Po-tay-to's - Po- tah -to's

 

When I met Jeff Adams, his son Beau, and father-in-law Charlie up at Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp this morning I mentioned that I had live shrimp and mud minnows for bait and young Beau set me straight - Potayto's-Potahto's - it's all the same! And it pretty much was!

We eased out of Eagans Creek and made a run up the river, into the Jolley and all the round to the MOA and fished the first of an incoming tide. We debated whether Jeff's small perch catch counted as "knocking the skunk off" but when Beau hooked up and battled a big Catfish to the boat we knew that the skunk was surely off.  Jeff added a nice Whiting to the catch and they had a couple of Croakers caught, and another small Catfish.

We made our way back to the mouth of the Jolley, fished the "bank" and worked along it tossing the jigs and shrimp and minnows. The trio had a few good bites, no takers, but then Jeff, after making an excllent cast to the base of the oysters, had a hookup. This fish was ripping drag so we knew it had some size to it. He played it perfectly and after a good battle he laned a nice 21" Slot Redfish. 

Back up the Jolley we went and fished float rigs along a couple of banks, then we finished up fishing jits on the outside of Tyger. Both Charlie and Jeff landed Seatrout while Jeff put a couple of Flounder in the boat. We had caught a good handful of fish but as we finished up we could see a wall of rain and sure enough, we had to make our way thru it, but as we eased back into the dock we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Oversized Red Caps The Slam

 I fished this morning with Mathew Massey and his daughter Sutton, meeting them down at the Sawpit
Creek boat ramp. We made the short run up the intercoastal and into the Nassau before pulling up at a large drainage to toss jigs and mud minnows. First cast produced a pretty good cast and then both angles were catching fish. They landed a couple of small Flounder, two fat Seatrout and a couple of feisty Redfish to round out an Amelia Island back country Slam. It was only minutes before Sutton was casting and catching on her own.

\

We then made our way down to Broward Island and stayed with the jigs. Sutton had made an excellent cast to a creek mouth and BAM! Big Fish On!  She played it perfectly and soon landed a big 18" Flounder (all fish caught today were released). They caught a couple of feisty Reds, then we moved up to the other end of the island where Matt put a big Mangrove Snapper in the boat. 

After fishing between two docks at Nassauville, to no avail, we ran thru Horsehead and fished Jackstaff "bank", switching to float rigs. First cast, BAM!  The float was gone. Matt worked to the boat the biggest Trout of the day.  We worked along there tossing the floats, caught a handful of high flying Ladyfish, then, after Matt had made a good cast up into the pocket and got a good drift going, Fish On!  And boy was it a big one!  Matt played expertly, letting that drag rip and when we saw a big boil up near the grass we knew it was a big Redfish. Matt worked it in, let it run, worked it in, and soon landed an Oversized 27.5" Redfish - the biggest Red I've had on the boat in a month! We photographed and released it. We fished over at Pompano Point for a bit, then headed back to the ramp and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Dibs and Dabs

 Dibs and Dabs was what my late mother-in-law called the spread of leftovers she'd put out for dinner. But today I was calling the fish we were catching "dibs and dabs" - we caught a handful of small but feisty Redfish, a Catfish, a hard fighting Jack Crevalle, a Black "puppy" and a handful of some rather large (for here) Mangrove Snapper.

I fished with Bob Blalock, meeting him out at the Goffinsville Park boat ramp and we quickly headed over to Broward Island and fished the logs as the tide began to turn and come back in. Bob caught a couple of Reds and the Catfish, then we moved up to the end of the island as the tide really started to come in. Here, Bob had the strongest hookup of the morning, was playing him expertly and...he's off. Ouch. But we did get three 12" Mangroves along that stretch.

We fished Twin Creeks and here Bob hooked up and landed the Black Drum - on a mud minnow, which surprised the heck out of me. After moving down to Spanish Drop and working that bank, Bob picked up a feisty Jack Crevalle on the back side of a pocket. 

