Wrapping up 2021 with a Grandfather, son, and grandson trip

 Where've I been?  Today was the only trip I fished in December!  I've been doing boat/trailer/trolling motor repairs AND building a storage shed. On the boat, I had the bow repaired, and a few new coats applied to the keel. I also cleaned out some old caulk where the gas tank was installed last year and put a nice, pretty bead down. I also replaced the flares, fire extinguisher and scrap leader container. Then I cleaned the whole inside, hatches and all!

The trailer had a bunk broken so I replaced that and then changed out the carpet on most of the bunks. The bow roller was what was causing the bow to get "chewed up", so I replaced that. One tire had a slow leak so I replaced it with a new one and repaired the old one for a spare. The right side trailer lights have been out for 4-5months so I doped that out and repaired it.

I was reminded the other day that my trolling motor had been acting up since last August!  I had dropped it off to Fish307 JAX and Christina overhauled the mechanical parts internally. I also purchased a new battery for the remote, cleaned the contacts and installed it. It purred today fishing!

I'm well on my way to having a nice 10'x20' shed built. It's framed up, house wrapped and dried in with felt paper, windows installed, storage shelving set up, rod racks installed. Roofing and wiring are planned for next week. Unfortunately the doors are on back order with the (next) estimated date of delivery January 17th, which means I can't complete the trim or begin the siding. Ouch.   

So I've been "out of pocket" this  month, but today I was able to get out out on the water with the Averbuch's - Mark, his son Jared, and grandson Max. We met down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp and headed up the intercoastal to dip in to Jackstaff then a side creek and set up at a large marsh drainage, fishing with float rigs and live shrimp on a tide that had been going out for about an hour.

It didn't take long before Mark hooked up and landed a small but hungry Seatrout to "knock the skunk off". We eased along a small grassy island with all three anglers making excellent casts and getting good drifts. Mark went up to another couple of small drainage's and when his float disappeared he resisted the urge to give it a hard set, but instead lifted and made contact, and, Fish On! I could tell right off that it was a nice fish by the way it dug deep and sure enough it finally realized it was hooked and took off, ripping drag as it went. That's when Max stepped in to help out - Mark handed off the rod and young Max played the big fish perfectly, keeping the pressure on and working it slowly to the boat. After a good battle he subdued the beast and brought it to the net - a nice Oversized 28" Redfish, boy what a fish.

We crossed the creek and fished a good stretch of bank with the floats, then we switched to jigs, had no luck, and moved on. After running thru Horsehead we made a stop at some docks over at Seymore's Pointe with plans to pitch to the pilings. All three were getting nibbles and finally it was Jared who had the big hookup. He got it out from the pilings then handed it off to Max who patiently brought it in - a big 18" Black "puppy" Drum. Just minutes later, after having made an excellent cast, Max hooked up with another nice fish. He played it to the boat and landed a 16" keeper sized Black Drum. 

Our next stop was around at some docks at Nassauville. Here, both Jared and Max landed Seatrout fishing deep, and a couple were of keeper size. We fished down at Broward Island and picked up a couple of small Trout, again in fairly deep water. Our final stop was back at Spanish Drop, fishing some shell banks with the jigs. Jared had just made a beautiful cast to the bank, about, two feet off of the shell and it paid off. BAM! He had a hookup. He expertly played it to the net and landed a keeper sized 18" Redfish. Although we only caught one fish along there, it was a good one and a great way to wrap up a day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Recipe of the Month: Seafood Dip

 

Seafood Dip

8oz    can crab meat

1.5lb  medium peeled, deveined local shrimp

          Konricko seasoning

1/8   Cup chopped green onion

¼      Cup chopped celery

12oz  (1.5package) cream cheese

8oz  container sour cream

1 tsp  Franks hot sauce

1 tsp  Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp  lemon juice

Peel and devein shrimp.  Toss in Konricko seasoning and brown in skillet.

Chop up shrimp into small nuggets. Chop celery and green onion. Mix all ingredients in bowl.

Taste and add Konricko, hot sauce, or Worcestershire as needed.

Let chill in refrigerator. Serve with crackers.

We Had A Temperature Drop

 It was in the mid 40's when I launched this morning, clear skies and a 10mph wind that was forecasted to pick up as the day went on. I met Tom Hutchens, his brother Bob, and their friend Kevin down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp and we headed up the Nassau River and down to Broward Island to take advantage of the first of an incoming tide...and the 10 mph wind!  The trio of anglers were pitching jigs and live shrimp to the bank and it wasn't long before we began to get some fish. Tom "knocked the skunk off with a nice, keeper sized Seatrout catch then Bob hooked up with some strong fish, and landed two 18" Black "puppy" Drum. We had another Trout or two before we moved down the island and fished under a Bald Eagle for a bit. No luck there, we moved on.

