Trout Topper

 I fished with Glenn and Patti Langford on a beautiful crisp morning today, meeting them down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early. We headed up the Nassau River and stopped off at some exposed oyster beds on a dead low tide. The two anglers tossed jigs and live shrimp and it was Patti, fishing on the bow, who 'knocked the skunk off" with a nice keeper sized Seatrout catch.  We worked that bank thoroughly, had some nibbles, but no more takers, and moved on. 

Our next stop was up at some docks at Seymore's Pointe. The conditions were perfect - a low and incoming tide, and we had bites, but we were only able to get a couple of small Seabass. We then ran down to Broward Island and set up as the tide was starting to come in there. Patti had one of those strange bites, a strange fight, and sure enough, she brought to the net a nice keeper sized Flounder, but not keep-able until the season opens December 1st. Patti also added  a keeper sized Whiting to the box. 

We worked up and down that bank, fishing under the watchful eye of a Bald Eagle, then Glenn, after making an excellent cast to the drop off, had a hookup. This fish was putting up a fight, ripping just a bit of drag, but not enough for it to be a big Redfish. Glenn played it patiently and soon landed a big Seatrout.  He had a 2.6lb Trout entered in the NSFA's "fish of the month" tournament and he hoped that this one  might top it so we crossed our fingers...and kept on fishing!

Our next stop was up Pumpkin Hill, all the way up to the docks. We fished the docks with jigs then switched to float rigs later around some flooding grass but had not luck. But we had caught a few fish, and a few keepers so as we headed back we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

One After Another

 

Yesterday I fished with Gregg and Dannie Fitzgerald out of Sawpit Creek boat ramp. We fished some docks at Nassauville where I was sure we'd have good success using jigs and live shrimp,  but all we picked up were a couple of Sea Bass and a "bait stealer". We then fished the Nassau River, tossing the jigs, but to no avail. But when we switched to float rigs we began to get some fish. The duo caught a couple of feisty Redfish and a good handful of Seatrout, one of which was of keeper size.

Today Dannie decided to stay home for some rest but Gregg brought along his father and his partner Ginnie and I met them at the Old Town Bait Shop ramp. We had a west wind still blowing so a quickly crossed over the intercoastal, hugged Tyger Island north and found some flooded marsh grass to fish with float rigs and live shrimp. But we had  no bites. We crossed over a creek and fished some more grass, and again, no bites. 

After running thru Tyger, around to the Bell and up Landsford we found a grassy island where Guy finally "knocked the skunk off" with a feisty Redfish catch. We fished that spot some more, moved over to a couple of more grassy islands, had some nibbles, then made a short run back to Soap Creek. There, we fished a large outflow with the floats, again, no bites, then we worked the bank for a bit, and again, no bites.  What the heck?

So we made the run back to Egans Creek, and found some dock pilings to fish, switching to jigs and the shrimp. The "demo" cast produced a bite - we hooked up and Ginnie reeled in a Redfish. And from then on....it was one fish hookup after another!  Rat Red, Rat Red, Rat Red, Slot Red, Rat Red, Slot Red, Rat Red, Rat Red, Rat Red, Black Drum, Rat Red, Black Drum, Rat Red, Rat Red, Slot Red, BIG REd, Rat Red, Slot Red, Rat Red, Black Drum, Flounder, Slot Red, Slot Red, Rat Red, Rat Red -- We would have had to have a "clicker" to count them. But we did count the Slot fish and ended up with at least 10( there might have been a few that I didn't measure that were right at the 18" mark). We had numerous "double" hookups and ended the day with Guy and his Dad reeling in double Slot Redfish. As we eased back to the dock we counted it as another GREAT day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Foggy Morning Fishing at Amelia Island

 We had some fog! When I met Meghan and Matt Brennan and their two kids Derrick and Bianca down atSawpit Creek this morning I was thinking we may have to "putter" up the Nassau to get to our first spot. But as we got out into the intercoastal I could see we had about a 100 yards of visibility so I switched on the Nav lights and we ran! Note: that fog stayed with us all morning long!

Our first stop was up at Pumpkin Hill drifting float rigs and live shrimp on a tide that still had a couple of hours of coming in before it high tide. Meghan and Matt were doing the casting while Bianca and Derrick helped with the reeling. It didn't take too long before we had a bite and Meghan hooked up and landed a Flounder to "knock the skunk off".  The two anglers followed that up with a couple of hungry Seatrout catches.  We fished a couple of more areas in that location, then we made a run down the Nassau and fished between two docks along Nassauville.

