Fending Off The Sharks

 

I wrapped my week up fishing with Jon Beall and his visiting son Brian. We met down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early and headed up the intercoastal, then into the Nassau and made our way up to Spanish Drop where we turned into the incoming tide and began working the bank with float rigs. 

Everywhere we went today we were waylaid by sharks! Every stop, almost. We picked up some Jacks here, also, then moved up the river to Twin Creeks, fished it a bit, then I let the boat drift up the river with the current. This paid off with a couple of feisty Redfish catches, and a keeper sized Seatrout. 

We then ran over to Seymore's and played tag with some Mangroves - we caught a handful, most were
small, but we had one keeper caught on a jig down on the bottom.  Our next stop was down at Pumpkin Hill and after we weeded out a couple of Shark, the duo picked up a handful of Redfish, two of which were in the Slot. We fished a point and Brian added a keeper sized Seatrout with his first drift. We bounced around that area with not much luck until John made a cast up beyond a point of grass, let it drift and BAM! Big Fish On!  Jon played it patiently, worked it to the boat, and soon landed a 21.5" Seatrout, the 2nd biggest of the year which put him on the board in the Anglers Mark 2024 Bragging Rights Tournament-Seatrout Category(scroll down the right side of this report for standings). 

Note: a 20" Trout was caught in the exact same spot 3 days earlier!

We came back to Seymore's, fished a large drainage, played with the Mangroves, and added one more keeper to the box. After running thru Horsehead and around to Pompano Point we worked that bank. We again had to fight thru the Sharks but they added three more keeper sized Seatrout to their catch and tossed back a third Slot Red. We had had a bunch of action and had a good mess of fish in the box, so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Lead Changes

 

I was fishing up north out of Old Town Bait and Tackle this morning. After meeting Aaron Self, his son Isaac, and his cousin Robert, we headed out of Eagans Creek and made run up to the Jolley River and turned into the current to fish the "bank" with float rigs and live shrimp. We worked that bank pretty good back to the point where Aaron "knock the skunk off" with a Seatrout catch, taking the lead in the biggest/most/first fish caught.  But shortly after that Robert had gone up into a pocket and hooked up and landed  an nice keeper size Flounder. 

We then ran up the river and fished a point where Aaron promptly caught a Seatrout up by the grass.
Even further up the river at Snook Creek we worked the bank and here the anglers caught a handful of small Trout and then both Robert and Isaac tangled with some drag ripping Bonnethead Shark. We also added a keeper sized Seatrout here.

Our next stop was back at the outside of Tyger, fishing the first of an outgoing tide. Although we had numerous nibbles, we had no real bites. I was torn about which spot to hit next - run over to Lanceford and fish some drainages or run back towards Jolley and fish the outside of Tyger? We stayed at Tyger, switched to jigs and minnows and worked a small drop off and this paid off. 

They picked up two more keeper sized Seatrout, a Jack or two, then Robert, who had tossed to where there was a discoloration in the water (different depths), had a strong bite and BAM! Big Fish On! It was digging deep and ripping drag and we were all speculating what it was. Robert kept the pressure on, played it perfectly and soon brought to the surface and the net an Oversized 28" Redfish, boy what a fish. Aaron followed that up with a good hookup of his own. He worked it to the boat expertly and landed a Slot Redfish. The trio also added a handful of smaller Flounder to their catch total. 

The sun was up, we had a nice box of fish so we headed back to the ramp and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Caught the Limit plus 1

I was again down at Sawpit this morning, but a little bit later, which turned out to be a good thing and a not-so-good thing. I met Cheryl McBride with her two adult kids Rachel and Michael and we ran up the intercoastal, dipped into Jackstaff, and then into a creek and began tossing float rigs with live shrimp up near the grass and at run outs on a tide that had just started out.  Michael got things going when he caught a couple of feisty Jack Crevalle, and then he put a keeper sized Seatrout in the boat. 

