First Fish, First Redfish, and Oversized Redfish

We set a couple of milestones today on the Angler's Mark when I fished with Brad Lanier and his buddy's Patrick and Matt. We met down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp and buzzed up the Nassau River to set up alongside a flooding marsh line with plans to toss live shrimp under a float. We worked along that bank for a bit, had a bite here and there, then Matt "knocked the skunk off" when he landed a keeper sized Seatrout.

After moving down a 100 yards, we tried the same technique and here Brad hooked up, played
it perfectly, and brought to the boat a feisty Redfish, his first ever.  We fished some docks later and added a panfish sized Croaker to the box, then ran down to Broward Island to escape the wind that had picked  up (weather forecasters missed it again). Matt had the hot hand catching a couple of hungry Seatrout fishing the bottom with a jig and mud minnow.

Our next stop was up towards Pumpkin Hill. Crazy how you fish for 10-15-20 minutes and just as you're about to leave, BOOM!  Patrick had a fish on and it was big enough to pull some drag. As he patiently played it, BOOM! Brad had a hookup and Fish On! Both anglers did an excellent job working there fish to the net and together they landed a Slot Redfish each.

We moved around the corner and fished a grassy island and after Brad had tossed his bait to the backside of it, he had another good hookup. He fought it to the boat and landed their 3rd Slot Redfish.  Back around the corner we went and began to drift another marsh line. Matt was on the stern, left his bail open after a pinpoint cast as his float drifted down the grass line we both commented how good a drift he was getting and...….BOOM! Big Fish On!  This was a big one!  Matt applied the pressure, worked it out to deep water, then patiently fought the fish from the deep. After a good battle he landed a big Oversized 31.5" Redfish, big enough to move him into 3rd place in the 2020 Anglers Mark Bragging Rights Tournament - Redfish Category (scroll down the right side of this report for standings) 

We hit one more spot and caught a couple of Mangrove Snapper, then called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Starting Out With a Bang at Amelia Island Fishing

Cary Bennett, his dad Stanley and his nephew Dalton drove down early from Blackshear, Georgia to meet me out at Goffinsville Park on a sunny morning. We had just a bit of a breeze but the backwaters were fishable so we headed over to Pumpkin Hill and set up outside of a little cove and the anglers began tossing float rigs and live shrimp on the last of an incoming tide.  We had fished for about 10 minutes when I realized that Stanley's rod was bent and his drag was ripping. Stanley fought the big fish hard to keep it out of the marsh grass as best he could, then when the fish came out

deep we began to chase it, with Stanley reeling up slack as we went with the fish. He played it perfectly and after a good battle landed an Oversized  32" Redfish, big enough to take second place in the 2020 Angler's Mark Bragging Rights Tournament, Redfish Category (scroll down the right side of this report for standings). Boy what a fish.

We had only been fishing for a few minutes when Stanley hooked up again with a big fish. This fish was acting just like the previous

big Red. Stanley battled him out of the shallows then handed it off to his grandson Dalton who took over, fought it valiantly to the surface where we saw it was a big 4' Bonnethead Shark. Dalton wore it out and we lifted it in for pictures then release.

We fished Christopher Creek with jigs and shrimp and minnows but had no bites, then came back out and around to Seymore's Pointe where we tangled with some hungry Mangrove Snapper. Both Dalton and Stanley squeezed out a couple of keepers.  After fishing some dock pilings to no avail, we moved on down to Spanish Drop.

As we worked along the bank, Cary had moved to the bow and was making excellent casts to the bank and getting good drifts with his float rig when, BOOM! Fish On!  Cary played it patiently and after a good battle brought to the net a nice 21" Slot Redfish. We moved up to Twin Creeks and fished thru the outflow. Again, Cary had the hookup and put a keeper Flounder in the boat.  Dalton wrapped things up with another hard fighting Bonnethead catch, then we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Amleia Island Fishing Can We Eat It?

This morning I fished with the Saho family, Terry and Olya and their kids Sawyer and Sophia, meeting them up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp early for a half day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. We ran over to the outside of Tiger Island and fished some flooded marsh grass on the first of an outgoing tide. We did get some nibbles here and there and here and there, but no takers. We bounced over to another marsh line, fished a bit with float rigs and live shrimp, and did have some excitement when Olya had a strong hookup. This big fish was ripping drag and the equipment was no
match for it - the fish kept going, dug deep, and BAP! Fish Off!

We made a long run around to Lanceford Creek, fished another marsh line, then eased over to a grassy island. These anglers were making excellent casts and sure enough, when Terry got his float up near the grass, there was a strange bite. The float slowly went under and, Fish On!  Terry played it perfectly, patiently, and slowly worked the fish to the boat and we landed a big 20.5" Flounder, the biggest of the year on the Angler's Mark, and big enough to garner Terry 1st Place in the 2020 Bragging Rights Tournament (scroll down the right side of this report for standings).  Although young Sophia asked on each fish catch "Can we eat it?" This family decided to release all fish caught today.