I think it was first cast and Meghan had strong bite on the bottom fishing jigs and shrimp and Fish On! Meghan played it perfectly, worked it to the boat, and landed a big 18" Seatrout! Boy what a fish! (all fish caught today were released).  Just shortly after that, she had made a good cast to the same general location and BAM, another nice Seatrout brought in (with help from the kids). 

After running around the corner we fished a large drainage, letting our floats drift around the corner and across a submerged oyster bar. It was Matt's turn to find the hot spot. He caught 2-3 nice keeper sized Seatarout (with help from the kids).

Our last stop was over on the other side of Jackstaff and after running thru Horsehead we set up andfished some drainages. With no luck there we moved down at a point of grass and submerged sandbar and here Matt hooked up and landed another Flounder. Meghan topped it off with a Blue Crab catch. We had worked thru the fog, had some good catches of fish and as we made our way back to the dock we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

First Cast Production

 

We had a temperature drop! When I launched this morning it was in the low 40's, and the 10mph wind made it seem even colder!  But the skies were clear and the forecast called for sunny all day so when I met Paul Lombardi down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp we felt pretty good about a fishing trip.  I had talked to some shore anglers after I launched and they were picking up Seatrout on DOA shrimp, white with chartreuse tails(see video here) and one advised me to try the bride pilings before we left the area.

So Paul and I eased around there, turned into the current, and I tied on a white DOA (didn't have one with the chartreus tail) and Paul made his first cast up current, let it go to the bottom, kept his line tight, and began to let the current bounce it along the bottom and...BAM! He head a hookup!  Paul worked it to the boat patiently and landed a nice keeper sized 17" Seatrout - not a bad way to start the day!

Unfortunately that was the only fish we got there although we did get some bumps here and there. We left and headed up the intercoastal, turned west into the Nassau, and made our way up to an exposed shell bank on a tide that still had a couple of hours of going out. Paul worked the bank with live shrimp and jigs, only getting "bumps" and taps, then we moved up a couple of hundred yards and here we caught a couple of small Seatrout.

Our next stop was at some docks at Seymore's Pointe, fishing on almost a slack tide, but we got there in time for Paul to pull two keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum out, and a small but feisty Redfish. We eased around the corner and fished some rocks at Nassauville and here we caught a handful of small Mangrove Snapper, then a couple of small Seatrout, then we had a "bump" and a take and, Fish On!  Paul fought it expertly as it dug deep and stayed on the bottom and we began to speculate that it was a big Stingray, hoped that it was a huge Flounder, and finally settled in to wait as Paul worked it up from the bottom. As it came to the surface we saw that it was a large Redfish!  After netting the fish we measured it right at 26" - a big Slot Redfish!

The final stop was down at Broward Island, fishing the very last of an
outgoing tide, and this turned out to be the most productive spot of the day. We caught 7-8 feisty Redfish, a couple of small Seatrout, and then Paul rounded out his Amelia Island Grande Slam with a keeper sized Sheepshead catch. We had had some good catches, the sun was up, and the day was warming so as we headed back we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Super Duper Amelia Island Grande Slam

 

I had worn a undershirt under my fishing shirt this morning and as I was getting the boat ready I was already thinking about shedding one of them.  But I didn't. And as I launched the boat out at Goffinsville Park I was thinking about maybe going without a jacket and was 50 foot away from the truck when I thought, "naaa, better grab a jacket".  Then I met Steve Locke and his fishing buddy Jason and after just a few  minutes fishing I was getting that jacket on and zipping it up tight! The temperature was dropping and the wind was picking up! We all noted that the water was a bit muddy but in short order Steve "knocked the skunk off" with a feisty Redfish catch and in just a few more minutes Jason had a strong hookup and Big Fish On! We knew it was a big one when the drag kept ripping and the big fish thrashed up near the bank - more so than most. But Jason kept the pressure on and expertly battled it to the boat and landed a thick 25" Slot sized Redfish,

We moved up the river and fished a couple of drainages then made our way to some docks at
Seymore'sPoint. Both anglers were making excellent casts to the base of the pilings and it paid off. Steve had a strong bite and worked a big Black "puppy" Drum out, then they tagged team a good handful of the Drum to the boat and into the box.  They added a keeper sized Seatrout to make it a "Slam", then added a keeper sized Sheepshead to make it a "Grand Slam"!

