Why "The Anglers Mark" ?

The name came from nothing spectacular, but people ask. A number of years ago I took two employees fishing with me. The "senior" employee, Dylan, had fished with me a number of times. He was quite competitive, a pretty good angler, and caught fish on occasion, just like the rest of us. The new guy, David, came from southern California -a different culture- and was new to north Florida salt water fishing. The two worked together during the week and bantered back and forth constantly during their work day, trying to one-up each other on every task or subject. We had just launched at the Bait House on Eagans Creek and were trolling towards the river, tossing live shrimp under a float up into the grass when the new guy, David, hooked up with a trout. I was happy to see him catch a fish and was amused when the bantering between the two began. David boated another trout and then another and then another while Dylan watched almost helplessly. The dagger was finally driven home when David proclaimed to Dylan, "I've got the Mark of an Angler...and you don't!" I thought it was funny at the time to see the more experienced angler humbled somewhat, but upon reflection, it was just what I was looking for. To some, the fishing experience is not just about catching fish, but getting out on the water, seeing a manatee's snout blow out of the water, kicking back on your leather chair with an adult beverage while you rig up the rods for the following day, making your sandwiches the night before, tossing a good tight loop on the flyrod, catching a fish on a fly you tied, teaching a young one how to cast, even feeling the crispness of your fishing shirt as you put it on in the morning, leaving early to have bacon, eggs and grits at the Huddle House, having a fish fry with your friends, cutting across the water as the sun rises and last but not least, feeling the heavy tug on your line as a Redfish chomps down on your bait. To me, fishing is more than catching fish. I don't think I was born with the "Mark" but I've sure grown into it!

Coopers gone fish'in

Jimmy Cooper, his two sons Mitchell and Jake, and grandfather "Coop" fished with me yesterday. We had beautiful weather, a very light breeze and sunshine. We crossed the marina and stopped at the long oyster bed at Lanceford Creek. Mitchell and Jake had never used a spinning outfit so we got in some practice casts with live shrimp on Sure Catch jigs and before long they were getting some bites with Jimmy getting the first fish in the boat, a Jack Crevalle. We ran around to Tiger Island and anchored up and shortly Mitchell was reeling in a nice flounder. Jake joined in on the action with a couple of croaker and we also caught a vermillion snapper. The tide was starting back in so we used the trolling motor to get us through the cut to Bell River and ran to the docks on Lanceford Creek. We ended the day here with Jimmy reeling in a "puppy drum" and then a Sheepshead. Mitchell and Jake's casting had improved throughout the day so that they were beginning to make pin-point casts. What a great way to be out on the water with a Grandfather, son, and two fine young men.

In search of Manatee

When Bob Tidball from the Addison House on Amelia Island called and said he had some guests who'd like to do an eco-tour and see some manatee I joked that normally I couldn't gaurantee seeing manatee but maybe I'd let a few out of their cages! I met Buddy and Shannon Barnes at the City docks and we crossed the river to one of my first go-to spots for tailing Reds. The tide wasn't quite high enough for Reds in the grass, but we did see two Horseshoe Crab cruising along. We eased through the cut from Bell River to Tiger Basin, cruised Tiger Island and saw some birdlife, then crossed over to Cumberland Island and up into Beach Creek. I thought I saw a tail flap up ahead and sure enough, we found a family of three manatee munching on the grass. We slowly lowered an anchor and watched the family for 30 minutes as they had their lunch. I get as excited as my guests at seeing the manatee and I realized that I was hogging the prime picture taking position on the bow so I relinquished the spot to Buddy and Shannon! After a while we cruised further up the creek and saw a racoon cutting through the marsh grass; we all thought it was unusual to see a raccoon out in the middle of the afternoon. As we left Cumberland we eased along the south shore and found a herd of horses grazing in the marsh, then we crossed to see historic Fort Clinch to wrap up the trip. After I dropped Buddy and Shannon off, I went back to Cumberland to get the manatee back in their cages!

Salt Water Fishing License Required for Shorebound Anglers

Effective August 1, 2009, many Florida residents who were previously exempt from purchasing a saltwater fishing license will be required to purchase a saltwater fishing license before fishing from the shore or a pier, bridge or jetty attached to the shore, unless they are a member of a group* that is still exempted from the license requirements. Read more....

Boat Fire at City Marina

Boat fire kills dog, takes all
By Angela Daughtry, News-Leader
City and county firefighters battle a yacht fire at the city marina Monday night, above and below, before a crowd of onlookers. The boat was a total loss. Photos by Robert Fiege/News-Leader. Read more here...

Shark infested waters!

