I was back to work today after a fine Thanksgiving break - I met Jeff and Ande DeNight and their friend Dan down at Sawpit Creek boat ramp early. It was cool and cloudy, a little windier than I expected, but that died down a bit as we began to fish. We had run up the intracoastal, then up Back River and over to the Nassau where we set up on a point to drift float rigs on a tide that was almost high. Dan was first in the water and it paid off with a nice Seatrout catch. Jeff followed that up with another Trout catch and we were off to a good start! We drifted that area, then pulled up and fished down another stretch - had some bites, then we picked up and moved.
Back at Seymore's Pointe we stuck with floats and drifted with an outgoing tide and this did the trick. All three anglers began to get Seatrout. Ande joined in and found a "hot spot" and picked up a good handful of those Trout. The trio weeded thru some small ones but every once in a while we'd get a "keeper" sized fish, the biggest being right at 17". After running thru Horsehead and over to Poteat Point we worked a bank and here Dan, fishing off the stern, caught another couple of Seatrout. Jeff and Ande were making excellent casts forward into a pocket and getting good drifts but they had no takers. Back over in Jackstaff we switched to jigs and fished deep. Jeff had the hot rod, picking up another couple of Trout.
We then ran back thru Horsehead, back down to Back River, fished a bank with the floats again, then ended our day back down the Nassau fishing the drainages with jigs and the live shrimp. Ande stayed with the float and got a Trout at Twin Creeks. We moved down to another drain and within a minute Jeff yelled, "Fish On" - his drag was ripping as the big fish boiled up. He handed the rod off to Ande to let her feel a big fish and she played the fish expertly, working it in, letting it run, working it in, until she brought to the net a "Tournament sized" bulky 26.5" Redfish, boy what a fish! We had good action with the Trout, some nice fish in the box, and a Big Fish battle so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
The beautiful days just keep coming! And good fishing, too! Today I ran over to Oyster Bay to pick up David Vice and his neighbor and friend David Williamson as the sun was coming up. The tide was high and coming in - we eased out of their marina and ran back down Lanceford and up the Bell to set up on a point of grass with plans to toss float rigs and live shrimp. There wasn't much current! We did get some drifts but they were slow, but we did get a few bites and caught a couple of small Seatrout. That was the story for the next couple of hours - small Trout
After running thru Tyger and around to the outside of Tyger we again tossed the float rigs and picked up another Trout or two, then a feisty Redfish. We made our way over to the Jolley River and worked the "bank" with the floats and caught a slimy Needlefish and a Bluefish. Further up the Jolley, as the tide started out, things picked up a bit. If we could have kept all the 14" Trout we caught we might have needed a bigger live well! But finally David W. hooked and landed a couple of keeper fish.
Continuing on around thru the Jolley and into the Bell we eased up between two docks and switched to jigs and shrimp. David W. was on the stern, David V. was on the bow, tossing up close to the bank and letting it bounce down the bottom with the current and this paid off - there were at least three times when we had "double" hookup - both anglers had fish on. David W. was going up to close to the bank and hooked and landed a few feisty Redfish, then he and David V. teamed up on the Seatrout, and they seemed to get bigger - we had a few that measured to 17". They slowly put a good box of fish together for dinner tonight.
After fishing a couple of places back near Oyster Bay we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
Another beautiful day this morning, albeit a bit foggy -I had to run slow up the Back River to get to our first stop at Pumpkin Hill after meeting Walter Mann and his fishing buddy David down at Sawpit Creek boat ramp. But when we arrived at Pumpkin it was clear enough to fish so we began drifting float rigs with live shrimp on a tide that still had a couple of hours of coming in. David knocked the skunk off AND the rust off when he hooked up and landed the first fish of the day - a hungry Seatrout. And for the next hour the duo caught Trout - we lost count - with the biggest being right at 14.75". We moved around to three or four places, catching Trout. They were fun to catch but we had none in the box, so we moved on.
Our next stop was back at Seymore's Pointe and this paid off. David was fishing off the stern and getting a good drift and he found a good Seatrout "honey hole" and boated a good handful of them with two of them being of keeper size. Walter was fishing off the bow and when he drifted by a grassy point he could almost count on Fish On! His fish were feisty Redfish, the biggest being around 17" - fun to catch - one bent the stem of the float - but no keepers.