After running down the Nassau to Broward Island Jason picked up two Flounder, one of which was of keeper size (but tossed back due to the season closure) - a fish that rounded out a "Super Grand Slam", then we wrapped things up back at the rocks of Nassauville where Steve hauled in a fat keeper sized Weakfish  which made it a "Super Duper Grand Slam"! And with that, we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Barely Legal

 

Finally, back to fishing after a week off due to the hurricane and then the winds! But when I looked at the weather forecast last night it called for winds beginning at 10mph and rising to 15 before the trip would be over. When I talked to Garland Clark on the phone he sounded like he was ready to fish so I made a "plan" in my head as to where we could fish as the trip progressed. I met him and his two sons Chris and Scott down at Sawpit Creek boat ramp under grey skies and a brisk wind and we headed up the intercoastal, turned up the Nassau, and found a shell bank to fish on the first of an incoming tide. We worked a bank about 30 yards long and it was the "experienced guy" Garland, who knocked the skunk off with a hungry Seatrout catch.

Our next stop was up at some docks at Seymore's Pointe and here we got into some good fish, fishing jigs and live shrimp. Scott had had a few nibbles and on about the third one he set the hook quickly and when his rod bent we knew it was a nice fish. Scott played it perfectly and soon landed a keeper sized Sheepshead. Shortly after that Garland had a similar hookup and as he brought it to the boat we saw the stripes...but this one was a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum.  And Chris added a small Mangrove Snapper to the catch. 

After fishing float rigs at the rocks at Nassauville with no bites at all, and just as we were about to leave, Chris's float slowly went under and, Fish On! Chris played it perfectly, had his drag rip a couple of times, then brought to the boat a Slot sized Redfish - we had a "slam" in the boat.

We ran down to Broward island where Scott and Chris added a few more Seatrout to the catch, then we moved down the island where Chris picked up another Redfish after a good toss to the bank. Moving back up to Pumpkin Hill we fished a stretch of flooded marsh grass, drifting floats long. Scott had vacated  the run and Garland drifted his in next and BOOM! Fish On! We had a little bit of "diversity" during the battle but we overcame and Garland landed a "barely legal" Slot sized Redfish.

Our final stop was back at Nassauville, fishing between two docks and here the trio of anglers weeded thru some Mangrove Snappers to get a nice keeper and Chris wrapped it up with a feisty Redfish catch. And with that, we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Great Day of Fishing Amelia Island

 I noticed that the forecast called for the wind picking up this morning but I knew we had a little window to get in some good fishing, so when I met Dennis Cortez, his brother-in-law Jeff and nephew Liam down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp we headed up the intercoastal and turned in to Back River and made our way over to the Nassau where we set up alongside "the spot" to fish with float rigs and live shrimp. My "demo" cast produced some bites and after I handed the rod off to Dennis, he went back to the same spot with an excellent cast and BAM! Fish on! Dennis brought it to the boat expertly and landed  hungry Seatrout to "knock the skunk off" quick! 

We had a good steady bite there for a while, catching feisty Redfish - Liam caught the first one, just undersized, but later Jeff had gone to a "cut" in the grass where the water was visibly flowing over some shell and when his float went under he lifted the rod to let the circle hook set and Big Fish On!  Jeff played it patiently and after a good battle landed a nice 23" Slot sized Redfish. We picked up a few more fish there then moved on. 

Our next stop was back down the Nassau at Twin Creeks and here Dennis put a hungry Trout in the boat then Liam found his personal Trout hole out the stern. We moved down the river a few hundred yards to a large drainage, and again, Seatrout. Then caught and landed a keeper sized Flounder (released due to the closed season), then Liam battled a shark for what seemed like an hour! He was very patient and eventually landed a 3' Bonnethead Shark

Fishing at a dock at Seymore's Pointe Ted hooked up and landed one of the biggest Trout I've had on the boat in a while, one that measured 20.75", then Liam made it a "Grande Slam" with a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum catch.

The final spot was down between some docks at Nassauville where the trio caught one Mangrove Snapper after another. Dennis had a keeper sized one and followed that up with a feisty Redfish catch. Liam went with a minnow and picked up the final Red of the day. And with that, we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Recipe of The Month: Crispy Shrimp Cakes

 We vacationed in the western North Carolina mountains last week but had to go into a town to purchase some new waders - my old pair were leaking! After picking up the new waders we ran across a restaurant that let us eat outside with Jasper (now, the Mountain Dog) and on their menu was "Crispy Shrimp Cakes" and I have to admit, they were the best thing we ate the whole week. When we returned I emailed them and asked for the recipe but I never heard  back. Their menu gave a few ingredients so I went on-line and "googled" it and WAH-LA, here was a recipe that had all the right ingredients! This one was found on Delish.com..