Capt. Ron Presley of Cocoa Beach, Florida was visiting Amelia Island with his wife so he and I were able to get out on the water this morning. We left the Atlantic Seafood dock at 7:30am and eased across the harbor to fish a long oyster bank at Lanceford Creek. It was a clear, beautiful morning with only a slight breeze. We had a few nibbles, but no hook ups so we cruised through the marsh to Tiger Island. Again, just a few nibbles, but no takers. We picked up and ran to Jolley River, fished the east bank, then on up to one of the creeks that branch off. It wasn't long before Ron's drag was singing with a large fish ripping line off. He fought it expertly to the boat, and into the net. We snapped pictures of the nice, Bonnet Head shark and then slid him back into the creek. We hooked up with a few more of these hard fighting fish then moved on. Although the next few stops didn't produce any real bites, it was good to get out with Ron and trade "Charter stories". Thanks Ron, see you on your next trip!.

Big Red and lot's of Spots

I fished Sunday afternoon with Jeff Fuchs who was visiting from West Palm Beach with his family and staying at the Ritz Carlton. We left the south end dock around 2pm and had the last of the outgoing tide to fish. Our first stop was at the mouth of Jackstaff Creek up at Horsehead and boy what a way to start! Jeff was an excellent caster and was pinpointing his Sure Catch jig and shrimp bait to the base of the oyters; we had only trolled the bank for about 50 yards when he hooked up to a big fish, fought it to the boat....and it broke off! OUCH! He hooked up with another briefly - it got off, then he hooked up again and fought this large 27", 6lb, 25-spot Redfish to the net (17 spots won the Redfish Spot Tournament in Jax last month). We were both huffing and puffing with excitement. I eased the boat up to the same spot and UMPFF! Fish on! Jeff boated a 18", 2lb Red. We again eased up to the "spot" and Jeff hooked up again, but this time he yelled, "It's bigger than the 1st". After a long battle, Jeff led the large 30", 9 1/2lb Redfish into the net. Like the others, we snapped some pictures and released this beautiful fish to fight another day. We eventually cast netted some finger mullet and picked up a nice Jack Crevalle, a small trout and then ended the day as the sun began to fall with a fat 19" Trout at Broward Island. What a great day of fishing!

The Bait is here! The bait is here!

I fished yesterday afternoon with my buddy, Charlie Jones. He's been off all week and picked me up at the Holley Pointe boat ramp. It was dead low and as we rounded the first bend in Christopher Creek we could see pods of finger mullet along the bank. Charlie positioned the boat while I tossed the cast net and we eventually had 2-3 dozen finger mullet along with a couple of dollar sized crabs. We ran to Broward Island to get out of the wind (will it ever stop blowing?) and trolled up the north end, casting our fresh baits and Sure Catch Jigs up to the shoreline. I hooked up fairly quickly - the fish came to the top of the water, rolled and came off! When I got my bait in, it was intact, so I'm still trying to figure that one out. A little later we eached hooked up, bringing in some nice, fat trout. We caught some more and lost a few, but ended the day with some really good fishing.

Fishing and Sightseeing

We had friends Bill and Denise Sweeney in from Maryland to take in the Shrimp Festival and decided to get out in the boat for a few hours on Friday. We launched from the north end boat ramp around 8am and had a baitwell full of live shrimp; the tide was low at 9am. Our first stop was on the east side of Jolley River, fishing the oyster beds with Sure Catch jigs and live shrimp. We had a few nibbles, but moved up the river to some of the creeks as the tide began to inch back in. The wind picked up so we ran to the docks on Bell River. Again, we had a few bites, some that wanted to take, but never hooked up. With the sun getting high and hot, we made a run by Tiger Island and over to Cumberland for some sightseeing and came upon a small herd of horses with a couple of new foals. Out by noon and on to some Seafood!

County Approves No Wake Zone

By Ryan Smith, Fernandina Beach News-Leader

The Nassau County Commission passed an ordinance Monday creating a no-wake zone in the waters around the North End Boat Ramp. The zone, in which boaters will have to cruise at idle speed, will extend 500 feet north and 500 feet south of the boat ramp. However, some locals don't think it goes far enough, and the commission agreed to investigate extending the zone.
Read more....

Recipe of The Month: Shrimp and New Potato Stew

Another recipe from The Cooks Encyclopedia of Four Ingredient Cooking by Joanna Farrow:

1 1/2 pounds small new potatoes, scrubbed

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

12 ounce jar (or can) tomato and chili sauce

11 ounces peeled shrimp

(I added some chopped celery, Vidalia onion, crushed garlic and corn)

Cook the potatoes in lightly salted water, boiling the water for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Drain and return to pan.

(I browned the garlic in some olive oil, and added the celery and onion, ) then

Finely chop half of the cilantro and add to the pan with the tomato and chili sauce and 6 tablespoons of water (I forgot the water). Bring to boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

Stir in the shrimp and cook a few more minutes until they are cooked. Spoon into bowl and sprinke with remaining cilantro pieces.

Sure Catch Jigs - Pro Style

Sure Catch Jigs now has a "Pro Style" jig that has two collars formed onto the jig. You can choose between the standard "Bait" jig or go with the Pro Style. I've found that the Pro Style works just fine with live shrimp and mullet AND you can use them to fish with artificals, such as the popular Gulp products. When you slide the Gulp onto the jig and push it up and over the collars, the artificial is held securely so you don't have to reposition the bait after each cast. Ask for the Pro Style Sure Catch Jig's at your local bait and tackle store!

