'NUF Said

 Short and brief today - quite a banner day! 10 Slot Reds caught by Brian Roach, his son Mike, and their friend William Blalock. First of the incoming tide, tossing jigs and mud minnows to drainages and exposed shell banks. The first two hours was on fire. They added a good handful of smaller Reds, some Ladyfish, some Catfish, some small Flounder, then they finished the day with two keeper Flounder. Another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida!  CLICK ON PICS TO ENLARGE

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Slot Nine

Slot 10 (a twelve spotter!)

Flounder Girl

 We went early today to beat the heat and it worked out pretty good. I had met Allen and Lavern Webb up
at Old Town Bait and Tackle - they open at 6:00am - I was about 3rd in line- and as I was leaving there was a line out the door! Allen and Lavern and I pulled away from the dock at 6:30 and eased out of Eagans Creek and made a quick run up and around to the outside of Tyger. I went with mud minnows today, and they worked, kinda. Lavern had a quick hookup early and brought to the boat a nice Flounder for a quick boat-side release. After moving around the corner and working along Jolley "bank" Lavern had a good handful of Flounder catches and eventually got one that was of keepable size.

We fished a large drainage further up the Jolley, then moved on up to Snook Creek where Allen, fishing off the stern, had a good "thump" - he hooked it up and patiently brought to the boat a keeper sized Seatrout.

We fished the MOA at the last of an outgoing tide, then made the run back around to the Fernandina area, up Lanceford, and fished TM's spot. That sun had gotten up and it was getting hot but getting out early had paid off with a bit of action so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

We Found Some Trout

 I fished Friday with Bill Foran and his daughter Casey, meeting them up at Old Town Bait and Tackle
boat ramp. We made a quick run up and over to the Jolley River, turned into the  "bank" and worked back. Our first cast produced a bite and Fish On! That's the way you like to start a trip!  Casey expertly worked in a nice Flounder to kick the day off. 

The wind was kicking a little bit out of the west and pushing us up against the bank so we ran further up the Jolley and tossed our floats and live shrimp on the outside of Snook Creek. The wind was blocked and the anglers were getting good casts, but we had no luck. After coming back to Tyger Cut we drifted the point and this did the trick. The duo hooked up and caught some keeper sized Seatrout then they battled Bonnethead Shark to the boat from photograph and release. They also caught and released a few hard fighting Jack Crevalle.

We finished up the morning fishing over at Bell River then headed back to the ramp with a box of Seatrout ready to be fileted, and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

The Kid

 Boy what a beautiful morning we had after a weekend of rain and last nights downpour. I had met Jeff and Cindy Patrick up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp early and after easing out of Eagans Creek we made a short run up to the outside of Tyger Island, turned into the current on a tide that had been coming in a few hours, and started tossing jig and live shrimp to the mud bank. It took a while and I was beginning to wonder, but then Jeff hooked up with a hard fighting and brought it to the boat. Luckily it was a bit productive - the duo caught a couple or three Reds along there a keeper sized Seatrout (all fish caught this morning were released), and a Flounder to round out a Slam. 

We fished Jolley "bank" for a bit with floats to no avail, then moved up to Tyger Cut and fished over a submerged shell bank. I think Jeff's first cast and drift produced another keeper sized Seatrout. He picked up another then both he and Cindy boated some small but feisty Bonnethead Sharks. After moving up to Snook Creek and fishing it a bit we ran back to the outside of Tyger to fish the first of an outgoing tide. Jeff battled briefly with (we think was) a shark but it's still heading north, with a float marker hanging out of its mouth.  We finished the morning over at Soap Creek drifting floats, then headed back, counting it as another beautiful morning fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

In basketball the call them a "ringer";  some call them a "secret weapon". But this afternoon we called him....The Kid. After a quick Bait Shop lunch, I made my way over to Oyster Bay and picked up Lee Warren, his grandson Noah, and their friend David Vice - we made a quick stop over at Lanceford Creek to fish some dock pilings on a tide that had been going out about 3 hours. David hooked up and handed off his rod to Noah to expertly reel in a hungry Seatrout, then a small but feisty Sea Bass. 