We fished Littlefield for a bit, with no takers, then we then moved down the Nassau, stopped at Twin Creeks and picked up one Trout on the float, then moved down to a large drainage and went back to jigs. The clock was ticking when Walter went up to some still covered oysters and when the fish hit we knew it was big - that drag was ripping! It brought Walter from the bow back to the stern then dug deep and Walter had to be patient as he slowly worked it in, finally landing a bulky 25.5" Slot Redfish, boy what fish. David went to the same area with an excellent cast, had a strong take that ripped drag, but threw the hook! He went back and after a couple of casts had another good bite and Fish On! David worked it in experlty and landed his first Redfish of the day and wrap things up.
The day had turned out beautiful - it went from foggy to sunny, cool to comfortable, and we had a few good fish in the boat so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
Cool weather this week had us rescheduling trips for later in the month, but today we just waited to mid morning to meet up at Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp. After we got Mickey and Brandi Kelliher settled on the boat we eased down the creek to make our first stop at some dock pilings on a tide that had been coming in for a couple of hours. The move paid off - almost immediately Mickey was getting bites. He hooked up and expertly pulled a nice keeper sized Seatrout out from under a dock, then he had a subtle nibble, a hookup, and battled a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum to the net. We fished that spot for a bit and caught a few more Trout, two of which were of keeper size, then we moved around to the other side and caught a couple of Redfish, one of which was just in the Slot.
Our next stop was over in Lanceford, then in to Soap Creek where we switched to float rigs. Mickey found that he could "drift long" and as his float got to the tail end of a grassy island, BAM! He'd get a hookup. After getting a few Trout there, we made a run back around to Tyger Island and fished the logs. First cast with a jig and BOOM! We had a hookup. This one ripped a bit of drag but as Mickey got it to the net we saw it was just "feisty" for a Redfish. After working the island for just a few minutes, we made the run back out of Tyger, headed northwest and eased up to the outside of Tyger and stayed with the jigs. We had no real bites, but we did blow out a nice sized Redfish laying on a point of grass.
On up into the Jolley River we found a point to fish that had a submerged oyster bar out from it and here Mickey got hot catching small but hungry Seatrout. He even tricked Brandi into catching one, after making an excellent cast he asked her to hold the rod while he cleaned his glasses and she had a hookup, and patiently brought another Trout to the boat. We fished further up into the Jolley, just past Snook Creek, then we headed back to the ramp. It had been clear, cool, but sunny and we had some nice fish in the box so we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
Eight trips in six days will wear an old angler out! I finished up a long week of fishing and boating when I met Jason Ash and his young son Anthony down at Sawpit Creek early this morning. It was Anthony's first trip with me, but not his first "saltwater" trip - he'd evidently fished in the Keys earlier. But he was out with his dad here at Amelia Island so we hoped to make the best of it, and boy did we! After running up the intracoastal and turning up the Nassau we made our first stop at a large drainage and began throwing jigs and live shrimp up current -the tide had been coming in a few hours. We didn't get much action so we moved down the Nassau and here the duo hooked up and brought to the boat a couple of hungry Seatrout and then a feisty Redfish. Skunk off the boat! We switched to floats and drifted those and got a few more Trout. Anthony caught on real quick to keeping is bail open, his hand a ready, and "slapping it shut" and reeling like crazy when the float went under!
Our next stop was down at Pumpkin Hill, again drifting floats on the last of the incoming tide, and this paid off big. We caught a couple of more Trout, one of keeper size, then, after Jason had switched to a mud minnow as bait, BAM! Big Fish ON! He fought it off the bank as the drag was ripping and we knew right off that it was a big Red. Hoping for some "blackened fillets", Jason kept that pressure on and worked it slowly in, only to find when he landed it that it was a Big oversized 28.5" Redfish. After that fish it seemed to turn off from all of the commotion, so we moved around the corner and fished that stretch. Again, we got a couple of Trout then, after had gone loooonnnng with a drift, BAM! Another big fish on. Those Redfish fillets were on the back of our mind as he battled this one and once again, we were (somewhat) disappointed when we saw that it was another massive Redfish. This one was a brute that measured right at 30" and weighing over 9 lbs. Boy what a fish. Again, the bite turned off.
