Big Tides Didn't Affect The Fishing

 With a big NE storm that passed thru this past weekend, coupled with some "King" Tides, it was all over the news about Front Street flooding. When I launched this morning old dead marsh grass was piled up at the top of the boat ramp at Dee Dee Bartels, and one floating ramp was damaged from the high water.

I met Steve Locke and his fishing buddy Jason early with a tide that had been low at 5:30am, so it had been coming in for almost two hours. We ran up to the Jolley River, turned into the current and deployed some float rigs and live shrimp, working along a bank with the oysters already covered up. We fished for 30 minutes without a nibble and I was beginning to wonder if it might be nice to see a "baitstealer" when Jason hooked up and landed a nice 17" keeper sized Seatrout. He then drifted long off the stern and began to pick up Trout, one after the other, and graciously offered to have Steve come back and join in, which he did. Both anglers caught Trout, one after the other, and most of them were 10-15' from the bank. 

Jason was getting another good drift when his float disappeared, he lifted the rod and set the hook and
this was a bigger fish. He played it patiently  and after a good battle brought to the net a big 20.5" Sheepshead, a fish that puts him squarely in to 2nd place in the Anglers Mark 2021 Bragging Rights Tournament-Sheepshead Category(scroll down the right side of this report for standings).

We eventually ran up the Jolly to Snook Creek and fished that bank and this was hot, too. Both anglers caught Redfish with a few of them being of keeper size. They also added another few keeper sized Seatrout.

Our next stop was on the outside of Tyger which didn't pan out, then we ran thru the creek and over to the Bell and set up alongside a grassy pointe where we picked up two more Seatrout. But the bite had slowed considerably and after one more spot we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Nor Easter Coming

 I thought we were due for another beautiful day today and as it stared out it was just that, clear and not too windy. But boy were we in for a blow as the day went on! I had met Greg Raecker up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park before sun up with plans to try some fly fishing mixed in with spin so we headed over to Tyger Island and checked a handful of spots out for tailing Redfish as the sun was coming up. Although the water was plenty high enough, we only saw one tail and that was just for a brief moment. 

So Greg set up at the stern of the boat and blind casted in shallow water for Seatrout with a shrimp pattern. That can get real tiring quick, so we

switched to live shrimp under a float and that did the trick. Greg "knocked the skunk off" with a keeper sized Seatrout catch. We worked along a grass line and picked up another keeper Trout.  After crossing over the creek and fishing the float rig we found that the wind had picked up a bit, so we decided to make a run over to Lanceford Creek and find some shelter.

We fished up in Lanceford with the fly gear and spin gear and boy was it perfect conditions -sunny and zero wind! But the fish didn't cooperate, we didn't get a bite fishing a stretch of grass, and then "Millie's Spot".

Our next stop was over in Soap Creek and now the tide was going out. In quick succession, Greg put three Seatrout in the boat. We eased up to a small oyster/grass island running parallel to the bank and Greg's first cast produced a feisty Redfish. He went back to the same spot and had a another, bigger bite. This one was ripping drag and staying up at the bank. I knew there was an oyster outcrop between us and the fish and sure enough, the fish found it and, BAP! Fish Off!  But Greg went back, this time on the outside of the island and picked up another Trout, then went back to the "honey hole" and caught another Redfish. 

By this time it had become overcast and the wind had really picked up. We headed back to the dock, bucking the wind and the waves, but we had squeezed in some good fishing so we counted it as another great day to be out on the water here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Pompano In The Backwater

 

I fished south today, meeting Joe and Karen Szkardnik and their fishing buddy Bruce down at the Sawpit Creek boa ramp early for a backwater day of fishing here at Amelia Island. We made our longest run up the intercoastal, turned left into the Back River and run over to the mouth of Pumpkin Hill to set up fishing with float rigs on the very last of an incoming tide. Karen had the hot hand first when she found a couple of hungry Seatrout long, past a grassy island. 

We eased around the corner and fished a grassy island, picked up another Trout or two, then Joe tangled with a Bonnethead Shark which we photographed and released, then he added a Bluefish to the box. Our next stop was back at Seymore's Pointe, fishing just north of a dock as the tide had started out and here Bruce got on the board with another Seatrout catch.  We fished between a couple of docks, drifting the grass, then move on. 