We made along run back down Lanceford then up the Bell to fish some more dock pilings. Here, Noah began making  his own casts and it paid off - he hooked  up a brough to the boat a hungry Seatrout and two croaking Croakers. We fished a 2nd dock them moved on. Our next stop was over in the Jolley River where we worked one shoreline with exposed oysters, to no avail.

But then we moved over to the MOA and fished those oyster mounds. Noah had a made an excellent cast off the stern, let it sink to the bottom, felt the "bump" and set the hook and BIG FISH ON! This fish was ripping drag and going deep and taking the line from starboard to port and back again. Lee was helping out with the rod lift while Noah worked it off the bottom with the reel and after long battle he landed  huge 27.5" Black Drum (on a size 1000 reel, 6'6'" rod), boy what a battle. Warred battled a Catfish to the boat before we moved on. 

After running back to Tyger Island, we fished the logs. Both Warren and David put Trout in the boat. Then again, Noah (The Kid) had another strong bite. That line was ripping out and the fish was heading north, but Noah, with Warren's help, kept the pressure on. It was a long battle and hard fought but the duo won it and soon boated a big 4' Bonnethead Shark. We were all worn out after that but as we headed back to the dock we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Early Action

I went back south today to fish with Glenn and Patti Lanford. We met down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp
and quickly got under way  - the No SeeUms were about to carry us off! But luckily, as we ran up the river, the breeze picked up and they were never an issue for the rest of the morning. The tide had been going out for about two hours as we eased up to our first stop across from Goffinsville Park and the two anglers began to toss float rigs baited with live shrimp. We worked up and down the bank and they caught a good handful of Seatrout and Redfish. They weren't real big but at least one of the Reds was in the Slot. It was nice to have good action early and not have any "skunk" to worry about!

We ended up hitting 5-6 more spots during the morning and picked up a Trout here and there, had a drag ripping breakoff, caught a couple of small but feisty Black "puppy" Drum, and then hooked and landed a couple of feisty Reds. The sun had shone all day, there was a slight breeze to keep the gnats off, we had some good action early, so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

There was a guy having difficult getting his boat backed in, we came up with a solution!

If We Were On A Deserted Island...

 we'd of ate pretty good! I met Glenn and Patti Lanford mid morning today with plans to fish the last of an outgoing tide, first of an incoming. We ran up the intra-coastal, up the Nassau and made our way to a large runout where we pitched jigs and live shrimp. I wouldn't call it "on fire" but we caught a good handful of hungry Seatrout - they all ranged in the 14-12" range. If we were on a deserted island and that was what we were catching we would have ate pretty good!  We moved around and fished some docks at Seymore's Pointe but had no real bites.

After fishing right at Seymores Point for just a bit(Glenn hooked up and landed a feisty Redfish), we made the run down to Broward Island. Although a couple f spots were taken(that's Saturday fishing) we made our way down the island and set up into the current. Here, Patti came alive and began to catch Seatrout. She put a good handful in the boat, then Glenn joined in and caught a few. One of these was of keeper size. They also landed another Redfish and we added a Whiting to the catch total. 

We had caught a "mess o fish" but only one or two were of keeper size. But the sun was out and as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Are We Fishing or Catching?

For a awhile there we were thinking we might just be on a fishing trip, not a "catching" trip! I had met Ed and Maddona AndrewLavage up at Old Town Bait and Tackle early this morning. We had dark and gloomy skies with the clouds blowing north over the ocean. But the temperature was almost "shirtsleeves" weather with a promise from the forecasters of it to reach into the 80's today. Can't beat that! We eased out of Eagans Creek and made our way over to Bell River to fish a flooded oyster point on the last of a high and incoming tide. Both Ed and Madonna were getting excellent casts and good drifts but we had not a bite on their float rigs and live shrimp. 

