New Species ID'd at Amelia Island

 FINALLY!  The weather let up and we were able to get out and fish! Monday: Cancelled, Tuesday: Cancelled, Wednesday: Cancelled, Thursday: moved to Friday afternoon. And so we fished this morning when I met Jeff and Jinny Key up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp, and with a live well full of live shrimp, we made our way up the creek to fish some dock pilings on an outgoing tide. Although it wasn't "on fire" both anglers caught small Black "puppy" Drum and couple of hungry Seatrout. We had at least one big breakoff but then Jinny, after making an excellent cast to some submerged oyster's, had a strong bite and Big Fish On!  She played it perfectly and soon brought to the net a big 20" Seatrout, big enough to move into the 2nd place slot of the 2023 Anglers Mark Bragging Rights Tournament-Seatrout Category(scroll down the right side of this report for standings). Boy what a fish!

We then made the run up to Bell River and fished some more dock pilings. I think it was our first cast and Jinny had another big hookup. She fought it to the boat and landed the biggest Sheepshead of the year, one that measured at 16" and a fish to set the bar in the 2023 Anglers Mark Bragging Rights Tournament-Sheepshead Category!  Unfortunately the fish was renamed by Jinny a "Goathead" - possibly a new species in our backwater fishery.

After fishing a dock or two it was Jeff's turn to fight the big fish, tossing a jigs to the edge of dock he had a strong hookup and as it dug deep we knew it was a big fish. Jeff fought it valiantly and after a good battle landed a whopper of big Black "puppy" Drum.

We made a brief stop at the MOA, then made our way around to Tyger Island to fish the first of the incoming tide then headed back, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. Jeff and Jinny reported a great Blackened Black Drum meal from Kitchen 251 later in the day. 

Is It Shark Week?

 

I wrapped up my week fishing with part of the Ryan family today, Kerri and Mike and their young son Sean, meeting them up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp early. We made a quick run up to the Jolley River to fish a tide that had been coming in for a few hours and set up into the current to toss float rigs and live shrimp. Our first cast produced a huge roll but it missed the hook! We worked along that bank then eased into Snook Creek and switched to jigs and the shrimp and it wasn't long before we were battling sharks!

Kerri struck first - she set the hook on a Bonnethead Shark and battled it to the net, then after moving out to the mouth of the  creek, Mike had a strong hookup. He battled the fish expertly as it dove deep around the stern of the boat, but then it came back then dove under the hull and BAP! Big Fish Off! But Mike was not to be deterred and shortly after he had another strong hookup. This time he was ready and followed the fish to the bow then back to the stern then around it and patiently worked the fish up so that we could grab it, dehook it and get a picture. 

And shortly after that, another big shark fight! Mike played it perfectly and soon landed it too. We fished the outside of Tyger in search of Flounder then ran back to the dock and picked up daughter Lauren for another hour of fishing. The tide was up but we tried the logs of Tyger anyway with jigs, then made a run over to Lanceford and switched back to the float rigs. 

Sean had started off a little rusty with his casting but as the morning went along he was getting good distance and accuracy. He had a number of good bites but the circle hook just wouldn't take. But he was the "most improved" caster on the boat! We fished Soap Creek for just a bit then headed back to the dock, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Slam In The Box

 I fished today with Mark Richardson, his son Braden and his friends Chris and Landon, meeting them up at the Old Town Bait and  Tackle ramp early. We made a run over to Lanceford Creek and fished some flooding oyster beds on a high and incoming tide with float rigs and live shrimp. Chris fairly quickly put a hungry Seatrout in the boat and shortly after that Braden had a strong hookup. This fish was "ripping drag" and I felt pretty sure it was going to be a big one, but it was  not to be. It was thrashing in some shallow water over the shell bed and BAP! Fish Off! Boy that hurts!

We fished a couple of areas there, picking up a couple of Trout by Landon and Chris, then Mark battled a hard fighting Bonnethead to the net for pictures and release. We moved on around to "Millie's Spot" and again caught a couple of Trout, one of which was of keeper size. 

