Made to Order

 

When you have a little guy's first "big boy" fishing trip you have to hope that the weather, bugs, and fish cooperate. And today they did! I had met Scott Williams and his 5 year old Russell, along with grandad Bert down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early this morning. The tide had been going out about two hours when we left the dock and as we headed up the intercoastal, the water was like glass, the sun was out and the skies were clear. We eased into the mouth of Jackstaff, inched further up a creek, and set up at a large marsh drainage to pitch float rigs and live shrimp. In just a short time we had a hookup and young Russell reeled in the first fish of the day!

We eased along that bank, getting shallower and shallower and we could see big wakes moving in and out of the grass and oysters. Bert had gone in closed, snagged a couple of times, but went back again and BAM! Big Fish On!  Bert played it expertly and soon landed a nice Slot sized Redfish. We continued to work the bank and BAM! Another nice Slot Redfish! 

After running thru Horsehead and down to the Spanish Drop area we fished some oyster banks anddrainages, picked up a small Flounder, then Russell - he was casting on his own now - hooked up and reeled in a magnificent Catfish. Later, we fished some docks at Seymore's Pointe, then moved down to Nassauville and fished "Russell's Spot" and here things really heated  up. Scott found a "honey hole" and kept going back to it, pulling one Seatrout out after another. There were a good handful that were of keeper size (one we though for sure was a Red the way it was fighting). The trio also caught three more Flounder (12-13").

We finished the day down at Spanish Drop, fishing an exposed shell bed. Just when I thought the fish were on "seista", BAM! Scott had strong bite, and REALLY BIG fish on! He played it perfectly, had all the pressure on, but it was not to be - the hook was thrown. Minutes later, Bert had the same thing happen, BAM! Big fish on, a good battle, and a thrown hook. They did salvage a hungry Seatrout catch during that fight. 

We had beautiful weather, for most part the bugs stayed away, and we had some good action so as we headed back we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Wind? What Wind?

 Yesterday was a beautiful morning with that front of storms bringing in clear and colder weather. But thewind was forecasted to begin at 8mph and increasing to 16mph so we made a plan and stuck with it, and it paid off!  I had met Todd Johnson and his longtime friend Todd "Raleigh" Durham up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp early on a tide that was low but still going out. We skipped around to Eagans Creek and set up current from some dock pilings. Todd had gone up under a floating dock with his jig and live shrimp and we both saw his line start moving towards shore. Todd tightened up and gave his rod a firm "hookset" and, Big Fish On!  He played it patiently and soon brought to the boat a big, multi-spotted Slot Redfish - a great way to start the day. We picked up a couple of more smaller Reds there then Raleigh hooked up and landed a keeper sized Seatrout. 

After moving up a dock or two the two anglers got busy catching fish. We were out of the wind and it really made for a good day for two old friends to get together and catch up. Raleigh seemed to be tuned in to the Seatrout bite while  Todd stayed with the Redfish. They added a couple of more keeper fish to the box. They also caught a handful of small Sheepshead.

As we headed out and got into the river we could tell that the wind forecast was right! I had decided to head south to get out of the wind down at Seymores Pointe but we made a "pit" stop along the way, fished some rocks, and got into some fish! Raleigh found a "honey hole" and caught one Trout after another. Todd picked up a couple of Reds and a couple of Trout, before we moved on. 

We made it down to Seymore's Pointe, again out of the wind. The duo picked up a couple of more Trout and a keeper sized Sheepshead. We moved around to the Nassauville rocks, fished Littlefield Creek, and again, a couple of more Seatrout were caught. As we headed back north, bucking the WNW wind, we knew that it had been a great day for two old old friends to get together and fish here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

We Braved The Weather!

I was awakened a few times last night with thunder, lightening and rain and when the alarm went off at 5:45am the rain was coming down steady. I dressed, made a cup of coffee, then waited for a lull to run to the truck and grab a rain coat. The whole time I was getting the boat unwrapped and rods loaded it rained, so much so that I had to come in and change pants and shoes - they were soaked. But the forecast called for all of that to pass by 7am so I pulled out, headed for the bait shop, then meet Gary Elder and his fishing crew, Karen and Jim down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp.

