Baitfish Signals Good Bite

 There were tons of bait fish passing thru Sawpit when I launched this morning -finger mullet and some
small pogeys. I already had a baitwell full of live shrimp but I couldn't pass up tossing the net to supplement what we had and I'm glad we did!  I met Gregg Fitgerald and his mom Ginnie early and we ran up the intercoastal, up the Nassau, and pulled up at an exposed shell bed on a tide that still had a couple of more hours of going out. It wasn't long before both anglers were catching fish - feisty Redfish, one after the other. Gregg went out deep with couple of casts and picked up some hungry Seatrout. He also added a hard fighting Jack Crevalle to the catch total. 

We moved up a hundred yards and caught a couple more of the Reds, then Gregg hooked up and landed anice keeper sized Flounder. Then Ginnie followed that with one of her own, bigger, and caught on one of the finger mullet. Gregg had a good bump, set the hook and expertly landed a keeper sized Seatrout. We moved up another couple of hundred yards, caught another couple of Reds, one of which had zero spots!

The tide had slowed to a stop and so did the bite. We ran down to Nassauville and fished between two docks, to no avail, then we ran back down te Nassau, and then on thru Horsehead and over to Jackstaff "bank". Ginnie had the hot hand early and caught another few of those Redfish then she had one final hookup. She played it patiently and worked to the boat another nice keeper Flounder. We had had good action for most of the morning, had a few keepers in the box so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Isalnd, Florida.

Changed Conditions

 I last fished Friday and we had an outstanding trip, catching Slot Redfish, Oversized Reds, keeper Trout
and a huge Flounder. But 4 days made a difference - we caught fish today and had to work for those, but we didn't get the massive fish last week. I noticed this morning the moon looked almost full and the wind was blowing out of the NE which made for higher tides than normal, and it seemed to come quicker. 

I had met Gordon Fowler and his fishing buddy Bill up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp early. We had a bait well of purchased live shrimp and I had cast netted a few dozen finger mullet. We eased out of Eagans Creek and then made a run up to the Jolly River and turned in to the incoming current at the "bank" and proceeded to toss float rigs with the live shrimp. Both anglers were getting good casts but we only got a few nibbles.

After running up the river to Snook Creek we again fished the floats. They both had some good bites, but no takers, and even one Redfish that "boiled" on a bait but didn't take it. Finally, Bill "knocked the skunk off" when  he hooked up and landed a fat Seatrout. After catching one more we moved on. Our next stop was back at the cut going thru Tyger and here we drifted the floats long along the bank, to no avail. We came out of the Jolley and worked along the outside of Tyger now tossing jigs and here we had a small flurry of catching. Bill caught a couple of the Trout and one small Flounder using the finger muillet and Gordon tanlged with some high flying Ladyfish.

We came back and ran thru Tyger and over to Bell River, fished that stretch for a bit, then ran uip Lanceford where Bill picked up one more Seatrout. After fishing around the corner at the final stop, we headed back to the ramp. We had fished 7 spots and had to show for it about (Maybe) seven fish but it was a beautiful day and another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

FWC: Status of Redfish in NE Florida

 Last Monday a I attended a Redfish focus group hosted by the FWC over in Jacksonville. The group was led by FWC Marine Inshore Recreational Fisheries Management Coordinator Jacob Espittia, and supported by Erika Burgess, FWC Analysis and Rulemaking Section Leader. Also attending were a couple of FWC biologists. In addition to myself, the focus group was made up of other fishing guides, surf anglers, and bait and tackle shop owners, totally about 15 attendees. 

There were three discussion topics: 

Satisfaction with Redfish fishing. Overall, those present expressed good satisfaction with our Redfish fishing.

How are Redfish Doing? Overall, those present felt our Redfish population is doing good.

Top Issues Redfish face?  Overall, those present felt that coastal development, habitat loss and fishing pressure will be the main issues that affect our Redfish fishery.

