Stroke of Billiance

We had a beautiful day this morning when I met Bob Blalock up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp - the weekend was over and the crowds diminished so I thought it'd be fun to fish "north" today. The tide was low and coming in so we made the quick run over to Tiger to fish the logs and we got some good bites right off fishing jigs and live shrimp - catching a couple of small Reds, small Croaker, a small Black Drum..and so on. We were about to leave but made one last effort at the north end of the island and BOOM!
Bob had a strong hookup, a good fight, and landed a nice 19" Slot Redfish. He went back to the same bank and BOOM! Another Slot Redfish, this one at around 21".  Hanging around paid off.

After a short run up to the Jolley to fish the "bank",  turned in to the current (what little there was) and began working back with float rigs and live shrimp. Although we had a few nibbles, we had no real takers until we were back at the mouth and here Bob hooked up and
landed a couple of small but feisty Redfish. He also reeled up a corroded spinning reel!

Further up the Jolley we made a stop along some flooded grass and the conditions looked ripe for fishing catching!  Sure enough, after Bob had made an excellent cast with his float rig and live shrimp to a grass clump, he picked up a small but feisty Red, then another, then a Seatrout, then a Red. We worked up the bank and held at a point and I think it was Bob's first drift when his float disappeared with a vengeance and, Fish ON! He worked it patiently to the boat and landed a fat keeper sized Seatrout. He went back to the same spot and something took his bait and kept going and going and GONE!  It only took a drift or two and BOOM! Big Fish On!  Bob fought it expertly and soon landed another Slot Red, this one measuring in at 23" - a very nice fish.

We made one last run back to Tiger, thru Tiger Basin and around to Bell River and set up alongside a point. Bob was drifting his shrimp up near the grass and picked up a feisty Red right off the bat. After that, he got one nibble after another, feeding shrimp to a "bait stealer" and just before we left Bob had a "Stroke of Brilliance". We had some mud minnows in the well and hadn't used them all day so Bob baited one up and pitched it close. He had a nibble again, reeled it up, tossed it back and WOW! Both Bob and I saw a huge copper flash come up and engulf his minnow and BIG BIG Fish on!  We couldn't believe that what we saw was a Red- it seemed so big. Bob took his time, fought it to the boat, after working it around not one, but two crab traps, and landed a big 31" Oversized Red - the 2nd biggest of year caught on the Anglers Mark and setting Bob up in the 2018 Anglers Mark Bragging Rights Tournament - Redfish Category. Boy what a fish and a fight!

Action Packed Fishing

I met the Gasparini crew - Robin, Kathleen, Wendy and Harriet - down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp this morning early and we made the quick run up the intercoastal to dip into Jackstaff on a low but incoming tide. We had three anglers forward tossing jigs and live shrimp while Harriet fished the stern with a float rig. I think it was first cast when Harriet's float disappeared, she hooked up, and landed a nice Redfish. Meanwhile, Robin had set the hook on a fat Seatrout. Now that's the way to start a day of fishing. It seemed we had non-stop action for over an hour fishing just one stretch of

water. There were two or three Bonnethead Shark hookups, battles, and "quick releases" at boat side. We had a couple of more Seatrout catches, a couple more "feisty Redfish" catches, then finally, after Kathleen had made an excellent cast to a grass pocket, BOOM! Big Redfish On!  She played it perfectly and soon landed a nice Slot sized Redfish.

We buzzed thru Horsehead and down to Pumpkin Hill and set up along a flooding marsh line, the tide still coming in. All anglers

were now tossing float rigs, Kathleen out the back and sure enough, after a nice drift along the shoreline, BOOM! Big Trout in the boat! Robin was fishing the bow and picked up a couple of smaller Reds, Wendy and Harriet were getting good drifts and picked up a couple of smaller Reds, then again, Kathleen out the back, BOOM! A bigger 20" Seatrout caught and landed. After Wendy put a hard fighting Bonnethead in the boat, we headed back but made one more stop along down the Nassau River.

Robin was on the bow and got a good cast up to a marsh point and as it drifted by her float disappeared with a vengeance. She took up slack, lifted the rod, and let the circle hook do its job - Fish ON!  Robin played it patiently  and when it boiled up we knew it was another Slot Redfish. She fought it perfectly and soon landed a nice Slot Redfish. Now that's the way to wrap up a great day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida

One Last Stop

I was back at it today, fishing with my cousin Ryan Garner, his father-in-law Brian, and brother-in-law Blake, meeting them down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early this morning. We made a short run up the Nassau River and made a stop alongside a flooding shell bank and began to toss float rigs up current.  It took a few minutes but finely, Blake "knocked the skunk off" when he landed a hard fighting Jack Crevalle.  Brian quickly added a Catfish, then all three anglers got into some small but fun-to-catch Redfish.  The boated and released a good handful.

