Woulda Coulda

 Not once but Twice! That was how many Big fish were on, and off!  The day had started early, cold, but sunny out at Goffinsville Park where I met Bob Blalock, his two sons William and Robby, and Collin, the "Legend".  We were all bundled up as we ran down the river to the first stop where we opted to pitch jigs and live shrimp in some deep water by some docks. William "knocked the skunk off" when he hooked up and landed a keeper sized Seatrout. He followed that  up with a nice 17" Sheepshead to kick off that Category in the 2026 Bragging Rights Tournament. 

The tide still had about 30 minutes to go out so we headed down the Nassau and fished a drainage until the tide stopped. Then, back up to a dock at Seymore's Pointe where we pitched to the pilings on that first of an incoming tide. It wasn't long before Collin had a strong hookup, a BIG fish - he was playing it patiently as it dug deep. It did come to the surface once, a big Black Drum, then BIP, it threw the hook! That Woulda been a big fish! Collin went back to the same area and within a few minutes BAM! Another big fish on. We think this was a big Red because it ran thru the pilings, heading to Georgia - it caught on the pilings and BAP! Fish Off. If we Coulda got that fish in.....

But these anglers were not to be deterred. We fished down the docks for a bit, picked up a Seatrout, then pulled up and ran to Broward where we set up and tossed to the bank as the tide started in there. Here, they picked up a handful of Reds, a couple of which were in the Slot and we also got a Seatrout. Our last top was way  up the river and into a creek where we worked the bank and got another good handful of Redfish. A couple of those were in the Slot, one had 9 Spots, and we had a double hookup at one time. Robby also added another keeper sized Seatrout. Most of all these fish were released. We kept 2 for dinner!  The sun had finally warmed us up, we had some good action, so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

An Explosion of Fish Catching

 

Boy was it foggy this morning - as I was driving to the Sawpit Creek boat ramp I was concerned that we may have to just putter around to the bridge and fish until it lifted. But after launching we saw that we did have about a hundred yards of visibility, so after meeting Jason Ash and his college buddies Tom and Adam early, we made a cautious run up the intracoastal, and up the Nassau, all the way to Littlefield where we went with jigs and live shrimp in the last of an outgoing tide. The Baitstealers were out in force! They used 6-7 shrimp to catch one small Seatrout- we were blowing thru the bait quick to catch those few Trout, so we moved on.

Back down the Nassau, we pulled up at a drainage just as the tide was hitting bottom, fished it with the
jigs, to no avail, then we moved down to Spanish Drop and worked the exposed shell bank as the current began to shift. No bites at all. We then made our way back up river to Seymore's Pointe and fished a dock in hopes of a Black Drum but again, no real bites. I was beginning to wonder ....

Those docks looked so good we decided to work each one of them, easing in between them and pitching to the pilings. Tom hooked up and landed a nice keeper sized Seatrout, then Adam hooked and landed a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum (Adam was using some live fiddler crabs and they paid off for him). Off the stern, Jason began to catch Sandtrout/Weakfish and found a "honey hole" - he was boating one on every cast - Tom was pitching in under a boat and started hauling out Redfish, one after the other. Adam had probably the biggest hooked up but this fish was smart and wrapped itself around a pilings and BAP, broke off. They picked up two more keeper sized Black Drum, another keeper sized Seatrout, then Tom hooked and landed a nice 23" Slot Redfish - it was an explosion of fish catching!

We fished back at the original dock, all out of shrimp, but with a bucket of fiddlers. Adam had made an excellent cast and BAM! Fish On! He played it patiently to the net and landed a keeper sized Sheepshead to wrap things. They had put a "Super Grande Slam" in the boat - Seatrout, Weakfish, Red Drum, Black Drum and Sheepshead si as we headed back to the ramp, we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Zero to Sixty in about an Hour

 Finally, back to work today! And boy what a pretty day it was - sunshine, a bit cool, and no wind, water like glass! I met Frank and Joanne Wytiaz down at Sawpit Creek boat ramp this morning and we proceeded up the intracoastal, turned into the Nassau, and made a short run up to Spanish Drop where we started tossing jigs and live shrimp on a tide that still had a couple of hours of going out. That water was already way down- we could see banks of oysters that I haven't seen in a while, and I was expecting good fishing to kick things off. Boy was I wrong! We worked that first bank and only had a few nibbles, then moved up to a drainage and worked it - as we approached fish "blew out" of there - big wakes and I thought for sure we'd get a couple, but no, not a bite. We then moved up to Twin Creeks and worked that drainage as the tide began to hit bottom and finally Joanne "knocked the skunk off" with a nice feisty Redfish catch. 

We then ran further up the Nassau and fished some docks -the tide was still going out here - and fishing deeper, it paid off. The duo began to get Seatrout catches, one after the other, most in the 14" range, but every once in a while they would get a "keeper" sized Trout. We probably could have stayed there and caught fish but the tide had changed and had started back in and I had a spot in mind so we pulled up and made a short run. We backed the stern up to some pilings and began pitching to them and BAM! Fish On! Joanne had a good fish that was putting up a fight - she played it patiently and soon landed a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum. And from then it was a flurry of action, catching those puppy Drum. A couple were up in the 20" size and about to lose their stripes. We ended up with 6 keeper Drum at that spot, and tossed back a handful of smaller ones.

Down the River we went to fish some structure on the first of an incoming tide. Joanne had the first
hookup but as the fish ripped drag, off it came. But Frank went in there and in short order had the strong hookup -he battled it expertly, letting it run, working it in, letting it run, and then he worked to the net a nice 25" Slot Redfish. We dropped back a little bit and continued ot fish and the duo hauled in another keeper sized Trout, another huge Black Drum, a couple of small but feisty Redfish, a nice keeper sized Sheepshead, and a small Flounder. We had started slow but boy did things take off when that tide changed, so as we headed back to the ramp with a big box of fish we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Redfish Were Biting so We Moved On?

 Boy, we have been blessed with some beautiful weather the last few weeks and today was more of the
same -clear skies, very little wind, and warming temperatures as the day progressed. I met Allen Webb down at Sawpit Creek boat ramp and we made a quick run up the Nassau to Seymore's Pointe to catch the first of an incoming tide. We set up current from some dock pilings and began to pitch jigs and live shrimp up underneath them and got bites right off. The fish were a little "nibbly" about it but Allen was able to snag a nice feisty Redfish, a hungry Seatrout, and a small Sea Bass out from there.

We then ran further up the Nassau and found some structure to fish and boy did this pay off!  Tossing to the bank and letting the incoming current bounce the bait down the bottom and BAM! We got fish! Allen was making excellent casts and hooked and landed Redfish. A few were in the 16"-17" size but he had one that would have been keeper right to the boat, but before I could net it, Fish Off! Ouch. But Allen was not to be deterred. We moved down a bit and went to the bank again and it was one Redfish after the other, with a nice keeper sized Slot Red thrown in. Allen also got his first Sheepshead to the net. We probably could have stayed there and caught those 17" Reds but we were blowing thru our bait, so we moved on, in hopes of bigger fish. Further down the way we caught another couple of feisty Redfish, then we moved on. 

After running down the Nassau, we stopped at Twin Creeks, a large drainage, then Spanish drop and fished that incoming tide - the oysters were already covered -but we had no real bites. Back up the Nassau we went where we set up at a point and drifted our floats snd this paid off, we were back in fish. Allen caught a good couple of handfuls of Seatrout, and battled three hard fighting Bluefish to the boat before we called it a day. Heading back to the ramp, with the sun shining, and the water like glass, we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Fish'n The Cul De Sacs

 It was a first for me, fishing Cul De Sacs today! I had met Laura (birthday girl) and Alex Winter out at Goffinsville Park early this morning. As I was waiting for them David Nease walked down and gave me a report from his fishing trip with his son yesterday - they had "wore out" the Seatrout! I assume David was fishing deep with "slip floats' and live shrimp.

We had a tide that was going out, still, for a couple of hours, so I thought that creek way up the Nassau would  be the trick. When we got up there it was severely low tide, contradicting my Garmin's forecast, btu we fished it anyway and it was Laura who "knocked the skunk off" when she hooked up and landed a feisty Redfish. Later, Alex followed that up with another small but feisty Redfish catch. We bumped bottom getting out of there! I thought we may have to get out and push and the water temperature was 61 degrees!

After running back down the Nassau we found a large drainage to fish with the jigs and live shrimp but we had not takes. We moved down to Spanish Drop and worked along the exposed shell bank and when Alex saw a "head wake", he tossed it forward and....Fish On! He played it patiently to the net and landed a ncie 21" Slot Redfish! The tide came to a standstill so we made a move, and boy was it a move! We ran up to Seymore's Pointe and fished some dock pilings on the first of an incoming tide with those jigs and shrimp. It didn't take long before this couple were putting fish in the boat. Lauren found a honey hole up in the Cul De Sacs and began to put Black "puppy" Drum in the boat, one after the other. Alex had a "nibble", set the hook, and Fish On! He worked it to the boat and landed a nice 17" Sheepshead - big enough to land him in 2nd Place in the Anglers Mark 2025 Bragging Rights Tournament-Sheepshead Category(scroll down the right side of this report for standings).

We stayed at that spot for another hour and caught those Drum. I had to keep count because they eventually hit their limit of 5 apiece. We tossed back another good handful of "keeper" sized Drum, but the neat thing was that as the tide got up they began to get Seatrout! The duo caught a good couple of handfuls of the Trout, with three of them being in the keeper size. Boy what a fishing trip! We had started slow but we "slayed' them late and it made for another great day to be fishing here at Amela Island, Florida. 

Beating The Wind For A Grande Slam

 

We knew that the wind was supposed to pick up today as we fished, so we got out early and got some good catches in before it really picked up. I met David Morton and his son Charlie down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp and we headed up the intracoastal, then up the Nassau to make our first stop at Spanish Drop. I had planned to keep going on up to Seymore's Pointe by I noticed the tide still had about 45 minutes to low so we pulled up and began pitching jigs and live shrimp and minnows to the exposed shell bank. We fished it good, drifted along the bank and fished it more and David kicked things off when he had a strong hookup and battled to the boat a nice Slot sized Redfish.  Charlie "spotted" his dad a few fish - David put another couple of feisty Reds in the boat before Charlie hooked up (with minnow as bait), a keeper sized Black "puppy Drum.

We then did make our way up to Seymore's Pointe to fish some dock pilings on the first of the incoming tide - it's a new dock and we got.....skunked! Not a bite. I motored around to Nassaville and there was a boat fishing where I wanted to stop so we kept going on down to Broward Island - the tide was still going out up there, but we set up and it paid off. Charlie got hot, fishing to a stump - he caught a handful of feisty Redfish, a couple of Sheepshead, one of which was of keeper size. Shortly after, Charlie had a strange "bump", a strange fight, and when he brought the fish to the surface we saw that it was a keeper sized Flounder which he handily landed.  David followed those up with some Redfish catches and a Sheepshead catch. The duo had a Grand Slam in the box - a Redfish, Black Drum, Sheepshead and Flounder.

We fished in a creek further up the river and added a couple of small Redfish to the catch total, then finished up fishing at Littlefield where Charlie added one more keeper sized Drum to the box then one of the biggest Croaker that I have seen. The wind was really kicking by this time but we had stayed in behind land masses and had caught fish so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

It Wasn't Meant To Be

 ...a combined report from Friday May 1st and today, May 5th, with the 60th Annual Shrimp Fest squeezed
in between! Friday I fished with Chris Pyle and his friends Byron and Nick, meeting them down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp. We hit a number of spots fishing mostly floats and picked up Catfish, Ladyfish, Seatrout and Nick got his first Redfish. Chris battled a large Jack Crevalle that took him around the boat - he played it patiently to the net for photograph and release.

Today I fished with Bob and Jana Grimm, meeting them up at Old Town Bait and Tackle. We motored out of Eagans and made a run over to Lanceford Creek. Jana had a bit of action catching a small Black Sea Bass and a Toad fish but then she hooked up with something big. It wrapped almost immediately but Jana stayed patient and worked it out. We pulled the boat out into deeper water and the battle continued Jana fought it like a pro, letting it run, working it in, letting it run and she said she could feel it tiring, then BIP - the fish was off! It didn't break, it just came off. OUCH!

We hit a good number of other spots, fishing jigs and live shrimp most of the time and again - Toad Fish, Ladyfish, and Catfish. Jana did outsmart and hookup and land a keeper sized Sheepshead, photographed and released. Both days were beautiful, we had just a big of action, but heading back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Flashed By a Bald Eagle

 We had a beautiful morning today when I met Jeff and Jinny Key down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp.
Clear, sunny skies and just enough breeze to keep the bugs off! We made our way over to the intracoastal then up the Nassau River to fish our first spot between some docks at Nassauville. I think we were about an hour late - the tide was at a standstill and so was the fish bite - we had no luck.

We then made our way down to Broward Island and pitched jigs and live shrimp as the tide started back in. Jeff found a nice "honey hole" off the stern of the boat and in short order began filling the box with Seatrout, Redfish and Sheepshead. He also rounded out an Amelia Island Backcountry Grande Slam when he put a small Black "puppy" Drum in the boat. This one spot was paying off  - just as we would think the bite had stopped, BAM! Fish On!  I was fishing a little bit and at least twice we had "double" hookups. Jeff would reel his in and I would net it, trying to keep pressure on my fish, then I'd hand the rod off and Jeff would finish him off. It was about this time we had a beautiful Bald Eagle flash by us, diving on a fish. 

We fished north of the island for a bit then made our way up river and into a creek where Jeff worked the bank diligently. He hooked up and landed 4 more Redfish, one of which was keeper size, and I think the biggest fish of the day found its way around a log and broke off. We had some great action, some beautiful weather, a Bald Eagle fly by so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Working Up a Grande Slam

 I wrapped my week up fishing with Rick Payne and his fishing buddy Pedro, meeting them up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp early this morning. We eased out of Eagans Creek and made our way up and around to the Jolley River where we turned into the current along the "bank" and worked back tossing float rigs and live shrimp on the last of an incoming tide. Not much action along there, we may have had a bite or two. 

We then moved down to Tyger cut and fished the point, drifting with a current that was almost at a standstill, and again, not much happening. Further up the river, just past Snook Creek, we worked the bank as the tide came to a standstill. Pedro was on the stern and fishing long and it paid off when he hooked up and landed a nice keeper sized Seatrout to "knock the skunk off".

After coming back to the outside of Tyger we set up and fished the first of an outgoing tide. I was expecting big things but was soundly disappointed. But as we eased around the corner of some grass, Rick had made a good cast up alongside it and when his float slowly went under, he tightened up and let the circle hook set. This fish was pulling deep and not running much and sure enough, when Rick brought it to the net he had a nice Flounder. They also picked up one Bluefish here that was busting bait.

We then ran thru Tyger, over to the Bell, then down the intercoastal were we set up alongside some rocks.The duo caught a handful of Seatrout (one of which was of keeper size) and Pedro hooked up and battled a feisty Redfish to the boat to round out their Amelia Island Back Country Slam of Seatrout, Flounder and Redfish. After hitting one more dock up behind Piney Island Pedro topped off a "Grande" Slam when he reeled in a keeper sized Sheepshead. We had started slow but had some good action later so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Grande Slam and a Mess 'a Fish

Another pretty day today, so much so that the bugs were a bit of a problem. I had met William and Dara Blalock and their friend Brian Roach out at Goffinsville Park early - the tide was supposed to be at it's low but it was still going out, so we eased down Nassauville and set up between a couple of docks to fish that last of he outgoing. I was surprised that these three experienced anglers didn't get a bite! But we moved down a few docks and worked them until the tide changed and when it did, BAM! A double hookup on Seatrout, one of which was of keeper size. As we moved down a bit Brian had pitched up between some pilings, worked it out and had that strange 'thump" we're all familiar with. Brian set the hook and slowly worked in a nice 17" Flounder. 

We then ran down to Broward Island and fished as the tide started in. It wasn't "on fire" but Dara did finally "knock the skunk off " the spot with a Slot sized Redfish catch. We moved down the island and worked back and things heated up. The trio added another couple of keeper sized Trout, another couple of small Flounder, then William went off the stern and picked up a hard fighting keeper sized Sheepshead. They also caught a handful of small but feisty and fun to catch Redfish. 

After running way up the Nassau we dipped into a creek and worked the bank back into the current. Not a bite for most of the way and I was thinking the spot was going to be a bust but finally we got into a few fish and added the final Slot Redfish of the day - they had their limit. Our final stop was back at the mouth of Pumpkin Hill where we drifted floats but we had not takers. These anglers had an Amelia Island Grande Slam in the box -Redfish, Seatrout, Flounder and Sheepshead, and a good mess of fish at that, so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Slowly Got a Slam

 What a beautiful day we had today! I met Glenn and Patti Langford up at Old Town Bait and Tackle early and after easing out of Eagans we made our way over to Lanceford Creek to try and fish some docks but when we got there it seemed like we were a bit late for a "convention" of other Guides. We did fish one dock for a bit and Patti "knocked the skunk off when she hooked up and landed a small Black "puppy" Drum. We moved on. Our next stop was back at Soap Creek where we again tossed jigs and live shrimp to some dock pilings on a lower and incoming tide. I was beginning to think that this spot was going to be a dud when Patti made an excellent cast up into the pilings - she had a hookup and fish on!  Patti played it perfectly and brought it to the net - a nice keeper sized Sheepshead.

We then made the run around to Tyger Island, getting there a bit later than I like but it still paid off. Both Glenn and Patti caught a few Redfish, one of which was of keeper size. They also added a Seatrout catch to their bag total. They actually had a "Grande Slam" of Drum, Sheepshead, Redfish and Trout. . We worked down the island and back up, not getting much, until we got back to where we started and picked up another couple of Redfish, two measuring right at 17 3/4", and also a small Flounder.(Super Grande Slam).

After running back around to the outside of Tyger we fished along the marsh bank with jigs for just a bit, to no avail. We then made the long run over to Bell River and fished jigs deep. Glenn put a keeper sized Seatrout in the boat and Patti had one to the boat that would have been the biggest Trout of the day but alas, it threw the hook right at the boat. Ouch. It had been a beautiful day, we had some 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. 

Fishing In Style

 Today I fished with Andy and Jennifer Aberle, meeting them out at Semore's Pointe and launching in their beautiful 25' Pathfinder, boy what a fishing machine! We eased around the corner, made a short run down thru Nassauville and set up to fish jigs and live shrimp on a tide that was just starting in. I was hoping to catch the "last of an outgoing" but we made do. Both Andy and Jennifer were getting excellent casts - they both had tossed up behind some dock pilings Andy hooked up a with nice fish and expertly played it to the boat to land a nice 17" Seatrout. Jennifer almost immediately followed that up with a Trout catch of here own. The duo added another Trout or two before we moved on. 

We made our way down to Broward Island and set up to fish the first of an incoming tide. We didn't get any huge fish but we did have a smorgusboard of small er fish - Black "puppy Drum", a couple of Sheepshead, a Catfish and a Perch or two. 

We drifted float rigs up at Pumpkin Hill, down each side of the pointe, then finished up fishindg some dock pilings back at Seymore's. It was a beautifly day, we had some action, so as Andy eased the boat back on to the lift we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Bragging Times Two

 

What a cold, windy and dreary day it was that greeted us when David Vice and his fishing Team Gary and Allen met me out at Goffinsville Park this morning.  For me, it was a toss up whether to try and fish today with winds forecasted to get up to 16mph. But I had a Plan! So we met and made a long run up and thru Horsehead, into the intra-coastal and up the river to make our first stop at a nice drainage in hopes of getting some Drum or Reds on the last of an outgoing tide - but we didn't have a bite on our jigs and live shrimp.  We ran further up the river and into a creek behind Piney Island and fished it for a bit but again, we had not a bite. I was beginning to think my "Plan" wasn't a very good one. 

We decided to come back towards the ramp and found a couple of docks we could fish with the jigs and this did the trick. Gary had the first reel bite but it didn't take, then Allen, after making an excellent cast, hooked up and expertly reeled in a hungry Seatrout. to "knock the skunk off".  From then on, we were caching fish, most all of them deep in 25-30' of water. We caught so many I was beginning to think we'd run out of bait. Gary got the hang of it and caught and landed a number of the Trout, a couple of which were of keeper size. He also put a keeper Weakfish in the boat. David, fishing off of the bow, caught one Trout after the other, with a keeper or two. He also put a keeper Whiting in the boat. 

Thinking that we may have a shot at some Drum, we ran up to Seymore's Pointe and fished some
pilings but we were back to no bites. We then made our way down to Broward Island just as the tide hit bottom. David got hot on the stern and brought in a Trout. He went back to the same spot and BAM! Fish On!  It was ripping a bit of drag and I mistakenly called "small Redfish", but boy was I wrong! Once that fish got out deep it began to "dig" and then ripped line up current, then back, then dug deep, then ran again. When David got it to the surface we saw that it was a huge Redfish. David played it perfectly, letting it run then working in, over and over, until he was able to ease him into the net to land a 1st Place standing in the Anglers Mark 2025 Bragging Rights Tournament with a 32" Redfish. Boy what a fish!. 

From the same hole we had another hookup. Gary was on the rod this time- he fought it valiantly and brought it up from the bottom. It was fighting a bit "weird" and sure enough when Gary got it to the net we saw that it was a very nice 18" Sheepshead, big enough to kick off the Bragging Rights Sheepshead Category with a 1st place position. (scroll down the right side of this report for standings). Not minutes later young Allen worked in and landed the only Slot Redfish of the day-  a nice 20" fish. The trio of anglers caught another handful of Seatrout, two of which were of keeper size(those and the big Sheepshead were released - they had enough for dinner). We fished until the bait was gone then we headed back to the ramp can counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

We Salvaged The Trip Big Time

 

Although it was a tad cold - about 34 degrees when I launched, the forecast called for winds at 10mph and sunny skies and the Weatherman nailed it. I had met Mark Averbuch and his fishing buddy Bill down at Sawpit Creek - we were all bundled for that first run and  when we pulled up to some docks at Nassauville we were out of the wind, exposed to the sun, and it was fairly comfortable fishing. Unfortunately the fish didn't cooperate. Both anglers were making excellent casts with their jigs but had few nibbles. Mark did "knock the skunk off" with a feisty Redfish catch.

We then made our way around to Seymore's Point an fished some dock pilings. Not a nibble. I noted there that the water temperature was a bit over 41 degrees. It rose to 44 as we fished throughout the day. We bounced down the docks fishing two or three but had no real action until Bill hooked up and expertly landed another feisty Redfish. 

After making the run down to Broward Island we fished the last of an outgoing tide with the jigs and
fished a good stretch of the bank. Not a bite. So we were looking at 2 fish in about 2.5 hours - not a good ratio! We then made the long run further up the Nassau and dipped into a creek and fished it as the tide slowed to a stop. Finally, this duo of anglers began to get some fish, and some good ones. They ended up boating about 6 Slot Reds - one was 26" and one was 26.5", one was 22" and then Mark patiently played to the net a 29.25" Oversized Redfish - big enough to put him in 2nd place in the 2025 Anglers Mark Bragging Rights Tournament (scroll down the right side of this report for standings). Mark also added a keeper sized Sheepshead to the mix.

They added a good handful of small but fun to catch feisty Redfish. We had a slow start but a great finish so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Starting the New Year Off Right

 

I had my first trip of 2025 this morning with Dennis Fritz and his son Douglas and grandson Ethan - we met down at Sawpit Creek boat ramp and boy what a pretty day it was, albeit a tad bit chilly! But all of us were layered up and we made a quick run up the Nassau to fish some dock pilings as Seymore's Ponte on a tide that had been coming in for about 2 hours. All three anglers were making good casts to the pilings, letting their jig and shrimp drop to the bottom and kept their lines tight - doing everything right - but we had not a single taker. Ouch. 

We then made our way down to Broward Island. The tide had now been coming in about three hours, the current was running a little bit faster than I like it, but these anglers were not to be deterred. I think Ethan was "laying back" because he let his dad and grandfather put a handful of fish in the boat before he started catching. Douglas accumulated a Slam - catching a Seatrout, Redfish, and Sheepshead while Dennis put a nice Slot Red in the boat. We fished a couple of spots along the island before we moved on. 

After running way up the Nassau River we eased into a small Creek and began to work the bank and here
Ethan decided to join the fun. He was making excellent casts and it paid off when he hooked up and landed a good handful of feisty Redfish then he added nice Slot Red to his catch. Both Douglas and Dennis caught handfuls of Reds and each had another Slot or two (I counted 6 Slot Reds caught total). Douglas also caught a small Sheepshead to round out an Amelia Island Back Country Grande Slam. 

We ended the day back at Pumpkin Hill drifting floats -Douglas caught a couple of Seatrout and Dennis added one more Redfish to the catch total. The sun was shining bright, the skies were clear, it had warmed up, so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Wind Couldn't Stop Us

 Boy what a temperature drop we had!  And with it came some strong winds - the forecast for this morning was 13mph at 7am but quickly rising to 17mph by 9am. But it was clear and sunny and the wind was out of the WNW and we had a plan!  I met Alex and Laura out at Goffinsville Park and as we left the dock we could see it was calm all along Nassauville rocks. We made our way down a ways and set up between two docks and began pitching jigs and live shrimp.

And the fish catching began!

Both Laura and Alex put some healthy Seatrout in the boat, many of keeper size and Laura added a keeper sized Mangrove Snapper. Then Alex had a strange bite - he hooked it up and Big Fish On!  Alex kept the pressure on and worked it up off the bottom and when it came to the net we saw that it was a 19.5" Sheepshead - big enough to move into 2nd Place in the Anglers Mark 2024 Bragging Rights Tournament - Sheepshead category(scroll down the right side of this report for standings). We threw back a whole bunch of small Trout. 

We then made our way around to Seymore's Pointe and fished a dock and here we got into some keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum. Alex and Laura caught one after another, with a Seatrout thrown in here and there, and Laura added another keeper Sheepshead.  They had an Amelia Island Back Country Slam of Seatrout, Sheepshead and Drum before we left.

Our final stop was up the Nassau and into a Creek and as we worked the bank Laura put the first Redfish in the boat (and made it a Grande Slam). They caught a couple more "feisty" Reds then Alex had a good bite -BAM!  Fish On!  He played it patiently, let it run, worked it in, and eventually landed a big 24" Slot Redfish, boy what a fish. 

Although it was a bit cool, it was very comfortable as we stayed out of the wind most of the morning and as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Big Slot Red Icing on a Grand Slam

 

I THGUGHT I was launching at Sawpit Creek this morning - when I got down there the tide was up so far - all the way to the bend in the curb- I turned around and headed back north to meet Glenn and Patti Langford up at Old Town Bait and  Tackle. The water was way up in the grass when we made way out of Eagans Creek and over to the outside of Tyger where we set up with float rigs and live shrimp to fish the first of an outgoing tide. Although we had few good "nibbles" we had no real bites. After crossing over the creek to "Manatee Cove" we again tossed the float rigs and here the duo picked up some feisty Bluefish -one for each of them. We picked up the first of many small but fun to catch Seatrout, too. 

After that we ran thru Tyger, down the Bell, and up Lanceford, all the way up to some docks where we
again drifted the floats. Both Patti and Glenn had good hookups with those small Seatrout. We moved aro8und the corner and fished a bulkhead and Glenn had a good bite, had 'em on, but it let go and while he was baiting up Patti drifted thru the same stretch and BAM! Fish On!  I was thinking it was going to be a big Seatrout. Pattie played it perfectly and brought to the net a feisty Redfish.  We then moved over to a grassy Island -"Millie's Spot" and fished it good. After picking up a Trout or two, and after Glenn's float had drifted ust past the grass, FLOAT GONE!  Glenn caught up to it and it was Big Fish On!  This fish was ripping that drag and having none of coming it. I thought for sure it was up in the grass a couple of times and I hated to say it but I had to let Glenn know, we were REAL shallow and there were sharp oyster beds all underneath us. But Glenn stayed calm, played it patiently, let it run, worked it in, and after a good battle landed a big 26" Slot Redfish (it later weighed in at a bit over 6lbs). 

Our next stop was over at Soap Creek, fishing a large outflow. Both anglers put those small Seatrout in the boat (we caught a bunch throughout the day, but no keeper Trout). But as we moved up to a grassy island they both got busy catching Redfish. We found the cast had to be in just the right spot but if wew got it there. BAM! Fish On.

We then ran down the river to Piney Island, found some dock pilings to fish and the duo quickly put two keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum in the boat, and then a nice 17" Sheepshead., which rounded out their Amelia Island Back Country Slam of Seatrout, Redfish, Black Drum and Sheepshead. It had been a beautiful day, and although the wind had picked up, we had had some good action so as we headed  back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Float 'em by the oysters

 I guess the Chamber of Commerce ordered up a week of fine weather 'cause today was another
outstandingly beautiful day!  I met Derek Wilson and his fishing buddy Tim down at Sawpit and we made a quick run thru some early morning fog, up the Nassau and pulled up at Spanish Drop. I keep waiting for this stretch of river to a"turn on" but today was not the day. We worked to areas with float rigs on a tide that had been going out for a couple of hours, but had no luck. 

We then made our way around to the Back River and fished a stretch that has been good to me all week and today was no exception. We eased along the bank pitching the float rigs up to exposed oyster beds and letting it drift down the edge and we caught Redfish. The fish bite wasn't "on fire" but we did get 6-8 fish with two of them in the Slot range. 

Eventually we moved back to some docks at Nassauville and here Tim put a Flounder in the boat, then we finished up down at Broward fishing an outgoing tide. Tim added a couple of Sheepshead to his catch total at the first spot. But when we moved down the island we worked it pretty good but had no luck. It had been a beautiful day and with two friends getting together to get in a day fishing we counted it as another great day to be out on the water here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Dara's Super Duper

 Back at it today, fishing south early this morning. I had met William and Dara Blalock out at Goffinsville as the sun came up and we made a quick run down the river to fish between two docks on a tide that still had a few hours to hit bottom. The two anglers were tossing jigs and live shrimp and makjng excellent casts and it paid off. 

Dara kicked things off with a nice, keeper sized Seatrout catch, then added another, then another with each betting respectively bigger, the biggest measuring right at 19". All fish caught today were released. Dara also added a keeper sized Flounder to her catch total. 

We moved around the corner and fished some dock pilings and here William hooked up and landed  Sea Bass. We moved over to fish Bubblegum Reef, a spot I hadn't fished in years, and it was a good move. William caught and landed another, bigger, Sea Bass, then Dara put a small Sheepshead in the boat, then hooked up and landed a respectable 17.75" Sheepshead to give her a Slam for the morning. But She wasn't finished!

After running down to Broward Island we fished a spot on the last of the outgoing tide, really just killing time, and boy did we get into some fish. Dara found some nice Seatrout deep, then William began to get feisty Redfish off the stern. Then Dara's drag went off and the battle was on!  Dara played the big fish patiently, let it run down river, then worked it back slowly, let it run, worked it back, and finally brought to the net a big oversized 28.5" Redfish, boy what a fight, boy what a fish!

The duo continued to catch fish - I lost count at 8 keeper sized Seatrout, but Dara did add a couple of Black "puppy" Drum for her Grande Slam, then later, fishing a jigs and Gulp minnow, added a keeper sized Weakfish to get her Super Duper Grande Slam for the day. The Redfish, Trout and Sheepshead put Dara on the Bragging Rights list in three Categories - maybe a first! (scroll down the right side of this report for standings). We had caught a bunch of fish, had a beautiful day, and as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.  

Grande Slam For The Day

 I fished with the Prolog's Hand and Mary and their daughter Mollie to day, meeting them down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early this morning. And after running up the Nassau to our first stop at a dock at Seymore's I was feeling pretty confident that we were going to get in to some fish today. The tide was supposedly low and just starting in, and it was at this spot, but we struggled with bait stealers swiping our live shrimp off the jigs. We did outsmart a couple of them but had no luck with any bigger fish. 

Our next stop; was down at Broward Island and even though it had been "low tide" for about 45 minutes, it was still going out. We fished a good bit and dealt with the bait stealers again, then we moved on down the way and fished back. Here, we finally got into some fish - Mollie "knocked the skunk off" with a nice Seatrout catch. But again, that was it. 

Back up the island we went and now that the tide had begun to come in, we finally started catching.  Mary put a keeper sized Sheepshead in the boat, then all three anglers were catching Redfish, one of which was in the Slot. Mary had a Seatrout catch which gave here an Amelia Islands Back Country Slam. When the bite slowed, we move on, heading back to Nassauville. 

Fishing between two docks we didn't get too much action, but Mary did have a strange bite, a hookup, and patiently brought to the net a almost legal Flounder to round out her very on Grande Slam. 

Our final stop was up the Nassau and into a Creek where we worked bank with logs. It was some finesse casting but they were up to it and caught a couple of Seatrout and Redfish. We had had a beautiful day and had pulled in some fish so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.