MIxed Bag

I fished with a fun group from Sports Clips today, meeting them at the marina early and after the safety orientation, headed north and west and around to the Jolley River with plans to fish float rigs and live shrimp on the last of an incoming tide. All four anglers - Cindy and Chris, Becky and Connor - were making excellent casts to the marsh grass and getting good drifts, and getting nibbles here and there and here and there, but we had no real takers. Finally, Chris hooked up, knocked the "skunk off" and landed a couple of small
but hungry Seatrout.  After also fishing the "bank", we headed back east and around to the Bell River.

Here we had a little better action. Chris put a keeper sized Seatrout in the boat (donated to my Veteran neighbor) and then Cindy landed a couple of Trout, too.  We buzzed back thru Tiger and fished the outside. Again we had a numerous bites - picked up a couple of Ladyfish, a couple of Pinfish, and a couple of Snapper. After we moved across the way we had our best action. Cindy
landed two hard fighting feisty Redfish and Connor boated a good handful of the Seatrout.

There wasn't much breeze and the sun was overhead, so we called it a day, but not after taking a short tour of the south end of Cumberland Island, Fort Clinch, and old town Fernandina. It was another great day to be on the water here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Chip'n Away

I give up on the weather reporting!  We've had a week or so where rain was forecasted in the  morning and it was beautiful, then today there was only a slight chance and we got soaked! But Bob and Jana Pharmer were up for fishing so we did just that, even though we did it in some wet clothes!

I had met them up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park and we made the short trip around to the outside of Tiger and set up fishing a large creek mouth, tossing float rigs with mud minnows up current on the high and outgoing tide. I think it was
Bob's first or second cast and he had hooked up with a feisty Redfish. We worked along the bank and both he and Jana landed some fat Seatrout and another Redfish.

We then ran out and around and up to the Jolley River and we could see the rain coming from Cumberland. I hoped that if I ran far enough up in to Jolley it would pass us by, but nope, it came right over the top of us. We had just put another Red in the boat when we had to suspend fishing for just a few minutes, it was such a downpour. But once it passed the rainbows came out and we were fishing again. Unfortunately the water was
now real muddy and the fish quit biting!

After running back to the mouth of Jolley we fished the "bank" and kept chipping away at a good day of catching. Bob put another Red in the boat and Jana landed a nice keeper sized Flounder (all fish caught today were released). We also tangled with a couple of Ladyfish.

Our next stop was back at Tiger, fishing jigs on the bottom with the minnows. Fairly quickly Jana put her second Flounder in the boat and as we worked back and forth down the bank we felt sure there was big fish to be had. We then saw a fish bust bait up near a stump and after Bob made a perfect cast to the spot, he felt the "bump" and, UMPH! Fish On!  Bob couldn't have played the fish any better than he did - working it out deep slowly then patiently letting it wear itself out. After a good battle he landed a nice Slot Sized Redfish. Now that's the way to wrap up another great day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

The Limit

We had a crazy day today...I had to pick up bait from Browns Creek on Heckshire early this morning which put me running late to the boat ramp to meet Don Frank and his sister Mary and brother-in-law Larry.  And when we made it over to the outside of Tiger and broke out the float rigs we found that the live shrimp were super small and so soft they'd hardly stay on the hook. But these anglers were up to the task and  were glad to be out on the water and it paid off.

Mary "knocked the skunk off" when she reeled in a hungry Seatrout
at the stern of the boat, but even though we had some nibbles (actually a whole bunch of them) we didn't get many fish at that first spot.

After running around and up to the Jolley River and setting up at Snook Creek, the trio began to catch small but feisty Redfish with a Trout here and there. We had a real good flurry of catching but low and behold, we had already blown thru most of our shrimp in just

and hour and a half of fishing! We dropped back to the mouth of the Jolley, cast netted some mullet and then worked that bank. John landed a Trout on one of the mullet, then we tried some FishBite material and he landed a feisty Redfish on that.  After that, things fell off to almost no bites at all.

