Fish'n For Ham

Dale and Kay Bullard usually bring me a couple of their outstandingly delicious ham sandwiches when the fish with me here at Amelia Island, and today was more of the same! These aren't "out of the package" ham sandwiches, these are sure enough true Honey Baked ham sandwiches, and homemade!  But there is that tad bit of pressure to make sure they catch some decent fish!

We met early this morning up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp and made a 10 minute run over and into the Jolly River and then up to "Snook Creek" to begin fishing with jigs and live
shrimp Both Dale and Kay honed their skills trying to pick off small Croaker and pin fish that were stealing their bait. The tide was coming in and almost covering the oysters so we switched to float rigs and continued to work the marsh grass...to no avail.

After coming back towards the mouth of the river we set up just south of a mud/oyster flat drainage and this did the trick. First, Dale had a strong hookup - we both saw the wake boil out of there, but the fish must have wrapped the wire stem of the float around an oyster because it broke!  Shortly after that Kay had  good bite - it didn't take - but it came back and BOOM! Big Fish On!  Kay fought it expertly and battle it from the shoreline to out deep and from starboard to port, always keeping the pressure on, and soon brought it to Dale's waiting net - a big 25" Slot Red, and boy was it thick!

Only a few minutes later we had another good bite - another Slot Redfish on. This time it was Dale on the rod and he worked it patiently to the boat and waiting net. This one measured right at 20".  We picked up a couple of hungry Seatrout then made a move back to the outside of Tiger. The mullet were coming back in drovers and fish were busting them and finally, Kay got one to take shrimp and had a hookup. She reeled it in and tallied a 18" Seatrout.

We fished Bell River where Dale caught another keeper Trout then he put a keeper sized Flounder in the boat - they got a Slam! We finished the day back on the outside of Tiger. By this time our shrimp had died but it didn't seem to matter. The two anglers caught and released 4-5 more Trout before we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Keeper Sized Trout Kinda Day

We had a beautiful morning when Walter Cochran and I left the Sawpit Creek boat ramp this morning with the sun peaking over the south end of Amelia Island. We headed up the intercoastal and dipped into Jackstaff and began fishing the bank with float rigs and live shrimp on an incoming tide. The float rigs just weren't working though so we switched to jigs and this did the trick!  Walter began to get hookups  and landed a few feisty Redfish and then some Seatrout, one of which was of keeper size - (all fish caught today were released).

After running thru Horsehead we fished some

docks at Seymore's Pointe, picked up a nice sized Croaker, then moved on down towards Spanish Drop and fished a large run-out. Walter was making excellent casts and we worked the bank thoroughly. We tangled with a Ladyfish and picked up another Trout before we moved on.

Our final stop was down at Pumpkin Hill. The tide had been coming in for a while, was almost high, so we switched back to the float rigs. We were fishing in about 3.5 foot of water around some grassy islands and after Walter put his float in a perfect spot, let it drift, BOOM!  Nice Trout on! He continued to work that area and, BOOM! Bigger Trout on!  He went back to the area and BOOM! Biggest Trout on!  The float rigs finally payed off and it ended up making for a great way to wrap up a fishing trip here at Amelia Island, Florida.

When It Rains It Pours

It's amazing how quickly a rain storm moves across the water! But more on that later!  I met the Ahrens family early this morning up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp, Brian and Jenifer and their two sons Henry and Oscar. We made a short jump across the river from the ramp and fished a submerged oyster bar on a high and incoming tide. The anglers were tossing float rigs with live shrimp and making excellent casts but we had no takers, other than "baitstealers". 

Further around Tiger we set up and it was young Henry that "knocked the skunk off" when
he hooked up and expertly reeled in a hard fighting Blue Fish. After we had crossed a creek and fished a point of grass, Brian put a keeper sized Seatrout in the boat. (All fish caught today were released). We then made the run thru Tiger Basin and around to Bell River and set up alongside some flooding marsh grass and here all of the anglers had action, catching hungry Seatrout.

The tide was just about to start out so our next stop was over in Lanceford Creek. And once that tide started out we had plenty of bites and a whole bunch of catches!  Henry quickly earned the name "Redfish King" after he hooked up, and in an epic battle, landed a big 25" Slot sized Redfish - with his dad on the net! Later, he found a hot spot and caught one feisty Redfish after the other.

