Steady Catching

 

I fished with William and Dara Blalock this morning, meeting them up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp early. As we eased out of Eagans Creek we were greeted with some clear skies and just a slight breeze to make for a perfect day to get out on the water here at Amelia Island.  We had a "plan" and that was to make a long run up the intercoastal, over to the Jolly River and up the river to the MOA in time to fish the exposed oysters on a tide that had been coming in for about an hour. Normally I just fish the MOA on the last of an outgoing tide but the last time William and Dara were here we fished it on a "first of incoming" and it paid off with some fish catches. And it paid off today, too!

This duo were making perfect casts to the shell and started off catching some small but feisty Redfish, then Dara hauled in a small Flounder. They picked up a Seatrout then William caught a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum to make it an Amelia Island Back Country Grande Slam. William also had a big fish bite right at the boat, but down deep. He worked it up and landed a huge Catfish!  But later,  to put some icing on the cake, William had a strong bite and after he set the hook and the drag began to rip, we were left speculating "Catfish? Jack? Shark?  No, it was a nice Slot Redfish! William worked it to the boat and landed a 22" Slot fish. 

We moved around to fish the outer edges of Snook Creek and boy was there a bunch of bait moving! I was feeling optimistic about that stretch but even though it looked real good, I think all we got was a small Redfish that Dara reeled in. 

Back down the river, fishing a point with float rigs, things heated up. They caught a couple of small Reds along the right grass line, then they began to catch Seatrout. William hauled in a Trout that was a bit over 18" and Dara hauled in one that was right at 18". Dara also picked up a couple of Flounder just over a submerged shell bed. They had a good handful of smaller Trout too, but one which was of keeper size.

Our final stop was on the outside of Tyger, fishing a flooding bank with jigs and minnows. We found out that the cast had to be right up next to the grass, if not in the grass, and as you worked it out, BAM! Flounder Bite!  They had 5-6 Flounder caught along that stretch with a couple of them being of keeper size. The breeze had kept the heat off most of the morning and we marveled at the green marsh grass and shore birds feeding and as we headed back we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Captain Lawrence Piper is a fishing guide in Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, Florida and is a 

 US Coast Guard licensed charter boat operator

Found a Trout Hole

 I

hope everyone had a great 4th of July weekend and holiday! I was back at it this morning, meeting Mike Livatino and his son John and daughter-in-law Deb out at Goffinsville Park boat ramp early. The tide had been coming in for about an hour so we made a quick run down the Nassau and began working a shell bank at Spanish Drop with jigs and live shrimp. As we got to a corner we had a good bit of action, hooking up some small Jacks and Ladyfish and we had a quick battle and SNAP with a Shark. 

Wanting to fish Broward Island on that first of an incoming we made our way down there and worked the bank pretty thoroughly. These anglers were getting good casts to the banks but all we really caught were a couple of submerged logs!

We then eased up to Pumpkin Hill and drifted floats long and had some good action, again - Jacks and Ladyfish. But the current was making a good rip on the other side of a point and just as we repositioned we began to get bites. John had made a good cast up to the grass, let it drift around the point and when floated into that chance in water, BAM! Fish On1  John patiently brought it to the boat and landed a nice keeper sized Seatrout. Then all three anglers were making that drift and it paid off with another handful of Seatrout, another, bigger, of keeper size.

We fished some docks at Seymores and caught some small Mangrove Snapper, then fished some rocks at Nassauville and here Deb put the first and only keeper sized Mangrove in the boat. We had some good action throughout the day and had a few fish in the box so as we headed back to the dock we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

NOTE: we had a bunch of bites today - a lot of "baitstealers" and eventually ran out of shrimp.  Try to have some minnows on the boat. Also, I dug out my cast net but didn't see a big enough school of mullet to cast to. 

Captain Lawrence Piper is a fishing guide in Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, Florida and is a 

 US Coast Guard licensed charter boat operator

It Was a Hot One

 Driving home today after my trip I noticed on my truck screen that the temperature was right at 100 degrees! Although it didn't feel quite that hot fishing this morning, it was getting there! I had met Ed Brown, his son Spencer, and son-in-law Chris down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp and after running up the intercoastal and cutting thru to Poteat Cut, we set up at a point to fish float rigs on a tide that was coming in, already high, and already covering the oysters. It was only minutes into the fishing when Ed's live shrimp was hammered and his drag began to rip - a Shark bite. It kept going north. 

We picked up a small Jack and a big Catfish there, and tangled with a couple of Ladyfish, then we moved over to Jackstaff  and fished some pockets. After running thru Horsehead and down to Pumpkin Hill we again drifted floats, long, and this produced some good bites. Chris had followed Spencer across a point and a feisty Redfish liked his bait best! Further down the way Spencer had made a cast up shallow, near some sparse grass and it paid off with a strong bite and it paid off with a rod bending fight. He played it perfectly, worked it to the boat patiently and ....right at the boat...Fish Off! Ouch! We all agreed that we saw a flash of Redfish before the fateful moment.

