Before We Knew It We Had a Mess of Fish!

 Boy was it gloomy this morning! There were thunderclouds all around us but the wind was forecasted to hold steady at 11mph so we agreed...let's go fishing! I met Brad Lanier, his father-in-law Jeff, and brother-in-law Will down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early. We headed up the intercoastal, dipped into Jackstaff then eased on further up into a creek and set up tossing float rigs and live shrimp on a high and incoming tide. We didn't get even a nibble. But we crossed back over to Jackstaff, worked along a bank and began to get some bites. Jeff picked up a high flying Ladyfish then Brad had a really strong bite. He set the hook, kept the pressure on and brought to the net a Big 22.25" Seatrout, big enough to move Brad into 3rd place in the Anglers Mark 2021 Bragging Rights Tournament-Seatrout Category (scroll down the right side of this report for standings). We continued to work that bank then it was Jeff's turn for the big fish battle. His fish took him deep, headed west, then took Jeff around the boat a few times. But Jeff was up to the task and subdued the fish, bringing a big 4' Bonnethead Shark to the boat for pictures and release. We wrapped stretch up when Brad had pitched a jig forward, hooked up and, surprisingly caught a big Black "puppy" Drum. 

After running thru Horsehead we went around Seymore's and headed down to Pumpkin Hill where we switched back to float rigs.  Brad found a keeper sized Flounder up in some spars marsh grass. Then trio tangled with a couple of Ladyfish then Will hooked up. He played the fish perfectly and as he was reeling in, Jeff hooked up - we had a double. Jeff's came in first, a hungry Seatrout, then Will brought his to the net - a nice keeper sized Seatrout. 

We moved around the corner and fished a grassy island and within minutes of casting Jeff put another, bigger, keeper sized Flounder in the boat. Then it was Will's turn to battle the big fish. He had made an excellent cast, got a good drift and BAM! The line began to sing as the big fish headed out of the shallows. Will kept his rod high the whole while and cleared all the submerged oysters then when the fish got deep Will kept the pressure on and played it perfectly. But, not unsual, the fish made a quick turn and, BAP, fish off! Whoa was us. 

If you're keeping track we had a huge Trout in the box, a big Black Drum, two keeper Flounder, andanother keeper Trout. But this trio of anglers weren't finished yet. We hit the "Mangrove Snapper" honey hole and limited out on Snapper. many of which were well over 12" in size. When we headed in we knew these guys would be eating good tonight so we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

From Jacks To Mangroves

 

We had overcast skies today with forecasted winds picking up into the teens but Thompson Kurrie and his group- his son Cord and his friend Thomas -were ready to fish. We met down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early and headed up the intercoastal, thru the Back River and around to Pumpkin Hill where we set up along side the flooding marsh with plans to toss float rigs and live shrimp. We had just made the "demo" cast when Thompson's son Cord had a strong hookup and, Fish On!  This was a big fish but Cord was up to the task and fought it valiantly. He worked it to the boat, let it make it's runs, worked it back, and eventually landed a big Jack Crevalle. 

We eased along that bank and fished it thoroughly, got some bites but no takers, then moved around the corner and fished another stretch. Here,  Thomas had a good bite, a good set, and a hookup. Thomas brought it expertly to the net and landed another feisty Jack Crevalle. 

After fishing up in Christopher Creek with jigs, we came back out, ran down to Seymore's Pointe and fished a large outflow, then moved around the corner and began to put keeper sized Mangrove Snapper in the boat.  The largest was just a tad bit over 12". That kept the trio busy for a while, then we finished up down the way catching a few more Mangrove on jigs. Even though it stayed overcast most of the day, and the wind had picked up, we still counted it as another great day to be out on the water and fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

June Super Grande Slam

 

After I met Craig and Paige Hungerford and their adult "kids" Reese and Halley we left the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp under cloudy skies, but it wasn't forecasted to rain until later in the afternoon. The tide still had about 30 minutes left to come in so we headed over to Bell River and set up along side some flooded oyster beds and marsh grass. We were seeing some fish busting bait at ambush points and finally Craig had the hookup and catch to "knock the skunk off" with a nice keeper sized Flounder catch. (all fish caught today were released). The tide came to a standstill, we fished it a bit, then moved on. 