We ran thru Tyger, made the turn around the Concrete Teepee and after making our way up the Jolley River we set up along side a point and drifted the floats and shrimp again. What little wind we had, had died down and the water was a like glass and the floats looked oh so sweet as they drifted along, but evidently not to the fish because again, not a nibble. Further up the river, just past Snook Creek, we turned into the current and here Madonna's first cast produced a good bite. That float disappeared and Madonna tightened up and let the circle hook set - she worked it to the boat and "knocked the skunk off" with a hungry Seatrout catch. After moving into Snook Creek and switching to jigs and the shrimp and working the bottom, we moved on. 

Up thru the Jolley we went and around thru Bell to some docks where we stuck with the jigs. We had only been anchored for a minute or two and with the tide trying to change, the fish began to bite. Both Madonna and Ed stayed busy catching Seatrout on the bottom, in about 20' of water. They were all in the 14-14.5" range, but Ed did find a keeper sized 17.5" Trout up by the dock pilings.  We moved down a few docks and fished the pilings direct and this paid off - Ed hooked up and landed a couple of feisty Redfish and Puppy Drum; Madonna hooked up and battled a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum to the net. She also added a couple of Redfish to her catch total, and then snagged a small Sheepshead to round out an Amelia Island Backcountry Slam of Seatrout, Black Drum, Redfish and Sheepshead. 

We had started the day "fishing" but ended the day "catching" - the sun was out now and it was warm enough to shed those jackets so as we headed back to the ramp, we counted it as another great day to be fishing (and catching) here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Steady Catch'n On a Beautiful Day

 Boy what a beautiful day we had - sunny skies, cool temps, and only a slight breeze. I had met Will
Middleton and his father-in-law Pete Brown down at Sawpit Creek and we headed up the intercoastal, then up the Nassau to make our first stop at Spanish Drop. The tide had been going out for a couple of hours and the shell was showing as we eased along the bank tossing jigs and live shrimp. The duo had a few nibbles but no takers and I was beginning to wonder when, BAM! :Hookup! and BAM! a 2nd hookup -we had a double. Both anglers patiently brought to the boat a feisty Redfish and from then and for about an hour we were steady catching fish. Seatrout and Redfish - We had a couple of keeper sized Redfish and a few keeper sized Seatrout but all fish caught today were released. 

Eventually we moved up the river about a quarter mile, stuck with the jigs, and again caught a good handful of Seatrout. We then made or way around to Back River and switched to floats. Pete was on the stern and drifted long a couple of times and got fish both drifts. Will was on the stern - I saw something take his float under and it took off upstream. Will played it expertly and landed another keeper sized Trout.  We tried our luck over at some docks at Nassauville and this was the only place we got "skunked".

Around the corner at Seymore's Pointe we fished a dock and here they picked up Seatrout and a couple of Black 'puppy" Drum to round out their Amelia Island Back Country Slam of Seatrout, Redfish and Drum. Our final stop was down at  Broward Island, working the bank on the last of an outgoing, first of an incoming, and again they caught fish. They wee working that bank pretty good and caught Redfish and Seatrout. We lost count of the fish we caught but estimated 4-5 Slot Reds, a good dozen of smaller Reds, 5-6 keeper sized Seatrout to 17", and a good dozen of smaller Trout. 

It had been a beautiful day to be fishing and a great day to be catching here at Amelia Island, Florida.

At Least One Picture Worthy Fish

 Finally, some beautiful weather! I met Brian Roach down at Sawpit Creek this morning early. We had some store-bought live shrimp and we cast netted about a dozen finger mullet then we headed up the intercoastal then up the Nassau to make our first stop at Spanish Drop. We turned into the current and began to toss float rigs on an incoming tide that had only been coming in for a couple of hours but the oysters were already covered. Brian was getting good casts and good drifts and picked up a small Jack Crevalle and a hungry Seatrout. 

