These Ladies Can Fish

I fished this morning with Lisa Duke and her visiting childhood friends Mary and Jan.  We had met at the Atlantic Seafood dock with the tide going out with a couple of hours to go so we headed up to fish the Tiger Island logs with jigs and live shrimp and mud minnows.  We hadn't been fishing long when Jan picked up a hungry Croaker then a feisty Redfish to "knock the skunk off" the boat!  We fished the island south then north and all three anglers put Redfish in the boat.  Then Lisa had a strong hookup, and...
FISH ON!  This fish was pulling drag and we could tell right of that it was bigger.  But Lisa played the fish patiently and after a good battle, landed a nice 20" Slot Redfish! We continued to fish the island and the trio put a Seatrout and a Sheepshead in the boat to round out an Amelia Island Back Country Slam of Redfish, Seatrout and Sheepeshead.  Then Mary had a strong hookup but here line went slack and we thought she'd lost it but then all of a sudden a huge Ladyfish came out of the water right at the boat!  There was a lot of yelling (screaming) going on but I stood fast and netted the high flying fish!  As it hit the deck both Lisa and Jan yelled, "Fish on!" and they too had fish!  They both fought their fish expertly and soon Lisa put a keeper size Flounder (a Grande Slam)  in the boat and Jan landed another Redfish.  When the bite slowed we made our way to Jolley Bank and fished the first of an incoming tide.  Here the anglers stayed pretty busy catching  Redfish, Seatrout, Croaker, Catfish, and Perch while tangling again and again with Ladyfish.  We ran out of bait just as we were ready to wrap up so we called it a day, another great one to be fishing Amelia Island waters!

The Elusive Redfish (Part 2)

We had another flood tide this morning and this time we were going after them with fly gear.  I had met Joe Cieslukowski down at the Fernandina Beach Harbor Marina as the tide was still coming in so we headed up to the Jolley River to do some blind casting for warm up!  There was tons of finger mullet coming in with the tide and fish seemed to be striking them along the marsh grass but none would take the flies we offered them. I had Joe start out with light gurgler pattern, switched to a minnow pattern, then went to a sinking fly, but we had no bites.  The water was creeping into the grass so we made a run around to Tiger Basin and began to check the flats for Redfish.  It was a later tide than yesterday and not quite as high as it turned out, but we persevered and just as the tide peaked we began to see fish.  They had moved east from yesterday but we could hear them sucking fiddler crabs off the grass and we found them that way.  Their tails weren't rally up and waving but their backs would come out of the water along with their mouths.  Joe made some excellent casts but the fish were moving along so fast (I believe getting in their last mouthfuls of crabs before they moved out to deeper watear) and they just wouldn't eat our fly.  But Joe had discovered tailing Red flats fishing and began to see them before me.  We had a shot at 5-6 fish but had no takers but still counted it as another great day to be out fishing Amelia Island waters!

Digging Them Out of The Grass

I fished early this morning with Sharla and Bruce Newkirk, meeting at the Atlantic Seafood dock and heading north to the Jolley River to fish an incoming tide.  We had an arsenal of weapons - topwater lures, float rigs and mud minnows, jigs and plastic grubs and jigs and minnows!  We fished Jolley "bank" the whole stretch and even though there were fishing busting bait up near the grass we had no real bites other than a few spits at our top water lures, but Bruce did pick up a small hungry Bluefish.  We made a run back around an Gator Spoon and made some excellent casts but the fish didn't see it.  Then we began to see tails at the bow of the boat and at the stern!  Sharla got in on the action and both anglers were casting to tailing fish. But no takers!  We decided to back out and check the previous flat and as we sat there we could hear huge fish slurping in the distance and when we looked way out, about 75 yards away, we could see Big Redfish with their back out of the water! Sharla spotted another creeklet on the other side so we eased around the marsh with the trolling motor and up into the flat.  Sure enough, there were big fish still there.  Bruce made pinpoint cast with the spoon and BOOM! FISH ON!  He played the Slot Redfish perfectly and worked it to the boat and I almost had him with the net. Almost! The big fish made a run, rounded the bow and headed for thicker grass and deep water and BAP!  FISH OFF!  Oh man that hurt!   But Bruce was not to be denied!  We continued to see big Reds slurping bait and when a huge tail came into range, Bruce placed another gold Gator Spoon just off to the side of this fish and as he slowly reeled it in, BOOM! BIG FISH ON!  He played the fish perfectly, applying some gentle pressure as it made some strong runs, but it was no match for Bruce and his tackle. After a good battle the fish was subdued and we netted a nice oversized 28 1/2" Redfish!  After a couple of pictures we released the fish back in the deeper creek and it swam away to be caught another day.  We checked out one more flat then called it a day, another great one to be fishing Amelia Island waters!
through Tiger Basin to fish the Bell River with the float rigs and minnows and in no time the two anglers landed fish.  First Bruce put a hungry Seatrout in the boat then Sharla had a hookup that seemed bigger.  She played the fish perfectly and landed a nice keeper sized Seatrout.  She then followed that up with a feisty Redfish.  We fished the area for a while with high hopes but the bite had stopped as quickly as it began.  We ran back to Tiger Basin and with the marsh grass flooding, began to look for "tailing" Redfish.  Our first three flats produced nothing but on the fourth we could see a Redfish wallowing around even as we pulled up to the flat!  But in my excitement I got the boat too close and it was gone!  We eased up into a creeklet in the marsh and found another flooded flat and quickly spotted another tail!  Bruce was ready with a spinning rod and gold

