Knockin the Door Down on Bragging Rights

We've had outstanding weather this week for fishing out of Fernandina Beach and Amelia Island, Florida.  I met Bill Kennedy, his son Scott, and his son-in-law Ricky down at the Atlantic Seafood dock and as we ran north there was actually a cool tingle to the air and slightly overcast skies.  We made our first stop at Jolley Bank, fishing an outgoing tide,  and within minutes Ricky had knocked the "skunk" off, landing a nice keeper sized Seatrout.  From then on the anglers stayed busy catching small "rat" Reds, a
couple of small Trout, a Blue, a Jack Crevalle, and a Whiting,  then Bill added a keeper sized Flounder to the box.  He also picked up a nice keeper sized Seatrout, too.  Scott had probably the biggest fish on for a short 15 seconds but there's a reason why it is big - it burrowed in the oysters and cut itself off!    We continued to fish Jolley Bank, catching a good handful of the small Redfish, then made a run around to Tiger Island.   Both Bill and Scott put bigger Redfish in the boat then Ricky had another hookup and when the fish stayed on the bottom we knew it was a big flounder.  He played the fish patiently and after a good battle landed a 20.25" Flounder, putting him in first place in The Anglers Mark 2014 Bragging Rights Tournament -Flounder Category! (Scroll down right side of this report for standings).  We fished the whole area, picked up a couple of smaller Flounder, then another keeper sized Seatrout before we made one last stop at the Fort Clinch jetties.  Scott landed a few Rock Bass then Bill put a 16" Flounder in the boat.  With that, we called it a day, another great one to be out fishing Amelia Island waters!

The Redfish Kept Getting Bigger

I fished this morning with Lisa Alexander, her son Danny and their friend Oleg.  I believe Oleg has traveled the furthest to fish with me, visiting Florida from Russia!  We met at the Atlantic Seafood dock early and headed up to the Jolley River to fish a large creek mouth with a few hours left in an outgoing tide.  The anglers were getting nibbles and Danny put the first fish in the boat, a small, but feisty Redfish.  We moved back to the mouth of Jolley and fished a long oyster bank.  Lisa landed another small Redfish, Oleg caught a hard fighting Jack Crevalle, and then Lisa had a good battle with a

huge Seatrout that proved wily enough to avoid getting netted!  We also had a keeper sized Flounder to the boat and it too figured out to throw the hook!  Our next stop was at Tiger Island and after a slow start, the bite picked up to provide some really good action.  Danny put a good Redfish in the boat then he had another one on when Oleg's rod bent over and we had a double!  Both young anglers did great - we first netted Oleg's keeper sized Sheepshead then we landed Danny's slot sized Red.  We continued to fish the deep water, had another Flounder to the boat, caught a couple of small

Reds, then Oleg landed another slot Redfish.  Lisa wrapped it up with the biggest Sheepshead of the day.  With that, we called it a day, another great one to be out on Amelia Island waters!

Calm Sea's and a Slight Breeze

I was really looking forward to getting out on the water today - the weather called for slightly overcast skies, very little wind, and we had the last of an outgoing tide.  I met Russ Henry and two of his sons, James and Carter down at the City marina and after a brief safety orientation, we headed up Bell River to fish  some dock pilings.  The conditions were perfect and very quickly did James knock the "skunk" off by landing a small but feisty Redfish.  Carter put a couple of hungry Seatrout in the boat and another feisty Red. 
But there weren't any big fish biting so we headed around to the Jolley River and fished an oyster bank that had tons of bait surrounding it.  Again, Carter put a couple of feisty Reds in the boat.  We fished Snook Creek with no real bites then hit Jolley Bank as the tide started back in.  Things picked up somewhat with the anglers landing another Trout, another feisty Red, and Russ tangled with a hard fighting Jack Crevalle.  Finally, Carter's rod bent double and we knew we had a good fish on.  He played the fish patiently and after a good battle, landed a nice Slot sized 20" Redfish!  We hit Tiger Island, had a few good bites, then headed in, counting it as another great day to be fishing Amelia Island waters!

Call it a Draw

The storm Arthur was off our coast today but the morning was beautiful with just a slight breeze.  I met Cory Freeman, his dad Glen and his son Carter down at the Big Talbot Island Park boat ramp and we ran up the Nassau River to fish some structure on the first of an incoming tide.  I think Carter's first cast produced a hungry Croaker, then we had a few nibbles, then Cory hooked up with something big.  He played the fish patiently but unfortunately it just wasn't to be and the wiley fish threw the hook.  The anglers picked up a Catfish and a small Flounder before we left the spot to

fish some rocks along Seymore's Pointe.  This did the trick!  We were tossing shrimp under float rigs and almost every cast produced a bite from Mangrove Snapper.  All three anglers were catching fish with a number of them being of keeper size.  We threw back a good handful of smaller ones.  We didn't know it because we were sheltered behind the land mass but the wind had picked up.  When we  ran to Broward Island to fish the first of the incoming tide we found the wind was affecting our fishing and catching!.  After a good effort we ran back to fish the sunken barge in Nassau River and picked up a few more Snapper and an ugly Toad Fish.  We made our last stop in Jackstaff, fishing the now flooded oysters with floats and mud minnows.  Cory wrapped the day up by landing a hardfighting Jack Crevalle.  With that, we called it a day, another great one to be fishing Amelia Island waters!

