BOOM! Topwater Trout!

Today was one of those mornings where the conditions just felt right for some topwater action so when Johan Falkman and his father-in-law Warren Philipps met me at the Big Talbot Island Park boat ramp we tied on some imitation mullet topwater lures and headed up to Jackstaff in the Horsehead area to fish the last of an incoming tide.  Johan had just made his 2nd cast with his TFO Tactical Spinning Rod and as he slowly "walked the dog", BOOM!  Fish On!  The big trout smashed the lure and it was instant hookup. Johan played the
fish patiently and we soon netted a nice 18" Seatrout.   We continued to work the flooded oyster beds and had numerous blowups, hits and spits and hooked up with a couple of more Seatrout.   Warren switched to a jig and mud minnowcombo and this did the trick for him as he caught Seatrout, Ladyfish, Flounder,  a small Black Tip Shark and then rounded out his Amelia Island back country Slam with a nice Slot Redfish.  We ran around to Bubblegum Reef and picked up a couple more Seatrout and a couple of Jack Crevalle, then moved down to Spanish Drop where we caught a couple of more Trout and a keeper sized Flounder then we made our final stop back in Jackstaff where Johan added an even bigger Seatrout (20"), picked up on the bottom on a jig and shrimp.  With that, we called it a day, another great one to be out on Amelia Island waters!
 

Slam and a Shark

Tropical storm Audrey passed through yesterday and left today sunny with only a nice breeze to fish in.  I met Jeremy Price and his son Aason at the Atlantic Seafood dock early this morning and we headed north with just a couple of hours until high tide.  We made a stop outside of Tiger Island, fished some topwater lures but had now strikes at all.  When we switched to live shrimp under a float things picked up and Aason landed "the poor man's Tarpon", a Ladyfish.  Jeremy added a hard fighting Jack Crevalle then picked up a small Seatrout and another Ladyfish.  Then Aason had a really good bite and he played the fish expertly and landed a keeper sized Seatrout.  And just a few minutes later Jeremy had a good bite too and landed a keeper sized Flounder.  We moved closer to the mouth of Tiger, picked up another Ladyfish, a Jack, and a Seatrout then we made a run up in to Jolley River to fish a small marsh run out with no luck.  Our next stop was Snook Creek and I switched the anglers to a jig and shrimp combo and this paid off because Aason hooked up with something big and the fight was on!  He played the big fish patiently and went from port to starboard on the bow and back again, and again.  The fish made a couple of runs but Aason kept the pressure on and after a good battle we landed a nice 2'+ Bonnethead Shark.  We fished the mouth of Jolley, caught a couple of hungry Seatrout then Jeremy had his float disappear and he too had a good battle, landing a Redfish, just barely under the slot.  This Red gave the anglers an Amelia Island back country Slam of Trout, Flounder and Redfish.  With that, we called it a day, another great one to be out on Amelia Island waters!

Amelia Island Honeymoon Shark Catch

Catlin and Lesley Stults are staying at the Elizabeth Pointe Lodge  here on Amelia Island for their honeymoon and took in an Amelia Island back country fishing trip on The Anglers Mark this morning.  It was overcast but we had very little wind and a high outgoing tide so we headed up to the outside of Tiger Island and fished with top water lures.  The anglers were getting numerous "spits" at the lures and Lesley hooked up with a hungry Bluefish and a hard fighting Jack Crevalle.  Catlin had a couple of
huge hits but they didn't "hook"!  We made a run up to Jolley River, fished with the top waters briefly then switched to live shrimp under a float.  It wasn't long before both Catlin and Lesley had caught a few Trout.  We ran further up into the river and fished a large creek with jigs and shrimp and Catlin caught a couple of Trout then both anglers rods bent and their drags began to rip, FISH ON!  We had a double hookup!  Lesley was on the stern fighting a big fish and Catlin was on the bow fighting one, too!  They were going 'round and 'round the boat - Lesley's eventually broke off but Catlin was able to land his 3 foot plus Bonnethead Shark.  And shortly after Lesley hooked up again!   She played this fish patiently and after a long 6 minute battle (It took me a while to turn the video on) she landed an even bigger Shark!  We fished further up in to Jolley, had some good bites but no takers, made our last stop at Tiger Island, then called it a day, another great one to be out on Amelia Island waters!

