Beyond the Ripple

 What we didn't know couldn't hurt us right? It seems like it's been two months of heat here at Amelia Island but most days we would have a little bit of breeze and/or some cloud cover to keep it somewhat bearable. For about the first hour this morning we had that breeze but then it came to a halt and boy was it hot for the rest of the morning. But the Poon crew(Derek and sons Zach and Tyler) were up to the challenge! I had met them early down at Sawpit Creek boat ramp and after running up the intercoastal we dipped into Jackstaff and began to work the "bank" with jigs and mud minnows on the very last of an outgoing tide. Derek got things going early and hooked up and landed a slot sized 11-spot Redfish, then he landed another, then he landed a nice keeper sized Flounder. He had left the boys in a cloud of dust - "all gas and no brakes" as he cruised to a commanding lead in the fish count.

We ran thru Horsehead and down the Nassau to Twin Creeks and again pitched the jigs and minnows. All three anglers caught Flounder (I lost count how many Flounder we caught today),  then I noted to Zach that yesterday we had caught a couple of Slot Reds up past a "ripple"- he made a couple of casts and BAM! Redfish on. Zach played it perfectly and after a good battle landed Slot Redfish. After photographs, he went back to the same spot and BAM! Another Redfish on. We fished that area for a good while with the three anglers catching fish - Flounder, Redfish, and a Jack Crevalle. Zach and Tyler were pressing Derek but he maintained his lead and didn't look back - he had a strong bite and that drag was really ripping. Derek stayed with it, fought it for a good while, then landed a Tournament sized 26.5" Redfish, then Tyler battled a 23" Slot Red to the boat. We counted 6 Slot Reds caught this morning with three of them released. Zach also added a nice sized Whiting to the box. 

As mentioned, the trio had caught a couple of handfuls of Flounder - two were keeper size. Derek added a hungry Seatrout to his catch total and rounded out an Amelia Island Backcountry Slam. We were out of bait and all of us were wilting, but with a nice box of fish, as we headed back we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

We Slammed 'Em Early

 Back to work again today - is this heat every going to subside? I mentioned to my wife that I didn't think
we've had this hot of a summer in a while! But the Hobbs crew - Jeremy, his daughter Willow, and her friend Olivia were up to the challenge and they met me early down at Sawpit Creek boat ramp and we made the run  up the Nassau River - my plan was to fish some dock pilings on the first of an incoming tide but as we arrived we saw that a barge was tied up and blocking the pilings - so we turned around and came back to some exposed shell bed just before Twin Creeks, and I'm glad we did!

These three anglers came to catch fish! They started hooking up and landing Flounder, caught on jigs and mud minnows, and a couple were of keeper size.  We caught and released a Catfish then they put a keeper sized Seatrout in the box. Then, as we worked up to Twin Creeks, Jeremy, casting forward over a "bar", hooked up and that sweet sound of drag wafted over the boat - Fish On!  Jeremy played it perfectly and landed a perfect sized 22" Slot Redfish. He went back to the same spot and BAM! Another 21" Slot Red that he played to the net. We had an Amelia Island Back Country Slam in the live well - Flounder, Seatrout and Redfish. We hit a couple of more drainages along there and caught a couple of small but feisty Redfish and a handful of Flounder, one of which was of keeper size.

We had good action for about the first 2  hours of the trip but once that tide got up, and the sun got hot, the bite fell off. We fished down at Pumpkin Hill, then around some docks at Littlefield, then made the run thru the marsh and fished Jackstaff "bank'. We may have had a few bites but no takers. Go early and beat the heat! But we had a good box of fish so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great ay to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Netting Grandad's Slot Red

 Finally, back down at the south end today - I met Jeff Adams, his son Beau, and father-in-law Charlie early at Sawpit Creek and we made a long run up the intracoastal,  up the Back River and around to Pumpkin Hill where we went with float rigs and mud minnows on a  high and incoming tide. The trio stayed busy battling Ladyfish and more Ladyfish, and then a Jack Crevalle, then finally a feisty Redfish. Although they weren't what we were looking for, we did have some action.

