First Red Big Red

Young Harrison Davis was chomping at the big to get out on the Amelia Island back waters this morning so when he and his dad Glen met me at the dock we wasted no time heading north on the first of an incoming tide.  It took only a few casts to hookup with a nice fish and Harrison reeled in his first Redfish ever!  What a great way to start out a fishing trip!  Then it was Glen's turn and this was a Big fish!  His rod bent double and the drag sang, FISH ON!  He played the big fish patiently and with Harrison on the catch net, they soon landed a nice 24" Slot Redfish!  Harrison had declared it a "catch and  release" day so all fish caught were returned to be caught another day.  From then on the anglers were getting bites and landed a good handful of Seatrout with one measuring to 18", placing Glen on the board of my Anglers Mark 2014 Bragging Rights Tournament (scroll down right side of this report for standings).  Harrison had quickly gotten the hang of the jig fishing and caught a few of the Trout and then caught and landed a Weakfish, something we haven't seen in a while. We also had a sighting of the resident Atlantic Salt Marsh Mink.  After the bite slowed we made our way around to another creek and Glen immediately began to catch fish, first a feisty Redfish then BOOM, a Big Redfish!  This fish took Glen from the bow to the stern and back and under but Glen worked the big fish like a pro and won this epic battle!  Harrison was on the net again and hoisted in the big 26.25" Redfish, putting Glen on the board of the Bragging Rights Tournament - Redfish Category.  Glen ended up having the biggest fish but Harrison put more variety in the boat, landing Redfish, Seatrout, Weakfish and a hungry Black Drum.  With that, we called it a day, another great one to be out on Amelia Island waters.

Setting the Bar High

Bob Brumback and I debated about fishing this morning with weather reports calling for a good chance of rain and winds to gust 10-15mph.  But we figured we could get some fishing in before the bigger storms passed through so we met at the City marina and headed out with a baitwell full of live shrimp on the very first of an incoming tide.  We made our first stop and after I pointed out some pertinent landmarks, Bob made his first cast, a perfect one, and BAM!  FISH ON!  He played the big fish patiently and after some deep runs landed a nice 26.25" Redifsh!  Now that's the way to start a day!  He continued to fish and had hookup up after hookup.  His first four fish in the boat three slots and one oversized at 28", which put him firmly in the lead of my Anglers Mark Bragging Rights Tournament, Redfsih Category (scroll down right side of this report for standings).  Bob picked up a couple of "feisty" Redfish then the Seatrout turned on and we landed a good handful of them with most 15"-18" long.  Then Bob had a strange bite and caught a keeper sized Sheepshead that rounded out his Amelia Island Back Country Slam.  After adding another keeper sized Sheepshead and a few more Trout, we headed over to a new spot where the big Redfish bite continued. Bob caught big Red after Big Red and had another handful of the "rat" Reds.  We kept track of the big ones and ended the day with a count of 8 Slot Redfish and one oversized Redfsih which set the bar high for future anglers on The Anglers Mark!  All told we probably had about 30 fish and all were released to be caught another day!

HOT Amelia Island Fishing in February

A list minute trip proved to be successful this morning and with the temperatures getting up well into the 70's the fish catching was red hot, too!  I had met Didier De Bruyne at the Atlantic Seafood dock early this morning and we headed north to fish some structure as the tide was coming in.  Didier was tossing live shimp on a jig, fished on the bottom slowly and it wasn't long before he began to get bites and then hookups. He boated a nice keeper sized Seatrout early then a whole handful of feisty Redfish then a very nice keeper sized Sheepshead which put up a nice fight.  Then he had even a stronger bite and the battle was on!  Didier played the big fish expertly and eventually we netted a nice big 26.25" Redfish!  This fish put Didier into a tie for 2nd place in the Anglers Mark 2014 Bragging Rights Tournament (scroll down right side of this report for standings).  We continued to fish and continued to put them in the boat, adding a few more keeper sized Seatrout, another handful of smaller but feisty Redfish, another Slot Redfish (22") and a few more Sheepshead with one of those being about 20".  As the tide got up the bite slowed so we ran around to Lanceford Creek to fish some flooded oyster beds.  Even though it was absolutely calm and peaceful we had no real bites on our live shrimp under floats, so we called it a day, another great one to be out on Amelia Island waters!