We bumped down to Twin Creeks and fished it pretty good with the floats, caught a small catfish, then moved on. Our next stop was up at a dock at Seymore's Pointe where we switched to a jig. Brian worked some pilings good and I made a few tosses, but we had no nibbles. After making the run down to Pumpkin Hill we drifted live shrimp long. This produced a couple of crabs!  But Brian went real long with a drift and when his float disappeared he lifted and let the circle hook set and fish On!  Brian played it patiently and we could tell it was a good fish. I saw it come out of the water once - Brian worked it in and landed a big Seatrout that measured right at 19" - a "picture worthy fish" for sure! 

We fished that area pretty good, then made our way over to some docks at Nassauville where Brian caught a feisty Mangrove - we had more nibbles, caught another Catfish, then moved on. We tried our hand at Seymore's Pointe, fishing the rocks with floats, got some nibbles, then switched to jigsaand got more nibbles. and another......Catfish! Ouch!

We had had a beautiful day and 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. 

In Between The Storms

 

You've probably heard, "be careful what you wish for" - just a month ago we were begging for rain and now it seems someone forgot to turn the spigot off! And last night the forecast called for 47% chance of rain today so we thought we'd be getting wet if we fished, but we were going anyway! Luckily when I got up to get the boat ready the forecast had changed to just 15% chance and that held, we didn't get a drop while fishing. 

I had met David Prezzano and his fishing buddies Jay and Mike down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp with a live well full of shrimp, and before they got there, I had casted for a few dozen finger mullet. We ran over to the intercoastal, up it, and then turned into the Nassau and made our way up for a short bit before turning into the current on the first of an incoming tide. I noted that even though it had been only coming in for an hour, it was already covering the shell. All three anglers began tossing jigs and shrimp and in just a few minutes Mike "knocked the skunk off" when he hooked up and expertly landed a feisty Redfish. He followed that up with a golden colored Whiting catch. 

The trio of anglers caught a couple of small Seatrout, a Catfish, a couple of Jack Crevalle, one of which put up a good battle for David, then Jay had a strange "thump" and, Fish On!  Jay played it patiently, worked it to the boat and when it came to the surface, we saw that it was a big Flounder. He eased it slowly to the net and we brought to the boat a nice 18" Flounder, boy what a fish!

We then made our way down to Pumpkin Hill, fished a stretch with float rigs, then moved around to a point and drifted that. David had gotten a good cast that took his bait along the grass and BAM! Another Big Fish On!  He kept that tension on and worked in, let it run, worked it in and I was thinking "Redfish" but when David got it to the boat and netted, we saw that it was a 20.5" Gator Trout, boy what a fish!

Jay added one more keeper sized Seatrout to the box and although we had a few bites after that, we had no takers. That tide had gotten up to flood stage and the fish must have been up in the marsh. But we had caught some "picture worthy fish", had a few in the box, so as we headed back to the ramp, we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

A Few Good Battles

 

I was back to work today, meeting the Kucsma fishing team up at Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp. The tide still had about an hour to hit bottom so we made our way around and up to the Jolley River, then down to the MOA to set up for fishing jigs and mud minnows. We didn't count "skunk off" when Andrew hauled in a Sail Cat but we did when Eddie brought in a copper colored Redfish. The trio fished that spot pretty good and we had a few bites from feisty Reds, but then we moved on. 

Fishing across the way, working along a shell bed, we were just about to a small drainage thru the oysters when the fishing got real hot!  Andrew hooked up and landed a fat keeper sized Seatrout - they each caught smaller Reds, and a few more smaller Reds, then Jason had a strong hookup and this one wasn't coming in until it had ripped a bit of drag out. Jason played it expertly and eventually landed a nice 22" Slot Redfish.