We came back down the Nassau, ran thru Horsehead and over to Poteat Cut where we worked the grass line as the tide started out. I had high expectations for this spot but was thoroughly disappointed - we only had a nibble or two. Ouch.  We came back thru Horsehead and made our way further down the Nassau, pulling up at Twin Creeks where we switched to jigs and the minnows and this did the trick.

Jeff hooked up and hauled in a Flounder, just undersized then Charlie had a good thump, hooked it up, and landed a keeper sized Seatrout.  They caught a couple of more Flounder there then we jumped down the river to another drainage and caught good fish. Jeff expertly battled a nice Slot sized 7-spot Redfish to the boat, Beau landed the biggest fish of the day, a huge Ladyfish, then Charlie hooked up and landed another Slot Redfish. They caught another couple of Flounder and Jeff finished it off with a keeper Flounder catch. They had an Amelia Island Back Country Slam 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.

The Heat Is On

 

My advice - get out early!  Boy has it been hot the last few weeks. It's not so bad from daylight until about 9:30am but then it gets hot. And it seems were catching most of our fish in those first few hours. Today I met Darrell Holcomb and his fishing partner Jim up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp. The tide had just started out so we made our way over to the outside of Tyger and drifted float rigs with mud minnow. There was tons of bait all around us and fish "popping" and rolling and finally the duo had a "double" hookup. Jim was fishing off the stern and battled a hard fighting Bluefish to the net and Darrell, fishing off the starboard side, hooked up and landed a Jack Crevalle. 

We crossed over the creek where Darrell had a big bite - it was ripping drag and heading up current, then across the bow and back again and....Fish Off! Ouch. It was a big one!  But Darrell was not to be deterred and after we switched  to jigs and fished the bottom he had an good bite, set the hook, and brought to the net a keeper sized Flounder (all fish caught today were released)

After  moving around to the outside of Tyger we worked the bank there and this paid off with another couple of Flounder catches - Jim reeled in one that was another keeper size. We fished up the Jolley at three more spots - they both caught and landed a feisty Redfish then Jim rounded out an Amelia Island Back Country Slam when he hooked and landed a keeper sized Seatrout. And boy was it hot! We headed back to the ramp and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Introduction to Amelia Island Backwater Fishing

 Lee Kaywork had one of his grandsons visiting this week and wanted to introduce him to some Amelia Island light tackle back water fishing so we met up at Old Town Bait and Tackle early this morning. We made our way over to the outside of Tyger Island and set up on a point to toss float rigs and mud minnows up current as the tide had just started out. Both anglers got some nibbles but no takers, and it wasn't much of a high tide because the engine was already bumping oysters - so we got out of there! We eased across the creek and fished a soon-to-be-known spot as "Bon Point". We had switched to jigs and the minnows and tossed the to the point. The water was sweeping around the point and Bon began to catch fish. He boated 3 nice Flounder in pretty quick succession and played them perfectly to the boat.

We then moved on north and west and fished along the bank outside of Tyger. We were getting good casts, had a few bites, and finally Bon hooked up and put another Flounder in the boat. He was on a roll. We made a short run over to the Jolly River, ran up it a bit, then fished a large drainage. Lee was drifting a float off the stern, letting it slide down the bank and we had a hookup. He worked it in patiently and landed a feisty Redfish. Bon, who had been fishing off the bow with a jig, switched to the floats and followed his grandfather down the bank and when his float slowly went under, he tightened up his line and let the circle hook set and Big Fish On! This fish was ripping drag and going long but Bon was up to the battle. He slowly worked it in, let it run, worked it in - it made it's way over to the bank and the oyster beds but Bon worked it out and after a good fight, landed a nice 25" Slot sized Redfish. Boy what a fish!

After fishing further up the Jolley - 3 spots, to no avail, we made one final stop back towards the sound and here Lee hooked up and landed a hungry Seatrout to round out there Amelia Island Back Water Slam. We had a nice Slot fish in the box, we had had some good weather, so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Flounder Skunk is Off

 I fished with the Averbuch boys today - "Poppa-Doc" Mark, his son Cutler and grandson Harvey, meeting
them down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early. We made a short run up and over to the Nassau River and pulled up at Spanish Drop to begin tossing jigs and minnows and live shrimp to the drainage and shell bed. Mark had good luck early fishing off the stern - he tied in to a big Bonnethead Shark which we landed, photographed and released (All fish caught today were released).  He then picked upo a Gator Trout out deep - it measured 20 1/8", then he added a Jack Crevalle to his catch. 