Back down the Nassau we went, around to Seymore's Pointe, fishing a large drainage and almost immediately this trio began to put Mangrove Snapper in the boat. Spencer added a hungry Seatrout to the mix. We had a few keep-able Snapper, then moved around to some rocks at Nassauville and picked up a few more, bigger, to make a meal. Just when I had about given up on a nice Redfish, Spencer had a hookup and we knew right off it was NOT a Mangrove. He kept the pressure on and worked to the net a nice 20" Slot Redfish  to wrap up another hot day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Captain Lawrence Piper is a fishing guide in Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, Florida and is a 

 US Coast Guard licensed charter boat operator

9 Spot Slot

 I wrapped up my week today fishing with the Jensen's, Dean and his sons Elijah and Tyler, meeting
them up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp early to try and "beat the heat". We made a quick run over to the outside of Tyger Island and set up along a grassy point to fish float rigs on the very first of an outgoing tide. It was another beautiful morning, sunshine, clear skies, and just a bit of breeze. With those conditions you'd have thought (hoped) the fish bite would be on fire but, all we did was have a quick tangle with Sharks and Ladyfish. After crossing over a creek we fished a shoreline and Dean did pick up a small but feisty Redfish. 

Around the outside of Tyger we went and made one stop at a drainage to pitch jigs and shrimp, then we continued on around to the Jolley, switched back to float rigs, and drifted the bank on that outgoing tide. In between Shark bites Elijah hooked up, expertly battled, and landed a nice 21" Slot Redfish - one that had 9 spots - a good fish in any Spot Tournament. We continued to ease along that bank and Dean patiently wore out the biggest Shark of the day, bringing it to the boat for photograph and release, then it was Tyler's turn to have the Redfish hookup. He had made an excellent cast to the bank and it paid off with a hookup. He played it perfectly and soon landed a 21.5" Slot Red.

We then moved up the river and pulled up at a large drainage that I used to fish 15 years ago, anchoring and bottom fishing out the back. But this time we positioned ourselves parallel to the bank and drifted those floats and it paid off. In addition to catching a couple of feisty Redfish, Dean hooked up and landed a real nice 18" Flounder. 

Further up the river we fished what evidently was a Shark haven- at one time we had a "double" going, then we ended the day at the MOA just as the oysters were beginning to show. Elijah  caught a couple of more small Redfish and Dead added a couple of Black "puppy" Drum. Somewhere along the way Dean had landed a Seatrout so the Drum made it an Amelia Island Back Country Slam, and we chalked it up as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Captain Lawrence Piper is a fishing guide in Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, Florida and is a 

 US Coast Guard licensed charter boat operator

Chamber of Commerce Fishing Day

 I met Danne Webb down at Sawpit Creek boat ramp this morning and boy what a beautiful day it was! Clear skies, sunshine, and just enough breeze to make it comfortable for a back water fishing trip. We made a long run up the intercoastal, up the Back River and around to Pumpkin Hill. I  had hoped that the tide would still be coming in but unfortunately it was a dead stop - our floats wouldn't drift, right or left. After fishing a bit along one shoreline we moved around the corner as the tide started out and this did the trick.  There was all kinds of "movement" along the shoreline and after a big commotion Danne made a good cast and within seconds we saw a Bonnethead tracking down his bait and BAM! Fish On!  I was impressed how patient Danne was with the fish fight and it paid off - he worked it in and landed a nice 4' Shark.

Just a few minutes later Danne battled another Shark to the boat for release, then after a good cast up to the grass line we saw his float slowly go under. Danne lifted his rod and let the circle hook set. I was guessing "Flounder" by the way that float went under but when he got it to the net we found it was a feisty Redfish. 

We motored down the Nassau to Twin Creeks and fished the mouth, then worked up along the bank to Athens Drop, now fishing a jig and shrimp. Again, there was movement everywhere - bait fish, and bull wakes, and shark fins, but we had no takers. Needing some action, we pulled up and headed to the docks at Seymore's where we set up current and pitched to the pilings. It only took seconds and we were hooking up on Mangrove Snapper. Most were of keeper size and we had a few right at 12" and we began to "cull" out the smaller ones. Then, after he had made an excellent cast, Danne had a stronger hookup and, Fish On!  He worked it out of the pilings, kept the pressure on, and landed a perfect sized 16" and good eating Sheepshead. 

