Big Slot Redfish Highlights Day

I'm becoming a regular down at the Big Talbot Island Park boat launch! Today I met Michael Boone and two local anglers Rick and Don who all had agreed to "share" a trip, and it worked out great! We met at 7am and made our way up the intercoastal to dip in and begin fishing along the bank of Jackstaff, tossing jigs and mud minnows. It was somewhat of a slow start but when the fish began to bite, all three anglers began to put fish in the boat.

The bow seemed to be the hot spot and Don started it off, catching a  few feisty Redfish and a couple of Trout. He then put a good sized keeper Trout in the boat. Rick fought and landed a big Catfish, then all three were landing fish. We fished the bank slowly caught a few small Trout, then Michael added a multi-spotted Redfish. Throughout the day the anglers tangles with high flying Ladyfish. Multiple Blue Crab were landed! Hah! 

We ran through Horsehead and down to Spanish Drop and fished the exposed oysters during the last hour or so of a falling tide. Again, feisty Redfish, Trout and then Don put a nice 18" Flounder in the boat. We had lost count of how many of the feisty Reds we'd caught when Don had  strong bite and his drag ripped. I knew it was big when it stayed up near the bank and rolled once - a big Redfish! Don played it perfectly and after a long and patient battle, landed a big 24.5" Slot Redfish. Now that's a nice fish!

We bounced up to a runout, caught a few more reds and Trout, then finished off up near Bubblegum Reef before we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida

Hot Finish

Back to work today after a short day off! I met Richard Heinsohn and his brother-in-law Chris out at the Goffinsville Park boat ramp this morning and we made the quick run down to Broward Island to fish the last of an outgoing tide. We had a bait well full of mud minnows and an arsenal of jig rods. These two anglers started right off making excellent casts to the downed logs and it wasn't long before they had put a hungry Seatrout in the boat.

They added a feisty Redfish or two then Chris had a strange bump,

a heavy line, and a hookup. He patiently reeled in a keeper sized Flounder.  Although the island was looking "right", the bite just wasn't happening so we headed back down the river.

Our next stop was at Spanish Drop and here things began to pick up. The tide was still going out and Richard and Chris put Reds, Trout, Catfish and a hard fighting Jack Crevalle, - landed by Richard -in the boat. We worked that bank for a while, then moved up 500 yards and fished a marsh run-out, and repeated with multiple catches of fish. One of the Trout landed by Chris was right at 18" - a nice fish. All fish caught today were released.

When the tide stalled we made the short run up to Bubblgum Reef, fished it briefly with no luck, then bounced over to Seymour's Pointe to fish a couple of docks. We picked up a couple of Mangrove Snapper but not much else. The sun was getting up and it was getting "warm" but we had one last stop to make down at Pumpkin Hill.

Although the oyster we're still almost fully exposed, we switched to float rigs and tossed them up current. Again, a few Mangroves, but not much more until we set up on the shallower side of a grass point. Then things got hot. Both Richard and Chris began to catch Reds and Trout. The trick was to get the bait 4-6' from the bank and let it naturally drift along with the current, and BOOM! Fish On! What a great way to wrap up a day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida

Wrapping Up a Trout Kind Of Week

I finished my week today, again fishing out of the Big Talbot Island Park boat ramp where I met Mike Brown and his father-in-law Dwight early this morning. Again, it was a beautiful day, clear skies with just a slight breeze and slick water as we ran up the intercoastal and dipped into Jackstaff to begin fishing the last of an outgoing tide with jigs and mud minnows.

The two anglers were making excellent casts right off and as we worked the bank they picked up a high flying Ladyfish, a fairly big Catfish and a hungry Seatrout. We then ran through

Horsehead and around to the Nassau River to set up alongside an oyster lined bank. The "fish catching" picked up a tad as they landed a couple of feisty Redfish, a couple of Trout, then Dwight put two hard fighting Jack Crevalle in the boat. Just as we were about to head further south he had a strange "bump" and a hookup that felt heavy. Sure enough, after patiently reeling it to the boat, Dwight landed a nice keeper sized Flounder.

We ran down to Pumpkin Hill, squeezed in between two other boats, and worked another bank, this time with float rigs and minnows. We had a couple of Mangrove Snapper catches before we moved around to a shoreline that we had to ourselves and this did the trick. Mike was drifting his float along the marsh grass and release the bail so he had a natural drift and as it got back a ways, BOOM! Fish On! The fish thrashed out of the water - a big Trout! Mike kept the pressure on and after expertly working it to the boat, he landed a big 21.75" Seatrout!  He picked up another 18" Trout, a 16" Trout and then Dwight completed the catch with another keeper sized fish. Mike put a handful of Reds in the boat, too. And with that, we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Follow The Rainbow

I had another great day of fishing today, this time with David Cleveland and his son Carter. I had met them down at the Big Talbot Island Park boat ramp early, then we headed up the Nassau River and made a quick stop at an oyster shell lined bank, turned the bow into the current, and began tossing jigs and live shrimp. It didn't take long before young Carter "knocked the skunk" off. He hooked up and landed a hungry Seatrout.