After coming back up the river to Pumpkin Hill, we drifted minnows long on float rigs and caught another Red, and again we had a strong bite way back down the grass line. The big fished rolled once, ripped a bit of drag and again, he was off!  Double ouch! 

We finished up at Seymore's Pointe and landed a couple of more Mangroves before we called it a day and headed back, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Fl. 

Perseverance and Hard Work Pay Off

 I fished with the Burke group today, Marvin and Nicholas and Mason, meeting them out at the Goffinsville Park boat ramp on a tide that had been going out for about an hour. We made a quick jump across the river to the corner of Back River and fished float rigs and live shrimp and minnows along a stretch of grass and I thought for sure we'd get a fish or two, but we got skunked. We did have a couple of nibbles but no takers.

We then ran down the Nassau and thru Horsehead and over to Pompano Point and set up with the floats and it was only minutes and this trio of anglers were hooking up. Marvin kicked it off when he hooked up and caught a hungry Seatrout, then Nicholas got in on the action and caught one, then both of them "doubled up" and caught Trout. Marvin added a small Catfish to the catch total before we moved on. The next stop was back behind us at Jackstaff where we worked the "bank".  Marvin caught and landed another, bigger, Catfish, then Nicholas had a strong hookup and, Fish On!  He stayed patient and worked it slowly to the boat, let it run when it needed to, ripping drag, but he kept the pressure on and eventually landed a keepers sized 19" Slot Redfish!

We worked along there and picked up a couple of small Reds, crossed over and fished a point with the

jigs, to no avail, then moved on. 

After running back thru Horsehead and down the Nassau to Spanish Drop we worked a bank and picked up a Red or two, then we moved up to a large drainage. Mason had been making good casts all day but he must have not worn his "Lucky Hat" because he had a couple of hookups but they threw the hook. I had been stressing "Optimism, Perseverance, and Positive Attitude" and it paid off - Mason finally had a good hookup and expertly brought to the boat a "just undersized" feisty Redfish, then he and Nicholas had a "double" hookup and both brought in a Redfish. Nickolas went to the outside of  (backside of?) of a partially submerged bar, had a "thump" and set the hook. We could tell it was a fish but it was  hanging heavy and sure enough, after patiently working it to the boat, we netted a nice 17" Flounder. 

Mason added a feisty Jack Crevalle to his catch total and Marvin added another Red or two to his then we headed back to the ramp and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Biggest Fish of The Day: Bonnethead Shark

 I fished with the Ankney group today - Blake and Cooper and Keira, meeting them up at the Old Town
Bait and Tackle boat ramp. We eased out of Eagans Creek and made our way over to the outside of Tyger and worked the bank good with shrimp and jigs. Although we had nibbles here and there, we had no takers.

We then ran around to the the Jolly and fished the "bank" and here we "knocked the skunk off" wit a couple of Seatrout catches. We added a good handful of small but feisty Redfish catches, and picked up a couple of small Flounder. After running up the river to Snook Creek, a Black Drum catch rounded out an Amelia Island Grande Slam but it was Keira's hookup that made the "big fish" day. The fish bit and took off and ripped drag for a good long run, and then we thought it was off but it was coming back to us. Keira reeled it up then hung on for a good, long battle. The video doesn't do it justice - I turned it off  for a while - but Keira played it perfectly and patiently and soon brought it to the boat for photograph and release.

After running thru the Jolley and around to the Bell we fished a few docks, had nibbles, but nor real takers. Then we came back to the MOA and here the trio caught another good handful of feisty Redfish. We finished the day back at Tyger, fishing the first of an incoming tide, and again added a couple of Reds, another Flounder, and another Black Drum to the catch total. As we made our way back to the dock we counted it as another great day to be out fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Keeper Sized Fish

After a few days off, I was back fishing today with Garland Clark and his son Kris, meeting them down at Sawpit Creek boat ramp early this morning. We made a short run up the Nassau and pulled up at Spanish Drop and began fishing the edge with jigs and minnows and shrimp and finger mullet. Kris kicked it off pretty early when he battled a strong Jack Crevalle to the net for photo and release. After moving up to a large drainage and fishing the very first of an incoming tide and the action went wild!  

