Big 'un Right Off The Bat

 I was back down at the south end today, fishing with the Soper Team - Larry and his sons Garrett and Dustin. We left the Sawpit Creek boat ramp as the sun came up and made a long run up the Nassau to make our first stop at Broward Island. The tide still had a few minutes of going out so we set up on the south end and began to pitch jigs and live shrimp to the edge. It wasn't long before Larry "knocked the skunk off" when he hooked up an landed a feisty Flounder. We were thinking that was pretty good! We saw some bait getting smashed over by a drainage so we worked over that way - Garrett had made a good cast to a point and BAM!  That drag was ripping!   Garrett kept the pressure on but all he could do was hold on to that 6'6" rod with the Florida Fishing Products size 1000 reel, spooled with 10lb braid. The big fish rolled a couple of times then dug deep out into the river but Garrett stayed with it and worked it to the boat to land and Oversized 29" Redfish, boy wat a fish!

After moving up north and fishing a couple of spots, and right before we left, Larry had a good "bump" and set the hook on a nice feisty Redfish.  We then made our way back down the Nassau to Twin Creeks where we stuck with the jigs and shrimp. Larry stayed with the hot hand when he hauled in a keeper sized Flounder to go in the box. We moved down to another drainage, fished it for a bit then moved further down to Spanish Drop and switched to float rigs. We had some good action at a point of grass, getting a small Red, a keeper sized Seatrout that Dustin hauled in, and a couple of Ladyfish.

Back  up the river we went, staying with the floats and this paid off. Dustin had a strong hookup after

getting a good drift along the grass and patiently worked to the boat a nice Slot Redfish. Garrett battled a Bonnethead Shark to the boat for photographs and release, and Dustin had another battle with a big Red, but alas, it was not to be! Fish Off! We wrapped the day up over in Jackstaff, working the bank with the floats, and fiddling with baitstealers and Ladyfish. But we had a good morning with great weather and had a few fish in the box so we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Lot's Of Action On A Beautiful Day

 Boy what a pretty day we had...sunshine, just a slight breeze, and mild temperatures. I had met Brian
Ahrens and his sons Henry and Oscar down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp on a tide that had just started in. We made a long run up the Nassau to make our first stop at Broward Island - it was a gamble but it paid off! Oscar had gone in first with a cast and Henry followed him in...Oscar must have "chummed him up" because Henry had a good bend in his rod and his line began to rip and Big Fish On!  Henry played him perfectly and after a good battle landed a nice 22" Slot Redfish. Skunk off the boat! Early!

We caught a few fish at that first spot - Oscar reeled in a feisty Redfish and Brian hauled in a keepable
Croaker. We moved down a bit and fished then moved further down the island. Henry went off the stern and had a weird "thump", hooked  it up and brought to the net a keeper sized Flounder. We caught a couple of more fish there - Croaker, and a small Redfish, then moved on. 

Back down at Spanish Drop we worked a bank with the jigs, had a few nibbles, but when we switched to floats we got good action. The trio caught Jack Crevalle, Bluefish, Seatrout (these fish were fat but just undersized), and another Flounder. We then moved upriver to Twin Creeks and drifted the floats and it was Oscar's turn to get the big (and keeper fish). He hooked up and expertly landed another keeper sized Flounder. Brian battled what I thought was a Shark by the way it ran, ripping drag, but as he wore it out and brought it to the boat we saw it was a big Jack Crevalle.

We finished the day down at the "super secret spot" but the sun was up, it was getting a bit warm and the fish had gone on siesta. But as we headed back to the dock we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Creeping Thru the Fog

 

We had almost zero wind this morning and clear skies, when we finally saw them! I had met Gordon Fowler and his fishing buddy Reid up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp just after sunrise and after easing out of Eagans Creek to the main river we hit some fog and had to creep over to our first spot - just off of Tyger Island. I think the first cast produced a bite - Reid worked it to the boat to land a hard fighting Jack Crevalle. We had a few bite there then we moved on up and around Tyger, and boy did we have to creep along - visibility was so bad I had to rely on my Garmin to keep from running aground.