We ran further up the Nassau, stopped at Seymore's rocks, drifted them thoroughly, had not bites, and moved on.  Our next stop was down at Pumkin Hill and even though each angler was making excellent casts we only got a few nibbles, then Brian, fishing the stern, had his float disappear and , Fish ON!  He played it patiently and soon landed a big 20" Seatrout.

Our next stop was up in Christopher Creek where we switched to jigs and fished some docks....and found one feisty Redfish. We came back out, made a quick run down to Broward Island and fished with jigs and float rigs and I think we picked up one small Seatrout.  "If you're not catching fish, move!" So we did, back to Seymore's Pointe, with the tide just staring out. I'm pretty sure we saw at least two big boils from Redfish feeding but they wouldn't take our bait. The sun was up and it was getting hot but we decided to run thru Horsehead and over to Jackstaff.

After pulling up and putting the bow into the current, Blake had made an excellent cast to a shallow pocket and BOOM! Big Fish On!  He fought it perfectly and after a good battle landed a nice 22" Slot Redfish. Brian went to the same area and BOOM!  Another nice Slot Redfish. Ryan went to the same spot and BOOM! Another nice Slot Redfish! There were definitely a few smaller Reds caught in between and after the "trio".  It made for a great way to wrap up a good day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Flounder Man

It would probably sound better if it was pronounced with an Arnold Schwarzenegger
accent...:Flounda Mann"....Mike's new name after today's fishing trip! I had met Steve Frost and his brother-in-law Mike down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early this morning. There weren't too many clouds in the sky, we had just a slight breeze, it seemed like the temperature was somewhat cooler, and there was definitely less humidity in the air -a perfect day to do some backwater fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

However, after we had run up the intercoastal and dipped into Jackstaff and fished for about 45
minutes, we only had a couple of small, but fat Seatrout to show for our efforts. We ran thru Jackstaff and fished a point of grass that seemed to be the perfect ambush pointe, but again, no real bites.

After dropping down the Nassau and fishing some flooded shell beds on the outgoing tide, Mike finally had a subtle bite, hooked up, and landed a nice 16" keeper sized Flounder. Steve got busy catching  some small but fun-to-catch Redish then Mike landed a hard fighting Jack Crevalle. At least we were getting some action. We moved up a ways, switched to jigs, and caught another couple of the small Reds. Steve was pitching forward on the stern and had found that he was getting his bites deeper as the bottom dropped off and after an excellent cast to his edge, BOOM! Big fish on! He fought the fish from the bow and down the starboard to the stern, around the stern, and back to the bow, keeping the pressure on, and after a good battle, landed a nice 21" Slot Redfish.

We fished the rocks at Seymore's and here Mike put another keeper Flounder in the boat, along with a small Redfish. We wrapped up fishing some docks, tossing jigs, and when Mike felt a strange bump, he reeled tight, set the hook, and landed his biggest Flounder of the day, a nice 18" fish. With that, we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

The Big Three

The Blalock's, William and Dara, are heading home, but not after squeezing in one more fishing trip in the backwaters of Amelia Island. I met them early this morning out at Goffinsville and we quickly made the run over to Pumkin Hill to fish an outgoing tide along some shell banks with float rigs an live shrimp. Both Dara and William were making excellent casts, the water was beautiful, the sun was coming up, there was a nice breeze, but the fish didn't cooperate, at all! We had no real bites.

Being in the area, we decided to bounce down to Broward Island. The current was ripping, which I don't much care for at that spot, but William took the bow and pitched a jig and shrimp to a large marsh run out while Dara fished a large stump with the jig. William "knocked the skunk off" when he landed a hungry Seatrout. Dara was just getting a nibbler or two so she switched to a float rig and cast to some calm water next to the bank and that was all it took. She began to catch one Redfish after the other. While she was doing that William picked up a Sheepshead, and maybe another Trout, then as he let his jig bounce along
the bottom with the current, BOOM! Big Fish On!  Except Dara and I didn't think it was of much size, but when William said it was a nice fish, we made room for him. He fought the fish to the stern, kept the pressure on, and soon landed an oversized 28" Redfish!  After photo's, he went lowered him over the side and he was gone with a thrash.

Our next stop was back down the Nassau River, fishing some marsh runouts, and boy how things changed from yesterday. Although Dara landed a feisty Red or two, it was nothing like yesterdays dozens.  We moved up and fished some more shell beds off of Seymore's Pointe, then fished some docks at Seymore's where Dara caught some Croaker -on of which had some size to it - then we dropped back and fished an abandoned dock. Both anglers were working their jigs along the pilings when William had a strong hookup and BAP, fish gone! Ouch! We worked around to the other side, and just as we were about to move on, William was reeling his bait up
when a big fish hit and went deep. This fish was fighting hard and making hard lunges deep. But William was up to the task and after a good battle landed a big 19" Triple Tail! Whoo Whoo, we don't see those too often!

