Big Bertha Busts Bragging Rights

 We had the prettiest day all week - sunshine with a just a cloud now and then, not too hot, not too cool,
and just a faint amount of breeze to keep the bugs off. After meeting Rich Voelbel and his fishing partner Steve down at Sawpit Creek boat ramp we made our way up the Nassau and ran all the way up to Broward Island to fish the first of an incoming tide - ideal time to be there, but it didn't really pay off. We worked the bank with jigs and live shrimp and the duo of anglers were getting good casts but all we were getting were nibblers until Steve finally "knocked the skunk off" when he had a strong hookup out deep. He played the fish perfectly and fought it to the surface and landed a nice 19.25" Seatrout - they had their big fish of the day (we thought).  After moving back up north we fished a spot that we had already fished and Rich outsmarted a feisty Sheepshead and brought it to the boat. 

Running back down the Nassau and stopping at Twin Creeks, we switched to float rigs and Rich's first cast produced a high flying Ladyfish, then Steve picked up a hungry Seatrout way back along the grass. We then motored further down the river to Spanish Drop and worked that bank with the float rigs, to no avail.

We followed the tide back up the river to Pumpkin Hill and drifted  more marsh grass. Rich had something big roll on his bait but it didn't take. We drifted down another grass line where I felt sure we'd get fish but it was kinda slow until Rich made another cast and his float immediately went out of sight as soon as it hit and, Big Fish On!  This fish was digging deep and ripping some drag but Rich kept the pressure up and expertly fought it to the net - a big 23.75" Gator Trout - Big Bertha - and easily the biggest Trout on the Anglers Mark this year which moves Rich into first place in the 2025 Bragging Rights Tournament-Seatrout Category (scroll down the right side of this report for standings). 

We fished on down the way and picked up a couple of more Trout or two, then hit a couple of more spots before heading back to the ramp, and as we skimmed over the glassy water, we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Pretty Day Aggravating Wind Fish Caught

 We had a beautiful day this morning but when I stepped out to get the boat ready the flags on the front of the house were blowing and I said "uh-oh". When I came back in to have a little breakfast I checked the weather again -"sunshine with wind holding steady at 12mph".  That's really not bad but just enough to be aggravating to casters who would be tossing float rigs most of the morning. 

I met Tim Hall up at Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp, and his guests who were visiting from Holland -Ruben and is two boys Joab and Eron. The tide had been coming in a few hours and after making our way out of Eagans Creek and up to the Jolly River and turning into the current along the "bank", the oysters were all covered up. We got the float rigs ready, baited with live shrimp and began working along the grass. That 12mph east wind made it difficult to keep the boat parallel and to toss into it. But these anglers were up to the ask and we fished it pretty good, and might have had one bite.

We then ran up the river, just past Snook Creek and again turned into the current. Now the wind was at our backs and we were getting good drifts, and it paid off. Ruben had made an excellent cast and as his float drifted with the incoming current, BAM! Fish On!  Ruben played it expertly and soon landed a nice feisty Redfish. We moved into Snook and fished some jigs and shrimp but had no luck. After running back down the Jolley, we anchored up current from Tyger Cut and this did the trick. All anglers got a bite on their float rigs, then Ruben, drifting down the right side had a hookup. He played it perfectly and landed a keeper sized Seatrout. Tim and Eron went down the other side and picked up another Trout. 

After running up the Jolley and into the Bell we fished in and around some docks with the jigs. They landed a small Toadfish and a small Croaker but then Ruben hooked up deep and played to the net another keeper sized Seatrout. We ran down the Jolley and up Lanceford Creek where we fished a large drainage. Both Ruben and Joab battled and landed Bonnethead Shark which were photographed and released. Eron and his dad teamed up to land one more keeper Trout. 

Our final stop was around at a grass patch fishing the dead high tide and here we did have a bit of action catching small Seatrout. We had had to deal with a bit of wind but it was a beautiful day and we had caught fish, had a few 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.

