It Was a Big Trout

 

When that line is ripp'n and that big fish is digging deep, the first thing you hope for is to "just be able to see  him"!  We had that happen this morning and when the fish came to the surface briefly near the boat and we saw it was a Huge Trout, we all held our breath, and hoped. 

I had met James Driggers, his brother-in-law David Purcell and his nephew Chase out at the Goffinsville Park this morning with the sun having just cleared Amelia Island off to the west. The forecast called for not much of rain but winds were going to increase from 9mph to 12 to 16 as the trip progressed. Our plan was to fish some just exposed oyster beds over in the Nassau first so we headed that way and deployed the float rigs and live shrimp to the edge. We eased along the bank, had a couple of good bites, then finally, David "knocked the skunk off" with a nice Seatrout catch.

We moved up to a large marsh runout and switched to jigs and shrimp. Just as Chase had a good hookup, David's rod bent over and the drag began to sing. Chase worked  his fish to the boat expertly and landed a feisty Ladyfish but David had his hands full on the stern. I was thinking "Redfish?"  No, probably a Jack Crevalle, but as David worked it patiently to the surface, OH BOY, a huge Gator Trout! Then the fish dove and went under the boat and I think we all realized what we could potentially lose!  But David kept the pressure on, brought it back out, played it around the engine, then brought it to the net to be lifted in and measured to be right at 25" - big enough to move into first place in the Anglers Mark 2021 Bragging Rights Tournament, Seatrout Category. Boy what a fish! (Scroll down the right side of this report for standings)

Once we gathered our wits, the angles went back to fishing and after James had a made a perfect cast, BOOM! And drag began to sing as the fish ran like a freight train, heading East. But James played him perfectly, stayed with him in a couple of long runs, worked him up off the bottom, and landed a nice 40" Bonnethead Shark-the first Shark we've caught in the back water this year. 

We later fished some docks and got a couple of Mangrove Snapper, fished some more docks and got another couple of Snapper, then finished up down at Broward Island where the trio teamed up to catch a handful of Seatrout and Redfish. The wind had picked up as forecasted but we were able to get some fishing in so we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

From 10 to 20

We had a beautiful morning today when I met Scott and Sandy Winstead down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp. The forecast called for 12mph winds (fishable) increasing to 18-20 as the morning wore on (not very fishable). But we wanted to get some fishing in so we headed up the Nassau River and around to Broward Island and set up with jigs and live shrimp on the first of an incoming tide. We had a good bite here and there but no takers, moved down a bit, found some logs to hang on, then we moved even further down. Here, Scott "knocked the skunk off" with a nice Flounder catch. 

The wind was picking up so we came back to the shelter of Nassauville and fished a grassy point with float rigs. We were out of the wind but the fish weren't cooperating. After cruising by Goffinsville Park we got in between two docks and went back to the jigs and this did the trick. Scott put a couple of keeper sized Mangrove Snapper in the boat (all fish caught today were released), then Sandy got in on the action and landed a few of her on. 

They were biting so well Scott switched to a 8w fly rod that I had brought along loaded with a sinking tip and  a weighted Shrimp fly. He was getting excellent casts to the same spots we were getting the fish on live shrimp and had a couple of "takes' but they spit the artificial quickly. But it was fun! After fishing  one more spot up the way we made a run thru Horsehead, down along the intercoastal and back to the boat ramp and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Mixing It Up

 After a much needed day off I was back at it today, meeting Eddie Byrd and his son-in-law Art and grandson-in-law Dan down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp. After making the run up and over into the Nassau River we made our first stop at Spanish Drop and with a tide that had been coming in for about 3 hours, began to pitch float rigs and live shrimp to the shore line. We were getting pretty good drifts but had no real luck. 

The shell was still showing so we decided to try our luck at some docks at Seymore's but tossing jigs produced no fish. We move around and switched back to float rigs, had just a couple of nibbles, but then we could see a Sheepshead's tail as it fed up alongside some pilings. We moved in, dropped some jigs and had a hookup. Art worked it in and landed a keeper sized fish.  After fishing around the corner at some rocks and catching a couple of small Mangroves, we moved on.

Our next stop was down at Broward Island, fishing jigs, but no takers. We then moved up to Pumpkin Hill and drifted float rigs

on a still incoming tide and this did the trick. After getting a couple of bites off the stern, Dan went up to a pointe of grass and BAM, he had a fish. Dan worked it patiently to the boat and landed keeper sized Seatrout.  We fished down the way and somewhere in there tangled with a Ladyfish or two, then Art put another Trout in the boat, caught right up beside the grass.

Our final stop was back at Nassauville, fishing between two docks and here we caught Mangrove Snapper non-stop for a good thirty minutes, many of them of keeper size, and the biggest at around 12". We filled the box with those then headed in, counting it as another great day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

(Note, the Bald Eagle chick at Broward Island has left the nest!)

Book Ends

 I wrapped my "week" up today - 8 trips in the last 7 days - fishing with Rick Astor and his son Eric - meeting them down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp. We had a "book end" kind of day, catching fish early then late to make  good day of fishing.