We then moved around to Pompano Point and fished that outgoing tide. I was about to give up on the spot, and even mentioned the "4 minute rule" when the bite really turned on. Rachel had a strong hookup and, Fish On! She played the fish expertly and brought to the net a nice 21" Slot Redfish. But "Raging Redfish Rachel" wasn't finished! She had another hookup, fought it like a pro, and brought to the net another 22" Slot Redfish. While she was fighitng one of those Cheryl went north of a grassy point and BAM! A hookup. She patiently played a  keeper sized Seatrout to the net. Both Cheryl and Michael battled 3' Bonnethead to the boat for photo's and release, then Michael had a good bite, hooked it up, and battled to the boat another Slot Redfish.  The trio also caught a handful of Bluefish, Jacks, and Ladyfish while we were there. We thought Rachel had topped it off when she caught and landed here third (the boat's 4th) Slot Redfish but then Michael had something take his shrimp and all heck broke loose!  This fish was ripping line and we felt comfortable it was a shark, and boy was it!  It came out of the water and spun then ripped line, then came out of the water and spun, then ripped line as it circled the boat and jumped and twirled. At one time we thought it was coming in the boat! But eventually it dove under the boat and ran and popped the line, what a crazy battle!

We finished the morning over at Twin Creeks, still fishing the floats, but when we had no real bites we switched to a jig and shrimp and this paid off with a keeper sized Flounder that Cheryl reeled in. Boy was it hot now! We headed back to the ramp and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Calling For The Slam

 Amelia Island

I was back to work today, fishing south out of Sawpit Creek with Scott and Carron Frost. After meeting them early, we headed up the intercoastal, thru the Back River and around to Pumpkin Hill and set  up fishing float rigs and live shrimp on the last of an incoming tide. Carron kicked it off pretty quick with a couple of Bluefish catches, we had a breakoff or two, then Carron had a stong hookup. I was thinking it was a Redish by the way the drag was ripping -Carron kept the pressure on, worked it to the boat and I was still thinking "Redfish" until I saw it flash - a huge Seatrout!  We got it to the net and it measured right at 20", boy what a fish! Both anglers battled Bonnethead Sharks to the boat for photograph and release. 

We fished a large drainage down from Seymore's Pointe and had a some good bites. Scott hooked up and landed a keeper sized Mangrove Snapper. After running thru Horsehead and over to Pompano Point  we again drifted the floats. After a couple of good bites but no takes Carron then hooked up and the drag was ripping. She battled it to the boat and landed a nice 20" Slot Redfish. Shortly after that she had another hookup, played it experlty, and landed a 2nd Slot 21" Redfish. Scott followed that up with a Redfish catch of his own, then he put a keeper sized Seatrout in the box. 

We fished the mouth of Jackstaff for a while then ran back thru Horsehead and down to Twin Creeks.
Scott and I both were kidding Carron that she hadn't caught a Flounder for a "Slam" when sure enought she had a slow take, a hookup, and when we saw that this fish was digging deep we felt sure it was a Flounder. And it was!  A nice 17" fish that went in the box. 

Our final stop was further down the river at Spanish Drop, working the bank and here Scott got hot, putting a couple of more Redfish in the boat - one bit the minute the bait hit the water. One of those fish was the third Slot Redfish of the day. We had caught some good fish, had a beautiful day, so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Boaters: It's On You To Step Up

 It appears that the City Commission will be moving forward with the Waterfront Park to be located at the City Marina. In addition to water guzzling grassy lawns and landscaping, there will be a "Pavillion" (note: not to be called a Band Shell) and a children's play area. What any of that has to do with a Working Waterfront is beyond me.  The architectural drawings look great with grassy lawns and beautiful trees, but you have to wonder what resources it's going to take to keep the area looking "Disney-like?"

City Commissioners are promising in social media posts and news articles "expanded" boat trailer parking with at least 12 spaces and maybe 15 depending how it all washes out. Even though the lot used to be wide open to boat trailers, and even though the area just across the railroad tracks used to be overflow for boat trailers, Commissioners boast that they've "expanded" boat trailer parking. Crazy huh? Crazy that they can look you in the eye and stretch that truth. 

The general public has bought it hook, line and sinker. Even most boaters, anglers and commercial fishermen THINK that their access to the boat ramp is safe. What they don't know is that Commissioners, Staff, the Tourism folks and Mainstreet folks are drooling at the thought of hosting events at the new park. I remind you that they close the parking lot for the annual Pentanque Tournament. They close the lot AND the ramp during the Shrimp Festival. 

