I fished with the Prolog's Hand and Mary and their daughter Mollie to day, meeting them down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early this morning. And after running up the Nassau to our first stop at a dock at Seymore's I was feeling pretty confident that we were going to get in to some fish today. The tide was supposedly low and just starting in, and it was at this spot, but we struggled with bait stealers swiping our live shrimp off the jigs. We did outsmart a couple of them but had no luck with any bigger fish.
Our next stop; was down at Broward Island and even though it had been "low tide" for about 45 minutes, it was still going out. We fished a good bit and dealt with the bait stealers again, then we moved on down the way and fished back. Here, we finally got into some fish - Mollie "knocked the skunk off" with a nice Seatrout catch. But again, that was it.
Back up the island we went and now that the tide had begun to come in, we finally started catching. Mary put a keeper sized Sheepshead in the boat, then all three anglers were catching Redfish, one of which was in the Slot. Mary had a Seatrout catch which gave here an Amelia Islands Back Country Slam. When the bite slowed, we move on, heading back to Nassauville.
Fishing between two docks we didn't get too much action, but Mary did have a strange bite, a hookup, and patiently brought to the net a almost legal Flounder to round out her very on Grande Slam.
Our final stop was up the Nassau and into a Creek where we worked bank with logs. It was some finesse casting but they were up to it and caught a couple of Seatrout and Redfish. We had had a beautiful day and had pulled in some fish so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
Wow! Cool temperatures today, sunny skies, and almost zero wind greeted us this morning when I met the Szkaradnik crew down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp. Joe and Karen and Karen's brother John were eager to get up the river and fish so we headed up the Nassau and around to Broward to fish the first of an incoming tide with jigs and live shrimp. Although we had a few nibbles, and Karen did "knock the skunk off" with a keeper sized Seatrout catch, it was less than I expected. I was bumbed. But we moved down the bank about 40' and BAM! BAM! BAM! We began to get fish. Joe hooked up and played a nice 23" Slot fish to the net, then he and Karen traded catching small but feisty Reds, then Joe had another big bite and the battle was on! He fought the fish patiently working it back in run after run and after a good fight, landed an Oversized 28.5" Redfish, boy what a fish! That moves Joe into 2nd place in the 2024 Anglers Mark Bragging Rights Tournament-Redfish Category.
We caught a few more fish then moved down the island and worked back, tossing the jigs, but had no more bites. Our next stop was over at some docks at Seymore's and here Karen added a small Seatrout to the catch, and John had his first action when he hooked up and landed a small Sea Bass. We then came around to Nassauville and fished a outflow and Karen added a small Flounder to her catch, giving her an Amelia Island, Back Country Slam.
Our next stop, after running way up the Nassau, was in a small creek. We worked back into the incoming current and Joe kicked it off quickly with a Redfish catch. We eased along that bank and almost to the end we again to get Redfish bites. We lost two to the downed trees, but both Joe and John added a couple of Slot sized Redfish to the catch.
We had had a beautiful day and had some nice catches so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida
I was feeling a little uneasy when after hitting our first spot today and the weather seemed like it was going to be a factor in our success. I had met Todd Schroeder, his daughter Allana, and his dad Dennis up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle early this morning and we eased out of Eagans Creek with the nav lights on. That first stop was around at Tyger Island, thinking that the tide had only been coming in for a couple of hours and maybe the downed trees would still be showing but when we arrived the tide was already up and the North wind was blowing right down the pipe. When my first "demo" cast hung on a stump it went downhill from there. We moved up the island and fished deep but had no luck and moved on.