Our next stop was down at the Spanish Drop area and here we switched to jigs. Bruce found a feisty Redfish then Karen hooked up with something big that boiled as it was hooked, then headed north. Karen's drag was ripping as she inched to the bow of the boat then, BAP! Fish off! Ouch. But Karen was not to be deterred, pitched her jig up into the mouth of a run out, let it bounce down the bottom and had a hookup. When it flashed near the surface I guessed "Jack Crevalle" but when I netted it I saw it was a keeper sized Pompano - the first ever I've had caught on the Anglers Mark!

We moved down the way and fished a stretch where the shell was beginning to show and here we had our hottest action of the day. Karen and Joe began hooking up with feisty Redfish, then Joe put a Slot sized Red in the boat. Karen landed a Whiting. Then it was Bruce's turn for a big fish. He had a strong bite, set the hook, and expertly played to the net a nice 24" Slot Redfish, boy what a fish!

We finished the day back at Seymore's Pointe, had a few bites, caught a Mangrove and a Perch, then called it day and as  we headed back to the ramp, we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Cool and Crisp

We had a  beautiful cool and crisp morning when I met Tom and Mary Lou Stergios up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park. I launched in the dock, saw a lit up shrimp boat motor by, then Tom and Mary Lou and I pulled out from the dock as the sun came up. We made a quick jump over to Tyger Island and set up alongside a grassy point as the tide swept by. In short order Tom had a good hookup on his float rig and live shrimp and he expertly landed a nice feisty Redfish. Mary Lou was fishing off the stern and she followed that up with a nice landing of a keeper sized Seatrout (all fish caught today were released). We worked along that bank for a bit, tangled with a couple of Ladyfish, then crossed the creek and fished another stretch, to no avail.

After fishing a run out on the outside of Tyger with a jig and shrimp, we continued on around to Jolley "bank" and went back to the float rigs. The duo of anglers again caught a few hungry Seatrout. We ran further up the Jolley and fished Snook Creek and this was the hottest spot of the morning. Both anglers caught Redfish with a couple of them being just in the Slot range. They
also caught Seatrout. Most of them were just under the 15" limit, but boy were they fat!

We fished on around the corner then continued on around to Bell River and fished some docks with jigs. I was expecting maybe a Black Drum but we had none bite, but we did pick up another Seatrout. It was an absolutely beautiful day and as we cruised back thru the Bell and to the dock we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

A Good Flurry

 I fished again today with Bob Blalock who had along as his guests his in-laws Tommy and Martha. We left the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp as the sun was coming up behind us and headed over to Tyger Island to try our hand at fishing the logs on the first of an incoming tide. All three anglers were getting good casts as as we worked the bank. We picked up a handful of "bait stealers" before Bob finally put a barely legal Seatrout in the boat. 

We then made the long run outside of Tyger, down to the Bell, up into Lanceford and then we eased in to Soap Creek with plans to fish an exposed oyster bed. Bob and Wanda stayed with the jig and shrimp combo but Tommy switched to a float and drifted long out of the stern. Tommy found a hot spot back there and caught one, two, three Seatrout one after the other.  But Bob and Martha were getting good

casts and they found a good flurry of action, catching feisty Redfish on each cast. After working that bank until they quit biting we moved on. 

Our next stop was down at some docks on Lanceford and I think it was the first cast to the pilings when we had a hookup. Martha was on the rod and she expertly played another nice Redfish to the net.  The bait stealers moved in and we moved on. 

We stopped at BM3, a marsh drainage and fished the mouth with float rigs and in no time Bob hooked up and brought to the boat another keeper sized Seatrout-the biggest Trout of the day. After fishing a flooding oyster point at Bell River, then some more flooding shell on the outside of Tyger, we headed back across the river and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida

Georgia Florida Football And Fishing

 Most of my guests this week are in town for the annual Georgia-Florida football game being held inJacksonville Saturday. But today, my two guest anglers were here just for a few days of relaxation and some back water fishing. It just so happened that one pulled for those mangy Dawgs, and one pulled for the mighty Gators! I had met Tom Mathews and his longtime buddy up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp early with a forecast of clear skies but increasing winds on a tide that had just started back in. We made a short run over to Tyger Island, slipped in behind it and began fishing the logs with jigs and live shrimp. We had  some nibbles then Tom hooked up and landed a nice keeper sized Sheepshead(all fish caught today were released). They caught a couple of Mangrove Snapper along that stretch then we moved on.

