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!
Tuesday, September 12, 2023
It's Still Summer
Tuesday, July 25, 2023
Shark Attack!
After moving up a few hundred yards we fished a large drainage, then moved on up to Twin Creeks and worked that area and Dale did manage to get "barely legal" Flounder to the boat. Needing some action, we ran up to Seymore's Pointe and fished float rigs around some docks and that did the trick - we dueled with Mangrove Snapper and won out a few times to add a handful to the box. Once the tide started in we moved around to fish some docks, back with the jigs, and again caught a handful of keeper sized Mangroves.
The final stop was down at Broward Island, just as the tide was changing, and here Bob put a feisty Redfish in the boat. Dale added one, then Bob had a strong hookup. He played it expertly and after a good battle landed a nice 21" Slot Redfish. We worked just a little down that bank and then it wasDale's turn to battle the big fish. He played it patiently, worked it up, and landed another nice Slot sized Redfish. Fishing on, Dale again had a good bite. He fought it valiantly and had it right to the boat when a big Shark came by and took most of it! Dale had yelled "Shark"! and I thought that was what he had on the line until he lifted what was left of the Slot Redfish! Ouch.
We fished a bit more - Bob hooked up and landed a big Mangrove Snapper, then we headed back to the ramp and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island Florida.
Friday, July 21, 2023
Fishing The Nassau
Friday, July 14, 2023
Big Trout Kicks It Off
We then came back to Horsehead, ran thru, and around to Poteat Cut and set up again along a marsh line. Tom drifted long and caught a hungry Seatrout and then we also got another Jack or two. Moving back into Jackstaff, we worked another bank and this paid off. Ricky had made a good cast to a point of grass that had some oyster shell extending from it and just as he began to reel it back in, BAM! Big Fish On! Ricky played it perfectly and after a good battle landed a nice 20" Slot sized Redfish.
Monday, June 26, 2023
Summertime Smorgasbord
Kossman and his adult "kids" Marcie and Michael down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early and as we headed out we had a bit of overcast skies which made for some pleasant fishing for most of the morning. We made our first run up the intercoastal and to Poteat Cut where we began fishing a shelf of oysters with jigs and live shrimp and it didn't take long to begin to get fish.
Both Marcie and Bob had hookups right off and boated some Seatrout, Marcie's being of keeper size (all fish caught today were released). We worked that bank and this trio of anglers tangled with Sharks and Jack Crevalle and a large Catfish. Note: Last week I had a Catfish fall out of the net and it's fin barely scratched my foot, just a faint nick, and boy, it burned for an hour! We moved over to the mouth of Jackstaff and fished that stretch and again, we had Shark battles, Catfish bites, and then Marcie, fishing a bit deeper, hooked up and landed a keeper sized, and a surprise, a Weakfish! Then Michael hooked up and brought to the boat the only Redfish of the day.
After running thru Horsehead and down to Twin Creeks we again worked a bank, and again, Shark bites and Jack Crevalle. A run up to some docks at Seymore's produced a handful of keeper sized Mangrove Snapper. The biggest few being right at 12". We finished the day fishing some rocks at around at Nassauville, and again caught one or two Mangroves. Typical of Summertime fishing in the back waters of Amelia Island, we had a smorgasbord of species caught so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.Friday, June 23, 2023
What Submarine?
Nacotee to meet me at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp. We eased out of Eagans Creek and headed over to Lanceford Creek to fish some dock pilings just as the tide hit dead low. We worked that dock pretty good and did pick up a handful of feisty Redfish , a Black "puppy" Drum, and a hungry Seatrout and finally Chipper did get a Red that got into the Slot.
We tried a couple of spots down the intercoastal but as we got close I could see that another Guide had beat us to it so we made the long run back around and up to the Jolley. On our way we were waylaid by one of those small Coast Guard inflatable gun boats, blue lights flashing so I slowed to allow them to catch up (hah!) he asked where we were going (the Jolley) and he yelled over some rules to follow as there was a pending submarine arrival. "OK" we yelled back, then he asked what was biting! "Redfish!"
We eased around the corner of the Jolley and fished the "bank" with float rigs and live shrimp and had a couple of Shark bites. We fished up at Snook Creek and again had Shark bites and tangled with a couple of Ladyfish. Back down the river we fished a grassy pointe and the action got pretty hot - a couple of Shark fights, a Jack fight, a Ladyfish tangle, then Chipper put another Slot Red in the boat, and Jim put a keeper sized Seatrout in the boat.As we came out of the Jolley we never saw a Submarine so we surmised the "Coastie" was just wanting a fishing report! And as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing hear at Amelia Island, Florida.