We moved BACK around the corner and fished that stretch again and here Anthony was getting a good drift, saw his float disappear, and he slapped that bail shut and set the hook and, Fish ON! He fought the fish expertly and brought in a nice 18" Seatrout to add to the box and take home for a fish sandwich! We had caught some good fish today, had a beautiful morning fishing as a father/son fishing team, so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
..but the Trout did come thru for us this morning. I had met Sam Brown, his father Dennis, and Sam's girlfriend Tanley up at Old Town Bait and Tackle early this morning with a tide that was high and still coming in. It was a beautiful morning as we eased out of Eagans Creek then made our way up and around to the Jolley River where we eased into the "bank" to toss float rigs and live shrimp.
Each stop we made today we tended to get a Trout, but only one, or maybe two at each location. Dennis had the hot hand early and picked up a few to jump out into a lead but then Tanley began to press him when she caught one deep on a jig over in the Bell River. Back towards Fernandina we were back fishing floats and when Tanley put the biggest Trout of the day in the boat to tie up the standings, Dennis got back in the action and caught a couple to re-assume the lead!
Over in Lanceford Creek the tide had finally started out and after much perseverance, Sam got oni the board with a nice Seatrout catch. That high tide had made it difficult, but we had a beautiful day and we'd put a few fish in the boat so as we headed back to the ramp, we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
The wind we had yesterday was gone today, boy what a beautiful day to be out fishing! I met Gene Burk and his fishing buddy Steve Stark down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early - the tide had been going out a couple of hours - and we made our way up the intracoastal, all the way up to Poteat Point where we set up with float rigs and live shrimp. It wasn't "on fire" but we did get a handful of fish - Gene put a keeper sized Seatrout in the boat (released) and then he handily boated a Slot Redfish. Steve got on the board with a hard fighting Bluefish - a big one for here in the backwaters of north Florida.
We then ran thru the marsh of Horsehead and up the Nassau to a point at Back River and stuck with the floats. It started off slow but got fast and furious for a while! Steve got into a groove tossing to the marsh grass and letting the current take his bait along the edge and BAM! Fish On! He put a good handful of Redfish in the boat, two of them Slot sized and one of those that measured right at 23". As we drifted back Gene got in on the action and boated a couple of Reds and hard fighting Jack Crevalle and a small Flounder.
Our next stop was back at Littlefield where we switched to jigs. Just when I thought we were going to get skunked Gene had a good "thump" - he set the hook expertly and worked in a keeper sized (but out of season) Flounder. He went back in and as he got out deep he had a strong take and Big Fish On! Gene kept the pressure on and expertly played a big 22" Seatrout to the net, boy what a fish! Steve added another big 18" Trout to the catch and they caught one more keeper sized Trout.
Our final stop, where I had expected to get all our action -fishing some drainages along the Nassau - did'nt pan out. But we had some great weather, some good fishing, and 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.
I was back down at Sawpit Creek this morning meeting Dean Jensen and his sons Eli and Tyler early. We headed up the intracoastal then up the Nassau to make our first stop at the Spanish Drop area. The tide had been coming in a few hours so we went with float rigs and live shrimp and mud minnows. The shrimp were getting nibbles as expected but it was Tyler who "knocked the skunk off" when he hooked up and landed a feisty Jack Crevalle off the stern of the boat, caught on a mud minnow. Dean and Eli were using the live shrimp and sure enough, Dean had a strong bite and his line began to rip and Shark On! Dean played it expertly and after a long battle landed a 4' Bonnethead Shark for photo and release.
We fished further up at Twin Creeks, drifting the floats, but didn't have much action so we made the run down to Pumpkin Hill and drifted them there and this did the trick. Tyler hooked up and battled to the boat a feisty Redfish. His dad made the comment, "something bigger next time" but he didn't specify "in the Slot" - Tyler had another strong hookup and this fish was BIG! He fought the fish for a good long time (the video below has a bunch of minutes edited out) - he worked it in, let it run, worked it in, and eventually brought to the net an Oversized 29.25" Redfish - his personal best! A few minutes later he and his dad had a double hookup - Dean expertly played his to the net - a nice Slot Redfish, and Tyler battled his to the net, a big Jack Crevalle, another personal best.
