15-16mph Winds But We Prevailed

 Boy what a beautiful morning to make use of your Christmas present! Brian Crawford's wife Eileen had set him up for a fishing trip for Christmas and he planned the trip for today and brought along his old college buddies, Ted and Scott. I met them down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp and although it was clear, cool, and sunny, the wind was kicking a bit. But we were ready to fish so we headed north and west, up the Nassau River and made our first stop at Spanish Drop to toss float rigs with live shrimp to the marsh grass on the first of an outgoing tide.  It was Scott who got hot early, boating a couple of Seatrout, one of which was of keeper size (released). Then Ted got in on the action and landed another hungry Trout.

We moved up a quarter mile, fished Twin Creeks but the 15mph wind was pushing our drifts off. We continued on up to Seymore's Pointe and fished between two docks, slightly shielded from the wind, but had no luck. 

Our next stop was around the corner and here the NE winds were blocked and it was like fishing on  pond! Brian decided to cash in on his Christmas present and after tossing a jig and shrimp up current, BAM! He had a strong hookup. This fish was pulling hard, ripping drag, but Brian kept the pressure on. I was thinking some sort of Drum but as Brian worked him to the surface we saw it was nice sized Jack Crevalle. Scott picked up a another Trout or two, then

Brian was back in action, BAM! Another big fish. This one was pulling deep and true to form, after Brian had expertly worked it to the boat, he landed 20" Black "puppy" Drum.  Ted was working up on the bow and hooked up and landed the biggest Seatrout of the day, a big 18"+ fish.  Not to be outdone, Brian, working the stern, had another big bite and, Big Fish On!  This one was really pulling deep and ripping drag, and then it got back in the current and it was a battle. But Brian was up to the task, played it patiently, and eventually landed an Oversized 31.5" Redfish, boy what a fish! This fish moves Brian into 2nd place in the Angler's Mark 2021 Bragging Rights Tournament -Redfish Category(scroll down the right side of this report for standings)

We ended the day back fishing some docks at Seymore's trying to stay out of the wind that had picked up a notch then we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Walleye Chop

 I was fishing today with Lee Riter, hailing from Wisconsin, and I met him up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park for a half day of fishing on an outgoing tide.  We made our first stop on the outside of Tyger Island, pitching jigs and mud minnows to a marsh runout but had no luck. We moved around to Jolley Bank, fished the oysters that were just getting exposed with float rigs and again, no bites. We move up to Snook Creek, switched back to jigs and here Lee "knocked the skunk off" with a nice Seatrout Catch. We fished a bit around the corner and moved on. 

Our next stop was over in Bell River, tossing jigs and minnows up current and letting them bounce with the current, to no avail We moved up to some docks and switched to some left over shrimp I had from yesterday and this did the trick. We began to get bites and then Lee had a good hookup, fought it patiently to the boat, and landed a feisty Sheepshead. We caught a handful of those (mine tended to be the smaller ones - you gotta be good!) then we made a long run back to Fernandina.

Our last stop was back at Tyger, fishing shrimp and jigs on the bottom on the first of an incoming tide. We had a strong hookup, and Fish On! Lee was playing it perfectly - the drag was ripping but Lee was keeping the pressure on, had him for a minute or two, then....gone. The hook came out. OUCH. But we weren't stymied. The wind had picked up and created a "Walleye Chop" and we caught some nice fish. Lee put a nice Black "puppy" Drum in the boat (big enough to begin to lose it's stripes), a big Weakfish, and a big Seatrout, which wrapped up an Amelia Island Grand Slam of Seatrout, Sheepshead, Black Drum and Weakfish and as we headed out, we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Two Slot Reds To Start The Day

 I fished with the Gandler family today, Brian and Laura and their adult sons Mike and Bill, meeting them down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early. There wasn't a whole lot of breeze but the bugs weren't too bad as we made our first stop at Spanish Drop on the Nassau. The oysters were about half showing so we went with float rigs and live shrimp, tossed up near the bank. We could see bait and fish working the bank and it was only a matter of time before Brian had a hookup and, Fish On!  He played it perfectly and patiently worked it to the net to land a nice 20" Slot sized Redfish.