Our next stop was up at some docks at Seymore's Pointe but the wind had picked up and made for some difficult fishing. We came back around to the Nassauville side and we were sheltered from the wind, but the fish didn't cooperate! 

After moving back up the Nassau we fished the mouth of Pumpkin Hill. Thewind was really whipping but this trio of anglers made do. We drifted with the wind and current and picked up Trout. Kevin got in on the action and caught a good handful of Trout to ease into contention of the "most fish caught". Although none of these Trout were of keeper size, it was a testament to these anglers perseverance to hang in there and catch some fish. Even with the wind it was a beautiful day so as we headed in we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Worthwhile Braving The Nasty Weather

 

It was drizzling rain when I launched yesterday. A dreary fog had set in and as I tied the boat up the rain increased enough to where I was scrambling for a rain jacket and I ended up sitting under the cabana until Freya Phillips and Ray pulled up. They had come prepared, with both wearing rains suites, head to toe, and it being Ray's birthday, we were going fishing one way or the other!  So off we went and after making our first run up and into the Jolley River, we eased back into the tide that had been coming in for a few hours and began tossing float rigs with live shrimp. And the rain stopped and never rained again!

We worked the entire bank for about 30 minutes and we didn't get even a nibble. Not a bite, which I thought was strange. After running further up the Jolley we worked another bank and fairly quickly Ray "knocked the skunk off" with a hungry Seatrout catch.  I thought we might pick up a few more, but no. Then Ray saw a "tail" up in a pocket behind us so we dropped back and fished it. Freya was fishing within 6 feet of the boat when here float slowly went under. She tightened up the line, lifted her rod tip, and BAM! Her line began ripping out as her rod tip bent over, Big Fish On!  Freya was on the bow but made here way back to the stern and luckily the big fish made for deeper water. Freya fought it from port to starboard and back again a few times. Just when we could see the float come to the surface the fish would dig deep again, ripping drag. But finally, Freya, who was getting double coached, brought the fish to the surface and landed an Oversized 32" Redfish which we photographed and released. This fish put Freya in third place in the Anglers Mark Bragging Rights Tournament-Redfish Category(scroll down the right side of this report for standings) Boy what a fish!

We fished the outside of Tyger in a couple of places to no avail, then motored thru Tyger and fished over in the Bell. Here, we got into some action. Both anglers caught Seatrout, one after another for a good bit. They were in the 12"-14.5" range, fun to catch, but all released. Our final stop was over in Soap Creek. We had a few bites as the tide turned and started back out, then we headed in, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

We Found 'Em

 I wrapped  up my week fishing with Glenn and Patti Langford this morning. We had met down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early,  under cloudy skies, but warmer temperatures than the last few days. We made a long run up the intercoastal, over thru the Back River, into the Nassau, and down to Broward Island. It was a high and incoming tide but I wanted to try fishing the island deep. Both anglers were tossing jigs and live shrimp to the bank, letting it fall down the bottom, and waited for the "bump". Patti "knocked the skunk off" when she had a strong hookup. She played it perfectly and landed a feisty Redfish. I though, "oh boy, here we go!"  But nope, not another real bite. We moved down the island, passing a pair of Bald Eagles, and fished another stretch of the island, to no avail.

We motored back up the river and fished a shallow stretch of flooding bank, now floating live shrimp over the shell bottom and BAM! We had one hookup after another!  It was almost every drift. Many of the Seatrout were 14-14.5" in length but we put a good handful of keeper sized Seatrout in the boat. Glenn had a

good drift going, right up beside the grass and when a fish took his bait with a vengeance and his drag ripped, we knew he had a bigger fish. Glenn fought it patiently as it boiled up a couple of times (Redfish) and then he brought it to the net, a 20" Slot Sized Redfish. After briefly fishing a grassy island we moved on.