Around the corner Dean picked up a small Seatrout, then we fished a couple of sets of grassy islands where Eli got on the board with a hard fighting Jack Crevalle catch. We then made a good run back to Horsehead, thru it, and over to Poteat Pointe where we worked the grass line. Nothing much was happening until Dean hooked up - it seemed to be a strange fight-not digging deep like a Redfish, not hunkering down like a Flounder, but big enough to rip some drag. Dean stayed patient with it and slowly worked it up to the surface and we netted a huge 21" Seatrout, boy what fish, and big enough to move into 2nd Place in the Anglers Mark 2025 Bragging Rights Tournament-Seatrout Category (scroll down the right side of this report for standings).
We fished Jackstaff "bank" for a stretch then moved over to a grassy point where the creek has begun to cut thru - we caught a Redfish there yesterday and sure enough, Eli, fishing with a jig, hooked up another nice Redfish. He played it perfectly, letting it run when it wanted to, working it in, and soon landing another nice Slot Redfish. We had some great weather this morning, and had a few 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.
I fished yesterday with the Frost's - Steve and Carron, meeting them down at the Sawpit Creek boat rampearly, and good for that - the day turned out very still and hot! We ran up the Nassau and made our first stop at Twin Creeks to fish float rigs and live shrimp and mud minnows on a tide that had been coming in a few hours. We worked that spot and hit a few more along the Nassau and it was Steve that had the hot hand early - he caught a couple of Trout, a small flounder, and then battled a nice Slot sized Redfish to the boat.
We fished down at Pumpkin Hill and both anglers were getting good drifts - we couldn't believe that they weren't getting bites but it seemed the fish had taken a siesta as the tide peaked. .We dropped back to Seymore's Pointe - Carron fishing the jigs while Steve and I tossed floats to the rocks, but again, no real bites.
After running thru Horsehead and over to Poteat Point we worked a grassy bank as the tide started out. This time it was Carron who had the big bites. She first hooked up and battled to the boat a big 20.75" Seatrout - big enough to move her into 2nd place in the Anglers Mark 2025 Bragging Rights Tournament-Seatrout Category (scroll down the right side of this report for standings). Boy what a Trout! Then as we worked forward she had a big bite on red hook baited with a mud minnow and the drag was ripping, Big Fish On! Carron took the fish across the bow, down the port side and around the stern a couple of times. She worked it in, let it run, worked it in, and eventually brought to the net an Oversized 29" Redfish! Shortly after that Steve battled a big fish, too. We were thinking another Redfish but then it made those tale-tale signs of digging deep and holding the bottom and sure enough, it was a Bonnethead Shark. We had some good catches, and great weather, albeit a bit hot, so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
I met the Pinkston boys out at Goffinsville Park boat ramp this morning, Ray and his brothers Tommy and Jimmy. The tide still had a couple of hours of coming in so we made a quick run over to Pumpkin Hill and set up to drift floats and live shrimp with the incoming current along the flooding grass line. I was looking for Trout but all we found was one measly Croaker! We fished down the river a bit then made a move, running down the Nassau River to Twin Creeks and again anchored up to drift the slip floats.
Jimmy was on the stern and after opening his bail, he let his float "go deep" and it paid off - his float disappeared, he slapped his bail, caught up to it, and had a hookup! Jimmy worked it in patiently and landed a nice 17" Seatrout. As it turned out, Tommy would be the Flounder Man today - he expertly landed three 14.75" of them in a row. As we worked down the bank Jimmy had another good bite, lifted to let the circle hook set, and Fish On! He worked it to the boat and landed a nice 25" Slot Redfish. After the crew caught one more just undersized Flounder, we moved on.