Fish Bite Turning On

Carol and I were able to get out and do some fishing yesterday afternoon. We launched at the Holley Pointe boat ramp, which was slam full of boaters, and eased across the Nassau River to fish some run-outs. We still had a couple of hours of the outgoing tide and didn't have any real bites so we anchored up at Broward Island and picnicked until the tide slowed. As it reached slack Carol hooked up to a nice, fat 2lb trout that agressivley took her Sure Catch jig with a Gulp root-beer colored mullet. We caught a few more trout and a keeper sized flounder. All of the fish hit aggressively. The water temperature was 73 degrees, up 5 degrees from last week. As we motored into Christopher Creek we noticed some good signs of bait fish along the marsh grass. It looks like the fishing is going to start heating up!

New Projects Finished

I was able to complete a few leather projects this weekend. The book cover/journal pictured was actually the 2nd attempt - I ruined the first. I had completed it and just needed to dye the interior raw leather. I daubed some dark brown dye on it and it bled through and ruined the picture. OUCH. Lessons learned. To see more examples click hear for The Anglers Mark Art blog NOTE: We will not have a booth at the Amelia Island Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival this year, but plan to pursue more consignment relationships with area Fly Shops.

Father and Son fishing trip

I had the opportunity to fish with Todd Sack as he treated his son, David to a fishing trip. David will be graduating soon and heading off to college so it was a great time to get out on the water. The weather cooperated fully as we experienced a nice sunny day with a light breeze - to begin with. I haven't been to the Jolley River in a while so we headed up and started tossing the jig and shrimp combo on the last of an outgoing tide. David hooked up first with a nice trout and then Todd joined in with another. We made a few stops up the Jolley and they caught a few more trout. David even reeled in what looked to be something from prehistoric times - a 34" gar of some sort. It really reeked! The wind picked up out of the northeast so we ran to the Tiger Islands and sure enough, out of the wind. Todd ended the day by catching a keeper sized flounder. We did have a neighbor who caught their only fish, but what appeared to be a 22" fat trout, fishing deep on the bottom. We toured Cumberland Island to see a herd of wild horses, crossed to historic Fort Clinch, and made it back to the dock in time wrap up the day. Good luck David up at school!

Jennings Fishing Trip

Caroline Jennings and her family were staying at Summer Beach Resorts here on Amelia Island and took in a fishing trip with me yesterday. In addition to Caroline and her son Charlie, we had brother-in-law Sam and his two kids Caroline and Jack and we also had grandmother.....Caroline. The sun was out and the weather was warm as we left the dock at 11:30AM but the wind was already up to 15mph out of the southwest so we headed up Bell River to the docks of Pirates Woods in hopes that the tree line would block the wind - and it did, somewhat! All bait shops were out of live shrimp so we were fishing with mud minnows. With only a few casts, Sam hooked up to something big and the fight was on. After some drag ripping runs, we eventually netted a 21"+ Seatrout. All were optimistic that we were in for some serious catching and everyone joined in with rods in the water. We fished and fished and fished and moved from spot to spot (and away from the wind block) and ended up with just some bait stealing action for the rest of the day. As we came out of the Jolley River we were greeted with some rather fierce winds -and salt spray, but the air temperature was still warm and we all survived.

Race with an Osprey

I fished with Michael Fuhrman and his two sons, Zachary and Austin, yesterday. It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon as we left the South end of Amelia Island at 2pm. We stopped at the docks of Longpointe and with his first cast, Zachary hooked up to a fat trout and then shortly after, another. We eventually pulled anchor and ran up the intercoastal where we got into a race with an Osprey just off his perch. We clocked him at 33mph! We stoppped at Jackstaff Creek and fished a couple of spots then ran to "Bubblegum Reef" and were joined by a Crane fishing for his early dinner. Austin and his dad got in some action catching a few croaker and a neat Sail Catfish. All of our fish were released to be caught another day. We visited Broward Island, then wrapped up the day at Middle Marsh to try our hand at some big Drum fishing. What a great day out on the water with two polite young men!

Times Union Redfish Spot Tournament results

Don Hughes and I fished the Times Union Redfish Spot Tournament this past Saturday. Should have been a trout tournament! We ran up the intercoastal to get to some of our "home" waters and at the first stop picked up (3) trout. We fished a number of spots throughout the day and picked up more trout and eventually a flounder, but no Redfish. The weather was beautiful with very little wind. The winning fish was brought in with 17 spots; second place had 9 spots with 3rd and 4th place each having 7 spots.

Rodney Mills and Roy Carter Trip

I fished with Rodney Mills and Roy Carter who were staying with their families at The Addison House this past weekend. We had moved the start time of the trip to 9:00am to let a storm front pass through that morning; the weather cleared but we had wind of 15mph from the south west so we headed up Lanceford Creek to get in behind the trees. The trick worked and we were able to enjoy some pleasant fishing. Rodney and Roy fished hard, picking up about 7 trout, a small redfish, a blue, a black tip shark, a small drum and a spanish mackerel. Rodney did me a favor and initiated the new "custom" rod I made down at Mudhole a few weeks ago. We tried a couple of spots after leaving Lanceford but the wind kicked our butts!