With our Mangrove limit in the box, we decided to move around to the Nassauville side and fish some rocks with float rigs. Although we were a bit worked about "leaving fish to find fish", the move paid off. In addition to catching a few more bigger Mangroves we had a nice surprise:  While drifting or floats, we heard and saw a big fish "bust" up near the rocks. I had just handed off a baited rod to Danne and he made the perfect cast up from the bust, let it drift and BAM! Sure enough, it was a bigger and when he expertly brought it to the net we found it was a feisty Redfish. What good way to wrap up a great day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Fishing Tip Number Four

 If you go to my "Fishing Tips" page and scroll down you'll see there are a list of "5 Tips to Catch More Fish".  Number 4 is, "Move if  you're not catching fish!" Well, that applied today. I had met Walter Mann and  his uncle Bruce Johnsen up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp and in line with Tip #1, I had a plan for the morning. We had a tide that had been going out for a few hours, enough so that the oysters were just beginning to show, so I made our way over to some dock pilings and set up current so that we could pitch jigs and live shrimp back to the pilings. We had a nibbles enough, but not even a good tug on the line. I moved us around the corner and we fished an exposed oyster island, and again, not hardly a nibble. We'd been fishing for over an hour and the "skunk" was still on the boat!

We made our way around to the Jolley River and fished a stretch of bank with float rigs and even though  both anglers were getting some good casts and good drifts, We had nibbles but no takers and after about two hours of fishing, the "skunk" was beginning to waft over the boat.  I knew further up the river I could almost guarantee a Shark bite and with that "skunk" wafting, I headed that way. Sure enough, we did have a couple of quick Shark bites, but they were fast, furious, and the leaders broke almost immediately. Then, as if the sun had just come out, and after a great cast with his float rig, Bruce had his disappear and, First Fish On!  Bruce played it perfectly and battled to the boat a nice 22" Slot Redfish. And the Skunk was off. The Tide had turned. The sun came out. And I thought I heard some horns blaring! All fish caught today were released.

Bruce went back to the bank and picked up a hungry Seatrout then Walter, fishing from the stern picked up a Trout of his own to get on the board. We then moved around to the MOA and things got hot! Walter went to the shell bed and caught a couple of feisty Redfish then Bruce went to the bed and BAM! Big Fish On! He fought it perfectly and patiently and soon landed another 21" Slot Red.  Walter went up, let his jig bounce back into deeper water and BAM! Big Fish On!  He worked it slowly to the surface and to the net and landed an 18"+ sized Seatrout. Bruce went in and hooked up and landed a 19"+ Seatrout, then Walter finished things off with another big 18"+ Seatrout catch What a way to wrap up a Fun Florida Fishing trip, one of the Best, here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Tripletail Starts the Slam

 I woke up this morning to see the box score of the Florida/Lsu baseball World Series game and sure enough, my Gators got drubbed! They could have used a Grande Slam like we picked up today fishing!

I had met John Gaydac and his son Robbie and grandsons Gray and Cam down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early today and we made a fairly long run around to Pumpkin Hill and sat up to drift float rigs and live shrimp on a tide that had been going out a few hours (in retrospect, it had been going out a bit too much for us  to be at this spot, but I wanted to try it). We had just a nibble or two, so we began to work around a point and down alongside  some exposed shell and it was John who "knocked the skunk off" when he had a hookup. He played it perfectly and worked it to the boat and when I saw a gaping maw of a mouth, a bit yellow, I called it a "big Seatrout"! But as John brought it to the net we found that it was a nice sized Tripletail! Always a surprise! Coincidently we had recently caught a Tripletail within about 20 yards of this one a week or so ago. Robert also caught and landed a keeper sized Seatrout here (all fish caught today were released)

We then motored back down the Nassau to Spanish Drop, fished an exposed oyster edge, then eased up
the river to a large drainage. Here things picked up when these anglers caught a up a couple of Seatrout, Donnie hauled in a huge Catfish, and both Donnie and Robert battled some Bonnethead Sharks. They tangled with Ladyfish and boated a couple of Jack Crevalle and Robert put a nice Flounder in the boat to make it a Slam. I think we also had a small Redfish along there which made it a Grande Slam, but we improved on that later!

To wrap up the day we ran up to Seymore's Pointe and fished some dock pilings and there both Donnie and Robert played cat and mouse with the Mangrove Snapper and caught a couple of keeper sized fish. We were about to wrap things up when we had a "bump", a bite, and Fish On! Donne was on the rod and played it expertly, keeping this big fish away from the engine. After a tense battle he landed a nice 22" Slot sized Redfish. The young anglers, Gray and Cam had stayed with it throughout the morning with Gray improving on his casting while Cam "wrangled" the shrimp, keeping them in line, so as we headed back to the ramp, we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Summertime Smorgasbord

 Forecasted to be a hot one today, and all week, and it was when that sun came out! I had met Bob
Kossman and his adult "kids" Marcie and Michael down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early and as we headed out we had a bit of overcast skies which made for some pleasant fishing for most of the morning. We made our first run up the intercoastal and to Poteat Cut where we began fishing a shelf of oysters with jigs and live shrimp and it didn't take long to begin to get fish.

