Big Fish On

Another beautiful day greeted us this morning down at the City marina when I met Rachel Longcrier, Marcus, Patrick and Ashley for a day of Amelia Island back country fishing.  We headed up to the Jolley River to fish the very first of an outgoing tide using live shrimp and minnows under a float rig.  We had only been fishing short while when Rachel had a hookup and landed a nice hungry Seatrout.  But just after that Patrick too had a hookup and his was a nice 18" Trout of legal size.  We continued to fish Jolley Bank, had a few nibbles, but no takers so we headed further up the river.  The water was draining out of the marsh and at the outflows were where the anglers were getting bites.  Ashley got in on the action and landed a nice Seatrout.  All the anglers were making good casts to the marsh line but Patrick's happened to be at the right spot at the right time.  When his float disappeared and the rod bent double we knew he had a big fish, FISH ON!  He played the big fish patiently as it made deep run after deep run but Patrick kept the pressure on and after a good battle landed a 26.75"  "Tournament Redfish" - it'd have been a great one to enter into a Redfish Tournament!  Boy what a fish!  We continued to fish the area and later Patrick put another keeper sized Trout in the boat, caught on a jig and minnow fished deep.  We made a last run to Tiger Island logs where both Patrick and Marcus had good hookups then Ashley hooked up and landed a hungry Flounder to round out the anglers Amelia Island Back Country Slam of Redfish, Seatrout and Flounder. With that, we called it a day, another great one to be out on Amelia Island waters.

Nice Slot Red Makes the Day

Repeat customer Charles Butler was home from Afghanistan and treated his two sons -Trey and Trenton -  to a morning of Amelia Island back country fishing today and he couldn't have picked a better day.  We went a little later due to an early high tide and headed up to Jolley River to fish an flooded oyster bank.  Although the conditions were perfect, the anglers had no real bites.  We ran further up the river and this did the trick.  We hadn't been fishing long when Charles tossed his live shrimp under a float up to a marsh run out and the float disappeared!  He played the feisty fish perfectly and landed a nice Redfish.  Shortly after that he put a hungry Seatrout in the boat.  Then he had a bite and had his shrimp robbed but then Trey had a good bite.  This fish bent his rod over and made the drag on the reel sing, FISH ON!  He worked the fish patiently to the boat and eventually landed a nice Slot 25.5" Redfish!  The same scenario happened shortly after that with Charles getting a nibble, then Trey hooking up with a nice fish!  He landed another Slot Red, this one 18.25" and we let the FWC officer measure this one as he had just pulled up as we were landing the fish!  He was legal!  Trenton got in on the action and caught another feisty Redfish.  The anglers picked up a couple of more fish then we made a run to Bell River where Charles put a handsized Sheepshead in the boat and Trenton landed a Croaker.  Then we headed in, counting it as another great day to be out on Amelia Island waters!

First Shark of the Year

I fished this morning with Keith McFadden and his friend Tammy, meeting them down at the Big Talbot Island Park boat ramp early this  morning.  There was a little bit more breeze than I expected but it did keep the gnats (no-see-ums) off of us when we made our first stop up Jackstaff.  The duo were tossing live shrimp  under floats and had a few nibbles then Keith landed a keeper sized Whiting.  But when Tammy's float began to bob we thought it'd be another Whiting or maybe a Trout.  But it finally went under and when she tightened down on her line we realized it was a BIG fish!  FISH ON!  She fought the fish around the boat, from starboard to port and back again.  I was thinking Redfish but it never boiled up and stayed deep.  Tammy worked the fish patiently and after a good battle we saw that it was 3 1/2' Bonnethead Shark.  After landing the beast and getting pictures we tossed it back to be caught another day.  We fished Jackstaff Bank where Keith landed not one, but two keeper sized Flounder and a Seatrout.  We made a run around to Nassau River to fish the Twin Creeks but had no real bites then we ran up to Broward Island.  Boy, the wind had picked up out of the South and with the current running even harder it made the fishing tough.  But these anglers were game and managed to pull two Redfish and a Sheepshead out of the logs, rounding out their Amelia Island Back Country Grand Slam of Flounder, Seatrout, Redfish and Sheepshead. But they weren't done!  We made one last stop at some docks at Seymore's Pointe and Keith added to the pot by hooking up and landing a feisty Black Drum.  I guess that made it a "Super Grand Slam"!  With that, we called it a day, another great one to be out on Amelia Island waters!