We then made our way down the intercoastal and dipped into a creek and switched to jigs and shrimp. Chris picked up a Seatrout out deep, then Landon found a nice 16" Flounder at the mouth of a drainage. 

Back out  into the Intercoastal and down to some structure, fishing deep with the jigs, and in a cast or two Landon had a strong bite and Fish On! This was a big fish and was ripping drag and the fight was even more difficult when it got back into the current. But Landon was up to the task and patiently battled the big fish to the net, a nice 23" Slot sized Redfish which rounded out the team's Amelia Island Back Country Slam. And with that, we headed back to the ramp and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida 

A Trout Kinda Morning

 Fishing with the Poon Fishing Team today - I met Derek and his sons Zach and Tyler up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp - and we headed over to Lanceford Creek to set up fishing over some flooded oyster beds on a high and incoming tide. The trio of anglers were tossing float rigs and live shrimp and even though the first spot didn't produce, the second one did.  Derek "knocked the skunk off" with a fine Seatrout catch, then he followed that up with another, this one of keeper size. Zach added to the catch when he hauled in another Trout. 

We moved down the creek and fished between two docks, then moved around to the other size where Tyler got on the board when he battled a hard fighting Blue Fish to the boat. We eased around the corner to "Millies Spot" and here we had good action. Derek put a couple of Trout in the net, another one which was of keeper size, then Zach hooked and landed another keeper Trout. 

After buzzing back to the outside of Tyger with the tide now going out, I thought for sure we'd have our best bite, but it was  not to be. We moved around, hitting a couple of more spots, but they just didn't want to bite on that out going tide. But the sun was up, we'd caught a good handful of fish, and the scenery was beautiful so as we headed back to the dock we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida 

Big Trout and Slot Reds

 I fished a "double" today, both out of Old Town Bait and Tackle. The morning trip was with the Wolke crew -Jos and his brother-in-law Renzi and his son-in-law Rob and friend Nick. We had a high and incoming tide so we fished float rigs most of the morning with live shrimp. All four anglers boated fish -Seatrout and Bluefish and the highlight was  a huge Seatrout that Nick battled to the boat. We ended the trip fishing some dock pilings with jigs and shrimp and caught a good "mess" of Black "puppy" Drum. 

The afternoon trip I fished with William and Dara Blalock and now the tide was down and still going out. We fished some dock pilings where Dara caught a hungry Seatrout, then we ran up the Bell River where Dara continued her streak with another Seatrout catch and a couple of Black "puppy" Drum.  I think William felt the pressure because at the next stop, the MOA, he had great cast, a strong hookup and then expertly played a Slot Redfish to the boat. From then on for about an hour we were catching fish. Dara took a turn at battling a Slot Red and at the same time, William reeled in a fat Seatrout. The duo caught another handful of feisty Redfish and a couple of more Seatrout. We moved across the river and worked a bank that seemed to be loaded with Sea Turtles, but Dara found her way thru to hookup and land another Slot Red. We fished outside of Tyger, behind Tyger and outside again then we headed back to the dock and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Kickoff With Big Trout

 I was finally back out at Goffinsville this morning, meeting High School classmate Daniel Rhodes and his "Brother-in-Law" Jeff as the sun came up. We made a quick trip down the Nassau River and set up alongside a flooded shell bank on the last of an incoming tide and began to toss float rigs and live shrimp. I think it was Jeff's first drift and BAM! He had a strong hookup. I was even thinking it was a Redfish the way it thrashed up near bank. But after Jeff patiently worked it to the boat we netted a big 19.5" Seatrout!

From then on we were catching fish - both Jeff and Daniel were getting good drifts and they each hooked up with big Trout, and a couple of undersized ones. We moved around the corner and drifted another side and again, had some Big Trout caught. One of them had to go back because we had our limit already of one over 19" per boat.  We fished some grassy islands, then came back around an fished a pocket, then moved on. 

Our next stop was back around Seymore's Pointe, fishing a large drainage. Both Daniel and Jeff had some good bites, but not takers, until finally Jeff hooked up and reeled to the net a keeper sized Mangrove Snapper. We fished Twin Creeks and caught a couple of Seatrout, then fished the rocks at Seymore's, to no avail, then Little Field, again, to no avail. 

