Today we caught Mangrove Snapper, Pinfish, Grouper, Seatrout, Flounder, Redfish, Ladyfish, Jack Crevalle, Bonnethead Shark and Needlefish - and almost the Kitchen Sink! I had met Jon Beall and his son Brian up at Old Town Bait and Tackle, and after running over to Lanceford, we fished a dock on the very first of an incoming tide with jigs and live shrimp. Just like I thought, they began to get "nibbles" on every cast and managed to hookup and land the Snapper, Pinfish, and a small Grouper.
We then made the run around to Tyger and fished the logs and here we had some success. Brian hooked up and landed a hungry Seatrout, then a small Flounder, then a nice keeper sized Flounder. They also picked up one small but feisty Redfish.
After running up to the Jolley, we turned into the current and fished the "bank" with float rigs and the live shrimp. They were getting good casts and good drifts and it paid off with a handful of Redfish catches. Brian added another Flounder to his catch, then had something big take his bait and, Fish On! The drag was ripping as it headed south but Brian kept the pressure on and soon turned it, brought it back to the boat, then followed up current for a bit, then settled in for a game of patience. After a good battle Brian landed a nice Bonnethead Shark. And then followed that up with an even bigger one.
Further up the Jolley we fished a bank and got into some Ladyfish, then finished up fishing a point. Jon had some good battles with Ladyfish and Jacks and put another feisty Redfish in the boat. We had some good action under some dark skies but as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
A Keeper Slam! I fished again this morning, meeting Glenn and Patti Lanford up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp. We made a short run up the creek and fished some dock pilings with jigs and live shrimp - the tide had been coming in for about an hour. Glenn made short work of knocking the skunk off when he hooked up and landed a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum - the first I've seen in months. Pattie had a Red to the boat but it threw the hook, then Glenn brought in another feisty Black Drum.
We made a way over to the Jolley River and fished the "bank", first with jigs where Patti fought to the net a feisty Redfish, then we switched to float rigs and picked up another couple of Redfish. They tangled with a couple of Jacks and Lady fish. After moving around to the outside of Tyger we went back to jigs and this did the trick. Glenn had a strong bite, hooked it up, and patiently fought
to the net a nice sized Flounder that measured right at 18". Both he and Pattie caught a few more smaller Flounder along that stretch. This duo of Nassau Sports Fishing Association anglers were looking for a "Slam" of Redfish, Flounder and Seatrout (to keep) and although we had a "slam" of sorts caught (Black Drum, Flounder, and Redfish), we only had one in the box!
Back up the Jolley we went to fish a flooded point of oysters. The bite started off slow and I was getting a bit worried but then they began to get bites. Pattie caught a feisty Redfish, then Jacks and Ladyfish, then a couple of Seatrout, then Glenn reeled in a nice 17" Seatrout, and then another 15'5" keeper sized Trout. So we ended up with the Flounder and Trout but were missing the Redfish for the "in the box Slam", but as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
The mornings are getting nicer - Fall is in the air! I met Stephen Googe and his son Graywolf up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle shop this morning and we headed over to Tyger Island to try our luck fishing the "logs" on a tide that had been coming in for about 2 hours. We were pitching jigs and live shrimp, and a few minnows, up to the bank and fishing it slow. Both angles were getting "bumps" and finally Stephen had a strong one, hooked it up, and landed a hungry Seatrout. Just minutes later Graywolf got in on the action and expertly set the hook on a fish and then worked it to the net, a nice Croaker!
We ran around to the outside of Tyger and fished a large drainage. We could see Mullet getting busted and it wasn't Stephens 2nd or 3rd cast when, Big Fish On! Stephen worked it to the boat patiently, let it "dig" deep a few times, worked it up, and brought to the net a Big 21" Flounder, boy what a fish. We then worked back into the current and it was Graywolf's turn to fight a Flounder. He got a nice one all the way to the boat but then, BAP! The leader broke. Ouch! Minutes later Stephen had a good thump, set the hook, and brought to the boat a feisty Redfish.
After moving around to Jolley Bank, we switched to float rigs as the tide was already covering the oysters. Again, we had dozens of "bait stealing" bites but when we got to a point we hovered with the Minnkota and got a few drifts in. Stephen hooked up and landed another feisty Redfish, and a small Jack, then he had a strong hookup and this one was pulling drag! Stephen played it expertly and eventually landed a nice 21" Slot sized Redfish.
We then ran up the river to see if we could get Graywolf a Shark. After pulling into "Snook" Creek we switched back to jigs. They caught a couple of small Croaker, a small Seatrout, then they had two drag ripping battles with Sharks, but alas, the Sharks won!
