Two Slams and a Tarpon Fight

I was back to work today, fishing with the Yeager boys - dad Keith and his two sons Reece and Renner - meeting them up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park early this morning and heading over to Tiger Island to fish the first of an incoming tide. All three anglers began pitching jigs and live shrimp to the bank and although the first area didn't pay off, the second one did! Reece had made an excellent cast to a stump and BOOM! Fish On!  Reece played it perfectly and soon landed a nice Slot Redfish. Minutes after that Keith did the same, putting another, almost identical Red in the boat. Then we
had another hookup and Renner was on the rod and he too played it perfectly and landed a nice fat Redfish.

We worked up and down the bank, caught a few smaller Reds, a few Croaker, then Reece caught a keeper sized Flounder.  We then ran up to the Jolley River and began working the "bank" - Keith and Reece were sticking with the jig but Renner switched to a float rig off the stern and it payed off! He had a young Bonnethead chase his bait down, which he caught and landed expertly, then he put

another keeper sized Flounder in the boat.  The anglers landed a good handful of smaller Reds, and most were copper colored. Keith put a keeper sized Seatrout in the boat then both Reece and Renner landed Trout, giving them both an Amelia Island Back Country Slam.

We made the run back and thru Tiger Basin and around to Bell River and began fishing a marsh point with float rigs. After getting a Trout or two, and running low on shrimp, Keith switched to a

Gulp Shrimp, Natural color. He was drifting the grass line when both saw his float disappear then line and float zipped to deeper water. I saw a fin or two and thought for sure it was a shark but then an 80# Tarpon came flying out of the water - BIG FISH ON!  And the 14# leader didn't break!  All Keith could do was hold on as we turned the Anglers Mark towards the fish and hit the JackRabbit button on the trolling motor remote and we began to chase him, trying to take in line on the Shimano Stradic 2500. Although the Tarpon came to the surface a couple of times, it stayed deep and slowly took line up current for the most part. I had the misconception that Keith might be able to wear it out but after a 25 minute "fight", sure enough, the big fish came out of the water and snapped the leader. Now that was surely a great way to wrap up some fun fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

No Skunking

I fished this morning with friend and neighbor Walter Simpson, celebrating his impending birthday. After stocking up on live shrimp we launched up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park and then hopped across the river to fish some flooding oyster beds with float rigs and the lively shrimp. We had a few good bites and picked up a hungry Trout or two.

We then ran around and up to the Jolley River and fished the "bank", sticking with the float rigs. Walter reeled in a feisty Redfish and another few Trout and I landed a small but cool
Weakfish! We had a sort of Slam - Redfish, Seatrout, and Weakfish. I picked up a Croaker then, as we reached a shallow pocket, Walter made an excellent cast, waited patiently for his float to go under, then lifted the rod and set the circle hook on a keeper sized Flounder, which he worked patiently to the net. We counted it as a "Grande Slam"!

After running further up the Jolley we fished some  more flooding oysters and found another couple of Trout.  We came back to the outside of Tiger, fished it and landed a few, then cruised thru Horsehead and over to the Bell, caught a couple, then returned to the outside of Tiger, and caught a couple of more. The trip was highlighted with a Manatee sighting!  Although we didn't have a bunch of big fish we had action at every spot, so we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Flurry At The End

I fished with the Thorton boys this morning...Rob and his sons Ford and Whit, meeting them down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp. We ran up thru Middle River and around to Pumpkin Hill to fish the first of an incoming tide and I thought for sure we'd get some nice Seatrout like we did yesterday, but they were having none of our mud minnows. We did get some bites, however and Rob "knocked the skunk off" when he landed a feisty Redfish.

We ran back to Seymore's Pointe, fished some rocks with the float rigs and had zero bites.  Our next stop was back at Christopher Creek, now 
working the jigs and we may have had a bump or two, but no takers. Back towards Seymore's and around thru Horsehead to the mouth of Jackstaff, then up into a creek, and tossing float rigs again on the first of an outgoing tide, and again, no takers. Ouch!

We crossed over and worked an oyster lined bank. We'd been fishing mud minnows all morning long but I had some left over "newly dead" shrimp so the boys began to fish them on jigs while their dad stayed with the minnow on a jigs.  It didn't take long for Ford to hookup and he expertly reeled in a nice Croaker. Then he followed that up with a feisty Catfish. Whit jumped in on the action and he too had a bite, a hookup, and a fish fight on his hands. He played the fish perfectly and soon landed a feisty Black "puppy" Drum. He then "called his shot", went to the mouth of a large marsh run-out and BOOM! Fish on. Whit worked the fish to the boat and put a keeper sized Flounder in the net.