Crispy Shrimp Cakes with Lemony Tartar Sauce

Ingredients

Shrimp Cakes:

• 2 cup panko breadcrumbs (I had a 8oz can on reserve)
• 1 lb fresh peeled, deveined, chopped shrimp
• 1/2 cup light mayonaise
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 2 tsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard (I'd double this the next tip I make it)
• 1/4 tsp cayenned pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup canola oil

Lemony Tartar Sauce:

• 3/4 cup jarred tartar sauce
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest

Directions:

1) Place 1 1/2 cups of the breadcrumbs on a flat plate 

2) In a large bowl mix shrimp, mayonnaise, eggs, bell pepper, green onions, garlic paste, mustard, cayenned pepper, salt and 1/2 cup of the breadcrumbs until thoroughly mixed. Us a 1/3 cup measure to scoop the shrimp mixture (mixture will be wet -don't worry!). Turn out cup of mixture on to plate of breadcrumbs; coat completely with your hands. Transfer with a metal spatula to a baking sheet lined with wax paper, then flatten cakes slightly to a 3 1/2-inch circumference. Continue making 7 more cakes. Refrigerate for 1- hour. They'll firm up!

3) To make lemony tartar sauce, in a medium bowl, combine all ingredients, stirring to blend.

4) In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add 4 cakes and cook, about 4 minutes per side, until crisp and browned. Transfer to a plate; loosely cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and 4 cakes. Serve shrimp cakes with lemony tartar sauce. 

Count'n Species

Back to work today, fishing with Robert Stetner and David Vice after meeting them out at Goffinsville Park early this morning. The tide still had about an hour and a half of going out so we made our way down the Nassau River and turned into the current to fish an exposed shell bed with live shrimp and jigs. Robert "knocked the skunk off" when went close to shore with a perfect cast and BAM, he had a hookup. Robert worked it to the boat patiently and landed a feisty Redfish. We worked that bank thoroughly and picked up a good handful of those smaller Reds, but Robert did add a Slot sized fish to the catch.

After moving up a bit David put a keeper sized Flounder in the boat (tossed back due to the closed season) then Robert battled a 4' Bonnethead to the boat for pictures and release. Moved up the river a bit more and got in to some more feisty Redfish. The duo of anglers also caught a few Seatrout, one of which was keeper size; they landed a Stingray and a couple of different versions of "baitstealers"

The tide had started back in so we fished some docks at Seymore's, had a big one on that threw the hook, then we headed down to Broward Island where we worked the bank with the jigs. Again, we found a few feisty Redfish, then it was David's turn for the strong hookup. He battled it expertly, let it run, worked it in, and eventually landed the biggest Red of the day, a nice 23" Slot fish.

We finished the day fishing back at Nassauville were these anglers added a small Black "puppy" Drum and a small Mangrove Snapper to the catch, then we headed back to the ramp, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.  

Hot Start on a Cool Morning at Amelia Island

 We elected to go a little earlier t his morning, trying to catch more of that lower incoming tide, so I met William and Dara Blalock up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp before the sun came up. We made a quick run over to Eagans Creek and set up to fish some dock pilings on a tide that had already been coming in for a couple of hours. 

William had made a perfect cast up between the pilings and it paid off! Why is it that we're all of a sudden catching Flounder with the season closed! We could tell that it was a nice fish, but weird and sure enough, after William played it patiently, he brought to the net a nice 18" Flounder which we photographed and released.

Dara was fishing off the Port side, making good sidearm casts to the pilings, but a bit shallower and even though I had my back turned, I heard the tell-tell sound of some serious drag ripping! BIG FISH ON!  Dara was applying some gentle pressure trying to coerce the fish out from the pilings and later she said she felt here line "lock up"....but come loose and she had the fish out. She fought the fish expertly to the boat and landed a nice 26.25" Slot Sized Redfish. Boy what a battle and what a fish!  I felt the leader afterwards and it was all chewed up. Someone must be living right!

We continued to fish that dock and caught another feisty Redfish or two, and a couple of Seatrout, one of which was a little over 19".  We moved down and fished a grassy island for a bit and picked up a couple of Seatrout, then we ran out to Soap Creek and fished a stretch of flooding grass (and boy was it flooding). Here, Dara kept her hot hand and picked up some small Trout up near the grass. 

We made multiple stops after that, fishing a high and flooding tide, but had no real takers - the water was just too far up in the grass. But as we headed back, we had a few fish in the box and and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.