Chicago Boys Wrap The Week Up

 I finished up a great week of fishing yesterday fishing with an all-guys group from Chicago - Wes
Metheney,  his son Jack and friends PJ and Emmitt. We met down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early  and run up the Nassau to make our first stop at a large drainage at Seymore's Pointe. They were getting good drifts with their float rigs on the first of an outgoing tide but we had not a single real bite.

We ran thru Horsehead and over to Poteat Point and here we did get some action with PJ "knocking the skunk off" with a Seatrout catch. We caught a few along there then crossed over and fished an attractive area with a few grassy islands at the mouth of another drainage. This paid off with some more Trout catches  - Wes and Jack added to the catch, then Emmit had a strange bite, hooked it up, and landed a nice Flounder. PJ tangled with a big high flying Ladyfish which we boated and released.

After running back thru Horsehead we made our way down to Back River and fished a stretch of marsh grass with the floats then wrapped things up fishing Spanish Drop with jigs and live shrimp. Wes battled a couple of hard fighting Jack Crevalle to the net while Emmitt, fishing off the stern, landed another Trout. We had some beautiful weather, had 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. 

A Few Surprises

 About when I think I've got fishing figured out I get surprised. This morning, after meeting Henry Ross, his sister Laura, and her husband Dennis down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp, we ran up the intracoastal, up the Nassau and set up on a large outflow to toss float rigs and live shrimp on the first of an outgoing tide. I would have bet a dollar that we'd get some Seatrout here, and I would have lost it. When Dennis' first cast was drifting across and viciously went under I knew it wasn't a Seatrout - the line was ripping across the water and the drag was singing. Dennis kept the pressure on and followed it around the boat, and then it dug deep. A big Redfish maybe? Dennis worked it up, let it run, worked it in, and soon brought to the net a big Jack Crevalle. We fished that stretch of water thoroughly and didn't get another real bite. 

After running thru Horsehead and over to Poteat Point we set up and began to toss up to some flooded grass and let those floats drift back. I thought for sure we'd get Seatrout out in the current, but Henry went over into some slower and water and BAM! Fish On! He played it patiently to the boat and landed a keeper sized Seatrout. He went back to the same spot and hooked up with another. We eased forward, pitching to the grass and letting it drift. Laura had a good cast forward up near a point of grass  but had no takers. Dennis cast forward and came by the same grass and BAM! Big Fish On!  Dennis fought this fish valiantly as it ripped drag and made a run out deep. He worked it in expertly and after a good battle landed a tournament sized 26.5" Redfish.

Both Henry and Laura pitched their floats forward to that same spot but got no action. Dennis made is cast and had another big hookup. This was also a good battle and when we saw the fish roll we knew it was another big Redfish. Dennis played it perfectly and landed a nice 25" Slot Redfish. Laura expertly landed a Seatrout and hard fighting Jack Crevalle and after Dennis battled a 4' Bonnethead Shark to the boat for pictures we moved on. 

We fished over in Jackstaff for a bit then ran back thru Horsehead and down to Back River where we set up with the float rigs, looking for more Redfish. It started slow, and they weren't Redfish, but  the trio had some good action catching hungry Seatrout, one after the other. Our final stop was down at Broward Island tossing jigs and shrimp. Dennis had to fight another big Bonnethead Shark to the boat, then Henry wrapped things up with a Redfish catch. We had some really nice weather, had caught big fish and had good action with Seatrout, so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Early Bird Get's The Fish

 The last couple of days there has been a trend of catching fish early on that first of a high and outgoing
tide and that trend held today. I had met Wes Metheney and his son Jack down at Sawpit Creek boat ramp early this morning - the gnats wanted to carry me off as I waited for them to arrive, but as we ran up the intracoastal I saw that we now had a breeze and it stuck with us the rest of the day, and blew those bugs off. We made our first stop up at Poteat Point and it was a good call - first cast Jack was hooked up and he expertly landed a nice Seatrout. The duo caught a few of those Trout, drifting floats and live shrimp then Wes had strong hookup. I had seen his float drifting along and it got "bumped", then it slowly went under. Wes caught up the line, let the circle hook set and, Fish On!  This fish was ripping drag and running south but Wes kept the pressure on - he fought it to the net and landed a nice 21" Slot Redfish. 

