We had some major storms pass thru Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning with lots of rain and high winds then temperatures plunged from the 70's to the low 30's for Sunday morning. I was wondering how that was going to affect the fishing when I met my cousin (I got a lot of cousins) Sally and her husband Tim English up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp for a half day of fishing north.
Unfortunately, even though we had clear skies, the wind forecast had changed from last night today and it was already kicking 12mph with expectations of getting up to 17mph (it did). But we had a plan and headed down river and over to Soap Creek to set up at a large marsh run out and began tossing float rigs and live shrimp to the mouth and let it drift with the current. Sally came with a "hot hand" and began to get bites and knocked the skunk off with a hungry Seatrout catch. She picked up few of those before we eased forward, tried drifting along a shell bed, then moved on.
After a brief stop at some docks in Lanceford and pitching jigs and shrimp, to no avail, we made the run back and fished some docks at Eagans Creek with slip floats and shrimp. Again, Sally was hot and caught two fishing deep, one of which was of keeper size.
Every time we ran north we had to buck the wind and waves but our next stop behind Tyger was blocked and it was very peaceful. Tim had spotted Sally long enough, made an excellent cast to the bank, let it fall along the bottom and BAM! He had a hookup. Tim played it patiently and worked it to the net to land a nice Slot sized Redfish. We eased along the bank, working it slowly, then headed back, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
I fished again south, meeting John Fredericks and his buddy Dan down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early this morning. There was even less wind than yesterday and the "No-Seeums" were out in full force. But the run up the river blew them off and when we made our first stop at Spanish Drop in the Nassau River we had a slight breeze so they weren't much of an issue.
I got the duo set up with rods and bait and they began pitching to the shell lined bank on the very last of an outgoing tide and before I knew it, within minutes, John had a strange hookup and brought to the boat a Flounder, just undersized, but definitely a surprise! Minutes later Dan hooked up and brought to the net a hungry Seatrout. We worked along that bank for just a bit and then I heard Dan's reel make a shrill ripping noise and Big Fish On! Boy did that fish hit hard! Dan played the fish expertly and after a good battle, landed a "just oversized" 27"+ Redfish, boy what a fish!
We moved up the river a bit and fished Athens Drop( and had a Saltmarsh Mink sighting) then continued on to Seymore's Pointe where we fished some dock pilings, but got no real bites. We moved around the pointe and fished some more docks, then moved on.
Our next stop was down at Broward Island and here Dan put a feisty Redfish in the boat and Robert followed that up with a Seatrout catch. We fished under a pair of Bald Eagles as we worked up and down the bank but we had no more bites, and moved on.
Back at Seymore's we switched to Slip Float rigs and here Dan caught a Weakfish to round out an Amelia Island Backcountry Grande Slam for the duo - Flounder, Redfish, Seatrout and Weakfish.
Our final stop was over at the mouth of Jackstaff, now drifting Cajun Thunders and here we had a good flurry of Trout catches, one by Robert that was of keeper size. Although the "catching" wasn't "on fire", it was definitely an uptick in action so as we headed in we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
Although it was a beautiful morning, we had to do the "safety speech" on the run this morning to create some breeze and blow off the "No-Seeums". As I launched the boat I could feel them trying to crawl in when I opened my truck door! But in no time we were heading up the Nassau River, making one "pit stop" to toss out a minnow trap, then we continued on up to Seymore's Pointe to try our hand with jigs and live shrimp to the bank with the first of an incoming tide. Bob Kossman was on the bow while Eddie Byrd took up the stern on a "shared trip" they put together. In just a matter of 15 minutes Bob had a good bite. He set the hook and patiently played to the boat a nice Slot sized Redfish.
It was another 10-15 minutes and this time it was Eddie who had the hookup. We could tell right off that this was a big fish - it kept pulling towards the bank and ripping drag. I wondered if I had the drag set too loose but nope, it was just a big fish. Eddie worked it out away from the trees, then he settled in to a long battle which he eventually won, landing a thick 25.5" Slot sized Redfish.
We ended up working that bank thoroughly with no more bites, then we picked dock out to fish, first with the jigs and shrimp, then we switched to Slip Floats and live shrimp and this did the trick. The duo of anglers picked up a handfull of hungry Seatrout.
The wind had picked up but we fished between a couple of more docks down along Nassauville, then ran back to Pumpkin Hill to wrap things up fishing fixed Floats. We had seen some dolphin busting fish along the bank, and a Bald Eagle, and had a couple of fish in the box so as we headed in, we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida
I wasn't expecting the fog this morning but as I loaded the boat I knew right off we'd be dealing with it. When I met Mike Stanhope and his adult son Bryce up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park I had me NAV lights on and had plugged in my stern light (I haven't used it in over a year and hoped it would work - it did!) We slowly chugged across the river and back in behind Tiger to fish a tide that had been coming in for about 3 hours. That's not my favorite tide but we still had some bank to cast to. Both anglers were making fine casts and we worked down the bank, pitching up between the logs and as we got to the other end it was Bryce who "knocked the skunk off" with a fat Seatrout catch.