We came back to the mouth of the Jolley and worked the bank and again caught small Reds, here and there. Back up at Snook Creek we worked that bank and here Eddie got hot when he landed a couple of Seatrout, one of which was of keeper size.

Our final stop was around at the outside of Tyger, sticking with the jigs. It was slow going but just after Eddie had announced "there were no fish here", BAM! Big Fish On! Andrew had hooked him up and the big fish had no intentions of coming to the boat. It was ripping drag and digging deep and it took Andrew around the bow a couple of times. Andrew kept the pressure on, worked it slowly in, let it run, worked it in, and finally landed a huge 29" Oversized Redfish, boy what a battle!

Both Eddie and Andrew both put undersized Flounder in the boat, then Andrew added one more 19"Slot  Redfish to the catch, and with that, we called it a day, another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.  

2nd Chance

 I was out at Goffinsville again this morning, fishing with David Vice and his buddy Roland. The sun had just come up as we left the dock and made our way down the Nassau River, thru Horsehead and over to Pompano Point with plans to fish float rigs with live mud minnows and a handful of finger mullet. The duo had a couple of bites then Roland hooked up and landed a nice 18" keeper Seatrout.  Roland was hot early - in addition to the trout he caught a feisty Redfish, a Jack, and a couple of Ladyfish. 

But when his float disappeared and his drag began to rip we knew he had a big one on!  Roland worked it patiently and ....Fish OFF! Ouch! Boy that hurts. But he got a 2nd chance!  Roland had made a good cast up to a grassy point and BAM! Big Fish On!  This fish dug deep up shallow, boiled a time or two, then came out deep and took Roland from the bow to the stern, around the engine, back around the engine, and back once more. He played it perfectly and eventually landed a big 26.75" tournament Redfish, boy what a fish!

After fishing up and down that stretch and getting a couple of more fish we made our way back over to Jackstaff "bank". I eased along the bank as they tossed their float rigs. David was a good host and had been "laying back" but here he stepped up to catch a few. After making a good cast just above a small drainage, he let his float drift back and after it slowly went under, he tightened up and let the circle hook set. Later he said it felt like an oyster but then it began to fight. David brought it to the net and landed a keeper sized Flounder. He continued his catching ways, catching a couple of more feisty Redfish. As we moved up the bank Roland got back in on the action and found a few small Reds along the bank, but then one took it and ripped drag - this one was a bit bigger. Roland expertly played it and brought it in -a nice 19" Slot Redfish

We fished a stretch of bank at Back River, between a couple of docks at Nassauville, then finished up at Penny's Point, all to no avail. But we had a good box of fish so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
 

Po-tay-to's - Po- tah -to's

 

When I met Jeff Adams, his son Beau, and father-in-law Charlie up at Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp this morning I mentioned that I had live shrimp and mud minnows for bait and young Beau set me straight - Potayto's-Potahto's - it's all the same! And it pretty much was!

We eased out of Eagans Creek and made a run up the river, into the Jolley and all the round to the MOA and fished the first of an incoming tide. We debated whether Jeff's small perch catch counted as "knocking the skunk off" but when Beau hooked up and battled a big Catfish to the boat we knew that the skunk was surely off.  Jeff added a nice Whiting to the catch and they had a couple of Croakers caught, and another small Catfish.

We made our way back to the mouth of the Jolley, fished the "bank" and worked along it tossing the jigs and shrimp and minnows. The trio had a few good bites, no takers, but then Jeff, after making an excllent cast to the base of the oysters, had a hookup. This fish was ripping drag so we knew it had some size to it. He played it perfectly and after a good battle he laned a nice 21" Slot Redfish. 

