Two Big Reds in the Nassau

I was again fishing out of Sawpit Creek this morning, this time with Paul Deluca, his son Cole and
their friend Sean. We met early and headed up the intercoastal to dip into Jackstaff and begin fishing the exposed oysters with jigs and live shrimp on the very last of an outgoing tide. We worked up the creek, pitching to the bank, had a few nibbles, then Sean "knocked the skunk off" when he hooked up, battled, and landed a nice 3' Bonnethead Shark. Cole had a good hookup at a large marsh run out but the fish ran directly to the boat, under it, and BAP! Fish off!

We then ran thru Horsehead and around to some docks to fish the piers with the jigs and shrimp. Sean caught a nice keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum (all fish caught today were released) and Cole put a feisty Mangrove Snapper in the boat.



After moving around
the corner to fish some rocks, the fish "catching" lit up and was on fire. All four anglers found the
hot spot and began to pull one Mangrove Snapper after another out of the "honey hole". The Snapper are BACK!  Many of these were 12-13" and would make some great fish filet's for a fry - again-all were released to be caught another day. When we tired of catching fish (crazy, huh?)  We moved on.

The next stop was down at Broward Island, fishing the first of an incoming. Fishing, not catching. I've about decided to give up on these islands for a while.








We moved north to Pumpkin Hill. Now drifting floats, both Sean and Cole hooked up and landed some high flying Ladyfish, then Cole had his float disappear, he hooked up, played it perfectly, and landed a nice feisty Redfish. Then it was Paul's turn for a Redfish. He was drifting his float up
close and each time his bait caught on the bottom he'd pull it off and, BOOM! Big Fish On! This fish boiled a couple of times up near shore -a Big Redfish - then finally worked its way out deep. But the crabbers have the bank lined with traps and floats and sure enough Paul's fish wrapped the line around the float. Luckily, that braided  line is strong so we inched back to the float, flipped it over the line, and, Fish (back) On! Paul expertly played the fish and brought it to the boat, an Oversized 29" Redfish - boy what a fish.

After fishing down the bank a bit, we moved back to where we started and again, BOOM! Big Fish On! Paul had another one. This time Paul was able to bring it out past the crab traps, play it like a pro, and land a 26 15/16" Tournament Sized Redfish - another nice fish. With two big Reds landed in the last 20 minutes of the trip, it was a great way to wrap up an outstanding fishing trip here at Amelia Island, Florida.

 

Drum City

I fished with Bob Blalock this morning, meeting him out at Goffinsville Park early with plans to fish the back waters of Amelia Island. We headed  north from the ramp to fish a particular dock but the owner was out doing some exercises so we kept on going as not to disturb him!  We picked another dock and Bob began tossing jigs and live shrimp to the pilings - he got a few nibbles but no takers - then, BOOM! He had a hookup. Bob played it to the boat and landed a nice18" Black "puppy" Drum. Fishing the pilings with shrimp paid off. Bob landed a good handful of the Drum, a couple of more "keeper" sized, some of which he threw  back. He also picked up some Croaker, some small Mangrove Snapper, a small Sheepshead, and a couple of small Seatrout.

We eased back around the corner and the exerciser was gone so we set up off of some rocks and began floating shrimp along the edge and began to get bites. You had to be on your toes but the Mangrove Snapper were feeding and Bob put 5 nice 12-13" fish in the boat before we moved on to find bigger fish.

Our next stop was down at Broward Island, fishing the first of an incoming tide, an ideal tide to be there. But the fish didn't get the message!  Bob landed a couple of small Mangrove's and a small Flounder but that was it. We made a final stop up at Pumpkin Hill, fishing the float rigs. We picked up a small Redfish then one drift we both saw something "pop" the float. Seconds later the float disappeared, Bob tightened up and the hook set and, Fish ON! He worked it patiently to the boat - we were thinking "Redfish" but when it came to the net we saw it was a large 22" Seatrout, big enough to move Bob into a 2nd place tie in the Anglers Mark 2020 Bragging Rights Tournament -Seatrout Category (scroll down the right side of this report for standings). That was a great fish to wrap up the day - a great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Croaker Croaker Croaker

I fished with the Hynote crew - Tom and his son Bennett, and his brother-in-law Chris and his daughter Briana, meeting them up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp early this morning. We made a long run up and into the Jolley River to an exposed oyster bank on a low and incoming tide - a place that I had done really well a week ago on a similar tide. All four anglers were tossing jigs and live shrimp and making excellent casts. They were all getting bites but no real takers. Finally, Bennett hooked up and reeled in a Croaker. Then Briana did the same, reeling in an even bigger Croaker. The anglers caught and landed a good handful of those - I don't think the Reds and Trout and Flounder even had a chance!

