Recipe of the Month: Lo Country Boil

I was asked to cook up a pot of Lo Country Boil today for a group of 25!  I don't know if the temperature got over 40 today so it was some great comfort food to sit down to.  This was one batch:

4      T  Old Bay Seasoning

2     Cap fulls Zatarains liquid seasoning

1/2  Stick butter

8      lbs small red potatoes

3      16 oz smoked sausage (fully cooked)  cut into 1 inch pieces

4      Medium Onions quartered through root stem

10    Ears corn,  halved

2      Lemons  quartered

4      lbs shrimp

(This actually took  about 1hr 45 minutes from when fire was lit till done.  Maybe because it was so cold outside!)

Add water,  seasonings, butter,  to large pot of water filled half full .                                   

Bring to a rolling boil.

Add potatoes and sausage, lemons and cook   10-15  minutes                                               

Add Onions ,  cook  5 minutes                                                                      

Add corn,  cook    10 minutes                                                                                                    

Add Shrimp,  cook 3-5 minutes.  Don’t overcook                                                                

Drain and serve.

Fun Amelia Island Fishing

The low tide was scheduled for around 1:50pm so Frank Bioteau and I planned to meet at the City marina at 1pm to get in some Amelia Island back country fishing.  It was cool enough for a light jacket but there was very little breeze and the sun was breaking through some slightly overcast skies as we headed out the marina and ran up Lanceford Creek to fish the exposed oyster beds.  It was a good pick because we hadn't been fishing long before Frank began to pick up some feisty Redfish.  He encouraged me to join in so I picked up one of my light spinning outfits and began to catch some fish too.  We had a good handful of Redfish and a Trout or two before we picked up and ran around to Tiger Island to fish the first of an incoming tide.  Again, feisty Redfish and a couple of Seatrout.  Frank added a hard fighting Black "puppy" Drum and  I had a a couple of keeper sized Sheepshead -rounding out an Amelia Island Back Country Grand Slam of Redfish, Seatrout, Drum and Sheepshead!  We made a run up to the Jolley River where we picked up a couple more Redfish and Seatrout then made  our last stop on the big loop at Bell River.  Again, Redfish and Seatrout.  By this time the breeze had dropped to almost nothing making the water almost like a mirror as the sun began to go down.  What a fun fishing trip and a great way to spend the day out on Amelia Island waters!

Beautiful Day and Big Sheepshead

Boy what a storm we had last night!  The rain came down in buckets but when the sun came up it was cool and sunny with just a slight breeze.  I picked Jim Gaddy up at the Ritz Carlton, boat in tow, and we headed down to the Sawpit Creek boat ramp, launched, and ran up the Amelia River and in to the Horsehead area to fish an outgoing tide.  The oysters were just showing so Jim started off tossing a live shrimp under a float but quickly switched to an artificial jig and then alternated between that and a jig/shrimp combo.  As the sun rose higher we knew it was going to be a beautiful day out on the water.  We fished the banks of Jackstaff as the water dropped and had no real bites then we made a run over to the Nassau River, fished a spot, and also had no real bites.  Our next stop was down at Broward Island which we fished a good hour as the tides swept the shoreline.  Jim was quick on the rod and did pick up a couple of pesky "baitstealers".  We made a run back east and began to fish the now exposed oyster beds.  Jim commented that he had a weird bite then his rod bent double, FISH ON!  He played the fish patiently as his drag sang and when it came to the surface we saw that it was a BIG Sheepshead!  Jim worked the fish to the boat and even though the fish looked defeated, he was playing possum!  As I went to net the fish it made one last dash and BAP, Fish Off! Ouch!  But we weren't to be detered.  Shortly after that we had another weird bite and again the rod bent. Sure enough as Jim worked it to the surface we saw it was another Big Sheepshead.  This time we made sure the beast was subdued and after netting it we measured it to 21.25", a very nice Sheepshead!   As the tide came in we worked the rocks at Seymore's Pointe and caught 2 feisty Redfish. With that, we called it a day, another great one to be out on Amelia Island waters!

First Fish and Most Fish

The weather only got better today as the day progressed.  After an early morning fishing trip I met Harold Blanton, his son-in-law Roger and Roger's daughter Amanda at the Sawpit Creek Boat Ramp and again headed north to fish the Horsehead area.  We made our first stop at Bubblegum Reef and Amanda quickly knocked the "skunk off the boat" by landing a hungry Seatrout for the first fish of the day.  The anglers continued to fish and had to work through some pesky bait stealers and just when I though that this spot was going to be a bust, BOOM!  FISH ON!  Harold's rod was bent double and his drag was singing.  This big fish stayed deep and  was all fight but Harold patiently played the fish.  He had to go from bow to stern and back but he kept the pressure on and after an extended battle we finally landed the largest Black Drum we've landed of the year - a 25" 15lb Black Drum!  We made a move to Broward Island to fish the first of an incoming tide and here all the anglers began to land fish.  Amanda had a nice Redfish and so did here dad, Roger.  They caught Seatrout and more Reds and then Harold landed another keeper sized Black Drum.  After catching a few more fish we made a run to the Jackstaff bank and now the light breeze had dropped to no breeze making the water like glass as the sun crept downward.  The anglers were fishing float rigs now and picked up a few more Seatrout.  We tallied up the count and it appeared that Amanda had caught the most fish during the trip, too!  With that, we called it a day, another great one to be out on Amelia Island waters!

