AIGA Inshore Classic October 20-21 2023

 The 8th Annual AIGA Inshore Classic Fast Approaching

The AIGA 8th Annual Inshore Classic is scheduled for October 20 (Captains Meeting) and October 21st - the fishing!  It will be hosted at Old Town Bait and Tackle at 1620 N. 14th Street, Fernandina Beach, Florida. 32034

All anglers will be required to enter the "Spot Tournament". There will be an Adult Division and a Youth Division. Anglers will have the option to enter an Aggregate Boat category which will consist of the Heaviest Redfish and Heaviest Seatrout, combined. 

The Captains meeting will be held at 7pm on Friday October 20th at Old Town Bait and Tackle. Registration formally begins at 6pm, but in the past, the AIGA has taken early Registrations while setting up. Entry forms can be found on the website ,CLICK HERE. or they can be picked up at Old Town Bait and Tackle, Amelia Bait and Tackle, or RennWorks Outdoors.  Early entries will be eligible for a prize drawing!

The American Legion Post 54 will be cooking hamburgers for sale, and will have sides of chips or potato salad available.  All of the proceeds will go to the American Legion to help support our local veterans! Come Hungry!

Bring your young anglers for a FREE photograph with Bull the Redfish!

Rennworks Outdoors has donated TWO very nice Rod/Reel Combos for a Special Raffle - tickets will be $10 each.

..or win 1/2 of a COW! Butchered and packaged - tickets will be $10
each.

More GREAT Raffle and Silent Auction Items..Rod/Reels, Reels, Beautiful Seatrout Mount, Handcrafted leather journal...and more!

Visit the AIGA Inshore Classic October 20-21 at Old Town Bait and Tackle, 1620 N. 14th Street, Fernandina Beach, Florida

Extreme High Tides and Strong Winds

 Talk about some difficult fishing!  After an outstanding day Tuesday as a huge system passed thru, we ended up moving Wednesday's trip to Friday and cancelling Thursday. Friday, the rains had finished but we still had wind 12-17 as the morning progressed. I thought we could get some fishing in, and we did, but I wasn't counting on a extreme high tide to make matters worse. As we fished  you could see those strong north winds just pushing water into the back waters. Crazy!

But my guests on Friday, the Ahrens family were up for the challenge. We fished south, meeting down at Sawpit Creek. I was thinking our best shot at fish was to fish Pumpkin Hill on the last of an incoming tide. As we fished they had some nibbles, but no real takers, until Brian hooked up with something strong, on a shrimp under a float, that ran hard and strong and BAP! Fish Off! Probably a Shark. Later we ran up into Christopher Creek to get out of the wind and here Henry had the strong hookup. This fish went right under the boat, heading north, but Henry stayed with it, got his rod around the engine and up to the bow and fought it magnificently! He got it to the boat and we could have "gaffed it" if we had wanted it - a nice 3' Black Tip Shark!  I tried netting it but it was too big for the net and as we waited for it to tire, it made one last lunge and was off. 

Later we fished some rocks at Nassauville, out of the wind, with jigs and here Brian boated a couple of Mangrove Snapper. It had been a tough day but we persevered and got a few fish to the boat. 

Yesterday we had pretty much the same condition - not enough wind to call the trip, but enough to make it difficult. That north wind continued as Brian Syme, his son Nicholas and friend David met the challenge. Again, that north wind was pushing that high tide even higher. And again, I thought our best chance was to beat it by running over to the Jolley and fishing floats, but again, it was already too high, and moving fast!

These anglers stayed patient and it paid off, eventually!   But I was beginning to worry!  We had fished for at least two hours with not hardly a nibble. After hitting a few spots in the Jolly we made our way around to Bell River, and out of the wind, begin to toss jigs and live shrimp. The tide was really high, not ideal for where we were, but the move paid off. Brian had a strong hookup, a big fish!  Brian worked it to the surface slowly and when I saw it's huge maw of a mouth "big Trout" flashed thru my mind but when it got to the surface I saw it was a massive Flounder! Netted, it measured right at 22" - big enough to move Brian into a tie for First Place in the Anglers Mark Bragging Rights Tournament - Flounder Category. (scroll down the right side of this report for standings). Boy what a fish!

We hit a few other spots, trying to stay out of the wind and even though the last one, behind Tyger Island was not where I normally would have fished on such a high tide, it paid off when David put a nice hard fighting Jack Crevalle in the boat, and Brian added a keeper size Seatrout.