Back in the Saddle

The Anglers Mark was down for a week with engine issues.   I got it out of the shop yesterday and was chomping at the bit to get out on the water this morning with Patti and Brian Harnish and their neighbor John.  We met at the Atlantic Seafood dock and headed north to fish the logs of Tiger Island on an incoming tide.  The bait shops had no live shrimp but I was able to procure some mud minnows so that was what the anglers tossed with the 1/4 oz jig.  We fished an open area for a good while with no real bites, eased
down to fish another and again had no bites then moved north to try one last spot. I was beginning to wonder if the fish were on a vacation when Brian had a subtle bite.  He set the hook firmly and when his rod bent double I knew he had a good FISH ON!  Brian worked the fish patiently to the boat but it dove deep and then went from starboard to port so Brian had to play the fish around the trolling motor.  Then the fish came back from port to starboard then from bow to stern!  But Brian was up for the  task having fished for Rock Fish back in Maryland and after a good battle we landed a nice Slot Sized 24.5" Redfish - Brian's first Red!  From then on the anglers caught a good handful of Redfish with John adding one that was right at the Slot size then they picked up a Flounder, a second, then John boated a nice keeper sized Flounder.  We fished the area for a little while longer, then headed up to Jolley River, switching to float rigs.  The anglers had a few bites, saw some big fish up in the shallows, but no real takers other than a hungry Seatrout that gave them an Amelia Island Back Country Slam of Redfish, Flounder, and Seatrout.  After hitting one more spot on the outside of Tiger Island, we headed in, counting it as another great day to be out on Amelia Island waters!

These Girls are Anglers

It was nice fishing today with just a little over cast skies and a good breeze.  I had met Joe Gasper, Adam Blanning and Adam's daughters Eliza and Megan down at the City docks this morning and after a quick safety orientation, we headed north to fish Jolley River on the first of an outgoing tide.  We had just gotten started and even though the young ladies were just getting the hand of casting, we began to get bites!  After a few float disappeared young Eliza had a hookup and this was NOT a bait stealer! She fought the fish valiantly and after a good battle landed a nice Slot sized

Redfish -her first fish ever!  Whoooeee!  We continued to fish and after just a short while her Dad Adam and Megan hooked up and together landed another nice Redfish.   Most of the fish were biting on live shrimp.  We continued to fish Jolley "bank", had some good bites, and Adam landed "the poor man's Tarpon" - a Ladyfish.  Then Megan hooked up and reeled in on her own the only Jack Crevalle of the day.  In between all of the fish caught the anglers landed a handful of pesky Croaker.  We fished Snook Creek, had some good bites, the moved around to Bell River to fish the last of the outgoing tide.  The conditions were perfect and I thought surely we'd have a good bite, but the sun was up, it was getting hot, and not much was biting.  But Eliza was on her game and after an excellent cast, had a nibble and she set the hook, FISH ON!  She worked the fish to the boat and we soon landed the Sneaky Sheepshead to our variety count.  With that catch, we called it a day, another great one to be fishing Amelia Island waters!

Big Fish Saturday

We had a good one yesterday morning, fishing with Doug and Leslie Phillips, here at Amelia Island.  The couple were staying at the Blue Heron Inn, just a short walk to the marina and some great fishing!  We left the City dock at 7am and headed north to fish the logs of Tiger Island on an outgoing tide.  I think the first two casts produced fish, and maybe the 3rd!  Leslie hooked up with a Seatrout and Doug landed a nice feisty Redfish and from then on they were getting bites and landing fish.  Leslie must have found a
"puppy" Drum hole because she reeled in a few small ones then, BOOM!  FISH ON!  This fish was big and gave Leslie a fight but she was up to the challenge and played it beautifully.  The fish took her from the bow to the stern and from port to starboard then ran deep into the current.  But Leslie kept the pressure on and we soon landed a nice 23" Black (not so puppy) "puppy" Drum!  Wow what a fish!   We made a run around to the Jolley River, picked up a another Redfish, Seatrout and Ladyfish, then it was Doug who had the strong hookup.  His rod bent double and the drag on the 1000
Shimano began to sing as the line ripped out.  Doug too, was ready for the fight and this one seemed to last forever.  Doug was patient and let the rod do all the work and after a long battle, landed a 3'+ Bonnethead Shark!  Went further up the river to fish a large creek mouth and Leslie landed another feisty Redfish, then we made a run around to Bell River.  Leslie had caught a Trout or two then Doug had a strong hookup.  Another Battle!  Boy what a fish!  He fought this fish until it was subdued and landed a nice 26" Slot "Tournament" Redfish, wrapping up another great day to be fishing Amelia Island waters!

