Recipe of the Month: Cajun Kalaches

This recipe is from Sam and Cody Carroll. We made this to take as our contribution to the annual neighborhood Christmas party. The went over good!

Ingredients:
1 lb smoked sausage links
1 8oz can crescent rolls
1/2 jalepeno, seed and ribs removed, minced
1/2 cup plus 3 Tablespoons grated Gruyere cheese
2 tablespoons melted butter
Everything seasoning ( recipe follows)
Creole Honey Mustard (recipe follows)

EVERYTHING SEASONING
2 Tablespoons poppy seed
2 Tablespoons Kosher salt
2 Tabelspoons sesame seed
1 1/2 Tablespoons dried minced garlic
1 1/2 Tablespoons dried minced onion

CREOLE HONEY MUSTARD
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup Creole Mustard

Heat a grill for cooking over medium/high heat.

Grill sausages for about 8 minutes until nice grill marks appear. Let cool, then slice into 2" size slices.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

1.      Roll out the crescent dough and cut each triangle in half. Sprinkle the widest edge of the triangle with a bit of jalapeño, about 2 teaspoons of cheese and the grilled sausage. Roll up and place on the prepared sheet tray. Repeat with the remaining dough, jalapeño, cheese and sausages.

1.      Brush the outsides of the kalaches with the melted butter and sprinkle with everything seasoning. Bake until the cheese is melted and the dough is golden brown, about 12 minutes. Serve with Creole honey mustard.

First Fishing Trip of 2019

Today was my first trip of the new year and I met David Petty and his daughter Jenna down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early this morning. We made the run up the intercoastal and dipped into Jackstaff  with plans to fish a large marsh runout with live shrimp under floats on the first of an outgoing tide. The two anglers got a few bites then David hooked up and landed a hungry Seatrout.

We eased across the creek and fished a good stretch of shoreline, tossing the floats up current and letting them drift naturally along the bank. Although we had a few bites, we had not takers so we ran thru Horsehead and fished some docks at Seymore's Pointe. Here, David had gotten his float just off the marsh grass and he noted that his float slowly went under and, Fish On! David played it perfectly and soon landed a feisty Redfish. After Jenna landed a pesky "baitstealer" we headed down to Spanish Drop.

David put a keeper sized Slot Redfish in the boat and when we switched to jigs Jenna landed a nice keeper sized Flounder, then she added  Trout catch to her total.  We fished Broward island for a good while but even though the conditions were excellent, we had not takers. After a brief stop at Pumpkin Hill where David jigged up another Seatrout, we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Good Variety of Catch

Boy the temperatures sure have gotten higher the last two days here at Amelia Island!  I had met Clint Davis, his daughter Lindsey and her friend Nathan down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp and with only a slight breeze and clear skies, we made the run up the intercoastal to dip into Jackstaff and begin fishing with jigs and live shrimp. We worked the bank slowly and it was Lindsey who "knocked the skunk off" when she landed a hungry Seatrout. Although we had some nibbles here and there, that was the extent of our fish catch along that stretch!

We ran thru Horsehead and around to some docks at Seymore's Pointe and here Nathan got on the board when he hooked up and landed a hard fighting Black "puppy" Drum.  Then Clint felt a bump on the bottom, set the hook, and reeled in a keeper sized Seatrout.

Our next stop was down at Broward Island, fishing the very, very last of the outgoing tide. We had no real bites until the tide turned back in, then we caught a couple of Trout and had a nice Sheepshead to the boat. We fished north and south then made the run back to Seymores.