Our next stop was back at Seymore's Pointe where we drifted live shrimp under a float along a couple of grass lines. Although we had a couple of good "takes', we landed no fish. After motoring down the Nassau, we fished the mouth of  Twin Creeks, switching back to jigs. Patti hooked up quickly with another Seatrout. We landed a couple of more Trout as we worked the bank, then we headed in, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Trout Game

 

What beautiful weather we're having here at Amelia Island this week, and today was no different with clear skies, sunshine, and flat water! I met fishing buddies Tom Gaslin and Steve Foss out at Goffinsville Park early and we made a short run over to the mouth of Pumpkin Hill and set up along a stretch of flooding marsh grass with plans to toss float rigs and live shrimp to the bank and drift them long with the current, and we did just that, and it paid off. Both anglers found that there was a "honey hole" back there and they caught hungry Seatrout, one after the other. We moved down the bank a bit and Steve again went long and again found Seatrout. When you're drifting long sometimes you build up a bunch of slack and it becomes a game when that float disappears- you have to slap the bail shut, crank like crazy to catch up and then lift the rod to have the circle hook set. You win some you lose some.

We move around the corner and again found Seatrout up by a grass patch. Our next stop was at a large marsh drainage back at Seymore's Pointe. The duo found that they could toss their float up beyond a grassy pointe, let it drift around the corner and, BAM. Trout bite. We jumped around the dock and fished the grass line and here Tom got hot and picked up another handful of Trout, one of which was of keeper size. 

Our next stop was down the Nassau, again fishing a marsh drainage with jigs and shrimp, but we only picked up one small Seatrout. Moving further down to Spanish Drop, we worked some submerged shell banks, drifting with the current. We were almost ready to make another move when Steve had a strong bite, one that ripped his drag. He played it perfectly and landed a nice feisty Redfish. He picked up two more of those Reds and one of them made it into the Slot. 

Our final stop was back at some docks at Seymore's Pointe. We fished the pilings with the jigs and shrimp, had some nibbles, but not takers. We then worked along the docks, tossing jigs and picked up another Trout or two, then aa nice  18" Black "puppy" Drum. It had been a gorgeous day, we had some good fish catching action, so as we headed in, we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

First Fish. Ever.

 Just when I thought we couldn't have had a prettier day on the water, we had today!  I had met Doug and Sandy Massey up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp early and we headed over to the outside of Tyger with the sun just up, hardly a breeze, and a brisk temperature to start the morning off. We eased up to a grass line and began tossing float rigs and live shrimp. We had a couple of quick bites early but no real takers. I notice a guy off to the north tossing a jig with some kinda of bait and he was nailing fish! Go figure.

After fishing across the creek along another grass line to no avail, we moved on. We made the run thru Tyger, around to the Bell, over to Lanceford and up into Soap Creek and pulled up to a large marsh drainage. I think it was Doug's first cast and BAM! The skunk was off! He reeled in a nice Seatrout. We worked that area pretty good and then it was Sandy's turn to hookup. She played it perfectly and reeled in another Seatrout - her fish fish caught ever! Now that's success! Both anglers caught more Trout and both caught feisty Redfish.

Our next stop was back up Lanceford where we stayed with the float rigs. We fished it briefly but had not bites, and moved on. We tried some dock pilings and this did the trick. In just a few minutes we were catching fish: Sheepshead, Flounder, Black Drum, and Redfish. A few of the Drum were of keeper size, we kept one but threw a few keeper sized fish back, then Doug had a strong hookup and this one was ripping drag. Doug kept the pressure on and expertly brought it to the net - a Slot sized 22" Redfish.

We left 'em biting  and another angler pulled in as we were leaving so as we headed back we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Surprise Surprise!

 I was back to work today after help put on our fishing Tournament over the weekend and boy was it a pretty day to be fishing! I met Dave Burkhart and his fishing buddies Robert and Ed up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp and we then headed south down the intercoastal and then dipped into Lanceford Creek to pull up to a marsh runout on a high and incoming tide.

I was feeling pretty confident that we'd be catching fish today after a great week last week and then some good catches coming in to the tournament Saturday, but after fishing that first spot with float rigs and live shrimp for 15 minutes and not getting a nibble, I had a gnawing feeling that this might be the day that we might get "skunked". 

We ran further up into Lansford, turned into Soap and set up at another marsh drainage, fished it for a bit (no bites), then eased along the bank working it with each cast. Finally, these anglers began to get some bites then they caught a few Seatrout, one of which was of keeper size. We moved on around to some docks off of Lanceford and switched to jigs and this did the trick. Dave and Robert hooked up and brought to the boat some keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum and Ed outsmarted four (yes four) Sheepshead! Then Dave went deep, to 15' of water, and had a strong bite and a battle ensued. He played it perfectly and eventually landed a 22" Slot Sized Redfish. Robert also put two undersized and out of season Flounder in the boat, and released.

