Biggest Fish of The Day: Bonnethead Shark

 I fished with the Ankney group today - Blake and Cooper and Keira, meeting them up at the Old Town
Bait and Tackle boat ramp. We eased out of Eagans Creek and made our way over to the outside of Tyger and worked the bank good with shrimp and jigs. Although we had nibbles here and there, we had no takers.

We then ran around to the the Jolly and fished the "bank" and here we "knocked the skunk off" wit a couple of Seatrout catches. We added a good handful of small but feisty Redfish catches, and picked up a couple of small Flounder. After running up the river to Snook Creek, a Black Drum catch rounded out an Amelia Island Grande Slam but it was Keira's hookup that made the "big fish" day. The fish bit and took off and ripped drag for a good long run, and then we thought it was off but it was coming back to us. Keira reeled it up then hung on for a good, long battle. The video doesn't do it justice - I turned it off  for a while - but Keira played it perfectly and patiently and soon brought it to the boat for photograph and release.

After running thru the Jolley and around to the Bell we fished a few docks, had nibbles, but nor real takers. Then we came back to the MOA and here the trio caught another good handful of feisty Redfish. We finished the day back at Tyger, fishing the first of an incoming tide, and again added a couple of Reds, another Flounder, and another Black Drum to the catch total. As we made our way back to the dock we counted it as another great day to be out fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Flounder Sandwiches, Plural

 I fished the Barker boys, Jim and his son Harris, meeting them down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early, and after running up the Nassau, we made a stop at Spanish Drop and fished the very last of an outgoing tide with jigs and live shrimp and mud minnows.  They worked that bank pretty good and did battle with a couple of Bonnethead Sharks. After moving up the river and fishing a large drainage they caught a handful of small but feisty Redfish, then Jim put a nice 17"+ keeper sized Flounder in the boat perfect for a couple of "Flounder Sandwiches".  When we moved on up to Twin Creeks we added another keeper Flounder and had a Manatee drive by.

Our next stop was down at Broward Island where the duo caught another keeper Flounder. Harris outsmarted a feisty Sheepshead and then they added a keeper sized Mangrove Snapper to the box. We fished Pumkin Hill and boated a small Black Tip Shark, added another Jack, and then caught a keeper sized Seatrout. 

After fishing Seymore's Pointe but only getting some hand sized Mangroves, we ran thru Horsehead, floated baits, to no avail, then switched back to jigs. After putting two Catfish in the boat Harris hooked and landed the fourth keeper Flounder. We wrapped things up over in the Nassau, then headed back to the ramp, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Caught the Limit plus 1

I was again down at Sawpit this morning, but a little bit later, which turned out to be a good thing and a not-so-good thing. I met Cheryl McBride with her two adult kids Rachel and Michael and we ran up the intercoastal, dipped into Jackstaff, and then into a creek and began tossing float rigs with live shrimp up near the grass and at run outs on a tide that had just started out.  Michael got things going when he caught a couple of feisty Jack Crevalle, and then he put a keeper sized Seatrout in the boat. 

We then moved around to Pompano Point and fished that outgoing tide. I was about to give up on the spot, and even mentioned the "4 minute rule" when the bite really turned on. Rachel had a strong hookup and, Fish On! She played the fish expertly and brought to the net a nice 21" Slot Redfish. But "Raging Redfish Rachel" wasn't finished! She had another hookup, fought it like a pro, and brought to the net another 22" Slot Redfish. While she was fighitng one of those Cheryl went north of a grassy point and BAM! A hookup. She patiently played a  keeper sized Seatrout to the net. Both Cheryl and Michael battled 3' Bonnethead to the boat for photo's and release, then Michael had a good bite, hooked it up, and battled to the boat another Slot Redfish.  The trio also caught a handful of Bluefish, Jacks, and Ladyfish while we were there. We thought Rachel had topped it off when she caught and landed here third (the boat's 4th) Slot Redfish but then Michael had something take his shrimp and all heck broke loose!  This fish was ripping line and we felt comfortable it was a shark, and boy was it!  It came out of the water and spun then ripped line, then came out of the water and spun, then ripped line as it circled the boat and jumped and twirled. At one time we thought it was coming in the boat! But eventually it dove under the boat and ran and popped the line, what a crazy battle!