Here, things heated up a bit, drifting float rigs along the marsh grass and both Nathan and Lindsey put Trout in the boat, with one of them being keeper size.  Our final stop was down at Spanish Drop and now the wind had picked up and was blowing. But we found a good ambush point and both Lindsey and Nathan caught some feisty Redfish. Clint added a Trout then Lindsey wrapped things up with another Trout catch. When we totaled up the fish we realized we'd caught a good handful and counted it as another great day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Fish On Fire

I've had a busy last couple of days! Coming back from Christmas, I went with the Blalock Fishing Team yesterday morning. The wind was up but we were able to find places to fish. Both William and Dara had some good Trout and Redfish catches early at the logs of Tiger Island, fishing live shrimp on the bottom with the tide just starting in.  We then fished a grassy pointe at Bell River to no avail, then made a long run down the Amelia River to set up between two docks, now dubbed "the DW". We were fishing in about 4' of water, high and incoming tide, over some shell beds. The fish bite was non-stop for at least an hour, one after the other - Redfish and Seatrout, with many of them of keeper size (all fish caught this morning were released).  Things finally slowed  and we ran back to Lanceford Creek. After battling the wind in a couple of spots we found shelter, and fish! A few of the biggest Seatrout of the day were caught, then we called it a day, another great day of fishing!

I met Jack and Motsi Hanna and their son Jay after lunch and although I surely thought that the "DW"wouldn't still have fish, it was worth a try, so we made the run, set up and BOOM! One Redfish after the other. They started off just undersized but after we got them out of the way, the trio began to get Slot sized fish. We boated their limit of fish ranging from 18-19" then we began to cull when we got fish over 20". We actually got tired of catching fish! We then came back to Lanceford and tried a couple of spots but the wind was really up and blowing so we wrapped it up and came back to the ramp and put some Redfish filet's on ice!

I fished this morning with Paul Wozny,  his wife Elaine, and their daughter Kateri, meeting them out at the Goffinsville Park boat ramp. The tide was still barely going out so we buzzed down to Broward Island and began fishing the logs with jigs and shrimp. We had not bites initially but when the tide changed and started back in, we began to get fish. After putting a couple of small but feisty Redfish in the boat, we hooked up and landed a keeper sized Sheepshead. Then we had a strong bite and, BOOM! Big Fish On! Paul played the big fish perfectly and patiently and after a good battle that took us to the deep part of the river, Paul landed an Oversized 29.25" Redfish, boy what a fish!  We then came back to Seymore's Pointe and eased in between two docks and took up the float rigs with live shrimp. Fishing a few feet off the bank, all three anglers caught and landed some nice keeper sized Seatrout. Paul had one of the biggest, a 21.5" Gator Trout! Again, the wind had picked up so we made a quick tour thru Horsehead then headed in, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Starting a Christmas Holiday Off Right

The Blalock's were back in town for the Christmas holiday - Bob, his son William and daughter-in-law Dara. I met them out at the Goffinsville boat ramp and boy was it a "cool" one with temperature's just a tad bit under 40. The sun was coming up and there was enough fog to keep me from opening it up most of the way down to Broward Island. The tide had a couple of  more hours to come in so it wasn't such a great time to be fishing Broward but I thought, being that we were right there, we might as well try it. The Blalock team are excellent anglers and were making pin point casts

to the bank but the fish just didn't cooperate until finally, William hooked up and put a small Sheepshead in the boat.

We made a run back to Christopher Creek and fished some docks and it seemed like we just weren't going to get many fish when, BOOM! William had felt a fish pick up his jig and shrimp combo and move off with it and after he set the hook, Big Fish On!  William played it expertly and luckily the fish headed for deeper water so all William had to do was be patiently and land the big
23.35" Slot sized Redfish. All fish caught today were released. We worked around the bank and as we reached a grass line all three anglers put Redfish in the boat, with one of Dara's being in the Slot.

Our next stop, after coming out of the creek was down around Seymore's Pointe. We fished a grassy pointe that looked like and excellent ambush pointe but had not takers, then after a "tip", we set up along a bank of grass that had submerged oysters and Wow! Crazy! We started catching fish, one after the other: Keeper sized Seatrout. Keeper sized Slot Redfish. Keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum. Keeper sized Sheepshead. Keeper sized Flounder. The bite was on fire and we took advantage of it, fishing down the very last shrimp in the well! Again, all fish caught today were released, and it made for a great day of fish pre-Christmas fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Big Sheepshead Blows Away Bragging Rights

With less than two weeks left in the year for guest anglers on the Anglers Mark to vie for bragging rights for the biggest fish caught during the year, we had a huge Sheepshead caught today that landed in first place for the 2018 Anglers Mark Bragging Rights Tournament! 