What do you think is going to happen when the Farmers Market is moved to the Park? When Sounds on Centre is moved to the Park? When the Chili Cook-off is moved to the park?  When music events are held at the "pavilion"? Will Commissioners lean towards "public safety"  and close the parking lot or maintain boater access?

I've been aggravated, disgruntled, pissed, and even crest fallen about this issue. But almost at the same level, I've been more disappointed in the angling and boating community for their apathy towards their access to our public waters. When the vote for moving forward to fund the park was decided on there were 4 Captains that showed up at the meeting and spoke:  Capt Terry Lacosse (in his 70's).  Capt Scott Stewart (in his 70's). Myself (67), and Capt Allen Mills (in his mid 60's). These older Captains may still keep on fishing (as a livelihood) for years to come. but eventually some of the younger guys and the general boating public need to get involved and fight for access. Lack of access to the water will have a bigger effect on them, and you would think they may want their kids to have access to the water. 

Just my opinion, but boaters and anglers tend NOT to be activists. They want to get out on the water,
enjoy boating or fishing, and be left alone. But sometimes you gotta step up. YOUR access to the City Marina boat ramp is being threatened. Dee Dee Bartels boat ramp is dangerous with a strong west wind blowing, and damaging to your boat on any given day. Sawpit Creek boat ramp is falling apart with Park management seemingly ambivalent about it. Goffisnville park is a nightmare to use on an outgoing tide. ALL of those ramps have the bare minimum of dock space. You pay taxes. You deserve better. 

I don't know him. Never met him personally. But Commissioner David Sturges is the ONLY Commissioner that voted against the waterfront park. The City elections coming up will pit supposedly "conservative" incumbent candidates versus left leaning eco nuts. Unfortunately most of those incumbent candidates are pushing the waterfront park and squeezing your access to the water. It's going to be a tough pick for boaters. 

We Weren't Fishing, We Were Catching!

 It looks like I wrapped my week up fishing this morning with the Sparrow crew - Will, his kids Abigailand William, and his mother Nancy -meeting them up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp. We had a bait will full of live shrimp and frisky mud minnows as we eased out of Eagans Creek and made a run down the river to fish an exposed shell bank with jigs rods on a tide that still had about two hours to hit bottom. 

It didn't take long for Abigail to "knock the skunk off" with a nice Redfish catch, and from then on I stayed busy netting fish and bating hooks. All four anglers caught fish - Redfish and Flounder - we had at least one Slot Red along that stretch, and two keeper sized Flounder and we tossed back a good handful of smaller fish. 

As the bite slowed we ran further down the river and on around to the MOA (mother of all) spot and boy were we in for a surprise!  Abigail hooked and expertly battled to the boat another Slot Red. William landed a couple of keeper sized Seatrout. His dad Will hooked up with a monster and after a long battle landed an Oversized 29.75" Redfish (4th biggest of the year on the Anglers Mark). Nancy fought a nice Slot Redfish to the boat. Both Will and William brought Bonnethead Shark to the net for photograph and release. William tangled with

another Oversized Red that was having none of coming to the boat. It rolled and boiled and dug deep and eventually broke off. And to top things off, Will, after bumping his bait over a shell bed, and thinking he might have a shell until it began to pull back, yelled, "it's a fish", and boy was it!  Will patiently played it and worked it to the net to land a Doormat of a Flounder that measured at 21.5" - big enought to move Will in to 2nd Place in the Anglers Mark 2024 Bragging Rights Tournament-Flounder Category(scroll down the right side of this report for standings). Boy what a fish!

We finished up around the corner tossing float rigs on an incoming tide and tangling with a handful ofBonnethead Shark and then we headed back to the ramp, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Snapper Boys and a nice Red

 I fished with the Palmore boys this morning, Justin and his sons Will and Bentley, meeting them down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early. We headed up the intercoastal then in to the Nassau and after a brief run, pulled up at Spanish Drop and began fishing with jigs and live shrimp and mudminnows on a tide that still had about an hour and a half of going out. We worked along a shell bank and picked up a Jack and a tangled with a couple of high flying Ladyfish. 