Boaters World Sale now at 20-50% off

The Boaters World at S.R. 200 and C.R. 107 in O'neal that is going out of business now has posted their prices at 20-50% off. FYI!

North Florida Fly Fishers

I've been invited to speak at the April 20th meeting of the North Florida Fly Fishers in Gainesville, Florida. I'll be speaking on Fly Fishing Opportunities on Amelia Island (and nearby!) The club meets at the Westminister Presbyterian Church, 1521 NW 34th Street, Gainesville. Their socializing begins at at 7:00pm with the meeting starting at 7:30pm. Our Tourism Department has put together packets of information and I've added a number of brochures from Bed and Breakfasts, the Museum, Fort Clinch State Park, etc. Hampton Inn and Suites has donated a 2-night stay for the club to raffle off! If you've thought about joining a fly fishing club or are just interested in learning more about it and live near Gainesville, plan to join us that Monday evening.

Recipe of the Month: Scallops with Fennel and Bacon

This is an easy recipe, taken from The Cook's Encyclopedia of Four Ingredient Cooking by Joanna Farrow:

(2) Small or (1) Large Fennel bulbs

(1/2) Cup Mascarpone cheese

(8) Large Scallops or 1/2lb medium scallops

(4-6) Pieces of bacon

Trim, halve and remove center root of fennel. Slice fennel, reserving and chopping 1/2 cup of the feathery tops. Blanch the slices of fennel in boiling water, 3-7 minutes, until soft. Drain.

Preheat the broiler oven to medium. Place the fennel in a shallow flameproof dish and season with salt and pepper. Dot the Mascarpone cheese on the fennel and broil for about 5 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the fennel is lightly browned.

Meanwhile, pat the scallops dry on a paper towel and season lightly with Konriko. Cook bacon in a large, heavy skillet until crisp. Drain and keep warm. Cook the scallops in the bacon grease 1-2 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

Transfer the fennel to serving plates. Chop the bacon into bite sized pieces and sprinkle over the fennel. Pile the scallops on the bacon and garnish with the reseved fennel tops.

Boaters World going out of business

If you've passed the local Boaters World store at the intersection S.R.200 and C.R.107 you've probably seen the large "Going out of Business" sign. First West Marine Express and now Boaters World! Liquidation prices are set at 10-30% off by the liquidation team and store employees do not have any authorization to change them. However, inside sources tell me that management is monitoring sales three times a day and have replacement signs with 50-60% off ready to go up as soon as they see sales volume drop during the liquidation, which is scheduled to last through June 20th. After they close, don't forget that long time local dealers such as The Boat House, Chelsea Marine, Ocean Outboard and Deonas Boatworks stock a variety of boat supplies and you can still rely on Amelia Bait and Tackle, The Bait House, and Leaders and Sinkers to have all of your fishing supplies. Another inside source tells me that West Marine is still considering opening another store in the Fernandina Beach area.

Windy Trout Trip

Ed Wisniewski's friend Larry Burns was visiting from NE Georgia so they decided to take in a backcountry fishing trip. There wasn't a cloud in the sky as we left the dock at 8am, but the wind was already blowing at least 10mph, and probably more so we headed directly for the Rayonier warehouse to get out of the blow. Throwing jigs with live shrimp, Ed quickly picked up a nice keeper sized trout. We moved around to the pipeline, staying behind the retention pond island and picked up a few more trout, then we headed to Tiger Island to stay out of the wind, which had picked up considerably. Ed ended up hooking up to a fat 18" trout and then he and Larry both caught a few more, along with a couple of Sheepshead and some "baitstealers". With the island blocking the wind, we had a great time as the sun warmed us and made it very comfortable. In addition to seeing a dozen porpoise's, we also saw a sea otter, shore birds and an Osprey with his fresh caught fish. We all noticed that there weren't any boats out and we knew why as we turned the bow of the boat into the wind as we headed back to the dock!

County Ponders No Wake Zone

The Nassau County Commission considered an ordinance last Monday that would create a no-wake zone around the North End Boat Ramp (Dee Dee Bartels). Check out the story by Ryan Smith in the Fernandina Beach News Leader

Sheepshead fishing trip a success

I fished with Mr. Bill Gass and his sons Chuck and Billy today. Our plan was to specifically target Sheepshead, the "thief of thiefs". I had purchased some nice fiddlers so we got an early start, leaving the north end boat ramp shortly after 7am. Our first stop was at the south jettie where we ended up trolling the rocks, jigging our fiddlers down to the bottom. Mr. Gass picked up the first Sheepshead of the day, a nice 22" fish that put up a ferocious fight. We moved back inside as the water began to crash over the jetties and found some marker pilings that we could back up to and sure enough, not 5 minutes after getting in postion, Chuck picked up a nice "thief" and then another, this one the largest of the day, a 27" fish. We moved on to behind Tiger Island where Billy got in on the action with another nice Sheepshead. They also caught a number of pinsfish, sea bass, mudfish, and even 12" shark during the day. We fished Landsford Creek for awhile then ran back out to the range markers, found a spot, and anchored up to finish the day catching whiting. On a personal note, Mr. Gass hired me to work at Hardee Brothers Hardware (now Fantastic Fudge) during Christmas breaks from college back in the late 70's and it was my pleasure to get to hook up with him and his sons to go fishing.