After running thru Tyger we eased around to the outside and fished a grassy point that was "guaranteed"  and sure enough it paid off. We had seen fishing tailing up in the grass - it wasn't a Redfish -then Reese hooked up and worked the fish to the boat - a feisty Black "puppy" Drum. As we netted that fish Paige had a strong bite. Her drag "ripped" a few times but she kept the pressure on and soon landed a Slot sized Redfish. The family

had a Slam of Flounder, Black Drum and Redfish. Then it was Halley's turn. We all saw her float slowly going under' Halley reeled up any slack and as the float headed west she set the hook and, Big Fish On!  She and her dad teamed up for a 9 minute drag ripping battle. They'd work the fish to the boat only to have it take off and strip line. But they were patient and slowly worked it to the boat and landed  big 3"+ Bonnethead Shark, boy what a battle!

We then fished further up Tyger, switching to jigs, and Reese caught and landed a Flounder of his own. Moving around to the Jolley River we eased along he bank, back to fishing float rigs and Craig picked up a fat Seatrout, making it a Grande Slam, then our final stop was around at Bell River where we switched back to jigs. Halley wrapped things up with a a Sheepshead catch which made it an Amelia Island Super Grande Slam - a great way to end a good fishing trip here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

We Chipped Our Way to a Bag of Fish

 I was back to work today, fishing with Darrell Holcomb and his brother-in-law Jim, meeting them down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early. We had a high tide that was just starting out when we arrived at Seymore's Pointe and began fishing with float rigs and live shrimp. Both anglers were getting excellent tosses and it paid off with some strong bites, but we didn't have a "take" until Darrell's float had disappeared with a vengeance - he set the hook and, Fish On!  Darrell played it perfectly and soon landed a nice 19.5" Slot sized Redfish to "knock the skunk off". We fished that area them moved back a bit and caught one small Mangrove Snapper.

After moving around the corner to the Mangrove Snapper "honey hole" both anglers began to get bites on the floats and shrimp combo. Once they got the hand of it they were putting on Mangrove after another in the boat. Most were undersized, but the duo managed to "box" eight nice ones, with the biggest being right at 12" that Jim landed. 

We ran down to Pumpkin Hill and fished a marsh bank. Jim had a serious fight with a Bluefish that he handily won, and as we were netting it Darrell hooked up and landed hungry Seatrout. After he went back to the bank we both saw something big swirl at his float, we waited, and BOOM! Float gone. The fish made a short run south then turned around and came back, then went under the boat, then ran west, then went under the boat...but thru it all Darrell kept the pressure on and eventually battled the beast to the net, a nice 3' Bonnethead Shark. After fishing Broward for a bit we ran back to Seymore's to get out of the rising wind.

Her Jim added one more keeper Mangrove to the box and wrapped things up with a Flounder catch which was a great was to end a good day to be out on the waters here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Heck of a Halibut

 

I wrapped my week up today fishing with Chris Sneed and his fishing buddy Chuck, meeting them up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp. We had overcast skies, but no forecast for rain until possible late afternoon, and just a (very) slight breeze blowing. Our first stop was over on the outside of Tyger Island and the duo began pitching jigs and mud minnows to a marsh runout. I was expecting to maybe get a Flounder "bump" but it was a Seatrout that Chris picked up. He mentioned that he had never caught a Flounder and it'd be nice to do so (Stay Tuned!).

We then ran around to the Jolley Bank, fished the "bank", picked up a Croaker, then moved on up to Snook Creek where we got skunked. The tide was getting pretty low and as we pulled up to the MOA (Mother of All), there was a lot of movement, a bunch of bait, Sharks finning, and we even saw a "tail" that surely was a Redfish. But we had a bunch of bites but no takers. 

Our next stop was around at Bell River, fishing some dock pilings. We were flipping back and forth from live shrimp and mud minnows and here Chuck got hot and got some action. He hooked up and landed a feisty Black "puppy" Drum then he battled a nice Slot 20" Redfish to the net. The tide had hit bottom and was already coming back in back towards the ocean so we made along run.

I was heading south but decided to duck in at Piney Island and fish some docks. We made a few casts and Chuck added another Drum to his catch total. We continued South, down the intercoastal, thru Horsehead and around to Seymore's Pointe and fished some more docks. The duo caught a handful of Mangrove Snapper with two of them being of keeper size. After fishing another dock, we headed down to Broward Island and fished a good stretch. In a hundred yards of fishing we only got one bite. But boy, was it a good one!

