Find Me a Redfish Please

Redfish have been few and far between this week so when my cousin, Jim Garner and his buddy Brad Anderson stepped on the boat yesterday afternoon at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp I was hoping we'd find some Redfish.  We made a run up the Nassau River just as the tide was turning and starting back in to fish Broward Island with jigs and shrimp and artificial grubs.  Brad hadn't fished in years but after a little warm up to get the rust off he was ready to go.  His first real cast was to some downed tree limbs and because I was just getting things arranged for a slow troll of the bank, I didn't see the hookup, but..... FISH ON!  And it was big one, too!  The drag screamed on his Shimano Stradic 2500 as the line ripped out and soon Brad was on the way from the bow to stern as the big fish headed out to deeper water.  Brad worked the fish up but this beast was having none of it and again headed deep with the drag ripping.  After a long battle we finally saw the big Redfish come to the surface and Brad pulled him in to the waiting net.  The fish measured 27 1/2", over the slot, so we snapped some pictures then released the fish, making sure it swam easily away.  Brad now holds the lead in The Anglers Mark 2012 Bragging Rights Tournament in the Redfish category!  What a great way to start a fishing day!  We worked the bank slowly and picked up a couple of small, but feisty Seatrout, then Jim had a good hookup on a jig and Temptation Bait chartreuse grub. He played the fish perfectly and we soon landed a nice 19" Seatrout.  The bite slowed so we headed back up the river to fish a few more spots.  Out from behind the island, we were exposed to the wind blowing 15-20 and it made it very difficult to fish. But the anglers persevered and continued to cast until the sun was setting.  We called it day, another great one to be out on Amelia Island waters.