The Limit and One Oversized

 I met the Pinkston boys out at Goffinsville Park boat ramp this morning, Ray and his brothers Tommy and Jimmy. The tide still had a couple of hours of coming in so we made a quick run over to Pumpkin Hill and set up to drift floats and live shrimp with the incoming current along the flooding grass line. I was looking for Trout but all we found was one measly Croaker! We fished down the river a bit then made a move, running down the Nassau River to Twin Creeks and again anchored up to drift the slip floats.

Jimmy was on the stern and after opening his bail, he let his float "go deep" and it paid off - his float disappeared, he slapped his bail, caught up to it, and had a hookup!  Jimmy worked it in patiently and landed a nice 17" Seatrout. As it turned out, Tommy would be the Flounder Man today - he expertly landed three 14.75" of them in a row. As we worked down the bank Jimmy had another good bite, lifted to let the circle hook set, and Fish On!  He worked it to the boat and landed a nice 25" Slot Redfish. After the crew caught one more just undersized Flounder, we moved on.

After running up to Seymore's and fishing a large outflow as the tide started out, to no avail, we ran thru Horsehead and over to Poteat Cut and again stuck with the floats. At first it was kinda slow but then Tommy picked up a feisty Redfish. I had switched Ray to a mud minnow and after he had cast up above a grassy point, BAM! Float Gone!  And Ray had a battle on his hands!  He fought the big fish out from the bank, over to the port side, down the gunwale, under the boat and back out into deeper water. The fish ran shallow then deep, but Ray kept the pressure on. He worked it slowly in and eventually landed an Oversized 29.75" bull of a Redfish, boy what a fish!

We stayed there and picked up two more Slot Redfish (to get their limit) and a handful of smaller ones. We then moved back over to Jackstaff and worked one area where the trio added one more Redfish to their catch. We fished Jackstaff "bank" but after a Catfish or two we called it a day and as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Big Ol Redfish

 After meeting Cary Bennett and his granddaughters Chloe and Zoe down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp this morning, we made a quick run up the intracoastal to dip into Jackstaff, turn into the current that had just started in, and began to pitch jigs and live shrimp.  We worked a good stretch, the trio of anglers were making good casts, and finally Cary had a strong bite, a hookup, and after a patient fight, he landed a nice Slot sized Redfish. And then Chloe followed that up within minutes, expertly landing a 7-spot Redfish.

We then ran thru Horsehead and down to Broward Island to fish the first of an incoming tide down there. Great tide to be there right? We fished three different areas and didn't have a real bite. Ouch. I was beginning to worry a bit. Running back towards Nassauville we passed one spot between two docks that I wanted to fish but a boat was sitting there, so we made our way on down to Seymore's Pointe where Cary and Chloe fished jigs out off the bow and Zoe took up a float rig to try her luck. Cary hooked up right off and landed a nice 17.5" Flounder and minutes later, after Zoe had had a couple of "taps" that took her float under and stole her bait, but then she hooked up! And boy what a fish! That drag was ripping as the big fish dug deep but Zoe was  up to the task. She lifted it up, reeled it in, let it run, lifted it up and reeled it in. After a long battle Zoe landed an Oversized 29.25" Redfish for photographs and release. Boy what a fish!

After making our way down the Nassau further to Twin Creeks and all three anglers went to float rigs.
Chloe had "gone long" with  her drift off the stern and Cary had just started a short drift when Chloe hooked up. She was battling her fish to the boat when Cary hooked up - we had a "double" both landed their fish - two keeper sized Seatrout. We then drifted down the bank with the current and caught fish. They added two more Slot Redfish, a couple of small ones, a couple of hard fighting Jack Crevalle, and Cary battled another wiey Big Redfish. We were already counting him in the boat when he dug shallow and popped the line. Ouch. 

We caught fish right up until time to leave and with about four dead shrimp left in the well, we called it day but as we headed back we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Bragging Rights Bust

 Today's planned "fun" fishing trip turned in to a busting of the Bragging Rights! Needing some fish for my Amelia Island Life Long Learning class's fish fry, I planned to fish this morning with my wife Carol and our neighbor and friend Wade Kirkland. We got an early start, picking up bait at Amelia Island Bait and Tackle then making our way out to Goffinsville Park. After launching and easing out of the No Wake Zone, we ran down the Nassau to make our first stop at Seymore's Ponte with plans to fish some dock pilings on the last of an outgoing tide.  The good news is that we had zero wind. The bad news was that the Sand Gnats (no seeums) were out in force. But we had bug spray and head nets so there was no whispers of mutiny, that I heard. Although I liked the spot and liked the tide we had hardly any nibbles except a small Seatrout that Carol caught before we moved on. 

