Add The Title: Angler

 

I was back fishing today when I met Nick Burke and his fishing partner Sajia down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early. There was a bit of fog but it didn't affect the visibility so much that we couldn't make the run up the intercoastal and turn into the Nassau. We then made our way up to Seymore's Pointe to set up at a large drainage on the very first of an outgoing tide. I noted that the water temperature was in the low 60's. We baited up (fixed) float rigs with live shrimp and began to toss them up current to let them drift back and across a flooded shell bed. Sajia had never fished before, never cast a spinning outfit but she was a quick learner and was making excellent casts within minutes. And it paid off - she had a hookup and reeled in her first ever fish - a hungry Seatrout. Nick was fishing off the stern and found that he could let his float "go long" and eventually a Trout would pick it up. He had one chase it down and take the hook. Both anglers caught a handful of those hungry Seatrout before we moved on. 

After running thru Horsehead we made our way over to Poteat Point and drifted the floats along that marsh line. We worked it pretty good but had no bites. We dropped back into Jackstaff, passing the White Pelicans and fished a drainage over there. Again, not bites. Back thru Horsehead we went and then up the Nassau to fish some docks, this time switching to jigs and live shrimp. The Trout were quick to pounce. Sajia had mastered the casting and caught a good handful of Seatrout, while Nick, again on the stern, found a nice "honey hole" of Trout out deep and he boated another handful. We left 'em biting - we probably could have stayed there and caught fish but we were looking for bigger ones.

We ran down to Broward Island passing under the watchful eye of a Bald Eagle and tossed jigs to the bank. The current was really running here but I think the baits were getting washed out too quickly. Further up the river and into a creek, the current wasn't so swift. Nick had the first strong bite - he played it perfectly and soon brought to the net a nice feisty Redfish. Shortly after that Sajia had a good bite. It ripped a bit of drag but Sajia was up to the task. She played it patiently and hauled in the biggest fish of the day, another Redfish. In her limited time away from studying for her Doctorate, Sajia enjoys tennis, archery and running, but now she can add "Angler" to her list of titles! The sun had come out, we had caught some fish, so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.