Back up the Jolley we went and fished float rigs along a couple of banks, then we finished up fishing jits on the outside of Tyger. Both Charlie and Jeff landed Seatrout while Jeff put a couple of Flounder in the boat. We had caught a good handful of fish but as we finished up we could see a wall of rain and sure enough, we had to make our way thru it, but as we eased back into the dock we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Mother Of All Pays Off

 I was back up north for the first time in about a week, fishing with Bob Blalock out of Old Town Bait and
Tackle an a tide that still had about an hour to hit bottom. The water was like glass as we left the mouth of Eagans Creek and headed north and west up to the Jolley - we made a "Bee-line" for the MOA (mother-of-all) spot and set up with jigs and live shrimp and minnows.

It was crazy. Their was bait everywhere, moving around, getting "popped", rolled, and spit at  Wakes were moving in and around the oyster beds and we had a Tarpon rolling back behind us. Bob was making excellent casts and it soon paid off - he hooked up and landed a Slot Redfish.  After picking up a keeper sized Seatrout (all fish caught today were released), he had another strong bite -set the hook and, Fish On!  Bob played it perfectly as it bulled deep around the boat. It made a run towards the bow, then the stern, then under the boat, but Bob kept the pressure on and eventually landed another Slot Red, bigger than the first. 

We picked up a couple of more Reds, fished thru the change in tides, then moved on. Back around at Snook Creek we worked the bank but the wind had picked up and was pushing against the bank so we ran down to the the "bank", fished a runout and here Bob picked up another Redfish. WE fished the entire bank and had one small flounder to the boat for a quick release.

I had planned to fish the outside of Tyger but that NE wind was just a tad too much so we went around to the logs and fished them. Bob had two more Flounder bites, both just a bit undersized. Our final stop was over at Bell River where we added one more Seatrout to the fish catch total. The day had started out beautiful, we had some good action early, so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing her at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Something Learned

 I wrapped up my week yesterday fishing with Kenny King and his friends John Raker and John's mother Betty, meeting them again out at Goffinsville Park boat ramp. 

Note: You never know when you'll be surprised at the boat ramp - a guy had backed his truck (no trailer/boat) down the ramp, got out, and was fishing from the ramp. When I pulled up I thought he was launching so I sat and waited for a while. When he didn't pull out I got out and checked -  sure enough he was just blocking the ramp and fishing. Crazy. 

We had a tide that was coming in for a couple of more hours so we ran across the river and went with float rigs up to the grass on that flooding tide. I was hoping we'd get  some reds up in those pockets but I don't think we had even a bite until Betty, fishing off the stern, had her float drifting over some submerged oysters. When the float went under she at first thought she might be hung up but that hang up started pulling back!  Betty played the fish expertly and brought to the net a nice 19.5" Flounder, big enough to secure 2nd place in the Anglers Mark 2024 Bragging Rights Tournament-Flounder Category(scroll down the right side of this report for standings).

After fishing a good stretch along there we made a run down the Nassau and pulled up at Twin Creeks and drifted the floats again. Crazy how we were getting no bites, not even a baitstealer until John had a good take, and Fish On!  He fought it patiently, let it run, worked it up and soon landed a Slot 21" Redfish. Later he battled a 4' Bonnethead to the boat and then commented, "we've had three bites and three fish caught!"

We went over to Seymore's and tinkered with some Small Mangroves, then around the corner to do the
same and here Kenny put a fat Mangrove in the boat. There was also a Jack or two caught sometime in there.  After running thru Horsehead we fished Pompano Point and here Betty got busy catching fish off the stern. She was drifting here float/shrimp past a grassy corner and then down alongside it and BAM! She'd have a hookup. She added to the catch total with two more feisty Redfish. 

Our final stop, after running back thru Horsehead, was over at Back River, working an outgoing tide. The trio of angles were drifting on the outside of some shell beds that you could barely make out in the water. We had an epiphany - try tossing the float over the submerged shell bed and hope it's deep enough for the float to drift along he backside - they did!  Kenny had a good drift going - it snagged, then came off, and BAM!   Fish On!  Kenny played it to the boat and landed a nice 17.5" Flounder.  John tried it and he too got a good drift and BAM! He had a hookup. When he got his to the boat we found it was a small Black Tip Shark. Summer is here!  It was getting hot. But as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida

Enjoy What You Got

What a super beautiful day we had today!  I met Dennis Brizzi and his fishing crew Bob and Jeremy out at Goffinsville Park mid morning with plans to fish the first of an outgoing tide. It was still coming in at Goffinsville so we ran over to Pumpkin Hill and drifted float rigs and live shrimp along the flooding marsh line. 