I noticed that there was a rain storm headed our way and we discussed "running for it" but decided to stay, and boy did we get drenched!  But these anglers were game and after we went back to fishing Brian and Oscar began to catch Seatrout with Oscar "Big Trout Guy" putting  the biggest in the boat for the day. Then he had a strong hookup and as his drag sang I saw a Shark flash by, Fish On!  Oscar worked it to the boat to be netted, photographed, and released.  This whole time Jenifer was getting pictures and helping out around the boat, a big help to the Captain. We fished until we ran out of bait, then called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

A Little Fall In The Air

After I met Steve Elmore and his brother-in-law Jason down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp this
morning, we headed up the intercoastal and I could fill just a slight "nip" in the air - Fall is on the way!  We eased into Jackstaff and moved further up into a creek and set up outside an out flow to toss float rigs and live shrimp. Although we had a nibble or two then Steve "knocked the skunk" off when he landed a hungry Seatrout.

We moved across the creek and worked a marsh line with the float rigs and both anglers tangled with some high flying Ladyfish but that was it. After running thru Horsehead we fished a marshy point and a dock at Seymore's but again,  no real bites.

Our next stop was down the Nassau River at Spanish Drop and here we had an uptick in action. Both Steve and Jason had switched to jigs and shrimp and minnows and after a few casts to a marsh runout, Steve had a strong bite and, Fish On! We could tell it had some size by the way the drag was ripping - the fish took Steve from the bow to the stern and from starboard to port, but Steve kept the pressure on, played it patiently and with Jason on the net, brought a nice 20" Slot Redfish to the boat.

And shortly after that it was Jason's turn with a big fish. His was REALLY ripping drag and when it headed for deep water, and kept going, I guessed "Bonnethead". It's really difficult to land a 4' shark on my light Shimano 1000's but Jason was up to the task. He stayed  patient, worked 'em in, and landed a the big shark for pictures and release.

We fished a couple of those banks and then some more docks at Seymore's, and landed a couple of more Reds, a Stingray, a small Sea Bass, and a couple of "baitstealers", then we called it day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Slot Red to Start the Day

We ignored the weather forecast that predicted a 45% chance of rain this morning and met up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp early. It was Chris Moscoso and his cousin Rob, back for some Amelia Island back country fishing on the Angler's Mark. We ran across to the outside of Tiger and set up along some marsh grass and fished float rigs over oysters with mud minnows. I don't think we had been there more than few minutes when Chris had a hookup and, Fish On!  He played it perfectly on his light tackle spin gear and soon landed a nice 23" Slot sized Redfish. Now that's the was to start a fishing
trip!  But the rest of the stretch produced no real bites, so we crossed the river and fished another marsh line. We had a few nibbles here and there, but no takers so we pulled up and  made the run up to the Jolley River.

Our first stop was along the "bank" and even though these two anglers were making excellent casts, we just weren't getting the bites. I think the tide was till to high. We buzzed up the river and fished a large marsh run out and may have caught a Redfish or two. After working further up the bank, Rob had a huge bite. He kept the pressure on, and held on! The drag was ripping and Rod was doing everything right but is was not to be.  BINK, the big fish was gone - it threw the hook. Ouch. But the tide had fallen, the oysters were exposed and the fish bite turned on with a vengeance. Both anglers were putting Redfish in the boat, one after the other, and they added a couple of small but hungry Seatrout. Rob hooked up and landed another Slot Redfish. (All fish caught today were released).

When things slowed we made the run around to Tiger Island and fished the "tree tops" with jigs and minnows and both Chris and Rob caught keeper sized Flounder, again, both released.  Once the tide had started out and the oysters were exposed was when  most of the fish were caught today, and it made for a great one to be out on the water here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Fun Amelia Island Fishing

We had a beautiful morning today when I met Adam and Patty Garner up at the north end boat ramp and we made quick time getting north and west over to the outside of Tiger Island with a plan to fish the outgoing tide with float rigs and minnows and a handful of live shrimp.

Patty was fishing the shrimp at the stern of the boat and she was the first to strike (and maybe the 2nd and 3rd!) - she hooked up and landed  some hungry Seatrout. We worked along the bank, began to snag bottom with our hooks, then moved on, making our next run up to the Jolley River to fish a large marsh run out. Here, both

Adam and Patty had good hookups with feisty Redfish and handily brought them to the boat.  We worked that bank thoroughly, then ran back to the mouth of the Jolley to fish the "bank" and here we had some good Redfish action. Both anglers put fish in the boat.

You would have thought we were touring the Jolley because our next stop was back up the river and on to the MOA where we broke out the jig rods, now fishing exclusively minnows, but we had no luck. The MOA (Mother of All) is slowly becoming NOT the MOA.