These Averbuch fellows have had a drought on catching Flounder with me but today Cutler single handedly knocked that skunk off - he hooked up and landed a small Flounder. The trio added a handful of Catfish to the mix, another Jack, and when fished between two docks, Harvey put one of the biggest Croaker in the boat I've ever had. Cutler found his groove and caught and landed two more Flounder - one respectable at 18" and the other a doormat at 20", and he had another smaller flounder, too. Harvey expertly landed a bottom hugging Stingray before we moved on. 

After running thru Horsehead and to the mouth of Jackstaff we fished the "bank" where Mark battled a big fish - it took him deep, ripped some drag, but not like a shark - and after a good fight he landed a huge Jack Crevalle. We had caught a big variety of fish and some of them had some good size to them, so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Quick Start Led to a Slow End

 I fished Wednesday before needing to head out of town for a quick trip - I met Frank Wytiaz and his long time buddy John up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp. We made a long run over and up to the Jolley River and then all the way up to JC's spot and began working an exposed oyster bed with jigs and mud minnows. Frank got hot early when he hooked up deep with a nice 18" Seatrout. He followed that up with 22" Slot Red then both he and John put a couple of smaller but feisty Reds in the boat. It was a good start and I thought for sure we were off to a banner day!

But the next few spots proved fruitless (and fishless). We fished the MOA while we were up there, we came back and fished along Snook Creek; we ran back up and around to the Bell River and fished some sets of docks. Both anglers were getting good casts and working them slow but I had noticed when the tide changed we had stopped getting bites. Usually I like that first of an incoming tide but it wasn't good for us. 

We finally made our way back around to Tyger Island and fished the logs and the duo's patience did pay off when they caught a couple of Flounder. These two old friends had met up again, gotten out on the water for a day so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Superstitions Busted

 I've heard the superstition of catching a fish on the first cast - it didn't pan out today!  I had met Jerry and Deb Yarborough and their daughter Masha up at Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp and after easing out of Eagans Creek we made a fairly long run up and around to the Jolley River, and further up it all the way to the MOA (Mother of All) Spot. After showing the trio how I like to bait the mud minnows, and with a tide that was just starting back in, we made a toss to the expose oysters, let it drop down the river bottom and BAM! Big Fish On!  Masha was on the rod  and she fought it valiantly - worked it slowly up then let it run, then worked it up, let it run. She finally subdued the beast - a big, ugly, Catfish!

But later, Jerry hauled in a nice sized Whiting then he had strong bite and this fish was shaking its head and thrashing on the top and it turned out to be a healthy 18" Seatrout. Deb quietly outpaced the other two catching a hard fighting Jack, another Catfish, and a hungry Seatrout. We then moved around the bend, back down the river and fished some still exposed shell at Snook Creek. Masha had a good cast to the shell and BAM! Her drag was ripping again. She played it expertly and after a good fight landed a Slot sized 20" Redfish. And Deb followed that up with a Redfish catch of her own. While we were fishing there we were treated to a pod of dolphin that were busting bait up on to a mud bank - what a spectacle!

We made our way back down the river and around to the outside of Tyger where we fished the jigs and minnows along the grass line as the tide was getting up. The trio landed one more Seatrout and had two Flounder to the boat for a quick release. Again we were treated to some wildlife sightings - Deb spotted a Salt Marsh Mink swimming across a creek then later we saw a family of four of those Minks running down an adjacent beach.

Back up the Jolley we went and switched to float rigs and the minnows. Masha drifted one looooong and it paid off when her float dissapeared and she hooked up to land the final fish of the day, another hungry Seatrout. For most of the day we had a nice breeze, a few clouds to give us some respite and with a few fish in the box, we headed back to the ramp and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

The Fish Got Bigger

 I wrapped my week up fishing with Cindy Gray and her grandsons Alex and Henry. We met up at the Old
Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp early and after easing out of Eagans Creek we made our way up and around to the Jolley River, turned into the "bank" and began to fish back with float rigs and mud minnows on a tide that had been coming in for a few hours - the oysters were pretty much covered. No luck. Not even a good bite.

