It's Still Summer

 Judging by the amount of Ladyfish we caught today, and the variety of Jacks, Mangroves, Sharks and Pinfish, I'd say it is still Summer!  I had met Bob Kossman and John Suebert down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early and we headed up the intercoastal and then up the Back River and around to Pumpkin Hill to set up along some flooding marsh grass on the last of an incoming tide with plans to drift float rigs along the grass. We were using live shrimp (the bait shop was out but I hear they were getting some today) and although the shrimp got bites on almost every drift, we had to deal with the high flying Ladyfish. Bob did battle a big Jack Crevalle to the net, which is always fun. After fishing around a point, we made a run over to a large drainage at Seymore's Pointe.

Both anglers were getting good casts and good drifts as the tide started out here and they picked up a handful of small Mangroves and then they each landed a couple of hungry Seatrout. We ran thru Horsehead and fished another drainage and here Bob battled a big Bonnethead Shark to the boat for a photograph and release. John had his float disappear slowly and after he reeled up and let the circle hook set, he patiently brought to the boat the first Redfish of the day.  And again, both anglers picked up a couple of Seatrout. 

We fished over at Poteat Cut briefly and again, John (the Redfish King) put another Redfish in the boat, and we then tangled with some more Ladyfish. Back thru Horsehead we went, back to Back River, and set up to drift the floats. The Redfish King found another couple of Reds drifting off the stern while Bob caught Jacks and Ladyfish. One of John's Redfish had 13 spots!

Our final stop was down at Spanish Drop, now fishing with jigs and shrimp. John was hooking up with small but feisty Redfish on almost every cast, but he mixed in a nice Jack Crevalle catch. Bob finished things off with another Shark battle -t was "foul hooked" which made for a tough fight, but Bob was up to the challenge and brought it to the boat for a quick release. We had had some good action most of the morning so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.