Our final stop was back down the Jolley, fishing a pointe and it was a Grand Finale! They teamed up on a couple of small Seatrout, a couple of Ladyfish, a big Jack, and a Huge Seatrout that was at the boat before it threw the hook and swam off. I could almost hear it laughing at us! Hah! But we had had some good action and the weather was perfect so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
I finished up my week fishing with Dale Bullard and his fishing buddy Cotton after meeting them down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp. We had a live well full of mud minnows as we headed up the Nassau River on a tide that had been coming in a few hours. Someone was at Spanish Drop so we continued on to Twin Creeks where we turned into the current and fished it with jigs. We had a few bites but no real takers so I began to let the boat drift with the current and we did end up catching a Catfish and a hard fighting Jack Crevalle.
We fished a dock with the jigs for just a few casts, then then ran down to Pumpkin Hill and switched to float rigs and let them drift long. The two anglers picked up a couple of high flying Ladyfish, a couple of Mangrove Snapper, and a hungry Seatrout. We moved around the corner and picked up a couple of more Ladyfish and another Seatrout.
After fishing between another couple of docks at Littlefield, we ran thru the marsh and fished a stretch. They caught a feisty Redfish and another Trout along there, then we spotted some "tails" up in the flooded marsh which was cool to see. I tied on a weedless spoon and we eased up into the marsh but those fish were wary and quickly sunk and disappeared. The weather had been outstanding all morning with a slight breeze and not too hot temperatures and we had some good action, here and there so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
I fished with the Stein girls today - Ellina, Emily, Liz and Erin - meeting them early down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp. In addition to getting a break and visiting Amelia Island, they were also helping Erin celebrate a birthday! We ran up the intercoastal and turned into the Nassau and made our way up to Spanish Drop where we turned into the high, incoming tide and began to drift float rigs with live shrimp, and eventually mud minnows. I noted that the water temperature was 83.5 -still hot-still summer.
Sure enough, these lady anglers began to get bites and tangled with high flying Ladyfish, hard fighting Jack Crevalle, and we got to see a Bonnethead Shark track Erin's bait down and take it and, Fish On! Erin played it expertly and reeled to the net the Shark which was photographed and released.
We ran down to Pumpkin Hill and fished a stretch and again had some good action catching feisty Redfish, hungry Seatrout, Ladyfish, Jacks, a nice Mangrove Snapper, a big Bluefish, and a Croaker. We made a stop at Littlefields, switched to the jigs and caught a good handful of Mangrove Snapper, then made our way thru Horsehead, switched back to floats, and here Ellina picked up the biggest Redfish of the day, played it perfectly to the boat, and landed it for a photograph.
We ended the day with a .....Needlefish catch! Hah! But as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida
Judging by the amount of Ladyfish we caught today, and the variety of Jacks, Mangroves, Sharks and Pinfish, I'd say it is still Summer! I had met Bob Kossman and John Suebert down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early and we headed up the intercoastal and then up the Back River and around to Pumpkin Hill to set up along some flooding marsh grass on the last of an incoming tide with plans to drift float rigs along the grass. We were using live shrimp (the bait shop was out but I hear they were getting some today) and although the shrimp got bites on almost every drift, we had to deal with the high flying Ladyfish. Bob did battle a big Jack Crevalle to the net, which is always fun. After fishing around a point, we made a run over to a large drainage at Seymore's Pointe.
Both anglers were getting good casts and good drifts as the tide started out here and they picked up a handful of small Mangroves and then they each landed a couple of hungry Seatrout. We ran thru Horsehead and fished another drainage and here Bob battled a big Bonnethead Shark to the boat for a photograph and release. John had his float disappear slowly and after he reeled up and let the circle hook set, he patiently brought to the boat the first Redfish of the day. And again, both anglers picked up a couple of Seatrout.
We fished over at Poteat Cut briefly and again, John (the Redfish King) put another Redfish in the boat, and we then tangled with some more Ladyfish. Back thru Horsehead we went, back to Back River, and set up to drift the floats. The Redfish King found another couple of Reds drifting off the stern while Bob caught Jacks and Ladyfish. One of John's Redfish had 13 spots!
Our final stop was down at Spanish Drop, now fishing with jigs and shrimp. John was hooking up with small but feisty Redfish on almost every cast, but he mixed in a nice Jack Crevalle catch. Bob finished things off with another Shark battle -t was "foul hooked" which made for a tough fight, but Bob was up to the challenge and brought it to the boat for a quick release. We had had some good action most of the morning so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
...but just a fish battle! I had met Jack and Karina Drinkard, newlyweds, down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early this morning and after running up the Intercoastal and dipping in to Jackstaff, we drifted with the last of an outgoing tide, tossing jigs and live shrimp. I think the "demo" cast produced a bite and a small Seatrout which Karina expertly reeled in.
