We Skirted The Storms

 After last week's heat, today's weather was a blessing, albeit kind of spooky - there were storms to the eastof us and storms to the west of us, but we stayed dry and safe the entire morning. I had met William Waldman up at Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp and after easing out of Eagans Creek we made our way up and around to the Bell River, set up along a point of submerged oysters, and began to toss and drift float rigs on the last hour and a half of an incoming tide. William got bites right off - he hooked and brought to the net a handful of hungry Seatrout, a handful of high flying Ladyfish, and a....Catfish.

We were waiting for that tide to change so we made a quick run over to Lanceford Creek and stuck with the float rigs - not much was happening other than a Pinfish bite. Back down Lanceford we came, up the Bell and thru Tyger around to the outside of Tyger. The wind had picked up out of the north and with the tide starting out it was really kicking up - felt like we were out at the jetties! The float got a few bites but no takers then we switched to jigs and live shrimp and William, fishing off the stern had a nice "bump" - he set the hook and battled to the boat a nice feisty Redfish. 

Our next stop was up the Jolley River where we positioned the boat alongside a grass line at the mouth of a large drainage. William was working the bank - he had to be close with his cast or that north wind would push him off. We saw his bait get attacked and then his float disappeared and Fish On! This fish was ripping drag and heading east!  William kept the pressure on, turned him, then battled the fish from the stern, around to port, up to the bow, then back around to port and back to the stern, all the while ripping drag. William was up to the challenge and battled a nice 4' Bonnethead to the boat for photograph and release (all fish caught today were released).  Further up the Jolley William had his float slowly go under on a grass point - he caught up the line, lifted the rod to have his circle hook set, and had another good hookup. He patiently brought to the net a keeper sized Flounder.

We fished jigs around in the Bell River, had a flurry of "bait stealing" bites, then made our way back to the dock. Although we had storms north west of us, and storms east of us along the coast of Amelia Island, we had not had a drop so as we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Going Sharking

 I was back launching at Old Town Bait and Tackle this morning where I met Nigel and Erin Morton who had their two sons Ronan and Vance with them. We eased out of Eagans Creek and then made a long run up and around to the Jolley River, then all the way up it to the MOA on a tide that had just hit bottom. I have been fishing with mud minnows the last handful of trips but decided to add a little "spice" to the trip with a handful of live shrimp and it was the shrimp that were getting all the bites early. Unfortunately it was fish we didn't want!  Vance "knocked the skunk off" when he reeled in a feisty Grunt, then Nigel battled a huge Catfish to the boat (in the last month I've been pricked three times by Catfish and I was extra careful with this one!) We fished up and back along the oysters and picked up a couple of Croakers on those shrimp.

After fishing across the way at JC's spot and maybe getting another Croaker or two we eased back down the river to Snook Creek and worked it with the jigs and shrimp and minnows. With added incentive, the challenge was excepted for someone to catch a fish with a mud minnow and in short order Nigel stepped up and, Fish On!  Nigel worked it to the boat, let it run, worked it in, let it run, then brought to the net a nice 20.5" Slot Redfish. Ronan was eyeing the creek and thought it looked good to try so we trolled in, turned into the current and began tossing the jigs with shrimp. There wasn't much action until Ronan bent over with his reel ripping drag, and the battle ensued! We were in for a long fight - the fish ripped north, then south, then back around the engine, then back out into the creek. Ronan was up for the battle, kept his rod up and the pressure on and after a long fight, landed a 4' Bonnethead Shark for photograph and release.

All the way back down the Jolley, we switched to float rigs and worked the flooding oyster beds, to no avail. Back up the Jolly at Tyger cut we stayed with the floats and this a paid off. We picked up a nice keeper sized Whiting then it was Nigel's turn to battle the Sharks - he had a good hookup and after having fought that Slot Red to the net he was ready for this Shark. He played it perfectly and brought it in for a photograph. We finished up over on the outside of Tyger, going back to the jigs and here Erin wrapped things up with a nice Seatrout catch. We had some great weather with just a breeze and a bit of cloud cover there at the end 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. 

Pretty Day Aggravating Wind Fish Caught

 We had a beautiful day this morning but when I stepped out to get the boat ready the flags on the front of the house were blowing and I said "uh-oh". When I came back in to have a little breakfast I checked the weather again -"sunshine with wind holding steady at 12mph".  That's really not bad but just enough to be aggravating to casters who would be tossing float rigs most of the morning. 

I met Tim Hall up at Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp, and his guests who were visiting from Holland -Ruben and is two boys Joab and Eron. The tide had been coming in a few hours and after making our way out of Eagans Creek and up to the Jolly River and turning into the current along the "bank", the oysters were all covered up. We got the float rigs ready, baited with live shrimp and began working along the grass. That 12mph east wind made it difficult to keep the boat parallel and to toss into it. But these anglers were up to the ask and we fished it pretty good, and might have had one bite.

We then ran up the river, just past Snook Creek and again turned into the current. Now the wind was at our backs and we were getting good drifts, and it paid off. Ruben had made an excellent cast and as his float drifted with the incoming current, BAM! Fish On!  Ruben played it expertly and soon landed a nice feisty Redfish. We moved into Snook and fished some jigs and shrimp but had no luck. After running back down the Jolley, we anchored up current from Tyger Cut and this did the trick. All anglers got a bite on their float rigs, then Ruben, drifting down the right side had a hookup. He played it perfectly and landed a keeper sized Seatrout. Tim and Eron went down the other side and picked up another Trout. 

After running up the Jolley and into the Bell we fished in and around some docks with the jigs. They landed a small Toadfish and a small Croaker but then Ruben hooked up deep and played to the net another keeper sized Seatrout. We ran down the Jolley and up Lanceford Creek where we fished a large drainage. Both Ruben and Joab battled and landed Bonnethead Shark which were photographed and released. Eron and his dad teamed up to land one more keeper Trout. 

Our final stop was around at a grass patch fishing the dead high tide and here we did have a bit of action catching small Seatrout. We had had to deal with a bit of wind but it was a beautiful day and we had caught 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 Menagerie of Fish

 Menagerie: A collection of wild animals kept in captivity. Yes, they were wild animals (fish), but they
weren't in captivity - we caught them wild. Maybe a Conglomeration? Conglomeration: a number of different things, parts, or items that are grouped together; collection. There were a bunch of different things (fish),  but they were alive and well. Maybe a smorgasbord?  Smorgasbord: a wide range of something; a variety. 

We caught a bunch of different species -a menagerie, a conglomeration, a smorgasboard when I fished this morning with Allen Webb. We met early up at Old Town Bait and Tackle - there was very little wind and the bugs were out a bit as we eased out of Eagans Creek and made our way over to Soap Creek to try our hand at some top water lure tossing. Allen was getting good casts and good action but we had no takers. We then eased further down Lanceford and fished some dock pilings with jigs and live shrimp with just an hour or so of an outgoing tide left and here we boated a feisty Sting Ray and a small Sea Bass.

After a long run up the Bell River and sticking with the jigs, fishing deep, Allen hooked up and landed a hungry Seatrout. On further around and into the Jolley we fished some exposed oysters and here Allen landed a keeper sized Seatrout, then a small Bonnethead, then a larger Bonnethead Shark. We bumped over to the MOA and worked it pretty good. A good bite had us all excited when it dug deep but it turned out to be a mang8y old Catfish. We fished the Tyger logs for a bit, to no avail, then wrapped things up back at the Jolley, tossing a float rig and live shrimp. .We had a beautiful day out on the water, had some drag ripping action with the Shark and had a Trout sandwich 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. 

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