The final stop was up the Nassau where we dipped into a small creek and fished the deeper part of the cut bank, tossing jigs and live shrimp. Jeff got us back into action when he battled a feisty Redfish to the boat, then Daniel wrapped things up with a nice Slot Redfish catch. We had some good action today and as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida 

Massive Redfish Obliterates Bragging Rights

 I wrapped my week up today, fishing north again with Craig and Christina Jones. We had met up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp and made our way out of Eagans Creek to make our first run over to the outside of Tyger Island where we set up fishing float rigs on a tide that had been going out for a couple of hours. I don't think we got a nibble! Our next stop was further up the island, at a small drainage where we switched to jigs and shrimp and it was Craig who "knocked the skunk off" with a nice Seatrout catch. And Christina, who had her lucky hat on, followed that up with a Trout of her own.

We then made our way around to the Jolley River and fished with the floats again and the oysters were just beginning to show. Other than a brief tangle with a Gar fish, we had no luck. Our next stop was up at the MOA and although we couldn't see the oysters, we could see the "ripple" so we stopped and fished anyway, going with the jigs. Christina had made a cast that I thought for sure was right smack into the oysters and when her rod bent I thought "hang up" but, nope, BIG FISH! The rod stayed bent over and the drag was ripping and the fish hung close to the shore - I thought for sure it would carry that line across the oysters and snap, but Christina worked it out into deep water and unbeknown to the fish, it was Had!

Boy what a battle! Christina would work it close to the boat then it would dive deep. We saw it "roll" once and knew it was a big Red. It finally got in the current behind the boat, Christina worked it up, then it would dive. I got the net under it once but it was too big! It dove again and the battle recommenced! Eventually we got it in the net and on the boat and it turned out to be a huge, bulky, 33.5" oversized Redfish - big enough to obliterate the existing 1st place in the 2023 Anglers Mark Bragging Rights Tournament-Redfish category! (scroll down the right side of his report for standings).

We made our way around to the Bell River, fished some docks, and picked up a hard fighting Bluefish, a Slot Redfish, and had a couple of other good bites. After fishing the MOA on a lower tide, and the logs of Tyger, we made our way back to the dock and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

I AM Lifting!

 

What a beautiful morning we had today when met Rob and Pam Russell up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle ramp! The sun was just coming up and we had clear skies and  just a slight bit of breeze as we headed down Eagans Creek to towards the intercoastal. The tide had been going out for just a couple of hours so we made our way over to a large drainage and began tossing  float rigs with live shrimp to the mouth. Both anglers were getting good casts and good drifts and even though we had a bite or two, we had no takers. 

Our next stop was over at some docks where we switched to jigs and the shrimp and we began to get bites almost immediately. But we weren't getting any fish until Rob did a quick hookset and boated the first fish of the day, a Sheepshead. No wonder we were having out bait stolen!  Now having the hang of Rob wasted no time in hooking up and landing another Sheepshead. He went back for another , reeled his bait back almost to the boat when BAM! Big Fish On!  This fish ripped a bit of drag so I was thinking "Redfish" but when it came to the surface we netted a big 19.25" Seatrout, boy what a fish. 

We eventually made the run up river and fished some more docks and here the duo of anglers really got busy. Pam got on the board with a keeper sized Seatrout, then both anglers put Trout in the boat. Pam had made a good cast, let her jig fall deep when she had the strong hookup. We could tell this was a big fish by the way the rod bent and sure enough she soon landed another Big Trout, this one measuring in at 19.5". It was big but the bigger fish was yet to come!  Rob's rod bent double and his drag began to rip and his line headed East - we hauled in our lines and began chasing the fish as we saw Rob's line getting down to the spool.  I asked him to "lift" the rod up so he could reel down and he exclaiimed, "I AM lifting!"  We chased the fish down the river and I was thinking either a massive Red or one of those Big Ugly Black Drum until a HUGE Ray came flying out of the water at the end of Rob's line...and that ended the battle!