After running up to Seymore's and fishing a large outflow as the tide started out, to no avail, we ran thru Horsehead and over to Poteat Cut and again stuck with the floats. At first it was kinda slow but then Tommy picked up a feisty Redfish. I had switched Ray to a mud minnow and after he had cast up above a grassy point, BAM! Float Gone! And Ray had a battle on his hands! He fought the big fish out from the bank, over to the port side, down the gunwale, under the boat and back out into deeper water. The fish ran shallow then deep, but Ray kept the pressure on. He worked it slowly in and eventually landed an Oversized 29.75" bull of a Redfish, boy what a fish!
We stayed there and picked up two more Slot Redfish (to get their limit) and a handful of smaller ones. We then moved back over to Jackstaff and worked one area where the trio added one more Redfish to their catch. We fished Jackstaff "bank" but after a Catfish or two we called it a day and as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
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.
After meeting Cary Bennett and his granddaughters Chloe and Zoe down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp this morning, we made a quick run up the intracoastal to dip into Jackstaff, turn into the current that had just started in, and began to pitch jigs and live shrimp. We worked a good stretch, the trio of anglers were making good casts, and finally Cary had a strong bite, a hookup, and after a patient fight, he landed a nice Slot sized Redfish. And then Chloe followed that up within minutes, expertly landing a 7-spot Redfish.
We then ran thru Horsehead and down to Broward Island to fish the first of an incoming tide down there. Great tide to be there right? We fished three different areas and didn't have a real bite. Ouch. I was beginning to worry a bit. Running back towards Nassauville we passed one spot between two docks that I wanted to fish but a boat was sitting there, so we made our way on down to Seymore's Pointe where Cary and Chloe fished jigs out off the bow and Zoe took up a float rig to try her luck. Cary hooked up right off and landed a nice 17.5" Flounder and minutes later, after Zoe had had a couple of "taps" that took her float under and stole her bait, but then she hooked up! And boy what a fish! That drag was ripping as the big fish dug deep but Zoe was up to the task. She lifted it up, reeled it in, let it run, lifted it up and reeled it in. After a long battle Zoe landed an Oversized 29.25" Redfish for photographs and release. Boy what a fish!
After making our way down the Nassau further to Twin Creeks and all three anglers went to float rigs. Chloe had "gone long" with her drift off the stern and Cary had just started a short drift when Chloe hooked up. She was battling her fish to the boat when Cary hooked up - we had a "double" both landed their fish - two keeper sized Seatrout. We then drifted down the bank with the current and caught fish. They added two more Slot Redfish, a couple of small ones, a couple of hard fighting Jack Crevalle, and Cary battled another wiey Big Redfish. We were already counting him in the boat when he dug shallow and popped the line. Ouch.
We caught fish right up until time to leave and with about four dead shrimp left in the well, we called it day but as we headed back we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
We had the prettiest day all week - sunshine with a just a cloud now and then, not too hot, not too cool, and just a faint amount of breeze to keep the bugs off. After meeting Rich Voelbel and his fishing partner Steve down at Sawpit Creek boat ramp we made our way up the Nassau and ran all the way up to Broward Island to fish the first of an incoming tide - ideal time to be there, but it didn't really pay off. We worked the bank with jigs and live shrimp and the duo of anglers were getting good casts but all we were getting were nibblers until Steve finally "knocked the skunk off" when he had a strong hookup out deep. He played the fish perfectly and fought it to the surface and landed a nice 19.25" Seatrout - they had their big fish of the day (we thought). After moving back up north we fished a spot that we had already fished and Rich outsmarted a feisty Sheepshead and brought it to the boat.
Running back down the Nassau and stopping at Twin Creeks, we switched to float rigs and Rich's first cast produced a high flying Ladyfish, then Steve picked up a hungry Seatrout way back along the grass. We then motored further down the river to Spanish Drop and worked that bank with the float rigs, to no avail.
We followed the tide back up the river to Pumpkin Hill and drifted more marsh grass. Rich had something big roll on his bait but it didn't take. We drifted down another grass line where I felt sure we'd get fish but it was kinda slow until Rich made another cast and his float immediately went out of sight as soon as it hit and, Big Fish On! This fish was digging deep and ripping some drag but Rich kept the pressure up and expertly fought it to the net - a big 23.75" Gator Trout - Big Bertha - and easily the biggest Trout on the Anglers Mark this year which moves Rich into first place in the 2025 Bragging Rights Tournament-Seatrout Category (scroll down the right side of this report for standings).
