Back In Action With Some Slot Reds

 We're back! After a month and a half layoff, we were back fishing today, and with a few trips lined up in the next few days I should have some fishing reports.  Today I met Ed and Madonna AndrewLavage down at Sawpit Creek boat ramp - the tide had been coming in for a couple of hours but I thought it wouldn't hurt to make the run up the Nassau to Broward Island and pitch our jigs and live shrimp, and we did just that!  We had a little bit of fog as we ran but it was no hindrance and as we pulled up to the island there was not much of a breeze (we did break out the insect repellent later). Both anglers were getting good casts  btu se didn't get much more than a nibble. We eased down the bank, did the same, and again, not hardly a nibble. We moved down the island, passed the Bald Eagles, fished the bank and....not a nibble. Ouch. So much for a plan. 

We then made along run up the Nassau and eased into a secluded creek, turned into the current and worked back and this did the trick. Ed had the first hookup to knock the skunk off and he expertly played to the net a 17 and 15/16" barely undersized Redfish to the net. We eased along the bank, pitching to the deep edge and Ed noted that the fish weren't aggressive at all - he'd just tighten up, feel the weight, and set the hook. At one spot he picked  up 4 more Redfish, all of them in the Slot size, one of which had 14 spots(eventually released) and the biggest, a 26.25" fish, big enough to set the bar for 2026 Bragging Rights -Ed battled it expertly to the net. 

We came back down to Pumpkin Hill and fished float rigs and did get one hungry Seatrout, then we made our way down to Seymore's Pointe where the tide had started out -Madonna's Spot we called it. Just when I thought it was going to be a bust, Ed had his float disappear- he tightened up and let the circle hook set and Fish On!  Ed played Madonna's Redfish perfectly, let it run, worked it in, and soon landed another nice Slot Redfish, this one measuring a little over 24". Madonna followed that up with a nice fat Seatrout catch to get on the board. After fishing one more spot with the float rigs awe called it a day and headed back to the ramp, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

New Seatrout Regulations

 

(Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.) For immediate release: Feb. 4, 2026 Media contact: FWC Press Office, 850-488-4676, Media@MyFWC.com FWC approves holistic management approach for spotted seatrout At its February meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)  approved new management regions and  regulations for spotted seatrout as a part of FWC’s holistic regional management approach.  These new regulations will go into effect on April 1, 2026. The rule changes: Establish nine management regions for spotted seatrout. Establish regional regulations for recreational and commercial bag limits,slot limits and closed seasons. These regions and regulations are part of the FWC’s holistic management approach for  Florida's most popular inshore fisheries. This approach takes a more holistic view of the fishery by evaluating multiple metrics, including fishing, stakeholder experiences and environmental factors, at a smaller regional scale. It improves our understanding of regional differences in environmental conditions and stakeholder experiences and provides greater flexibility to address localized concerns. Panhandle Recreational Open season: March 1–Jan. 31. Closed season: February. Bag limit: Three fish per person. Slot limit: 15-19 inches. Over-slot allowance: One fish over-slot allowed per vessel or per person if fishing from shore. Commercial Open season: Jun. 1–Oct. 31. Closed season: 1–May 31. Bag limit: 50 fish (1 SPL);100 (≥2 SPLs). Slot limit: 15–24 inches. Big Bend Recreational Open season: Year-round. Closed season: None. Bag limit: Five fish per person. Slot limit: 15-19 inches. Over-slot allowance: One fish over-slot allowed per vessel or per person if fishing from shore. Commercial Open season: June 1–Oct. 31. Closed season: 1–May 31. Bag limit: 50 fish (1 SPL);100 (≥2 SPLs). Slot limit: 15–24 inches. Over-slot allowance: None.  Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Southwest, Southeast Recreational Open season: Year-round. Closed season: None. Bag limit: Three fish per person. Slot limit: 15-19 inches. Over-slot allowance: One fish over-slot allowed per vessel or per person if fishing from shore. Commercial Open season: June 1–Oct. 31. Closed season: 1–May 31. Bag limit: 50 fish (1 SPL);100 (≥2 SPLs). Slot limit: 15–24 inches. Over-slot allowance: None. Indian River Lagoon Recreational Open season: Jan.1–Oct. 31. Closed season: 1–Dec. 31. Bag limit: Two fish per person. Slot limit: 15-19 inches. Over-slot allowance: None. Commercial Open season: May 1–Sept. 30. Closed season: Oct. 1–April 30. Bag limit: 50 fish (1 SPL);100 (≥2 SPLs). Slot limit: 15–24 inches. Over-slot allowance: None. Northeast Recreational Open season: Year-round. Closed season: None. Bag limit: Three fish per person. Slot limit: 15-19 inches. Over-slot allowance: None. Commercial Open season: June 1–Nov. 30. Closed season: Dec. 1–May 31. Bag limit: 50 fish (1 SPL);100 (≥2 SPLs). Slot limit: 15–24 inches. Over-slot allowance: None. This innovative regional management strategy has been implemented for some of Florida’s most popular inshore species, including redfish and snook, and now spotted seatrout. This management approach has been met with strong support from stakeholders across the state. For the full Commission Meeting February 4-5 agenda and links to background reports, go to MyFWC.com/Commission and select “Commission Meetings.” For current spotted seatrout annual reviews, visit MyFWC.com/Marine and click on “Recreational Regulations” and “Spotted Seatrout.” These documents provide a summary of the management metrics in each new management region.

