We Made The Run

 I wrapped my week up fishing with the Conforti guys today, meeting them up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp early. The weather had cleared from yesterday and it was a bit cooler, but winds were expected to pick up as the day went on. We made our first stop over at Tyger Island, fishing the logs with jigs and live shrimp but the first area produced nothing.  After moving down the way Fred(the middle) hooked up and expertly landed a feisty Redfish. Then Fred(the younger) had a strange bite, a hookup, and he landed a nice Flounder. 

The wind was already picking up as we ran thru Horsehead over to the Bell and down to Lanceford where we headed up the creek to fish some docks with the jigs. We were somewhat sheltered here but after fishing a couple of docks we had no real bites, so we moved on.

I had intended to run way up the Bell River and fish those docks but I figured it was about the same distance as running south  to where we had some good action yesterday, so we made the run. We did stop off at one spot to fish a deep hole, but again, no bites.

Reaching Seymore's Pointe we all switched to float rigs and tossed them up wind to get good drifts across a shallow oyster pocked flat and here we had some action. Leo put a keeper sized Seatrout in the boat, then Fred(the senior) had a strong hookup, one that ripped some drag. He fought it valiantly and after battle landed a Slot sized 21" Redfish. Fred(the middle) had the same kind of fight, played it perfectly and put another Slot Redfish in the boat. The anglers added another couple of smaller Reds, smaller Trout,and a Bluefish before Leo topped things off with another keeper Seatrout. 

We were a long way from the ramp and running into the wind but as we headed back we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Big Bang at the End

 I was wondering who was crazier, me or my guests for wanting to fish this morning, especially when I
stepped out of the house and it was pouring rain. I got the boat ready to go, came in for some coffee, and as I headed to the bait shop it was still raining, and they were surprised to see me or anyone else heading out to fish. But the forecast called for the rain to stop mid morning, so when I met Steve Locke and his fishing buddy Jason out at the Goffinsville boat ramp we all had on our rain gear, and we headed out.

The first stop was down at Broward Island, fishing jigs on the very last of an outgoing tide. The water was a bit muddy, which had me worried, but Steve soon knocked the skunk of when he hooked and landed a feisty Redfish. Jason followed that up with a keeper sized Seatrout, then added another feisty Red to the catch total.  We picked up one or two more Reds and a Blue, fishing under the Bald Eagles, and we missed a couple of fish, too. 

We made our way around to Seymore's Pointe and fished some dock pilings, got a few nibbles, and Steve put another Trout in the boat.  After heading back around to some docks at Nassauville and here the water was calm with the wind blocked by the land mass. It took a few minutes but eventually both anglers began to get bites, and hookups. Steve took his chances up near a submerged log and caught another Red, a hard fighting Blue Fish, and then both he and Jason got in to some Flounder, catching and landing 5 of them with two being of keeper size. And we missed a few. 

Back Seymore's we switched to float rigs and they caught another Red, another Flounder, and another Blue Fish. On further around we fished a large drainage at the last of an incoming tide and this is when we had the Big Bang!  The duo began to get Seatrout of nice size, the biggest was 18.5" caught by Steve.  After Jason had made a cast that got him up alongside a grassy point, his float drifted and, BAM! Fish On!  He worked the fish out fairly quickly and we were thinking maybe a small Red, especially when it boiled, but then it began to rip drag with a vengeance and we knew it was big. There was a chance it may cut off on the shallow oysters but Jason stayed with it and finally brought to the net a big 26.5" "tournament" sized Redfish, boy what fish. They added a few more Trout to the boat, 6 keepers in all and of course there were a few that we missed. But as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as a wet fishing trip that turned out pretty good!

Chased Off

 I fished this morning with Glenn and Patti Langford, knowing we might get wet. We met down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp and  headed up the Nassau, all the way to Broward to fish the first of an incoming tide with jigs and live shrimp. The first spot we stopped at didn't produce anything but nibbles, but as we moved down the way we began to get bites. We had a good bite, a hookup and Glenn battled to the boat a nice Slot sized Redfish. Patti, fishing off the stern, and a good hookup and landed another Red, then Glenn hooked up and fought to the boat another Slot Red.  We put a couple of more feisty Reds in the boat before we moved on. 

Down on the south end of the island, fishing under the Bald Eagles, Patti found a hungry Seatrout to bring to the net. After fishing the mouth of Pumpkin Hill with float rigs and feeding a handful of "bait stealers', we moved on. Our next stop was way up the Nassau, into a creek where we fished some downed logs. Again, Glenn had a hookup but this time his line got wrapped around his reel - as I worked to get it unwrapped, Glenn brought to the boat another feisty Red, brought in hand over hand!