We made our way over to the Jolley River and turned into a slow incoming current and pitched float rigs and live shrimp. The two anglers were getting good casts and good drifts but with the slow current and dirty water we didn't get much. But after moving down to Tyger Cut and setting up along a submerged shell bar, we got some action. Gordon had switched to a fly rod and boy was he getting some good loops! Reid drifted in behind him with the float and began to get Seatrout, one of them was right at 17".  We caught the Trout, some Ladyfish, and Jack Crevalle.

Our next stop was up beyond Snook Creek where the duo fished the float rigs. Reid had made a good
cast up into a pocket and when a big fish swirled on his bait, and took it, it was time for a big battel. Reid's drag was ripping as the fish came out of that pocket and zipped across the stern. We all had to scramble to re-arrange ourselves. Reid stayed with the fish, worked it in, let it run, worked it in and  eventually he landed a nice 4" Bonnethead Shark which we photographed and released.

We fished that stretch pretty good, then came back to the outside of Tyger as the tide came to a standstill. We couldn't cast without a Needlefish tacking our bait! Our final stop Reid tried his hand using a jig rod and the shrimp and had numerous bites but no takers. The fog had finally lifted and we had sunshine! We had dealt with the fog, caught a few fish, and now had sunshine so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

All Before The High Tide

 

I was back at it today, fishing with David and Lynn Beauchamp, meeting them early down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp. We kicked off a busy week of fishing, I hope, if the weather cooperates. We were about an hour into our trip today when 15 minutes of rain passed over us, but luckily we all had rain coats! Our first stop was up the Nassau, at Spanish Drop, drifting float rigs on a tide that had already covered the shell and was still coming in. Both anglers were getting  good casts and good drifts and we had a few bites here and there but no takers.

We motored further up the river to Twin Creeks and fished it with the float rigs. Again, we had bites but
we didn't get fish until we began to drift with the current. Lynn had gotten a good cast and as her float drifted along the grass and right beyond a point, BAM! Float gone!  Lynn caught up to it, and let the hook set and fish on! Lynn played it perfectly and brought to the net a nice Slot Redfish. That spot produced a good handful of fish in addition to that one - Ladyfish and Jack Crevalle.

We then ran up to Pumpkin Hill and drifted the last of the incoming tide. The duo landed more Ladyfish and Jacks and when we drifted a point it was David's turn to hook the big one. He had "gone long" with a drift and paid off when he hooked up and landed a big fat Seatrout. They caught a handful of just undersized Trout, and a....Catfish. When that tide hit the top we noticed that the grass had flooded, something I didn't expect. but that north east wind must have been pushing it in.

There might have been a few more bites on the first of an outgoing tide but we had no takers. Even though we got wet early, we were treated to a couple of pretty rainbows, we had a couple of nice fish in the box and the day had turned out beautiful so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Feisty Reds and a Bunch of 'Em

Boy you can feel that fall weather in the air! It wasn't quite "nippy" this morning but it definitely was a bit cooler which made for a fine fishing day here at Amelia Island. I had met Alex and Kelly Mckinney and their son-in-law Kyle up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp as the sun came up and we headed out of Eagans Creek thinking we'd make our first stop over in Lanceford Creek fishing some docks. We fished it good - all three anglers were getting good casts up under the pilings but all we managed was a measly Catfish. 

We came out of there and made a long run back to the Bell River, up it all the way to the docks, and fished that outgoing current with jigs and live shrimp and here Alex hooked up with a couple of hungry Seatrout. Continuing on around into the Jolley, we made a stop at JC's Spot and worked the oysters which were now exposed. Alex stayed hot and hooked up with a couple of feisty Redfish, then he hauled in a rather large Whiting. Both Kyle and Kelly brought to the boat a couple of Croaker that we could have kept but we tossed them back.

After moving over to the MOA, things got busy! Almost immediately we began to get hookups. Kyle found a "honey hole" between the two shell mounds and expertly landed three Black "puppy" Drum, two of which were of keeper sized. All three caught a handful of those feisty Redfish, not quite big enough to keep but fun to catch. At one time Kelly and Kyle had a "double" hookup with both landing Redfish. Kyly hooked up and landed his first ever Flounder. The trio had an Amelia Island Grande Slam of Redfish, Seatrout, Black Drum and Flounder. 