I brought up a concern that I had since the last time FWC did these studies, focus groups and workshops that culminated in a Redfish Summit down in Ocala. From all of that the FWC staff made their recommendations to the Commissioners. At that final meeting, a handful of anglers stood up and made passionate pleas for changes contrary to the staff recommendations. Based on those last minute subjective opinions, Our NE Florida Commissioner made the motion, and the changes were made. You can read all about that fiasco HERE. 

The point I wanted to make at the focus group the other night was this: Setting catch limits and bag limits based on folks emotions and personal experiences really worries me. If I fish 20 times per month, on any given day I can have an average day, an above average day, a terrible day, or even a Banner Day. But even that is based on my personal subjective idea as to what a "good" day of fishing is! If you have the " everyday Joe", who fishes once a week or once a month, and he/she happens to have a terrible day of fishing (and that is based on their opinion of what a "good day" is), then they may answer any survey, or focus group question, based on that. Some people may think catching just ONE Redfish is a good day. Some people may think catching only 15 "rat" Reds is a bad day. Some may think catching their personal best Bull Redfish and nothing else is a good day. It's all subjective. 

You have differences in skill level and experience. I see it all the time on my boat. Those that have just started are not going to catch as many fish. You may have someone that has never fought a big Red on light tackle. They may not be able to cast to the "spot". They may not catch fish. They may say, "the fishery is no good".  It took me years to get better at catching Redfish. And I did get better, but I still have a lot to learn.

So why does the subjectivity bother me? For one, there is a demographic out there that is anti-fishing, anti-hunting and anti-boating.  As Florida grows, so will that anti-fishing crowd. If you go on U-tube you can easily find videos of activists who are attacking anglers for even catching a fish, much less keeping it. So what happens when that attitude begins to outweigh those of us who love to fish? If we are basing catch limits on emotions? Will we be able to keep ANY fish even though FWC studies show the populations are good? 

You say it will never happen? With all the crazy stuff going on today in our world it's not too far off to think that a group of emotional activists can't affect our FWC rules. They did just a couple of years ago. 

If you click on the FWC's 2023 Annual Review of Redfish Management Metrics, you can see that our Redfish fishery is looking good. At that Summit a couple of years ago there were a few people advocating for making it All Catch and Release. That is based on their emotions and beliefs, not what the health of our Redfish population is about. The FWC has bookoodles of researchers and biologists and experts studying the fish population and as you can see in the above Annual Review, they have a good idea of how the fishery is doing. 

I had no problem with the change in limits downward a couple of years ago. I rarely keep fish personally. Heck, I purchased some frozen fish sticks from the Dollar Store the other day! But I do like a good, blackened Redfish on occasion.  I have no problems with my customers keeping their legal limits, but many choose to release them. I understand and appreciate why there are size and bag limits, but basing those limits on how some "feel" is edging towards a dangerous "slippery slope" for anglers. Let the FWC staff do their studies and research and base the limits on that data.
 

 

 

Big Start Big Finish

 I fished with the Bailey boys, Douglas and his sons Anderson and Dylan and his father-in-law Glenan, meeting them down at Sawpit Creek boat ramp to wrap my week up. We headed out on a tide that had been going out for less than an hour, running up the intercoastal and around to Pompano Point where we set up with float rigs and live shrimp, with finger mullet in the live well as back up. 

We may have had a Ladyfish caught but then we definitely counted the "skunk off" when one of the crew landed a small but feisty Redfish. It seemed kinda slow, compared to yesterday - we had gotten a handful of those small Reds and a barely legal 19" Slot Red, and I was beginning to wonder, but then Dylan had made an excellent cast up between to twigs of sawgrass and BAM! Big Fish On! This fish was boiling and rolling and holding it's on, ripping drag and refusing to budge. But Dylan was up to the task, kept the pressure on, finally worked it out, let it run, worked it out, let it run, then worked it slowly to the boat to land a big 29" Oversized Redfish, boy what a fish!