We picked up another Trout or two then ran thru Horsehead and over to Back River and set up drifting those floats along some now exposed oysters. The duo caught a good handful of Seatrout, Redfish and a couple of Flounder. We crossed over the river and pitched across a sandbar and drifted, to no avail. After fishing Twin Creeks for a bit with floats and jigs, we ran up to some docks at Seymore's and worked the pilings with jigs and live shrimp. This paid off with a strong hookup. Jack was on the rod and gave it a good battle, fought the fish to the net and landed another nice Slot Redfish. After running back thru Horsehead we fished a large drainage, then a sand spit before we headed back to the ramp, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Early Action

I went back south today to fish with Glenn and Patti Lanford. We met down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp
and quickly got under way  - the No SeeUms were about to carry us off! But luckily, as we ran up the river, the breeze picked up and they were never an issue for the rest of the morning. The tide had been going out for about two hours as we eased up to our first stop across from Goffinsville Park and the two anglers began to toss float rigs baited with live shrimp. We worked up and down the bank and they caught a good handful of Seatrout and Redfish. They weren't real big but at least one of the Reds was in the Slot. It was nice to have good action early and not have any "skunk" to worry about!

We ended up hitting 5-6 more spots during the morning and picked up a Trout here and there, had a drag ripping breakoff, caught a couple of small but feisty Black "puppy" Drum, and then hooked and landed a couple of feisty Reds. The sun had shone all day, there was a slight breeze to keep the gnats off, we had some good action early, so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

There was a guy having difficult getting his boat backed in, we came up with a solution!

A Menagerie of Fish

 Menagerie: A collection of wild animals kept in captivity. Yes, they were wild animals (fish), but they
weren't in captivity - we caught them wild. Maybe a Conglomeration? Conglomeration: a number of different things, parts, or items that are grouped together; collection. There were a bunch of different things (fish),  but they were alive and well. Maybe a smorgasbord?  Smorgasbord: a wide range of something; a variety. 

We caught a bunch of different species -a menagerie, a conglomeration, a smorgasboard when I fished this morning with Allen Webb. We met early up at Old Town Bait and Tackle - there was very little wind and the bugs were out a bit as we eased out of Eagans Creek and made our way over to Soap Creek to try our hand at some top water lure tossing. Allen was getting good casts and good action but we had no takers. We then eased further down Lanceford and fished some dock pilings with jigs and live shrimp with just an hour or so of an outgoing tide left and here we boated a feisty Sting Ray and a small Sea Bass.

After a long run up the Bell River and sticking with the jigs, fishing deep, Allen hooked up and landed a hungry Seatrout. On further around and into the Jolley we fished some exposed oysters and here Allen landed a keeper sized Seatrout, then a small Bonnethead, then a larger Bonnethead Shark. We bumped over to the MOA and worked it pretty good. A good bite had us all excited when it dug deep but it turned out to be a mang8y old Catfish. We fished the Tyger logs for a bit, to no avail, then wrapped things up back at the Jolley, tossing a float rig and live shrimp. .We had a beautiful day out on the water, had some drag ripping action with the Shark and had a Trout sandwich 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. 

Larry, Curly and Moe

These guys need their own U-tube Channel-they'd go viral. I met David Vice and his two friends in from California - Dave and John - out at Goffinsville Park boat ramp as the sun was coming up. We had very little breeze and clear skies as we made our way down the Nassau River to set up fishing at Spanish Drop on the last hour of an outgoing tide. All three anglers were tossing jigs and live shrimp to the exposed shell bank and within minutes they were catching fish. We had a couple of Seatrout caught, a big Blue Fish, and a nice feisty Redfish. The trash talk started out slow, subtle and gentle, but it built to fast, furious and brutal as the day wore on. 