Although things were a tad bit slow, these anglers stayed with it and were able to catch a few fish at the end of the  trip, making for another great day out on the water here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Girls Day Fishing At Amelia Island

It's not very often that I get a crew of lady anglers, but today, the "Miller Fishing Team" showed up at Sawpit Creek -Kathy, Sara, Lexi and Zoe - all ready to get out on the backwaters of Amelia Island and fish!  We met down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp and headed up thru the Back River and around to Pumpkin Hill to catch the last hour or so of an incoming tide, and it was a good move!

I think it was Sara's first or second drift with a float and live shrimp
along the flooding marsh grass when her float disappeared and, Fish On!  We could tell it was a nice fish by the way it put up a fight but Sara was patient and slowly worked it in, landing a nice 18" Seatrout. Not a drift or two later, she had another hookup and boated another keeper sized Trout (all fish caught today were released). Sara stayed hot at the stern of the boat when she put a handful of feisty and fun to catch Redfish in the boat. 

Kathy was fishing the stern and after getting a good drift away from
the boat she also had her float disappear and after hooking up, she fought the fish to the boat an landed another nice Trout. Sara added a hard fighting Bonnethead Shark before we left the area.  We cruised over to Christopher Creek, switched to jigs and shrimp and here Zoe got on the board when she caught a Redfish.

We then fished a few spots along the Nassau River, again with the jigs. Lexi was making excellent casts and it paid off when she
tangled with a hard fighting Jack Crevalle. While she was battling the Jack, Sara hooked up and had the biggest fish of the day. She battled it valiantly and soon landed a 19" Sheepshead, big enough to land her in 2nd place in the 2018 Anglers Mark Bragging Rights Tournament-Sheepshead Category (scroll down the right side of this report for standings).

We made one last run thru Horsehead, fished a few more minutes, then called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

We Knew It Would Happen

I met Mark Maron and his Dad, Mark down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp this morning and it was a beautiful day to be fishing! We ran up the Nassau, all the way to Seymore's Point, and began to fish structure with float rigs and mud minnows (no live shrimp today). Mike tangled with a Ladyfish and even though we  had a few more bites, we had not takers. The tide had almost hit it's peak so we ran further up the Nassau to fish Pumpkin Hill and here the tide was still coming in.

The two anglers were still fishing the float rigs, drifting their baits along he flooding grass line and I think we may have picked up one feisty Redfish along there. We ran over to Christopher Creek and switched to jigs, fished some dock pilings and rocks, and had just a few bites before one fish chanced our bait down and bit. Mark played it patiently to the boat and landed a hard fighting Jack Crevalle.

We went back to fish some docks at Seymore's Pointe then ended up back down the Nassau, fishing oysters beds with floats on a now outgoing tide. The two anglers picked up a Trout or two, another small Red, tangled with another Ladyfish, then Mark finally hooked up with something big and, Fish On!  Mark played it perfectly and after a good battle landed a nice Slot sized Redfish. Whoo Whoo!

It was a beautiful day to be out on the water and a great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Lot's of Action Leads to Keeper Fish

The Maron family was back in town - Mike and Shannon and their "kids" Libby, Haley and Troy. I met them early this morning up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park and we ran over to the outside of Tiger to fish the very first of an outgoing tide with float rigs and live shrimp.  I think the first and second casts produced fish -Haley landed a keeper sized Seatrout and Troy put another hungry one in the boat, too.
We had a real good flurry of fish catching after that -small but fun-to-catch Trout, a shark, and a small Red or two.

Shannon was providing logistical support - providing sunscreen, ice waters, snacks, and quite encouragement.

After fishing a nice marsh runout further up the island with jigs and shrimp, and getting one nice Flounder to the edge of the boat, and the Flounder doing what they do best by throwing the hook at the boat, we continued on around to the Jolley and up to Snook Creek. Mike landed a small Red, we had another Shark hookup and a couple of other bites.

We dropped back and fished Jolley "bank" and here things heated up with keeper sized fish. Both Mike and Haley battled and landed Slot sized Redfish then Libby added to the table fare when she put a nice flatty Flounder in the boat. We had a couple of Trout, a feisty Black "puppy" Drum and another small Red or two.

We ended the day around at Tiger Island logs and Troy had a good flurry of catches before we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Perseverance Pays Off

Back to "work" today...fishing with Hughes boys. I met Ted and his sons Webb and Charlie down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp and after the brief safety orientation, we headed up the intercoastal and dipped into Jackstaff. Ted was convalescing but the two young anglers were tossing float rigs and mud minnows (it's Monday - no live Shrimp!) up to the marsh run outs and making perfect casts and getting excellent drifts and....no real bites!  We fished the mouth of Jackstaff, switching to jigs eventually and even though we had a few nibbles, no takers.