Three of us travel to Orlando to attend a Rod Building class

Don Hughes, Foy Maloy and myself traveled to the Orlando area (Oveido) this past weekend to participate in a Rod Building class put on by Mud Hole Custom Tackle, a rod building supply company. We left at 6:00am and drove downstate to arrive shortly before 9am. The class was led by Scott Gimbert, Vice President of Mud Hole and Todd Vivian, Vice President, Sales who did an excellent job of getting 14 novice rod builders started on a path to producing their own custom rods. We started with rod blanks, learned how to locate the "spine" of the rod, reamed out our cork grips and slid them down the rod and glued them. Then we glued the rod tip, marked the locations of the guides and then learned how to wrap the guides to the rods. We trimmed the wrapping, then protected the thread with some color guard and finally used epoxy to coat the wraps. Mudhole also provided us all with decals which included the spec's of the rod, a "Custom Built Rod by....label" and then we each got to pick out our own decorative decal (mine was a Redfish- go figure). The class lasted the entire day with mini breaks and a long break for lunch. On the drive back home we all agreed that the $99 fee was great deal: in addition to learning the basics of building a rod, we also learned how to replace our tips and guides on older rods. We got a nice rod "custom" built and we brought home some left over supplies and a new table top rod wrapping kit. The consensus was that we would be planning our next rod building project soon!

Boat Ride/Eco Tour

I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Jeremy Hunt and his new wife, Joanna, who were visiting Amelia Island and staying at Addison on Amelia on their honeymoon. We left the dock at 9:30am this morning with only a light breeze and sunny skies and were treated rather quickly to a pair of porpoise's cavorting in the river. We toured Ft. Clinch then crossed over to Cumberland Island and found not one, but two small herds of wild horses. Jeremy showed me a trick to get close up photographs by incorporating binoculars and a digital camera. We cruised up the peaceful Beach Creek that drains out of the interior of Cumberland then crossed the channel and circled the Tiger Islands. Jeremy and Joanna are pictured here as we completed the trip. Congratulations to them both and I wish them a long and happy marriage!!

Talbot Island/Sawpit Creek Boat Ramp alert

Carol and I wanted to do some leisurely fishing this past Sunday and went to the boat ramp at Sawpit Creek on the northern end of Talbot Island. When we pulled up to the ramp we found that another boater had backed their trailer down the ramp and it had fallen off the end of the ramp. There was an extreme low tide and this was the first time I've seen this happen at this ramp. Luckily another boater had pulled up to the ramp and offered to help by using his anchor to "grapple" for the end of the trailer; he lifted it up just enough for the beleaguered boater to pull the trailer up and out of the water. NOTE: The concrete ramp ended just a foot or two past the last cleat on the floating dock. If you're loading or unloading your boat at an extreme low tide, make note of where that cleat is and don't get your wheels too far beyond the cleat. We decided not to chance it with my trailer and ran north to Dee Dee Bartels ramp, launched and got in a couple of hours of fishing. Our live bait had died (that's my excuse) but we were able to get a few fish in the boat and enjoyed a beautiful day out on the water.

9th Annual Times-Union Redfish Round-up

The 9th Annual Times-Union Redfish Round-up is scheduled for Saturday, April 4, 2009. This fun family catch-and-release tournament benefits the Safe Harbor Boys Home and will have up to 500 entries, making it North Florida's largest charitable redfish tournament. The low entry fee of $60 per boat will pay out$7500 (based on 500 paid entries) to the first place finisher, an angler who brings to the table a redfish with the most spots! The Captains meeting is Friday April 3rd, 2009 at Sisters Creek Marina, 6:30 PM. The tournament runs between "safe light" and 2PM

Surrounded by wildlife

I finished up a few errands today and then dropped the boat in at Wilson Neck Boat Ramp, located in the Wilson Neck area of Yulee off of US17s. The ramp is on Gardner Creek which runs out to Nassau Sound so I eased out of the creek and ran West towards US17 and I-95. I've heard of folks catching Stripers up there so I took a couple of my Shimano Stradic 1000's on their 6' rods, rigged with Power Pro braid, Berkley Vanish leader and Sure Catch jigs tipped with Gulp shrimp. I ran all the way up to I-95 and fished the pockets and run-offs on a high, but outgoing tide. I Didn't have a bite. I fished some old wooden pilings at the Railroad bridge - no bites. I eventually picked up and ran east, past Gardner Creek and past Lofton Creek, all the way to Broward Island. The tide was still ripping out so I started on the south end of the island and fished with the current. I had a few small fish hitting a Gulp Swimming mullet - Pumpkin Seed color but no real bites. There was a raccoon on shore hunting for his dinner - looked like he had missed a few meals! Sure enough, as soon as the tide changed and started back in - WHAM- fish on!