Our next stop was up Bell River and I think the first cast with a jig produced a Seatrout. Then they were all catching, with a couple of more being of keeper size, and the biggest, right at 17", caught by Ed. Robert went to some structure and had his shrimp picked up and then his drag began to rip, Fish On! This was crazy. The fish ran hard up the river, then down the river, then up the river, then down the river. It kinda boiled up behind the boat and we all thought for sure it was big Redfish but when it finally came to the surface we saw that it was a Striped Bass (and Ed correctly identified it as a Hybrid). The first Striped Bass ever on my boat! Boy what a fish!

We fished Jolley "bank" for a bit, tangled with another big fish, then headed in, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Veterans Day Blow Out

 We had another beautiful day when I met Dennis Ambercrombie and his dad Jay, a Veteran and an
angler. Little did we know that today would be one of those "banner" days, and it couldn't have come at a better time with today being Veterans Day! We made a short run from Goffinsvill Park down the Nassau River and set up at a marsh run out. The two anglers baited up and were fishing that drainage with about an hour left of an outgoing tide. I had turned my back to do something and BAM, Jay had a bite on that first cast and we were in for a battle! Jay played it patiently (watch the below video) - it took well over 6 minutes, but he was up to the task and eventually boated a Oversized 32.5" Redfish, a fish big enough to move him into 2nd Place in the Anglers Mark 2021 Bragging Rights Tournament - Redfish Category (scroll down the right side of this report and click on Bragging Rights to see standings). Boy what fish! While he was fighting the Red Dennis had a hookup and landed a hungry Seatrout!

We continued to fish that spot for a good 30 minutes and Jay was on fire catching  Seatrout out the back of the boat. We then moved down to Spanish Drop and fished some exposed shell banks. Jay picked up more Trout off the stern while Dennis found a couple of feisty Redfish.  After that we worked along some shell banks, pitching jigs and shrimp on the very last of the tide until it hit dead bottom. 

Our next stop was up at some docks at Seymore's Pointe and now the tide was coming in and it made a difference. Jay was fishing the stern and hooked up and landed a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum (all fish caught today were released), then Dennis followed that up with a Drum catch of his own. Then Jay had a slight "bump", set the hook, and reeled in a keeper sized Sheepshead! We had a good, brief flurry at that spot. We ran down along Nassauville and made one more stop and picked up a few more Trout and a small Sea Bass. 

The final stop was down at Broward Island and boy was it hot! Right off the bat, Jay began to catch keeper sized Seatrout, most all of them out deep in 20' of water. They picked up a small Red or two then after Dennis had made a good cast to a "beach", BAM! The minute it hit the water he had a big fish on. Jay expertly played the fish, kept the pressure on, and slowly worked it to the surface. I was thinking< "Big Red" but when it came up we saw that it was a huge Flounder! Dennis kept that line tight and eventually we netted a 23.35" Flounder, and we had another Abercrombie slide in to the Bragging Rights Tournament, this one big enough to move in to a tie for 2nd Place in the Flounder Category. Another great fish!

We fished that spot until we ran out of bait, catching one Seatrout after the other. I remember commenting that IF they had been keeping fish, they surely would have hit their limit! As we headed back to the dock we counted it as another  great day of catching here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Last of the Outgoing, First of the Incoming

 

We had another beautiful day today when I met Mark Smith and his future neighbor Dan down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp. The skies were clear and the sun was just coming up as we made the run up the Nassau River and around to Broward Island to set up at a large marsh run out with plans to pitch jigs and live shrimp. Dan was on the bow fishing the run out while Mark was on the stern pitching to a small cove and it as Mark who "knocked the skunk off" with a feisty Redfish catch. We worked along that bank and had a pretty good stretch of "fish catching" - the two anglers caught a good handful of Seatrout with a couple of them being of keeper size, then Mark put a Slot sized Redfish in the boat. We worked about half the island but the tide had come to a standstill, so we made a move.

Dan stayed on the bow, fishing the jig, and hooked up with a keeper sized Weakfish then Mark caught and landed another Slot Red, then he had a strong hookup and this big fish stayed on the bottom, Fish On!  Mark played it patiently and slowly

worked it up, then it dove deep again making the drag sing. He worked it up again only to have it make more deep runs, but Mark was up to the task and eventually landed an Oversized 29" Redfish, boy what a fish!

We came back to Nassauville, stayed with the jigs, and here they picked up another Redfish, then Mark landed a 15"+ Flounder, big enough normally, but with a closed season, it went back to live another day!

Our final stop was down at Twin Creeks. Both Mark and Dan caught Seatrout drifting floats, then a feisty Redfish. We moved down to Spanish Drop and finished the day catching small but fun to catch Seatrout. As we headed back we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.