Crazy Action Packed Day at Amelia Island

 I wrapped my week up fishing with the Averbuch crew - Mark and his son Cutler and grandson Harvey- meeting them down at Sawpit Creek early today. We made our way up the intercoastal, up the Nassau, and made our first stop at Spanish Drop. As we worked the bank with jigs and live shrimp and a few mud minnows Mark got hot catching fish, making it plain that he didn't come fishing, he came to catch. He boated a feisty Redfish to "knock the skunk off", then hooked up a with a small Trout and another Red. Then the other two got in on the action and caught a good handful of feisty Reds. Mark had a strong hookup, battled it expertly, and landed the first Slot Redfish of the day, one of five that this team would catch. I was expecting a Flounder along here but they didn't cooperate.

We were really blowing thru the Shrimp so when we made our next run we made stop up near Seymore's Point and cast netted for  4-5 perfect size finger mullet. Then thru Horsehead we went and around to Jackstaff where we trolled into the current along the "bank". Again, this trio of Anglers stayed busy, catching another handful of small but feisty Reds. Harvey added to the variety when he hooked up and landed a keeper sized Mangrove Snapper (all fish but one were released today) ,then his dad Cutler battled to the boat the 2nd slot Red to be photographed and released. Somewhere along there we caught a respectable Jack Crevalle. But no Flounder. 

Back thru Horsehead we came and down the Nassau to Twin Creeks where we stuck with the jigs, but to no avail. After we bounced over to Nassauville and fished between two docks we had nothing, not a Red, not a Trout, not a Snapper, and no, not even a Flounder.

Our next and final stop was over at Pumpkin Hill and here we switched to floats with plans to drift the bank. Boy were we in for an awakening!  They caught a couple of the small Redfish, then Mark had a drag ripping bite. This was a big fish and when it boiled up we knew it was big. Mark fought it paitently, letting it run and rip that drag and after a good battle landed an Oversized 30.5" Redfish, big enough to move him in to 3rd Place in the Anglers Mark 2024 Bragging Rights Tournament -Redfish Category. (scroll down the right side of this report for standings). 

At that same time Cutler had a hookup and he was a battling #3 Slot Red to the boat. Young Harvey put a couple of Reds in the boat then Cutler added a nice 17" Seatrout. He and Mark both added Slot Reds to their catch total, making it number 4 and 5 for Slots for the day. With all that going on you would have thought we'd of got a Flounder!

But as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Jack Frenzy Gives Us Some Action

 First day back after Tropical Storm Debby passed thru...I met Dennis Fritz, his son Doug, and grandsons Ethan and Spencer, down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early. We made our way over to the Nassau River, ran up it a bit, and made a stop at Spanish Drop on a tide that was almost at the bottom. Fish the banks with jigs and mudminnows and live shrimp, it was Doug, fishing off the stern, he "knocked the skunk off" with a feisty Redfish catch. He followed that up with a keeper sized  Flounder (all fish caught today were released).

We moved up a couple of hundred yards and fished a drainage and here young Spencer expertly hauled
in another feisty Redfish, grandpa eased in a Blue Crab (you gotta be good to catch a Blue Crab), and Ethan, fishing on the bow, tangled with a couple of high flying Ladyfish, "the poor man's Tarpon".  We ran down to Broward Island and fished the last of the outgoing tide on one end where we only had one bite, a good one that ripped drag, but didn't take. After fishing the north end on the first of an incoming tide to no avail, we moved on. 

Up at Pumkin Hill we switched to floats but before we could even get a good drift on we saw that there
was some serious busting of bait going on, with birds diving, and fish thrashing. These anglers began to toss their shrimp and minnows to the commotion, they had a few hits that didn't take, then BAM! Dennis, fishing off the stern had his float disappear. He lifted the rod, tightened up, and Fish On! His drag was ripping as the fish ran west then east then BAM! Doug had a strong bite and boy was it a fish!  His fish ran north then south, ripping drag all the way and then we had to "do the dance'". Doug's fish brought him from the bow back to the stern and under Dennis's rod, and back to the stern. Dennis's fish dug deep and then headed around the engine. It was an epic battle but the two anglers finally landed their respective Jack Crevalle's, boy what a battle!

