Making A Run At Bragging Rights

What a beautiful day to get back to work after a great birthday weekend! I met Jane Carver, her friend Clay and is son Brook up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park early this morning and we had clear skies, sunshine and just a slight breeze to greet us. With only about an hour of an outgoing tide left, we made a quick run over to Lanceford Creek and found a dock to fish. I think first cast produced a feisty Redfish then we picked up a few more as the tide went slack.

We ran back to Tiger Island and began fishing the logs as the tide started back in and things picked up. Both Clay and Brook put a few more Reds in the boat, with one of them being of keeper size, then Jane landed a keeper sized Seatrout. We had just a few more Trout - not many as I expected. After working the island thoroughly, we pulled up "anchor" and made the quick trip around to the Jolley River and set up along the "bank", still tossing jigs and live shrimp, but this time to the base of the oysters. After working along the bank about half way back to the point with no real bites,

BOOM! We were in to fish. The trio of anlgers caught Redfish after Redfish, sometimes getting doubles, and at least having a "triple" hookup. It was on fire. Then, as Brook was fighting a feisty Red on the stern, Clay had a strong hookup and, FISH ON! This was a big fish. It wasn't coming in. His line zipped down the bank then zipped back up the bank, then ran deep. Clay kept the pressure on - that's all he could do for a while. But we had the fish out deep and we chased him down as we needed, and after a good battle, Clay landed a huge, oversized 33.5" Redfish - big enough to slide him comfortable into 2nd place in the Anglers Mark 2017 Bragging Rights Tournament-Redfish Category (scroll down the right side of this report for standings). Boy what a fish! We continued to fish until we ran out of bait, and left 'em biting. For a while.

After making a pit stop at the bait shop for some more live shrimp, we  came back to the Jolley, but continued on down to Snook Creek where we switched to float rigs. Although it wasn't as hot as the "bank", we still caught fish, and added one more Slot sized Redfish.  We hit the docks in Bell River, added a Redfish and a couple of Trout, then cruised back towards Fernandina to make a stop at some flooded oyster Beds. After one fish busted on Jane's bait, Clay went in behind her and picked up another Slot Red. The wind was really beginning to kick so we ran through Tiger and back to Tiger Island. I don't normally like to fish the island on a high tide but it was blocking the wind and I thought we might pick up a Trout out deep. As we worked along, we knew there were one or two spots we could pitch in to, and sure enough, Brooks made an excellent cast, worked it out deep, and BOOM! Big Fish On! He played it patiently, worked it slowly to the boat, and landed a big Slot 24" Redfish. Now THAT's the way to wrap up a fishing trip here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Cold and Dreary Makes for a Good Day

After a rainy and windy Thanksgiving day, today was somewhat bleak when we launched early this morning. Rain was on my windshield as I headed for the boat and luckily that quit, but the skies remained overcast for much of the trip, and the wind stayed steady at around 11mph - not the perfect day you'd think for fishing!

But my anglers were ready to go  - Tripp Brown, his dad Eddie Brown and  his nephew, Bennett. We met up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park and ran around to fish the back side of Tiger with a tide that had been coming for a couple of hours. Wouldn't you know it, first cast of the day with a jig and shrimp, BOOM! Big fish on! Bennett was on the rod and he played it patiently - this was a big fish. He worked it slowly to the boat and soon landed a nice 25.5" Slot Redfish. Now that's the way to start the day. Coincidently, it was in the exact same spot as the first fish caught on Wednesday,  another big Redfish.  From then on, the anglers were catching fish. Tripp put a handful of feisty Reds in the boat, and another handful of Seatrout, a couple which were keeper size. Eddie added some Trout and Reds then Bennett landed a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum and more Trout and another Slot sized, six spot Redfish.


When things slowed we made a quick run over to Bell River and found some more Trout, this time drifting float rigs and live shrimp along a marsh line. When Bennett hooked up with a drag-ripping fish I thought for sure, at first, that he surely had a huge Seatrout. But after expertly working it to the boat, we saw that it was a large Black Drum, boy what a  fighter!

We moved on, making a run up Lanceford Creek and hit a small grassy island. It took a while but we found some fish, and caught Seatrout after Seatrout, with a few of them being keeper size. Bennett added a small Sheepshead which gave him an Amelia Island Backcountry Grande Slam of Redfish, Seatrout, Black Drum and Sheepshead. He also had a Whiting!