Chris had pitched a "soggy" shrimp up to the bank, let it sink, and was slowly letting it fall down the bottom when he hung up. I said, "I think I've got a stick", as he drug it back to the boat. But then it began to pull back into the current and act like a fish. I was thinking, "he's got a knot of wood or an oyster", but then the it tugged like fish. Chris worked it up off the bottom and when it came to the surface we saw it was a HUGE Doormat of a Flounder!  Chris kept the pressure on, eased it towards the boat and I swooped in the the net! Boy What a Fish! We measured it to be 24.5", big enough to easily move into first place in the Angler Mark 2021 Bragging Rights Tournament-Flounder Category.(scroll down the right side of this report for standings).

We wrapped the day up back at Seymore's Pointe where we tossed float rigs to the rocks and caught our limit of Mangrove Snapper, a few of which measured at 12" - they're getting bigger! Then we headed north, counting it as another great day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Count and Double Count

 I had the pleasure of fishing with Alan Reeves again today - with COVID and life, it's been a few years. He brought along his "almost adult" kids, Bryan and Janaya and we met down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp for a half day of fishing. After running up the Nassau River we made our first stop at Spanish Drop and began to toss jigs and live shrimp and minnows to the exposed oysters. I think it was Bryan's first cast when he felt a "bump" and he hooked up. He expertly landed a hungry Flounder.

After working that bank and only getting a few nibbles, we move up to Athens Drop and fished it the same way. Janaya had no more than handed her rod off to her dad when he had a strong bite and, Fish On! Alan played it perfectly and landed a feisty Jack Crevalle. 

We then fished some docks at Seymore's Point and the trio began to put one Mangrove Snapper in the boat, one after the other.  I think we had about 7 that were of keeper size. We moved around the corner and set up with float rigs and fished some rocks and in

short time we were catching fish. Bryan came on strong and began to make pin point casts to the "sweet spot" and caught a number of fish. Not to be outdone, Janaya repositioned and began to match her brother in fish caught. Many of these Mangroves were of keeper size so I had to keep counting and double counting to make sure we did not exceed our limit, which we did. 

We left 'em biting and headed back to the ramp and counted it as  another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Lorna's Spot

 

I met Andy and Lorna Anderson out at Goffinsville Park this morning for a half day of fishing. They had supported the Amelia Island Guides Association's fishing tournament in 2019 by purchasing a gift certificate for a fishing trip, and we really appreciate it!

We ran over to some docks at Seymore's Pointe and began fishing with jigs and live shrimp and it wasn't long before Lorna zeroed in on "Lorna's Spot" and began to hookup with keeper sized Mangrove's. Andy squeeze her out a couple of times to catch a couple of his own. Lorna tangled with and landed a feisty Jack Crevalle before we moved on. 

Our next stop was down at Spanish Drop, still pitching the jigs on the last of an outgoing tide, but to no avail. We moved up to Athens Drop and here Andy got hot off the stern of the boat. Although the fish weren't edible, he caught and landed a Jack, Stingray, Catfish, Ladyfish, and then we did keep a nice Whiting he pulled in. 

We fished down at Broward Island on the first of an incoming tide which is an ideal tide, but the west wind was kicking up and and the water was murky and the fish didn't bite.  After coming back to Seymore's Pointe we set up with float rigs and limited out on Mangrove's, some of them right at 12", which made for a good mess of fish and a great day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

We Caught More Fish With The Last President

 I try my darndest to not get into politics when fishing on The Anglers Mark, and did pretty good today,but I had to laugh when my customer seemed to blame the slow fishing on the "current administration"!

I had met Mike and Lou Maguth up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park early and we headed over to Tiger Island to fish the logs on the first of an incoming tide - an ideal tide to fish those logs. We worked the bank with jigs and live shrimp, had a few nibbles, a few takes and "let-goes", then Mike hooked up and "knocked the skunk off" with a Flounder catch. Lou had a strong hookup that ripped the drag as it headed west - she played it perfectly but it "let go". I'm pretty sure it was a big Catfish as the leader had slime all over it. 

We then fished the outside of Tiger where Lou caught a Flounder with a jig and Mud minnow,  then up to Snook Creek in the Jolley where Lou tangled with, fought and landed a 2' Bonnethead Shark. 