After running thru Tyger Basin and over to Bell we set up between two docks and fished back to the pilings. Todd had two quick good bites and then he hooked up on the third - he played it patiently and brought to the boat a Slot Redfish to "knock the skunk" off. We sat there and tinkered with bait stealers but also caught Redfish. Allana did here share, hooking up and landing multiple Reds, one Slot that had 4 Spots. Granddad Dennis was stuck on the bow so I had him drifting a fixed float down the adjacent grass line. The next thing I new he had a hookup, a bend in his line and the drag was ripping. That drag ripping made me think it was a Redfish but then it started thrashing on the water and sure enough, we he landed it, it was a big 20.5" Seatrout - the biggest Trout of the year and big enough to move Dennis into first place in the 2024 Anglers Mark Bragging Rights Tournament-Seatrout Category (scroll down the right side of this report for standings). When the bite slowed, we bounced down the docks and found another Redfish or two.
We then moved around the corner and fished a bulkhead and Todd picked up the action. Fishing a fixed float in about 6' of water, he had his float disappear and, Fish On! Todd worked it expertly to the boat and landed a big 19" Seatrout, a fish big enough to move him in to 2nd place in the Bragging Rights Tournament. He added one more Trout to his catch total there.
The tide had gotten up really high and we tried a couple of other spots but had no real bites so we headed back to the ramp and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island Florida.
The last couple of trips I've noticed we're picking up bigger Seatrout - in the 17"-18" range, and today was no exception. I had met Kimberly Manek and her friend Jeremy up at Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp. As we eased out of Eagans Creek the wind was blowing around 10mp but it was expected to get up to 17mph before the morning was over. We made a quick run over to Bell River, up the river, and found a flooded point of grass to fish with float rigs and live shrimp. The anglers were throwing right into the wind, but they were still getting good drifts, but also had no bites.
We then ran up Lanceford Creek and got in between two docks and stayed with the floats and out of th wind, we caught fish. Both anglers had good hookups and brought to the boat a handful of Seatrout, the biggest being right at 18". We then moved around the corner and drifted back to a dock and caught another Trout. After easing over to a flooded grass patch, Jeremy managed his float along side it and picked up a couple of more Trout.
After running back down Lanceford, up the Bell, and cutting thru to Tyger we fished a large outflow with the floats, but had no luck.
Back thru Tyger Basin we went, over to the Bell, and then a long run up it to fish some docks. Kimberly got hot here, picking up one Seatrout after another off the stern. Then Jeremy went in closer to the bank and caught the first Redfish of the day. We bumped the boat in and fished a dock and caught 2-3 more Redfish. After dropping back and fishing another dock, to no avail, Kimeberly went to the bank with a cast and on the retrieve she had a "bump", set the hook, and caught and landed another big 18" Seatrout.
We had avoided the wind for the most part, found Seatrout action here and there, had 8 soon-to-be-filets in the box so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida
We had a very high and outgoing tide to fish when myself, Bob Kossman, and Larry Westfall made to it to our first spot this morning. We fishing a large outflow up the Nassau River with float rigs and live shrimp. My 'demo" cast produced a bite (I missed him) but after that Bob and Larry stayed busy catching Trout. We missed a you but caught more than we missed. A few of them were of keeper size with two being right at 17"
When the bite finally slowed, we ran thru Horsehead and over to Poteat Cut and fished a stretch but the wind in our face made it a bit difficult. We came back to Jackstaff and fished a run out but had no bites.
Back thru Horsehead we went and down to some docks at Nassauville and here Larry got hot fishing a jig deep. He picked up a handful of Trout, had a big fish rip drag and come off, then he hooked up and landed a big 18,5" Trout, big enough to kick off the 2024 Bragging Rights Tournament, Seatrout Category.(scroll down the right side of this report for standings).
We then fished Pumpkin Hill with the float rigs but had no luck then made our way up the Nassau and into a creek to fish the jigs. And here it was Bob's turn to get hot. He hooked up with a big fish that was ripping drag but it made its way under a log - we could feel it tugging and sawing back and forth when we pulled the line. We tried repositioning the boat, opening the bail, but to no avail - it finally broke off.