It looks like the winds will continue in to Monday, but I'll probably fish anyway, knowing that it's always great to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

The Grande Finale

When we talked last night we agreed to touch base this morning as to whether we really wanted to get out and fish with forecasted rains. And when I launched it was dark and stormy and pretty much stayed that way the entire day - all around us - north and south and east and west - but we never got wet! I had met William and Dara Blalock up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp and after easing out of Eagans Creek we made our way over to Tyger Island and set up on a corner of grass just as the tide started out. 

We didn't know it at the time, but Dara's first cast was to set the tone for the rest of the day. BAM! She had a hookup on her float rig and mud minnow! She worked it to the boat and landed a keeper sized Seatrout. They had a few nibbles after that, then we drifted down the bank with the tide and we were beginning to think that first fish "jinxed" us but we hit a pocket and William reeled in a keeper sized Flounder, then both he and Dara caught a handful of Redfish, one of which was a small Slot sized. Things were picking up. 

Working around the corner we found that if we fished the back side of some grassy points, where there was a bit of current, we'd get fish. This duo of anglers caught another few Redfish, two were in the Slot, and they caught a good 4-5 Flounder, one of which was keeper size. We switched to jigs and minnows and caught fish along that entire bank. The bite seemed to be best on the higher outgoing tide.

Our next stop was around at Jolley Bank, Dara fishing the stern with the float rig and William fishing the bow with the jig - and it appeared that the jig was the trick - William put a few Redfish in the boat, and another Flounder. We ran up a ways and fished a point with the floats and caught a couple of Seatrout, then further up the river we fished a large drainage. Here, Dara got hot with the float rig, drifting it long to a bend and "rift" in the water and BAM! Redfish. Bam! Redfish. Bam! Redfish. William was on the bow and picked up another keeper sized Flounder (William was the Flounder King today). 

That last spot was pretty good for action  and it was going to be hard to top but little did we know we were in for a 'Grande Finale"! We made our way around to the MOA, and set up down current and almost immediately began to catch fish. Dara was hitting the top of the oyster bar with her jig and shrimp and was catching one Redfish after the other. William followed her to the bank and caught a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum, then went deep and caught a keeper sized Seatrout. Then both anglers were catching Redfish. I think we had at least three "double" hookups. We fished until we ran out of bait then William put a little piece of shrimp on for "one last cast" and BOOM! Big Fish On! William played it perfectly and after a good battle landed a nice 25" Slot Redfish. 

We had a good handful of keeper sized fish but most were thrown back and a only a few kept for dinner. and as we headed back to the ramp, we finally had a sprinkle but we still counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Offshore in the Backwater?

 We gambled with the weather forecast today - it was calling for winds up to 16-17mph and when I launched the  skies were ugly with storm clouds. I was meeting Douglas and Cindy Bailey and their son Dylan up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp and we had decided that we'd give it a go and hope for the best, and I'm glad we did!

After running up the creek we set up current from a dock and pitched jigs and shrimp and minnows back to the pilings. Dylan got hot early and put a good handful of small Mangrove Snapper in the boat and then they hooked and landed a small Grouper!  Then Douglas had a strong bite, set the hook and, Fish On! Douglas played it patiently and after a good battle landed a nice Slot Redfish. We fed a bunch of "baitstealers", too, while we were there.

We then made a run down the intercoastal and fished some rocks and here Douglas found a hole that had some feisty Redfish that he handily hooked up and brought to the boat. Then we had a good bite deep and as it ripped drag and we knew we had another big Fish On!  Dylan was on the rod and did outstanding keeping it out of some structure that was behind us. He worked it slowly away from them but not too forceful and when he got it out deep; we know we had 'em. Dylan played it expertly and eventually brought to the net a Slot sized 22" Redfish. 

After running thru Horsehead we found a dock to fish out of the increasing wind and again, this trio of anglers caught small Mangroves, but one of two were of keeper size. Cindy hooked up an landed a hungry Seatrout and Dylan added a Sea Bass to the catch. We then ran around to Nassauville and fished between two docks and again caught Mangroves, with Cindy putting the biggest of the day in the boat. Douglas was fishing deep but then hung up on some bottom and when he pulled it off, BAM! A big fish hit his bait. Douglas kept the pressure on and worked it up to land a big 21" Gator Trout, boy what a fish. He also added a small Flounder to his catch. 

After fishing some rocks with float rigs and getting a couple of more Mangroves, we ran thru Jackstaff and fished some flooding marsh grass with the floats. They added a couple of more feisty Redfish to their catch total then we headed back to the ramp, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

(Almost) Everything But the Kitchen Sink

Today we caught Mangrove Snapper, Pinfish, Grouper, Seatrout, Flounder, Redfish, Ladyfish, Jack Crevalle, Bonnethead Shark and Needlefish - and almost the Kitchen Sink!  I had met Jon Beall and  his son Brian up at Old Town Bait and Tackle, and after running over to Lanceford, we fished a dock on the very first of an incoming tide with jigs and live shrimp.  Just like I thought, they began to get "nibbles"  on every cast and managed to hookup and land the Snapper, Pinfish, and a small Grouper.