We finished the morning over at Twin Creeks, still fishing the floats, but when we had no real bites we switched to a jig and shrimp and this paid off with a keeper sized Flounder that Cheryl reeled in. Boy was it hot now! We headed back to the ramp and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Uptick In Redfish Bite

 

We waited to go until the top of the tide today, meeting at 9am out at Goffinsville Park.  John Raker and Kenny King met me at the dock and where we were the tide was still coming in. So we made a quick run over to Pumpkin Hill and drifted float rigs and live shrimp down a flooding marsh bank. We had not a single bite for that stretch but after we dropped back and fished a pocket and here John found a Slot Red on the back side of the pocket which he handily brought to the net. 

We then made a run back to Seymore's Point and fished a large drainage. The duo picked up a handful of Mangrove Snapper, four of which were of keeper size. Kenny battled a bigger fish for a bit but it thru the hook half way to the boat. Ouch.  After running thru Horsehead and over to Pompano Pointe we continued to fish the floats and it paid off. Kenny picked up a Jack Crevalle then as we eased along the grass we saw some movement up in a pocket. John made an excellent cast to the grass and the float slowly went under, and Fish On!  John played it perfectly and brought another Slot Red to the boat. He and Kenny both had good hookups later and added another Redish to the fish count. 

We moved around to Jackstaff and fished a creek and here Kenny got hot, adding a Redfish and Bluefish the catch count. John battled a FBPPB (Fat Bellied Probably Pregnant Bonnethead) worthy of some sort of Bragging Rights to the boat for photograph and release.

After running back thru Horsehead we headed down to Twin Creeks and fished it a bit with jigs and shrimp, then we moved down to a drainage and here Kenny expertly played a Slot Red to the boat while at the same town John landed a hungry Seatrout. We finished up over at Back River, fishing floats. Kenny caught a 11 Spot Redfish to wrap things up which made for another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

It's Still Summer

 Judging by the amount of Ladyfish we caught today, and the variety of Jacks, Mangroves, Sharks and Pinfish, I'd say it is still Summer!  I had met Bob Kossman and John Suebert down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early and we headed up the intercoastal and then up the Back River and around to Pumpkin Hill to set up along some flooding marsh grass on the last of an incoming tide with plans to drift float rigs along the grass. We were using live shrimp (the bait shop was out but I hear they were getting some today) and although the shrimp got bites on almost every drift, we had to deal with the high flying Ladyfish. Bob did battle a big Jack Crevalle to the net, which is always fun. After fishing around a point, we made a run over to a large drainage at Seymore's Pointe.

Both anglers were getting good casts and good drifts as the tide started out here and they picked up a handful of small Mangroves and then they each landed a couple of hungry Seatrout. We ran thru Horsehead and fished another drainage and here Bob battled a big Bonnethead Shark to the boat for a photograph and release. John had his float disappear slowly and after he reeled up and let the circle hook set, he patiently brought to the boat the first Redfish of the day.  And again, both anglers picked up a couple of Seatrout. 

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!

Our final stop was down at Spanish Drop, now fishing with jigs and shrimp. John was hooking up with small but feisty Redfish on almost every cast, but he mixed in a nice Jack Crevalle catch. Bob finished things off with another Shark battle -t was "foul hooked" which made for a tough fight, but Bob was up to the challenge and brought it to the boat for a quick release. We had had some good action most of the morning so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Shark Attack!

 We fished out of Sawpit Creek today after I met Bob Kossman and Dale Bullard early. I had a live well of shrimp and had caught some mud minnows. After running a little bit up the Nassau River we began to fish a shell bank on the last of an outgoing tide baited with the live shrimp. I was a somewhat surprised that we didn't get a bite, not even a Jack or Ladyfish and unlike yesterday, none of the "feisty" Redfish. 

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 was 
Dale'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. 

Captain Lawrence Piper is a fishing guide in Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, Florida and is a 

 US Coast Guard licensed charter boat operator

Fishing The Nassau

 I thought I had the day off today and had a long "to-do" list ready but luckily the Coffey's saved me! One of my regular customers who was set to fish today called in that he'd had to have an emergency medical procedure so the day was opened when Tracy Coffey contacted me yesterday afternoon. I met him, his son Tracy B, and his daughter-in-law Maggie down at  the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early this morning and after a short run up the Nassau we turned into the current and began to fish jigs and live shrimp on the very first of an incoming tide.