We then made a quick run over to Soap Creek, fished a large marsh run out, then eased along "Bob's Island" and BOOM! Fish ON! Terry made the hookup, handed it off to Sophia, and then relieved her when we realized that it was a big Redfish. He fought it to the boat and landed a nice Slot Redfish. After fishing that stretch for a bit, we moved back into Lanceford and switched up to some jigs on the bottom.

Sawyer outsmarted a Perch and landed it then his mom hooked up with a fish. This one was ripping some drag. She handed it off to Sawyer who expertly worked it to the boat and Sophia did an excellent job of netting another Slot Redfish. We picked up one or two "feisty" Reds there then called it a day, another great one to be fishing at Amelia Island, Florida.

Fish Catching Morning at Amelia Island

I had Bob Blalock back for a morning of fishing here at Amelia Island,  but this time we met up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp and then headed over to Lanceford Creek to fish some flooded marsh grass just as the tide started it. Bob was tossing float rigs and mud minnows and making excellent casts but we had no nibbles at the first spot. We eased down the creek a bit and fished a grass island and it was only seconds after Bob's first cast and he had a  hookup, a hungry Seatrout. He went back to the area and this time the bite was a little stronger. There was some drag ripping and after playing it patiently, Bob reeled in a nice keeper sized Slot Redfish.
That was it for that spot, though!

We moved over to Soap Creek and fished a large marsh run out, staying with the float rigs, but had not bites. As we eased up the bank and passed "Bob's Oyster Island", sure enough we got some bites. Bob landed another Trout and then on another cast his float slowly disappeared and, Fish On! Bob worked it to the boat and landed a 21" Slot Redfish. We added a small Flounder before we moved on. We worked even further up Soap Creek, charting some new territory, and caught another Trout and the smallest Redfish either of us have seen caught on a hook!

Our next move was down at Pirates Woods where we fished some docks that were protected from the wind that had picked up. We landed another Trout or two,  a Jack, another Flounder, then had a brief encounter with a huge Stingray. But the tide had almost hit bottom and the bite had slowed, so we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Isalnd, Florida.

Windy Day Makes for A Challenge Fishing at Amelia Island

Although the sun was out and chance of rain was slim, the 10mph wind forecast seemed to be "off" jut a tad this morning. I had met Alex and Laura Winter, their son Brendan, and his friend Elizabeth down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp and the wind was whipping. But these anglers were up for a challenge so we headed out, turning NW up the Nassau River with plans to fish a large outflow with float rigs and live shrimp.  That first spot didn't produce a single bite but we worked our way down some docks and here Brendan hooked up with a big 18" Seatrout and "knocked the skunk off"
when he expertly landed it.

We ran back to the Spanish Drop area and fished an oyster bank that was beginning to show on the outgoing tide. Alex put a feisty Jack Crevalle in the boat and when we moved up a ways, Brendan found a hungry Seatrout.

Our next stop was fishing some rocks at Seymore's Pointe and here it was Alex who mastered the art of catching a bait stealing Mangrove Snapper.   After running down the Nassau we fished some more oysters. But Seagulls were diving out behind us so Alex began to cast to them and sure enough, BAM! Fish On! He landed another Jack, a couple of keeper sized Bluefish (we tossed them back) and another Jack or two. Then Elizabeth, fishing a jig and shrimp to the bank, hooked up and landed another nice, keeper
sized Seatrout. 

We moved down to Broward Island but the wind was kicking up the silt so it was some tough fishing but Laura came thru when she hooked up and landed the final keeper sized Seatrout of the day. Although we had to battle the wind, the sun was out and it was a great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Masters of Fishing at Amelia Island

Leah Parker set up a back country fishing trip for her husband Tony to celebrate his achievement of earing a Masters Degree. We met up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park this morning and with the tide still a bit high, we made a run over to Soap Creek and fished a large marsh run out with live shrimp and float rigs. We got a nibble here and there then Tony hooked up and expertly played a nice Slot sized Redfish to the boat. Leah followed that up with a Seatrout catch and a rare Cigar Fish!

We eased around the corner and fished some docks and again, it was Tony who had the strong hookup up. This one turned out to be an even bigger Redfish. The duo also landed another Trout and a smaller Redfish.

The wind was picking up so we made the run back to Tiger Island and found refuge behind the trees and this worked out perfectly. Leah wrapped things up when she landed a hungry, keeper sized Seatrout on  a jig and shrimp combo. We made a quick tour of Cumberland Island, Fort Clinch and Old Town then headed in, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Birthday Trip Fishing at Amelia Island

Birthday guy Frank WYTIAZ and his wife Joanne treated themselves to an Amelia Island Back Country fishing trip this  morning when I met them up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp. We headed up the river and made a quick stop on the outside of Tiger to try some jigs and mud minnows at a large marsh run out in hopes of catching a Flounder...but we had no bites.