Ryan Seatrout and the Redfish Kid

I fished today with Randy Hilyard and his two sons Ryan and Justin, meeting them at Atlantic Seafood and then making a run up to Jolley River to fish some flooded oyster beds with live shrimp under a float rig.
We hadn't  been fishing but a few minutes when Ryans float disappeared and he had a hookup!  Ryan worked the fish in to the net -a nice Seatrout.  Later he added another one and also had a feisty Redfish.  Justin got in on the action when his bait was taken and he hooked up with a hard fighting fish. He and his dad patiently played the fish and landed keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum (all fish caught today were returned to the water to be caught another day).  We moved around to the MOA spot and again Ryan caught a Seatrout.  Their dad Randy was working with both boys and had them making excellent casts.  We made our last stop at Tiger Island.  Ryan had been catching most of the Seatrout and Justin turned out to be "the Redfish Kid" -landing a couple of more feisty Redfish garnering his own personal Amelia Island Back Country Slam of Seatrout, Redfish and Drum.  Ryan put a hungry Sheepshead in the boat and got his Slam of Redfish, Seatrout and Sheepshead. With that, we called it a day, another great one to be out on Amelia Island waters!

First Red Big Red

We had a beautiful morning down at the Big Talbot Island boat ramp when I met Lisa Cooper and her son Brendan for a day of Amelia Island back country fishing.  We headed up the Amelia River then cut in to Jackstaff to fish the still flooded oysters with live shrimp under a float.  It was about he first or second cast when Lisa's float disappeared and FISH ON!  But no, FISH OFF!  But Brendan went in right afterwards and his float disappeard too!  This time he had a good hookup and after playing the fish patiently, landed an nice keeper sized Flounder!  We continued to fish the area and both anglers landed hungry Seatrout.  Our next stop was at the Twin Creeks in Nassau River and although it looked promising, we had no real bites.  We then fished a still flooded Bubblegum Reef and had a few bites but no real takers.  Our next stop was the logs of Broward Island.  The current was really rushing out due to a SW wind but these anglers persevered.  Brendan was really working the bank and when he got the hang of the bite, hooked up and landed a sneaky Sheepshead to garner his Amelia Island Back Country Slam.  But he wasn't finished!  We fished and fished the downed logs and although we were getting nibbles we just weren't getting fish.  As we were about to leave Brendan made a final cast to the bank and as he slowly worked it back, BAM! FISH ON!  And boy was it a fish.  He patiently worked the fish even as it made a run deep then got back in the current to it's advantage.  When it came to the surface we all saw that it was a Big Redfish!  Brendan slowly worked it in and eventually landed the oversized 29.5" Redfish!  That's the way to wrap up an Amelia Island back country fishing trip!

Seatrout Make the Day

I had another group of guys yesterday afternoon and they too were taking a break from business.  We headed up to fish the flooded oyster beds outside of Tiger Island.  Jeff knocked the skunk off by landing a hungry Bluefish then Jason followed it up -putting a couple of more Blues in the boat and a Seatrout.  Then Chris found  a feisty Redfish up near the grass and brought it to the boat.  We made a run up to Jolley River and BOOM, BOOM!  Both Chris and Jason put fat keeper sized Seatrout in the boat, fishing live shrimp under floats.  We ran further up the river, had a tussle with a Gar fish, and picked up a another Trout.  Our last stop was back at Tiger Island logs and here things really heated up as the tide had dropped.  Both Jeff and Steve got in on the action, landing Sheepshead of keeper size and Steve also put a nice feisty Redfish in the boat.  Chris and Jason found some hungry keeper Sized Seatrout on the bottom to wrap up a beautiful late afternoon of fishing in the back waters of Amelia Island.

Puppy Drum?