This angling duo had a good streak of "fish catching", landing feisty Redfish, a Flounder, more Trout, a Ladyfish, and a Jack Crevalle. At one time Carter had a big, drag ripping fish on but it was too much for the tackle and broke off - that's fishing!

We eased up the river to a marsh runout and fished it thoroughly. In addition to a good handful of feisty Redfish, Carter hooked up with something big while fishing out deeper. He played it patiently and
perfectly, from bow and back to stern, then landed a big 18" Seatrout, boy what a fish!

There was some big rain clouds here and there and off to the south we saw a nice rainbow and coincidently, that was where we heading next!  We made the run down to Pumpkin Hill, set up along the now flooded grass line, and began tossing float rigs. The catching was fast and furious! David put a nice 17" Trout in the boat, added another keeper sized fish, then Carter landed a keeper sized Sandtrout. We fished until we ran out of bait, then headed in, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida

If You Like Trout

Boy, pretty day today! I met Bob Blalock down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp and we made the long run on slick water down to Broward Island to take advantage of the first of an incoming tide. The bait shop was out of mud minnows but they live shrimp and I had also tossed a cast net for some nice finger mullet. Bob started right off making excellent casts to the downed logs and although we had a nibble or two, we had no takers other than a couple of small Mangrove Snapper. We began to ease up the bank, tossing jigs to the shoreline, and Bob did find a couple of feisty Redfish to put in the boat.

We dropped back down the Nassau River and went in to Pumpkin Hill and this did the trick. We had switched to float rigs and shrimp and I think Bob's first cast had his float disappear, missed him! But this didn't deter Bob and within a cast or two he was hooked up with a big fish which he played perfectly, soon landing a nice 19" Seatrout. From then on we enjoyed a good flurry of fish catching. We put a couple of handful of Trout in the boat with four more being of keeper size. We also landed three Sandtrout one of which was of keeper size.

Moving back down the Nassau, we made a stop at Seymore's Pointe and tossed dead shrimp under the float for Mangroves but they weren't home. Our last stop was at Twin Creeks and Bob did have one solid hookup, a good battle with a nice fish that ripped the drag and took him under the boat,and, FISH OFF! Hah! But we'd had a pretty good stretch of fish catching so we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida

Trout Catch Picks Up

I was back down south today, meeting Ashley Gorley, his two sons Caleb and Kyler and granddad Glenn down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp. We headed straight up the Nassau River and boy was the water slick! Our first stop was at a point with a stretch of oyster shell lined bank and the anglers began tossing jigs with mud minnows and finger mullet up current. Glenn "knocked the skunk off" when he landed a hungry Seatrout then Ashley hooked up with something big that made is drag sing. Ashley went around the boat,

form stern to bow and back to stern, played it perfectly, and after a good battle, landed a big 'ole Catfish. And shortly after that he had another good fight and landed a nice sized Jack Crevalle.  The anglers had some good bites, some fish were brought right to the boat but came off, so we had some action.

Our next stop was down at Pumpkin Hill and with the tide up and still coming in, we switched to float rigs, and this did the trick. All

four fishermen began to get bites. Kyler reeled in a couple of Seatrout, one which was of keeper size, then Grandad put a couple of keeper sized Trout in the boat. Caleb got in on the action and caught the only Redfish of the day and he also landed a rare Sandtrout. We caught a good handful of "almost legal" fish before we moved on to fish some rocks and docks back at Seymore's Pointe.

We had a few nibbles at the first spot then before leaving Kyler put a keeper sized Croaker in the boat to round out another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

A Fish At Every Spot

After a couple of days off I was back to fishing today when I met Tim Johnson and his friend Ken up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp early this morning. We had clear skies, a slight  breeze and smooth "sailing" up to our first spot, just outside of Tiger Island with plans to fish an incoming tide with jigs and mud minnows. These two anglers were making perfect casts right off and a after a while, Tim hand a hookup and landed a hungry Seatrout.

We bounced around to the Jolley River, switched to float rigs  with minnow as bait, and eased along the flooded marsh grass. Finger mullet were getting popped here and there and we had a few bites, but then Tim put a keeper sized Flounder in the boat (all fish were released today). Tim also added a small but feisty Mangrove Snapper. Somewhere along here they added a feisty Redfish to the catch.

We ran further the river to Snook Creek and again fished a marsh line and here they put a hungry Seatrout in the boat. And again, no more bites. We made a the long run back to Tiger and through the basin and around to Bell River and set up to fish the very last of an incoming tide. Ken put a keeper sized Flounder in the boat, and Boom, that was it.

