Keeper Sized Fish

After a few days off, I was back fishing today with Garland Clark and his son Kris, meeting them down at Sawpit Creek boat ramp early this morning. We made a short run up the Nassau and pulled up at Spanish Drop and began fishing the edge with jigs and minnows and shrimp and finger mullet. Kris kicked it off pretty early when he battled a strong Jack Crevalle to the net for photo and release. After moving up to a large drainage and fishing the very first of an incoming tide and the action went wild!  

Kris got hot hooking up with one Flounder after another - we counted 5 or 6 with a few of those being in the keeper 15" range. Garland added a small but feisty Redfish to the catch, then Kris landed one too. Kris added a small but feisty Black "puppy" Drum to the catch total. After making our way up to some docks and fishing the pilings, we had a nice keeper sized Mangrove Snapper caught.

After that we headed down to Broward Island and fished the first of an incoming there. Kris had a strong hookup that stayed on for a few seconds and after we eased down a bit we caught more fish: Another keeper sized Flounder (#4), a Slot 19" Redfish (released), and a keeper sized Mangrove. Stopping back by some docks at Nassauville in hopes of getting  a few more Mangroves, Kris surprised us with a big bite. he played it perfectly and we were speculating "Redfish" but when it came to the surface we netted a big 20" Gator Trout! boy what a fish! Shortly after that Kris had a nother one of those tell-tell "thumps" - he worked it to the boat and landed a big 18" Flounder, keeper #5!

We finished the day over in Jackstaff working the bank with float rigs, then we headed back to the ramp counting it as another great day fishing the back waters of Amelia Island. 

Trout Flurry Saves the Day

 I fished today with Tom Keller and his grandsons Tripp and Bryson, meeting them up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp on a tide that was high and coming in. It was already hot as we eased out of Eagans Creek and made our way over to Bell River to set up along a point with plans to drift float rigs and mud minnows along the grass. Tripp got things started off early when he hooked up and landed a hungry Seatrout.

We ran thru Tyer and around to the outside of the island and fished the very last of that incoming tide and here Tripp had another Trout on, this one bigger, but it threw the hook, Ouch!  But Tom had his hookup and after patiently playing it to the boat he landed a keeper sized Seatrout. We worked along the bank tossing the float rigs, had a few bites, but no takers, and when the tide changed we moved back to the pointe where we had begun and this did the trick. Bryson had been staying persistent and it paid off when he had his float disappear. He set the hook and worked it to the boat expertly and landed another keeper sized Seatrout. Moments later Tripp had a hookup and he also played it expertly to the net, another keeper Trout. Tripp also had one feisty Redfish catch.

After running up the Jolly and fishing a couple of banks with the floats, to no avail, we came back to the outside of Tyger and swathed to jigs and worked the bank. We had numerous bites and Tom added another hungry Seatrout catch to the total, then we headed back to the ramp and counted it as another great to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florid. 

Slow Start Climax's with Big Fish!

 We switched it up today, fishing out of Old Town Bait and Tackle ramp- The "bite" had been fairly slow down south the last couple of days so we decided to fish north. I met Ray Pinkston and his son Jack early and we eased out of Eagans and made our way over to the outside of Tyger where we set up with float rigs and mud minnows, drifting on teh first of an outgoing tide. We did have our hearts get to beating faster early - Ray hooked up and his fish is still heading north. I'm pretty sure it was a Shark. Then it was Jacks turn to have the heart-pounding battle - he hooked up and even though this fish was ripping drag, it did roll to the top in the shallow water. Jack was playing him like a pro but this fish was smart - it got up into some shallow oyster laden water and BAP! Fish Off! Ouch. The duo did pick up a small Red and a small jack before we left.

Our next stop was over on the outside of Tyger, working the sandy bottom with jigs and the minnows. Jack got hot catching small but hungry Seatrout then both he and Ray were catching Flounder. Most were small but every once in a while they'd put a "keeper" sized Flounder in the boat. Then Ray, fishing off the stern, had a good "bump" - he set the hook and landed a keeper sized Seatrout. We had a few in the box.

On around in the Jolley, fishing the bank, back with float rigs, they added a small Red and Jack to the catch total. After fishing a large drainage on up the river we pulled up and fished Snook Creek with the floats. It was a good move!  Ray had a strong bite and this was ripping the drag and digging deep. Ray kept the pressure on and worked to the boat a nice Slot 22" Redfish. The duo caught a handful of smaller Reds then Jack had a big bite. I was thinking it was a Redfish the way it was pulling but when Jack worked it to the surface it was a BIG Seatrout. Jack pateintly brought it to the net and landed a 21.75" Seatrout. Boy what a fish! And big enough to move Jack into 2nd Place in the Anglers Mark 2024 Bragging Rights Tournament-Seatrout Category. (Scroll down the right side of this report for standings).

Then Jack topped it off with a 9-spot Slot Redfish of his own caught. Boy what a day - it got better as it went along so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Water Like Glass

 I met Len Pelletier, his son Scott, and grandson Kevin down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early this
morning and as we cruised up the intercoastal the water was like glass it was so calm. We made our way up to Pompano Point and unlimbered the float rigs, baited with live shrimp and mud minnows that I had caught at the dock. The calm conditions didn't bode well for fish catching - we had only nibbles. After dropping back to Jackstaff, we worked a bank with the floats, again to no avail. We were an hour in to the trip and hadn't had a bite!