Amelia Island Honeymoon

Kaitlyn Stover started her marriage off right by arranging an Amelia Island back country fishing for her new Hampton Inn and Suites located just across the street from the dock where I picked them up this morning at 7am.  We headed up to the Jolley River and began to fish a flooded oyster banks with topwater lures and live shrimp under a float as the tide moved out.  Travis did have a big blow up at his lure but the fish just didn't "hook"!  Although we had a few nibbles on the shrimp and picked up one Croaker, we moved on up the river to the MOA (Mother of All) spots and here we found some action.  Travis was the first to hookup,

fishing a jig and shrimp slowly on the bottom and picked up hungry Seatrout.  Then he hooked up again and again, landing keeper sized Trout.  Kaitlyn got in on the action and reeled in a few keeper sized Trout, too.  Then we had a strong hookup and the drag began to rip out, FISH ON!  Kaitlyn slowed the big fish down then handed the rod over to Travis who worked the rod and reel combo patiently to wear out the fish.  It took a few tries for me to get this big Bonnethead in the boat, but eventually we did and snapped some great pictures. Travis later caught a coupe of more hungry Trout then picked up  Sheepshead.  We moved back down Jolley, fished a great looking oyster bank then made a quick run to Tiger Island where we landed three keeper sized Flounder.  With that, we called it a day, another great one to be out on Amelia Island waters.
husband Travis.  The couple are staying at the

This is NOT a Tall Fish Tale

It was almost dead low tide when Jay Gyer, his father-in-law Fred and I left the City marina this morning to head over to the Tiger Island logs.  We began ease along the bank from the south end of the island, pitching jigs and live shrimp to the fully exposed logs.  Fred hooked up with a hungry Seatrout and shortly after Jay's line went taught and even though it appeared he had an oyster clump or loose tree limb - it pulled back!  He fought the fish to the surface and we netted a keeper sized Flounder. 
Then Fred hooked up and it too stayed deep -didn't fight too much at first-but when the fish got close to the boat it began to bull deep down.  Fred had a huge fight on his hands as the fish went around the boat and pulled deep again and again.  But Fred was patient and eventually we landed a 7 1/2lb 24" Sheepshead!  Boy what a fish-the biggest I've had on my boat in long while.  We made a run up to Jolley bank, fishing the first of an incoming tide and Jay picked up a Puppy Drum while Fred landed another couple of Seatrout.  We fished further up into Jolley with no real luck then worked our way back to fish a small creek.  This time Jay had a strong hookup and his line ripped from one direction to another then went deep and then ripped back again - SHARK ON!  He played the big fish patiently and a after a lengthy battle on light tackle gear, we netted a 36" Bonnethead Shark.  We made one more stop then headed in, counting it as another great day to be out on Amelia Island waters!