I had met Tom and Kelli Middleton down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early this morning and after running up the intercoastal to deep into Jackstaff we set up at a large marsh outflow and began tossing live shrimp under floats on a high and outgoing tide. Although we had a nibble or
two we had no takers so we eased forward with plans to fish a marsh bank. We had only move thirty yards when both anglers began to get bites, then hookups, and then Seatrout catches. It was a good flurry of catching then Kelli had a good bite and this time her drag began to rip. I was a little concerned that I had set the drag to light and that a decent Trout was ripping the line out, but boy was I mistaken! Kelli played the fish perfectly and a after a good battle, landed a big 21.25" Sheepshead and garnered 1st place in my Bragging Rights Tournament. (scroll down the right side of this report for standings).

After fishing that bank we moved back into Jackstaff and worked another bank  and here Tom put the first Redfish in the boat. We picked up another Trout or two before we made the run thru Horsehead and over to some docks. Although we had no real bites on jigs and shrimp around the pilings, we again picked up another Red up near the marsh grass.

Our next stop was down at the Spanish Drop area and here we stuck with the jig rods. Tom was makin excellent casts to another marsh run out and after he had a hard "bump", he set the hook and, Fish On!  He played it patiently and soon landed the first Slot Redfish of the day. He went back to the same spot and after a couple of casts, he picked up another nice Redfish.  After fishing one more shell lined bank in that area we made a final run down to Broward Island, still fishing the outgoing tide, which had gotten down pretty low, and the fish catching got hot!

Tom's first cast between some limbs produced a feisty Redfish then he found a "honey hole" that produced a couple of keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum and a couple of keeper sized Sheepshead. Kelli got in on the action and picked up another Slot Redfish to wrap up another great day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Cold Weather Drag

Whooooeeee! It was 38 degrees when I met Bob and Adrianna Reynolds out at the Goffinsville Park boat ramp this morning and fog covered the Nassau River, enough so that visibility was only about 50 yards. We puttered thru the fog down to Broward Island and began pitching mud minnows on a jig up to the bank. It took a good handful of casts but finally Bob had a strong bite and, BOOM! Big Fish On! He and I both could tell that it was a big fish - it was digging deep hard and ripping the drag - but Bob was playing it perfectly and patiently and...BAP...fish off! Ouch!   And only a few minutes later Adrianna had a similar hookup, except her big fish started
heading towards Orlando and...BAP....fish off!  In retrospect, I wonder if the drags were just so cold and hadn't been used all morning and they had less "give".

But these two anglers were not to be deterred and as we worked the bank they began to catch some feisty Redfish. Bob picked up a Seatrout before we left the area.

We fished some docks at Seymore's Pointe and Bob hooked up and landed another Red then we cruised down the Nassau to fish some marsh grass and flooded shell beds. Adrianna got hot and caught 2-3 Redfish with one of them being in the Slot size (and with 13 spots) then Bob warmed up and put another Seatrout and then a Flounder in the boat to garner his Amelia Island Back Country Slam of Redfish, Seatrout and Flounder.  The sun had warmed things up and it made for a great day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Fishing On The Lee Side

Talk about cold and windy! We had moved our early morning trip yesterday to the afternoon and as we stood at the boat ramp watching the west wind blow white caps across the river we questioned, "did we really want to go fishing?" I had met Austin Jackson, is father Stan, and their friend Doug Mackle up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park and on land it was a beautiful day! But we decided to fish and we found out that as long as we stayed on the lee side of a land mass, the fishing was enjoyable.

Our fist stop was over on the outside of Tiger Island, fishing live shrimp and mud minnows.  We had gotten a few nibbles when finally Doug, after making an excellent cast where we saw some mullet get "popped" and in short order his float disappeared and, Fish On!  Doug played the fish patiently and soon landed a nice Redfish. Stan was drifting his float with the current behind the boat and he then hooked up and reeled in a keeper sized Seatrout.