After running thru Horsehead and around to Seymore's Pointe we pulled up at some rocks and fished the floats and at least got into some action caching Mangrove Snapper. Kevin got the hot hand and pulled away in the fish catch count, and never looked back. But Scott, fishing a minnow had the strong hookup. This fish was ripping drag, dove under the boat, and dug deep. But Scott kept the pressure on, played it patiently, and soon brought to the net a nice 20" Slot Redfish. After getting a good handful of keeper sized Mangroves, we moved on. 

Our next stop was down at Twin Creeks where we switched to jigs and shrimp and minnows. Although we didn't get any fish there, as we worked the bank Kevin had that tell-tell "thump", he hooked it up and brought to the boat a 17" Flounder. After catching some perfect sized finger mullet we moved down to Spanish Drop worked it good, but then a heavy rain moved in on us - we could hear it coming across the marsh which was cool, but then we got soaked!  We made a run back to the ramp, outran the rain, and when we made it back we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Making Due With Bait Shortage

 There was as slight hiccup in the bait supply the last couple of days and luckily I got a text from AIBT
last evening about there being no bait to buy this morning, so I made plans to get up a bit earlier than usual, loaded my gear and some old frozen shrimp and headed to the Sawpit Creek boat ramp. After launching the boat I set out a minnow trap then trolled the bank looking for finger mullet. The tide was fairly high and I guess the mullet had not come out of the creeks, but when I checked the minnow trap I had a couple of dozen so I stored them, re-set the trap and kept at it until I had 4-5 dozen. I then ran up to Goffinsville Park and met William and Dara Blalock for a morning of back water fishing - bait problem solved!

We crossed over and fished the corner at Middle River, had a few bites, but no takers, then ran thru Horsehead and over to Pompano Point and fished those stretches of grass with float rigs and the minnows. William put a small Catfish in the boat, then a feisty Redfish. We came back and fished the entrance to Jackstaff and picked up another couple of smaller Reds when we switched to jigs. Dara had a hangup on a oyster shell but when it came off she felt a tell-tell "bump" and when she set the hook, fish on!  She worked it to the boat and landed a nice 18" Flounder. 

After running back thru Horsehead and down to Spanish Drop we fished a drainage and picked up another smaller Flounder or two. Further down the river we fished some shell beds, added another small Red, then Dara had another one of those bumps, just off a finger of grass that had fallen in. She was fighting it expertly - we saw a nice Flounder flash and....fish off!  Ouch!

Our final stop was over at some docks at Nassauville where the duo added one more small Flounder to their catch and a couple of keeper sized Mangrove Snapper (all fish caught today were released). We had made due with the bait we had and had caught a handful 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. 

Shaking It Up

 We shook things up today and did something different - after meeting John Raker out at Goffinsville Park we headed east, out to Nassau Sound and found some structure to fish with jigs and mud minnows. I think it was John's 3rd cast when he hooked up and battled a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum to the net. The tide was still going out and we had good action until it hit bottom, catching a couple of Seatrout, one of which was of keeper size, and a good handful of Redfish 3 or 4 that were just a tad less than 18". John did have a big one on...it was ripping drag, he played it perfectly and had it almost within net reach and BAP! Fish Off! Ouch. 

I was thinking we'd really get some fish when that tide turned and started back in but all we got was pinfish and grunts! We ran over to the docks at Longpoint and fished a few of them for a bit and picked up one keeper sized Whiting then we moved on. 

Running back up the Nassau we made a stop at Spanish Drop and fished the shell bank. John had another good fish on that just threw the hook but he hung with it and worked that bank and after getting a good thump, set the hook and landed a nice 17" Flounder. But boy was it getting hot! We fished a large drainage where all kinds of bait was getting "popped", but had no bites. So we headed back to the ramp and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

The Philosopher Fishes

 Another beautiful, if not hot, day of fishing today!  Boy it got hot!  I had met Beau Hopkins and his three kids Blakely, Chandler, and Brantley early up at Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp and with a live well of mud minnows and the last 2 dozen live shrimp the shop had, we eased out of Eagans Creek. Our first stop was over in Lanceford Creek, fishing some dock pilings and Blakley started things off when she hooked up and landed the most exotic fish of the day, a Mudfish!

Shortly after that Chandler had a strong hookup - she battled it to the boat and landed a nice 18" Black "puppy" Drum, boy what a fish. Beau was at the stern and fishing the epxosed oysters over on the bank and when he had a good "bump", he set the hook and brought to the net an 18" Flounder. This fishing family had  start to a good mess of fish!

We had bounced a jigs and minnow off the dock  and when it hit the water BAM! Fish On! Brantely and his dad played it patiently and after a good fight brought to the boat an above average 19" Seatrout. The Hopkins team finished it off at this spot with one more keeper sized Flounder catch.