Big Trout Makes the Trip

Chris and Talitha Foster had arranged a fishing trip on The Anglers Mark this morning so I met Chris and their two kids Jacob and Rebekah at the Atlantic Seafood dock down at the Fernandina Harbor marina at 7am and headed up to the Jolly River, getting there about two hours after the tide had been coming in. We started fishing Jolley bank with the oysters still showing, tossing jigs and shrimp and Temptation Bait Ribbed Shrimp.  The young anglers were fishing the shrimp and picked up a couple of hungry Croakers then Rebekah thought she had an oyster clump but it started pulling back!  She worked the fish in and we netted a cool Stingray!  Then Chris started getting hot with the Temptation Shrimp, catching a small Trout, a big Croaker and then a nice keeper sized Flounder.  Rebekah picked up a hungry Trout then Jacob's rod bent over and his drag zipped and we had a battle on our hands.  The feisty fish made a run under the boat so his dad held the line out as I lifted the trolling motor...and the fight was on again!  Jacob played the fish perfectly and we soon netted a nice Bonnethead Shark.  We made a run on further up Jolley, fished a large creek mouth, then ran back to the Tiger Island logs. Here Rebekah  was fishing deep with her jig and Shrimp and had a good bite.  She quietly played the fish as it made strong runs behind the stern of the boat but Rebekah kept the pressure on and we netted a nice big 19" Seatrout!  She landed one more Trout before we ran outside of Tiger,  tried some float rigs, then headed in, counting it as another great day to be out on Amelia Island waters!

Recipe of the Month: Susan's Amelia Island Seatrout Cakes

This from Amelia Island resident Susan Hitchcock..."This recipe is derived from Chesapeake Bay Crab Cakes from when I
lived on Tilghman Island, Maryland.  I used Striped Bass in the original recipe but thought Sea Trout would work fine, and it did!"

Sprinkle Lemon Pepper seasoning on two large Seatrout fillets
Bake at 350 degrees for about 12-15 minutes until the fish is flakey.

Roughly crumble in bowl when cooled.  Do not mash - you want to have some large lumps.

Indgredients:
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 small celery stalk, diced
1/4 cup Hellman's mayonnaise
1 Tblspn Horseradish
1 Tblspn Honey Mustard
2 Tblspns Italian Bread Crumbs
Salt, Lemon Pepper seasoning to taste

Saute  first three ingredients in oil until soft and slightly browned Add to fish.  Add next six ingredients to fish.  Mix together to form 3 cakes.  Dredge cakes in more bread crumbs just to coat  Sautee in Canola oil until brown and crispy.

Serve on French Hamburger roll browned under broiler with Romaine, Tomato and added mayonnaise or remoulade sauce.

NOTE:  Susan is currently the leader in my Anglers Mark 2013 Bragging Rights Tournament - Seatrout category, see the big fish HERE!  She also is an artist and her work can be seen at Wings Across the Water.

Bragging Rights Claimed

Capt Steve Hair and his wife Wanda of Ye Ole Pirate set me up with a group of young men today to fish the back waters of Amelia Island.  We left the marina this morning with the wind already blowing and headed up Bell River to get loosened up with some float rigs and  live shrimp on an extremely high tide - and it was still coming in!  These were tough conditions for back water but these anglers were game and were enjoying just being out on the water.  With the wind blowing, fishing the
float rigs was tough so we made a move to the Tiger Island logs which blocked the wind but we had a half a dozen boats for company.  Using jigs and shrimp, young Michael got things started off fairly quickly by landing a hungry Flounder to get the "skunk off the boat".  A little later his brother Roy hooked up with another fish which turned out to be a keeper sized Flounder.  Although the anglers were getting a few bites we decided to make a run on up Bell River to fish the docks, thinking that maybe the land mass would block the wind.  It didn't.  But we settled in
to fish anyway tossing both the jigs and float rigs.  Justin was using one of the jig rods and he briefly snagged on a submerged oyster bed but then it came off and when it did, ZZZZZZZ, FISH ON!  And boy was it a big one!  Justin played the fish perfectly and patiently as it made bull runs, one after another.  The wind was rocking the boat and I finally gave up on the trolling motor and let the wind push us right up into the grass as Justin fought the fish.  Roy was on the net and as the fish tired he scooped it up to be measured, photographed and released because this big boy was too big to keep - 31" long!  This vaulted Justin into first place in The Anglers Mark 2013 Bragging Rights Tournament - Redfish Category (scroll down right side of this report for standings).  This fish is also beating last years big Red by 1/2"!    We fished a few docks, caught some "bait stealers" and a small Trout (giving the anglers an Amelia Island Back Country Slam) then headed up to the Jolley River. Fishing a large marsh run out, Chris developed the "hot rod" and picked up a handful of Seatrout jigging on the bottom and eventually landed a nice fat 17" Seatrout.  With that, we called it a day, another great one to be out on Amelia Island waters!