But the tide was getting way down so we buzzed around to Tiger and switched to jigs and worked the bank. I was able to cast net some smaller mullet (finger mullet) and as we worked our way back Larry had a tremendous bite and, Fish ON!  He played it perfectly and soon landed a nice Slot sized Redfish. We had fallen off the bank and after I got us closer Larry had another strong bite and he put another Slot Red in the boat.  I think he got one more then Don got in on the action. He had a good hookup and BOOM! Big fish on! He played it patiently and landed his first Slot Red, then he went back and got another Slot Red.

Then it was Mary's turn. Another Slot Red was on the line and she expertly worked it to the net and put the final fish in the boat. These anglers had limited out on Redfish, the first time I've had that happen in a while, so we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Saved The Best For Last

I fished with Jeff Dees and his son-in-law Jason this morning, meeting them out at Goffinsville Park early, and we made a quick run thru Horsehead to the mouth of Jackstaff with plans to fish the exposed oyster beds with jigs and live shrimp. I turned the bow into the outgoing current and we began to work the bank slowly, pitching to the edge and slowly working it back. And pitching to the edge and slowly working it back. And pitching it to the edge and slowly working it back. We fished it thoroughly but had no real bites, other than a Catfish and Ladyfish.

After running back thru the marsh and down the Nassau we set up alongside some  more oysters and this did the trick. It was like someone turned a light switch on. Jason "knocked the skunk off" when he caught and landed a feisty Redfish and from then on we were catching fish. Jeff tangled with a hard fighting Jack Crevalle, landed a keeper sized Seatrout, and both anglers caught a good handful of feisty Redfish.  We moved up the bank and fished a marsh run out and here too, we caught fish.

The tide had been coming in for about an hour so we buzzed down to Broward Island and set up on the end and here things got hot!  Jeff caught couple of feisty Reds then he had a strong hookup and, Big Fish On! He played it perfectly and soon landed a nice 23" Slot Redfish. After he picked up another smaller Red or two, we let the boat drift back to let Jason get in on the action and sure enough, he too hooked up and landed a nice Slot Redfish. We fished both ends of the island and put  keeper sized Flounder and Sheepshead in the boat before we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Oversized Redfish Knocks Skunk Off The Boat

I had met the Noble's - John and his two sons Christian and Conner out at the Goffinsville Park boatramp this morning and we made a short run down the Nassau River to the Spanish Drop area and set up fishing an outgoing tide with jigs and live shrimp. All three anglers were making excellent casts to the exposed oysters but all we were getting were nibbles for a good 20 minutes then, BOOM! Christian had a fish pick up his bait and start off and when he set the hook, the drag began to rip, Big Fish On!  When it headed for deep water right off I made the mistake of declaring it a Bonnethead Shark - we'd seen a few cruising the shoreline - and I stuck with that

assertion all thru the battle, right up until it came to the surface and we saw that it was a huge Redfish!  Christian played it perfectly and we eventually netted a 29.5" Oversized Redfish. After quick pictures it was allowed to catch it's breath over the side and swam off with and indignant swish.

From then on all three anglers began catching fish - small, but feisty Redfish and hungry Seatrout, and we fished it right up until a huge rainstorm ran us west!  We buzzed down to Broward thinking we could bypass the rain, but it was to no avail - we got wet! But the fishing made up for it. We fished the south end of the island and Conner got hot, catching one Redfish after the other. As we worked our way down the island John figured it out and began to pick up fish out deep, fishing his jig slowly. When we got to the northern end of the island the tide had started in and her Christian picked up where he had left off. He and Conner landed a couple of Redfish then Conner caught and landed a nice Slot Red. We also added a keeper sized Seatrout along the way. After a good battle with another huge Red, one that won the battle, we fished on down the Nassau for just a bit before making one final run.