We fished on down the way and picked up a couple of more Trout or two, then hit a couple of more spots before heading back to the ramp, and as we skimmed over the glassy water, we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
I finished up a great week of fishing yesterday fishing with an all-guys group from Chicago - Wes Metheney, his son Jack and friends PJ and Emmitt. We met down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early and run up the Nassau to make our first stop at a large drainage at Seymore's Pointe. They were getting good drifts with their float rigs on the first of an outgoing tide but we had not a single real bite.
We ran thru Horsehead and over to Poteat Point and here we did get some action with PJ "knocking the skunk off" with a Seatrout catch. We caught a few along there then crossed over and fished an attractive area with a few grassy islands at the mouth of another drainage. This paid off with some more Trout catches - Wes and Jack added to the catch, then Emmit had a strange bite, hooked it up, and landed a nice Flounder. PJ tangled with a big high flying Ladyfish which we boated and released.
After running back thru Horsehead we made our way down to Back River and fished a stretch of marsh grass with the floats then wrapped things up fishing Spanish Drop with jigs and live shrimp. Wes battled a couple of hard fighting Jack Crevalle to the net while Emmitt, fishing off the stern, landed another Trout. We had some beautiful weather, had caught 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.
I went back south today to fish with Glenn and Patti Lanford. We met down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp and quickly got under way - the No SeeUms were about to carry us off! But luckily, as we ran up the river, the breeze picked up and they were never an issue for the rest of the morning. The tide had been going out for about two hours as we eased up to our first stop across from Goffinsville Park and the two anglers began to toss float rigs baited with live shrimp. We worked up and down the bank and they caught a good handful of Seatrout and Redfish. They weren't real big but at least one of the Reds was in the Slot. It was nice to have good action early and not have any "skunk" to worry about!
We ended up hitting 5-6 more spots during the morning and picked up a Trout here and there, had a drag ripping breakoff, caught a couple of small but feisty Black "puppy" Drum, and then hooked and landed a couple of feisty Reds. The sun had shone all day, there was a slight breeze to keep the gnats off, we had some good action early, so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
There was a guy having difficult getting his boat backed in, we came up with a solution!
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.
We had a beautiful sunrise today when I met Steve Locke and his son Justin out at Goffinsville Park this morning. I mentioned to Steve that we were getting some nice Trout and a few small Slot Redfish but we hadn't been getting nay BIG ones. Right. We made a quick run down the river and around to Seymore's Pointe where I thought we'd get some Seatrout on float rigs and shrimp on the first of an outgoing tide. I was wrong - we only had one bite, but no takers. We ran thru Horsehead and over to Poteat Point and here the duo got a few Seatrout. Justin had one take his bait and pulled a bit of drag and after a successful battle Justin landed a nice 17" keeper sized Trout. We eased up the bank and fished a pocket with those float rigs. Steve had made a good cast but the sun was right in our eyes - he peered past the glare and saw his float drift in to the grass and BAM! Fish On! Steve worked 'em out, let the drag rip, then patiently played a nice 20" Slot Red to the net. Just like I had mentioned, "we're getting Slot Reds, but they're not real big".
We fished across the river there with the floats, then ran back up into Jackstaff and fished a drainage, both to no avail. After running back thru Horsehead and down to Twin Creeks we set up and tossed the floats. Not much action, so we switched to jigs and this did the trick. Justin was on the bow and picked up a Slam within 5 minutes - a Seatrout, a Red Drum, and a Black Drum. We moved down the river to a drainage and stuck with the jigs and it was the right call. Justin caught a couple of smaller Reds, then Steve, pitching to a submerged oyster bed, hooked up and landed a feisty Redfish. He went back to the same spot and BAM! Big Fish ripping. This fish was big! I was worried about a crab pot/rope being in the way but Steve worked it out into deeper water where it was safe. He slowly lifted his rod, then let the big fish run, then slowly worked it in, then let it run. The fish ran deep and behind us and got in the current and Steve stayed patient and gradually brought to the net an Oversized 30.5" Redfish, boy what a fish.