We moved up to a large drainage and fished it as the tide hit bottom, then made a run down to Broward Island where I expected big things after yesterday but we were disappointed.  David did pick up a keeper Seatrout out deep then he put a keeper Flounder in the boat. Both of these fish were released later.  After running up the river further and dipping into a creek and working the bank, Dave hooked up and landed a small Black "puppy" Drum, but that was it. Again, somewhat disappointed in the catch along there. 

After running back to the mouth of Pumpkin Hill we switched to float rigs and drifted live shrimp with the current. The trio of anglers had been keeping a loose count of fish (and crabs) that they had caught and were close to even in their totals and then we got busy catching fish. Most of the catches were up near the bank - they landed a couple of Slot Redfish, a couple of Black "puppy" Drum,  and Seatrout. The trash talk came on strong and I thought I was watching one of those black and white re-runs of Larry, Moe and and Curly as they positioned themselves and their floats for the best drift. When it was all over they each had caught about 6 fish each and with a good "mess" in the box, we headed back to the ramp and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Flashed By a Bald Eagle

 We had a beautiful morning today when I met Jeff and Jinny Key down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp.
Clear, sunny skies and just enough breeze to keep the bugs off! We made our way over to the intracoastal then up the Nassau River to fish our first spot between some docks at Nassauville. I think we were about an hour late - the tide was at a standstill and so was the fish bite - we had no luck.

We then made our way down to Broward Island and pitched jigs and live shrimp as the tide started back in. Jeff found a nice "honey hole" off the stern of the boat and in short order began filling the box with Seatrout, Redfish and Sheepshead. He also rounded out an Amelia Island Backcountry Grande Slam when he put a small Black "puppy" Drum in the boat. This one spot was paying off  - just as we would think the bite had stopped, BAM! Fish On!  I was fishing a little bit and at least twice we had "double" hookups. Jeff would reel his in and I would net it, trying to keep pressure on my fish, then I'd hand the rod off and Jeff would finish him off. It was about this time we had a beautiful Bald Eagle flash by us, diving on a fish. 

We fished north of the island for a bit then made our way up river and into a creek where Jeff worked the bank diligently. He hooked up and landed 4 more Redfish, one of which was keeper size, and I think the biggest fish of the day found its way around a log and broke off. We had some great action, some beautiful weather, a Bald Eagle fly by so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Two Swimming Deer, Two Bald Eagles, Four Trout

 What a beautiful morning it was when I met Doug Mackle and his granddaughter Montana up at the Old
Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp. Clear skies, just a slight bit cool, and the sun coming up over the State Park. We eased out of Eagans Creek and as we did so Montana spotted to doe deer swimming across the creek, heading from the Pogey Plant over to Old Town. Cool!

We made our first run over to behind Tyger Island and fished the logs on a tide that had been coming in for a couple of hours. We must have been late because we didn't have what we could have called a real nibble. We then came out and headed up to the Jolley River where I turned into the current along the "bank". We worked along it good with float rigs and live shrimp. Finally, the "skunk was off" when Montana hooked up and battled to the boat a hard fighting Jack Crevalle. 

On up the Jolley we made a stop at Tyger Cut and drifted the float rigs again. We had a couple of bites then hooked up and landed a nice keeper sized Seatrout. Further up the Jolley, at Snook Creek, we eased along that bank and here Doug had a good fight with a feisty Redfish. While fishing, we spotted two beautiful Bald Eagles working the marsh, and roosting on an old root system.

Around at the Bell River we switched to jigs and this paid off with two more Trout catches, both of which were of keeper size. The biggest was right at 18" long. We fished back at Lanceford Creek and added the 4th keeper Trout to the cooler, then we finished up fishing up Soap Creek to wrap things up. We had seen deer and Bald Eagles 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.