One Two Three Slams

The Blalocks -Bob, William, and Dara- were back in town, visiting Amelia Island before attending the Gator Bowl game, and took in an Amelia Island back country fishing trip.  And boy what a beautiful day it was!  Sunny skies and very little wind were forecast and the weatherfolks got it right!  We met at the Big Talbot Island Park boat ramp at 8am and headed up river bundled tight in warm clothing. We made our first stop at Twin Creeks and fished with jigs, Cajun Thunder floats, and the traditional Trout rigs - and had no real bites on the first of an outgong tide.  I ran around through Jackstaff and the anglers fished some still flooded oyster beds with float rigs - and had no real bites.  We fished the Jackstaff bank and although Bob did pick up a feisty Bluefish we had no other real bites.  Darn it!  We made a stop at Seymore's Pointe and again had no real bites then we made a run to Broward Island as the tide had dropped and this did the trick!  The anglers began to get hookups on their jig and shrimp combo's caching Seatrout and feisty Redfish.  Bob rounded out his own personal Amelia Island Back Country Slam by also picking up a Flounder then Dara matched it by catching a nice Sheepshead.  William wrapped it up when he added a Flounder to get his Slam, too.  It took a few hours of fishing but these anglers were patient and continued to fish  and it paid off, making another great day to be out on Amelia Island waters!

Recipe of the Month: Cheese Ball (Loaf)

This Cheese Ball recipe is a great appetizer for the holidays:

1 ½    packages Cream Cheese

1        tsp Worcestershire sauce

4        Oz. grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1        Tblsp finely crumbled Blue Cheese

¼       Cup celery chopped fine

¼       Cup bell peppers chopped fine

2         Tblsp green onions chopped fine

3        dashes Franks Hot sauce

½        tsp  garlic powder

4         Oz.  pecans, finely chopped (the finer chopped the better coverage you’ll get)

Set out Cream Cheese to soften.  Mix everything thoroughly in a bowl, except pecans.  Chill mixture in refrigerator overnight.  Roll cheese ball in chopped pecans and chill again before serving.  I like to make it a loaf – you get more pecans with each bite!

Making The Most of Lousy Weather

There was a window of opportunity to get out on the water this morning before the rain came through and Dori and Aaron Stibolt were game to get out and give it a try.  We left the marina at 8am with cloudy skies and wind at 10mph and headed north to fish behind one of the only available land masses.  The wind was somewhat blocked and the anglers picked up a few feisty Redfish.  We made a run around to Lanceford Creek and fished a protected creek and here the fish catching picked up as the tide reached it's bottom and began to come back in.  Both Dori and Aaron had good hookups with Redfish.  Dori was fishing a jig and shrimp while Aaron worked a Cajun Thunder float rig.  Aaron was able to add a nice keeper sized Sheepshead to the catch before we called it  day.  As we headed in the rain began to fall but we still counted it as another great day to be out on Amelia Island waters!

Drum Drum and Drum

I had the opportunity to fish with the Bremer boys again today, Chris and his son Nik.  We knew that it would be hard to top the Christmas Eve trip but these anglers were game and even though we had an overcast sky, we headed north to make the most of an Amelia Island back country fishing trip.  The tide had just hit bottom and began to turn when Nik made his first cast and when I heard the drag rip I knew that he'd knocked the "skunk off" early!  He fought and landed a nice feisty Redfish.  We continued to fish and a little later he landed a very nice keeper sized Black "Puppy Drum".  We made a run around to another creek and here things heated up.  Nik had the hot rod early and landed Redfish, one after the other.  Chris was fishing patiently with his new rod and reel combo (that Nik had given him) and he too began to pic up fish.  He first landed a hungry Seatrout then picked up a Redfish and later landed  nice keeper sized Puppy Drum to round out his personal Amelia Island Back Country Slam on his new rod!  The anglers landed a good mess of fish but when it slowed we made one more stop with the tide well up and covering all the oysters.  Nik picked up a few Redfish but Chris had the big fish.  His new rod bent over and the drag ripped as the big fish strained against the braided line.  Chris playhed it the fish perfectly and after a long battle landed a nice 21" Drum, this one a little past the "Puppy" stage!  With that, we called it a day, another great one to be out on Amelia Island waters!

Amazing Wildlife Photo's

These photos were taken by Nik Bremer, who fished with me along with his father Chris.  You can see more of Nik's work at NikBremer.com
Click on the picture to enlarge it.

Seeing Red(s) on Christmas Eve

Today was one of those mornings when you stand at the boat ramp with 17mph winds blowing and wonder if you shouldn't cancel the trip.  But my guests Chris and Nik Bremer were game for some Christmas Eve fishing so we headed out with our jackets held tight and heads bowed to the wind.  We finally found a land mass to get out of the wind and the two anglers began to cast their jigs and shrimp to the oyster beds and dock pilings.  I think Nik said it was his second cast and BOOM!  FISH ON!  He played the feisty Redfish to the boat and quickly knocked the skunk off the old Anglers Mark.  Shortly after that, BOOM!  Fish ON!  This big Red measured just in the slot at 26.75"!  And that's how the fishing went for the next 4 hours.  Of course Chris was not be out done and he caught and landed his share of Slot reds and the smaller feisty Reds, too.  I counted at least 9 slot Reds landed and we had 2-3 lost to be caught another day.  We lost track of the smaller feisty Redfish caught released.  They also had 7-8 nice Black "Puppy Drum" with 3 of those of the keeper size, landed one nice keeper sized Sheepshead and threw back one hungry Seatrout - all adding up to an Amelia Island Back Country "Grand" Slam of Redfish, Black Drum, Sheepshead and Seatrout.  The sun was shining, the wind was blocked and the fishing was hot all day so we counted it as another great day to be out on Amelia Island waters!