Moving down to Spanish Drop we worked back into the current and here Justin got hot tossing his jigs/shrimp to the shell bank. He caught a good handful of Redfish and a few Seatrout as the jigs fell down that shell into deeper water. Steve switched back to a float rig and went long and picked up a Trout. After fishing a few spots along Nassaville we called it a day and heading back to the ramp. we counted ita s another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
I was back to work today, fishing with the Bailey family -David and Allyson and their son John David. We met early up at Old Town Bait and Tackel knowing that the wind was going to be blowing just a bit, and increasing as the day progressed, and it did. Our first stop was down the intracoastal and after dipping into a small creek David and Allyson fished off the stern to some dock pilings. Altough they did have a nibble or two, it was John David off the starboard side who "knocked the skunk off" when he boated and landed a couple of Seatrout, one of which was of keeper size.
We then came out of that creek and ran down to some structure and fished deep. David got on the board when he hooked up and patiently battled to the boat another keeper sized Trout and while he was doing that Allyson hooked up and got here's right to the boat for a "quick release". We eased further up some rocks and again, caught keeper Trout, one of which was just over 20" - they had their big fish. We might have picked up two or three fish there but when we dropped back to the original spot, BAM! They got a good flurry of fish catching. A handful of more Trout and then both David and John David battled and landed a Slot Redfish. Allyson contributed to the pot when she hooked up and expertly landed a big 18" Trout.
After coming back to Fernandina then running way up the Bell River we fished some docks and again found Seatrout deep. I began to count fish to make sure we didn't go over our limit! After adding a couple of more keepers we made our way around to the Jolley River and fished the MOA briefly before heading back to the ramp. We had avoided the wind all morning, had a good box of fish in the boat so we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
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I wrapped my week up fishing with Todd Johnson and his friend Todd "Raleigh" when I met them up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp early. We made a run up the river towards the bridge and dipped into a creek to begin fishing with jigs and live shrimp under some dock pilings This paid off for Raleigh - he pulled a few feisty Redfish out from under that dock. But even better, Todd found a cut to pitch to and it paid off with a couple of big Seatrout catches - they measured right up to 19". Raleigh followed suite and he too picked up a Trout or two.
We came out of that creek and worked further up the intracoastal to fish some structure and again, we found Trout. Both Raleigh and Todd were pitching to a edge of current and letting their jig fall deep with the current and BAM! Trout on. They landed a few there, a couple which were of keeper size, then we move up and Raleigh put another in the boat just shy of 19".
After running all the way back past Fernandina we made our way around to fish the logs of Tyger. We didn't have much action at all until BAM! Big Fish On! Raleigh was on the rod and played it perfectly - he worked it up from the bottom, let it run, worked it up, let it run and soon tired it out and brought to the net a nice 25" Slot Redfish. Raleigh added a couple of small Flounder catches to his tally.
Another faily long run took us up the Bell where we fished some docks. More Trout and lots of them. And the biggest of the day, just over 19". In addition to many smalls that we tossed back this angling duo rounded out their limit of 5 keeper Trout apiece. We had caught a bunch of fish and had enough for them to feed their families so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fising here at Amelia Island, Florida.
I picked up the Stettner crew this morning over at Oyster Bay -Robert and his friends Mark and Kirk. We then made the run over to Tyger Island and set up to fish jigs and live shrimp as the tide started back in. It wasn't long before this trio of anglers were catching fish. They put a couple of keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum in the boat, a couple of small but feisty Redfish, a handful of hungry Seatrout, one of which was of keeper size, then Mark battled to the boat a nice 24.5" Slot sized Redfish.
After fishing up and down the island for a good while, we made the run around to the Jolley River and fished a stretch of still exposed shell with float rigs and shrimp and then jigs and shrimp, but to no avail. The wind had picked up and our drifts just weren't....drifting!
A final run around to Bell River did the trick. I was expecting to get Seatrout on the back side of some dock pilings but it was on the front side where Robert found a "honey hole" he had a strong hookup, one that ripped some drag and we knew that if it was a Trout it was a big one, and sure enough, that's what it was, a nice 19" Trout. Robert pulled two three more big Trout out of that same spot before it fell off. After fishing another couple of docks we headed back and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