Mike had switched out to a jig and was fishing out the stern and he had a hookup. He was getting a good pull but he stayed with it and soon landed a feisty Bluefish. Up front, Bill had a hookup - another nice fish. We worked it to the boat and landed another 20+"  Redfish. 

We later fished the  docks at Seymores, then we motored down to Broward where Brian caught a hungry Seatrout. We fished back at Nassauville, then made a tour thru Horsehead to wrap up another great day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Super Duper Amelia Island Back Country Grande Slam

 I fished south again today, meeting Bill Main down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp @ 10:am, dead lowtide. We made the short run up to Seymore's Pointe and fished some dock pilings and made quick work of getting the "skunk" off when Bill hooked up, played perfectly and landed a feisty Redfish and nice keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum, back-to-back. 

We fished another dock or two then headed down to Broward Island and set up as the tide started in down there. Bill got into a school of small Sheepshead and he out-sneaked most of them, landing a good handful of 10" fish.   We moved down the way, passing under a pair of eagles and fished another drop and here Bill boated a Flounder and a Seatrout to give him a Super Grande Slam of back water fish here at Amelia Island. But Bill wasn't done yet!

We came back to Nassauville, still fishing with jigs and dead shrimp(no live stuff today, other than some minnows I had left over from yesterday -stay tuned-they paid off!) Bill had tossed

his bait up current and had good drifts a number of times and I was about to give up on the spot when, BAM! He had a hookup. the fish was giving a good pull and I was thinking "big Trout" and when it came to the surface I said, "yep", but I was wrong. It was an nice 17" Weadfish and now Bill had a Super Duper Grande Slam! Hah! We continued to fish and found some hard bottom where we were getting bites and sure enough, BOOM! Big Fish On!  Bill played it patiently and soon landed a nice 18" keeper sized Black Drum.

We left that area, fished some flooded shell bottoms along the Nassau with float rigs and those live minnows and after fishing a couple of areas we were just about to leave when Bill had his float disappear. He lifted his rod, took up the slack and let the circle hook set itself and he had another nice fish on. After working it to the boat we netted a nice 17" Flounder. We wrapped it up after that and counted it another Super Duper day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

We Paid The Price

 We were thinking that rain would be the issue today but it turned out not to be. But with no wind we paid the price as the sand gnats devoured us. But the price was worth it 'cause we caught some big fish, and a lot of them! My morning customer and I had decided to cancel due to 50-60% chance of rain - but the afternoon trip, a trio of college aged anglers who had fished yesterday in the rain, wanted to chance it, so we did. I met Ameera, Jason and Keldrick down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early and we headed north and west, up the  Nassau, to make our first stop at some exposed shell beds on the very last of an outgoing tide. The trio were pitching jigs and shrimp and it was Ameera who "knocked the skunk off" with a keeper sized Seatrout catch.  We also had a pair of Salt March Minks patrolling the bank as we fished. 

The tide turned so we ran up to Seymore's Pointe and fished some docks. Keldrick tangled with something big that thru the hook, then Jason hooked up, his drag ripped, and the big fish kept going-right thru the pilings. There was nothing we could do but hope for the best, but hoping did not good and , BAP! Fish Off.  We picked up another Trout or two, hit another dock, found a keeper Trout and a Catfish then moved. on.

Our next stop was down at Broward Island as the tide started in down there. As the sand gnats devourd us (no amount of bug spray seemed to help) Jason found a nice Redfish up by the "beach" then it was l like someone opened the gate. Keldrick hooked up and landed a nice Slot Redfish, then he hooked up again and, Big Fish On!  He played it perfectly, and patiently worked to the net a fat 25.5" Slot Redfish with multiple spots. As we were getting pictures Ameera hooked up and another  Big Fish On! She took the time to turn around and be in Keldrick's photo then went back to battling an Oversized 27.5" fish to the boat as a pair of Eagles watched from their perch. We landed a couple of more Redfish that didn't quite make the Slot, a couple of small Sheepshead and Black "puppy" Drum, and a small Flounder. 