That was to Twin Creeks and although we didn't get much, Conner capped the Amelia Island Grand Slam when he picked up a Flounder on a float rig. Even though we got wet, it turned out to be another great day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

50 Fish

After postponing our Tuesday trip due to rain, we were able to get out yesterday and had some fine weather to fish with the Cervino family - Nick and Tara and their daughters Lila and Julia. We met u at the Dee Dee Bartels Park and buzzed over to the Jolly River  and set up along the "bank", casting into the current with jigs and live shrimp. Non stop action. Boom! Fish on. Boom! Fish on. Boom! Fish on. Although most of the fish were not real big, it was great fun for the kids who caught Seatrout, Croaker, Red Drum, Black Drum, Pin Fish, Perch and Flounder. The bite did slow for just a tad as we
reached the point but after we had run up the river further it picked back up.

These anglers landed a nice Slot sized Redfish (all fish caught today were released) then the girls teamed up to battle an even bigger Slot Redfish. Tara was on the rod, Julia was on the reel, and Lila was doing the coaching and after a good battle they brought the 24" Slot Redfish to the net, boy what a fish fight!

We fished the outside of Tiger briefly and picked up a Trout and a couple of Flounder, then buzzed around and thru Tiger and over to Bell River, and again caught fish after fish. I guestimated that we had caught and released at least 50 fish which is great way for young anglers to experience fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Jean Jean The Fishing Machine

I had the pleasure of fishing again this week with the Davis's - Clint and Jean - meeting them down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early this morning and running up the Nassau River. I had intended to make it all the way down to Broward Island to take advantage of the first of an incoming tide, but those oyster beds along the Nassau were looking good so we pulled up, dropped the trolling motor, and began easing back against the current. Both anglers were tossing jigs and live shrimp and making excellent casts and although they got a nibble or two we didn't get a fish...until....Jean had a strong bite, a hookup, and BIG FISH ON! Hah!  She fought it patiently

(see below video) and after a good battle, landed an oversized 29.5" Redfish. Boy what a fish! After a photo, the fish was revived and released to swim off and multiply!  After Jean added a hard fighting Jack Crevalle to her catch, we moved on.

We fished the rocks at Seymore's Pointe to no avail, then ran down to Broward Island and fished deep. I think we may have picked up a small Croaker but that was it. Tip #3: when you're not catching fish, MOVE! So we did, back up the Nassau to Pumpkin Hill and this did the trick. Both Clint and Jean caught a few small but feisty Reds the Clint put a keeper sized Flounder in the boat, but keeper just barely so we tossed it back, then Jean did the same and her Flounder was about 16" so in the box it went. She also hooked up and landed a nice Slot sized Redfish.

After easing around the corner Clint finally had a "Big Fish Bite" -his drag ripped and his rod bent and he battled his fish to a standstill and soon landed a 2.5' Bonnethead Shark. The duo combined to also land a Whiting, a Weakfish, a few Trout, a Ladyfish, and a Black Drum -now that's a variety and it made for  great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Amelia Island Shark Week?

We launched under stormy skies this morning, but the rain storms seemed to be holding just along the beach and we were heading west from Sawpit Creek and gambled that we wouldn't get wet!  I had met the Godfrey family - Pat and David and their son Mark early and after the quick run up the the intercoastal and into Jackstaff, we turned the bow into the current and began working back on an incoming tide, tossing float rigs and live shrimp to the marsh grass. And wouldn't you know it, the first two casts produced
Seatrout!  Mark reeled the first one in, knocking the "skunk off" then David hooked up and reeled in a keeper sized fish. (All fish caught today were released). We fished the bank slowly and picked up a couple of Trout and Ladyfish then Pam tangled with a hard fighting Jack Crevalle.

We ran thru Horsehead and around to Seymore's Pointe and stopped to fish some dock pilings briefly but the "baitstealers" were thick so
we continued on around to Pumpkin Hill. All three anglers were getting excellent drifts and even though we had some nibbles, we only picked up one more small Trout.   Just as we were about to leave, David's rod bent double and his drag began to rip and Fish On!  He fought the fish to a standstill and soon landed a nice Bonnethead Shark.