Just a short time later both Spencer and Ethan were treated to their own Jack Crevalle fight. They did outstanding and fought their fish to the net for photo and release. Somewhere in there Dennis quietly hooked up and landed a hungry Seatrout. And with that, we called it day and as we headed back we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Scuttlebutt: Yes On 2

This appeared in the Florida Guides Association's newsletter, written by FGA President Capt Dylan Hubbard..  

YES ON 2

 

We had a great time at ICAST pushing for the right to hunt and fish which will be on the Florida ballot this coming November in Florida as Amendment 2. We had great support around the show from our partners, friends, and fellow industry folks supporting "Yes on 2’ which is the phrasing we will continue to push hard as we approach the upcoming election.

 

The upcoming election is a golden opportunity to enshrine our right to hunt and fish into our Florida state constitution. We will be the 24^th state to do this and we will be further protecting our ability to enjoy our pastimes, lifestyles, and livelihoods for years to come.

 

Keep in mind there have been movements in other states, like Oregon, to criminalize hunting and fishing If you look at the opposition we have faced along the road thus far it's clear there is a TON of money and power fighting our ability to pass Amendment 2 in November and if we do it will protect our right to hunt and fish. We want these activities as a right and not a privilege to ensure they are more long-term and not as easily intruded upon.

 

Some are spreading misinformation — like  how this could affect the net ban which is a comical attempt to dissuade folks from supporting the Amendment 2 ‘right to hunt and fish’. However, anyone who looks at this with any degree of constitutional knowledge knows that these things are already harmonious and thus voting yes on 2 to enshrine our rights to hunt and fish would not make things already illegal all of a sudden legal.

 

For example, trespassing, hunting deer with spotlights at night, and gillnets are all illegal ways to harvest animals and fish. If this amendment passed, which we hope it will, none of that would suddenly become legal. The language in Amendment 2 will simply be read as a part of the constitution and harmoniously be added to the language already establishing those worrisome methodologies as illegal.

 

Don’t fall into the opposition’s trap… they have even flagged the supporting website so we can no longer share it on Facebook, but if you want more information and who’s behind this, check out the YES ON 2 Florida website - https://yeson2florida.com/

 

If you want to read the simple, clear, and three-sentence long amendment language without anything hidden in the text, it is all available publicly. The following link will even show you the opposition and some of their arguments… like this one, which is the top result and comical as all get out. "We are in the midst of a global extinction crisis and a climate crisis. Our wildlife needs a break from the carnage…”

here’s the link to read text and more - https://ballotpedia.org/Florida_Amendment_2,_Right_to_Hunt_and_Fish_Amendment_(2024)

 

So that’s what we face as opposition, people who feel hunters and anglers are at fault for the carnage of our wildlife, we need to pull together, unite, and get this thing passed!

Make sure to tell all your friends to VOTE YES ON 2’ in Florida this November and make sure to share the info with any and all that you can!

 

Tight lines and following seas,

Capt Dylan Hubbard

President, FGA

cell -> (727)420-9485 

MORE Scuttlebett HERE

Tyger Beauty

t's always a treat to get to fish the outside of Tyger Island as the sun comes up - the sun shining on the
marsh grass and trees with birds roosting is so beautiful! That was our first stop after I picked up Kenny King and his friends John and Betty Raker.  After leaving the newly revamped Oyster Bay Marina, we headed down Lanceford, up the Bell and thru Tyger around to the outside and set up on a corner to toss float rigs- we had live mud minnows, shrimp and finger mullet as bait. 