As we were heading back to the Nassauville area we could see the rain heading our way but we were prepared with rain jackets. Unfortunately we were not ready for the lighting!  We could see flashes of the lightning and when it began to crash closer to us we decided to "pull the plug" and make a run back to the ramp. But we had had a few hours of fishing and had a couple in the box so as we pulled up to the dock we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

It Began and Ended With a Flurry

Boy what a wind we had yesterday! I had to cancel the trip with winds 17-20mph plus, but we thought we could get one in today. I met Derek Poon with his two sons Zach and Tylge down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early and the wind had died down to a comfortable 8mph so we made the run up the Nassau and around to Broward to try and catch the incoming tide before it got too high. I think first cast we had a hookup - Zach was on the rod and he played it perfectly to the net - a feisty Redfish and first fish of the day!

Shortly after that "dad" got hot -Derek caught and landed a Slot Red, then a nice keeper sized Seatrout. We moved down the way and fished back a little bit, under a Bald Eagle, and here Derek hooked up and landed a keeper sized Flounder - he had a "Slam" in the box!

We then came back up to Pumpkin Hill and switched to float rigs. The wind had picked up and it was making it difficult to cast into the wind but we did our best and caught a couple of small Seatrout. After fishing a grass patch for a bit we moved on. 

Our next stop was between two docks, back to fishing the jigs and shrimp and although we didn't have much action, Tyler did put another Flounder in the boat. We now had some high winds AND a high tide and I was thinking we had probably did all we were going to be able to do but we tried one final spot around at Seymore's, still tossing the float rigs and boy was I wrong All three anglers began to get bites - Seatrout. They had a handful of smaller Trout but Derek added 4 more keeper fish to his tally, Zach added a keeper Trout to his count, and Tyler put a big Blue in the boat. 

When we got back to the ramp we had a mess o' fish in the box so we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

The Killing of an Industry

Years ago while growing up in Fernandina we could go down to the City docks and purchase fresh shrimp right off the boats. Shrimp boats would be tied up two and three deep, stern to bow. There was a seafood market that ran perpendicular to the wharf that also sold fresh shrimp and seafood. And then, the shrimping industry dwindled.  A city that once proclaimed itself as the “birthplace of the modern shrimping industry” now showcases those same old time shrimpers as “Grande Marshals” in the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival. But even now, you can see river shrimpers trawling their nets out in our rivers, and you will see the glimmer of lights of bigger shrimp boats off shore at night, dragging the waters.   But why are they no longer at the City docks? What happened to the shrimp industry? Surely higher gas prices hurt. Labor and insurance costs had to have gone up. Margins had to have gotten smaller trying to compete with the imported farm raised shrimp. But did City’s policy’s adversely affect the shrimp industry? Did they raise the dock prices and make it unaffordable to keep their boats there?

Fast forward to 2024.  City Commissioners Bean, Antun, Ayscue and Ross just voted to approve funding for the Waterfront Park, ignoring their own strategic planning that stresses keeping the area a “working waterfront”.  Only Commissioner Sturges voted to not approve the funding.  This vote, and moving forward with the Waterfront Park will be the death of your local Charter Boat industry at the Marina.  The Park plan squeezes the parking lot and will make it difficult to maneuver a boat trailer. The expanded Pentanque courts take up more

space that could be used for parking. The proposed new restaurant to replace Atlantic Seafood will require 75 parking spaces. The Plan already suggests combining Tour bus parking with boat trailer parking. But far worse than any of this, proponents of the Park are already promoting moving all City events to the waterfront – events that close boat trailer parking. Already the Pentanque Tournament closes the parking lot. The Shrimp Festival closes the parking lot.  Other events such as Sounds on Centre, the Chili Cookoff, and the Saturday Farmers Market have been proposed to move here. How can they have a thriving Farmers Market AND boaters maneuvering their

trailers at the same time? They’ll close the lot. If you are a boater, you need to realize, A CLOSED BOAT TRAILER PARKING LOT IS A CLOSED BOAT RAMP!