Our next stop was over in Christopher Creek, fishing dock pilings again with jigs and shrimp and again, bait stealers ran us off. We came back out of the creek and ran down the Nassau River and made our final stop at Twin Creeks. Mark was on the bow tossing to the mouths of the creeks and when he saw that his float was missing, he reeled up, came tight, and the circle hook did its job! BOOM! Big Fish On!  This fish was ripping drag so we kicked the trolling motor into high gear as Mark took up slack then it was a battle. Mark went from bow to stern and from starboard to port and kept the pressure on. Soon the 4' shark came to the surface and we grabbed it for pictures and release. Now that's the way to wrap up another great day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

I Don't See My Float

For someone who had trouble keeping up with where their float was, Sue Welch carried the day by ctching most of the big fish!  I had met her and her husband Lewis and their friend Jan down at the  Sawpit Creek boat ramp early this morning and after the quick run up the intercoastal we eased into Jackstaff and began fishing back thru the current on the last of an incoming tide.  All three anglers were tossing floats and live shrimp to the flooded grass and we had good action for most of the stretch. They landed small but fun-to-catch Seatrout, a feisty Redfish or two, a small Black Tip
shark, and they tangled with a couple of bigger Shark that snapped the leader. Jan had a brief encounter with a big Redfish up in some sparse grass then Sue hooked up and landed a nice Slot 21" Redfish.

We ran thru Horsehead and around to Seymore's Pointe and fished the rocks with the float rigs and the only fish caught was a hard fighting Jack Crevalle, which Sue landed handily. NO Mangrove Snapper all year! Crazy. I don't think the water temperature got hot

enough for them to show up in the back water.

Our next stop was down at Pumpkin Hill and although both Lou and Jan had a couple of strong hookups, both broke off. Later, as we eased along an adjacent bank, Lou had had a good bite, lost his shrimp and Sue followed in with her cast. Boom! Fish on - a nice keeper sized Seatrout.

We made one more stop back in the Nassau River and here Jan's rod heated up. She was fishing a jig on the bottom and caught a couple of Stingray then  had a similar bite, reeled it in and landed a Flounder that was right at keeper size, but we released it. There was some real commotion up ahead and both Lou and Sue had switched back to float rigs and had good drifts going on when Sue realized that her float had disappeared. When she finally caught up to it her rod bent and her drag began to rip and, Big Fish On!  She fought it valiantly from bow to stern and after some good runs, landed a good Slot 24" Redfish! Now that's the way to wrap up a great day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida

Grouper In The Backwater

Although last evenings forecast called for 50% chance of rain this morning, Clint and Jean Davis and I decided to chance it and fish anyway. We met up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp and headed south and around to the Bell River to fish some flooding oysters with float rigs and live shrimp. It didn't take long. Clint hooked up and landed a hungry Seatrout right off the bat. The two anglers continued to drift floats along the marsh grass and caught a good handful of the small but -fun-to-catch Trout.

We ran thru Tiger and around to the outside and fished the very last of the incoming tide and had
numerous nibbles but no takers. Back thru Tiger we went and around to Lanceford Creek and here we had some good catches. Both Jean and Clint caught Trout then Jean landed a couple of feisty Redfish. Clint had a big one on - it was ripping drag- but it got up in the weeds and broke itself off. Ouch.  We fished some dock pilings in Lanceford for a bit but the tide was still high and we had no takers.

Our next stop was in Soap Creek and now the tide was going out. Clint was making excellent casts to a marsh runout and found a few Trout to add to the catch.  Our final stop was back at Tiger, fishing the logs and here Jean put a keeper sized Flounder in the boat which was photographed and released, then Clint had a hookup and a pretty good fight, only to reel in a small Grouper!  It's not the first time we've had a Grouper catch, but it's always neat to see. And with that, we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.