We ran back to the mouth of the Jolley and fished the "bank" and here Briana hooked up and landed a feisty Redfish, then we landed another. Chris got on the board with a Seatrout catch before we moved back up the river. We fished up at Snook Creek with float rigs, then came back north. As we eased up to a pocket, Briana had made an excellent cast up between two grassy islands and BOOM! Fish on! She fought it valiantly but the fish cut the line on some oysters. Ouch. Then Tom had the same thing happen, BOOM! Big Fish on!  Then, BAP! fish off!  Boy oh boy. Finally, Bennett stepped up, hooked up,  and brought to the boat a nice 24" Slot sized Redfish

Our next stop was around to the outside of Tiger where we landed a small Seatrout or two, then we finished up over at Bell River, again with a Trout catch. The wind had picked up, the storm clouds were rolling in, so we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

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Oversized Red Kicks It Off

I wrapped my week up fishing with the Caul's, Jason and his son Tommy, meeting them down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp. We ran north and west and up the Middle River and made a stop half way up to fish some pockets with live shrimp under floats on the last of an incoming tide. I don't think we even had a nibble.

We continued on around to Pumpkin Hill and set up alongside a flooding marsh line, shallow with shell underneath. Jason was fishing the bow and Tommy took up the stern, drifting his float long down the grass and....BOOM! The float disappeared, Tommy tightened up and set the hook and, Fish On!  Boy what a fish. This one was big, ripping drag and boiling up and digging deep. But Tommy kept the pressure on, taking the fish(or maybe the fish was taking Tommy) from the stern to the bow and from Starboard to Port and back to the stern. After a long battle, Tommy landed a
big Oversized 28" Redfish - a good fish to "knock the skunk off" and get the day started!  Jason battled a hard fighting Jack Crevalle to the net then Tommy put a hungry Seatrout in the boat.

Fishing further down Jason had made a good toss up into a "cove" and as it drifted across, BOOM! Another big fish. Jason played it perfectly and patiently and after a good battle landed a 26 and 15/16" Tournament Sized Redfish, boy what a fish.   We an island around the corner, had no luck, then moved on.

Our next stop was up in Christopher Creek, this time tossing jigs and live Shrimp.  Jason had made a perfect cast to the grass and within seconds he had a hookup. This one was a nice fish too - ripping drag and digging deep. But Jason worked it to the boat and landed another Slot Redfish.

As we were passing Seymore's Pointe we stopped and fished some rocks and it paid off. Tommy got hot again and landed a good handful of Mangrove Snapper. After fishing Twin Creeks with jigs for a  bit, we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Wake Up Call

I fished today with father and son team Ken and Jaxon Kerr, meeting them down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early for a half day of fishing the backwaters of Amelia Island. We ran up the Middle River and around to Pumpkin Hill, set up at a grassy island, and tossed float rigs with live shrimp on the last of an incoming tide. All we got was a couple of nibbles.

We moved around and cruised a grass line, pitching as we went and still, no real bites. But finally, Jason's float disappeared and after he caught up his slack he set the hook and had a good strong fish on. Jason played it perfectly, worked it around the stern and back, and eventually landed a hard fighting Jack Crevalle. The fish had caught us sleeping but we were awake now!  Only minutes later Jason followed that up with a keeper sized Seatrout and Ken reeled in a beautiful Blue Crab!

Our next stop was back at Seymore's Pointe where we fished
a marsh drainage, then we moved in and fished some dock pilings. Ken hooked up and landed a Mangrove Snapper and we then added another keeper sized Seatrout.

Our final stops were down Twin Creeks, then at Spanish Drop. After landing an ugly 'ole Toad Fish, Ken felt a "bump", hooked up and landed a keeper sized Flounder then Jason tangled with a high flying Ladyfish that quickly threw the hook. We'd had a good breeze all day that kept the heat down but with the sun up it was still getting hot so we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Catch'n Eaters Here At Amelia Island, Florida

It seemed just a tad bit cooler this morning when I met the Williams family -John and Mary Margaret and their two young anglers Hadden and Ruth, down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp. We had clear skies and nice breeze blowing as we headed west and up the Middle River and over to Pumpkin Hill to set up at a grassy island to begin pitching live shrimp under floats. We had a nibble here and there and when John hooked up I thought we might have a decent fish but it was just a short Mangrove Snapper - not the "Eater" that Hadden was looking for!

We move around the corner and down a ways and not the tide was starting out. I think John's first cast to the backside of a small drainage produced a bite and, Fish ON!  John and Hadden worked it patiently to the boat and landed a nice 22" Slot sized "Eater" Redfish! We eased down that bank and again John had a hookup. This fish was big and ripping drag and running deep. It took John from the bow to the stern where we had a standoff for a while before John was able to work it to the boat and land an oversized 27"+ Redfish - good for pictures and release.  We continued to fish and after John had put a keeper sized Seatrout in the boat, he hooked up and landed another big fish. He and Hadden fought it valiantly and soon brought to the net a "Tournament Size" 26.75" Slot fish, boy what a fish.

After a short pit stop at Goffinsville we ran down to Twin Creeks, fished with jigs and shrimp and mud minnows and here the family put a nice 3' Bonnethead Shark in the boat, a couple of Jack Crevalle, a keeper sized Flounder, a small Flounder, and Mary Margaret got on the board with an exciting Stingray catch. Somewhere there was a pretty Blue Crab caught!  Ruth was helping out giving encouragement to all the anglers.

