Puffer Fish, Multi-Spot Reds and Slot Reds

 I wrapped up my week today fishing with Eddie Byrd, his son-in-law Mike and grandson Bobby, meeting them down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp. We made the run up the intercoastal, dipped into Jackstaff, and eased into a side creek to set up fishing float rigs and live shrimp to the grass on an outgoing tide. Mike got off to a hot start with a feisty Redfish catch and then he tangled with a Ladyfish. We backed over to the other side of Jackstaff, fished the bank for a stretch and here Bobby got on the board with a Redfish and Flounder catch. 

After running thru Horsehead we pulled up at Eddie's favorite dock and fished it thoroughly, putting a good handful of Mangrove Snapper in the boat with a few of them rather  nice size, and keepable!  We then motored down the Nassau to Spanish Drop and worked thru a large drainage pitching jigs and mud minnows. We had no real bites until we came along the shell bank and then it was a light had switched! 

Mike began to catch one feisty Redfish after another, a few of them had multi-spots, and one had 29 spots! He then added a keeper sized Flounder to the catch. As we reached a bend where the water was deeper Eddie went to the bank, had a hard bite, set the hook and, Fish On!  Eddie played it perfectly and soon brought to the boat a nice 21" Slot Sized Redfish. And just a short time later, Bobby, on the bow of the boat, made an excellent cast up current with his jig and a large minnow and BAM! The fish hit so hard it came out of the water! But Bobby was up to the task, kept the pressure on, and after a good battle, landed a chunky 21" Slot Redfish.

Our next stop was up at some docks at Nassauville, fishing the jigs, to no avail. It was getting hot! We came back around to Horsehead, fished a shell bank and here Eddie put a neat Puffer Fish in the boat! Boy was it now hot! We headed back, getting some breeze blowing, and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.