Our last stop was at the mouth of Eagans Creek in attempt to get out of the wind an get some last minutes of fishing in. Again, we found Trout and landed few. And with that, we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida

Stuffed Redfish For Thanksgiving

After checking the weather forecast last night we slightly thought of not fishing today. But boy what a pretty day it was!  I met Doug Mackle and his granddaughter Montana up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park and we scooted around to the logs of Tiger to take advantage of an incoming tide. Perfect conditions, perfect tide, and good casters made for some outstanding fish catching on jigs an live shrimp. With only a cast or two Doug had a strong hookup and, BIG FISH ON! This fish was not going to come to the boat easy! But Doug played it perfectly and after a good, long battle, subdued

the "Tournament Sized" Red Drum and landed it. It measured right at 26.5" - now that's the way to wake up a fishing trip. And it must have because Montana began to put one fish in the boat after another. Her fish of choice for the moment was keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum, then a few feisty Redfish. Doug caught his share too, then the breeze became a calm and the "no see-ums" attacked us, so we move on up to the Jolley River.

We fished up at Snook Creek with live shrimp under floats but had

only nibbles. Then we fished on the outside of Tiger, north at a small marsh run out, and had no luck. We came back to the mouth of Tiger and fished some flooded oysters and again, no luck. The breeze had picked up so we thought we'd try the logs again, even though the tide was up and this did the trick.

I think it was Montana's first cast, she felt the bump and set the hook and reeled in a nice keeper sized Flounder, garnering her an Amelia Island Back Country Slam of Black Drum, Red Drum, and Flounder. Then she followed that up with a keeper sized Seatrout to claim a "Grande Slam". Both anglers teamed up to land a handful more of Seatrout, then we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida

Little Anglers Big Trout

We launched today under some gloomy skies, but the crew were in good spirits and ready to get out on the water! I met Tim and Meagan Wieher and their two kids Winnie and Fitz down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp this morning and we headed up the Nassau River to make our first stop at Twin Creeks on a  high and incoming tide. We were tossing live shrimp under floats and it wasn't long before all were catching fish. Meagan and Winnie were fishing the bow while Tim and Fitz took up the stern and both
parties caught some hungry Seatrout for a good while.

When the bite slowed, we moved on up the Nassau and just north of a dock system and began tossing our rigs to some sparse marsh grass. Again, we found fish! The young anglers were taking turns reeling in fish and netting fish. Then Winnie had a strong hookup and we could tell this was a bigger fish. She reeled the fish in all by herself and landed the biggest fish of the day, a nice 20" Seatrout (All fish were released today). Then Tim put a keeper sized fish in
the boat. Then we had a couple of nice feisty Redfish caught.

There was a rain system approaching so we pulled up and ran down to the Goffinsville Park boat ramp and sought shelter under a picnic pavilion. After that we cruised Broward Island to see if there was any wildlife and we were treated with a sighting of a pair of Bald Eagles. Now that's the way to wrap up a great day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Fish For Thanksgiving?

The Pete Nolan family was back in town for the Thanksgiving holiday - Pete and his wife Joanne, their daughters Taylor, Sidney and Tatum and her boyfriend Victor. We did a "split" trip, taking four anglers the first couple of hours then stopped back by the boat ramp and exchanged a crew. Pete got to fish both sessions! Smart man!

Our early excursion was with Pete, Joanne, Tatum and Victor. We left the Dee Dee Bartels park and made a quick run over to the take

advantage of the last of an incoming tide at Tiger Island, All four anglers were tossing jigs and live shrimp to the pockets. It only took a few casts and Tatum had a hookup!  She played the fish perfectly to the boat and landed nice feisty Redfish. From then on it seemed we were catching fish. Victor got hot and put couple of keeper sized Seatrout in the boat. He also had a Redfish and a keeper sized Flounder to garner an Amelia Island Back Country Slam. Joanne was keeping the stern of the boat busy - she too had a Slam which included one fat keeper sized Seatrout. Pete landed a nice Redfish

and a Flounder, too.

We hit one more spot over in the Bell River, now fishing the very last of an incoming tide. Both Pete and Joanne found some Seatrout out the stern while Tatum added one more Trout to her catch.
After a brief pit stop back at the boat ramp, we were back at it again, this time with Pete and his daughters Taylor and Sidney.

We made a quick run to the outside of Tiger Island. Sidney had made a good cast up to some sparse marsh grass as I was getting the other two anglers set to fish and...FISH ON! This was a big fish! Any time the drag rips and the fish doesn't want to budge on this light tackle, you know it's a big fish. Sidney worked it slowly to the boat, even as the fish made some surging runs - and after a good battle, landed a "Tournament Sized Redfish" 26.5", boy what a fish!  But the wind had begun to really kick up and we had no

further bites so we ran around and fished the same Bell River spot as the earlier crew. The tide had started out and we had no real bites.