The Elusive Redfish

We had overcast skies this morning but the rain was supposed to hold off to late afternoon so we went for a "tailing Redfish" trip during the high flood tides.  I had met Rick and Michele Lusk early this morning and after we had gone over some preliminary flood tide fly casting tips, headed north up to Tiger Basin in search of the elusive Redfish!  I think it was our third flat when we spotted a hungry Redfish, nose down with his tail out of the water.  We lowered the river anchor quietly, grabbed a fly rod, and .....the fish disappeared!  Well, darn it!  We saw it one more time but had no
chance to cast the fly.  We checked out another couple of flats then I dropped the trolling motor and eased way back into the marsh where we were right in the middle of a number of flooded grass flats.  This time both Rick and Michele saw a tail pop up right behind the boat.  Again, we had the fly rod ready but saw the tailing fish no more!  We decided to hit one more flat that has held fish in the past and sure enough, just as we eased up to the flooded grass - "there's a tail!"  This one was just out of range but wallowing around in the grass looking for food so both Rick and I eased over the side with fly rod in hand....and it disappeared! Double darn it!  We waited patiently for a while and when the tail popped up again we had a  couple of casts at it but no takers.  After a little fly casting practice in the grass we headed up Lanceford Creek and broke out some spinning gear rigged with float rigs then baited them up with live mud minnows.  It wasn't long before both anglers had fish.  Rick landed a hungry Blue then when his float went under a second time he new this one had some size to it.  He played the fish patiently and soon landed a nice keeper sized Seatrout.  Shortly after that he put a feisty Redfish in the boat then Michele followed that up with one of her own.  We fished some docks before we left and the anglers caught a high flying Ladyfish and Rock Bass.  With that, we called it a day, another great one to be fishing Amelia Island waters!

Light Tackle Shark

We had another beautiful day to be out fishing Amelia Island waters today.  I had met Henry Weiner down at the Fernandina Beach Harbor Marina this morning and we made a short run around to the outside of Tiger Island to fish float rigs and live shrimp on an outgoing tide.  We set up at a larger creek run out and began to get bites almost immediately.  Except that's what they turned out to be, just bites. Baitstealers!  But Henry began to get hookups and each fish turned out to be a different species which was kinda neat.  We
fished the area for a while, moved around behind Tiger and fished a little more, picking up a keeper sized Flounder. We also saw some beautiful wildlife - a Rosette Spoonbill, Osprey and leaping Tarpon.   Our next stop was up to Jolley River where we fished another creek run out.  Here Henry landed a hungry Seatrout, a Ladyfish, a Blue fish which added to the variety.  He then picked up a couple of Feisty Redfish  to round out an Amelia Island Backcountry Slam of Flounder, Seatrout and Redfish.  Then out of no where a big fish hit!  Henry's rod bent double and has line began to sing, FISH ON!  This big fish headed fast for deep water and I knew it was going to be a Shark.  Henry played the fish patiently, working it from starboard to port and from bow to stern.  The big fish went to the bottom a few times then began to surface as Henry applied the pressure.  After a good battle Henry landed a four foot Bonnethead Shark!  Our last stop was at Jolly Bank where caught a few more fish then called it a day,
another great one to be fishing Amelia Island waters!

Post Holiday Fishing Trip

The long weekend is over and I had the opportunity to fish with Ron and Eric Brown this morning, and boy what a pretty morning it was!  We met at the Atlantic Seafood dock and headed up to Lanceford Creek to fish some dock pilings on the very last of an outgoing tide.  The anglers hadn't been fishing long with mud minnows and jigs when Eric hooked up and landed a nice feisty Redfish.  Knocking the "skunk" off the boat real early gave me high hopes for a "fish catching" day.  We fished a while longer and Eric put his Redfish in the boat and the friendly competition was on! 