Our final stop was over behind Tyger Island, fishing the logs, where they wrapped up catching two more feisty Redfish and Kyle "threaded a needle" between two logs to catch a wayward Seabass. It had been a beautiful day, we had some good action and few 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. 

Beating The Wind For A Grande Slam

 

We knew that the wind was supposed to pick up today as we fished, so we got out early and got some good catches in before it really picked up. I met David Morton and his son Charlie down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp and we headed up the intracoastal, then up the Nassau to make our first stop at Spanish Drop. I had planned to keep going on up to Seymore's Pointe by I noticed the tide still had about 45 minutes to low so we pulled up and began pitching jigs and live shrimp and minnows to the exposed shell bank. We fished it good, drifted along the bank and fished it more and David kicked things off when he had a strong hookup and battled to the boat a nice Slot sized Redfish.  Charlie "spotted" his dad a few fish - David put another couple of feisty Reds in the boat before Charlie hooked up (with minnow as bait), a keeper sized Black "puppy Drum.

We then did make our way up to Seymore's Pointe to fish some dock pilings on the first of the incoming tide - it's a new dock and we got.....skunked! Not a bite. I motored around to Nassaville and there was a boat fishing where I wanted to stop so we kept going on down to Broward Island - the tide was still going out up there, but we set up and it paid off. Charlie got hot, fishing to a stump - he caught a handful of feisty Redfish, a couple of Sheepshead, one of which was of keeper size. Shortly after, Charlie had a strange "bump", a strange fight, and when he brought the fish to the surface we saw that it was a keeper sized Flounder which he handily landed.  David followed those up with some Redfish catches and a Sheepshead catch. The duo had a Grand Slam in the box - a Redfish, Black Drum, Sheepshead and Flounder.

We fished in a creek further up the river and added a couple of small Redfish to the catch total, then finished up fishing at Littlefield where Charlie added one more keeper sized Drum to the box then one of the biggest Croaker that I have seen. The wind was really kicking by this time but we had stayed in behind land masses and had caught fish so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

I Call Her The Hardy Girl

from Wikipdia.....

In 1874 brothers William Hardy and John James Hardy started "Hardy Brothers" with the
purchase of "Superior River and Sea Fishing Tackle" in Alnwick, Northumberland, England.

In 1891 they patented and launched "the Perfect" fishing reel to complement the fishing lures they sold. It was successful and they received a royal warrant from King George V of the United Kingdom. They continued to create a variety of winning fishing reels, some of which had novelties including a complete bail arm and long casting reels.

In 1897 they opened a shop in London's Pall Mall that lead to international expansion of their fishing rods, lures and guides still made by hand in England.

In 1967 Hardy Brothers was bought out by the Harris and Sheldon group and in 1985 renamed the "House of Hardy Limited." It was later merged with a former Hardy employee's fishing company and renamed "Hardy and Greys Limited" in 2004.

In 2008 the history of the House of Hardy was made into a documentary, The Lost World of Mr. Hardy.

In 2013 the company Hardy & Greys was sold to Pure Fishing, a division of conglomerate Jarden Corporation, that was later renamed Newell Brands. Newell sold Pure Fishing to Sycamore Partners in 2018.

HERE'S A REALLY GOOD HISTORY OF THE COMPANY...

For a while Hardy issued posters (left) of a young lady that was using their fishing tackle and they became very popular for young men to hang them over their fly tying bench. 

Now, when my wife Carol and I vacation, we tend to get in at least one fly fishing trip.  We did a float trip down the Bow River in Banff, Canada the day after we were married on the banks of the Bow; 

We did a float trip down the Penobscot River in Maine, catching Smalllmouth Bass, then we did a wade trip west of Lincoln, Maine to catch Brook Trout. 

I fished alone in Cherokee, NC and got skunked, then the next year we fished in Banner Elk, North Carolina and caught Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, and Brook Trout.

Carol in Banner Elk, NC

Another year, back in North Carolina, we fished out of a stop-in-the road - Topton, and fished the Nantahala River  for Rainbow Trout and last year we were up in Dahlonega, Georgia fishing the Etowah River for Rainbow Trout.

 We just wrapped up a trip out to Colorado Springs to see my daughter, son-in-law and grandkids but we found time to travel north west to the South Platte River and fish an area in the Spinney Mountain State Park called the "dream stream". Each time we fish and Carol gets to go along we try to get a "photo op" that I call my "Hardy Girl"!