Big Red Tops a Slam

I had the opportunity to fish this afternoon too, and met Jerry Itzkoff and his friend Steve at the City marina at noon to fish the first of an outgoing tide.  We went slightly up Bell River and fished some flooded oysters with float rigs and live shrimp, but had no real bites.  Our next stop was outside of Tiger Island, again fishing float rigs, and again no bites!  We move on to deeper water and switched to jigs and this did the trick as Jerry picked up a nice fat keeper sized Seatrout.  We continued to fish the structure and had a few bites but then Jerry hooked up with a BIG fish, FISH ON!  He said it was just a subtle nibble but this fish was putting up a fight.  Jerry played the fish patiently and after an extended battle we netted a "Tournament Red", measuring in at 26.25"!  Boy what a fish! This fish put Jerry into 2nd place in the Anglers Mark 2014 Bragging Rights Tournament(scroll down right side of this report for standings).   After fishing the area a little longer we made a run to fish Jolley Bank but had no real bites.  Our last stop was at some docks in Bell River and after getting one bite, Jerry hooked up and put in the boat a feisty Sheepshead to round out his personal Amelia Island back Country Slam.  With that, we called it a day, another great one to be out on Amelia Island waters!

First Fish, Most Fish, Biggest Fish, Smallest Fish

I had met Jeff Kantor and his wife Melinda, along with their daughter Shona and her husband Travis down at the Atlantic Seafood dock this morning to get in some Amelia Island back country fishing.  We had a tide midway from coming in so we headed north to fish some structure while it was still visible.  It happens a lot in the spring but it really helps when the "demo" cast with the jig and shrimp pics up a fish and that's what happened today!  Melinda worked the nice fish in, a keeper sized Seatrout.  From then on we had a good number of hookups with both Jeff, Melinda and Shona putting feisty Redfish in the boat.  The anglers jockeyed for position to hit the "hot spot" and we caught fish for about an hour and a half.  Travis finally elbowed his way in, had a few good bites, then, FISH ON!  This was a larger fish that didn't want to be caught but Travis played it perfectly and after a good battle we netted a 19.75" Sheepshead, which rounded out the groups Amelia Island Back Country Slam! This fish also put Travis in 3rd place in the Anglers Mark 2014 Bragging Rights Tournament -Redfish Category (scroll down right side of this report to see standings).  After picking up a couple of more Reds we moved out to fish some flooded oyster beds and Jeff caught the last two Seatrout of the day.  We all commented that each could claim title to "First Fish,  Most Fish, Biggest Fish, and Smallest Fish"!  We wrapped up the trip by touring Cumberland Island to see the wild horses, made a stop by Fort Clinch, and watched as a submarine was escorted into the channel.  What a great way to wrap up an Amelia Island fishing trip!

Slot Redfish Makes the Day

We rescheduled Saturday's afternoon trip to this morning due to wind issues.  I met Nick Peet and his girlfriend Julia at Atlantic Seafood early this morning and even though it was somewhat chilly, there was only a slight breeze and not a cloud in the sky.  We hit "Temptation Cove" south of Rayonier on the last of an incoming tide but had no real bites on live shrimp under a float then we headed up Lanceford Creek to fish some flooded oyster beds but again, no real bites.  Moving back up the river we fished  a couple of docks with jigs and shrimp then eased along a grass line, back to tossing float rigs in 4' of water.  With almost two hours into the fishing trip and no real bites I was  glad to see Julia's float go under and her rod bend - we got a fish!  Whooeee!  Julia played the fish perfectly and as I was about to net this keeper sized Trout, Nick hooked up and he had a fish on, too!  Nick worked his bigger Trout to the boat and we netted it for a "double Trout" picture.  We made a run around to Tiger Island, fished some more flooded oysters, then moved into Tiger Basin to switch back to jigs and fish on the bottom.  I think Nick's first cast produced a nice feisty Redfish!  And on his 2nd cast, boom!  Redfish.  Julia elbowed Nick out of the way and put her bait up near the structure and in a few short seconds, FISH ON!  This was a bigger fish and took some patience to work it in and Julia did great.  After a good battle we netted a nice 21.5" Slot Redfish, Julia's first ever.  This fish moved Jilia into 2nd place in the Anglers Mark 2014 Bragging Rights Tournament - Redfsih Category (scroll down right side of this report for standings).  We continued to fish the area and in addtion to the anglers catching a few more of the Reds on jigs and shimp, Nick picked up one on a weighted chartreuse plastic shrimp.   The sun had warmed things up as we headed in, so we counted it as another great day to be out on Amelia Island waters!