Kris got hot hooking up with one Flounder after another - we counted 5 or 6 with a few of those being in the keeper 15" range. Garland added a small but feisty Redfish to the catch, then Kris landed one too. Kris added a small but feisty Black "puppy" Drum to the catch total. After making our way up to some docks and fishing the pilings, we had a nice keeper sized Mangrove Snapper caught.

After that we headed down to Broward Island and fished the first of an incoming there. Kris had a strong hookup that stayed on for a few seconds and after we eased down a bit we caught more fish: Another keeper sized Flounder (#4), a Slot 19" Redfish (released), and a keeper sized Mangrove. Stopping back by some docks at Nassauville in hopes of getting  a few more Mangroves, Kris surprised us with a big bite. he played it perfectly and we were speculating "Redfish" but when it came to the surface we netted a big 20" Gator Trout! boy what a fish! Shortly after that Kris had a nother one of those tell-tell "thumps" - he worked it to the boat and landed a big 18" Flounder, keeper #5!

We finished the day over in Jackstaff working the bank with float rigs, then we headed back to the ramp counting it as another great day fishing the back waters of Amelia Island. 

Trout Flurry Saves the Day

 I fished today with Tom Keller and his grandsons Tripp and Bryson, meeting them up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp on a tide that was high and coming in. It was already hot as we eased out of Eagans Creek and made our way over to Bell River to set up along a point with plans to drift float rigs and mud minnows along the grass. Tripp got things started off early when he hooked up and landed a hungry Seatrout.

We ran thru Tyer and around to the outside of the island and fished the very last of that incoming tide and here Tripp had another Trout on, this one bigger, but it threw the hook, Ouch!  But Tom had his hookup and after patiently playing it to the boat he landed a keeper sized Seatrout. We worked along the bank tossing the float rigs, had a few bites, but no takers, and when the tide changed we moved back to the pointe where we had begun and this did the trick. Bryson had been staying persistent and it paid off when he had his float disappear. He set the hook and worked it to the boat expertly and landed another keeper sized Seatrout. Moments later Tripp had a hookup and he also played it expertly to the net, another keeper Trout. Tripp also had one feisty Redfish catch.

After running up the Jolly and fishing a couple of banks with the floats, to no avail, we came back to the outside of Tyger and swathed to jigs and worked the bank. We had numerous bites and Tom added another hungry Seatrout catch to the total, then we headed back to the ramp and counted it as another great to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florid. 

Slow Start Climax's with Big Fish!

 We switched it up today, fishing out of Old Town Bait and Tackle ramp- The "bite" had been fairly slow down south the last couple of days so we decided to fish north. I met Ray Pinkston and his son Jack early and we eased out of Eagans and made our way over to the outside of Tyger where we set up with float rigs and mud minnows, drifting on teh first of an outgoing tide. We did have our hearts get to beating faster early - Ray hooked up and his fish is still heading north. I'm pretty sure it was a Shark. Then it was Jacks turn to have the heart-pounding battle - he hooked up and even though this fish was ripping drag, it did roll to the top in the shallow water. Jack was playing him like a pro but this fish was smart - it got up into some shallow oyster laden water and BAP! Fish Off! Ouch. The duo did pick up a small Red and a small jack before we left.

Our next stop was over on the outside of Tyger, working the sandy bottom with jigs and the minnows. Jack got hot catching small but hungry Seatrout then both he and Ray were catching Flounder. Most were small but every once in a while they'd put a "keeper" sized Flounder in the boat. Then Ray, fishing off the stern, had a good "bump" - he set the hook and landed a keeper sized Seatrout. We had a few in the box.