Our next stop was over at Lanceford Creek, fishing some dock pilings as the tide came in and this paid off. Gary kicked it off when he hooked up out deep and brought to the boat a fat Seatrout. Then both anglers were catching Redfish, a couple of
which were right at keeper size. They also caught Mangroves and another Sheepshead to add to the catch.

We moved around to Soap Creek and switched to float rigs, drifting live shrimp or mud minnows back behind the stern, thru a shute. Tom "went long" and when we couldn't find his float, he lifted the rod tip, set the hook, and had a fish on. He expertly brought it to the boat and landed a hungry Seatrout. He went back to the same place and this time when his float went under we thought we had a big Trout. Tom played it patiently and brought it to the net - a small Bonnethead Shark!

We fished further up Lanceford at a couple of spots but had not real bites but as we headed back to the dock we counted it as another great day top be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

The Rain Couldn't Keep Us Away

 

It was pitch dark and raining when I launched this morning out at Goffinsville Park and when Bob and William Blalock pulled up in their truck we all agreed to wait it out for a few minutes, which turned in to about 45 minutes. But the rain finally quit, we dried the seats off, and headed over to Broward Island to fish the first of an incoming tide, and I think the wait actually paid off. 

In only a few casts both anglers were hooking up. William hauled in a 23" Slot Redfish then his dad did the same, another 23" Redfish. They caught a couple of small ones then William had a strong bite, his rod bent and his drag ripped and, Big Fish On!  William played it patiently and eventually landed a nice Oversized 29" Redfish.  The bite slowed so we headed to the south end of the island and fished back, working a jig and shrimp up near the logs and stumps. We had bites, but no real takers. We tried the "honey hole" before we left and BAM, Bob

caught a another Slot Redfish. Our next stop was down the Nassau at Spanish Drop. I thought we were back on them when Bob caught a feisty Redfish, but after that it was Jacks, Catfish and a Croaker.

We finished up the day back at the mouth of Pumpkin Hill and here William found two hungry Seatrout down alongside a bank, and later he picked up a feisty Redfish. Bob added to the box with a keeper sized Mangrove and a "big enough" Croaker. (FYI of he four Slot Redfish caught, only one was kept for dinner) We had started out strong, and although we fished under cloudy skies,  as we headed back we counted it as another great day to be fishing her at Amelia Island, Florida.

Long Snouted Fish

 We wrapped the week up yesterday, fishing with Jag Gholson and his longtime friend David after I had
met them up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp. We had a tide that had been coming in for a few hours so we headed up and over to the Jolley River and turned into the current and fished the "bank". I could see right off that these anglers could fish as they were making excellent casts to the flooding marsh grass. It took a stretch but as we neared the mouth they began to get bites and hooked up with a handful of Seatrout. 

Our next stop was up at Snook Creek, fishing the bank. We had nibbles, picked up a couple of bait stealers, and moved on. After buzzing back to Tyger, thru the basin, and around to Bell River we set up alongside a flooding point and began to drift our float
rigs and live shrimp.  They caught a Trout or two then Jag had something promising - big and pulling deep. We were all speculating on what it was when he brought to the surface a 3' Gar Fish, OUCH!

We then ran over to Lanceford Creek, fished the mouth of a marsh drainage, had no luck, then continued on up and into Soap Creek where we worked a bank thoroughly. Not much happening, so we ran further up Lanceford, fished a grassy Island, had some nibbles, and continued on.

Back on the outside of Tyger to fish the first of an outgoing tide and that paid off. Jag was drifting long out of the stern and had a good bite, a hookup, and landed a nice keeper sized Seatrout. The duo played cat and mouse with Needlefish then Jag had the final nice fish of the day, a feisty Redfish.