The sun was up and it was getting late in the morning but we decided to fish a few more docks and it paid off. Dara had just made a perfect cast along some free-standing pilings and had no takers but when William followed her in he had a hard THUMP, and a big Flounder came thrashing to the surface - it was BIG! William fought it to the boat and landed a 22" Doormatt Flounder - the biggest caught on the Anglers Mark this year and it places William squarely in the lead in the 2018 Bragging Rights Tournament -Flounder Category (scroll down the right side of this report for standings).

And with that, we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

High School Reunion Fishing

I fished today with William Blalock and his old friends Bryan and Jeff, meeting them out at the Goffinsville Park boat ramp. The tide still had a few hours of going out so we ran over to fish some dock pilings at Seymore's Pointe. It took just a few casts before all three anglers were hooking up. After getting a handful of Black "puppy" Drum, a handful of small but feisty Redfish, William finally had a bite that ripped some drag. It's crazy how a Redfish puts up such a fight when they get in the Slot size. William worked it to the net and landed a 20" Slot fish.

The tide was still going out so we ran down the Nassau River and set up alongside some exposed oysters and the fish catching really got hot. The trio were catching the feisty Reds, some hard fighting Jacks, and more feisty Reds. We moved up to a large marsh runout and again, catching on fire!  As we worked the bank I saw a large Flounder bust some bait and come out of the water. The shot was open and William took it and BOOM! Flounder On!  He played it patiently and landed a nice 18" keeper sized Flounder.

We moved back up to Seymore's, switched to float rigs, and with only minnows left in the bait well, began to work some structure. Jeff had found himself "boxed out" but he hit the perimeter his range, drifted up into a pocket, and hooked up with another nice fish. He worked it expertly to the boat and landed another nice 18" keeper sized Flounder. Things were slowing down, it was getting hot, but as we worked along the bank William's float disappeared and he had a hookup!  He fought it to the boat and landed another Slot Redfish.

It had been overcast all day, we'd gotten sprinkled on a couple of times, but the sun had come out and it turned out to be another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Hot Spots Early

I had the pleasure of fishing with Joe Gasper, Adam Blanning and his girls Eliza and Meagan, again this year. It's really neat to see the kids grow up into young adults, and to continue to want to get out on the water and fish!  We met down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp and headed up the Nassau River with a tide that still had a couple of hours to go out. We set up along an exposed oyster bed and began to toss jigs and dead shrimp and minnows (no live shrimp today!) and it didn't take long before these anglers were putting fish in the boat. Eliza started it off with a nice Seatrout, Adam followed it up with a feisty Redfish and Meagan added a Red, too. They ended up catching a nice handful of the Redfish and a couple of Trout.

We continued on up the river and found some dock pilings, really exposed, and began pitching to them. Everyone caught fish! Joe started it off with a nice Black "puppy" Drum catch then Eliza had a strong hookup and, Fish On! She played it patiently and even though it made some strong runs to the pilings, she kept the pressure on and landed a nice Slot sized Redfish! Adam didn't have access to the pilings so he was casting deep and picked up a Trout then both Meagan and Eliza caught the Puppy Drum. Joe finished things up when he landed the biggest Trout of the day.

We later fished Broward Island on the first of an incoming tide but the wind had picked up and it made it difficult to fish. After making one more stop back at Twin Creeks and feeding some crabs, we called it  day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Good Backwater Fishing Continues

I fished with the Blalock's today, William and Dara, meeting them up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp early this morning. We made a quick run over to Tiger but the tide was so low as we crept in we edged up on a sandbar, so we backed off and continued on around to the Jolley River. The tide was changing as we arrived and the bite was very  active. Both Dara and William hooked up with numerous small "feisty" Redfish then finally William had a good bump, set the hook, and Fish On!  He played it patiently and soon landed a nice Slot sized Redfish. We worked up the oyster lined bank and the two
anglers stayed steady catching fish. When Dara felt a strange thump, she gave it a second then set the hook on what turned out to be a keeper sized Flounder. She also added an "almost legal" Trout to her catch, too.

After an hour of fishing and the tide coming in we ran back to Tiger Island and fished the logs. Here it was Dara's turn to hookup and land a Slot Redfish. Both William and Dara put a handful of undersized Black "puppy" Drum in the boat, along with there distant cousins, the Croaker. Before we left we had one more strange bump. Dara worked it to the boat and landed another keeper Trout.

We went back to the Jolley, fished float rigs, and picked up another few fish along the now flooding oysters. Our next stop was around at Bell River, fishing the incoming tide with the floats and live shrimp up by the marsh grass. William picked up a couple of hungry Trout then Dara picked a spot, made a pin point cast, and boom! Seatrout in the box!

Our last stop was around on the outside of Tiger where William fought a large Bonnethead to the boat and Dara battled a hard fighting Jack Crevalle. The sun was up, the breeze was down, so we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida

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.