We ran  up the intercoastal, turned into the Nassau, and made our first stop at Spanish Drop, pitching jigs' and live shrimp to and exposed shell bank. All three anglers were working their baits expertly, but we could tell the water was super muddy from the rain run  off. We moved up a ways, fished a large drainage, then move on. 

Our next stop was up between some docks at Littlefield Creek. I couldn't believe what I was seeing! The creek was pouring out and I commented it looked like one of those streams up in north Georgia. . But the back side of the creek looked good and eventually Gary picked up a nice keeper sized Seatrout. We then ran around Seymore's Pointe and fished some dock pilings. I think it was Gary's first cast and BAM! Big Fish On!  I wished him luck - that big fish was digging deep and staying up in the pilings. Gary was patient as he could be but when you see that line "lock" down, you know what is about to happen, and sure enough, BAP! Big Fish Off! OUCH!

The forecast had called for increasing SW winds but hey hadn't materialized so we made the run down to Broward Island, south, fishing under the Bald Eagles, working the baits up near the logs, and fineally, Karen had a good hookup and landed another, bigger, keeper sized Trout.  And just minutes later, that predicted wind came. It was really blowing so we picked up and ran back to Seymores, fished a few docks, then headed back, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida 

April Grand Slam

The last few days we've had some good fishing conditions the first hour or so but then the wind picks up and makes it a challenge. We had the same trend today but not so much as to deter our fishing! I had met Rhett and Cam and their sons Holt and Landon down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early this morning and we made a quick run up the intercoastal, into the Nassau and made our first stop at Spanish Drop and began working an exposed shell bed with jigs and live shrimp on the last of an outgoing tide. It didn't take long before Cam hooked up and boated a hungry Flounder. Shortly after that Rhett had gone to the shell with an excellent cast and BAM! Big Fish On! He played it patiently, fought iit out into the current, then slowly brought it to the net - a nice fat 23" Slot Size Redfish. 

We made our next stop up between some docks at Goffinsville. Cam had pitched up behind some dock pilings, had a "bump", set the hook, and, Fish On! He brought it to the boat and landed a  keeper sized 17" Seatrout.  He picked up another Trout or two out of the same spot. After moving around the point, we fished some more dock pilings. Cam put a couple of more Trout in the boat, fishing deep from the bow, Rhett pulled a feisty Redfish out from the pilings, then Landon hooked up and landed a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum. 

Our next stop was down at Broward Island. Right off the bat, Rhett put a hungry Trout in the boat, but that was all to be had. We came back to Nassauville, fished the same docks, but this time on an incoming tide, and Landon got hot with a Flounder catch and a Seatrout Catch.

I can't say enough about how much I was impressed with the two young anglers on the boat. Both Holt and Landon were so very much respectful - from their firm handshake to start off the trip to their good attitudes and polite manners. They were both making excellent casts and making good effort the entire trip. They're going to make excellent anglers as they grow up.

We finished the trip fishing float rigs  and live shrimp over in Jackstaff but I think the fish had taken a "siesta" so we pulled up the trolling motor and headed in, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Bob, Bob, Bob, gone!

 

We tried to squeeze in a fishing trip this morning - winds were forecasted to be about 7mph at start time but rising to an unfishable 17mph by quitting time! I met JR and Donna Shiver and JR's brother Greg out at the Goffinsville Park boat ramp early. We still had a few minutes of an outgoing tide so we eased down the rocks at Nassauville and fished between a couple of docks with jigs and live shrimp. It didn't take long for JR to "knock the skunk off" when he hooked up and landed a big 19" Seatrout. He followed that up with another keeper sized Trout and a couple of throw backs.

After buzzing around the corner and fished some dock pilings, sticking with the jigs. I thought for sure we'd get a Drum or Red but when JR had another hookup, he brought to the boat another keeper sized Trout!

Sure enough, the wind was picking up, so we made the run down to Broward Island, passing a pair of Bald Eagles, and

began to fish a nice marsh drainage. We didn't get any real bites so we started working the shore line and now it was Donna's turn to get the nice fish. She had gone in near a long with an excellent cast and BAM! Fish On! Donna played it patiently and after a good battle landed a nice 24" Slot Redfish - a beautiful deep copper colored fish.