We had had to deal with baitstealing Pinfish, Perch, Catfish, Garfish, and Needlefish but we had a bit of action here and there and it was a beautiful day so as we headed in we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

In Search of Trout

 

Boy, those beautiful mornings just keep rolling in! Today I met Garland Clark and his fishing buddy Dennis up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp - it was clear with only a slight breeze, and cool enough for long sleeves but no need for a jacket. We headed south down the intercoastal, skirted Fenandina and headed up the Bell River to make our first stop alongside a grassy point with a tide high and still coming in for a few hours. 

                                                               Both anglers were tossing

float rigs and live shrimp and it paid off when Dennis hooked up and "knocked the skunk off" with a nice Seatrout catch. Then Garland followed Dennis' float with his and hooked up with a keeper sized Seatrout. We worked that area pretty good and before we left Garland found another, even bigger, Seatrout that measured right at 18".

Our next stop was over in Lanceford Creek, fishing the mouth of a drainage and here Garland tangled with something big-it was ripping drag and bending the rod and..BAP! it found an oyster hump and broke off, OUCH! We went further up Lanceford and into Soap Creek and fished a bank with the floats and caught a handful of Seatrout. Dennis had the biggest one for a few seconds - it was thrashing and rolling- and, threw the hook! After continuing on up into Lanceford, we fished a grassy island, had some good nibbles, then Garland finally hooked one up and landed a keeper sized Sheepshead.

The tide had hit a standstill up in Lanceford so we made the run back to Bell, thru Tyger and around to the outside of Tyger to fish the first of an outgoing tide. We had baitstealers and Neeedlefish robbing us blind at the first spot so we crossed over and fished another stretch of grass. The duo caught a couple of Trout on the floats and we picked up one on a jig, fished deeper. We had had a beautiful day for fishing so as we headed in, we counted it as another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Couldn't Catch A Break

 I made the usual call to my wife on the way home from our fishing trip today (she likes to know I'm off the water) and gave her a brief fishing report for the day, "a bunch of junk fish, some small fish, a feisty Redfish, but then a tremendous battle and an oversized Redfish (by 1/8") and later some Mangrove Snapper, two of which were keepers, then a big 19" Flounder that would now be illegal to keep since October 15th".  And she said, "geez, the guy just couldn't catch a break!".

I had met Steve Wyatt and his fishing buddies Doug and Sam out a the Goffinsville Park early this morning and had a beautiful sunrise to greet us, and, a not so timid owl that came down to the dock as I waited. We made the short run down the Nassau and set up to fish Spanish Drop with float rigs and live shrimp and within seconds we were getting bites. The trio landed a few high flying Ladyfish, a hard fighting Jack Crevalle, a Catfish and then Doug hooked up and landed nice feisty Redfish.

After working that bank we dropped down the river and fished Twin Creeks for a bit with float rigs and jigs, had some nibbles but no takers, then we made another run. This time we stopped down at the mouth of Pumpkin Hill and drifted floats along the shore line. Again, we had nibbles but no takers. I released the I-Pilot "anchor" and we drifted back, fishing as we went. Along one stretch of grass a big fish rolled at Steve's bait but didn't take it! We drifted back another 20 feet and then Steve's float disappeared with a vengeance and, Big Fish On1 Steve said at

first he didn't think it was all that big but it began to rip drag and run deep towards the stern and then Doug made the call, "it might be oversized". Steve played it patiently to the boat, it made another run or two or three, then he brought it to the net - a Big Redfish that measured right at 27 1/8"! I measured it a few times but I just couldn't get it to shrink. so after a photograph, we released it to breed.

We fished Broward Island briefly, then Christopher Creek then wrapped up fishing some docks at Nassauville, jig and shrimp on the bottom. The trio of anglers played cat and mouse with Mangrove Snapper. In short order both Sam and Doug were hooking up and put a couple of keeper sized fish on the boat ( I could tell that we are on our last week or so of having Mangroves in numbers here) then Steve had a strange bite, set the hook and slowly worked in a......big 'ole Flounder that measured at 19". Unfortunately for Steve we are 5 days into a closed season on Flounder so it had to be released, OUCH! He just couldn't catch a break! But as we headed in we knew we had had a beautiful day for fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.