After coming back to Nassauville we set up between two docks with plans to pitch up to a drop off and let our jigs fall. We weren't getting any bites and were just about to leave - Jason had let his jig fall back behind the boat and as he reeled it up, BAM! He had a big hookup. This fish was ripping drag and digging deep and we all were sure it was some sort of Drum. Jason played it perfectly and soon brought to the net a big 24.5" Seatrout! This fish puts Jason squarely in first place in the Angler's Mark 2021 Bragging Rights Tournament -Seatrout Category(scroll down the right side of this report for standings).

We wrapped the trip up over fishing Twin Creeks with float rigs and again had a pretty decent bite of 14" Seatrout taking live shrimp on float rigs as the tide covered the shell bottom. It had been a bug bite'n, fish catch'n day so we counted it as another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida                                    

Fishing With The Eagles

 

I went back south today, meeting Paul Genn and his fishing partner James down at the Goffinsville Park boat ramp. The tide still had about 30 minutes of going out so we eased just a bit down the river and set up between two docks to pitch jigs and live shrimp up current, letting it fall down the river bottom. Although the bite wasn't "on fire", James did pick up a nice keeper sized Seatrout.

The tide was coming to a standstill so we moved around the corner, fished some more dock pilings and here Paul battled and landed a keeper sized 17" Black "puppy" Drum. We fished the docks for a bit and it was James who found a Slot sized 20" Redfish.

Our next stop was down at Broward Island. We fished a couple of areas to no avail then moved down to fish a large marsh run out and this did the trick. We could see something big busting bait - James pulled out a couple of 14" Sheepshead, and Paul landed a couple, too. Then, after an excellent cast to the 'sweet" spot, BOOM! Big Fish On!  James was on the reel and kept the pressure on, and the battle ensued. The big fish rolled a time or two up shallow then got out into deeper water and dug down. But James played it perfectly and soon landed a fat 25" Slot Redfish - boy what a pretty fish. He also put a 9 spot Red in the boat, just slightly undersized.

We worked along that stretch for a while, then moved on up the river to Pumpkin Hill and fished some marsh grass with floats, then called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Broke Net Flounder Lands Bragging Rights

 We fished up north today after I met Gary Elder, his sister Karen and brother in law Jim, up at the Dee Dee Bartels boat ramp. We buzzed over to Tiger and fished the logs for a bit and did pretty good catching fish - but all of them were small - Redfish, Seatrout, and Black "puppy" Drum on jigs and live shrimp.

After pulling out and making the run around and up the Jolley River we set  up along side the flooding marsh grass and switched to float rigs and live shrimp. As we worked along, bow into the current, Jim made a toss that was "guaranteed" and sure enough, BAM! Fish on. He worked it to the boat and landed a nice keeper sized Seatrout. We continued along that bank and when we got to a point of grass where the incoming current was sweeping by, BOOM! Bigger fish on! This fish was pulling deep but Jim kept the pressure on, go it to the boat and as I went in with a quick swoop of the net. BAP! The net broke in half! Landing a big Flounder is always "iffy", even with a net - I grabbed the net portion, (minus the handle) and tried to scoop it - and missed! Luckily Jim was cool, calm and collected and kept that pressure

on and the 2nd or third try I was able to scoop it and get it in the boat. It turned out to be 19 1'/2" and big enough to set the standard as first place in the Angler's Mark 2021 Bragging Rights Tournament-Flounder Category. 

Our next stop was around at the docks of Bell River. The rising wind was blocked here and it was absolutely perfect conditions, albeit an incoming tide, but we had no real luck until Jim found another keeper Flounder up behind a floating dock. 

We fished back at Bell River a couple of places and finished up on the outside of Tiger. The wind was up, the skies were cloudy, and we had a broken catch net, but we still counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Trout Gone Wild

 I don't know what it was but we had a Trout explosion this  morning! I had met David Michael and his fishing buddies Cole and Kyle down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early and with the tide just have started in we decided to make the long run around and down to Broward Island to catch that incoming tide there. And boy did it pay off! First Cast -BOOM! Cole was on the rod and perfectly played a Slot Redfish to the boat. That 's a good start!