There are over 50 Charter boat Captains operating out of Amelia Island. When someone proclaims the economic impact of the 3-day Pentanque Tournament, ask yourself, “what about the economic impact of those 50+ small Charter Boat businesses to our community?” They’re operating year-round, day in, day out!  They are purchasing gas, ice, bait, tackle, trailer tires, boats, engines, office supplies, maintenance and repair supplies, and hiring deck hands and paying taxes on their homes and purchasing tags and licenses – just like any other small business on Amelia Island, off-island, and down Centre Street. They represent Amelia Island to visitors and locals and when they get them out on the water they see the REAL Florida – not the fake, manufactured fun that your Main Street organization is promoting. They get those folks out on the water and introduce them to the wonders of our ocean and back waters and make REAL memories for families and their friends. At least one Commissioner has voiced his disdain for YOUR Charter boat captains. Three others have voted on a Waterfront Park that will mark the beginning of the end of that industry.

That same Commissioner seems to blame those Charter boat captains for the costs of the Marina. The Marina has raised their slip prices. They’ve inferred that they would like to raise them more.  The City could double, even triple the Charter Captain’s slip rates and the Marina Enterprise Fund STILL would not be making a profit. It’s not the Captain’s fault that the City built the Marina in the wrong place and it needs to be dredged annually. It’s not the Captain’s fault that the City has made bad deals with lease holders over the years. It’s not the Captain’s fault that the City has retained very little upland property -property that the Marina could have used to make a Marina profitable.  And you have to ask yourself, “why, out of 50+ Captain’s, are there only 8-10 Charter Boat operations down at the City docks? Are City policy’s keeping them away?

That same Commissioner has let it be known that recreational boaters (you) and the Charter Boat Captains are selfish. They want parking for themselves and their customers. Would you say downtown Centre Street business’s are selfish for wanting parking for their customers? Somewhere their employees can park? Are you selfish for wanting access to OUR public waters? Somewhere deep down in the City’s planning documents they suggest that the City should provide one boat ramp for every 12,000 citizens. We are now over 13,000 citizens. When you think about it,  Fernandina residents have access to a 13 mile beach;  they have access to a 1400 acre State Park;  we  have access to volleyball courts and a skate park at the beach and  multi-purpose Recreation Centers at Atlantic Avenue and Elm Street, with swimming pools and gyms and gymnasiums. Our residents have access to the  playground and Park behind the Atlantic Rec Center, a miles-long 300 acre Greenway, a playground and Park at Eagans Creek, and a huge Central Park with Tennis, Pickleball, softball and baseball fields and the SUMMER courts for the Pentangue club. Their WINTER courts are at the waterfront! Not to mention outlying City parks, beach access’s, soccer and softball fields. Yet we Boaters are considered selfish for wanting unhindered access to the ONLY City boat ramp.

In the last Park plan it was suggested that the City put up a memorial plaque in honor of the Shrimping Industry.  With the new Park plan, the plaque should read,  “On March 5, 2024 Commissioners Bean, Antun, Ayscue and Ross voted to build this Park and to kill a once thriving Charter Boat industry here in Fernandina Beach”.

 

A Seatrout Kind of Day

 

We lucked out with the weather this morning - the forecast had changed by the time we got on the water and for the most part, we had clear skies and low winds. We did have two rainbows that graced us with their presence! I had met Pete Nolan hand his high school fishing buddies Sam and Steve down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp and we ran up the intercoastal, then into Back River and around to the Nassau to set up fishing an edge at Pumpkin Hill. We almost immediately began to get bites - a good handful of small but hungry Seatrout, and also a couple of Bluefish. 

We worked around the corner and fished a grass patch and here Pete put a keeper sized Trout in the boat and Sam tangled with a Bonnethead Shark. 

After making the run around to Seymore's Pointe we set up at a large drainage and drifted floats on the first of an outgoing tide, and again, some small Trout, and a couple Blues.  After running thru Horesehead and around to Pompano Point we again got a few Trout.

Our last stop was fishing a bank along Jackstaff with jigs and shrimp and minnows and again...more Trout! Sam added a nice Whiting to the box before we called it a day and as we headed back to the ramp, we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Topped The Box Off

 Another beautiful day today when I met Don Walters and his fishing buddies Alex and Tim down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp. We made the run up the Nassau and found a spot at the outside of a large drainage and began to toss float rigs and live shrimp, and we stayed pretty busy catching hungry Seatrout.  Most of them were just undersized but Alex did put a keeper sized one in the box. 

We then ran thru Horsehead and over to what used to be Poteat Cut and stayed with the float rigs. The trio caught a couple of the small Trout but as we worked around the point Don had a good hookup and expertly brought to the boat a keeper sized Pompano!  I've renamed the spot "Pompano Point" That's ony the 2nd Pompano I've had on the boat. 