We were out of the wind and the tide was still a bit low so we elected to fish the logs. Greg was providing running commentary while JR and Donna fished. JR put a feisty Redfish in the boat, then we switched to float rigs and live shrimp. The duo of anglers were really working their casts and JR had just made a good one, letting his float drift up near a limb when he saw it Bob. Then Bob, Bob -he tightened up his line, lifted his rod and, BIG FISH ON! JR expertly worked the fish out from the logs and then it was a battle. The fish bulled deep a few times, then got in the current and made it fight. But JR was up to the task and eventually subdued the beast, landing an Oversized 28" Redfish. Boy what a fish. We wrapped up the day there, fishing floats up near the logs and then headed in, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

It was a Struggle

We had another beautiful morning today when I met Tom and Christy Wigger and their two kids Tessa and Ryan up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp. But I had warned them to wear long pants and long sleeves and sure enough, the Sand Gnats were out! We made our first stop over behind Tyger Island to fish the logs on an incoming tide with jigs and live shrimp on the bottom. Although we had some nibbles here and there, we had not takers.

After running around (and blowing the Gnats off) to the Jolley River, we set up in to the current and fished the jigs out front and float rigs out back. Not getting any bites, we moved down to Snook Creek and went all floats. We had two quick bites and it was Tessa who had the first hookup. She worked it quickly to the boat and landed a nice hungry Seatrout - Skunk Off!

After a pit stop back at Dee Dee we continued on and over to the Bell River, fished a marsh pointe, then ran over to Soap Creek and fished a large outflow. Here, Tom got on the board with a Seatrout catch. 

As we were heading back to the ramp we passed a big pod of porpoise who were just "lolling" along the bank, which was cool to see and made for a great way to wrap up a day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Setting The Flounder Bar

 We had a beautiful morning greet us out at Goffinsville Park this morning when I met William and Dara Blalock out as the sun was peaking over Amelia Island.  We made a quick run down to Broward Island to begin fishing just as the tide turned and I was thinking, "this is IDEAL" -first of the incoming tide, jigs and live shrimp, some accomplished anglers - we're going to "load the boat"!  Nope. We fished up and down the island and I don't think we got a real bite! 

After buzzing down the Nassau we set up alongside some flooding shell banks at Spanish Drop and worked it pretty good. Finally, Dara had a strong hookup and landed a keeper sized Seatrout. It was still a bit cool but the sun was up and feeling good so we crossed the river and fished another stretch of bank with the jigs and shrimp combo. We had fished a good way, hit some small marsh runouts, but with no real bites I was beginning to stow things away for another run, so I missed it!

 William had pitched up into a drainage and he said a fish "bammed" his bait, knocking it out of the water, and off the hook. As he reeled in Dara went in and when she tightened her line it began to move off, heading west. Dara tightened up and set the hook and Fish On! She played it patiently and perfectly landed a nice 24" Redfish (it later grew to 26"- amazing!) But boy what a fish!

We fished the outside of some docks at Seymore's Pointe then ran thru Horsehead over to the mouth of Jackstaff. Fishing on the other side of a grassy island, William hooked up and landed another keeper sized Trout. We took a short cut thru the marsh and back to Nassauville and with time running out, set up between two docks.

William quickly hooked up and landed a feisty Flounder then he said he had another strong bump, but not a take. Dara again went in, felt the Bump, set the hook - wasn't sure if it might be a log = but it began to pull back and, Fish On! She worked it slowly to the boat and landed a nice 22" Flounder, a fish big enough to set the bar for first place in the 2022 Anglers Mark Bragging Rights Tournament-Flounder Category (scroll down the right side of this report for link to standings). 

We had a good box of fish in the boat so as we headed in we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

No See-Ums Anyone?

Be careful what  you wish for! I'm always hoping that we won't have to deal with the wind and boy did it lay down nicely this morning! We had clear skies, calm waters and almost no wind when I met Nate Aron, his wife Brittany, and his stepfather Gil up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park. Being a Saturday, I wanted to get away from the crowd so we headed over to the Jolley River and turned back into the incoming current to begin tossing float rigs and live shrimp to the flooded oyster shell. Aaron did tangle with a big Gar fish, but we had not takers, and we begin to loose blood from the swarm of No See-Ums! We tired every flavor of insect repellent I had then we cranked and ran!