I think the first cast produced a small Redfish that Tracy B hauled in and then we had good hookups catching the small Reds, a couple of keeper Seatrout, and a good handful of Jack Crevalle.  We then moved up the river to just past Twin Creeks and fished back. Here, Tracy B hooked up and landed a keeper sized Flounder then his dad had a drag ripping bite, fought it valiantly, and after a long battle, landed a 3' Bonnethead Shark.  And shortly after that it was Tracy' B's turn to battle the Shark. He patiently played it and brought it to the boat for pictures and release. Maggie got in on the action, catching a hard fighting Jack Crevalle, a small Trout, and a Trout that was right there at keeper size.

We floated some shrimp at some rocks at Seymore's Pointe and landed a couple of small Mangrove Snapper, then moved down the way and switched to jigs and picked up a handful of Snapper, again small, then we wrapped up down at Pumpkin Hill drifting float rigs up. Stacy B wrapped things up with a final feisty Redfish catch and as we headed back to the dock, 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, Florida and is a 

 US Coast Guard licensed charter boat operator

Big Trout Kicks It Off

 I met Keenan Bell, his grandfather Tom and uncles Tommy and Ricky out at Goffinsville Park early this morning. There was a tide still coming in so we made our way over to Pumpkin Hill and set up to drift floats long, baited with live shrimp and mud minnows. (Note, the shrimp seemed to do better than the minnows today).  Ricky did pick up a small Jack Crevalle fairly quickly but it was Keenan who "made the headline" when he hooked up. It didn't seem like much but then as he worked it in patiently it began to rip drag and put up a battle. Keenan stayed with it and soon brought to he net a 20.5" Big Trout, boy what a fish!(and tied for 3rd place in the Anglers Mark 2023 Bragging Rights Tournament)  We continued to fish that bank and caught a couple of more Jacks, tangled with a couple of  high flying Ladyfish and experienced a couple of quick rips and breakoffs from Shark.

Moving down the way, Tommy, fishing out of the stern, hooked up and landed a small Flounder, and we had another quick rip from a Shark bite.

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.

We fished Twin Creeks for a bit and picked up a couple of small Redfish then fished then Tom had a good hookup, patiently brought it to the boat, and landed a keeper sized Flounder to round out an Amelia Island Back Country Slam. Tommy had a strong bite, played it beautifully, and landed the only Bonnethead of the day.  We wrapped the day up fishing some rocks at Nassauville and put a good handful of keeper sized Mangrove Snapper in the boat, and then we headed in, counting 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, Florida and is a 

 US Coast Guard licensed charter boat operator

 

Summertime Smorgasbord

 Forecasted to be a hot one today, and all week, and it was when that sun came out! I had met Bob
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. 

What Submarine?

I got to fish with my cousin today, Jim Garner, and his brother-in-law Chipper when they drove up from
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. 

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. 

We moved across the way and where we picked up a couple of more Trout. Our next stop was up the Jolley River, where we fished another point briefly and here Grady got on the board with a nice Seatrout catch. Further up the Jolly, at Snook Creek, Henry had a strong bite and when his drag began to rip we knew he had a big Shark on. Henry played it patiently and after a good battle landed a big Bonnethead Shark. We caught more Ladyfish, a keeper sized Flounder, another small Redfish, then it was Grady's turn to battle the big Shark. She fought it valiantly and after a good battle landed another Bonnethead Shark.

Around at the MOA we caught a couple of small (really small) Redfish then we made our way around to Bell River to fish some docks. Paul put a Catfish in the boat and Henry wrapped things up with a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum catch. And with that, we called it day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Hot Off The Stern

 I fished this morning with the Keller group- Tom Keller and his son-in-law Andrew and grandson Bryson. After meeting them up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp we made our longest run up to the Jolley River and all the way up to the MOA where we set up to toss jigs and live shrimp on a tide that had been coming in for about an hour. After Tom put a small Croaker in the boat Bryson had a strong hookup and boy was his drag ripping! I was quite impressed how he handled the big fish, keeping his rod up  and working it down as he fought the fish. Bryson battled it from the bow to the stern and from port to starboard and was playing it as patiently as anyone could when....BAP! Fish Off!

We came back a ways to Snook Creek and worked the edge with the jig and here Tom got hot fishing off the stern. He caught and landed hard fighting Jack Crevalle then after a weird bump and setting the hook, Tom brought to the net a keeper sized Flounder. We worked along that bank still and Tom put a keeper sized Seatrout in the boat and a large Bluefish.   Then it was Andrew's turn to battle the big shark. He fought it expertly and let it run and wear itself out and eventually landed a nice Bonnethead Shark

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. 

Double Up On Shark

What a great Shrimp Fest weekend we had, and back to "work" today, fishing with Emily Rutt and her husband Joe. I met them early up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp and we headed out of Eagans on a beautiful morning on a tide that had been coming in for about 2 hours. We made the run up and around to the Jolley River, turned into the current and began to fish the "bank" with live shrimp and jigs.

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. 

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. 

Slam In The Box

 I fished today with Mark Richardson, his son Braden and his friends Chris and Landon, meeting them up at the Old Town Bait and  Tackle ramp early. We made a run over to Lanceford Creek and fished some flooding oyster beds on a high and incoming tide with float rigs and live shrimp. Chris fairly quickly put a hungry Seatrout in the boat and shortly after that Braden had a strong hookup. This fish was "ripping drag" and I felt pretty sure it was going to be a big one, but it was  not to be. It was thrashing in some shallow water over the shell bed and BAP! Fish Off! Boy that hurts!

We fished a couple of areas there, picking up a couple of Trout by Landon and Chris, then Mark battled a hard fighting Bonnethead to the net for pictures and release. We moved on around to "Millie's Spot" and again caught a couple of Trout, one of which was of keeper size. 

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. 

Back out  into the Intercoastal and down to some structure, fishing deep with the jigs, and in a cast or two Landon had a strong bite and Fish On! This was a big fish and was ripping drag and the fight was even more difficult when it got back into the current. But Landon was up to the task and patiently battled the big fish to the net, a nice 23" Slot sized Redfish which rounded out the team's Amelia Island Back Country Slam. And with that, we headed back to the ramp and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida 

Good To Be Back Fishing!

My first trip back from "bad engine nightmare"!  I met Len Pelletiere and his grandson Scott down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early and we headed up the intercoastal, turned west into Back River and cut around to the mouth of Pumpkin Hill to set up fishing with float rigs and live shrimp on a high and incoming tide.

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. 

Good Bite, Felt Good

 After a miserable slow bite yesterday I was back fishing south today, meeting Eddie Byrd and Bob Kossman down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early. We made the run up the intercoastal, turned in to Jackstaff, and dipped into a side creek to fish a marsh edge with a tide that had been going out for about an hour and a half. The two anglers were tossing float rigs and live shrimp to the bank. Eddie had made an excellent cast  up into a pocket and as his float drifted around a corner it disappeared. Eddie tightened the line up and let the circle hook do its job and Fish On! The fish fought for a little while up near the grass and we were thinking "surely Slot Redfish" but then it got out into a little deeper water, bulled down, and had its way for a while. It did boil up a time or two so we knew it was now a Redfish but the way it fought made us wonder, and sure enough, when Eddie brought it to the net, it was a 28.25" Oversized Redfish, but boy what a fish!

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. 

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. 

Back at Symore's Pointe we fished some dock pilings and played cat and mouse with some bait stealers, then move around and fished some rocks at Nassauville. Again, Jake had the hot rod and put a rather large(for May) Mangrove Snapper in the boat. From then on all three anglers were trying their hand at catching the sneaky critters. We added another bigger Mangrove to the box before we moved on. 

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.  

Surf Fishing Tip's Welcomed

 We had the best "non windy" day today when I fished with Eddie Byrd, Bob Kossman, and David
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. 

Count 'em

Before the day was over we were trying to count up all the species we caught:  Sheepshead, Seatrout, Redfish, Croaker, Toad Fish, Ray, Shark, Mangrove Snapper, Weakfish, Ladyfish and Shark! I had met John Raker with his mother Betty and friend Kenny out at the Goffinsville Park boat ramp early this morning and after making the short run over to Broward Island we set up under a pair of watchful Bald Eagles to fish a small drainage with jigs and live shrimp.  Kenny "knocked the skunk off" with a nice keeper sized Sheepshead catch, then John battled a huge, I mean HUGE, Stingray to the surface.  We fished up and down the bank for a bit then moved on. 

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.