We had run up the Nassau River and made a quick stop at Spanish Drip to fish an incoming tide with float rigs and live shrimp, working the bank, tossing the floats up near the grass. We eased along a flooded marsh line, had a couple of nibbles, then when we reached the "honey hole" we began to get hookups. Both Eric and Rick tangled with some nice sized Ladyfish, then Rick had a strong bite off the stern and the battle was on! He played it perfectly, worked it to the boat, and landed a big Jack Crevalle. The duo caught a couple of more fish then Rick had another hookup. When we saw it "roll up" near the bank we knew it was a Redfish. Rick was patient and slowly brought it to the boat and eventually landed a nice 21" Slot sized Redfish. 

We fished Twin Creeks for a bit with the float rigs but even though we were getting excellent drifts thru the mouths of those creeks, we had no bites. After running down to Pumpkin Hill we fished one stretch of shoreline then another, had some bites, but no takers, then we eased down to Broward Island and switched to jigs. But he wind had picked up and we were getting kicked around so we came back to the lee of Nassauville and fished a large outflow.  After getting just a few nibbles Rick had seen some fish action up between a floating deck and dock so we eased over there and went with just a plain hook and shrimp. Eric made a perfect toss, the fish took it, and BAM. He had a hookup. It was a quick battle but he landed it  - another high flying Ladyfish. 

We had gone from a good start in the morning to struggling to get a decent fish but when we pulled around to fish Seymore's Pointe things picked up. Tossing live shrimp under the float the duo caught a couple of small Mangrove Snapper. We then moved down teh way, fished between a couple of docks and here the action picked up. Both Rick and Eric hooked up and landed a good handful of Mangrove Snapper and  five of those turned out to be of keeper size. 

We had started out strong, finished strong, so as we headed in, we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Finally Got Some Trout

 We had a beautiful day this  morning when I met Chuck Lindholm and his brother-in-law Paul up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp. We had a slight breeze as we headed down the river, up the Bell and hit our first spot at a flooded oyster bed on the last of an incoming tide.  Finally, we caught some Trout! It's been about 4 days since we had our last Trout but today we knocked that skunk off. Both Chuck and Paul had good hookups and landed Seatrout.

After running thru Tyger Basin and over to the outside of Tyger, we set up as the tide started out where Chuck picked up a Trout off the stern. We moved over to the other side of the creek, fished it a bit, but had no luck.

Our next stop was around at my neighbor Bill's spot and it paid off with another Trout catch. Next, on to Soap Creek, fishing the outflow then moving up to the "honey hole" where Paul put a high flying Ladyfish in the boat, then Chuck added a keeper sized Seatrout and then a keeper sized Flounder (all fish caught today

were released). 

I had thought about fishing up Lanceford but it was crazy crowded so we made the long run up the Bell where we switched to jigs and live shrimp. Both anglers snagged some Mangrove Snapper and Paul put a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum in the boat. The trout were back which helped make it another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Mangrove Snapper Fill The Bag

 

I fished with the Fitzgerald's again today, Gregg and Dannie, Guy and Ginnie, meeting them this morning down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp. We ran up the Nassau and made a quick stop at Spanish Drop to toss float rigs and live shrimp to the marsh grass just as the tide started out. 

The anglers were getting excellent casts and drifts, although the west wind seemed to be blowing right down the pipe and both Dannie and Ginnie had hookups with high flying Ladyfish that they handily brought to the boat.

We fished a large outflow up at Seymore's and picked up a couple of Mangrove Snapper which got met to thinking...if they're here, maybe they're at the "Mangrove Hole". So that was where our next stop was and sure enough, we began to get some bites on shrimp under the float rigs.  They're sneaky as they can be but we managed to put a few in the boat over the 10" mark. 

Our next stop was down the way, along some rocks at Nassauville but here we were able to go to jig rods. Gregg got the hot hand and started pulling Mangrove's in one after the other. Then all four anglers got in on the action and caught fish until we had a good mess of Mangroves in the box.

We fished some docks later with jigs as the tide got lower then made the run thru Horsehead and around to the mouth of Jackstaff. Unfortunately the wind was really howling now, and right down the river, but we hung with it, trying to fish out the day. Guy was taking up the stern, fishing to the bank with jig and shrimp and BAM! Big Fish On!  His drag was ripping and he was fighting the fish over his shoulder but he kept the pressure on and subdued the fish and brought to the net a nice 21" 8-Spot Slot Redfish to wrap up another great day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida 

Good Start Better Finish

 

Under the threat of rainstorms for the day, I met Michael Williams and his fishing buddies Anthony and Chris down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp. But the forecast had improved overnight and these anglers were game to be fishing so we headed up Middle River and around to Pumpkin Hill to set up alongside some flooded marsh grass and begin fishing with float rigs and live shrimp on the first of an outgoing tide. Chris struck first with a strong bite, and a fish that was ripping drag  - Chris went from the stern of the boat up the side, around the bow and back down to the stern but eventually subdued a nice Jack Crevalle to "knock the skunk off". 