As it turned out, we didn't "tear them up" today but with a somewhat cool temperature, sunshine, and a slight breeze, I could tell these anglers were enjoying being out on the water. Jeremy did have a good bite at that first stretch, and when we moved around the corner Dennis put a small Seatrout in the water, then Bob hooked up and played to the boat a nice 18" Seatrout, and then he had an epic battle with a 3' Bonnethead Shark, the first of the year. He played it patiently, fought it from Starboard to Port, from stern to bow, and back to stern, then settled in for the fight. It took a while on that light tackle but we eventually landed it for photograph and release. 

It was a real treat to be fishing under the watchful eye of a Bald Eagle setting on an shell bank. 

We fished Seymore's Pointe on the outgoing tide and here Dennis, after breaking off initially on a bigger fish, put a handful of Mangrove Snapper in the boat. After running thru Horsehead we fished Pompano Pointe, to no avail, then we fished over off of Jackstaff, a couple of spots, then back thru Horsehead we went. 

After a long run up the Nassau River we dipped into a creek and worked the bank and Jeremy persevered and hooked up and landed a nice Flounder. He also put two Blue Crab in the boat!  The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, we had caught a few, so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Storm Behind Us

 We had a pretty good thunderstorm come thru last evening, enough so that our dog, Jasper, was hunting security. It was still raining when I went to bed but when I got up this morning it had quit and we had just a breeze as I made my way to the bait shop. Afterwards I met Frank and Joanne Wytiaz down at Sawpit Creek and we made our way up the Back River on a high and still coming in tide to make our first stop around at Pumpkin Hill with plans to fish float rigs  and live shrimp. With the north wind at our back, both anglers were getting good casts to the flooding grass line and good drifts too, but it was to no avail, we only had a nibble or two. 

But when we inched around a point and drifted that side Joanne battled a nice Catfish to the boat then Frank battled a rather big Jack Crevalle to the net. We then got out of the wind that had picked up and ran over to Christopher Creek and worked the bend with jigs, but again, no luck.

Our next stop was around at Seymore's Point, fishing a large drainage with the float rigs and here we picked up a few Mangrove Snapper, one of which was of keeper size. (all fish caught today were released). Back around at Nassauville and back to fishing jigs deep, the two anglers picked up another Mangrove and Joanne put a couple of  Seatrout in the boat, one of which was of keeper size. 

The final stop, after running thru Horsehead, was over at Pompano Pointe, drifting the float rigs. It seemed the wind may have died and Frank and Joanne were getting good drifts but we only had a nibble or two. The sun had come out, it had cooled from yesterday, and as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Wind Made It A Challenge

 I wrapped my week up today, fishing with Bob Kossman and Larry Westfall before they head north forthe summer. This was a a "Share-A-Trip" - contact me if you'd like to be added to the list. We met down at Sawpit Creek boat ramp with a weather forecast that called for clear skies and 8mph  west winds to start, increasing to 13mph. We made the long run up the Nassau and around to Broward Island and fished a stretch as the tide was still going out. I could tell right off that the water was real murky which didn't bode well for a our chances and sure enough, we had no bites. We moved down the way a bit and fished, trying to stall for the tide to turn around, but eventually we had to leave - that west wind, the murky waters, and no bites made it the smart thing to do. 

We headed back to Seymore's Pointe, somewhat out of the wind, and found a dock to fish on that lower incoming tide, and this did the trick. The duo caught a few feisty Redfish, a keeper Seatrout that had only a few spots(I called it a weakfish initially) and Bob landed the 2nd Mangrove Snapper of the year while Larry put probably the biggest Black Sea Bass I've ever had caught in the boat. 