We then ran around to Lanceford Creek and fished a grass patch to no avail, then bounced over to Soap Creek and here the fish catching picked up a tad, coinciding with the outgoing tide.  Stan found a couple of more Trout off the stern and Austin got on the board with a Trout catch of his own.

Our final stop was back at some docks on Lanceford and here the things got hot. I think it was the first "demo" cast that got a bite, then all three anglers were catching fish. Most were Red Drum with a couple of smaller Black "puppy" Drum thrown in. We added two Slot Reds to the box then called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Thanksgiving Fun Fishing at Amelia Island

You just can't beat a good day of fishing especially when you know that some great food is coming your way the next day for Thanksgiving! Paul Doman and his family were visiting Amelia Island and he and his daughters Edi and Adelaide met me early this morning down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp at the very top of a  high tide. We left the ramp, ran up the intercoastal and dipped into Jackstaff with plans to fish a large marsh runout with float rigs an live shrimp. I'm pretty sure it was first cast and, Fish On! I've been telling people you can't hardly NOT catch a Trout if you've been

fishing the last few days and today was no exception. Paul reeled in that first fish but the ladies got in on the action quickly and soon they too were hauling in fish. We worked up and down the bank and caught fish as we went.

After running thru Horsehead we made a stop at some docks at Seymore's Pointe and again, Seatrout were biting on almost every drift. Bait was getting busted up along some grass and after Paul had made a pinpoint cast, let it drift naturally along the grass,
BOOM! Big fish On!  Paul played it perfectly and  patiently and soon landed a nice 24" Slot Redfish. Later, he was fishing somewhat out a ways, over some submerged oysters, and hooked up and landed a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum (all fish caught today were released). Both Edi and Adelaide brought in keeper sized Seatrout.

We ran down to Pumpkin Hill and while the girls took a break, Paul worked the bank over a shell bottom and caught three feisty Redfish. One fish hookup was brief - the fish rolled, took his bait, and BAP! Fish off in just a split second!

Our final stop was back at Spanish Drop and here Edi had the hot hand - she caught a couple of Trout then after a perfect cast to some exposed shell, BOOM! Another Big Fish On! Edi worked it to the boat and after a good battle landed another Slot Redfish. What a great way to wrap up a fun fishing trip here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Outstanding Catching in Amelia Island Backwaters

I fished with the Nolan crew this morning, Pete and his daughters Taylor and Tatum and her boyfriend Victor, meeting them up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp. We had a high and outgoing tide and decided to fish a large marsh runout above some docks in Eagan's Creek with float rigs and live shrimp.

Just like yesterday, it didn't take long before these anglers were catching fish, and a lot of them! Taylor started it off with a nice
Seatrout catch and then she kept it going, reeling in a couple of more. Tatum and her dad Pete picked it up from there and began to get on the action, catching Trout, Trout, Trout. Victor had an early case of "Victoritus" but he finally shook it off and caught his share of Trout.

We worked along the bank and found a slender grass island with submerged oysters surrounding it. Pete had let his float drift up close to it and, BOOM! Big fish on! He played it perfectly and soon
put a nice 21" Slot Redfish in the boat. We worked up the way, caught a few more Trout, then as we drifted back by the island, the Reds began to bite in earnest. Tatum caught and landed a Slot Redfish then it was Pete's turn again - Big Redfish On!  This one was even bigger than his first and put up a great battle but Pete was up to the task and eventually landed a big 24" Slot fish.  Both Tatum and Victor caught Redfish that were just under the 18" Slot size.  We caught more Trout for a while then made the run around to Tiger to finish out the day.

All anglers caught Trout at a point of grass and Pete, determined to feed the family,  added a keeper sized Weakfish. When we fished the treetops, Pete added a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum and a Flounder to round out his Amelia Island "Super Grande Slam" of Redfish, Seatrout, Black Drum, Flounder, and Weakfish!  What a great way to wrap up a fun day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.