After dropping Lou back to the dock Mike and I headed back to the outside of Tiger, fishing float rigs with live shrimp. Mike had a couple of good bites but no takes then we saw his float slowly ease under the surface - he tightened up, lifted the rod and set the circle hook, and, Fish On!. Mike was fishing his light tackle St. Croix rods paired with Shimano Stradic's and the fish was no match for him. He worked it to the boat and landed a nice 17" Black "puppy" Drum. 

We ran thru Horsehead, over to Lanceford and fished a couple of outflows. The sun was directly overhead, the heat was up, and the fish had taken a siesta, so we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Drag Ripp'n Fun

 I wrapped my week up today fishing with John and Stacey Allan after I met them down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp. We ran up the intercoastal then into the Nassau, and made our first stop at Spanish Drop, turning into the current of an incoming tide. Both anglers were pitching live shrimp or mud minnows to the bank with float rigs and getting good drifts.  About half way down the bank Stacey's float disappeared and her drag  began to sing. Riiiiiippppppp! The big fish headed west and BAP! Fish Off. While that was happening John's float disappeared, his drag ripped, and his fish headed east and BAP! Fish Off! Ouch.

We ran around to  Pumpkin Hill and drifted the floats there and it wasn't long before John put a keeper sized Flounder in the boat. Then Stacey tangled with a big Jack Crevalle, then she put a nice 17.5" Seatrout in the boat. All Trout were released today.  We fished a couple of banks at Pumpkin Hill, went down to Broward and fished some jigs, then ran back to Seymore's Pointe and switched back to float rigs. Here, John hooked up and landed

another Trout that was right at keeper size.

Needing some action, we moved around the corner and fished some rocks with the floats and sure enough, began to catch Mangrove Snapper, one after the other. They're getting bigger folks! We "culled' the smaller ones, even though they were of keeper size, and kept a few of the bigger ones (12"+) for their fish tacos!  We left 'em biting and headed in, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida 

Milestone Achieved On The Fly

 I've been catching Mangrove Snapper in the summer for years with live shrimp under a float or on a jig and when the Trout/Redfish/Flounder bite is slow I've been able to turn to the Mangrove's for an almost "guaranteed" bit of an action. Most times you can drift a shrimp by the "hotspot" and BAM!  You have a hookup. Then they tend to go into a frenzy and it's catching one after the other.  So I always wondered, "wouldn't it be neat to catch them on a fly rod?"

I've had multiple times where we were catching the Mangroves with shrimp under a float and have my guest toss a fly in with a fly rod and....nothing. Not a bite. At first I tried some of my sinking Shrimp patterns, but no takes. I tried fishing with some slow sinking Shrimp, but no takes. This was on different trips with multiple casters, many who could put it right in the "honey hole". But not a single Mangrove Snapper caught on the fly.

Today was the day! I had Mike and Jean DuBartell fishing with me early this morning. We had made the long run from Sawpit Creek boat ramp up the Nassau and around to Pumpkin Hill where we set up fishing float rigs along the flooding marsh grass. It wasn't long before Mike had put a hungry Seatrout in the boat.  Then the duo hooked up with a Shark that headed to Tallahassee, and kept going!

We came back and fished an outflow at Nassauville where we did get a couple of bites but nothing more than a slimly Catfish. We were in need of action so we went Mangrove hunting.  Drifting floats and shrimp it didn't take long for them to turn on and then both anglers were catching Snapper. Jean easily got the hang of it and  put one fish in the boat after another. These fish were a tad bit bigger, too, a couple measuring just over 12" - they put up a good fight. 

I had explained the fly fishing for Mangroves to Mike and he was up to the challenge. We went with a small, slow sinking shrimp pattern on a 10' leader. Mike was making an excellent presentation to the hot spot, but had no takers.  We then went with a small BB split shot about 20" up from the fly, made few casts and again, no takers. We then put a small shrimp on to the fly, made the cast and got bit!  Then we broke a big live shrimp in to, and smashed/smeared the juices all over the fly. I think it was Mikes first cast with the stinky fly and, BAM! Mangrove Snapper on! He played it perfectly and landed the first Mangrove on a fly I've ever had! Whooeee! Mike continued the "smash and cast" and hooked up with a number of the  Mangroves. Most of them were over 12" which made for a good fight on the fly rod.

Jean was steadily hauling in fish. We hit one more spot and caught a few of the Mangroveson jig and shrimp then headed in, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.