OK Folks It's Time To Go....

FISH ON!  That's the way our fishing trip ended today - with Kelly Marsteller and her boyfriend Jeff Woodall fishing on  The Anglers Mark in the back waters of Amelia Island.   Kelly and Jeff were staying at The Hampton Inn and Suites in downtown Fernandina Beach so all they had to do was step out and meet me just across the street at the Fernandina Harbor Marina this morning.  We headed up the river and made our first stop on the outside of Tiger Island.  Jeff was tossing a topwater lure and Kelly was fishing a live shrimp under a float.  Jeff had a couple of hits at his lure and Kelly
picked up an angry Jack Crevalle. We moved on around to the mouth of Tiger and Kelly picked up a couple of undersized but hungry Seatrout.  We made a run to the Jolley Bank and here Jeff got on the board with a keeper sized Seatrout, now fishing the shrimp under a float. We ran further up into Jolley and trolled a good looking bank and it paid off when Jeff's float disappeared and he had a good fight on his hands.  He played the fish patiently and we soon netted a big 19.5" Seatrout!  We moved on up into a creek, picked up another Trout or two, then ran back to the mouth of Jolley and fished the first of an outgoing tide.  Kelly caught a larger Jack but other than that, not much more was biting.  The sun was getting hot and just as I had said, "OK folks, it's time to go",  Kelly yelled "FISH ON! and it was a big one!  She fought the fish from stern to bow and back to stern and patiently worked the fish into the net - a big 20.5" Seatrout!  With that, we called it a day, another great one to be out on Amelia Island waters!

Rusty Hook Trout

George Bowlin was back fishing Amelia Island back country waters with son-in-law Jerry and their friend Ray, all from the Lake Butler area.  We met early at the Atlantic Seafood dock down at the Fernandina Beach city marina and headed up to the Jolley River on the very last of an incoming tide.  The water was high and up in the grass but it was a still as a lake and these anglers were eager to catch some fish.  Ray was the first to hook up catching a high flying Ladyfish and then a hard biting
Blue on live shrimp under a float.  Then Jerry worked a mullet-like topwater over a submerged oyster bed and BAM!  FISH ON!  The Trout had hit the lure furiously and put up a good battle but Jerry brought the keeper sized Trout to the net.  George had been fishing with a red-headed Zara Spook Jr. and wasn't getting any bites so he also switched to a float/shrimp setup and landed a couple of smaller Trout and Ladyfish.  Jerry landed another keeper sized Trout, this one
a little bigger than the first, then we moved on up the Jolley to fish a marsh run-out, but we had no real bites.  We hit the MOA and although there was some fierce feeding up near the bank we had no bites we moved back around to Snook Creek and as we reached a grassy point, BOOM!  George had a ferocious blast at his topwater lure (that may have had some rusty hooks).  This was a big Trout and George played it patiently.  He soon landed a nice 21.5" Seatrout - his first saltwater fish on a topwater lure - and a fish that puts him in 3rd place in the Anglers Mark 2013 Bragging Rights Tournament - Seatrout category (scroll down right side of this report for standings).  Seconds later Ray hooked up and brought 18" Trout.  We moved back down to the mouth of Jolley and now the oysters were showing.  Ray had good strong hookups fishing the float rig and shrimp - had nice Trout to the boat and then and even nicer Redfish to the boat but they threw the hook as I began to net them. But Ray persevered and when his float disappeared a 3rd time he worked this fish in smoothly and we netted a nice 18" Redfish - the only Red in the boat all day.  We continued to work the bank and the anglers picked up a couple of more Redfish, small Trout and a Jack Crevalle then we called it a day, another great one to be out on Amelia Island waters.