Our next and final stop was back at Tiger Island. The sun was up, the breeze was blocked, but we did manage to put another Red or two in the boat and then a keeper sized Flounder (released). After touring the south end of Cumberland Island and Fort Clinch, we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Fish Catch'n Day

Whooo Whooo! It was a fish catch'n day today! I had met Bryan and Janet Roach and their son Michael down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early and we made the run up the intercoastal and into Jackstaff to fish an outgoing tide with live shrimp under floats. I think the first three of four casts produced Seatrout! Most were just undersized until young Michael put a keeper sized one in the boat. We had a good flurry of catching and when it slowed we eased on down the bank and caught more Trout and a handful of Ladyfish. When Janet hooked up with something big enough to rip the drag
we were thinking "Slot Redfish", but no, it was a fun-to-catch big Jack Crevalle!

We ran thru Horsehead, made a stop at some docks at Seymore's, long enough for Michael to put a Redfish in the boat (his first?) then we continued on down to the Spanish Drop area of the Nassau and set up along some now exposed oysters. Janet got hot when she landed a few Redfish of her own then Michael caught one that was
just a tad bit undersized, but the biggest he'd ever caught, then he and his dad teamed up to get a "double" catch of Redfish.

Our next stop was down at Broward Island and although the bite wasn't so great, we did pick up a few fish.  We buzzed back to just east of Twin Creeks and here the Trout bite was on fire. Bryan got things started and kept it going by catching a good handful of the Trout, then Janet joined in and caught a few, too.   We went back to the Spanish Drop spot and now fished it with jigs and basically put Redfish in the boat until we ran out of bait! Now that's a great way to wrap up a fun fishing trip here at Amelia Island, Florida.

GoPro Debut

There were dark and stormy skies....when I met Bob Blalock up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp this morning, but luckily they were offshore and stayed offshore!  I had been playing with a GoPro camera for the last few days, shooting videos in my back yard and home, but I just had to bite  the bullet and get it out on the water and see how I could make use.   Bob was in the service and one of his jobs was to shoot video so he was a prime candidate to be the "star" of my first movie!

We made the quick run over to Lanceford Creek on the first of an incoming tide and set up 50 feet from some dock pilings. Bob's first cast produced a bite and his second produced a fish - a nice feisty Redfish. I think he got bites on almost all of his casts and he landed a handful of those small but fun-to-catch Reds. We moved around the dock and her the "baitstealers" took over so we picked up and ran back to Tiger Island.

The fish bite was kind slow but we found one spot where Bob hooked up and landed a keeper sized Trout and later, after we had worked up and down the bank, Bob hooked up and landed a keeper sized Flounder from the same spot!  We then ran to the outside of Tiger and fished large marsh run out to no avail, then continued on to the Jolley River and again, no real bites.

Our final stop was back at Bell River and even though we were getting excellent drifts with float rigs and live shrimp, we had no takers until finally, BOOM! We had a bite, the float disappeared, and fish on!  Bob worked it patiently to the  boat and landed another keeper sized Seatrout. We had started strong, had a long lull, but finished good so we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

We Found a Couple of Strays

There wasn't a lick of breeze when I launched out at Broward Island this morning. I had met Bob Blalock and we had plans to fish the first of the incoming tide so we motored down to Broward Island and set up to toss jigs and live shrimp. Bob's second cast produced a feisty Redfish and from then on he was catching fish, and I joined in, too!  We both caught two handfuls of the small but fun-to-catch Reds, and we added a couple of Trout and Sheepshead to the mix, too.

We decided to break one of the rules of fishing - leave fish to find fish- but we moved on down the way, and again, we were catching. More Reds, a few Trout, and a couple of Sheepshead. Finally, after Bob had made a pinpoint cast to a niche, BOOM! Bigger fish on. As you can see in the below video, Bob played him perfectly, took him around the engine, and soon landed a nice Slot Redfish.

Our next stop was back towards the ramp where we switched to float rigs, but we had no real bites. We moved further down the
river and as we were free lining the float back in the current we had good bite, and Big Fish On!  Bob kept the pressure on, fought it to the boat, and landed another Slot Redfish. I think that was the only fish we caught in that spot!

Our last area to fish was even further down the Nassau, near Spanish Drop, and we did have one good hookup on the now high tide (and flooding) but it threw the hook. After tangling with some large Ladyfish, we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

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.