An Explosion of Fish Catching

 

Boy was it foggy this morning - as I was driving to the Sawpit Creek boat ramp I was concerned that we may have to just putter around to the bridge and fish until it lifted. But after launching we saw that we did have about a hundred yards of visibility, so after meeting Jason Ash and his college buddies Tom and Adam early, we made a cautious run up the intracoastal, and up the Nassau, all the way to Littlefield where we went with jigs and live shrimp in the last of an outgoing tide. The Baitstealers were out in force! They used 6-7 shrimp to catch one small Seatrout- we were blowing thru the bait quick to catch those few Trout, so we moved on.

Back down the Nassau, we pulled up at a drainage just as the tide was hitting bottom, fished it with the
jigs, to no avail, then we moved down to Spanish Drop and worked the exposed shell bank as the current began to shift. No bites at all. We then made our way back up river to Seymore's Pointe and fished a dock in hopes of a Black Drum but again, no real bites. I was beginning to wonder ....

Those docks looked so good we decided to work each one of them, easing in between them and pitching to the pilings. Tom hooked up and landed a nice keeper sized Seatrout, then Adam hooked and landed a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum (Adam was using some live fiddler crabs and they paid off for him). Off the stern, Jason began to catch Sandtrout/Weakfish and found a "honey hole" - he was boating one on every cast - Tom was pitching in under a boat and started hauling out Redfish, one after the other. Adam had probably the biggest hooked up but this fish was smart and wrapped itself around a pilings and BAP, broke off. They picked up two more keeper sized Black Drum, another keeper sized Seatrout, then Tom hooked and landed a nice 23" Slot Redfish - it was an explosion of fish catching!

We fished back at the original dock, all out of shrimp, but with a bucket of fiddlers. Adam had made an excellent cast and BAM! Fish On! He played it patiently to the net and landed a keeper sized Sheepshead to wrap things. They had put a "Super Grande Slam" in the boat - Seatrout, Weakfish, Red Drum, Black Drum and Sheepshead si as we headed back to the ramp, we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Two Slams In The Backwater at Amelia Island

 I was finally back at it today and it was a good one to be fishing! Although it was a bit foggy as we left
Eagans Creek, there was enough visibility to run at half speed. I had Met David and Ellen Capps up at Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp as the sun was coming up and with the tide just starting in, we made our first stop down the river to fish some structure. The tide hadn't really started moving yet and maybe that was why we didn't get much of nibble on our jigs and live shrimp offering. But the spot was in the "plan" and we had to try it as we passed it heading south. 