The excitement had barely died down when Dylan went back to the same spot and BAM! Another big fish on!  He fought it valiantly - Glenan had a hookup off the stern that was ripping drag in the background, then was off - but Dylan's stayed on and he patiently brought to the net a nice 25" Slot Redfish. Then Anderson put a fish in the box- as he hooked up and fought it - I called "Redfish" but as it came to the boat we saw that it was a nice 18" Seatrout. Then Dylan hooked up and brought a 17" Trout to the net. All four anglers tangled with high flying Ladyfish and boated a couple of more small Redfish before we moved on. 

Over at Jackstaff "bank" we worked it slowly, easing into the current, tossing the floats, and here Glenan got in on the big fish action. He had a strong hookup and the fish headed west!  We all thought "shark" but just couldn't tell. Glenan fought it like a pro, went with up from stern to bow and back to bow and after a good battle landed a huge Jack Crevalle.  We then ran thru Horsehead and over to Pumpkin Hill, fished a stretch of still covered oysters, to no avail, then crossed the mouth of the river to fish a shallow bend and here the action heated up again. They added a good handful of those feisty Redfish to their catch total. 

After working Spanish Drop and picking up one more Redfish on a jig, we moved up to another drainage with plans to wrap things up. But this crew wasn't finished!  Anderson had gone to the shell lined bank with a cast and BAM! Immediately when it hit the water he was hooked up. He fought the big fish patiently and soon landed a nice 23" Slot Redfish. Anderson went back to the same spot, had a thump. and began to work it slowly in. We were speculating "oyster fish" up until it surfaced and then we saw that it was a huge Flounder!  Anderson slowly eased it in and we netted a big 20.5" Flounder, a fish big enough ot move Anderson into 3rd place in the Anglers Mark 2024 Bragging Rights Tournament-Flounder Category (scroll down the right side of this report for standings).  We wrapped it up after that and headed back, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Weeding Thru Rat Reds to Find the Slots

 With my boat trailer repaired I was back out at Goffinsville Park, meeting John Raker, Kenny King, and John's mother Betty early for a half day of Amelia Island back water fishing. We had bait - seven dozen live shrimp, about a dozen mud minnows, and I cast netted for about 4 dozen finger mullet - and we went thru all of it! After leaving the ramp we headed over to Horsehead, ran thru it, and around to Poteat Cut where we set up on a tide that had been going out for about 2 hours. Using float rigs, the trio of anglers drifted the bank and caught fish. Jacks and Ladyfish then rat Reds and more rat Reds. Then John had a strong hookup which he played expertly to the boat and landed a nice 19" Slot Redfish. Betty added the only Seatrout caught for the day.

We came back to Jackstaff and fished the "bank" and again caught a good handful of the smaller Reds. John added one more 19" Slot Red to the catch. After running back thru Horsehead and down the Nassau we set up off a large drainage and switched to jigs. Again, small Reds, then Kenny had a strong bite and, Fish On!  Kenny played it patiently, let the drag rip when needed, and slowly worked to the net a nice 22" Slot Red - they had their limit!

We fished over at Penney's Point with the float rigs thrown over the sandbar, to no avail, but as we worked around the corner and came to a shallow mud flat they began to get fish again, - those small Reds, but John hauled in another 19" Slot Red. We saw one big boil from a large Redfish, and saw 4-5 flounder go airborne chasing bait. It was a good way to wrap up another great day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Spotted Fish

 

We had another beautiful day today when I fished with "birthday boy"  Garland Clark. We met up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp and made our way over to the outside of Tyger and began pitching jigs and minnows and live shrimp to the bank on an outgoing tide. I thought we had a big one on when Garland's drag ripped and the fish ran deeper - and it was kinda - Garland expertly played it and brought to the boat a hard fighting Jack Crevalle.  We had a number of good bites but no more takers so we moved around to fish Jolley "bank" with the jigs and here it got busier.

As we worked along the exposed oysters, pitching the jigs, Garland had multiple hookups and catches of feisty Redfish. They were all a dark copper color and most of them had multiple spots. One of the fish had 20 spots on it, a sure money winner in the AIGA's Inshore Classic spot category. We picked up a couple of  Seatrout, too, one of which was of keeper size. (All fish caught today were released).  