We worked along that bank until the tide changed and picked up a hard fighting Jack Crevalle and a solitary Catfish. After running thru Horsehead we made our way down to Spanish Drop and began to fish into the incoming current, sticking with the jigs. The new fishing team hooked up and landed a couple of feisty Redfish, another Jack or two, and tangled with a couple of Ladyfish. Then Jack had a strong hookup up near the bank and when it made a big run I was thinking "big Redfish" but then, after a good few minutes it settled to the bottom and it had me guessing Shark.. but it never made that long run. I was hoping for a massive Flounder but it would have been huge! Jack couldn't have been more patient and fought it expertly, working it slowly, letting it run deep, and working it up again. Finally, after a good thirty minute battle, he was able to bring to the net a huge Stingray which we photographed and released. Boy what a battle!
We went back to that stretch and fished it again and here Katrina brought in dinner - a keeper sized Flounder and a keeper sized Seatrout. We then ran down to Broward Island and fished it with jigs where they added a couple of Mangrove Snapper to the catch and we finished the day drifting floats at Pumpkin Hill, catching some huge high flying Ladyfish. We had some good action thru out the day and as we headed back to the boat ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
I had the day off and decided to get in some "fun" fishing before we had to batten down the hatches for the approaching storm. After be first in line at the Amelia Island Bait and Tackle for some live shrimp, I headed down to Sawpit Creek boat ramp, launched, and ran up the Back River to hit a flooded point in the Nassau. Tossing float rigs and the live shrimp on the last of an incoming tide, I hit the Ladyfish jackpot! Every cast - BAM! The first couple of times I got excited when the float went under but then I got complacent.
Fishing the point, the tide was so high my float was drifting the wrong way but when it went under I reeled up a bit of slack and let the circle hook set and when it bent the rod a bit I thought, "well great, a nice little Redfish". I even remember giving complete slack as I reached behind the Yeti to grab the catch net but when I lifted the rod up I saw a huge Seatrout! I got that line tight quick! And got that net under it and landed it - a big 21" Seatrout!
As the tide started out I fished a couple of more spots with the floats and picked up some small Mangroves and Jacks, then moved down the Nassau and switched to jigs and shrimp and picked up a couple of small Seatrout, a couple of small Redfish, and then a big Bonnethead Shark. Moving further down I fished the back side of a submerged "bar" and caught one small Redfish after the other. I'd had a fun day of fishing and had dinner for the evening (see next report) so as a I headed back to the ramp I counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
Whenever I've seen this on a restaurant menu I tended to shy away from it because I didn't know what it was! Donna Givens sends this tasty recipe in, via her husband John, angler, who I run in to at the bait shop on occasion. It's easy to prepare, doesn't need a whole lot of ingredients and as mentioned, very tasty! Thank you Donna! I "fun" fished today and lucked up on this 21" Seatrout so the fish was FRESH for this recipe!
Makes 2 servings
1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds(toast on stove top: 1 T butter, almonds - watch it! Be careful not to burn!) I did this first and set aside.
2 Trout filets
1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper.
1/2 cup all purpose flour
Salt and pepper both sides of Trout, then dredge in flour, shake off excess.
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp butter
Heat in non-stick pan on medium heat a few minutes on each side until opaque white. Set cooked filets aside.
I wrapped the week up today fishing with Chuck Butler and his sons Trey and Trent, meeting them out at Goffinsville early this morning on a tide that had been coming in a few hours. We headed down the Nassau and set up to initially fish jigs and minnows to the bank, but we had no luck. We then switched to float rigs and worked along a bank and after Chuck had let his float "go long", he had a take - he cranked up the slack, lifted his rod and let the circle hook do its jog. Chuck worked to the boat a fat Seatrout.
We then moved back up the river to Twin Creeks and fished that stretch for a while, then made a run back up the Nassau to fish a flooded point at Pumpkin Hill and this did the trick. After a few drifts the fish began to bite - the trio of anglers caught a small Redfish, a small Seatrout and tangled with bookoodles of high flying Ladyfish. Trey hooked up with something big which he played perfectly for a few minutes but eventually the big fish headed south and parted the line. Later, it was Trent's turn to have a nice fish on - this one for sure a Redfish - it rolled up in the grass, over the oyster beds and as their nature, probably buried it's nose in the shell and cut the line. After fishing the other side of the point, we moved on.
Our final stop was back at Seymore's Pointe fishing a dead high tide and right off the bat the anglers were dueling with Mangrove Snapper. The Snapper won a bunch but the anglers boated a couple of nice sized ones. Then we had a good hookup off the stern, but over near the shore. Trent was on the rod and worked it patiently to the boat to land a nice 20" Slot Redfish. After tinkering with the Mangroves a bit more, we headed back to the ramp and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