Both Marcie and Bob had hookups right off and boated  some Seatrout, Marcie's being of keeper size (all fish caught today were released). We worked that bank and this trio of anglers tangled with Sharks and Jack Crevalle and a large Catfish. Note: Last week I had a Catfish fall out of the net and it's fin barely scratched my foot, just a faint nick, and boy, it burned for an hour! We moved over to the mouth of Jackstaff and fished that stretch and again, we had Shark battles, Catfish bites, and then Marcie, fishing a bit deeper, hooked up and landed a keeper sized, and a surprise, a Weakfish! Then Michael hooked up and brought to the boat the only Redfish of the day.

After running thru Horsehead and down to Twin Creeks we again worked a bank, and again, Shark bites and Jack Crevalle. A run up to some docks at Seymore's produced a handful of keeper sized Mangrove Snapper. The biggest few being right at 12". We finished the day fishing some rocks at around at Nassauville, and again caught one or two Mangroves. Typical of Summertime fishing in the back waters of Amelia Island, we had a smorgasbord of species caught so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

What Submarine?

I got to fish with my cousin today, Jim Garner, and his brother-in-law Chipper when they drove up from
Nacotee to meet me at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp. We eased out of Eagans Creek and headed over to Lanceford Creek to fish some dock pilings just as the tide hit dead low. We worked that dock pretty good and did pick up a handful of feisty Redfish , a Black "puppy" Drum, and a hungry Seatrout and finally Chipper did get a Red that got into the Slot.

We tried a couple of spots down the intercoastal but as we got close I could see that another Guide had beat us to it so we made the long run back around and up to the Jolley. On our way we were waylaid by one of those small Coast Guard inflatable gun boats, blue lights flashing so I slowed to allow them to catch up (hah!) he asked where we were going (the Jolley) and he yelled over some rules to follow as there was a pending submarine arrival. "OK" we yelled back, then he asked what was biting! "Redfish!"

We eased around the corner of the Jolley and fished the "bank" with float rigs and live shrimp and had a couple of Shark bites. We fished up at Snook Creek and again had Shark bites and tangled with a couple of Ladyfish. Back down the river we fished a grassy pointe and the action got pretty hot - a couple of Shark fights, a Jack fight, a Ladyfish tangle, then Chipper put another Slot Red in the boat, and Jim put a keeper sized Seatrout in the boat.  

As we came out of the Jolley we never saw a Submarine so we surmised the "Coastie" was just wanting a fishing report! And as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing hear at Amelia Island, Florida. 

We Ain't Skeered of No Stinkin Rain

That's NOT what Paula Eldridge said when I spoke to her last night, but more like, "we don't mind a little rain" after I gave her the forecast of 45% chance for our trip this morning.  So we planned to meet up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp - Paula and her husband Dean and their sons Malachi and Josiah. And wouldn't  you know, when I got up this morning and looked at the forecast it was a whopping 85% chance of rain. I made sure my raincoat was packed! 

We left Old Town and eased up Eagans Creek to set up between two docks and began to pitch jigs and live shrimp to the base of pilings and on Malachi's second cast, BAM! Big Fish On!   (and that set the tone for the next two hours). Malachi played it like a pro and kept that pressure on, worked it up from the bottom, let it run, worked it in, and landed an Oversized 28.25" Redfish, boy what a fish!

From then on we were catching fish. Dean seemed to have the "hot" rod, landing a couple of nice Slot Redfish, a keeper sized Sheepshead, a small Black "puppy" Drum, and a hungry Seatrout to round out his Amelia Island Backcountry Grande Slam. Paula got in on the action and hooked up and landed another Slot Redfish and after Malachi put a nice Slot fish in the boat, they had their limit! We also picked up a a handful of Croaker and a couple of Stingray.

After making the run up to the Jolley River we tried to fish the "bank" and even though it was difficult going, Dean had his float disappear and after lifting his rod to hookup, the fight was on! He worked it to the boat perfectly and after a good battle landed another Slot Redfish.

Further up the Jolley we fished the inside of Snook Creek, tossing the anchor over in the grass and fishing off the stern and it was almost immediate that these anglers were beginning to get bites. It was Josiah's turn to have the "hot" rod. He hooked up and when his drag began to sing we knew it was a Shark. Josiah played it patiently and after a good battle landed a hard charging Bonnethead Shark. But he wasn't done. About every other cast he had a bite, a hookup, and landed more Shark.

Dean put a couple of Catfish in the boat, one of them huge, and Malachi landed another fat Seatrout. After fishing back at Tyger Island, we headed in, suffering no more than a drop of two of rain all morning, so we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.