After running thru Horsehead we fished an

ambush pointe with the float rigs and again, maybe a nibble or two, then Charlie had his bait literally chased down and engulfed - Shark on!  Charlie made short work of this fish and landed it easily for pictures and release. (All fish caught today were released) After easing around the corner and fishing some structure Charlie had made a good cast to the bank and when his float disappeared he took the slack up and set the hook and, Fish On!  He played it patiently to the net and landed a nice feisty Redfish.

We made the quick run down to Broward Island and went back to the jigs. Charlie landed a hungry Seatrout and finally, Webb's rod heated up!  He caught a handful of feisty Redfish and Seatrout and then he and Charlie teamed up on a "double" hookup, both reeling in Redfish.

Although things started out slow, both of these young anglers showed patience and their perseverance paid off with some fun fish catching action here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Young Anglers Top The Board

I wrapped my week up today fishing with the Rowland family, Michael and Heather and their two kids Jonah and Jesse. We met up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp early and headed over to the Jolly River to fish the "bank" on an outgoing tide with jigs and minnows and live shrimp. We had been working up current for just a short while when Jonah, after making an excellent cast to the bank, had a strong hookup and, Fish On! Jonah played it perfectly, keeping the pressure on and working the big Redfish to the boat - we saw it "boil" a couple of times  - and we soon landed a nice 20" Slot sized Redfish. Skunk knocked off!

We continued to work the bank and picked up a couple of smaller Reds then Michael had a strange bite and a fish that wanted to stay on the bottom. He worked it slowly to the surface and we netted a keeper sized Flounder (all fish caught today were released). Michael added a hungry Seatrout to wrap up an Amelia Island Back Country Slam of Redfish, Flounder and Seatrout - and as he was fighting it Jesse had a hookup. She had made a pinpoint cast to the edge of the oysters and BOOM! Fish ON! She fought it valiantly and soon landed another Redfish that was right at Slot sized, boy what a fish!

After running further up the Jolley we stopped at Snook Creek and here Jesse's rod stayed hot as she put a couple of feisty Redfish in the boat. She was neck and neck in the "fish count" with her dad but then Michael got hot. He put 2-3 Croaker in the boat then a hard fighting Black "puppy" Drum and now they had a "Grande Slam"! After easing around to the MOA Jonah caught his second breath and began to catch fish - a couple of feisty Reds and a Seatrout.

We fished Tiger logs briefly but the sun was up and it was getting hot so we did a short tour of the southern end of Cumberland and Ft. Clinch before calling it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Big Fish Wrap Things Up

You just never know when that big fish is going to hit!  I had been fishing with Todd Shcroeder and his dad Dennis all morning today - we caught a couple of small Seatrout over in Jackstaff, working jis and mud minnows on the bottom, and when we made it over to the Nassau River, fishing shell beds, Dennis picked up a nice keeper sized Flounder and they had a few "feisty" Redfish caught.  But, although the duo were making excellent casts and working the bank expertly, we just weren't getting any decent fish.

Our last stop was over at Seymore's Pointe where
we switched to float rigs and minnows (no shrimp today). We fished down the bank slowly and finally, Todd's float disappeared and when his drag ripped, we knew he had good fish. Todd worked it patiently to the boat and soon landed a Slot sized Redfish.  And shortly after that Dennis's float disappeared with a vengeance. Dennis caught up to it, set the hook and, Boom! Big Fish On!  He fought it to the boat and I was thinking, "another Slot Red", but know, as I netted it I saw that it was a huge Seatrout! Boy what a fish! Now that's the way to wrap up a great day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Kinda Spooky

I fished yesterday morning with Alex and Jesse Deen, meeting them down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early and heading up the Nassau River to make a quick stop along a shell bed on an outgoing tide. The forecast had called for about 25% chance of rain...and I think it was all headed for the Nassau River! We had only been fishing for a few minutes, bait was getting busted, things were looking right, and Alex hooked up and had a good fight on his hands - a nice Jack Crevalle. But off across Amelia Island and heading our way was a couple of huge rainstorms so we pulled up and raced to Goffinsville with one of
them right on our stern, but we made it! After the storm had passed, we went back to that same edge and here Alex picked up a nice keeper sized Seatrout.

Jesse's casting was on target and when we got to the next stop - some docks as Seymore's Pointe - she got in on the action. She landed a feisty Redfish and then a feisty Black "puppy" Drum and the duo added a small Croaker to the mix. With rainstorms all around, both Jesse and I commented that it looked "kinda spooky"!  We fished Broward Island for a good while where Jesse added another Redfish to her catch, then we came back to the Horsehead area to fish some structure with float rigs. Jesse had made an excellent cast and within seconds her float went under with a vengeance and, Fish On! She played the big fish expertly and after a good battle landed a nice Slot sized Redfish, making it a great way to wrap up a "spooky" fishing trip here at Amelia Island, Florida.