The 17" redfish hit the Gulp swimming mullet and I had a good battle to the boat. Shortly after that, I started picking up trout on the same rig. As the sun went down I had another visitor, this one very inquisitive. An otter swam out and circled the boat. Every once in a while he would rise up out of the water and check me out. I also saw a dolphin, a woodpecker and plenty of shore birds.

The sand gnats tried their best to eat me alive.

Trout season opens back up

The Speckled Trout season opens up in North Florida March 1st. The season has been closed all through the month of February but now anglers can keep legal bag limit of (5) trout per anlger. The fish need to be 15" in length with only one over 20" per angler.

Whiting Biting

I got a call from a friend of mine -Leon Freeman- yesterday who was on the water fishing near the bridge at the south end of Amelia Island; he said he had mess of whiting in the boat fishing the last of the outgoing tide. He was using pieces of peeled shrimp with a fish-finder rig on the bottom. These fish don't put up much of a fight, but they're plentiful and good to eat!

Shoreline Expemtion to Fishing License

This letter came from the Coastal Convservation Association (CCA); I'm trying to stay away from politics but this directly relates to the fishing experience in Florida:

For the past 20 years Florida residents fishing in saltwater have been purchasing a saltwater fishing license. The licenses have generated over 200 million dollars which has been dedicated to marine research, management, and law enforcement. Since 1990 Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC) have been working together to remove an exemption put into the bill at its inception. This exemption is known as the shoreline exemption, which allows Florida residents to fish in saltwater from the shoreline without a license.
Supporters believe that a recent amendment to the federal Magnuson - Stevens Fisheries Management Act, requiring states to “register” all saltwater anglers by 2010 and require payment for the license by 2011, should provide the push needed to eliminate the shoreline exemption in Florida. Florida’s current saltwater license would likely qualify for the federal angler registration program if the shoreline exemption was removed. If the exemption is not removed by 2011 recreational fisherman in Florida will have to purchase a federal fishing license that will cost between $15 and $20 on top of your Florida fishing license.
Currently, the Florida saltwater license brings in about 15 million dollars annually. The FWC has estimated that removal of the shoreline exemption would require an additional 208,000 to 302,000 anglers to obtain a license. Using the current base price on the resident license an additional 1.7 to 2.5 million dollars would be generated for marine fisheries research, management, and law enforcement. Also, every certified fishing license holder helps Florida obtain approximately $7 in Federal sport fish restoration funds.
Please contact your State Legislator and ask them to support the removal of the shoreline exemption in the saltwater fishing license. The removal of the exemption will start in the committee on Environmental Preservation and Conservation on the Senate side and Agriculture and Natural Resources policy committee on the House side. The Senate Chairman for the Environmental Preservation and Conservation committee is Sen. Lee Constantine and the House Chairman for the Agriculture & Natural Resources Policy committee is Rep. Trudi Williams.
Senate
Environmental Preservation and Conservation
Chairman Lee Constantine
constantine.lee.web@flsenate.gov

House
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Chairwomen Trudi Williams
trudi.williams@myfloridahouse.gov

Fly Fishing in February

I had the pleasure of fishing with Gary Spielmann who was visiting Amelia Island with his wife and staying at the Elizabeth Pointe Lodge. Gary's fly fished all over the world -Russia, Alaska and the Northeast and he wanted to try his hand at the fly rod here on Amelia Island. I picked Gary up at Elizabeth Point and we drove to the south end boat ramp, launching around 12:30pm. The tide was due to be low around 1:45pm so we headed up to Broward Island and caught the last of the outgoing. As usual, the current was really ripping, but Gary was making some beautiful casts up around the downed logs, limbs and stumps. We didn't get any strikes so we moved around to a small feeder creek in Pumpkin Hill but didn't see any movement. The tide finally bottomed out so we cranked up and ran back to Broward to catch the incoming tide. I asked Gary to give the jig -n-shrimp a try and it wasn't long before he hooked up to a fiesty fat 18" trout. Gary had never fished with the jig-n-shrimp combo but he quickly got the hang of bumping the bottom and picked up a few more trout. There were a few times when he hooked up and fish broke off in the limbs. After a very cold week, Saturday's sunny weather was wonderful. We saw an otter, porpoise, an osprey and tons of other birdlife.

Manatee Count at Record High

This article came to me from the Florida Guides Association Newsletter:

FWC annually conduct synoptic surveys to get an idea of how many manatees are out there. The survey normally includes observers from on the ground and in the air. Data from the synoptic survey are not used to estimate population trends, but rather represent a relative abundance within a year. This year's survey resulted in record high counts. See the following press release for more information.

FWC News Release: FWC records high counts during statewide manatee survey

For immediate release: January 28, 2009Contact: Carli Segelson, 727-896-8626 Photo and FAQs: Go to MyFWC.com and click on "Newsroom."