After moving up the way to fish a large drainage, young Bentley had a good bite, a hookup, and after a good battle he landed a keeper sized Flounder - first in the box! After fishing Bubblegum Reef briefly, and to no avail, we ran across the river and tried a new spot, but alas, we caught no fish. We then fished between a couple of docks at Nassauville and picked up a couple of small Mangroves, then we moved up to Seymore's Pointe and really got into some Mangroves. All three anglers caught fish with one of Will's Mangroves being the biggest. Will also had a strong bite off the stern, up near the rocks, and this fish was ripping drag - it wasn't a Mangrove! Will played it expertly but this fish was having nothing of it, it dug deep and broke the leader. Ouch!

But Justin went back with a cast to the rocks, opened his bail and let it drift with the current and when it reached an outcrop, BAM! Big Fish On!  Again, it was digging deep and ripping drag but Justin kept the pressure on and soon brought to the net a nice 24.25" Slot Redish.

Our final stop was over at the mouth of Jackstaff, working a bank with float rigs and the trio caught a handful of small but feisty Redfish. It had been a beautiful day and we had fish in the box so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Shell Banks and Grass Lines

 I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend and took time to honor our fallen service men and women. It's amazing the sacrifice some made for us, and their families, too.

We were back at it today, fishing out of Goffinsville Park after I had met Steve Locke and his son Justin early. We made a short run down the Nassau River and pulled up at Spanish Drop, turned into the outgoing current and fished until the tide hit bottom. We had some pretty good action fishing jigs and live shrimp - Steve picked up a Jack Crevallle and a Ladyfish off the stern, then as we reached a submerged bar both he and Justin began to get Redfish - a good handful of them. Then Steve had a stronger bite - he played it patiently, and after a good battle landed a nice Slot sized 21" Redfish. 

We move up a bit to a large drainage and I think their first casts produced small but feisty Redfish. Steve battled a 3- Bonnethead Shark to the boat before we moved on. The tide had started back in so we fished a dock at Seymore's and managed a couple of small but legal Mangrove Snappers.  After fishing down at Broward - we only got a small Mangrove, we came back to Nassauville and fished some docks, to no avail. 

We just haven't been getting any good fish around the docks or downed logs. We came back down teh river, ran thru Horsehead and pulled up at the mouth of Jackstaff and worked the bank with float rigs. This duo caught another Jack then as we reached a small cove, BAM! Big Bite. Justin was on the rod and battled the big fish. It was digging deep and making runs. Justin Stayed with it and eventually worked it to the net - an upper Slot 26.25" Red. Boy what a fish. But birthday boy Justin wasn't finished! In just a short time he had another strong hookup Again, a big battle ensued. Justin played it perfectly and after a while landed an Oversized 30.25" Red - big enough to move Justin into 3rd Place in the Anglers Mark 2024 Bragging Rights Tournament-Redfish Category. (scroll down the right side of this report for standings).

They picked up another couple of smaller Reds, another nice Shark, and a handful of hungry Seatrout before we called it a day and as we ran back thru Horsehead, we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Something Learned

 I wrapped up my week yesterday fishing with Kenny King and his friends John Raker and John's mother Betty, meeting them again out at Goffinsville Park boat ramp. 

Note: You never know when you'll be surprised at the boat ramp - a guy had backed his truck (no trailer/boat) down the ramp, got out, and was fishing from the ramp. When I pulled up I thought he was launching so I sat and waited for a while. When he didn't pull out I got out and checked -  sure enough he was just blocking the ramp and fishing. Crazy. 

We had a tide that was coming in for a couple of more hours so we ran across the river and went with float rigs up to the grass on that flooding tide. I was hoping we'd get  some reds up in those pockets but I don't think we had even a bite until Betty, fishing off the stern, had her float drifting over some submerged oysters. When the float went under she at first thought she might be hung up but that hang up started pulling back!  Betty played the fish expertly and brought to the net a nice 19.5" Flounder, big enough to secure 2nd place in the Anglers Mark 2024 Bragging Rights Tournament-Flounder Category(scroll down the right side of this report for standings).