I was killing time waiting for that tide to start back in so we stopped in at some docks at Nassauville and pitched the jigs and this gave us a good flurry of action. Both Carol and Wade hooked up and caught Seatrout and I got in a few casts, caught a few, one of which was of keeper size. We then made our way down to Broward Island and fished it as the tide began to hit bottom. We were treated to a Bald Eagle sighting and then a Salt Marsh Mink scampering along the bank - my first sighting of the year. Carol had a good cast up to the bank and in short order, BAM! Fish On! She played it perfectly and patiently brought it to the net - a nice 18"(maybe) Redfish. The measurement was so close we thought we'd have to debate the FWC guy so we tossed it back. Just as we were releasing it Wade had a strong hookup. This fish was heading north and ripping drag and digging deep and we knew it was a big one. But Wade was up the task and put up a valiant battle, working the fish in slowly, letting it run, working it in, letting it run and after about an 8 minutes fight he brought to the net an Oversized 32.5" Redfish. This fish moved Wade into First Place in the 2025 Anglers Mark Bragging Rights Tournament-Redfish Category(scroll down the right side of this report for standings).  Boy what a fish!

We fished up and down the bank and picked up another handful of Redfish, one of which was of keeper size.  After fishing a small creek and getting two more Reds, we called it a day and headed back in, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Monster Red on Worst Weather Day

 Today had to have been one of the worst day's weather-wise that I've fished in a long time. We had checked the forecast and saw that by mid morning their was a 64% chance of rain but those Weathermen are notoriously wrong, right? Not today! I met Todd Johnson and his fishing buddy Patrick Davis down at Sawpit Creek on a tide that when we reached Nassauville, would just be starting to come in . When we reached our first spot we tossed jigs and live shrimp to some dock pilings but only produced two "aquarium" sized Seabass. 

As we motored to the next stop we began to get sprinkled on and for the rest of the day it either sprinkled or drizzled, or drenched us. And just  when we were rejoicing that we had very little wind. the "No-See-Ums" hit us with a vengeance. I had them in my eyes and swallowed a good handful. I thought for sure we'd get fish at that spot but had not a nibble. But we eased down a bit and fished the bank with the jigs, caught a few "feisty" Redfish  when Patrick hooked up and his drag began to rip I knew he had a big one!

Boy what a battle!  This fish was not coming in and I began to worry that it might be TOO big. He played it perfectly, battled it from starboard to port and back again, and then did it again, and when he finally got it to the surface we saw that it was a huge Redfish. I had trouble getting it into the net and had to try a 2nd time! After landing the fish it measured right at 35" which moved Patrick comfortably in the lead in the 2024 Anglers Mark Bragging Rights Tournament-Redfish Category. 

After moving down the bank even more and turning into the current, we fished back a ways and just as we were about to leave Patrick put a perfect sized 24" Slot Red in the boat. 

Our next stop was up the Nassau, fishing a creek with the jigs. As we worked along the bank I began to wonder if this spot was going to "skunk" us. But once we found a tree to pitch under we found the "honey hole". Bam, Bam, Bam, Bam we caught fish. Todd put a keeper Slot fish in the boat and caught and landed a few more that were in the slot. Then Todd, trolling behind the boat, had a THUMP and then his rod bent and Fish On!  Todd worked it patiently to the net and landed a nice 17" Flounder, big enough to kick off the Bragging Rights in that Category (scroll down the right side of this report for standings). 

We were soaking wet, and had gnat bites all over our hands, but as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Epic Battle Leads To Bragging Rights

 

I had the Wytiaz's fishing today, Frank and Joanne, and we met up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp early. After running up and around and into the Jolley River we turned into the current at the "bank" and began fishing back to the pointe with float rigs and mud minnows on a high and still incoming tide.  The two anglers were making excellent casts to the grass, letting it drift along the marsh line and in just a while we had hookups of small Seatrout and Ladyfish. Then, after Joanne had got a cast close, I heard her drag begin to rip and, Big Fish On! And boy was it a battle! This fish was doing its best to stay up in the grass and over the oysters. It boiled up a time or two, then I saw a huge tail and confirmed it was a massive Redfish!  Joanne hung with it and began to work it out from the edge and when she got it out deep I felt sure we had it. She kept the pressure on during numerous runs, worked it close, let it run, then after a long and epic battle, brought to the net an oversized 35.5" Redfish, big enough to move Joanne into a solid lead in the Anglers Mark 2023 Bragging Rights Tournament -Redfish Category. (Scroll down the right side of this report for standings). Boy what a fish!

We then moved up the river and set up a point and drifted the float rigs and had a quick flurry of catches- Seatrout, Jacks, and Ladyfish. Joanne added a keeper sized 16" Seatrout to the catch. We moved further up the river and fished back into the current and here Frank got hot, real hot!  He caught a couple of feisty Redfish up close to the grass, then Joanne added one, then Frank had a strong hookup and, Fish On! He played it perfectly, worked it to the boat, and landed a nice 23" Slot Redfish. 