Our next stop was Tiger Island and Eric went one up on his dad when he landed another Redfish then we made a run around to Jolley River to fish "the bank".  There was a flurry of bites with Ron landing another Redfish to tie it up then Eric put one in the boat to pull ahead.  But Ron was not to be outdone and found a nice keeper sized Flounder.  Eric tangled with a couple of high flying Ladyfish but they threw the hook right at the boat.  We fished Snook Creek with no real bites then moved around to the MOA as our last stop.  Just as we were about to pull up, Eric had a hookup and landed a hungry Seatrout which put him in lead of the 2014 Brown's Vacation Fishing Tournament!  It also gave the duo an Amelia Island Back Country Slam of Redfish, Flounder and Seatrout. With that, we called it a day, another great one to be fishing Amelia Island waters!

Finally Some Slot Reds

This morning we fished out of Big Talbot Island Park.  I met Bob Funk and his son Brad, and daughter-in-law Tiffany at 7am and we headed up the Nassau River to beat the holiday crowd.  Our first stop was at Bubblegum Reef and although the tide was perfect -the first of the incoming- we caught no fish.  We then made a run to Broward Island and being further up the river, the tide was still going out.  The anglers were making pin point casts to the downed logs and it didn't take long before they began to get hookups.  They
were catching a pretty good mess of feisty Redfish then landed a couple of Seatrout.  As Tiffany worked her jig and mud minnow slowly out from the bank something big hit it out deep and, FISH ON!  She fought the fish patiently and despite the coaching landed a nice 23" Slot Redfish!  Bob got in on the Slot Red action a little later and put another one in the boat.  We continued to fish the area and just when we'd think the bite was over the trio would begin to catch more fish.  Brad seemed to have the hottest rod of the day and landed both Redfish and Seatrout regularly.  The sun was up and it was getting hot and the bait had run out so we called it a day, another great one to be fishing Amelia Island waters!

Young Captain Puts Us on The Fish

I also fished yesterday afternoon, this time with Bill Gower and his grandson Aaron and Aaron's Uncle Jeff.  We again headed north to Jolley River to fish an outgoing tide with float rigs and live (kinda) shrimp and mud minnows.   Young Aaron almost immediately had a hookup and landed a nice feisty Redfish!  We had a really good flurry there for a while with all three anglers getting bites and hookups, landing Reds and Croaker and Perch.  We fished further up the river, had some nibbles, then dropped back to "Jolley Bank" and switched to jigs to fish the oyster beds.  We again had some

Redfish and you could almost count on a Croaker if your jig was baited with shrimp.  From here on Aaron wore the Captain's hat and guided the boat to our next stop behind Tiger Island to fish the deep waters.  They had some bites and it took a while but eventually they put a couple of hungry Seatrout in the boat. After that, Aaron took us in, driving the boat all the way to the marina, and with that, we called it  a day, another great one to be fishing Amelia Island waters!

Lot's of Fish

We fished Saturday morning, the Buben family and I, leaving out of the Fernandina Beach Harbor Marina to head north and fish the Jolley River area on an incoming tide.  We hit the "bank" first, fishing jigs and minnows and almost immediately began to get fish.  Both Hunter and Austin picked up feisty Redfish and their mom Lisa did too!  The group also landed  Seatrout, a big handful of Croaker, and then Ben landed a Flounder to round out an Amelia Island Back Country Slam.  Austin had the weird fish of the day, a
Stingray.  We move up to Snook Creek and picked up a couple of more Redfish and Croaker then made our last stop outside of Tiger Island where Hunter wrapped up the trip with another feisty Redfish.  With that, we called it a morning, another great one to be fishing Amelia Island waters!

Picture Perfect Weather

I'm pretty sure I heard on the radio this morning that we had a record low temperature for August and you sure could tell it out on the water.  I had met Phil and Rachel Shaw down at the Fernandina Beach Harbor Marina at 7am and we headed up the river with just a slight breeze.  Boy did it feel good!  Our first stop was the Jolley River and the anglers began casting float rigs with live shrimp and mud minnows up to the edge of the marsh grass on an incoming tide.  It was only a few minutes when Phil hooked up and landed a nice Seatrout.  Then he caught another one!  He was getting good bites but Rachel was not to be out fished and she too had a hookup, this time landing a feisty Redfish.  The duo had some good bites for a while and landed a few more fish.  Before we left the area, Phil caught a stingray and had a Flounder to the boat while Rachel caught one more Redfish.  We ran further up the river and fished another bank.  The bait was really moving along the grass line and both Phil and Rachel were putting their baits up close but had no takers, until Phil's float disappeared and, FISH ON!  This was a bigger fish that put up a good battle, but Phil was patient and took his time landing the fish but land it he did, a nice fat keeper sized Seatrout!  We fished Snook Creek briefly, made a stop at Tiger Island and fished the jigs, then ran through the marsh to fish Bell River.  Phil again found some fish and they landed a couple of more Seatrout and Bluefish.  With that, we called it a dy, another great one to be fishing Amelia Isalnd waters!