After fishing a good stretch along there we made a run down the Nassau and pulled up at Twin Creeks and drifted the floats again. Crazy how we were getting no bites, not even a baitstealer until John had a good take, and Fish On!  He fought it patiently, let it run, worked it up and soon landed a Slot 21" Redfish. Later he battled a 4' Bonnethead to the boat and then commented, "we've had three bites and three fish caught!"

We went over to Seymore's and tinkered with some Small Mangroves, then around the corner to do the
same and here Kenny put a fat Mangrove in the boat. There was also a Jack or two caught sometime in there.  After running thru Horsehead we fished Pompano Point and here Betty got busy catching fish off the stern. She was drifting here float/shrimp past a grassy corner and then down alongside it and BAM! She'd have a hookup. She added to the catch total with two more feisty Redfish. 

Our final stop, after running back thru Horsehead, was over at Back River, working an outgoing tide. The trio of angles were drifting on the outside of some shell beds that you could barely make out in the water. We had an epiphany - try tossing the float over the submerged shell bed and hope it's deep enough for the float to drift along he backside - they did!  Kenny had a good drift going - it snagged, then came off, and BAM!   Fish On!  Kenny played it to the boat and landed a nice 17.5" Flounder.  John tried it and he too got a good drift and BAM! He had a hookup. When he got his to the boat we found it was a small Black Tip Shark. Summer is here!  It was getting hot. But as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida

Oversized Reds in the Backwater

 I've probably mentioned it before....my dad, when we would be passing thru a rural area that had cows, he said his grandfather(my great grandfather) would say, "the cows are laying down, the fish aren't biting".  We don't have any cows here at Amelia Island, but I've found that as I trailer my boat down to Sawpit Creek, there are rabbits out on the grass just past the Omni and I like to count them as I head south. I've always wondered if there was a correlation to how the fish bite would be. Today was a 5 "Wabbit" Day. 

I met longtime friend Michael Stalvey, his son Byrd, and son-in-law Tylor Deas early at the ramp and we headed up the intercoastal and then up the Nassau to make our first stop at Spanish Drop, turned into the incoming current, and began to toss float rigs to a flooding grass bank. We worked that bank thoroughly and I think we may have picked up a small Jack Crevalle and a tangled with a high flying Ladyfish. 

The weather conditions couldn't have been any better- sunshine, just a slight breeze, and almost pond-like water. We moved down the way and fished Twin creeks with the floats - didn't get a bite, but I let off the trolling motor lock and we drifted with the current. Tylor had a good bite that didn't take and Mike followed right in behind him and BAM, Fish On!  Mike played it perfectly and soon landed a Slot 20" Redfish. 

Our next stop was up at Seymore's Pointe where we drifted float rigs up by the rocks. The trio of anglers
caught a handful of Mangrove Snapper, a couple of which were keepers. But when we switched to jigs on the bottom things really picked up and they put another handful in the boat. We ended up keeping seven with the biggest measuring to 12".  I know that's not "big", but these Mangroves make for some good eating!

We then ran thru Horsehead and over to Pompano Point and worked the first 30 yards with the float rigs. After getting a small Jack and a small Trout, we eased up the bank and all "heck" broke loose! Mike had let a soggy shrimp soke up near the bank - something took it and, BIG FISH ON!  This fish was ripping drag and digging deep. Mike stayed with it, kept the pressure on, let it run, worked it around the bow, worked it around the stern, and eventually landed a big Oversized 31.5" Redfish, big enough to move him in to 2nd place in the Anglers Mark 2024 Bragging Rights Tournament-Redfish Category(scroll down the right side of this report for standings). Boy what fish. 

But we weren't finished, by a long shot!  Tylor went up to a grassy point and BAM! Big Fish On! He played it perfectly and landed an Oversized 29" Redfish to move in to 3rd place in the Bragging Rights Tournament.  Byrd went up to the same area and BAM! Big Fish On! He expertly battled this fish to the net and landed ANOTHER oversized 28" Redfish. They continued to fish this same spot, added two more Slot Reds, then Byrd, wanting to get on the Bragging Rights board, went back and caught a 29" Oversized Red. Boy what a finish!  We headed back to the ramp and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.