The trio caught a hanful of fish there - Jacks and Pinfish, and feisty Redfish and Trout. We crossed over the river and fished the mouth of Manatee Creek, again with the float rigs and again we caught a handful fish. Betty was at the stern, her usual spot, and every once in a while she'd yell, "fish", and reel one in. John had made an excellent cast up tot he grass and let his bait drift right along the shore  - his float slowly went under, he tightened up and, Fish On!  John worked it slowly to the net to land a nice 18" keeper Flounder. Shortly after that, in almost the same spot, Kenny was getting a good drift and BAM! Bigger fish on!  He played it perfectly, rag ripping, and after a good battle landed a nice 19" Slot Redfish.

We then headed up to the Jolley, but stopped to work the river side of Tyger. They caught a Trout or two, a Jack or Two, and a Flounder. We continued on up and into the Jolley, stopping at Snook Creek where Kenny battled a 3' Bonnethead Shark to the boat for photograph and release. Back at Jolley "bank" we worked it good. Betty held up the stern, bringing in a couple of feisty Reds and a small Flounder while Kenny and John fished forwared. They added Reds and then Kenny brought the final keeper in to the  boat, another nice 16" Flounder. We had had a beautiful day, had gotten to fish some beautiful area, caught some fish, so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

2nd Chance

 I was out at Goffinsville again this morning, fishing with David Vice and his buddy Roland. The sun had just come up as we left the dock and made our way down the Nassau River, thru Horsehead and over to Pompano Point with plans to fish float rigs with live mud minnows and a handful of finger mullet. The duo had a couple of bites then Roland hooked up and landed a nice 18" keeper Seatrout.  Roland was hot early - in addition to the trout he caught a feisty Redfish, a Jack, and a couple of Ladyfish. 

But when his float disappeared and his drag began to rip we knew he had a big one on!  Roland worked it patiently and ....Fish OFF! Ouch! Boy that hurts. But he got a 2nd chance!  Roland had made a good cast up to a grassy point and BAM! Big Fish On!  This fish dug deep up shallow, boiled a time or two, then came out deep and took Roland from the bow to the stern, around the engine, back around the engine, and back once more. He played it perfectly and eventually landed a big 26.75" tournament Redfish, boy what a fish!

After fishing up and down that stretch and getting a couple of more fish we made our way back over to Jackstaff "bank". I eased along the bank as they tossed their float rigs. David was a good host and had been "laying back" but here he stepped up to catch a few. After making a good cast just above a small drainage, he let his float drift back and after it slowly went under, he tightened up and let the circle hook set. Later he said it felt like an oyster but then it began to fight. David brought it to the net and landed a keeper sized Flounder. He continued his catching ways, catching a couple of more feisty Redfish. As we moved up the bank Roland got back in on the action and found a few small Reds along the bank, but then one took it and ripped drag - this one was a bit bigger. Roland expertly played it and brought it in -a nice 19" Slot Redfish

We fished a stretch of bank at Back River, between a couple of docks at Nassauville, then finished up at Penny's Point, all to no avail. But we had a good box 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.
 

Counting Variety

 I was out at Goffinsville this morning meeting John Raker, his mother Betty, and his friend Kenny early for a day of back country fishing. We made a short run from the ramp over to Back River and set up alongside a marsh  bank as the tide flowed out and I felt sure we'd be catching fish soon. I just knew it. But no, we may have had a nibble here and there but definitely no takers, not one. 

We then ran thru Horsehead and around to Pompano Point and this stop made up for it. We began to get fish right off the bat - all three anglers were catching fish - small but feisty Redfish, then Kenny hooked up and battled what we thought was going to be a Redfish but it turned out to be a nice 18" keeper Seatrout. Betty was on the stern and every once in a while she'd yell, "Fish"!  She caught and landed Jack Crevalle, Redfish, Seatrout, Ladyfish and Catfish back there. 