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
Kids and Sharks
We had a beautiful June morning today when I met Paul Johnson and his kids Henry and Grady up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp. Sunshine and just enough breeze to make it pleasant to fish the back waters of Amelia Island. We eased out of Egans Creek and made our way over to the outside of Tyger Island and set up off a point of grass to drift float rigs an live shrimp on the first of an outgoing tide. It didn't take long before we were getting fish. After a huge fish rolled on Henry's bait, he later hooked up and landed a hungry Seatrout. Then Paul hooked up and landed a feisty Redfish then a small Flounder. All three anglers tangled with high flying Ladyfish.
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
Hot Off The Stern
After moving even further back to the mouth of the Jolley we fished the "bank", then moved back to that cut thru Tyger Basin where we set up fishing floats and the live shrimp. Tom caught a Jack and another couple of Trout off the stern then Bryson, who had persevered the whole trip, found a Trout hole and caught and landed a couple of fat Trout.
We came back to the outside of Tyger, ran thru to Bell and fished a couple of spots (Tom got a Jack over here too), then we wrapped up back at the outside of Tyger where Andrew finished off the trip with another Bonnethead Shark catch. We had had some good action and had a couple of fish 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.Monday, May 8, 2023
Double Up On Shark
Both anglers were getting good tosses then Joe hooked up and battled to the net a high flying Ladyfish. Emily hooked up and had to the boat a small Sea Robin and Joe had another brief encounter with a Ladyfish. We ran up the river and fished the outside of Snook Creek then eased inside where, sure enough, they had some serious drag ripping fights with shark - the first was a double - Joe was up on the bow, Emily was back on the stern, and their sharks were headed in opposite directions! That makes for some exciting times and it was for a bit until Emily's broke off, then shortly after, Joe's broke off too.
But just a short while later Joe hooked up and had a good fight with another shark and this one he brought to the net for photograph and release. Emily had one more encounter with a big shark then she felt a good bump, set the hook and expertly landed a keeper sized Seatrout. After a photo, we released it to be caught another day.We came back to the outside of Tyger Island and trolled the edge of a Jasper Beach with the jigs and mud minnows, thinking we might pick up a flounder. We think we had one good "bump", then a couple of times the "Ladyfish King" tangled with more Ladyfish, then we continued on over to Bell River.
From then on we were fishing float rigs and live shrimp. We might of had a nibble once or twice but no takers. We fished Soap Creek and up in Lanceford then headed back to the dock counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
Friday, April 7, 2023
Is It Shark Week?
I wrapped up my week fishing with part of the Ryan family today, Kerri and Mike and their young son Sean, meeting them up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp early. We made a quick run up to the Jolley River to fish a tide that had been coming in for a few hours and set up into the current to toss float rigs and live shrimp. Our first cast produced a huge roll but it missed the hook! We worked along that bank then eased into Snook Creek and switched to jigs and the shrimp and it wasn't long before we were battling sharks!
Kerri struck first - she set the hook on a Bonnethead Shark and battled it to the net, then after moving out to the mouth of the creek, Mike had a strong hookup. He battled the fish expertly as it dove deep around the stern of the boat, but then it came back then dove under the hull and BAP! Big Fish Off! But Mike was not to be deterred and shortly after he had another strong hookup. This time he was ready and followed the fish to the bow then back to the stern then around it and patiently worked the fish up so that we could grab it, dehook it and get a picture.
And shortly after that, another big shark fight! Mike played it perfectly and soon landed it too. We fished the outside of Tyger in search of Flounder then ran back to the dock and picked up daughter Lauren for another hour of fishing. The tide was up but we tried the logs of Tyger anyway with jigs, then made a run over to Lanceford and switched back to the float rigs.
Sean had started off a little rusty with his casting but as the morning went along he was getting good distance and accuracy. He had a number of good bites but the circle hook just wouldn't take. But he was the "most improved" caster on the boat! We fished Soap Creek for just a bit then headed back to the dock, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
Thursday, April 6, 2023
Slam In The Box
We then made our way down the intercoastal and dipped into a creek and switched to jigs and shrimp. Chris picked up a Seatrout out deep, then Landon found a nice 16" Flounder at the mouth of a drainage.
Wednesday, July 13, 2022
Good To Be Back Fishing!
First drift, BAM! We had a fish on! Young Scott was on the rod and he quickly dispatched the fight with a expert landing of a Jack Crevalle. We drifted that stretch for a bit and Scott caught a Catfish and a hungry Seatrout. After moving around the corner Scott had made an excellent cast to a grassy island. His float drifted out and just before retrieving it, he had a bite and a hookup. When the fish headed east knew it was a Shark. Scott followed it to the stern of the boat, then back to midship, then back to the stern before we netted a hard fighting Bonnethead Shark.
We buzzed back to Seymore's Pointe, fished a large runout and here we picked up a good handful of keeper sized Mangrove Snapper, then we fished back around at Nassaville and again put some Snapper in the boat. After buzzing thru Horsehead and fishing a drainage and picking up one more Jack, we came back to the Nassau and fished a couple of drainages there.