We then ran around to the Jolley River and fished the "bank", had some nibbles, but no takers, so we moved on. It was about this time that the temperature was getting up there when Brantley's philosophical side came out. Some of the better insights were:

"Stupid things happen when you're having fun"

"We have the advantage, we've got a hook and a net"

"Sometimes fishing can be fun. Sometimes it's not fun"

We ran up and fished Snook Creek and here Beau got hot tossing a jig and getting some hungry Seatrout. We drifted some floats back at Tyger cut thru, then ended the day on the outside of Tyger, tossing the jigs. All anglers were getting bites and Beau did pull one small Flounder to boatside for quick release. We had caught some fish, had a few in the box, philosophized a bit, so as we headed back to the ramp, we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Mangroves Make The Day

 We probably had the prettiest day today that we've had in the last two weeks! I had met Bart Mathews down at Sawpit Creek on a tide that was low and just starting in - we had clear skies and just a very little breeze as we headed up the intercoastal. We made our way up to the mouth of Jackstaff and turned into the current and began pitching jigs and live shrimp. We got all excited when Bart had a good "hookup", thinking it might be a Flounder by the way it was fighting, but as it got closer we saw it was a determined Blue Crab, which we netted and released. After bringing in a small Catfish Bart again got some excitement going with a bigger fish which he played expertly to the boat, only to find it was a bigger Catfsih!

We ran thru Horsehead and over to some docks at Seymore's and fished the pilings out of the stern. Here Bart hooked and landed a handful of Mangrove Snapper, a couple of which were of keeper size, and he also battled a feisty Black "puppy" Drum to the boat.

Our next stop was down at Broward Island, fishing the first of an incoming tide. He caught and landed another keeper Mangrove, then we moved down the way, worked it thoroughly , then moved on. Back at Pumpkin Hill we drifted float rigs long and did pick up one small but feisty Redfish, then we continued back down the river to some rocks at Nassauville where Bart finished his limit on Mangroves. We started culling smaller ones and ended up with a nice catch of the Mangroves, good enough for "Fish Tacos"!

Our final stop was over at Twin Creeks, drifting floats and after landing another Ladyfish, Bart finished the day off with a feisty Flounder catch. We had had some pretty good action, had caught a variety of fish (and crab), so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Grandad and his Grandson

 It always makes my heart warm when I see a grandparent taking their grandchildren fishing and today was just such a day. I still have vague memories of fishing in Lake Sante Fe with my Grandfather - we were Crappie fishing, on the bottom, out deep, with minnows. I don't remember if we caught anything, but I do remember the trip. I met Len Pelletier and his grandson Scott down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp in a light drizzle of rain but as we headed up the intercoastal and into the Nassau it slacked off and stopped. 

We pulled up at Spanish Drop and turned into the tide that had been coming in for about an hour. The oyster shell were still exposed so we started off with jigs and live shrimp, working the bank slowly as we eased into the current. Things started off positive with a couple of good bites, but they never took, so we moved on.

Our next stop was up at Seymore's Point, fishing some dock pilings. Scott was on the stern and he got hot catching fish!  He first landed a keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum, then added two ore to his catch (all fish caught today were released). Len picked up a Seatrout out deeper then Scott was catching some nice, keeper sized Mangrove Snapper.. They also added a small Seabass, a Jack Crevalle and a Pinfish to the variety.

We bumped around and fished some rocks at Nassauville and again caught some very healthy Mangroves Then we had a stronger hookup - Scott was on the Rod - he played it perfectly and after a good battle landed a Slot sized 12 Spot Redfish, probably enough to place in most Redfish Spot Tournaments.  We moved down the way, fished between a couple of docks to no avail, then made run down to Pumkin Hill and drifted floats. Not much was happening there.

Our final stop, after running thru Horsehead, was over at the mouth of Jackstaff. The duo added a couple of Ladyfish catches and another Seatrout catch to their variety. The sun had come out, we had some 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 

Jacks Rule

 We did our third windy day in a row today when I met John Cipriani and his brother David out at
Goffinsville Park. The wind stayed in the 15-17mph range - I'm about over it! But the Cipriani brothers were up to the challenge so we first headed over to Pumpkin Hill and fished a stretch of flooding marsh grass on a tide that still another hour or so of coming it. Drifting float rigs the duo put a handful of hard fighting Jack Crevalle in the boat. 

After moving around the corner we caught another Jack or two but then John hooked up with something strong - he expertly battled it and brought it to the net, a feisty Black Tip Shark.  We worked that area pretty good and despite the wind John and David were getting pretty good casts to the marsh line.  After running back to Seymore's we fished a large drainage and dueled with what turned out to be smaller Mangrove Snapper. 

We then ran thru Horsehead and over to Pompano Point, fished it pretty good, added a small Catfish to the catch then came back over to Jackstaff and fished another drainage, this time to no avail. Back thru Horsehead we went and down to Twin Creeks where we switched to jigs and shrimp and this did the trick. I think David's first cast produced a bite, he hooked it up, and landed a hungry Seatrout. We fished there, further east at a drainage, and then finished up down at Spanish Drop and added a couple of more Trout to the catch total, and another Jack. Then wind had been a challenge, but we made the most of it so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.