Our final stop was back around on the outside of Tiger and this was the most productive. The tide had started out and they caught a couple of small Seatrout, a few feisty Redfish, a Needlefish, and a Ladyfish. Although most of the morning had been slow, we had a good flurry at the end, and counted it as another great way to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Big Trout To Start

For August, it's not a bad fishing trip when you have overcast skies and just a slight breeze and only one little sprinkle throughout the day. That's what we had yesterday when I fished with Mike Houston, his daughter Catherine, and his son-in-law Max when I met them down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp. We made the quick run up to Jackstaff and into a smaller creek to set up at an outflow and the very first of an outgoing tide.

I think it was the first real cast with a mud minnow under a float that garnered a hungry Seatrout, one that Mike expertly reeled in. And that was it!  We worked the bank slowly with the float rigs, had a nibble here and there, then crossed over to fish the mouth of Jackstaff, sticking with the floats for a while. When the produced nothing, we switched Max to a jig and minnow and BOOM! Big Fish On!  He played it patiently - we were all guessing big Redfish - but when he brought it to the surface we saw that it was Big

Trout!  He worked it slowly to the net and landed a nice 22" Seatrout. Boy what a fish! 

All three anglers went to jigs and began to catch fish. Both Mike and Catherine put feisty Redfish in the boat, Mike added a couple, and they tangled with some high flying Ladyfish. We had a good flurry of catching fish. Our next stop was around and down at Spanish Drop in the Nassau River where we again picked up some feisty Redfish.

We hit Seymore's Pointe, landed some really nice Mangrove Snapper (12"-14",  then wrapped things up at some docks where we picked up a couple of more Snapper. And with that, we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Every Other Cast

The wind finally died down today and I felt like we'd have a pretty good day of fishing...and it turned out we did. I met Jason and Alicia Ash down at the Big Talbot Island Park boat ramp for a "couples day out" of fishing (thank you grandparents!). We headed up the intercoastal and made our first stop at the mouth of Jackstaff and began fishing float rigs with live shrimp up near the grass. I thought for sure these anglers would be catching fish in no time, but, no real bites, other than a hard fighting Bonnethead Shark.   I switched Jason to a Jig and alternated shrimp and mud minnows

and he began to put fish in the boat. Feisty Redfish, a Black "puppy" Drum, a Jack Crevalle, and a Ladyfish. We switched Alicia to the jig and she promptly caught a really nice Mangrove Snapper. Then she put another one in the boat.

We crossed over the creek, fished the sides of a submerged sandbar, and landed two hungry Seatrout, caught on the bottom with jig and shrimp.

After running through Horsehead and down the Nassau River to Spanish Drop, we set up along side an shell bed that was just beginning to show. While Alicia took a break, Jason worked from the bow and put small but feisty Redfish after Redfish  in the boat. It seemed like he had a hookup every other cast. Then, after baiting up with a minnow and making an excellent cast to the shoreline, BOOM! Fish on!  The minute it hit the water. Jason commented that he didn't think it was very big, but I could hear the drag ripping and his rod was bent - I felt sure it was a big fish. And when it settled in, Jason agreed with me!  This fish took him from the bow to the stern and from starboard to port as it dug deep to get away, but Jason kept the pressure on and after a good, long battle, landed a big 24.5" Slot sized Redfish. Now that's a nice fish!

We hit another outlet along the Nassau, caught few more smaller Reds, fished some rocks and docks at Seymore's Pointe, then called it day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida

Another Windy Day But We Caught Fish

Those NE winds kept on blowing today, but we had a plan and it worked! I met Doug Russell, his son Doug, and his grandson Ben down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp this morning and we made our way up to the mouth of Jackstaff to fish an outgoing tide with mud minnows. Granddad and dad fished forward with jigs while Ben tossed a float rig out the back. Ben struck first with a hookup and catch of a keeper sized Seatrout!  I believe he added another couple of feisty Redfish then his dad put one into the boat.

We worked the bank, picking up a fish here and there. When we crossed the creek to a submerged sandbar Ben got hot, picking up a couple of Seatrout as he tossed his jig/minnow out deep then let it bounce across the bottom with the current.

After running through Horsehead we made a brief stop at some docks at Seymore's Pointe, fished some pilings, caught a small Jack

Crevalle, had a few good bites, but no takers. We then ran down the Nassau River and set up outside some shell banks. The anglers caught a few feisty Redfish before we moved on up the river, fishing run-outs here and there.

Doug Sr. battled a big Jack Crevalle and landed it while his son and grandson hooked up with a double of Redfish before Doug Sr. wrapped things up with a keeper sized Flounder. Although it has been windy the last two days, we've been able to get in behind the marsh grass and have some successful fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.