FWC records high counts during statewide manatee survey A team of scientists counted an all-time-high number of manatees during the annual manatee synoptic survey conducted the week of Jan. 19. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's (FWC) Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) reported a preliminary count of 3,807 manatees statewide. A team of 21 observers from nine organizations counted 2,153 manatees on Florida's East Coast and 1,654 on the West Coast of the state. This year's count exceeded the previous high count from 2001 by more than 500 animals. In both years, survey conditions were favorable for aerial observations. Although synoptic results are not population estimates and should not be used to assess trends, the FWC is encouraged by this year's high count. Survey results are consistent with population models that show the manatee population appears to be increasing in Northwest Florida, along the Atlantic Coast and on the upper St. Johns River. The synoptic survey is a count of manatees over a broad area. The survey provides researchers with a snapshot of manatee distribution and a minimum number of manatees in Florida waters at the time of the count. Researchers have been conducting synoptic surveys since 1991, weather permitting, to meet the state's requirement for an annual count of manatees in Florida waters. Weather and manatee behavior affect synoptic survey counts. The best conditions for the synoptic survey occur during the coldest months of the year, when manatees gather at warm-water sites. "Several cold fronts passed through Florida over a short time period, causing a large number of manatees to move to warm-water sites," said FWRI biologist Holly Edwards. "Good weather conditions allowed the manatees to be easily seen and counted, contributing to this year's high count." FWRI researchers are testing new survey methods that will provide a population estimate for Florida manatees as outlined in the FWC's manatee management plan. The adjustments to the survey will help achieve more accurate results and reduce dependency on the weather. For more information about manatees and synoptic surveys, visit http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102431957407&e=001hcPnvwR2_cqtuC3EJM_A4X-yt2pNiB3kQzral26H6pRdpNrovfm1BShoHvlehFQBEGtBakV7d5kt7akI21FXvNK19_24-cBw5Pwlq6Q9MK1kdY0d5lpDIg==. To report a dead or injured manatee, call the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC.

February = Closed Trout Season

Don't forget that there is a closed season on Spotted Seatrout in the month of February for the N.E. Region of Florida, which includes Amelia Island. You can catch 'em, but you just need to throw them back! During all other months, the bag limit is (5) per person and they have to be at least 15" in length, but not longer than 20". However, each anlger can keep one of those (5) over 20". The photograph at right is of Tad Miller holding up about a 19" trout. Of course, you can always practice "CPR": Catch, Photograph, and Release!

Slow start, BIG finish.

I picked up Vigay Raghavan and his son, Arun, at the Southend boat ramp Saturday afternoon. I don't know if the air tempature got up to the 70 predicted, but it never really felt like it. We had a fairly stiff west wind blowing as we ran up Nassau River to our first stop at Broward Island. The wind and outgoing current made keeping the boat in line and casting very difficult so we decided to leave and try our luck out of the wind at the docks around Seymour's Pointe. No bites. I cruised up Jackstaff to a likely spot with some deep water and oyster beds; no bites. With two hours into the trip and the tide stalling at dead low, we pulled up anchor and ran back to Broward Island. Luck would have it: the wind died down, the tempature seemed to rise, and the fish bite turned on. Arun boated a nice 17" redfish - his first, then a trout. His dad, Vigay, got in on the action and began to pick up trout, and then Arun boated a another 17" red. There were a couple of times when both anglers had trout on as they got the hang of using the jigs and shrimp. When Arun's pole bent and drag began to rip off I new that he had a nice fish on the line. Vigay hooked up during the battle and told me to forget about his trout so we turned our attention (and net) to Arun as he reeled in his biggest fish to date -a 25" Redfish. We snapped pictures and released the fish to be caught another day. Although the day started out slow, we ended up catch 18 fish and ending the day with a bang. As the sun set, the west breeze caused the river to appear almost like glass as we cruised back to the boat ramp. What a great day of fishing!

Cold Water Boot Camp video

I saw this link to a Cold Water Boot Camp demonstration and thought I'd post it:http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1xohI3B4Uc The last time I checked, inshore water tempatures were around 58 degrees - probably enough to take your breath away if you fell in. Sure does make you think! A buddy of mine got one of those automatic life vests to wear; I think I may just get one, especially if I'm fishing by myself. I do a mini safety/emergency reveiw with all of my customers before we begin our trip and I like to point out the life vests and throw cushion. Here's another video that explains the different life vests available http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hvz16Xps6Wc

Progress of new County park and Boat Ramp

Construction at the new County Goffinsville Park is well underway and tentative completion is expected around March or April. Nassau County Maintenance and Recreation Department Director Daniel Salmon said the park will have a boat ramp, fishing pier, canoe/kayak launch with a floating dock. There will also be a building with restrooms and a section for a vendor to have a bait and tackle shop - which may come somewhat later after the park opens. A concrete bulkhead is being constructed to prevent errosion which has been a traditional problem at Goffinsville and the County is planning a space for a potential residence for a security person in hopes that their presence would deter dumping and vandalism. Trails, playground equipment, and picnic tables will also be part of the park to comlete a great family recreation area.