Our next stop was up the river at Snook Creek, fishing the floats. Although we had a not takers, we did have a bite or two. We then buzzed thru the Jolley, around to the Bell and began fishing between dock pilings on a high and still incoming tide. Nate and Brittany had switched to jigs and shrimp and finally, Nate had a hookup and landed a hungry Seatrout.

After making the run down the Bell back towards town, we pulled up at a flooding oyster pointe and drifted float rigs again. Gil was being real patient, drifting long, and when his float disappeared he lifted his rod and let the circle hook set, then patiently brought to the boat a feisty Seatrout. 

We fished Soap Creek, sticking with the float rigs at the top off the tide and Aaron found another Trout to catch after Brittany had chummed it  up! After fishing Lanceford for a bit, we headed in. The wind had picked up a bit and blown off the gnats so as we headed back  we counted it as another great day to be out on the water fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida 

10 Spotter

 

If we had been in the "Spot Tournament" we would have been running to check in! This morning I fished with cousins Adam and Patty Garner, meeting them early down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp. We headed up the intercoastal, turned into Middle River and headed around to the Pumpkin Hill to set up fishing float rigs and live shrimp on the last of an incoming tide. Both Adam and Patty were getting excellent drifts in outstanding conditions, but we had no takers. We move down the bank, fished a "cove", then moved around the corner and fished some grassy island, to no avail. 

After a run back to the Seymores Pointe and fished a large outflow on the first of an outgoing tide and here we knocked the "skunk" off. Adam had a good take, tightened up his line and a set the hook. He played the fish patiently to the net and landed a 10-Spot Slot Redfish. The duo of anglers continued to toss their floats up current and let it drift around a corner and they picked up another couple of feisty Redfish. 

We ran down to Spanish Drop and fished a bank with the float rigs, then moved back and fished it again with jigs and shrimp. Adam had made a good cast up to the bank, bumped it over some shell, and BAM - he had a hookup. After a brief battle he landed another nice Redfish. 

Back to Seymore's we went with plans to fish some dock pilings now that the tide had been going out for a bit. Pitching jigs, we had not bites until there was a faint bump and a hookup. Patty was on the rod and expertly landed a "just short" Flounder. Our final stop was over at the mouth of Jackstaff, fishing with the Artic Pelicans, then we headed in and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Not Much To It

 After a big wind yesterday, it calmed around midnight and it made for a beautiful fishing day for today. Although still just a bit cool, it warmed to a nice, balmy day of fishing. I met Ed Johnson and his fishing buddies Ken and Don down at Sawpit Creek boat ramp early and we ran up the intercoastal and dipped into Jackstaff, passing a pair of Bald Eagles resting a shell bed. We set up at a large marsh run out and began casting float rigs and live shrimp. It took a few minutes but finally we "knocked the skunk off" with a few hungry Seatrout catches. Before we left, Don had a strong hookup and his drag began to rip, the line heading east. It didn't slow down for a bit and I guessed, "shark", and if so, it would be the first of the year on the Anglers Mark. Don played it patiently and after a good battle we saw, sure enough, a shark fin. We boated it, dehooked, and released it. 

We ran thru Horsehead around to a large outflow and fished with the float rigs, but had no luck. We then motored down the Nassau and set up into the current at Spanish Drop. The trio of anglers picked up some Seatrout, with one that Ken caught being of keeper size. Then, after Ed had made a good cast  up near the bank, his float almost immediately disappeared and, Fish On!  We didn't think there was much to this fish for a little while, but we should have known - it stayed up by the bank even though Ed was applying soime pressure. I realized that this was a big fish about the time it got back in the current then it was Game On! But Ed was up to the task and played it expertly (Ed was the Nassau Sportsfishing Angler of the Year last year). The big fish stayed deep for a while, and when Ed worked it to the boat it would bull away, but eventually it wore out and came to the net, a 26 15/16" thick Redfish, boy what a fish!

We worked that bank thoroughly and picked up a handful of smaller "rat" Reds, then moved up the river and fished another run out, then further up to fish Twin Creeks. Just north of there Ken hooked up and landed keeper sized Flounder on a jig and shrimp.

Our final stop was over at some rocks at Nassauville, fishing jigs dropping down a sloped river bottom. Ed hooked up and landed a keeper Trout then Don had a strong bite and put the biggest Trout in the boat, another keeper. We had had some excellent weather and some good action so as we headed in we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.