Just minutes later Mike had followed Bryce in to the mouth of a small drainage and afterwards he said, "he bit it hard the minute it hit bottom", BAM! Big Fish On! At first I thought I might have set the drag too loose - it was ripping deep and when Mike would work it up a bit, down it would go again. He had a good long battle and then I realized, no, not a loose drag, but a big oversized Redfish. We eventually netted it, measured it at 29.25", photographed it and released it, boy what a fish, and big enough to move Mike into 1st Place in the Anglers Mark 2022 Bragging Rights Tournament -Redfish Category(scroll down the right side of this report for standings).
We fished float rigs and live shrimp over at Bell River on a grassy point but had few bites, then ran around to Soap Creek and stayed with the float rigs. Bryce picked up another Trout there. After fishing up Lanceford for a bit we decided to make the run south and after a 20 minute boat ride, were were fishing in Jackstaff Creek. We had a few bites, crossed the creek and switched back to jigs, and got a few pictures of a gaggle of White Pelicans, then ran thru Horsehead to fish at Seymore's Pointe.
Here we had our most action, now fishing an outgoing tide, set up on a corner. Both anglers had a handful of catches of those Seatrout, one of which was of keeper size.
The sun had come out, the fog was gone, the temperature was up and as we headed back to the dock we counted it as another great day to be fishing hear at Amelia Island, Florida.
The beautiful mornings just keep coming! I met Andy Hall and his fishing crew -his wife Gail, her sister Barbara and brother in law Jim out at Goffinsville Park early today and the sun was shining and I had elected to wear a short sleeve shirt it was so warm! We ran down the Nassauville rocks a bit and fished between two docks with jigs and dead shrimp and artificial grubs (no live shrimp today). We had a couple of nibbles but no takers.
Our next stop was down at Spanish Drop, pitching to some shell beds. We had some excitement when Gail had the first hookup and she expertly landed a Stingray - the first of the year! We moved further up the Nassau and fished a marsh drainage to no avail, then ran up to Seymore's Pointe as the tide started back in. Jim was fishing the deepest and he had a good take, a hookup, and he patiently worked it to the net. I called "Seatrout" but when I netted it I saw it was a nice keeper sized Weakfish.
We then ran down to Broward Island to take advantage of that incoming tide and it paid off. These anglers were making excellent casts, letting their baits drop down the river bottom with the current and they picked up three feisty Redfish and a couple of Trout. We moved down the way, still fishing the dead shrimp, but Jim tried a Contender "Christmas Tree" grub and he picked up the last Trout of the day. Jim had caught the Weakfish, a Redfish and this Trout which gave him a type of Amelia Island Back Country Slam which made for a great way to wrap up a fine day of being out on the water here at Amelia Island, Florida.
After that slow day yesterday Bob Blalock and I decided to try south and met out at the Goffinsville Park boat ramp early this morning. The tide was going out with a couple of hours to go so we eased down the Nassauville rocks and set up between two docks to fish jigs and live "lobster" shrimp- tossing them up current and letting them bounce down the river bottom with the current. We had a few good bites and Bob landed a couple of hungry Seatrout.
We then ran down the Nassau, towards the bridge and then turned into the still outgoing current and fished Athens Drop. We had clear skies, no wind, and plenty of Sand Gnats, but no real bites. We moved further down the Nassau and began to work back alongside a shell lined bank. Bob was making excellent casts and working it slow but, no bites. He had part of his shrimp torn off on an oyster and we were just about to move and he made one more cast, out deep in about 10' of water and BAM! A strong hookup. The fish came right back to the boat
and Bob was cranking in slack then the fish ran towards the bank and began to rip drag - another Big Redfish! Bob played it perfectly and patiently worked it in (see video below) and eventually landed a 27.5" Oversized Redfish - boy what a
battle !
Our next stop was up at Bubblegum Reef -we eased along with the trolling motor until it found us. We dropped our jigs and shrimp down around the reef and had a few nibbles, lost a few jigs, then moved on. Just a short hop and we were over at some docks at Seymore's and here we picked up a Slot sized 6-spot Redfish (released), but no other significant bites.
