We Paid The Price

 We were thinking that rain would be the issue today but it turned out not to be. But with no wind we paid the price as the sand gnats devoured us. But the price was worth it 'cause we caught some big fish, and a lot of them! My morning customer and I had decided to cancel due to 50-60% chance of rain - but the afternoon trip, a trio of college aged anglers who had fished yesterday in the rain, wanted to chance it, so we did. I met Ameera, Jason and Keldrick down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early and we headed north and west, up the  Nassau, to make our first stop at some exposed shell beds on the very last of an outgoing tide. The trio were pitching jigs and shrimp and it was Ameera who "knocked the skunk off" with a keeper sized Seatrout catch.  We also had a pair of Salt March Minks patrolling the bank as we fished. 

The tide turned so we ran up to Seymore's Pointe and fished some docks. Keldrick tangled with something big that thru the hook, then Jason hooked up, his drag ripped, and the big fish kept going-right thru the pilings. There was nothing we could do but hope for the best, but hoping did not good and , BAP! Fish Off.  We picked up another Trout or two, hit another dock, found a keeper Trout and a Catfish then moved. on.

Our next stop was down at Broward Island as the tide started in down there. As the sand gnats devourd us (no amount of bug spray seemed to help) Jason found a nice Redfish up by the "beach" then it was l like someone opened the gate. Keldrick hooked up and landed a nice Slot Redfish, then he hooked up again and, Big Fish On!  He played it perfectly, and patiently worked to the net a fat 25.5" Slot Redfish with multiple spots. As we were getting pictures Ameera hooked up and another  Big Fish On! She took the time to turn around and be in Keldrick's photo then went back to battling an Oversized 27.5" fish to the boat as a pair of Eagles watched from their perch. We landed a couple of more Redfish that didn't quite make the Slot, a couple of small Sheepshead and Black "puppy" Drum, and a small Flounder. 

After coming back to Nassauville we set up between two docks with plans to pitch up to a drop off and let our jigs fall. We weren't getting any bites and were just about to leave - Jason had let his jig fall back behind the boat and as he reeled it up, BAM! He had a big hookup. This fish was ripping drag and digging deep and we all were sure it was some sort of Drum. Jason played it perfectly and soon brought to the net a big 24.5" Seatrout! This fish puts Jason squarely in first place in the Angler's Mark 2021 Bragging Rights Tournament -Seatrout Category(scroll down the right side of this report for standings).

We wrapped the trip up over fishing Twin Creeks with float rigs and again had a pretty decent bite of 14" Seatrout taking live shrimp on float rigs as the tide covered the shell bottom. It had been a bug bite'n, fish catch'n day so we counted it as another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida