Kicking Off the Bragging Rights

We had some winds forecast for today, 12mph to begin with and getting up to 17mph as the morning wore on. But it was out of the south so we decided to launch up at Dee Dee Bartels Park. The tide had hit low a little after 7am and after I had met Don Walters and his fishing buddy AlexBournias we made the short run over to Tyger Island and fished the logs on that incoming tide. Unfortunately the water was muddy, kicked up by the winds, and we had no real bites - only nibbles on our live shrimp on a  jig.

We came out from behind Tyger and boy was it choppy! The spray from that south wind was coming over starboard but when we turned the corner we quit getting wet and made our way down the river, turned into Lanceford, and found some dock piling to fish. Here, the two anglers got some bits and Don "knocked the skunk off" with a nice Redfish catch. After fishing one more dock we came back to Soap Creek and fished some shell beds and again, Don found a feisty Redfish.

The wind had picked up so we ran back to Eagans Creek and fished  some docks with slip floats and jigs and shrimp. We hadn't been there for more than 5 minutes and had a hookup. Alex was on the rod - at first I didn't think it was very big, but then it dug deep and bent the rod. Alex kept the pressure on, played it perfectly, and landed a big 21.75" Seatrout - a fish big enough to kick off this years Anglers Mark Bragging Rights Tournament-Seatrout Category! (scroll down the right side of this report for link to standings).

Don was fishing one of the slip floats and let it drift up near a piling and was ready when it disappeared - he lifted his rod and let the circle hook do its job, and Fish On! Don patiently brought it to the boat and landed an 18.99999" Seatrout, another nice fish! We worked up and down that bank, dipping in between docks and caught smaller Trout and a good handful (4) of 11" Sheepshead (garnering an Amelia Island Back Country Slam of Redfish, Seatrout and Sheepshead), then we headed in, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

We Found a Hot Spot

 I wrapped  my week up today fishing with the Ahrens family, Brian and Jennifer and their two anglers Henry and Oscar. I met them down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early and we headed up the intercoastal as the sun came up. After turning in to Jackstaff then dipping in to an even smaller creek we set up at a large outflow, baited up live shrimp on float rigs and tossed them out and....BAM! Fish On! Oscar was on the rod and ready, hooked 'em  up and reeled in a nice feisty Redfish to start the day. Minutes later Brian hooked up and brought to the net a hungry Seatrout then Henry followed suit with a Trout of his own, fishing off the stern of the boat. 

We eased back into Jackstaff, worked along the bank with jigs and shrimp, lost a few shrimp to bait stealers, then moved on. After running thru Horsehead we fished a dock for just a minute or two but what breeze we had was blocked by the land mass and the "no-see-ums" were feasting on. With great reluctance, we pulled up and skedaddled!

Our next stop was down at Spanish Drop, working along and exposed oyster bank. We were having very little action, other than a baitstealer now and then but when we reached the end of the shell bed things heated up. Brian was on the bow and was "slaying" the feisty Redfish. Then Henry had a strong hookup and by the way it was pulling we knew he had a big one. Henry expertly played it to the boat and landed a big 20.5" Seatrout, boy what a fish! Oscar landed another Redfish, Jennifer brought one to the boat, Brian continued to hookup and land, then Henry, camping out at the stern, hand another good bite. He played it patiently and soon landed a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum.

The sun was up, we were getting low on bait, but we decided to make one
more run, this time down nto Broward Island. After getting the trolling motor anchored they began to pitch jigs to the bank and here Brian rounded out an Amelia Island Grande Slam by catching a Flounder. We started off great and ended up getting some nice fish so as we headed in we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Perseverance or Was it the Red Hooks?

 We're having some really nice August mornings although it does get heated up as we get closer to noon, and today was no exception. I had met Bob Miller down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp and we made the long run up and around to Broward Island to fish the first of an incoming tide. However, when we got there, the tide was still going out so we eased down to the other end and fished a large outflow with jigs and live shrimp. Bob did pick up one nice feisty Redfish before we moved on.  We made a stop up on the north end and fished it with jigs as the tide came in - the perfect time to be there, but to no avail.

We came back to the Spanish Drop area, fished a flooding oyster bed with float rigs and mud minnows then switched to jigs and worked a large runout, but again, to no avail. After hitting one more spot we moved up to Seymore's Pointe and fished some dock pilings and here we did pick up a Croaker and small Mangrove Snapper.

The tide was up pretty high now so we followed it back down

to Pumpkin Hill and set up to drift floats down a long grass line. I had just got in an order of Eagle Claw 3/0 circle hooks in Red color - hooks I used to use but haven't been able to find in a long while.  Bob drifted long and picked up a couple of small but feisty Redfish then he had s strong bite and fish on!  The way it was fighting and ripping drag I guessed, "Slot Redfish"!  Bob played it patiently and slowly worked it to the boat and when it came to the net we saw that it was a huge Seatrout!  We netted it and it measured right at 23" - big enough to move Bob into 3rd place in the Angler's Mark 2021 Bragging Rights Tournament-Seatrout category (scroll down the right side of this report for a link to standings). Boy what a fish!

We continued to "do the drift" and BAM, another fish on. Bob expertly brought it to the net and landed a 20" Trout. With the new rules, this one had to go back! We fished that edge for a while and caught another couple of feisty Reds and a small Trout. After easing around the corner and drifting by a pointe, BAM! Fish On!  Bob brought it in and it just came in under the 19" mark so in the box it went. The sun was up and the heat was on and time was out so we headed in, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida 

The Last 20 MInutes

 We gambled to day, fishing early in hopes that we wouldn't stay wet the whole day! The forecast wascalling for chances of rain in the 70% range all morning and when I left the bait shop it was already raining. But after I launched it had quit and all we had were sullen skies. I met Derek Kessler and his son Eli up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp. We had a high tide right at launch so we bounced over to the outside of Tiger and eased up to the grass and began tossing float rigs with live shrimp. The current wasn't hardly moving yet but we had some good action early, caching a couple of feisty Redfish, a small Trout and then Eli put the first keeper in the boat, a fat Mangrove Snapper. 

After buzzing thru Horsehead, over to the Bell, and up Lanceford we ran to a small grass patch an dfished it with the float rigs. Not a bite. We eased over to Dave's dock, fished it for a bit and again, not a bite. We then motored out and back around to Soap Creek and set up fishing a large marsh run out. Derek put a hungry Trout in the boat right off. As we eased along the shore line to an oyster/grassy island things began to pick up The duo of anglers caught one feisty Redfish after the other, and a couple of fat Seatrout.

Our next stop was around at some docks, fishing the pilings after switching to jigs and shrimp. After Derek had made an excellent cast to the pilings, he had a strong bite and, BAM! Big fish on. Derek played it patiently, worked it out from the pilings, then applied the pressure and brought to the net a nice 4-spot Slot 21" Redfish. 

We were running out of time so we made one more stop back towards town, fishing some expose oysters with the jigs. We had a couple of Catfish caught then Derek, who had switched back to a float, saw his float go slowly under and he lifted, set the circle hook, and Fish On! Derek reeled in a nice 16" keeper sized Flounder. We eased on along the bank, tossing jigs to a nice run out and BOOM! Another big fish on. Derek played it to the boat and expertly landed a big 23" Seatrout, big enough to put him in the 3rd place in the Anglers Mark 2021 Bragging Rights Tournament-Seatrout Category. Boy what a fish. Those last two fish were caught within 20 minutes of wrapping up so as we headed in, we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida 

Double Slot

 

Boy what a beautiful morning we had today! Sunshine, only slightly cool, and only a tad bit of wind. I had met the Acton family, Matt and Terri and their sons Trevor and Eric up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp early and we made our way over to Bell River and set up at a grassy point with just minutes to spare on a high and incoming tide. Matt was taking pictures while Terri and the young anglers fished and it was Terri who "knocked the skunk off" when she hooked up and landed a hungry Seatrout.

The tide hit its highest, we fished it a bit, then made the run thru Tiger Basin and around to the outside oif Tyger Island and went back to the float rigs. The trio of anglers were getting bites but no real takers then Trever had a hookup and, Fish On!  The fish was big enough to be ripping drag but Trever kept the pressure on then Eric had a hookup and we had a Double!  Trevor landed his fish - a 20" Slot Redfish then it was Eric's turn to battle a fish. We played it perfectly, worked it to the boat, and landed

another Slot Redfish, this one measuring 18 1/2" and having 5 spots.

We fished across the creek for a bit, then ran back the marsh and over to Lanceford Creek. Here, Trevor put a Seatrout in the boat then Matt, having took up a rod, had a big hookup and Big Fish On! This fish was heading back to Nebraska!  Matt played him patiently, worked it to the boat only to have it make multiple runs, worked it back, and we saw that it was a 4' Bonnethead Shark!  It was just out of reaching distance when, BAP, it broke the leader and was gone.

Our next stop was up in Soap Creek but we had no bites, then we came back out and fished some docks and this did the trick.  We ended up getting another Trout, and two Black "puppy" Drum, and numerous bites before making our last run over to Tyger logs where we wrapped the day up and headed in to chalk it up as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida

It Was a Big Trout

 

When that line is ripp'n and that big fish is digging deep, the first thing you hope for is to "just be able to see  him"!  We had that happen this morning and when the fish came to the surface briefly near the boat and we saw it was a Huge Trout, we all held our breath, and hoped. 

I had met James Driggers, his brother-in-law David Purcell and his nephew Chase out at the Goffinsville Park this morning with the sun having just cleared Amelia Island off to the west. The forecast called for not much of rain but winds were going to increase from 9mph to 12 to 16 as the trip progressed. Our plan was to fish some just exposed oyster beds over in the Nassau first so we headed that way and deployed the float rigs and live shrimp to the edge. We eased along the bank, had a couple of good bites, then finally, David "knocked the skunk off" with a nice Seatrout catch.

We moved up to a large marsh runout and switched to jigs and shrimp. Just as Chase had a good hookup, David's rod bent over and the drag began to sing. Chase worked  his fish to the boat expertly and landed a feisty Ladyfish but David had his hands full on the stern. I was thinking "Redfish?"  No, probably a Jack Crevalle, but as David worked it patiently to the surface, OH BOY, a huge Gator Trout! Then the fish dove and went under the boat and I think we all realized what we could potentially lose!  But David kept the pressure on, brought it back out, played it around the engine, then brought it to the net to be lifted in and measured to be right at 25" - big enough to move into first place in the Anglers Mark 2021 Bragging Rights Tournament, Seatrout Category. Boy what a fish! (Scroll down the right side of this report for standings)

Once we gathered our wits, the angles went back to fishing and after James had a made a perfect cast, BOOM! And drag began to sing as the fish ran like a freight train, heading East. But James played him perfectly, stayed with him in a couple of long runs, worked him up off the bottom, and landed a nice 40" Bonnethead Shark-the first Shark we've caught in the back water this year. 

We later fished some docks and got a couple of Mangrove Snapper, fished some more docks and got another couple of Snapper, then finished up down at Broward Island where the trio teamed up to catch a handful of Seatrout and Redfish. The wind had picked up as forecasted but we were able to get some fishing in so we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Bumping the Bragging Rights

 

We had another beautiful morning when I met Jeff Parr and his girl friend Elizabeth down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp today. We made the long run up and around to Broward Island to take advantage of the first of an incoming tide down there, and it paid off.  In short order, Jeff was picking up small but hungry Seatrout on the bottom with a jig and live shrimp. He had put a few in the boat when Elizabeth had a stronger hookup, and after a brief battle, landed a keeper sized Seatrout. 

We had two. TWO big fish on but both found the submerged tree, wrapped, and BAP! fish off! We continued to fish, picked up a few more Trout, then moved on down to fish under the Bald Eagle. Down there we only found some logs, but we fished it thoroughly. Before we headed out we made a stop at our where we had started, and still licking our wounds from the two breakoffs, fished deep. When Jeff hooked up and his drag began to rip we were thinking it was another one of those big fish, but this one was a bit more manageable so I was thinking,

"smaller Redfish" But as Jeff brought it to the surface we saw that it was a Big Seatrout and after netting and pictures we measured it to be right at 21", big enough to move Jeff in to 2nd place in the Anglers Mark 2021 Bragging Rights Tournament-Seatrout Category(scroll down the right side of this report for standings).

Our next stop was back at some docks at Seymore's.  We fished there, then Twin Creeks with floats, then after short break we eased in to Christopher Creek and went back to jigs, but to no avail. Next was Pumpkin Hill fishing floats, then back to Seymore's to fish the beginning of an outgoing tide. With no bites, we fished between two docks with jigs again and here Jeff put a nice 16" Flounder in the boat. 

Down at Spanish Drop Elizabeth got hot and landed a feisty Catfish then a hard fighting Jack Crevalle. We had started hot early in the morning, had a lull, then wrapped up catching some nice fish so we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Perseverance And the Tide Flips The Switch

 After a terrible weekend of blowing winds, we were back to fishing today when I met Justin Palmore and
his son Will down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp. We made a short run up the Nassau and eased up to fish a shell bank as the tide still had a couple of  hours of going out. Both anglers were getting good casts up current with their jigs and live shrimp, but we had no takers. We moved up a quarter mile and fished a marsh run out and again, not a nibble. 

The tide had only an hour left of outgoing so we decided to fish some dock pilings with the jigs and shrimp. We were working the pilings good, getting a nibble here and there, but we had no fish. Ouch.

After making the run down to Broward we fished the last of the outgoing - no
bites. This was getting serious! Even the Bald Eagle perched in a dead pine was getting disappointed! We moved down the way as the tide turned, fished one area, moved to another and....somebody flipped a switch! BAM! Fish On! Justin worked it to the boat and landed a Slot Redfish. BAM! Big Fish On!  Will played it like a pro, worked it to the net, and landed a big "Tournament" sized Redfish - 26"!  BAM, another Slot Redfish. BAM, BIG FISH ON!  Justin fought it valiantly for what seemed like 20 minutes, brought it to the net -32" Oversized Redfish! This fish moved Justin in to first place in the Anglers Mark 2021 Bragging Rights Tournament-Redfish Category.   WHUMP! Will had a hookup deep, worked it in, and landed a nice 18" Seatrout. After that Will was in his "honey hole" and pulled out one 18" Seatrout after another. These fish moved Will into a tie for first place in the Anglers Mark 2021 Bragging Rights Tournament-Seatrout Category (scroll down the right side of this report for standings) 

We threw back a handful of smaller fish, kept a handful of Slot Reds, and a good "mess" of Seatrout. It brought home - just keep on fishing 'cause you never know when the "switch" will flip and it will be another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Big Fish Thursday

I fished today with the Hendrickson family, Brian and Sherrie and their son William. I met them early down at the  Sawpit Creek boat ramp and after making a short run up the Nassau, we made our first stop at Spanish Drop to fish the incoming tide with float rigs and live shrimp. The shell was covered and the anglers were able to get good drifts along the marsh grass. William "knocked the skunk off" with a good battle with a Jack Crevalle then his dad put a small Flounder in the boat. From then on we were catching fish. Sherrie landed  a feisty Redfish while Brian and William teamed up on small Trout, Jack Crevalle, Ladyfish and feisty Reds.  We left 'em biting when we moved on!

The water was up and I thought it'd be a good time to hit Pumpkin Hill and boy was it a good guess! We were drifting the bank again with shrimp under a float and again, the fish catching was on fire. Brian put a 20" Seatrout in the boat and later William followed that up with one of his own. Sherrie put a couple of Mangrove Snapper in the boat then William hooked up and landed a hard fighting Black "puppy" Drum to round out their Amelia Island Back

Country "Grande" Slam of Redfish, Seatrout, Flounder and Drum.

We had drifted down the bank a bit when William had a strong hookup and his drag sang, Fish On!  This was a big fish but it was no match for William. He stayed patient, worked it slowly to the boat, held it when it ran, worked it to the boat, held it when it ran, then brought it to the net - a big 30.5" Oversized Redfish! Boy what a fish. Then it was his dad's turn! Brian hooked up and this fish took him from the bow to the stern then dug deep for a good battle. But Brian was up to the task and soon landed a 29.5" oversized Redfish.  Shortly after Brian had made an excellent cast to behind a grassy point. He said his float gook off with the current and he lifted his rod to set the circle hook - another big fish on! Brian worked this one to the boat and landed a 24" Seatrout - a fish big enough to move Brian into third place in the Anglers Mark 2020 Bragging Rights

Tournament-Seatrout Category(scroll down the right side of this report for standings).

We made a couple more brief stops on the way back to the ramp, then called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.