Three Casts, Three Redfish

Come on Spring!  When Cheryl and Richard Freshour and I left the dock this morning at 11am the water temperature was 49!  But we had some good sunshine and very little wind.  We made our way north to fish the outgoing tide.  The oysters hadn't started showing but both Cheryl and Richard started off tossing jigs and shrimp, fishing the bottom real slow.  On Richard's first cast had a nice hookup with a feisty Redfish!  2nd cast?  Hookup!  3rd cast?  Hookup!  You can't hardly beat a start like that.  That's not only knocking the skunk off the boat but giving it a good boot in the rear, too!  From then on both anglers had good hookups with feisty Redfish.  Cheryl hooked up with one and this time the drag sang, FISH ON!  She played the big  fish patiently but it was a wiley old fish and eventually found some structure to cut the line, OUCH!  But later, Richard had a  big one and the fight was on!  He played the fish from the stern of the boat, to the bow, and back to the stern.   The big fish ran deep and hugged the bottom but Richard kept the pressure on.  After a long battle Richard subdued the beast and we finally netted a Big 26.75' Redfish!  Boy what a fish!  This fish put Richard firmly in 1st place in the Anglers Mark 2014 Bragging Rights Tournament, Redfish Category (scroll down right side of this report for standings).  Not long after this fish was releasead, BOOM!  FISH ON!  Another Big Redfish!  Richard again fought this fish to the net, a nice 26.5" Redfish!  We continued to fish the area and picked up a few more feisty Reds then Cheryl landed the only two Seatrout of the day, caught in 30' of water, on the bottom.  We hit a couple of more spots but the bite was over so we called it a day, another great one to be out on Amelia Island waters!

We Got a Double! A Triple!

When you've got February days that are forecast to get into the low 70's and with only slight breezes, what do you do?  Go Fishing! This morning I met Mike and Ann Austin down at the City marina along with Mike's sister Susan and her husband Tom.  We headed out of the marina with sunny skies, no wind, and a tide that had been dropping for a couple of hours.  Our first stop was up Lanceford Creek and the anglers were tossing live shrimp n 1/4oz jigs.  It took a little while but the bite turned on.  Tom knocked the "skunk" off the boat by hooking up and landing a nice keepr sized Sheepshead.  Both both Ann and Susan and then Tom added some fiesty Redfish to the catch.  We relocated and Mike's rod heated up as he landed two nice Red's.  Tom was fishing deep and it wasn't long before he put the first Seatrout that we've had in a couple of weeks into the boat.  We made a run around to Tiger Island and here the anglers had good catches of Seatrout.  Most were caught deep in 25'30' of water, on the bottom.  At one point Susan yelled, "I got a bite", then Ann added "me too"!  We had a double hookup but as they were fighting their fish, Tom yelled, "fish on"! And we had a triple hookup!
What a great way to wrap up a beautiful fishing day at Amelia Island, Florida!

From Fog to Fish

Who would have thought we'd have such a beautiful afternoon just a few days from one of the worst stormsthat hit the southeast in years?  I met Michael Purser and his wife Robin at the Atlantic Seafood dock this afternoon with plans to fish the outgoing tide.  With only a slight breeze and temperatures in the 70's we headed north and surprisingly, we had to navigate some dense fog to get to our first spot - a marsh outflow just outside of Tiger Island.  The anglers started off tossing live shrimp under a float on water like glass, but had now real bites.  We then attempted three new spots but the recreational anglers were out in force

this beautiful day so we ran way back into Bell River to get some solitude.  It took lot of casting but Robin and Michael's patience paid off when Robin hooked up with a nice feisty Redfish that was just under the Slot.  A little later she put another one in the boat, identical size.  But the third time was the charm and we all knew this fish was big!  Robin worked the fish patiently (and despite Michael and my coaching) soon landed a nice Big 21.25" Sheepshead!  Boy what a fish!  Both the Redfish and Sheepshead put Robin in the standings of the Anglers Mark 2014 Bragging Rights Tournament (scroll down the right side of this report for standings). We made a couple of more stops then headed in, counting it as another great day to be out on Amelia Island waters!

Recipe of the Month: Lo Country Boil

I was asked to cook up a pot of Lo Country Boil today for a group of 25!  I don't know if the temperature got over 40 today so it was some great comfort food to sit down to.  This was one batch:

4      T  Old Bay Seasoning

2     Cap fulls Zatarains liquid seasoning

1/2  Stick butter

8      lbs small red potatoes

3      16 oz smoked sausage (fully cooked)  cut into 1 inch pieces

4      Medium Onions quartered through root stem

10    Ears corn,  halved

2      Lemons  quartered

4      lbs shrimp

(This actually took  about 1hr 45 minutes from when fire was lit till done.  Maybe because it was so cold outside!)

Add water,  seasonings, butter,  to large pot of water filled half full .                                   

Bring to a rolling boil.

Add potatoes and sausage, lemons and cook   10-15  minutes                                               

Add Onions ,  cook  5 minutes                                                                      

Add corn,  cook    10 minutes                                                                                                    

Add Shrimp,  cook 3-5 minutes.  Don’t overcook                                                                

Drain and serve.