Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Head Shaking Big

The perfect summer weather just keeps on coming! We've been having clear mornings with just a slight breeze and the thunderstorms hold off until later in the day. I met Frank Wytiaz and his long time buddy John down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp and we made a quick run up the Nassau River on a tide that was still coming in for a couple of hours. No shrimp today for bait! But as you will see, the mud minnows did just fine! 

We made quick stop at a oyster covered shoreline and began to work back against the current. Both Frank and John picked up a small Redfish each, then Frank added a hungry Seatrout and later, John tangled with a high flying Ladyfish.  The tide was still coming in so we buzzed down to Pumpkin Hill and set up along a bank to fish the float rigs and minnows. Again, the duo picked  up a couple of feisty Redfish, then Frank hooked up and landed a keeper sized Flounder.

John was drifting out of the back of the boat, letting his float and bait work along the shoreline and when his float disappeared, he tightened up, set the hook, and landed a very nice 19" Seatrout. That got things started! Frank followed his lead and he put a 21.5" Trout in the boat. Then John hooked up, successfully fought, and landed a Slot Redfish. Then, when Frank's float disappeared and he set the hook, he commented, "this is a big fish and it's shaking it's head" - and ripping drag, I might add. But Frank kept the pressure on and after a tense fight, landed a 24.25" BIG Gator Seatrout. Biggest of the year on the Angler's Mark and it lands Frank squarely in first place in the 2018 Anglers Mark Bragging Rights Tournament -Seatrout Category. (scroll down the right side of this report for standings). The two anglers added two more 19" keeper Trout to their catch before the bite fell off.

We fished Seymore's Pointe briefly, had no real bites, then fished an large outflow where John wrapped things up with another Seatrout catch. It was a fine catching day, so we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

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