After running over the top; of Horsehead we pulled up at Seymore's Point and fished some dock pilings and this did the trick. Both anglers were fishing off the stern, pitching up to the pilings and letting the bait fall and it was Dave who "knocked the skunk off" when a Seatrout followed his bait and out and Dave hooked it up. Then Ellen had a strong bite and with the fish digging deep we knew she had a nice fish. Ellen fought it expertly to the net and landed a keeper sized Black "Puppy" Durm. Dave added a couple of more hungry Seatrout to his catch total, then it was he who had the big bite - his drag was ripping and his rod was bent deep - Dave played it patiently and slowly worked to the net a big Black "puppy" Drum. Ellen hooked and released another one of those Seatrout.

We made our around Seymore's and down to Broward where we set up on the first of the incoming tide - normally ideal - but there wasn't much action but after dropping back 40' Ellen hooked up. It was a good battle that Ellen won - she boated a feisty Redfish to round out her Amelia Island Back Country Slam of Drum, Seatrout and Redfish. We moved south down the island and picked up one more Seatrout, then we ran way up the Nassau and pulled into a creek and worked the bank - Dave was on the bow and made an excellent cast and it paid off with a Redfish catch - He had his Slam! Just a bit further he hooked up again and this one was a bit bigger, it was pulling drag and putting a bend in that rod. Dave worked it in and landed a nice Slot Sized Redfish. The duo added one more Redfish along that bank before we called it a day. We had had very little wind, no rain, just a few bugs, and had caught some fish with a few of them being keepers so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island,Florida. 

Wrapping Up The Old Year With Some Great Fishing

 We wrapped up 2025 yesterday with some great fishing - although it was a bit cool at 35 degrees as we
left the Sawpit boat launch!  I had met Mark Averbuch, his son Jared and grandson Max early to get a fishing trip in the last day of the year - we ran up the intracoastal, then up the Nassau to make our first stop up at Seymor's Point - I lost my knit cap on the way and paid for it with a cold forehead those first few runs! Although the bite was not "one fire" as we drifted float rigs and live shrimp at a large drainage but Mark, fishing off the stern, did get the "skunk" off when he hooked and landed a hungry Seatrout then battled a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum to the boat. All fish caught today were released.

We knew the wind would be blowing all morning at 10mph, with gusts, so we had made a plan to try and stay in behind a land mass to get our fishing in, and the plan worked, although we did have run thru the wind to get to where we were going. Our next stop was around at Littlefield where we pitched jigs and the shrimp and all three anglers began to get fish. They found that they had to fish those jigs sloooowww and when they felt a "bump", set the hook. Most were Seatrout just below the size limit but we did have a couple that would have met the size limit. Both Mark and grandson Max hauled in a Flounder each that were right at keeper size. The "baitstealers" began out-competing for our bait though, so we moved on.

After a long run up the Nassau we turned into a small creek and fished a log lined bank and here we found some Redfish. You got to work that bank its full stretch - I was expecting some bites where we started but as we got to the opposite end they began to hookup. I guestimated they caught 10 Redfish, most being right at 17 7/8", but we did get one that was right at 19". The sun had really warmed things up and we'd had pretty good action all morning so as we headed back to the ramp we counted is another great day to wrap up the year fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Came for the Catching

 I hope everyone had a great and Merry Christmas!  I was back fishing today with William and Dara
Blalock and boy what a crazy morning it was! Old Town Bait had run out of shrimp just as a I was pulling up so I made my way back south to Amelia Island Bait and Tackle and it seemed everyone with a boat was going fishing today - it was a zoo! But the staff at AIBT handled it with skilled efficiency - I was back on the road and back to Old Town to launch and meet the Blalock's. We eased out of Eagans Creek and made a run all the way up the Bell River where we pulled up at some docks and fished jigs and live shrimp deep on he first of an incoming tide. The duo had to weed thru the baitstealers but they put a good handful of Seatrout in the boat - most all were right at 14".  William hooked up and landed a feisty Sheepshead around one dock. We bounced down the docks and caught more Seatrout and one of them was of keeper sized, photographed and released.