From then on the trio of anglers were picking up Seatrout down deep, many of which were (finally) of keeper size. Some were throw backs, but some were rather large -17"-20". We were tossing 1/4oz jigs up to the bank and letting the current drop the jig down along the river bottom. The bite was subtle and you had to be ready! David ended up putting the biggest in the boat, a 20 1/2" Trout, moving him in to first place in the Anglers Mark 2021 Bragging Rights Tournament -Seatrout Category(scroll down the right side of this report for standings).

We came back to some docks at Nassauville and this time pitched the jigs up current, let them fall, and then let the current drop them down the river bottom. Yesterday we had got one keeper Trout at this spot but today we got a good handful of keeper sized Trout.

After moving around to some more docks we switched to float rigs and tossed them up shallow. I was just about to leave when Kyle had something engulf his bait and the battle was on! Kyle worked it to the boat and landed another big Trout - this one 19 1/2", which moved Kyle into 2nd place in the Bragging Rights Tournament! We added one more keeper Trout then moved on. 

Our last stop was thru Horsehead, around to the mouth of Jackstaff, drifting float rigs again. We picked up a slimy Catfish but nothing else, so we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida

Back to "Work"

 

After a couple of days off I was back to work today, fishing with Brian and Peggy Palmer and meeting them first down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp. The tide had been coming in for a couple of hours but we tried the bridge pilings with some jigs and live shrimp for just a bit before we headed north and west up the Nassau River to make our next stop at some docks at Seymore's Pointe. Brian was making excellent casts while Peggy "coached him up" but we had no takers.

We came back to Twin Creeks on the Nassau, switched to float rigs and drifted the mouths - no luck. We moved down to Spanish Drop and worked that bank thoroughly and this paid off when we got to the "hot" spot - Brian hooked up and landed  a couple of hungry Seatrout.

We headed up the Nassau then, made a stop at some docks at Seymore's Pointe and switched back to the jigs. All three of us were tossing baits - Peggy had a good bite - then shortly afterwards Brian hooked  up. This fish was pulling a bit harder but Brian kept the pressure on, worked it to the boat, and landed a nice 18" Seatrout. A few minutes later he had another one one - it was pulling just as hard but this one threw the hook - Ouch! We were getting these on 1/4 jigs, baited with a live shrimp, tossing them up into 12' of water and letting it fall down the drop off. 

We fished Pumpkin Hill for a bit but the wind was not cooperating with our drifts, then fished Christopher Creek to wrap up the day. Although it had been a tad bit slow, the weather was perfect, we caught a few fish, so we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Recipe of the Month: Chocolate Delight

 So you're invited to that fish fry and you're asked to bring a desert. Are you gonna stop by Publix and grab a box of sugar cookies? A fake cake? NO! Mix up this vintage desert. I found this recipe in my mother's recipe box - it's easy and very good!

Chocolate Delight:

Original Crust

1 Cup self rising flour

1 stick butter, melted

½ Cup chopped pecans

1 Tablespoon powdered sugar

 Spray 9x13 dish with PAM;  mix ingredients, spread in dish, bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees  until it begins to brown.

 

Cookie Crust

1 sleeve of Chips Ahoy chocolate chip cookies, crushed

1 stick butter, melted

½ Cup self rising flour

½ Cup chopped pecans

 

Spray 9x13 dish with PAM; mix ingredients, spread in dish, bake for 15 minutes at 300 degrees

 

Let crust cool!

 

8oz Cream cheese (let soften for a bit)

8oz  Whipped Cream

1 Cup powdered sugar

 

Mix ingredients thoroughly and ladle over crust.

 

2  packages of Instant chocolate pudding

3 Cups of milk

 

Mix ingredients thoroughly and ladle over top.

 

8oz  Whipped Cream, (let soften a bit), spread over top

 

Garnish with some chopped pecans and/or  cherries