Our next and final stop was around in Lanceford Creek, fishing a small grass island and a tide that was now going out. Things started off slow but Pete found some fish on the others ide of the island and all three anglers began to get some Seatrout. Taylor found her
groove and landed three of the hungry fish.  Pete wrapped things up with one more keeper sized fish. And with that, we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida

Fun Day Fishing With Friends

About four months ago four friends who played football together in high school made a plan to get together for a day of back water fishing here at Amelia Island. My buddies Tony French, Daniel Rhodes and Raymond Keen met me at the Dee Dee Bartels Park this morning. Although we have been keeping up with each other on Facebook over the years, I haven't seen Tony since a reunion a couple of years ago, I haven't seen Daniel in years and years, and Raymond and I just cross paths in Fernandina once in a while.
Luckily schedules lined up and the plan came together, and the fish cooperated!

We made a short run over to the outside of Tiger Island and set up with float rigs and live shrimp, tossing them to the flooded marsh grass on the last of an incoming tide.  It only took a few minutes before we began to get fish. Tony seemed to get the hang of it early and put a couple of nice Trout in the boat. Daniel followed suite
and began to get hookups. Then Raymond joined in. Many of the Trout were undersized, but it was nice to see many that went 15-18" and keeper size.

When the bite slowed we crossed the creek and fished another line of marsh grass and caught a few more Seatrout. We then ran up to the Jolley River, fished  the "bank", but only had a Gar fish for action.  After running further up the Jolley and now that the tide
had started out, things began to get right. Daniel had put his cast right up into the edge of the grass and in a short second, BOOM! Fish on!  He played it perfectly and soon landed a nice Slot Redfish.

We eased along the grass and found a small marsh runout and then things got crazy. All three anglers, if they managed to get their cast up near the grass, were almost guaranteed a fish. A couple of times we had a "double" hookup. Raymond put a couple of Slot fish in the boat, Tony put a couple of Slot fish in the boat, and Daniel did the same. We began to "cull" Redfish. The highlite was when Daniel hooked up and while he was talking his fish in, Tony hooked up and it was a big fish. The drag was ripping, Tony was playing the fish, Daniel was playing his fish, and Raymond hooked up! We got a Triple! We caught fish until we ran out of bait and called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Trout On Fire

I was off a few days but today was an outstandingly beautiful day and luckily I got to fish! I met Ron and Stacy "Trout Slayer" Cromer down at the Big Talbot Island park boat ramp early this morning and we headed up the Nassau River, making the run all the way around to Pumpkin Hill Creek with plans to fish the very last of an incoming tide with float rigs and live shrimp. Both anglers started off making excellent casts to a flooded island of grass and within minutes - fish on!  Both Stacy and Ron put Trout in the boat. We worked the bank thoroughly and got a good handful of Trout.

We eased around the corner and back into the Nassau River and here things picked  up even more. Both Tracy and Ron were getting good drifts along some marsh grass, and caught Trout. A few of them were "keeper sized" fish. When the bite slowed we ran back to Seymore's Pointe and set up where the water was draining, now on an outgoing tide.

Tracy got hot on the bow sticking with the float rig and landed one Trout after another. Ron was fishing some dock pilings with a jig and shrimp, working it slowly, but had no real bites. When he switched back to the float rig and fished it over some shallow oysters, boom! Fish on! They also picked up a few small but feisty Redfish and a hard fighting Black "puppy" Drum. Again, a few of the fish were of keeper size.

We worked our way back to the boat ramp along the Nassau River, fishing some runouts, and caught Trout wherever we fished. Most were in the 14" range but we did get another handful of keeper sized fish. The sun was up, it was a beautiful day, and we caught a bunch of fish, making it another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida

Thank Goodness For The Hot Spot

No one could have blamed us for cancelling today's trip due to the winds, forecasted to be blowing 10-14mph. When we launched I checked and it was already blowing 14!  I had met Scooter Digsby and his two sons Jake and Braden up at the Dee Dee Bartels park and my plan was to head over to Lanceford Creek to fish the last of an outgoing tide. Little did I know, the NE wind was keeping the tide from draining the mud flats and the conditions never got right for some decent fish catches. The three anglers were making
excellent casts to some dock pilings but we had nothing but bait stealers.

I thought running around to and up the Bell River might get us away from the dirty water but it wasn't much better up there. We worked a few docks with jigs and slip floats but had no real bites.

Our next stop was around in the Jolley River but here that NE wind had things kicking. We fished some oysters that were  now exposed
with jigs and a Cajun Float rig and again, no luck.

Our final stop was at old faithful, Tiger Island and this did the trick! We hadn't been fishing long before all three anglers were hooking up. Scooter got hot and put a handful of Redfish in the boat, then gave up his bow spot to his sons and they too began to get fish. Brayden hooked up with something that wanted to rip his drag - it fought hard and stayed down, but Brayden kept the pressure on and landed a nice 18" Black "puppy" Drum. Jake found his rhythm and landed his share of feisty Redfish.