On around in the Jolley, fishing the bank, back with float rigs, they added a small Red and Jack to the catch total. After fishing a large drainage on up the river we pulled up and fished Snook Creek with the floats. It was a good move!  Ray had a strong bite and this was ripping the drag and digging deep. Ray kept the pressure on and worked to the boat a nice Slot 22" Redfish. The duo caught a handful of smaller Reds then Jack had a big bite. I was thinking it was a Redfish the way it was pulling but when Jack worked it to the surface it was a BIG Seatrout. Jack pateintly brought it to the net and landed a 21.75" Seatrout. Boy what a fish! And big enough to move Jack into 2nd Place in the Anglers Mark 2024 Bragging Rights Tournament-Seatrout Category. (Scroll down the right side of this report for standings).

Then Jack topped it off with a 9-spot Slot Redfish of his own caught. Boy what a day - it got better as it went along so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Water Like Glass

 I met Len Pelletier, his son Scott, and grandson Kevin down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early this
morning and as we cruised up the intercoastal the water was like glass it was so calm. We made our way up to Pompano Point and unlimbered the float rigs, baited with live shrimp and mud minnows that I had caught at the dock. The calm conditions didn't bode well for fish catching - we had only nibbles. After dropping back to Jackstaff, we worked a bank with the floats, again to no avail. We were an hour in to the trip and hadn't had a bite!

After running thru Horsehead and around to Seymore's Pointe we pulled up at some rocks and fished the floats and at least got into some action caching Mangrove Snapper. Kevin got the hot hand and pulled away in the fish catch count, and never looked back. But Scott, fishing a minnow had the strong hookup. This fish was ripping drag, dove under the boat, and dug deep. But Scott kept the pressure on, played it patiently, and soon brought to the net a nice 20" Slot Redfish. After getting a good handful of keeper sized Mangroves, we moved on. 

Our next stop was down at Twin Creeks where we switched to jigs and shrimp and minnows. Although we didn't get any fish there, as we worked the bank Kevin had that tell-tell "thump", he hooked it up and brought to the boat a 17" Flounder. After catching some perfect sized finger mullet we moved down to Spanish Drop worked it good, but then a heavy rain moved in on us - we could hear it coming across the marsh which was cool, but then we got soaked!  We made a run back to the ramp, outran the rain, and when we made it back we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Making Due With Bait Shortage

 There was as slight hiccup in the bait supply the last couple of days and luckily I got a text from AIBT
last evening about there being no bait to buy this morning, so I made plans to get up a bit earlier than usual, loaded my gear and some old frozen shrimp and headed to the Sawpit Creek boat ramp. After launching the boat I set out a minnow trap then trolled the bank looking for finger mullet. The tide was fairly high and I guess the mullet had not come out of the creeks, but when I checked the minnow trap I had a couple of dozen so I stored them, re-set the trap and kept at it until I had 4-5 dozen. I then ran up to Goffinsville Park and met William and Dara Blalock for a morning of back water fishing - bait problem solved!

We crossed over and fished the corner at Middle River, had a few bites, but no takers, then ran thru Horsehead and over to Pompano Point and fished those stretches of grass with float rigs and the minnows. William put a small Catfish in the boat, then a feisty Redfish. We came back and fished the entrance to Jackstaff and picked up another couple of smaller Reds when we switched to jigs. Dara had a hangup on a oyster shell but when it came off she felt a tell-tell "bump" and when she set the hook, fish on!  She worked it to the boat and landed a nice 18" Flounder. 

After running back thru Horsehead and down to Spanish Drop we fished a drainage and picked up another smaller Flounder or two. Further down the river we fished some shell beds, added another small Red, then Dara had another one of those bumps, just off a finger of grass that had fallen in. She was fighting it expertly - we saw a nice Flounder flash and....fish off!  Ouch!

Our final stop was over at some docks at Nassauville where the duo added one more small Flounder to their catch and a couple of keeper sized Mangrove Snapper (all fish caught today were released). We had made due with the bait we had and had caught a handful of fish so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.