Category. After battling a hard fighting Jack Crevalle to

the net, we moved down the way and again Cami had a strong hookup. This was a big fish! Cami worked it to the boat and landed a BIGGER 27" Seatrout - the biggest of the year on the Anglers Mark (and coincidently, tied for 2nd in the biggest ever on the Anglers Mark).
For Bragging Rights standings, scroll down the right side of this report. Cami now holds First and Third place in the Seatrout Category. This gave Cami a tally of three fish.

We fished Broward Island for a bit and here Walker got back on the board with another Redfish catch and as we fished Pumkin Hill, walker reeled in an aggressive Blue Crab! This was Walker's third catch of the day - the anglers were tied! So we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Hot Handed Angler

I was fishing north for a change today, meeting the Pelletiere boys - Len, his son Scott, and grandson Kevin - early and heading quickly over to the Tiger logs to catch that first of an incoming tide. We began by pitching jigs and live shrimp to likely spots and it was Scott who "knocked the skunk off" when he hooked up with a keeper sized Seatrout.  Kevin matched that with a feisty Redfish that was just slightly under the Slot then Scott upped that with a keeper sized Flounder. Kevin stepped up an put a big 20" Seatrout in the boat and for about an hour or so it was all Kevin. He caught and landed two Slot sized Redfish and we picked up another fish or two (one was a small Black Drum - they had a "Grande Slam already!) then we headed up to the Jolley River.

Although the conditions were great - calm water, incoming tide, and little wind we didn't get a whole lot of fish here, other than a nice keeper sized Flounder that.....Kevin put in the boat.

We made the run back to the outside of the boat, set up at an ambush pointe over some shell bottom and all three anglers began to catch Seatrout. Scott had a big 19" Trout, Kevin added another keeper, and granddad Len landed a few Trout, manning the stern. It was getting slightly hot and the tide was getting high so after hitting a couple of quick spots, we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

  

Quick Start to a Beautiful Day

What a great way to wrap up a great fishing week here at Amelia Island, Florida. I had met Jack Ciapriani out at the Goffinsville Park boat ramp and we made the short jump down to Broward Island to catch the first of an incoming tide. The water was like glass, the sun was coming up and nature was coming alive at the island. Jack was tossing jigs and live shrimp and in short order he had a keeper sized Sheepshead in the boat. He caught a couple of feisty Redfish as we worked the bank and later put a big Seatrout in the boat.

We eventually made the run back to Seymore's
Pointe and fished some dock pilings and flooding oyster beds, but we had no real bites - unless you count the Catfish and Toad fish! We dropped down the Nassau River and began fishing oyster beds with a float rig. Jack had tossed up into a shallow area and when his float slowly disappeared, he tightened his line and set the hook and, Fish On!  Sure enough, the unique bite signified a Flounder, and a keeper sized one at that!

We made one more stop down at Pumpkin Hill, tangled with a Bonnethead Shark, then called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida