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.  

A Grande Slam and Upper Slot Red

 

I did  an afternoon trip today, meeting Nate Aron, his father Aaron, and his father-in-law Gil Langley up at Eagans Creek. The wind had died a little bit since this morning and as we eased out of the creek we had clear skies and sunshine!  We made our way over to behind Tyger and fished the logs with jigs and live shrimp on the first of an incoming tide. The first area was kind of slow except for the bait stealers but when we moved down we began to get fish. 

The trio put a nice Redfish in the boat, some Trout,  then Gil hooked up and landed a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum. That made an Amelia Island Back Country Slam, then Nate had strange bite, worked it patiently to the boat, and landed a nice Flounder to make it a Grande Slam. Then Aaron had a strong bite and when it was ripping drag and digging deep we knew we had a big one. Aaron played it like a "Jim Brown" pro, worked it to the boat, and landed a nice 25.5" Slot Redfish. We had some good action after that but when it slowed we moved on - running up to the Jolley. After trying our hand with some float rigs, to no avail, we ran up to Snook Creek and switched back to the jigs and caught a couple of Seatrout. 

Our final stop was around at Bell River and here we had a good uptick in catches - mostly Seatrout, but a small Black Drum also. It had warmed just a bit, we had fished in clear, sunny skies, and we 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.

Boat Flippin

 

We didn't flip the 12 Slot Reds we caught into the boat, but we did a whole lot of "boat flippin" of smaller fish!  What a beautiful day we had today! Sunshine, clear skies, no wind, and just a bit cool when I met Bob Blalock, his son Robbie, and nephew Collin up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp. We made a short run up the creek and began fishing some dock pilings with jigs and live shrimp on a tide that still had about three hours to go out - the oysters were just beginning to show. First cast produced a bite and a hookup but we lost it on the handoff but then on, for the rest of the 4  hour trip, it was Fish On!

Almost non-stop action - we had about 100 shrimp and I'd guestimate we caught fish on half of them and managed a "Super Grande Slam" of Redfish, Seatrout, Black Drum, Sheepshead and Flounder.  As mentioned, we counted 12 of the Reds to be in the Slot. Three of those were 26.5", 26'5" and 26.75".  We kept 6 keeper sized Seatrout, a couple of nice Sheepshead, and a big Black "puppy" Drum. And threw back umpteen smaller "ittty bitty" fish. 

13yo Collin was on fire was exhibiting sure signs of Mark of an Angler. Having fished "all his life", he was making excellent casts and tuned in to the bite, the hookset and then he played the fish like a pro, and all with a good attitude! We figured that he had the most fish caught for the day and the most Slot Reds, while Robbie had the biggest Redfish and only Flounder. Bob put the biggest Black Drum and Sheepshead in the boat. We had multiple "double" hookups and one "triple" when all three anglers had a fish on at one time.  It was an unbelievable crazy day of a catching a great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Making The Grade

 It looks like we squeezed in today's trip before tomorrows nasty weather shows up. I had met Robert Stettner and his fishing partner David Vice out at the  Goffinsville Park boat ramp as the sun came up and as the weather channel had forecast, it was "Calm" - the water was like glass. We made a quick run over to Pumpkin Hill in an attempt to catch the very last of an incoming tide and sure enough, we still had some current running. Both anglers were tossing float rigs and mudminnows and letting them drift long and within minutes we had fish. They picked up a handful of Seatrout with two of them being of keeper size. Robert also caught and battled a big Jack Crevalle to the net for photograph and release. If I had to grade these two anglers, they were right at a C+!

We then ran around to Seymore's Point and fished a large drainage with the float rigs (we stayed with them the entire trip) and had a good many bites but no real takers. Our next stop, after running thru Horsehead, was over at Poteat Cut where we set up on a point and fished the now outgoing tide. This paid off - they caught Seatrout and Ladyfish, then Robert hooked up with a feisty Redfish and battled it to the boat. David went up to the grass with a good cast and BAM! Big Fish On! He played it perfectly and worked it patiently to the boat and net - a nice 22" Slot sized Redfish.  They were up to a B+!

Back over to Jackstaff we went, and up a creek where we worked the grass line with the floats. They picked up one Redfish along the bank then we moved on. After another run back thru Horsehead we made our way down to the Back River and set  up to fish. School was in! We were at the "Honey Hole"!  We had non-stop action - I think I yelled "Double" a few times. At first it was Seatrout. David put a couple of keepers in the boat then Robert added a keeper to the box. David hooked up and landed a Slot sized 21" Red, then they caught more Trout, more feisty Redfish, another Jack, and Robert rounded out his Amelia Island Backcountry Slam with a Flounder catch. Then David had a strong hookup and this fish wasn't coming in. He played it like a Pro - like an upperclassman -  like a Beta Club alumni! It pulled to the shell bank, and David worked it out and brought it to the net, a big 26" Slot Redfish! That one put us over the limit and had to go back after photographs. 

We had had pretty good day of fishing and had ended with 45 minutes of fish catching and as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida and achieving Honor Roll status - A+ for the day!

I Heard The Float Go Down

 Back to work today, fishing out of Old Town Bait and Tackle after meeting Joseph Segraves and his son David early. We headed up to the Jolley River - all the way up to a point where I hoped to fish the last of an incoming tide with float rigs and live shrimp. We had excellent conditions with an overcast sky but the current was already at a standstill - Joseph and David made good casts but he float just sat there like on a stagnate pond!  We eased along the bank for just a minute or two and Joseph did "knock the skunk off" with a Seatrout catch, then we moved on. 

After running back to the outside of Tyger and setting up on a point, the tide and current had started out now and the moved paid off. Joseph was on the bow and began to get fish - small Redfish and some Jacks while David was on the stern and picked up a Jack, then had his leader quickly snapped by a lurking Shark. Then Joseph had a strong bite and when his drag began to rip we knew it was big. Joseph played it perfectly - it ran north, boiled a few times so we new it was a big Red, but Joseph worked it to the boat and landed a nice 21" Slot Redfish.

We fished jigs on the outside of Tyger, at a nice drainage, and here Joseph put a keeper sized Seatrout in the boat. 

Back up to the Jolley we went and fished the "bank", now on an outgoing tide. Both David and Joseph caught fish - a good handful of those small but feisty Redfish. As Joseph and I had our heads turned watching Davids drift I heard the faint "click" of a float going down, yelled, and Joseph set the hook and again, Big Fish On! This fish tried to run up current for just a second then thought better of it, and came back with the current. Joseph had to crank to catch up to it, and he did, and then the battle was back at the stern. Joseph worked it an an landed an even bigger 23" Slot Redfish.

The duo had a small Flounder catch then David had one of those funky bites, hooked it up, and brought to the boat a keeper sized 16" Flounder to make it an Amelia Island Back Country Slam in the box. After fishing another drainage where we had a few more of those feisty Reds caught, 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 back country fishing guide in Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island and is a US Coast Guard licensed charter boat operator. 

9 Spot Slot

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

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

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

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

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

 US Coast Guard licensed charter boat operator

Wrapping Up With a Slam

I finished my week up fishing with Howard McClure and his fishing buddy Joe. I met them early this morning down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp and even though we had some forecasted winds to get up around 14mph, we were eager to get out into the backwaters and get some fishing done. After making a 15 minute run up the intercoastal, thru Back River on a high and incoming tide, and around to Pumpkin Hill, we set up to drift float rigs. And the first casts paid off! Joe was on the stern and had a good bite, lifted the rod, and set the circle hook. He was playing it to the boat when Howard had a hookup on his first cast! Joe landed his, a hungry Seatrout, and Howard landed his, a feisty Jack Crevalle. 

Shortly after that Joe had another hookup. This fish was ripping some drag and fighting somewhat like a Redfish, but then it got out deep and began to shake and when Joe battled it to the surface we netted a big Jack Crevalle. We fished Pumpkin Hill pretty good, moving around a bit, getting a few bites, then we made a run around to Seymore's Pointe.

Again, tossing float rigs, drifting them by a grassy point, the two anglers had a few small bites, but no
takers. We ran thru Horsehead and over to Poteat Cut and fished into the wind. We had had not real bites and I was beginning to wonder when Joe, fishing off the stern and up near some flooded marsh grass, had his float slowly go under. I was already thinking "Flounder" and as Joe worked it to the boat It was confirmed, a nice 16" keeper sized Flounder (all fish caught today were released). 

We jumped over to Jackstaff and fished a large drainage and here it was Howard's turn to battle a nice Jack Crevalle, which he did expertly. Then he went back with a cast to the grassy point of an island and we both saw something hit  his bait with a vengeance and his float disappeared sideways and, Fish On!  Howard played the big fish perfectly and after a good battle landed a Slot Sized Redfish to garner this duo of anglers an Amelia Island Back Water Slam. 

We finished the day back at Nassauville, out of the wind, and getting some good "Mangrove Snapper Action". Again, all fish were released today but they had probably 6-7 keeper sized Mangroves they could have kept. They're getting bigger as the water warms. We had had some good action and as we headed back to the ramp we co8unted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Pulled Out a Amelia Island Back Country Slam

I fished north again today, meeting Scott Jones and his fishing team - Mathew and Andrew - up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp. We eased down Eagans Creek and made our way over to the outside of Tyger Island to set up tossing float rigs with live shrimp on the first of an outgoing tide. These anglers had made a good handful of casts and only had some small nibbles and I was beginning to get a bit worried when I heard Scott's reel "rip" and when I turned around and saw his rod bent I knew we hand a nice fish on. Scott said later he thought it was a nice Redfish but after expertly playing it to the net we saw that it was a big 22.25" Seatrout, boy what a fish, and big enough to move him into first place in the Anglers Mark 2023 Bragging Rights Tournament-Seatrout Category (scroll down the right side of this report for standings).  

Then Mathew had a strong hookup and this big fish was half way to Georgia before it slowed down!
Mathew stayed patient, worked it in, let it run, worked it in, let it run, but eventually wore it out and brought it to the boat -a 4' Bonnethead Shark which we photographed and released.

We crossed over the creek and fished a large drainage and here Scott put a couple of Slot sized Redfish in the boat and Mathew added another big Seatrout to the catch total. After running up and around Tyger, we tried our hand with some jigs and minnows at a run out, tangled with a couple of Ladyfish, and moved on. We then worked Jolley "bank" with the float rigs, battled the Ladyfish, and picked up another nice Trout.

On further up, at Snook Creek, Scott went in close to the shore with a float rig and hooked up and landed the biggest Redfish of the day, one that measured right at 22". Andrew woke up and brought a few Ladyfish to the net in quick succession, Scott fought and landed a Bonnethead, then Mathew had a "bump", set the hook and reeled in a Flounder to round round out their Amelia Island Back Country Slam of Seatrout, Redfish and Flounder. After fishing the MOA for just a bit, we headed back to the ramp and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Super Grande Slam for Young Anglers

 I was  up north this morning - the first time in quite a while. I met Hope McCall and her two sons Bekk and Knox early, with clear, sunny skies to greet us. We headed north and west and over to Jolly Rive and set up along the "bank" and began to fish float rigs and live shrimp. The trio of anglers landed a Croaker and a couple of hard fighting Jack Crevalle.

We moved further up the river and worked another stretch and here Bekk hooked up and landed a nice Black "puppy" Drum. Knox had a strong bite -his line ripped and BAP, the whole leader was gone! It was a big one!  After running back to Tyger Island we fished a stretch and here Bekk hooked up, after drifting long, and landed a keeper sized Mangrove Snapper.

After running thru Tyger and around to Bell River and setting up at a grassy point, it was Knox's turn to get on the board when he caught and landed a hungry Seatrout. We then went up the Lanceford, dipped into Soap. and worked a grass line. We had one float off a grassy point and when it slowly went under, the hook was set and, Fish On! Bekk was on the rod and he worked it in patiently and after a good battle landed a really nice 17" Sheepshead - the biggest of the year, and big enough to top the category in the Anglers Mark 2022 Bragging Rights Tournament(scroll down the right side of the report for standings).

We then fished some docks over at Lanceford and picked up a feisty Redfish (a Grande Slam), then a small Flounder - a Super Grande Slam of Seatrout, Black Drum, Sheepshead, Red Drum and Flounder. It was getting hot and as we headed back we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Solid Slam

 

You'd think it was almost summer! When I launched at Goffinsville Park this morning the water was still and the sun was out and we soon found out that "summertime" fish were here! I met Jason Wells and his teenaged son Jackson early and we made the short run around to some docks at Seymore's Pointe to fish the very first of an incoming tide. Although I was lookin for Redfish or Drum, we(Jason)  found a couple of Mangrove Snapper instead!

We then ran down the Nassau to Spanish Drop and worked that bank - the shell were still barely showing, but had not luck until Jason hooked up and landed a couple of high flying Ladyfish. Jackson tangled with a Shark that eventually found its way around a crab float and broke off. 

After easing back to Twin Creeks, we switched to float rigs. Jason was on the
stern, drifting long and Jackson was on the bow, drifting across the mouths and BAM!, Jackson's float disappeared - he tightened up his line and let the circle hook set and, Fish On! Jackson played it perfectly and after a good battle landed a nice 21" Slot Redfish.  Jason fought and landed a hard fighting Jack Crevalle shortly afterwards, and a Bonnethead Shark.

We then fished back at Nassauville, between a couple of docks. I was expecting Mangrove Snapper for sure, but Jackson hooked up and landed a keeper sized Seatrout.  Minutes later, Jason had made a cast up close to shore and within seconds he was "snagged" on something loose on the bottom. He began to work it slowly to the boat then we saw that the "snag" was shaking it's head and pulling back! Fish On! Jason brought it patiently to the boat and landed a keeper sized 17" Flounder!

Our next and final stop was down at Pumpkin Hill, drifting some flooded shell. The first stretch we had no real bites but we moved around the corner. Jason battle a big Bonnethead to the boat and added a keeper sized Seatrout. We also caught a small Catfish to add to the variety of the catch. With a solid Amelia Island Back Country Slam of Redfish, Seatrout, and Flounder in the box, we headed back and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

We Had a Nice Back Country Slam

 It was a a prettier day today, than yesterday, but the winds were still forecasted to grow to 16-17mph by late morning. But the skies were clear, the sun was out, and we had a "window" to fish so I met Jack and Patsy Elgin down at the South End boat ramp and after running up the intercoastal, we dipped into Jackstaff and then in to a side creek to set up fishing with float rigs and live shrimp on a tide that had been going out for an hour or so. 

Right off the bat Patsy had a hookup and landed a high flying Ladyfish, the "poor girls Tarpon". We eased along the bank and when we reached a small drainage I commented to Jack that we had caught a good handful of nice Redfish at the mouth. He made a perfect cast and within seconds his float slowly slid under. He tightened his line and let the circle hook set and, Fish On!  Jack played it patiently and after a good battle landed a Slot sized 21" Redfish.

We then made a run thru Horsehead and down to Spanish Drop where we worked a flooded shell bank with the float rigs, to no avail. Just like yesterday, I switched Jack and Patsy to jigs and shrimp, but today it didn't work- no fish! We moved up to Twin Creeks and stayed with the jigs and in a short time Jack had a battle on his hands! I felt sure it was a big shark as it was headed to England! I hit full speed on the trolling motor and Jack took up the line as we "backed down" and when I stopped Jack applied the pressure and began to wear him out. But this Shark had other plans and with a quick turn of it's head, BAP! Fish Off! We motored back to Twin Creeks(we had drifted a 1/4 mile downstream) and again, within a minute or two, Patsy hooked up with a Shark. Hers wasn't as big but it was "just right". Patsy battled it valiantly and after a good fight she boated a 2 1/2" Shark.

We worked along the bank then and just before Athens Drop

Jack had a strong bite, set the hook, and expertly played to the boat another nice Redfish. 

The wind was beginning to kick up so we ran over to the Nassauville rocks and fished between a couple of docks. We had some good nibbles but no takers then finally, down deep, we had a good bite and a hookup. Jack brought to the boat a big 21" Seatrout. Then Patsy followed that up with a 17" Flounder to round out the couple's Amelia Island Back Country Slam of Redfish, Seatrout and Flounder.  We fished Seymore's Pointe with float rigs, them some docks around the corner but by now the wind was kicking us around pretty good, so we headed back and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Super Grande Slam Today

Although the weather forecast predicted fishable wind early today, it called for increasing force into the 20mph range, so all I hoped was it be able to get in an hour or two of fishing before we had to buck the wind, which would make for a small window to catch fish. I met Dan and Kay Jones down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp and we headed up the intercoastal, cut thru Middle River, and made our way around to Pumpkin Hill and set up along a flooding marsh line on the last few hours of an incoming tide.  Both anglers were getting good drifts but it took a while to get some bites. Truth be told, I was getting a little worried that our "window" may not be very big to catch fish. But, slowly, the duo began to get bites, then hookups, and began to catch fish - hungry Seatrout, with a couple caught of keeper size (all fish caught today were released). Kay even reeled in a hard fighting Catfish that surprised us!

We eventually moved around and fished another bank, had not real bites, then moved down to Broward Island, checked out the Bald Eagle, then set up and fished the very last of the incoming tide. Wouldn't you know it, the first two bites were HUGE! Both Kay and Dan had strong hookups and drag ripping, rod bending fights but it was not to be - both fish threw the hook! Ouch. But these two anglers were not to be deterred and continued to fish, catching feisty Redfish, a keeper sized Sheepshead(to make it a Slam), and a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum(to make it a Grande Slam). We also had a fly-by from the Goodyear blimp!

I could tell out in the river the wind was kicking up so we made the run over to Nassauville and fished some rocks, and again had good action. Both Kay and Dan caught some "almost keeper sized" Mangrove Snapper, another Trout or two, another Catfish, and two Flounder, one of which was of keeper size, but also giving them that "Super Grande Slam" of Seatrout, Redfish, Sheepshead, Black Drum and Flounder.

Yep, the wind was really kicking around the corner, coming out of the north as we headed back, but with the wind at our backs, we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.