We finished up at Spanish drop with one more keeper sized Flounder catch before we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Celebrating Fathers Day

They had to put it off for a week, but Dave and his dad Mike got to "celebrate" Father's Day today fishing the back waters of Amelia Island. I met them out at Goffinsville Park early and we headed over to Pumpkin Hill to fish a tide that had been going out for a couple of hours. It was still high enough to fish some float rigs up near the marsh so we baited up some live shrimp and eased along the bank. It didn't take long and Mike had a strong hookup and this one headed deep, ripping drag as it went. I guessed it right -  Shark - but it was still a good fight and woke all three of us up! We fished a few spots here and there then made a run.

Our next stop was down at Spanish Drop, working along a bank after switching to jigs and shrimp. We picked up a couple of Seatrout and Dave hooked up and landed a feisty Redfish. We fished a couple of runouts and found a couple of hungry Seatrout at each.

We made our way up to some docks at Seymore's Pointe and
things heated up a bit here. We had a couple of small Black "puppy" Drum  caught, then we had a good hookup and Mike worked to the boat a keeper sizes Sheepshead. Dave battled a Redfish to the boat, the biggest of the day, but just undersized.  We worked our way down Seymore's and fished a small cove in the rock bulkhead. I think it was Mike's first cast and Boom! Something hit it hard on the way down. Mike worked it patiently to the boat and landed a nice keeper sized Flounder. After catching a couple of Toad fish, we moved on!

Our final stop was down at Broward Island, still fishing an outgoing tide that was being pushed by the West wind, and even though these two anglers were making excellent casts, we had no real bites, so we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Whole Lot Of Catching

The fish catch'n seemed to get better as the morning went along today. I had met Mike Moavero and his relatives, Tommy, Will and Jackson up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp early and with a low and still outgoing tide, we headed over to and up the Bell River. I had passed a stretch of bank that was lined with oysters yesterday and with the tide still gong out, I thought it would be a good start for our first spot. The anglers were pitching jigs and live shrimp to the bank and as we worked along we seemed to spook some big fish that left wakes in the trail. But one must have hung around because after making a perfect cast Mike had his bait hit hard and, Fish On!  We could tell this was a big fish by the way it rolled up near the bank a few times and ripped some drag. But Mike kept the pressure on, worked it to the boat, and landed a nice 22" Slot sized Redfish. We continued along that bank and Tommy got in on the action and landed a keeper sized Flounder.

Continuing on up the Bell, we stopped at another likely spot and here Jackson heated up, catching a handful of small but fun to catch Seatrout. We went further up the Bell and fished some dock pilings. Here, things really heated up. They caught a handful of Black "puppy" Drum to make it an Amelia Island Back Country Grande Slam of Redfish, Flounder, Seatrout and Drum. Then Tommy snagged and landed a Sheepshead to make it a "Super Grande Slam", and Jackson finished it off with a keeper sized Seatrout.

Our next stop was around at the Jolley River, just east of the MOA, in a deep bend in the river, and still tossing jigs with the tide now coming in. The bite just got hotter! Will got on the board with a couple of Seatrout catches, one that was just a hair below the size limit, and then Mike hooked up and landed another keeper sized Flounder. Tommy had a strong bite, a hookup, and battled to the boat another nice Slot sized Redfish. All four anglers were catching Croaker, a couple that were big enough to throw in the box.  We finished the day down at Jolly Bank catching Golden Croaker, then we wrapped things up, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Big Flurry At The End

I fished with some young anglers, Kyle Smith and his brother-in-laws David and Braden, meeting them up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park early this morning. We made a run over to and up the Bell River, stopping along some exposed oysters beds on the last of an outgoing tide. The trio of anglers were tossing live shrimp on jigs and making excellent casts and it paid off with a couple of hungry Seatrout catches.

We continued on around to some docks at Pirates Woods and fished a few of those docks thoroughly. We had just set up to fish when Braden spotted a small alligator cruising out into the river and keeping an eye on us. At one of the docks, Braden had made a good cast to a "cave" in  a mud bank and a fish took his bait and ran. Braden set the hook and worked to the boat a keeper sized Flounder.

We fished Jolley Bank with the jigs and about half way thru the run David switched to a float rig, fishing off the stern, and found a feisty Redfish to bring to the boat.  Again, Braden saw the wildlife, this time a huge Manatee out in the middle of the river. We continued on around to the outside of Tiger and here we had our most action of the day. All three anglers had switched to the float rig and used the last of our live shrimp before switching over to mud minnows. David hooked up and landed a nice keeper sized Seatrout then Kyle did the same, bringing in another keeper sized Trout. Then David cast just north of a pocket, let his bait drift over a shell bed, and hooked up with another keeper sized Flounder which he brought to the net.

Our final stop was back around at a point on Bell River and here they caught a couple of more hungry Trout before we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.