We were using live shrimp but I had lost half my well when the drain plug came out so when we ran out of bait we headed back to the bait house and picked up some mud minnows. When we returned to Tiger the conditions hadn't changed much and the trio picked up right where they had left off. Scooter and Jake were catching Reds but Brayden diversified and tallied his personal "Super Grande Slam" of Black Drum, Red Drum, Seatrout, Flounder, and a wayward Snook! Now that 's the way to finish out another great day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Drum Bonanza

I often offer to "local" anglers the option to pick another day if the conditions aren't expected to be so

great and that's what I did with the Newkirk's, Bruce and son Tyson. Today was forecast to begin with 8mph winds but creeping up to 14 which makes for some challenging conditions. But both Bruce and Tyson had the day off and had caught good fish in the past so we elected to go and boy were we glad we did!

We met at the Dee Dee Bartels Park and boat ramp and headed straight for Tiger Island knowing that we had the first of an incoming tide. We had a bait well full  of live shrimp and some jig

rods ready. Tyson set up on the bow and Bruce set up on the stern and they began pitching the pockets with their jig/shrimp combo. It took a few minutes, then the "baitstealers" began to peck, then the anglers began to put good fish in the boat. Bruce got things started by landing a couple of feisty Redfish then Tyson got in on the action and landed a couple, too. Bruce put a Slot Red in the boat then Tyson did, too.

We bounced down the way - Bruce found a nice keeper sized Seatrout, added a 14-spot undersized Red, then wrapped things up with a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum.  We had blown thru about four dozen shrimp so we made a quick run back to a bait house and picked up some more before heading back out.

Our next stop was over in Eagans Creek, now trying to seek shelter from the wind, and we set up down current from a crusty old dock and began to pitch the jigs. Tyson took the point and got hot, catching Redfish after Redfish. Then he put a couple of more keeper sized puppy Drum in the boat. Bruce stepped up and caught a couple then they had a "double" hookup. Bruce worked  his in quickly, an undersized Drum, but Tyson's was ripping drag. He played it patiently around the bow of the boat, kept the pressure on, and landed a 6lb Black Drum, the biggest fish of the day.

Somewhere in there the two anglers added two keeper sized Whiting.

We hit a couple of more spots, fishing float rigs over submerged oysters, but I believe the wind was kicking the mud up so much the Trout were no where to be found. So with that, we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Flood Tide Fly Fishing A Challenge

I wrapped up a flood tide week of fly fishing today with Rick Klann, fishing out of the Sawpit Creek boat ramp. The tide was low and coming in so we ran straight to Broward Island to fish the downed logs. Rick was making excellent casts to the bank, to the logs, and to the creek mouths, but he had no takers even though the conditions were absolutely perfect to be fishing this spot.

We move back down the Nassau River and fished some shell banks, tossing an intermediate line with a shrimpy fly and this did the trick. As Rick let his fly bounce down the bottom he picked up a small but hungry Seatrout.  We moved around the corner, switched to a small gurgler pattern and fished the edges of some grass islands and exposed oysters, to no avail.

Our next stop was back toward the bridge, still in Nassau and again, Rick picked up another, larger Seatrout letting his line sweep down through the water column.

The tide was up and the grass was flooding so we switched to some floating line and began to poke around in the spartina grass. I think we had hit one or two spots and maybe the third as we eased up into the grass, Rick spotted a tailing Red! Whoooeee! He's was just out of range so I gave Rick three options: 1) Try to hit 'em with a long cast 2) Get out and wade to him or 3) Wait and see if he comes towards us.   We didn't have to decide because within seconds we could tell the fish was moving closer to us!  Rick made some excellent casts with a Dupree Spoon fly but the fly was having trouble getting down through the grass and the fished moved on and soon disappeared, darn it!

We bounced around again, hit a few spots and again, as we eased up to nice flat: Tailing Redfish. I had switched the fly to sinking black Troy James Fly  and this definitely got down thru the grass. But again the fish moved on and disappeared.

We moved up and down the Nassau, then ran thru Horsehead and around to the mouth of Jackstaff and poked the bow into a couple of the flats. The tide was up pretty high now but we had one final shot at a tailing fish, this one a Sheepshead. I thought Rick made one of his best casts of the day, putting the fly right on the fish's nose, but it snubbed it, moved on, and disappeared.

At some point Rick had commented, "this is a little more challenging than I expected" and that nailed it. When flood tide fishing for Reds all the stars have to align. The tide has to be right, the water and wind conditions need to be right, the fly has to be right, the cast has to be right, the fish has to see the fly and eat it....it's a challenge, but well worth it when you get that hook up! At any rate, we had a great time fishing the flats here at Amelia Island, Florida.