After fishing back around at Nassauville with jigs and live shrimp and getting a couple of small trout, we came back around to Seymore's and fished float rigs now that the tide was up. No luck with them but Larry found that we could set up out deep and get Seatrout off the bottom,  one of which was 17", and we also got  a couple of Blues. By now that wind was kicking! I checked my weather App and saw that it was at 17mph!  We had struggled to stay out of the wind, but it was a beautiful day and we had caught a few fish so was we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Off Day Leads to Big Trout

 I had the day off and decided to get in some "fun" fishing before we had to batten down the hatches for the approaching storm.  After be first in line at the Amelia Island Bait and Tackle for some live shrimp, I headed down to Sawpit Creek boat ramp, launched, and ran up the Back River to hit a flooded point in the Nassau. Tossing float rigs and the live shrimp on the last of an incoming tide, I hit the Ladyfish jackpot! Every cast - BAM! The first couple of times I got excited when the float went under but then I got complacent.

Fishing the point, the tide was so high my float was drifting the wrong way but when it went under I reeled up a bit of slack and let the circle hook set and when it bent the rod a bit I thought, "well great, a nice little Redfish". I even remember giving complete slack as I reached behind the Yeti to grab the catch net but when I lifted the rod up I saw a huge Seatrout!  I got that line tight quick! And got that net under it and landed it - a big 21" Seatrout!

As the tide started out I fished a couple of more spots with the floats and picked up some small Mangroves and Jacks, then moved down the Nassau and switched to jigs and shrimp and picked up a couple of small Seatrout, a couple of small Redfish, and then a big Bonnethead Shark. Moving further down I fished the back side of a submerged "bar" and caught one small Redfish after the other.  I'd had a fun day of fishing and had dinner for the evening (see next report) so as a I headed back to the ramp I counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

9 Spot Slot

 I wrapped up my week today fishing with the Jensen's, Dean and his sons Elijah and Tyler, meeting
them up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp early to try and "beat the heat". We made a quick run over to the outside of Tyger Island and set up along a grassy point to fish float rigs on the very first of an outgoing tide. It was another beautiful morning, sunshine, clear skies, and just a bit of breeze. With those conditions you'd have thought (hoped) the fish bite would be on fire but, all we did was have a quick tangle with Sharks and Ladyfish. After crossing over a creek we fished a shoreline and Dean did pick up a small but feisty Redfish. 

Around the outside of Tyger we went and made one stop at a drainage to pitch jigs and shrimp, then we continued on around to the Jolley, switched back to float rigs, and drifted the bank on that outgoing tide. In between Shark bites Elijah hooked up, expertly battled, and landed a nice 21" Slot Redfish - one that had 9 spots - a good fish in any Spot Tournament. We continued to ease along that bank and Dean patiently wore out the biggest Shark of the day, bringing it to the boat for photograph and release, then it was Tyler's turn to have the Redfish hookup. He had made an excellent cast to the bank and it paid off with a hookup. He played it perfectly and soon landed a 21.5" Slot Red.

We then moved up the river and pulled up at a large drainage that I used to fish 15 years ago, anchoring and bottom fishing out the back. But this time we positioned ourselves parallel to the bank and drifted those floats and it paid off. In addition to catching a couple of feisty Redfish, Dean hooked up and landed a real nice 18" Flounder. 

Further up the river we fished what evidently was a Shark haven- at one time we had a "double" going, then we ended the day at the MOA just as the oysters were beginning to show. Elijah  caught a couple of more small Redfish and Dead added a couple of Black "puppy" Drum. Somewhere along the way Dean had landed a Seatrout so the Drum made it an Amelia Island Back Country Slam, and we chalked it up 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, Florida and is a 

 US Coast Guard licensed charter boat operator