The tide had come to a standstill so we ran back to the outside of Tyger and fished a point as the now outgoing tide swept by. Again, we caught a couple of small Trout, small Reds, then a small Flounder, then Frank put a keeper sized Flounder in the boat and an 18" Seatrout.

Our final stop was around the corner, fishing a sand bottom for Flounder, but Frank found another nice Slot Redfish, this one measuring right at 21".  They landed another small Flounder and Seatrout before we headed back to the dock and as we made the run, we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

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

Bragging Rights Bonanza

 Looking at the weather forecast last night I thought for sure we'd be getting wet today. But when I got up this morning it had improved which was great because we were going anyway!  I met Henry Ross and his crew - David Gray, and Dick and Ethan Conley - up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp early and we headed over to Eagans Creek with plans to fish some dock pilings on a tide that had been going out for a few hours. The oysters were just beginning to show when we pulled up and began to pitch jigs and live shrimp to the pilings. Ethan was quick to "knock the skunk off" when he hooked up and fought a feisty Redfish to the net

His dad, Dick, hooked up a landed a small but feisty Black "puppy" Drum then short while later he had a strong bite and, Big Fish On!  It was nip and tuck there for a while as the big fish pulled deep up into the pilings. But Dick stayed patient and worked it out each time and when it rolled to the surface we knew it was a big Redfish. Dick worked it to the boat and landed a big 29.75" oversized Redfish - a fish big enough to move him into 2nd place in the Anglers Mark 2023 Bragging Rights Tournament-Redfish Category. Boy what a fish!

We then made a long run up to the Bell River and fished some docks with the jigs. Nothing much was  happening but David did get on the board with  hard fighting Jack Crevalle catch. We were wrapping up to leave but Henry was still fishing with a mud minnow and had a good "bump" out deeper and fish on!  Henry worked it expertly up to the surface and we netted a nice 16" Flounder. Although not huge, we'll let that set the bar for 1st place in the Anglers Mark 2023 Bragging Rights Tournament - Flounder Category (scroll down the right side of this report for standings).

Continuing on around thru the Bell River we made a stop at the MOA. David was on the bow tossing up current on the very last of the outgoing tide. He had one strong hookup with a fish that was putting a good bend in the rod and....OFF! Dang it!  But just a short while later, David made the same cast and it paid off with a Big Fish hookup. This fish had the room to dig deep and boy did it! The drag was ripping and the fish took him from bow to stern, from starboard to port, and then back to starboard, and back to port. I was laying my money on it being a Bonnethead Shark and luckily, boy was wrong! David worked it patiently up and when it surfaced we saw that it was another huge oversized Redfish, this one measuring in at 34", and big enough to take the lead spot, 1st. place, in the Anglers Mark 2023 Bragging Rights Tournament - Redfish Category. Boy what a fish!

We fished the outside of Tyger for just a bit then headed back to the ramp and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

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15 Minutes of Fame

 Kicking off the weekend early, I met Todd Johnson and his fishing buddy Patrick Davis up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp. We made a run down the intercoastal and found some structure to fish with jig and mud minnows on a tide that had been coming in for an hour or so. I think it was Patrick's first cast and as he let the jig bounce down the river bottom, it looked like he may be snagged but, BAM! Big Fish ON!  We were in for a battle but Patrick was up for the task. The big fish dug deep and Patrick kept the pressure on, working it up off the bottom - a Big Redfish - then it would dive deep. That happened a few times before we were able to get a net under it and land an oversized 28.5" Redfish! This fish pushed Patrick into First Place in the Anglers Mark 2022 Bragging Rights Tournament-Redfish Category. Boy what a fish!  We continued to fish that spot and shortly after it was 
Todd's turn to fight the big fish, which he expertly did, and landed a "Tourney" sized Red, 26.75" and boy was it a bull! Then  Patrick put a 24" Slot Red in the boat! Crazy huh?

We eventually moved down the way a bit - Patrick added a small Slot Red to the catch, then Todd hooked up and Big Fish On! Hah!  He battled it patiently, keeping the pressure on, and eventually landed a oversized 29" Redfish, to take the lead in the Anglers Mark 2022 Bragging Rights Tournament.....Redfish Category! Patrick's 15 minutes of fame, was over! Hah!  Scroll down the right side of this report for Bragging Rights standings. 

After making a run down the river we eased up in behind a dock and fished the pilings. Again, Patrick's first cast produced a big bite. This fish was big and pulling hard, but it was already around some pilings and eventually the line went tight and, BAP, fish off!  Todd caught and landed a feisty Redfish, then Patrick hooked up and landed another Slot Red. We picked up another couple of fish, then moved on. 

Switching to floats, we fished Soap Creek(no bites), Lanceford Creek(no bites), Bell River(no bites) then the outside of Tyger where Todd finally knocked the skunk off the floats with a feisty Redfish catch. After touring Cumberland Island to see some wild horses, we headed for the dock and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.