Big Trout Makes the Trip

I had an afternoon trip with George Youmans and his son Gus set up Friday so we met down at the Fernandina Beach Harbor Marina at 2pm and ran up to the outside of Tiger Island to fish the last couple of hours of an incoming tide.  The anglers were tossing float rigs  and live shrimp and started off with a bank, landing a couple of Jack Crevalled and a nice hungry Seatrout.  We moved around to fish the inlet of Tiger Basin and picked up another Seatrout.  The tide had peaked so we made our way around to the Jolley River and fished the "bank" for a while, moved further up the river and fished

the mouth of Snook Creek, then eased up into the creek to fish with some jigs and shrimp on the bottom.  Although the weather was beautiful and just getting out on the water was great, the fish "bite" had been kinda slow but George made up for it when he had a very strong hookup, and BOOM! FISH ON!  George was using a light 6' rod with a size 1000 Shimano Stradic reel, 10lb braid and he had a battle on his hands!  But George played the fish patiently and we soon landed a big 21" Seatrout!  Now that's the way to wrap up a day of fishing here at Amelia Island!

Wildlife and Fishing

It's hard to believe the outstanding weather we've been having here at Amelia Island, especially during our morning trips.  I had met John Allen and his son Andrew down at the City marina and decided to fish some dock pilings at our first stop on an outgoing tide.  It turned out to be a good decision because it only took a couple of casts for Andrew to hookup!  He landed not one, but two Seatrout, both of keeper size and then shortly after landed a nice keeper sized Flounder -even though all fish caught today were to be
tossed back to be caught another day!  Andrew was putting the pressure on his dad in the "fish catch category" but John picked up his game and began to land some fish. He put a couple of feisty Redfish in the boat then tangled with and landed a nice Slot Redfish.  After catching another Trout and Red we ran around to the MOA spot and although it looked real good with tons of bait, we had not real bites. Our next stop was at Snook Creek where we had a Ladyfish encounter then we made our way down to Jolley "bank".  As we began our first pass we had a Manatee come cruising by then shortly afterwards John spotted an Atlantic Saltmarsh Mink scampering along the shoreline.  John put not one, but two nice keeper sized Flounder in the boat, Andrew landed a rock of a Toad Fish, then John wrapped up the day by besting 3'+ long Bonnethead Shark.  With that, we called it a day, another great one to be fishing Amelia Island waters!

His and Hers and Fish

I'd set up an Amelia Island back country fishing trip with Jonathan Vines and his brother-in-law Smith Marks this morning, and they had elected to do the "His and Hers" trip where we would fish for a few hours then come back in to pick their spouses up.  We left the Fernandina Harbor Marina at 7am sharp and headed up to fish Eagans Creek docks on an outgoing tide.  The two anglers were tossing jigs and live shrimp and although it took a few minutes to begin to get good bites, they did come!  Jonathan hooked up with a large Black "puppy" Drum that gave him a good battle but Jonathan played the big fish patiently and landed it - measuring in at 22".  Later, Smith was fishing out deep and picked up a nice keeper sized Seatrout.  They both had big, big fish take their bait but there was no keeping them out of the dock pilings with our light tackle - there's a reason why they're big! We made a run out and around to fish the Jolley River and within minutes they were getting bites.  Smith hooked up with a "FISH ON" and then Jonathan had one too - a double!  Both of the anglers played their  fish perfectly and were able to land two beautiful feisty Redfish!  We fished the oyster Olde Town Fernandina, Fort Clinch, Cumberland Island and Tiger Island.  We had a just a few shrimp left so the guys began to toss them deep at the Tiger logs and were able to pick up a keeper sized Sheepshead to round out their Amelia Island Back Country Grande Slam of  Black Drum, Seatrout, Red Drum and Sheepshead.  With that, we called it a day, another great on to be fishing Amelia Island waters!

lined bank as the tide began to creep back in, had a bunch of nibbles but no real bites until, BOOM!  FISH ON!  Jonathan worked the fish away from the bank, let it wear itself out, and landed a nice Slot Sized Redfish.  Just a few minutes later Smith had a strong hookup that bent his rod double and caused the reel to sing - the big fish went deep and a long battle ensued.  But Smith was up to the task and after the fish took him from bow to stern, starboard to port, he worked the fish slowly up to be landed - a nice 36"+ Bonnethead Shark!  We wrapped up the fishing, headed in to pick up their wives Katie and Kristin, and toured