(Note, Pam's Trout put her in 2nd place in the Anglers Mark 2023 Bragging Rights Tournamnt; Rob's fish placed him in 3rd! Scroll down the right side of this report to see standings)

The wind had really picked up and white caps were in the river as we ran between Cumberland and Tyger but we were able to dip into Tyger and fish in comfort and Pam wrapped things up with a Bluefish catch. And with that, we called it a day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida 

Fishing With Dad and Pappa

 We were able to squeeze in a fishing trip this morning, before the heavy rains rolled in after noon. I had met Cameron Beadle who had his son Roman and father-in-law Jason along as his fishing team!  We made a short run from Dee Dee Bartels and set up fishing some dock pilings on the last hour and half of the outgoing tide. We started slowed but built to a crescendo!  All three anglers began to catch fish - Roman was holding his own with the older anglers. They put a good handful of Black "puppy" Drum in the boat and another handful of feisty Redfish. 

The bite slowed so we made a long run up the river to fish some more docks at the very last of the outgoing tide. In short order they picked up a couple of keeper sized Seatrout then Cameron and Jason had a "double" - Jason brought his keeper Trout to the net but Cameron's was being a bit belligerent - it ripped some drag a couple of times but Cameron stayed patient and eventually landed a nice 19" Seatrout, boy what a fish! The trio added a couple of "early bird" Mangrove Snapper and a couple of keeper sized Whiting, then it was Roman who hooked up, battled valiantly, and landed the first Bonnethead Shark of the day!

Continuing on around, we set up on the outside of Tyger and fished the bank, but it was Jason who had the "hot rod" fishing out of the stern. He hooked up and landed a few Seatrout and then a feisty Bluefish. Roman moved back and was intently fishing when I saw him set the hook and, Fish On!  He fought it by himself and landed a big, Big Bluefish. Jason wrapped things up with the big fish of the day, a hard fought battle with a big Bonnethead and with that, we headed in and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Slam or Bragging Rights?

 I had to remind myself to look on the bright side this morning, knowing that there was no live shrimp to be had on or near the island. But I had my trolling motor back from the shop, I had some left over mud minnows,  I'd frozen some left over fresh shrimp from Friday, and I had a purchased pint of fiddler crabs...and the skies were clear, a beautiful sunrise awaited us, and the wind wasn't supposed to pick up until late morning!  I was meeting Ed Johnson, his old high school classmate Ken Coop, and angling buddy Don Smallwood out at Goffinsville Park. 

We made a short run down the Nassau to fish Spanish Drop, an exposed shell bed on the last of an outgoing tide. We worked that bank thoroughly, Ken tossing a jig with a mud minnow, Ed tossing a jig with fiddlers, and Don tossing a jig with "freshly frozen" shrimp. Not a bite. We moved up to a drainage and fished that but also to no avail. 

Our next stop was back at Nassaville, fishing Littlefield and although we had a nibble or two, we had no real bites. Back around Seymore's we fished a dock right at dead low, again, not a bite. We were getting skunked! But then we made the run down to Broward Island, still fishing the last of an outoing tide and as we worked the bank, Don, using the dead shrimp, hooked up deep with an almost legal Seatrout. We continued on, then moved up the island to fish the first of the incoming tide and again, Don had a hookup and landed an almost legal Flounder. He followed Ed in to one spot, right behind a stump, BAM! Another hookup. Don played it perfectly and brought to the boat his Amelia Island Back Country Slam, a feisty Redfish. 

The tide had been coming in for about an hour so we gambled and ran up into a creek, lifting the engine as we went in, and fished some downed logs. All three anglers were getting good casts to the 6' deep bend and finally it was Ken, still fishing the minnow, who had the hookup. This fish had some size - it ripped a bit of drag and came to the surface and thrashed, but Ken kept the pressure on and soon landed a big 19.5" Seatrout, big enough to kick off the 2023 Bragging Rights Seatrout Category (scroll down the right sid eof this report for details).  Although it had been a slow day, we had a slam and a "Braggable" fish, so as we headed back to the dock we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.