We then made the run around to Tyger and fished the logs and here we had some success. Brian hooked up and landed a hungry Seatrout, then a small Flounder, then a nice keeper sized Flounder. They also picked up one small but feisty Redfish. 

After running up to the Jolley, we turned into the current and fished the "bank" with float rigs and the live shrimp. They were getting good casts and good drifts and it paid off with a handful of Redfish catches. Brian added another Flounder to his catch, then had something big take his bait and, Fish On!  The drag was ripping as it headed south but Brian kept the pressure on and soon turned it, brought it back to the boat, then followed up current for a bit, then settled in for a game of patience. After a good battle Brian landed a nice Bonnethead Shark. And then followed that up with an even bigger one. 

Further up the Jolley we fished a bank and got into some Ladyfish, then finished up fishing a point. Jon had some good battles with Ladyfish and Jacks and put another feisty Redfish in the boat. We had some good action under some dark skies but as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Look'n For a Slam

 

A Keeper Slam!  I fished again this morning, meeting Glenn and Patti Lanford up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp. We made a short run  up the creek and fished some dock pilings with jigs and live shrimp - the tide had been coming in for about an hour.  Glenn made short work of knocking the skunk off when he hooked up and landed a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum - the first I've seen in months. Pattie had a Red to the boat but it threw the hook, then Glenn brought in another feisty  Black Drum.

We made a way over to the Jolley River and fished the "bank", first with jigs where Patti fought to the net a feisty Redfish, then we switched to float rigs and picked up another couple of Redfish. They tangled with a couple of Jacks and Lady fish.  After moving around to the outside of Tyger we went back to jigs and this did the trick. Glenn had a strong bite, hooked it up, and patiently fought

to the net a nice sized Flounder that measured right at 18". Both he and Pattie caught a few more smaller Flounder along that stretch. This duo of Nassau Sports Fishing Association anglers were looking for a "Slam" of Redfish, Flounder and Seatrout (to keep) and although we had a "slam" of sorts caught (Black Drum, Flounder, and Redfish), we only had one in the box!

Back up the Jolley we went to fish a flooded point of oysters. The bite started off slow and I was getting a bit worried but then they began to get bites. Pattie caught a feisty Redfish, then Jacks and Ladyfish, then a couple of Seatrout, then Glenn reeled in a nice 17" Seatrout, and then another 15'5" keeper sized Trout. So we ended up with the Flounder and Trout but were missing the Redfish for the "in the box Slam", but as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Fish Fight'n at Amelia Island

 The mornings are getting nicer - Fall is in the air! I met Stephen Googe and his son Graywolf up at the
Old Town Bait and Tackle shop this morning and we headed over to Tyger Island to try our luck fishing the "logs" on a tide that had been coming in for about 2 hours. We were pitching jigs and live shrimp, and a few minnows, up to the bank and fishing it slow. Both angles were getting "bumps" and finally Stephen had a strong one, hooked it up, and landed a hungry Seatrout. Just minutes later Graywolf got in on the action and expertly set the hook on a fish and then worked it to the net, a nice Croaker!

We ran around to the outside of Tyger and fished a large drainage. We could see Mullet getting busted and it wasn't Stephens 2nd or 3rd cast when, Big Fish On!  Stephen worked it to the boat patiently, let it "dig" deep a few times, worked it up, and brought to the net a Big 21" Flounder, boy what a fish. We then worked back into the current and it was Graywolf's turn to fight a Flounder. He got a nice one all the way to the boat but then, BAP! The leader broke. Ouch!  Minutes later Stephen had a good thump, set the hook, and brought to the boat a feisty Redfish.

After moving around to Jolley Bank, we switched to float rigs as the tide was already covering the oysters. Again, we had dozens of "bait stealing" bites but when we got to a point we hovered with the Minnkota and got a few drifts in. Stephen hooked up and landed another feisty Redfish, and a small Jack, then he had a strong hookup and this one was pulling drag! Stephen played it expertly and eventually landed a nice 21" Slot sized Redfish.

We then ran up the river to see if we could get Graywolf a Shark. After pulling into "Snook" Creek we switched back to jigs. They caught a couple of small Croaker, a small Seatrout, then they had two drag ripping battles with Sharks, but alas, the Sharks won!