South Platte River, Colorada

First Cast Blast

 After a long week out in Colorado to see my daughter, son-in-law and grandkids, I was back on the water today with the Bailey boys - Douglas and his sons Anderson and Dylan. We met down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early then ran up the intracoastal, up the Back River, and around to Pumpkin Hill where we set up tossing float rigs and mud minnows. Anderson jumped up on the stern platform and made an excellent cast to the left of a grass clump - it drifted down along side it and BAM! Float gone~ and it was a nice fish! Anderson played it perfectly and patiently and after a good battle he landed a nice 22.25" Slot Redfish. First Cast of the day!

We drifted that stretch a good number of times and had nibbles here and there, then Anderson, not giving up the stern, went looooong with a drift and had another take -we could tell it was a nice fish when it rolled up. He worked it in slowly and landed another 22.5" Slot Redfish. We then moved up to a point and drifted the other side and Anderson stayed hot. He had made a cast up to the grass, worked it out when it snagged, let it drift and, float gone again. He caught up to it and had the hookup, then brought to the net a nice keeper sized Seatrout. 

We fished further down the Nassau, then ran over to Seymore's Pointe and drifted a point of grass, to no avail, then ran thru Horsehead and over to Poteat Point. We worked up the grass then back down and had zero bites, then we came over to Jackstaff "bank" and worked along it. Somewhere amongst those spots we caught a couple of Catfish and Ladyfish but when we crossed over the creek and switched to jigs we finally hit paydirt. Dylan had made a good cast up into the cut - was hopeing for a bite when he got further out but he had a strong bite right when it hit the water and, Fish On!  Dylan worked it in on this lighter outfit, let it run, worked it in, then brought to the net another 23" Slot Red - they had their limit! Douglas picked up a Seatrout fishing off the stern and out deeper. 

We ran back thru Horsehead and back up to Back River and switched back to floats where Dougals
hooked up and landed a nice13 Spot Redfish. We fished between two docks at Littlefield, then made our way down the Nassau. The trio had a few Ladyfish hookups then Douglas added another Redfish to his catch total, then Dylan wrapped things up with two hungry Flounder catches. We had a beautiful morning, had some good 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. 

New Journals Finished

 I just finished up these journals, all handcarved, stamped, dyed and finished.  Each are "one-of-a-kind". $125 each. (add tax,shipping if you're not local)  You can get your loved one something made in China, or....

                                (SOLD)

 

 

(SOLD)

Nice Box of Fish

 We had a pretty day when I met Frank and Joanne Wytiaz down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early this
morning - clear skies, just a slight wind, and I could feel just a bit of fall in the air. We headed up the intracoastal then up the Nassau to make our first stop at Spanish Drop. The tide had been coming in for about two hours so we turned into the current and began tossing jigs and live shrimp to the shore line - the shells on the bank were already covered. Joanne "knocked the skunk off" when she let her bait fall down the river bottom and had a hookup - a nice keeper sized Seatrout. We worked along that bank and after making an excellent cast, Frank had  a strong hookup - one that was ripping some drag. He played it perfectly and soon landed a Slot Redfish.

We moved up the river and fished Twin Creeks with float rigs, had a few nibbles, then Frank battled a 4' Bonnethead Shark to the boat for photograph and release. Joanne hauled in a complete...Cast Net!  Some of the lines were broken but other than that, it was intact! We then ran down to Pumpkin Hill and drifted float rigs. Joanne, fishing off the stern, had let her float go long, real long!  After having a hookup, we saw that the drag was ripping some - she played it patiently and worked it in and landed a "gator" Trout that measured right at 20.25".  Up at the point we had good action - they caught a handful of Ladyfish, a huge Jack Crevalle, and a couple of  Seatrout, one of which was of keeper size. After fishing a couple of grassy island, we moved on.

Our last stop was back around and down from Pumpkin Hill, working the flooding grass edge with float rigs. The duo added one more keeper sized Seatrout before Joanne finished it off by landing a solid 23" Slot Redfish. The box had four Trout and two Slot Reds, we had stayed busy catching Jacks and Ladyfish, and Sharks and Catfish, so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. .