Monday, July 3, 2023

It Was a Hot One

 Driving home today after my trip I noticed on my truck screen that the temperature was right at 100 degrees! Although it didn't feel quite that hot fishing this morning, it was getting there! I had met Ed Brown, his son Spencer, and son-in-law Chris down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp and after running up the intercoastal and cutting thru to Poteat Cut, we set up at a point to fish float rigs on a tide that was coming in, already high, and already covering the oysters. It was only minutes into the fishing when Ed's live shrimp was hammered and his drag began to rip - a Shark bite. It kept going north. 

We picked up a small Jack and a big Catfish there, and tangled with a couple of Ladyfish, then we moved over to Jackstaff  and fished some pockets. After running thru Horsehead and down to Pumpkin Hill we again drifted floats, long, and this produced some good bites. Chris had followed Spencer across a point and a feisty Redfish liked his bait best! Further down the way Spencer had made a cast up shallow, near some sparse grass and it paid off with a strong bite and it paid off with a rod bending fight. He played it perfectly, worked it to the boat patiently and ....right at the boat...Fish Off! Ouch! We all agreed that we saw a flash of Redfish before the fateful moment.


Back down the Nassau we went, around to Seymore's Pointe, fishing a large drainage and almost immediately this trio began to put Mangrove Snapper in the boat. Spencer added a hungry Seatrout to the mix. We had a few keep-able Snapper, then moved around to some rocks at Nassauville and picked up a few more, bigger, to make a meal. Just when I had about given up on a nice Redfish, Spencer had a hookup and we knew right off it was NOT a Mangrove. He kept the pressure on and worked to the net a nice 20" Slot Redfish  to wrap up another hot day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 


Captain Lawrence Piper is a fishing guide in Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, Florida and is a 
 US Coast Guard licensed charter boat operator

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