Our final stop was back down the Jolley, fishing a pointe and it was a Grand Finale! They teamed up on a couple of small Seatrout, a couple of Ladyfish, a big Jack, and a Huge Seatrout that was at the boat before it threw the hook and swam off. I could almost hear it laughing at us! Hah! But we had had some good action and the weather was perfect so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Wrapped a Week Up

I finished up my week fishing with Dale Bullard and his fishing buddy Cotton after meeting them down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp. We had a live well full of mud minnows as we headed up the Nassau River on a tide that had been coming in a few hours. Someone was at Spanish Drop so we continued on to Twin Creeks where we turned into the current and fished it with jigs. We had a few bites but no real takers so I began to let the boat drift with the current and  we did end up catching a Catfish and a hard fighting Jack Crevalle. 

We fished a dock with the jigs for just a few casts, then then ran down to Pumpkin Hill and switched to
float rigs and let them drift long. The two anglers picked up a couple of high flying Ladyfish, a couple of Mangrove Snapper, and a hungry Seatrout. We moved around the corner and picked up a couple of more Ladyfish and another Seatrout. 

After fishing between another couple of docks at Littlefield, we ran thru the marsh and fished a stretch. They caught a feisty Redfish and another Trout along there, then we spotted some "tails" up in the flooded marsh which was cool to see. I tied on a weedless spoon and we eased up into the marsh but those fish were wary and quickly sunk and disappeared.   The weather had been outstanding all morning with a slight breeze and not too hot temperatures and we had some good action, here and there so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Birthday Bash on the Water

 I fished with the Stein girls today - Ellina, Emily, Liz and Erin - meeting them early down at the Sawpit
Creek boat ramp. In addition to getting a break and visiting Amelia Island, they were also helping Erin celebrate a birthday!  We ran up the intercoastal and turned into the Nassau and made our way up to Spanish Drop where we turned into the high, incoming tide and began to drift float rigs with live shrimp, and eventually mud minnows. I noted that the water temperature was 83.5 -still hot-still summer.

Sure enough, these lady anglers began to get bites and tangled with high flying Ladyfish, hard fighting Jack Crevalle, and we got to see a Bonnethead Shark track Erin's bait down and take it and, Fish On!  Erin played it expertly and reeled to the net the Shark which was photographed and released.

We ran down to Pumpkin Hill and fished a stretch and again had some good action catching feisty
Redfish, hungry Seatrout, Ladyfish, Jacks, a nice Mangrove Snapper, a big Bluefish, and a Croaker. We made a stop at Littlefields, switched to the jigs and caught a good handful of Mangrove Snapper, then made our way thru Horsehead, switched back to floats, and here Ellina picked up the biggest Redfish of the day, played it perfectly to the boat, and landed it for a photograph. 

We ended the day with a .....Needlefish catch! Hah! But as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida 

It's Still Summer

 Judging by the amount of Ladyfish we caught today, and the variety of Jacks, Mangroves, Sharks and Pinfish, I'd say it is still Summer!  I had met Bob Kossman and John Suebert down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early and we headed up the intercoastal and then up the Back River and around to Pumpkin Hill to set up along some flooding marsh grass on the last of an incoming tide with plans to drift float rigs along the grass. We were using live shrimp (the bait shop was out but I hear they were getting some today) and although the shrimp got bites on almost every drift, we had to deal with the high flying Ladyfish. Bob did battle a big Jack Crevalle to the net, which is always fun. After fishing around a point, we made a run over to a large drainage at Seymore's Pointe.

Both anglers were getting good casts and good drifts as the tide started out here and they picked up a handful of small Mangroves and then they each landed a couple of hungry Seatrout. We ran thru Horsehead and fished another drainage and here Bob battled a big Bonnethead Shark to the boat for a photograph and release. John had his float disappear slowly and after he reeled up and let the circle hook set, he patiently brought to the boat the first Redfish of the day.  And again, both anglers picked up a couple of Seatrout. 

We fished over at Poteat Cut briefly and again, John (the Redfish King) put another Redfish in the boat, and we then tangled with some more Ladyfish. Back thru Horsehead we went, back to Back River, and set up to drift the floats. The Redfish King found another couple of Reds drifting off the stern while Bob caught Jacks and Ladyfish. One of John's Redfish had 13 spots!

Our final stop was down at Spanish Drop, now fishing with jigs and shrimp. John was hooking up with small but feisty Redfish on almost every cast, but he mixed in a nice Jack Crevalle catch. Bob finished things off with another Shark battle -t was "foul hooked" which made for a tough fight, but Bob was up to the challenge and brought it to the boat for a quick release. We had had some good action most of the morning so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.