We then motored over into the Jolley River and fished some still exposed shell beds with the jigs, then moved down to Tyger Cut and switched to floats. Both spots didn't produce a bite. On around the outside of Tyger, we worked the bank with jigs, William on the bow tossing forward while Dara worked the stern, fishing backwards and as Dara said, "she came for the catching" - she landed a good handful of Seatrout and an "almost legal" Flounder. 

We fished over at Bell River with the floats, Soap Creek with the floats where William landed the only Trout, then wrapped things up around the corner in Lanceford. The sun had shone all day, it had warmed nicely, and we had some good Trout action so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Christmas Came Early

 After a howling windy day yesterday, today was "picture perfect" - zero winds, and sunshine when I met William and Dara Blalock out at Goffinsivlle Park. The sun had just come up, the tide had started in about an hour earlier, so we made short run up the Nassau River to try our luck with jigs and live shrimp at Broward Island. These two anglers are always getting good casts and today was  no exception - they were tossing their jigs baited with live shrimp to the bank and letting that incoming current bounce the bati down the river bottom, and it paid off!  Dara hooked up off the stern and expertly reeled in a hungry Seatrout - the skunk was off!  We worked along the bank for a bit and picked up a handful of Trout, two of which were of keeper size. We moved down to the other end, fished under the Eagles, and picked up another Trout or two, and  one feisty Sheepshead.

Our next stop was way up the river where we found a small creek to dip into and work a shallow bank. Right off, Dara hooked up and landed the first Redfish of the day, then William went in behind a tree hanging over the creek and BAM! He hooked up, then Dara hooked up, we had a "double". They both landed Redfish. We worked along and had another Double hookup or two, then they landed a few Slot sized Reds, then we hit another spot where they put more feisty Reds in the boat It was worth the run  up there!

Back down at the mouth of Pumpkin Hill we switched to float rigs and drifted the bank, on each side of the point, but got not much more than a nibble. Back down the Nassau and around to Seymore's Pointe -we set up on a large drainage and drifted the floats. The tide was just trying to start out and it was slow for a bit, then the duo caught a few feisty Redfish. Then Dara had strong bite and this one was ripping drag. I was worried that it would dig down deep across a visible oyster bed in front of us but she worked it across and landed a bulky 23" Slot Red.  William got in on the action when he battled to the boat a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum. We had made a cast and dropped the rod into a rod holder when William yelled "fish" - that rod was bent over and ripping drag. Dara scooped it up and battled another 23" Slot Red to the net. Boy what a beautiful day, and we topped it off with an early Christmas present of a box full of good eating fish, so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.  

Hug'n The Bank

After seeing the weather forecast last night I figured we'd be hug'n the bank today to keep out of the wind It wasn't expected to be too bad - up to 14mph but enough to make things interesting. I met Bob Kossman down at Sawpit Creek early and we made a run up the intracoastal, then up the Back River and around to Pumpkin Hill where we set up with float rigs and live shrimp on a tide that had about 30 minutes to hit high.  That current was still creeping in as Bob tossed to the grass, opened his bail, and let it drift. It didnt' take but a drift or two and BAM! Fish ON! Bob cranked, and the fish swam to us, and he cranked and it swap to us and when it realized it was about to be landed it turned and ran and, Fish Off! Ouch! We fished that stetch for a while, fished around the corner for a bit, then moved on - no more takers. 

I had been stalling, waiting for the tide to change back at Seymore's Pointe, so as we eased up to a drainage there, sure enough, the tide was coming out. Bob was working that current and it paid off - it wasn't "on fire" but he caught fish, nice fish, slow and steady. He put a few keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum in the boat, a handful of small but feisty Redfish, then a couple of Slot Redfish and a couple of Seatrout. Bob kept a few fish but threw back a couple of "keeper sized" fish.  Those Black Drum sure do pull!