Later, as we eased along another marsh line things heated up. Anthony was fishing long out of the stern and when his float disappeared he gently set the hook and, Fish On!  Anthony played it perfectly, took his time, and soon landed a nice Slot Sized Redfish. We had a couple of more hookups - a big Ladyfish and then something big that was smart enough to wrap itself around the trolling motor.

After fishing a bit under the Bald Eagles down at Broward Island, we came back to Nassauville and fished some docks and here we picked up a couple of Mangrove Snapper, then another big Ladyfish (down deep on the bottom, a bit unusual.  We then move around the corner and things heated up! Anthony had a strong bite and a hookup and at the same time Chris had one two - we had a "double". Both of the anglers worked their fish to the boat patiently and boated a Slot Redfish each. 

Michael had a good bite, worked it to the boat and landed another big Ladyfish, then Chris and Anthony went back and forth catching small but fun-to-catch Mangrove Snapper. Then, BOOM! Big fish on! Chris was on the rod and it was all he could do to keep the fish from running up into the pilings. But he worked it out, kept the pressure on and landed a "Tournament Sized" 26.5" Slot Red, boy what a fish!

We fished a few more docks then wrapped it up, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.   

Short Stories

 

I'm slammed with trips right now so I've got to get to bed!  I fished with Greg and Dannie Fitzgerald who also had along Greg's dad Guy and long time friend Ginny. I meet them up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park and we made our first stop around at Tyger Island, fishing a tide that had been coming in for about 2 hours. Pitching jigs and live shrimp, Dannie found a good  bite, hooked it up, and landed a nice Slot Sized Redfish. 

We fished some docks over at Lanceford Creek where Greg dug a nice keeper sized Sheepshead out of the oyster then Dannie picked up a keeper sized Whiting. After fishing a few docks there we moved on. The tide had gotten up so we began drifting float rigs with live shrimp up near the marsh grass. We fished Soap Creek, back down Lanceford and over in the Bell but had no real takers -just nibbles here and there. As a rain storm rolled in, we called it a day and headed back to the boat ramp. It was still a great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Working the Banks

There was an outgoing tide out at Goffinsville Park when I met Paul Genn and his neighbor Jim  early this morning but when we arrived down at Spanish Drop about half the bank was exposed with shell so we elected to work the bank with  jigs and live shrimp. The shell can be kinda of a pain but most times you can "bounch" the jig over the shell and have a chance at picking up a Redfish up close, then Seatrout out a little deeper, and that's what Jim did when he had a good bite, a hookup, and Fish On! He played it perfectly and brought to the net a nice feisty Redfish to "knock the skunk off". We worked that bank to it's end, moved up and fished a couple of more, then made a run.

Our next stop was down at Broward Island, fishing under the Bald Eagles, and working the logs with the jigs. Unfortunately the current was still ripping out up here and it was more trouble than the chances of getting a fish. After making a run back to Nassauville, we set up between two docks and almost immediately Jim had a hookup. After playing it to the boat he landed a keeper sized Mangrove Snapper. After catching that I tried my "Mangrove Hole" but we had no bites. Go figure. 

We moved around the corner and fished some docks on the first of an incoming tide, which seemed to be the trick. Our first hookup was big! The drag was ripping and I thought for sure it was going to get back thru the pilings. Jim was on the rod and fought it patiently and slowly brought it to the boat. The "net guy" (me) knocked him in the head the first swipe but was able to get him the next try and we landed a big 25.5" Slot Redfish. After that we were catching fish. Both Paul and Jim hauled in some feisty Black Drum then Jim had a good hookup and put another Redfish in the boat. Before we left we "layed up" beside the pilings, jigged down, and caught a small Flounder to wrap up another great day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida

Forecasted Winds Weren't As Bad As I Expected

 

The forecast for winds were only 7-9mph from 7am-9am but were expected to pick up to over 15 as the day progressed. The wind did pick up a bit, but were were still able to fish although the slight dip in temperature may have turned the bite down just a bit as it turned out. But it was an absolutely beautiful day when I met Patrick Verner, and his sons Brian and Patrick down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp yesterday morning.

We made a short run and were fishing as the sun came over Amelia Island, tossing jigs and live shrimp to exposed oysters on the last of an outgoing tide. Young Patrick was on the bow and after fishing for about 15 minutes we could see Redfish moving along the bank and feeding. After a good cast to the shoreline, BAM! Patrick had a hookup and, Fish On!  As you can see in the video, Patrick played it patiently, worked it to the boat, and landed a Slot sized 20" Redfish.

Our next stop was up at some docks at Nassauville, fishing the first of an incoming tide.  Friday we had "tore up" the Black "puppy" Drum on the same tide, but on this trip, not a bite. But the two Patrick's did pull out a couple of Mangrove Snapper (their back!) and a couple of small Sea Bass while Brian added to the mix an ugly Toad Fish. 

Down at Broward we fished the first of the incoming there and here young Patrick added a keeper sized Seatrout to the catch. Later, Bryan hooked up and landed a hard-to-catch Sheepshead.  The wind had picked up just a bit so we went back at Nassauville and fished  at a couple of spots with float rigs where young Patrick landed a small Flounder, then we wrapped up the day and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.