But Bob was not to be deterred - he hooked up and landed a nice 20" Slot Red (no pic- accidently dropped it over the side!), but then he saved me and caught and landed another Slot Red. We added one more feisty Red before we called it a a day. And as we headed back we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
I fished with John Fitch and his daughter Annie today, meeting them up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp early. We eased out of Eagans Creek and headed down the river to try and hit a spot before others got there! We made it! I set up alongside some structure and the duo began to toss jigs and live shrimp, letting it fall to the bottom, and then letting the current bounce it along the bottom. We hadn't been there long before we caught some feisty Redfish. But then BAM! a big bite and Fish On! Annie was on the rod and she patiently worked it, keeping the rod bent and pressure on. She worked it to the surface and after a good battle landed a bulky 25" Slot Redfish, boy what a fish!
We picked up a few more Reds there, including a "barely legal" 18" Slot, then we moved on. Our next stop was fishing some dock pilings and even though these anglers were making excellent casts, we had no real bites. Same for the next stop - perfect outgoing tide, fishing some dock pilings, no bites.
After making a long run up to Bell River we again fished between two docks with the jig and shrimp and this made the run worth it. They began to catch Seatrout and landed a good handful of them. John hooked up an landed a keeper sized Sheepshead, then caught another smaller one. We picked up a few more trout, then moved on.
Our last stop was around at Tyger, fishing the logs and I think it was first cast, we had a double hookup! Annie expertly reeled her's in, a feisty Red, but Johns was bigger. He fought it expertly and soon landed a 24.5" Slot Red, almost as big as Annie's. It was kinda crazy, but we fished for a good 30 minutes after that and didn't get a bite! But as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing ere at Amelia Island, Florida.
Usually when our first cast of day catches a Slot Redfish I'm thinking "that's a good start". That's what happened this morning after I met John Fredericks and Dan Forsch up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp and we hit our first spot - some dock pilings down the Amelia River. We were fishing on a tide that still had a few hours to go out, tossing jigs and live shrimp and first cast, BAM! Fish on! Dan worked him out from behind a piling, played it perfectly and soon landed a 19" Slot Redfish!
But after that we fished and fished and had only nibbles from the "bait stealers'. After trying another dock we found anglers fishing from the dock so we moved on. Our next stop was way up Bell River, fishing a bend in the river and here the "first fish jinx" was off! Both Dan and Robert caught Seatrout - a good handful of 14" fish but they also landed a couple of keepersize. We also had one or two "big" ones get off. They also caught a handful of smaller Black "puppy" Drum. We worked up and down that bend for a while, then moved.
A brief stop at the MOA, with oysters exposed, and the tide low and still going out, but again, no luck.
Our final stop was around at Tyger, fishing the first of an incoming tide. Again, both anglers caught fish - feisty Reds, and then Dan put a nice 25" Slot in the boat. He also found what must have been a school of 10" Puppy Drum. We fished a downed tree - Dan had made an excellent cast, let it fall down by the limbs and BAM! Big Fish On! Dan worked it patiently and when it came to the surface we saw it was a big Sheepshead and when netted it measured right at 20" - big enough to move in to First Place in the 2024 Anglers Mark Bragging Rights Tournament, Sheepshead Category (scroll down the right side of this report for standings).
We had gradually built up a nice box of fish so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
We had a fog that blanketed Amelia Island this morning and when I met Joseph Mahoney, his dad Norm, and nephew Mike up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp, we had to ease out of Eagans and down the Amelia River to make it to our first spot. Joe was up front, on the cooler, braving the cooler wind and keeping a second set of eyes out for crab pots, channel markers and anchored boats. We made it safely to that first spot and began to fish some dock pilings with jigs and shrimp and I felt sure we would get some fish. We did not. All we had were nibbles and nibbles and nibbles from "bait stealers".
We then slowly made our way back north and around to Tyger Island where we set up to fish the first of an incoming tide. Mike "knocked the skunk off" with a keeper sized Seatrout catch, but that was it until we moved down the way and evidently the switch flipped. It was fast and furious fishing for a while. Both Mike and Norm put feisty Redfish in the boat - at one time we had a "double" hookup and at one time we had a "triple hookup" when Joe hooked up. They added a couple of smaller Black "puppy" Drum to the catch then Mike had a strong hookup and, Fish On! He played it perfectly, battled it patiently, and soon landed a big 26" Slot Redfish, boy what a fish! Norm added a keeper sized 15" drum to the box.