After fishing a creek off of Jackstaff for a bit, we ran back thru Horsehead and down to some docks at Nassauville, fished them with jigs for a bit to no avail, then we ran up the Nassau to dip into a creek and began to fish the shallow bank with the jigs.

This paid off - I've  found you have to work the whole bank and many times you'll find the Reds and today we did! Don hooked up and landed a small but feisty Red, then Tim added the biggest Trout of the day to the box.  As we approached one of the "honey holes" Don began to get Redfish bites. He put two Slot Reds in the box then Alex topped it off with another Slot Red. They had one more Slot fish that we threw back and had a handful of smaller Reds caught before we called it  day. 

As we headed back to the ramp with a nice box of fish we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Beautiful Day Slam

 Oh boy what a beautiful "chamber of commerce" type day we had today. Although the temperature was
hovering around 48 degrees when we launched, it quickly warmed as that sun came up with clear, cloudless skies. We met down at Sawpit Creek and then ran up the Nassau to set up at a large drainage north of Seymore's Pointe and within minutes the duo were catching fish on float rigs with live shrimp. They had a good flurry of Seatrout catches and weeded thru the shorts to get a couple of keeper sized fish. 

We then moved around to Nassauville and fished between two docks with jigs and the shrimp. I was hoping for some bigger Seatrout - we caught none, but Ken did pick up a Flounder, then we had another, then Larry put a keeper Flounder in the box.

After fishing a stretch of oysters with float rigs at Back River we continued on up the Nassau, dipped into a creek, and began to work the bank with the jigs. Larry eventually found a good bite, set the hook, and Fish On!  He played it patiently, letting the drag and rod bend do the work and after a good battle landed a nice Slot 21" Redfish. Ken followed that up with a Redfish catch of his own. They put another Trout in the boat then Larry finished things up with another Redfish catch. 

We had had a beautiful day and had an Amelia Island Back Country Slam of Seatrout, Flounder, and Redfish in the box so as we headed back to the ramp they counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

A Grande Slam and Upper Slot Red

 

I did  an afternoon trip today, meeting Nate Aron, his father Aaron, and his father-in-law Gil Langley up at Eagans Creek. The wind had died a little bit since this morning and as we eased out of the creek we had clear skies and sunshine!  We made our way over to behind Tyger and fished the logs with jigs and live shrimp on the first of an incoming tide. The first area was kind of slow except for the bait stealers but when we moved down we began to get fish. 

The trio put a nice Redfish in the boat, some Trout,  then Gil hooked up and landed a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum. That made an Amelia Island Back Country Slam, then Nate had strange bite, worked it patiently to the boat, and landed a nice Flounder to make it a Grande Slam. Then Aaron had a strong bite and when it was ripping drag and digging deep we knew we had a big one. Aaron played it like a "Jim Brown" pro, worked it to the boat, and landed a nice 25.5" Slot Redfish. We had some good action after that but when it slowed we moved on - running up to the Jolley. After trying our hand with some float rigs, to no avail, we ran up to Snook Creek and switched back to the jigs and caught a couple of Seatrout. 

Our final stop was around at Bell River and here we had a good uptick in catches - mostly Seatrout, but a small Black Drum also. It had warmed just a bit, we had fished in clear, sunny skies, and we had a couple of fish 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.

Wind and Cool Make for a Challenge

 When I stepped out side this morning in the dark to get the boat ready I was a bit surprised by the wind still kicking. I knew the forecast called for high winds overnight but I thought they were supposed to be done with by daylight. I went back in  and checked the weather and it was about right -14mph at the time, dropping to 12 as the morning progressed. So loaded up!

I met Dennis Adams, his son-in-law Danial, and nephew Ben up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp and we eased out of Eagans and made the run north, into the wind) and around to the Jolley River.. Boy was it choppy!  We ran up the Jolley and found a large drainage to drift float rigs and live shrimp on the outgoing tide, but had no bites. Further up the Jolley, at Snook Creek we switched to jigs and this paid off. All three anglers began to get fish. Young Ben found him a "honey hole" off to the side and caught a good handful of hungry Seatrout. 

We then made our way around to the Bell River and stayed with the jigs and got good number of fish caught as that tide dropped - Seatrout, a small black drum, and a keeper sized Sheepshead. Our final stop was back at Lanceford Creek, fishing some docks. Although CM didn't pay off, we moved down a dock or two and BAM! Big Fish On!  Daniel was on the rod and played it perfectly, working it out from the pilings and brought him to the net lively - I almost missed him he was so green!  But after netting we measured it right at 25", a perfect Slot red to rap up another great day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.