I had arranged four boats to take a group taking a break from business yesterday morning.  I had Josh, Jim, John and Ken on my boat to do some light tackle, back country fishing.  We hit the logs of Tiger Island where Ken got the "skunk off the boat" by landing a hungry Seatrout.  Our next stop was Jolley Bank and here things heated up somewhat.  Jim hooked up and landed a nice multi-spot Redfish then Josh had a strong bite that ripped some drag out - FISH ON!  This fish put a good fight but Josh was up to the task and patiently worked the fish to the boat.  When it surfaced we all saw that it was a large Black "puppy" Drum that was about to leave the "puppy" stage!  We continued to fish the area, made a run to Bell River, and here John's patience and perseverance paid off when he put the final fish in the boat, a nice Seatrout.  With that, we called it a day, another great one to be out on Amelia Island waters!

Smorgasboard of Fish

I had the pleasure of fishing with Scott Carter and his two sons Sammy and Benny again this year.  We met down at the Big Talbot Island Park boat ramp and although the weather forecast called for 10-12 winds it looked to be an ideal day for fishing Amelia Island back waters!  We ran up the Nassau River, stopped at Twin Creeks and fished the bottom with jigs and shrimp. Both Benny and Sammy got on the board, landing a feisty Jack Crevalle and a nice Flounder, respectively.  We ran around to Jackstaff to fish and although not much was biting, a lone Spanish Mackerel took Scott's bait!  We made a run to Broward Island and fished the last of the outgoing tide.  Here things really heated up with the anglers landing Redfish, Seatrout, Sheepshead and Black "puppy" Drum making it a "Super Grand Slam" of a day!  The sun had come out and it had turned out to be another great day to be fishing Amelia Island's back waters!

Before the Storm

I fished again yesterday afternoon with the Keeley family -Don and Crystal and their two kids Ryan and Lauren.  Although the skies had been cloudy all day there was a growing build up of dark clouds to our west.  We ran up the Amelia River, eased into Jackstaff, and began to fish the first of an outgoing tide.  Young Ryan got the "skunk off the boat" by landing a nice fat Seatrout.  His mother Crystal soon added another one. After fishing a stretch of flooded oysters we ran around to fish the Twin Creeks in Nassau River.  Here things heated up with all the anglers getting in on the action.  Lauren had the most species, catching a Seatrout, Blue Fish, Jack Crevalle, and Perch.  Don added a few Seatrout to the mix.  But the storm had come closer and there was rumblings of lighting so we headed back to the ramp, and boy am I glad wew did!  Sitting in my truck I soon found there was hail falling along with the heavy rain.  After the rain, we got back on the water but it looked like chocolate milk it was so muddy - and no fish were biting.  But the earlier part of the trip had been successful so we called it a day, another great one to be out on Amelia Island waters!

Fish'n With Eagles

What a stormy week!  After days of canceled trips due to wind and rain, I was able to get out on the water yesterday with Phillip Bechter and his son Marc.  We met down at the Big Talbot Island Park boat ramp early and headed up the Nassau River to fish the first of an incoming tide.  I think we were a little late getting to Bubblegum Reef 'cause we had no real bites on our jig and shrimp combo.  But we made a run upriver to Broward Island and sure enough the tide was still going out!  Phillip and Marc began to work the bottom with their jigs and soon began to get fish - feisty Redfsh and hungry Seatrout. Then Phillip had a hookup that bent his rod a little more than the others and this fish had a little more fight in him.  After patiently playing the fish, Phillip landed a nice Slot 19.5" Redfish.  We continued to fish the area and were joined by a pair of majestic Bald Eagles who watched our every cast!  Phillip found a Sheepshead "honey hole" while Mark worked a likely spot, pulling a couple of Seatrout out and then a nice 14.5" Flounder that move him into first place in the Anglers Mark 2014 Bragging Rights Tournament -Flounder Category.  Scroll down right side of this report for standings.  They added one Black "puppy" Drum to give them 5 species of game fish -Redfish, Seatrout, Flounder, Sheepshead and Drum - an Amelia Island Back Country "Super" Slam!  With that, we called it a day, another great one to be out on Amelia Island waters!