After running up to the Jolley we fished the MOA with the oysters still showing, had no luck, then continued around to Bell River and fished some docks. Joe outsmarted and landed a Sheepshead, and keeping with the "striped fish" theme, caught and landed a Puppy Drum. The trio added another feisty Red to the catch and another keeper sized Seatrout.
The fog had lifted and we were able to make the long run back to the ramp and as we eased down Eagans we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
Today had to have been one of the worst day's weather-wise that I've fished in a long time. We had checked the forecast and saw that by mid morning their was a 64% chance of rain but those Weathermen are notoriously wrong, right? Not today! I met Todd Johnson and his fishing buddy Patrick Davis down at Sawpit Creek on a tide that when we reached Nassauville, would just be starting to come in . When we reached our first spot we tossed jigs and live shrimp to some dock pilings but only produced two "aquarium" sized Seabass.
As we motored to the next stop we began to get sprinkled on and for the rest of the day it either sprinkled or drizzled, or drenched us. And just when we were rejoicing that we had very little wind. the "No-See-Ums" hit us with a vengeance. I had them in my eyes and swallowed a good handful. I thought for sure we'd get fish at that spot but had not a nibble. But we eased down a bit and fished the bank with the jigs, caught a few "feisty" Redfish when Patrick hooked up and his drag began to rip I knew he had a big one!
Boy what a battle! This fish was not coming in and I began to worry that it might be TOO big. He played it perfectly, battled it from starboard to port and back again, and then did it again, and when he finally got it to the surface we saw that it was a huge Redfish. I had trouble getting it into the net and had to try a 2nd time! After landing the fish it measured right at 35" which moved Patrick comfortably in the lead in the 2024 Anglers Mark Bragging Rights Tournament-Redfish Category.
After moving down the bank even more and turning into the current, we fished back a ways and just as we were about to leave Patrick put a perfect sized 24" Slot Red in the boat.
Our next stop was up the Nassau, fishing a creek with the jigs. As we worked along the bank I began to wonder if this spot was going to "skunk" us. But once we found a tree to pitch under we found the "honey hole". Bam, Bam, Bam, Bam we caught fish. Todd put a keeper Slot fish in the boat and caught and landed a few more that were in the slot. Then Todd, trolling behind the boat, had a THUMP and then his rod bent and Fish On! Todd worked it patiently to the net and landed a nice 17" Flounder, big enough to kick off the Bragging Rights in that Category (scroll down the right side of this report for standings).
We were soaking wet, and had gnat bites all over our hands, but as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
I fished south today, meeting Sean Patwell down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early and a with a plan to catch the first of an incoming tide we made a long run up the Nassau River to our first spot. I think it was the first cast when we had a Strong hookup - this fish was digging deep and ripping drag with no intention of coming to the boat, and it didn't - it thru the hook! Dang it. We went back to the same spot and within minutes the same thing happened - Big bite, strong run, drag ripping, digging deep, and the hook thrown again! Back to the same spot we went and ANOTHER big bite. This one dug deep and headed for a nearby obstruction. About when the line lined up, BAP! Fish Off! dang it times three!
But we kept fishing and picked up a couple of feisty Redfish from that same spot, then moved down the way. fished for a bit, then moved on. After making our way down the river and up a large creek we fished some docks with the jigs. Sean picked up a feisty Red right off, then he hooked up and landed a keeper sized Seatrout. We caught one more Red along that stretch and move on.
Back down the river and up a creek, we worked a bank slowly. Sean had made an excellent cast up to the bank and caught another smaller Red, then went back to the same area and hooked up with a bigger fish. He played it perfect and soon landed a Slot Redfish.
It was a beautiful day and we had managed to stay out of the wind except when running so when we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