Scott ended up catching another Seatrout, another keeper sized Manrove, and then he put a feisty Flounder in the boat to rap up another great day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
Tuesday, May 24, 2022
Good Bite, Felt Good
We continued to work along that bank and at a large drainage Bob hooked up and landed a keeper sized Flounder. We then motored (slowly) thru the marsh to the Nassau River and fished the eastern edge of Middle Marsh with jig, to no avail. We crossed over and fished Spanish Drop with float rigs but had no luck, but when we switched to jigs, BAM! We had a hookup and landed a feisty Redfish. Bob went back to the same spot and had a good, strong bite and, Big Fish On! I thought for sure it was going to be another big Redfish, but when it got out deep it dug down, and stayed down which led us to suspect a Shark. Sure enough, after a long and patient battle, Bob brought to the boat a 4' Bonnethead Shark, photographed and released.
Moving up to Seymore's Pointe we fished some docks and caught a good handful of Mangrove Snapper, a few which were of keeper size. Eddie battled a hard fighting Jack Crevalle to the boat, had something big enough to rip some drag that came off, then we moved on. After fishing some rocks at Seymore's with float rigs, and getting a couple of small Mangroves, we move down the way, and tangles with a couple of Ladyfish.Our last stop was back at Twin Creeks, fishing at almost a dead low tide with jigs. Eddie caught and landed a hungry Seatrout and Bob added another big Ladyfish to the catch, then we headed back to the ramp and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
Friday, May 20, 2022
Fat Snapper
I wrapped my week up fishing out at Goffinsville Park today. I met Joe Callow and his fishing buddies Jack and Larry early. We made a quick run down the Nassau and made a stop at Spanish Drop and fished the exposed shell bank with jigs and live shrimp. All three anglers were getting good casts and although we had a nibble here and there, we had not takers.
We moved up the river a bit and fished a large runout, then move further up and fished Twin Creeks. We had been seeing Sharks cruising the bank and sure enough, Jake had a "take" and when he set the hook, ziipppp went his drag as the big fish headed East! Jake went to the stern with the fish, then back to the bow then settled in for a long battle. He kept the pressure on, stayed patient, and eventually landed a nice Bonnethead Shark. Minutes later he also tangled with and landed a high flying "poor mans Tarpon" - a Ladyfish.
After making the run down to Broward Island we worked it thoroughly with the jigs and live shrimp. We did have a few nibbles but no takers, so we moved on, coming back to some docks at Nassauville. Again, we found the Mangroves and added a couple more for a "Fish Taco" dinner. It had been a beautiful day out on the water and a great way for three friends to spend some time together so as we headed back we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
Friday, May 13, 2022
Surf Fishing Tip's Welcomed
Beauchamp. We all met down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp, after pealing off shoes to wade from deck to dock on a super high tide! After running up the intercoastal, thru the Back River, and around to Pumpkin Hill we set up alongside a very flooded marsh grass and began drifting float rigs and live shrimp long. In just minutes Bob had "knocked the skunk off" with a hungry Seatrout catch, then he followed that up when he landed a Bluefish. Then Eddie "went long" and just past a grassy point his float went under with a vengeance and, Fish On! He patiently brought it to the boat and net and landed a nice 17" Seatrout. David tangled with a high flying Ladyfish, the first of a good handful caught today.We then made the run back to Seymore's Point and fished a large marsh drainage, drifting by a point of
grass, but had not a bite. We came back around and fished some rocks and here all three anglers played Cat-and-Mouse with Mangrove Snapper, and a handful of the Mangroves lost!
After running thru Horsehead we fished another drainage, picked up another Trout, then Eddie landed an "almost legal" Redfish, just shy of the 18". Back thru Horsehead we went and down to Spanish Drop for the final spot. Bob caught a hard fighting Jack Crevalle, David put a nice keeper sized Seatrout in the boat, then he battled a big Bonnethead Shark. This fish ran long and deep but David fought it patiently and eventually landed it for photograph and release. We had picked up some fish here and there, we hadn't had to fight the wind, so as we headed back we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
Tuesday, May 3, 2022
Count 'em
Back at some docks at Nassauville, again tossing the jig/shrimp combo, the trio caught a Weakfish a Croaker, and a couple of keeper sized Mangrove Snapper. We then fished Spanish Drop and caught the Toad fish and one of two Bonnethead Sharks then made the run back to Pumpkin Hill to fish float rigs. They hooked up with a couple of more Trout that eventually threw the hook. After running thru Horsehead we stayed with the floats and Betty picked up another Trout. Later, fishing the bank of Jackstaff, Kenny fought a HUGE oversized Redfish to the boat and John tangled with a high flying Ladyfish. It was an eventful day out on the water to say the least, so as we headed back we counted it as another great one to be out on the water and fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.