We then moved around to the outside of Tyger and began working jigs and the minnows as we trolled into the incoming current and this did the trick. Alex, fishing on the bow, had a good thump early - he set the hook and expertly landed a big 18.25" Flounder. He and his grandmother Cindy added a couple of smaller Flounder to the catch, then Cindy had a good bite and after setting the hook, she worked in a feisty Redfish, just a bit undersized. Henry was fishing off the stern and when his rod began to bend we knew it was a big one, and it was fighting like a big Flounder. Sure enough, after Henry patiently played it to the net, the big Flounder measured right at 20.25" - a doormat! This fish moved Henry into First Place in the Anglers Mark 2025 Bragging Rights Tournament-Flounder Category.

After running back around and up the Jolley we made a stop at Tyger Cut and switched back to float rigs Henry had made a cast over a submerged oyster bed and we all saw something blast his bait, but not take it. Then, seconds later, his float disappeared and Henry lifted the rod to set the hook and Big Fish On! This fish was ripping drag and heading deep then it turned around and headed back down the river the other direction. I was calling "big Jack Crevalle" and boy was I wrong!  Henry worked him in and eventually landed a huge 32.5" Oversized Redfish, which moves him into a tie for 1st Place in the Anglers Mark 2025 Bragging Rights Tournament-Redfish Category. Boy what a fish!

We made a long run back around to Tyger - the spot I wanted to fish was taken, so we kept going thru
Tyger into the Bell, down to the Lanceford and up it to Soap Creek. Tossing the floats, Alex had made a pinpoint cast and had a good hookup. He played it perfectly and brought to the net a nice 21" Slot Redfish. After picking up one more small Redfish, we called it a day and as we headed back to the ramp with a few fish in the box, we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Personal Bests and Bragging Rights Entry

 I was back down at Sawpit Creek this morning meeting Dean Jensen and his sons Eli and Tyler early. We headed up the intracoastal then up the Nassau to make our first stop at the Spanish Drop area. The tide had been coming in a few hours so we went with float rigs and live shrimp and mud minnows. The shrimp were getting nibbles as expected but it was Tyler who "knocked the skunk off" when he hooked up and landed a feisty Jack Crevalle off the stern of the boat, caught on a mud minnow. Dean and Eli were using the live shrimp and sure enough, Dean had a strong bite and his line began to rip and Shark On! Dean played it expertly and after a long battle landed a 4' Bonnethead Shark for photo and release.

We fished further up at Twin Creeks, drifting the floats, but didn't have much action so we made the run down to Pumpkin Hill and drifted them there and this did the trick. Tyler hooked up and battled to the boat a feisty Redfish. His dad made the comment, "something bigger next time" but he didn't specify "in the Slot" - Tyler had another strong hookup and this fish was BIG!  He fought the fish for a good long time (the video below has a bunch of minutes edited out) - he worked it in, let it run, worked it in, and eventually brought to the net an Oversized 29.25" Redfish - his personal best! A few minutes later he and his dad had a double hookup - Dean expertly played his to the net - a nice Slot Redfish, and Tyler battled his to the net, a big Jack Crevalle, another personal best.

Around the corner Dean picked up a small Seatrout, then we fished a couple of sets of grassy islands where Eli got on the board with a hard fighting Jack Crevalle catch. We then made a good run back to Horsehead, thru it, and over to Poteat Pointe where we worked the grass line. Nothing much was happening until Dean hooked up - it seemed to be a strange fight-not digging deep like a Redfish, not hunkering down like a Flounder, but big enough to rip some drag. Dean stayed patient with it and slowly worked it up to the surface and we netted a huge 21" Seatrout, boy what fish, and big enough to move into 2nd Place in the Anglers Mark 2025 Bragging Rights Tournament-Seatrout Category (scroll down the right side of this report for standings). 

We fished Jackstaff "bank" for a stretch then moved over to a grassy point where the creek has begun to cut thru - we caught a Redfish there yesterday and sure enough, Eli, fishing with a jig, hooked up another nice Redfish. He played it perfectly, letting it run when it wanted to, working it in, and soon landing another nice Slot Redfish. We had some great weather this morning, and 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.