We worked up and down the bank and found a few more Reds, then moved back to the original spot and caught a few more. After that we ran back thru Horsehead and down to a large drainage where again I thought we'd get fish, but nope. But we made the short run on down to Spanish Drop and here John put a Redfish in the boat. 

Our final stop was back up the river at what is now called "Penney's Point".  We set up alongside the sandbar and tossed float rigs over the bar, again Betty was on the stern.  After a good drift she hooked up and landed a feisty Redfish, then a keeper sized Flounder. Unfortunately the tide dropped out quicker than I expected. After moving out and drifting the bar John found a small Black Tip Shark on a float rig then we called it a day . As we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Penny's Slew

 I fished this morning with the Parks, Jeff and Penny, meeting them down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early. We headed up the intercoastal, then up the Nassau, and around to Back River and set up fishing a stretch of  grass with the oysters just beginning to show on an outgoing tide. We had plenty of mudminnows and a few dozen live shrimp and they both caught fish. Penny got hot catching small but hungry Seatrout then both anglers caught some feisty Redfish. We could see some big wakes up in the shallows so we moved in and made some good casts but we had no takers. 

Moving back out we fished the bank again. There had been some commotion along the bank and when Jeff got a good drift, BAM! He float sunk under and, Fish On!  Jeff played it patiently and soon brought to the boat a Big 19" Flounder! Boy what a fish! After a handful of more small Reds, we moved on.  Our next stop was back down the river at Twin Creeks. Both anglers fished the floats, then switched to jigs, but we had no real bites. 

We moved down the river to a large drainage (I need to name this spot!) and here the action picked up again. The duo caught a handful of those feisty Reds before we moved on. As we had moved around I was keeping my eye on a spot that I knew had to be fished just a little bit before low tide. We headed there now and we were about too late! It was just on the back side of a point with a long sandbar showing. I had only fished it one time and the way it was set up was the current came round the point then crossed the bar and ran along side some oyster outcrops The first time I fished it my guest got a good drift and when his float reached the oysters, BAM!  Today, Penny was on the stern and after a good cast over the sandbar she got that good drift. I was about to give up  on it but when here float just passed the oyster bar, BAM! Fish On!  Penny played it perfectly, worked it up to the edge of the bar, and then drug the Slot Redfish over in 4" of water. How cool! But she wasn't finished - she also caught a Flounder and another feisty Redfish, bringing both over the bark in that shallow water. I could tell Penny was zoned in and had figured this spot out so I've named it "Penny's Slew"!

We eventually moved on, ran thru Horsehead, and fished Jacksaff "bank" where Jeff finished things off catching a handful of those feisty Reds, and another Flounder or two. We then headed back to the ramp and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Flounder Queen Returns

 I wrapped my week up fishing with Frank and Joanne Wytiaz, meeting them down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp. We had a baitwell full of mud minnows and live shrimp and before we left I threw a cast net for a few dozen nice finger mullet. We then headed up the Nassau River and made our first stop at Spanish Drop and began working the bank. There was all kinds of bait action and fish busting the bait and the duo joined in, catching some feisty Redfish, Seatrout, Jacks and Catfish. 

We moved up the way and fished a large drainage and boy was the tide low! Again, they picked up small but feisty Reds, then Joanne, after making an excellent cast to the bank, hooked up with something different. She worked it to the boat and we netted a nice 18" Flounder - Joanne has been known to catch the big Flounder! Frank hooked up and landed a big Mangrove Snapper to go in to the box.

We fished some docks at Seymore's and added another big Snapper or two, Joanne battled a feisty Black "puppy" Drum to the net, another feisty Red was caught, then we moved on.  After a run down to Broward Island we worked the bank on the first of an incoming tide. They caught small Reds, another keeper Mangrove, then Joanne, true to her calling, hooked up and landed another 18" Flounder. 

After fishing a stretch of bank at Pumpkin Hill and adding a high flying Lady Fish to the catch total, we headed back to the ramp and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

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.

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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.