Moving on up to the river we fished JC's spot and  here we added another good handful of those Redfish and another Trout or two. We then bounced over to the MOA, fished it good, caught Redfish and Trout, then we moved on.  Our final stop was back at Tyger Island and as we were running we could see bait (pogeys) getting blown up. We pulled up, baited a float rig and tossed it out. In seconds Garland was hooked up. This was a big fish and was ripping some serious drag then it broke off and kept going..heading to Kings Bay! But we switched rods, baited up, and tossed another one out. And in seconds Garland was hooked up again,  He battled it expertly and soon landed a big Jack Crevalle.

We did make it around to Tyger logs, fished it with jigs, and added a keeper sized Flounder to round out an Amelia Island Back Country Slam, and then we headed back to ramp, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

The Elusive Big Earl

 I'm fishing out of Old Town Bait and Tackle all week due to trailer issues. I met Lewis Welch and his fishing partner Oscar up there this morning and we made a run over to the MOA again - I keep thinking that's it going to turn on - it didn't.  The duo did catch a couple of small Redfish on the last of an outgoing tide, but that was it. We bumped across the river and fished a bend with the jigs and mud minnows, working somem exposed oysters slowly. It took a while and I was beginning to wonder if this spot was going to be a bust but then BAM! They started catching fish. Small but feisty Reds were the order of the day, but then Oscar had a strong hookup, he set the hook, had his drag rip, then, Fish Off! Ouch. 

And that was when I learned about "Big Earl". Evidently he is big. And we just missed him.

Minutes later Lewis had a strong bite and this one ripped drag and boiled and we knew it was a nice
Redfish. Lewis fought it patiently, let it run, worked it in, let it run, and eventually landed a nice copper colored 23" Slot Redfish. It wasn't Earl, though.  Both Lewis and Oscar caught a good handful of smaller Reds there, a handful of fat but slightly under the keeper size Seatrout. Then, Oscar had one of those weird bites and after a second or two he set the hook and expertly brought to the net a keeper sized Flounder.  Lewis added one more Slot Red to the box. We were running low on mud minnows so we "left 'em biting" and came back down the river. 

We fished Jolley "bank" and picked up a another small Red and a Seatrout while I was cast netting for finger mullet, and had another near miss at Earl. We then bounced around to the outside of Tyger and fished the shallow bank and on the fist cast with one of the netted mullets, Lewis reeled in a small Flounder. We had a few misses at Earl along that stretch but evidently he is fairly elusive. 

We had had some good action earlier in the morning, had a few 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.

A Few Good Battles

 

I was back to work today, meeting the Kucsma fishing team up at Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp. The tide still had about an hour to hit bottom so we made our way around and up to the Jolley River, then down to the MOA to set up for fishing jigs and mud minnows. We didn't count "skunk off" when Andrew hauled in a Sail Cat but we did when Eddie brought in a copper colored Redfish. The trio fished that spot pretty good and we had a few bites from feisty Reds, but then we moved on. 

Fishing across the way, working along a shell bed, we were just about to a small drainage thru the oysters when the fishing got real hot!  Andrew hooked up and landed a fat keeper sized Seatrout - they each caught smaller Reds, and a few more smaller Reds, then Jason had a strong hookup and this one wasn't coming in until it had ripped a bit of drag out. Jason played it expertly and eventually landed a nice 22" Slot Redfish.

We came back to the mouth of the Jolley and worked the bank and again caught small Reds, here and there. Back up at Snook Creek we worked that bank and here Eddie got hot when he landed a couple of Seatrout, one of which was of keeper size.

Our final stop was around at the outside of Tyger, sticking with the jigs. It was slow going but just after Eddie had announced "there were no fish here", BAM! Big Fish On! Andrew had hooked him up and the big fish had no intentions of coming to the boat. It was ripping drag and digging deep and it took Andrew around the bow a couple of times. Andrew kept the pressure on, worked it slowly in, let it run, worked it in, and finally landed a huge 29" Oversized Redfish, boy what a battle!

Both Eddie and Andrew both put undersized Flounder in the boat, then Andrew added one more 19"Slot  Redfish to the catch, and with that, we called it a day, another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.  

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.