We then bumped around to the Jolly River, fished the "bank" with float rigs and live shrimp, and here Joanne tangled with a couple of high flying Ladyfish, Frank put a hungry Seatrout in the boat, and then a big Bluefish struck Joanne's
bait and she expertly brought it to the boat. We fished further up the river at Snook Creek, then at the MOA, then made a run around to some docks at Bell River, fishing, but to no avail.

The tide had hit bottom so we made the long run back to Tiger Island and fished the logs and here we had some good action.  The duo landed a couple of Redfish, one of which was in the Slot. Frank put a Flounder in the boat and both he and Joanne caught a handful of  Black "puppy" Drum to round out their Amelia Island Back Country "Grande" Slam of Redfish, Seatrout, Flounder and Drum. It was a beautiful day and a great way to celebrate a birthday here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Big Redfish Fishing at Amelia Island

We had another outstandingly beautiful morning today when I picked up John Raker at the Oyster
Bay Marina. We made a quick jump over to Eagans Creek and fished some docks with mud minnows and live shrimp on jigs. The first dock didn't produce a fish but when we moved down a dock or two it wasn't long before John was hooking up with feisty Redfish. He put two or three in the boat, most being just a wee bit under the Slot limit, then he had a stronger hookup that was ripping some drag. John worked it out away for the dock pilings expertly and we soon netted the first Slot Red of the day. After getting a couple of more of the smaller fish,  plus a small Black "puppy" Drum, then a keeper sized Drum, we headed over to Tiger Island.

The wind was picking up as we made the run but when we got to the island it was blocked. We had the whole spot to ourselves and fished up and down the island as the tide turned and started in. Every once in a while John would have a hookup. More feity Reds, then a Slot size, then a keeper sized Flounder, another Drum, a small Seatrout, and then BOOM! Big fish on. As John's drag ripped the  big fish cam out deep and the battle was on. The fish tried to stay deep but John worked it to the top, it boiled, then dove, then eventually came to the net, a 28.5" oversized Redfish! After pictures we released it to swim off. John added one more Slot Redfish before we moved on, calling it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Mixed Bag Fishing at Amelia Island

The spring like weather continued today when I fished with Brian Roach,  his son Michael, and their friend Jonah. I met them up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park and made a quick run over to Eagans Creek to fish some dock pilings on the very first of an incoming tide.  The fish catching started off slow at the first dock even though Jonah "knocked the skunk off" with a Seatrout catch, but when we moved to the second dock the fishing got hot! Brian found some Redfish parallel to some pilings. He hooked up with one or

two before the two younger anglers moved in and caught a few of their own. Most were just a tad bit undersized but Jonah did find one in the slot size. Michael added Black "puppy" Drum to the catch before we moved on.  (We were fishing with live shrimp and mud minnows(

 

Our next stop was around at Tiger Island, fishing the logs. Michael notched an Amelia Island Back Country Slam with a keeper sized Flounder catch and Brian added another feisty Redfish.

 

We made the run up to the Jolley River, fished the bank, and even though we were tossing float rigs into the wind, Michael hooked up and landed Seatrout. After running further up the river and setting up with the wind behind our back, we found some good sized slot Redfish along the flooding marsh grass. Jonah landed one nice Slot fish then Michael followed that up with his own. We had good action most of the day, the sun was out, the humidity was down, so we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Warm Water Brings Hot Fishing at Amelia Island

It looks like we're getting back to "work" this week - I've had a handful of bookings. Today I fished with Trey Dennard, his GF Maria, and her son Mario, meeting them out at the Goffinsville Park boat ramp early this morning. The tide was still going out so we bumped down to Broward Island and fished jigs and live shrimp up between the logs. Although we didn't find any big Redfish, the trio did hookup and land a handful of hungry Seatrout and it was Mario who "knocked the skunk off" with the first one. Trey wrapped it up
with the biggest, a 17" keeper fish.   We moved down the way as the tide started back in and here Trey put a keeper sized Flounder in the boat (one that had a gig hole thru and thru) and the team also landed another Trout or two.

We buzzed over to Spanish drop and fished jigs and float rigs. Maria put another keeper sized Flounder, Trey added a Redfish that was just under the legal limit, then all three were tangling with high flying Ladyfish that were sweeping in and attaching their shrimp.

Our next stop was some docks at Seymore's Pointe where we had no real bites, then we wrapped things up back towards Goffinsville and put two 10" Mangrove Snapper in the boat, the first of the year - and indication the water is getting warmer here at Amelia Island, Florida.