We came back around Seymore's and down to Littlefield and went to jigs and the shrimp and like yesterday, caught Seatrout until we got tired of catching them. 99 percent were 14" but we did have one that was keepable - we tossed it back. But we did get a keeper sized Flounder. That West wind was blowing - we hugged that land mass, went back around to Seymore's and tried out hand at fishing the traditional Trout "slip floats" with some success. -we caught a handful of feisty Bluefish. DAVID NEASE/TANDY MORTON, if you are reading this, both Bob and I are not sold on the slip float technique - I'd rather be pitching a jig! But with that said, it was still a great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

The Eighties Are Killing It

 Get up outa that Easy Chair!  Yesterday I had an 83-year old fishing with me and today, another 83-year
old fished on the Anglers  Mark - Betty Raker and her young son John. We met out at the Goffinsville Park boat ramp early on a tide that had just hit high. We made our way around to Seymore's Point and fished a large drainage with float rigs as that current started out. It started off slow but every now and then we got a bite. Betty started it off with a big battle - she fought and expertly landed a nice 17" Black "puppy" Drum, then she and John both hooked and landed a handful of feisty Redfish. After John landed another Drum, Betty hooked up and battled another keeper sized Drum to the net. 

We ran thru Horsehead and fished a point with jigs, deep, and here Betty brought to the net a small Flounder  - she had her Amelia Island Back Country Slam! We moved around to Poteat Point and fished floats and first cast John hooked an landed a hungry Seatrout - the had a Grande Slam! Back thru Horsehead we went and down to Nassauville, fishing between some docks with jigs, and we stayed busy catching hungry Seatrout - we guestimated about 18 fish caught, all in the 14.5" range, but one was of keeper size. 

Down at Broward we fished jigs deep and John did find one lone Seatrout, and back at Back River he caught another Trout. Most of the spots we fished today produced at least one fish, some produced a handful, some produced a lot, and the rain had held off so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Reds Over The Oyster Beds

 Fishing today - I met Macie Russell, her boyfriend Brennan, and Al Long up at the Old Town Bait and
Tackle boat ramp. The tide was just starting out so we headed over to the outside of Tyger and began to toss float rigs and live shrimp. Brennan got hot early when he found  some Reds up on a corner of grass - he expertly played a couple  to the net, one of which was of keeper size, but released. Macie stepped up and filled in when Brennan wasn't looking and BAM! Fish On! She worked the fish patiently to the net and landed a  nice 20" Slot Redfish. The duo added a couple of more Reds to the catch before we moved on. 

Just across the way we switched to jigs and fished 12' of water with shrimp and this paid off with a good flurry of fish catching. Al had been quite all morning but he got busy catching fish off the stern - he hooked and landed a good bunch of hard fighting Bluefish and a couple of hungry Seatrout. Both Macie and Brennan, fishing off the bow, figured those jigs and put fish in the boat. We probably could have stayed there and played with those Blues and Trout, but we moved on in hopes of bigger fish. 

We tried our luck at a drainage up towards St. Mary's fishing jigs but had no bites, then we moved
around to the mouth of Jolley and switched back to floats and again, no luck. Further up the Jolley we fished JC's Spot with the jigs and again, no luck. Ouch. But then we motored further up the Jolley and around to the Bell where we fished a deep bend with the jigs and this paid off. We were tossing the jigs in 20' of water, letting the current bounce it along the bottom and would feel the "bump bump", and set the hook. Trout On!  The trio of anglers caught a handful of those Trout, one of which was of keeper size, one was fat but just short, and then Macie wrapped things up with another feisty Redfish catch. The wind had stayed down, it wasn't unbearably cold, and we had good action at 3 of 6 spots so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.