Mr. Salmon said that the Contractor is Hashman construction and the project cost is estimated at $2.17 million dollars. Funding has come from grants, Regional Impact Fees and the 1 cent fund.

I snapped some pictures on my last fishing trip, one of the boat ramp and one of the fishing pier.

Recipe of the Month: Grilled Trout with Shrimp Sauce

Suspiciously similar to last month's recipe, but simpler; and when you've got fresh trout fillets...

(2) Big 'ole trout fillets (1) Can Cream of Shrimp Soup

(1) Tblsp olive oil (1) Cup diced celery

(1) Cup diced bell pepper (1/2) Cup diced red onions

(1) Teasp. lemon juice. Salt, Pepper, Konriko

(1/2) cup water) (1/2) Cup white wine

Sprinkle the fillets with Konriko. Heat olive oil andStir fry the celery,

bell peppers and onions; add lemon juice and white wine.

Add the Cream of Shrimp Soup and add some water.

Bring to boil, then simmer until the sauce begins to thicken again.

Grill the trout fillets and smother with Shrimp sauce. Serve.

Fishing Trip Salvaged

Anticipating a great day, I tried to launch The Anglers Mark Saturday morning early. I'd purchased six dozen lively local shrimp from the Bait House and had the boat backed down at the ramp by 7am. When I turned the key and heard the slow sluggish groan of the engine I knew that an early morning of fishing was not to be. After about an hour of trying to charge my starting battery with jumper cables up in the parking lot I decided to run to the Super Walmart in Yulee and get the battery checked out or replaced (it was less than a year old). The battery checked out good and the mechanic set up a quick charger on it. Being out that way, I changed my plans and ran to the Holley Pointe boat ramp and launched by 9am. The tide was high around 8:30am and I decided to try some new areas on the falling tide. Running up the Nassau River, past Pumkin Hill Creek, I came to what the map said is Broward Island. The river ran along side it similar to the way it does at Tiger Island - deep water with a shoreline of downed trees and stumps. Except this was a lot bigger island. Starting on the southside of the island, I drifted along the shore, tossing live shrimp under floats. The wind was out of the SE so the tree line broke the 10mph breeze and I had "lake-like" conditions. On about my third cast I was hooked up with a nice fish that ripped the PowerPro braided line off of my new Stradic 1000 reel. This fish hooked up so soon that I hadn't had time to get my net out of the locker so I reeled the 20" Redfish up to the gunwale of the boat, leaned over to lift it in, and....BAP...the fish gave one last lunge and broke the leader....and lazely swam off to the depths of the river - I watched him go! OUCH! I fished the entire bank of the island and ended up catching another five redfish, most undersized, but at least one a nice slot sized fish. These fish were real aggressive eaters with one of the Red's even coming out of the water like a Largemouth Bass. I checked some other area's out - Pumpkin Hill Creek and on up the Nassau to Lofton Creek, but came back to Broward Island in the afternoon to catch the incoming tide. Now that the river was low I could see all the tree's, stumps, and limbs on the bottom so I switched to a jig with live shrimp. I had just thought to myself that, "hey, the tide has gone slack", when I felt a heavy tug on my bait and the battle was on! This fish pulled strong- running back to the bank, down deep, up to the bow of the boat, back to the stern of the boat....and came off! I couldn't believe it! A few minutes later, another hookup...and another fish lost. And then another. These last two felt like nibbles until I raised the rod tip and I began to think that maybe I was in a mess of flounder, so the next "nibble" I got I actually let the line go slack, counted to ten, then raised the rod tip firmly and ...FISH ON! After a good battle I netted a beautifal, fat, 22" Trout. I ended up catching about seven more trout, losing a few, and having a great time. Once they were hooked they put up a ferocious fight and I really believe that first one that got away was probably bigger than the 22 incher. As the sun went down I was treated with a visit from America's national bird - a bald eagle that landed in a dead pine tree on the island. What a great day of fishing!

The Salty Feather - a real Fly Shop!

If you haven't had a chance to visit The Salty Feather in Jacksonville, then you're missing a real treat as an angler. Owner John Botko has years of experience fishing the NE Florida waters and stocks a complete line of fly fishing equipment and fly tying materials. In addition to fly fishing, The Salty Feather carries other inshore equipment, kayak's, clothing and anglers gifts. The store is located at 2683 St. Johns Bluff Road, suite 127, in Jacksonville, Florida. The phone number is 904-645-8998 or 888-847-2589. The Salty Feather is also sponsoring a number of classes for aspiring and even experienced anglers. Their Advanced Inshore Fishing School has classes January 9-10 and March 7-8. John offers a Beginning Fly Tying for NE Florida class that begins Tuesday January 13th. I took this class years ago and learned a whole bunch about tying flies that I can actually use here in the area. There's also a Fly Fishing 101 class on January 24th if you're interested in starting the sport or getting some extra pointers. The Salty Feather - a real fly fishing shop!