After buzzing down to Broward Island we fished the first of an incoming tide. The wind had picked up just a bit and blew away the gnats. Bob caught and landed a handful of feisty Redfish. Then we moved down the way and worked back along the bank and picked up a couple of Seatrout, one on shrimp and one on Contender Baits "Christmas Tree' grub. The water temperature was a little over 61, so it's warming up. We had a bit more action today than yesterday so as we headed in we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
We had another beautiful morning today when I met Bob Blalock up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park. Sunshine, no wind, and warming temperatures. The tide had just started in so we made the quick run over to Tyger Island and pitched jigs with live shrimp to the exposed bank. We worked down the bank with Bob making excellent casts to the pockets, had not a bite, then worked back. Finally, Bob had a faint "bump", set the hook, and knocked the skunk off with a keeper sized Seatrout catch. We continued to ease back along the bank and way out deep, BAM! Another good bite. We were speculating, "feisty Redfish" or big Seatrout, which is what we were hoping for, but then the fish stayed deep, then we thought maybe the drag was a bit loose as it ripped it off. But Bob stayed with it, worked it patiently, and eventually brought to the net a big Oversized 28" Redfish, boy what a fish! We snapped a quick picture and released it.
Our hopes were high as we worked the bank up and down, but alas, there were no more bites, which was a precursor for things to come. After running around to the outside of Tyger and fishing a small drainage to no avail, we moved around to the Jolley and worked the shell banks with jigs and shrimp. Again, not a bite. We travelled further up the Jolley and fished another shell bank and again, not a bite.
Our final stop was around at Bell River, fishing some docks. We switched to jigs and plastic grubs thinking that might help, but again, not a bite. We had fished deep and shallow, live shrimp and plastic grubs. We had even tried a float rig on occasion, but the fish just didn't want to cooperate. But as we headed in, the sun was shining and we had great memories of at least one BIG fish caught today so we counted it as another great day to be out on the water here at Amelia Island, Florida.
Boy what a beautiful morning we had today! Clear skies, no wind and temperatures getting up to "peel off the jacket" heights! I had met Frank Boehm and his two fishing partners Jack Severson and Pat Andreasen down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early and we ran up the intercoastal, turned into the Nassau and made our way up the River for about a half a mile, then turned into the current on the first of an incoming tide. We worked along a shell lined bank pitching jigs and dead shrimp(live shrimp has been scarce the last couple of weeks) and it didn't take long for Jack, on the stern, to hookup and "knock the skunk off" with a Seatrout catch. But, unfortunately, that was all we caught along that stretch.
We then ran further up the river and eased in between two docks and fished the pilings as the tide came in. We weren't getting any bites until Pat had a "bump", set the hook and worked in to the net - a nice sized 17" Flounder, the first of the year! An Osprey overhead kept watch over his fishing grounds.
After running down to Broward Island we set up and let the drigs drop down the river bottom and here we had a good flurry of fish catching. All three anglers caught and landed Seatrout, with one of them being of keeper size right at 17". They also put a handful of feisty Redfish in the boat, one of which gave Pat his first Amelia Island Back Country Slam of Flounder, Seatarout and Refish. We were treated to a sighting of a Salt Marsh Mink, and minutes later, a Raccoon, then later, a Bald Eagle.
After fishing some docks at Nassauville to no avail, we ran through Horsehead and down to Jackstaff where we worked the bank. In a span of a minute, all three anglers had hookups and landings of Seatrout. And with that, we called it day, another great one to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
Tom Hutchens and I made a decision to fish this morning rather than tomorrow morning and it paid off. Today's forecast called for just a slight breeze this morning but increasing winds to about 12mph at knock-off time. We meet down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp and made a quick run up the Nassau River. The tide had been coming in for about three hours and I thought for sure we'd get some fish around some dock pilings at Seymore's Pointe. I'm glad I didn't bet on it! We fished the pilings thoroughly with jigs and live shrimp but had not a single bite. I was thinking, "oh no, here we go again". The last few trips I've fished have been a struggle with water temperatures hovering around 53 degrees. Todays water was up to 56 so I had high hopes that the fishing would be better.
I don't normally fish Broward Island on a high and incoming tide due to the logs being a real pain, but I thought we may have a chance at some Seatrout fishing the falling river bottom so we made the run down there. Low and behold, the island was blocking any wind, enough to where the sand gnats were a bit
aggravating. We began tossing up to the bank and letting the jig/shrimp fall with the current. Sure enough, we'd get just a faint "BIP" and when we tightened the line we'd get a hookup, Tom soon had the hang of it and all-told, he boated a dozen Seatrout, or so. We also had a good handful of feisty Redfish -undersized, but fun to catch, and a distinctly different kind of fight than the Seatrout. But then Tom hooked up and this fish was pulling hard, digging deep, and we thought for sure it was another of those smaller Reds. But when brought it to the net, we saw that it was a Big Seatrout, measuring in right at 20" and big enough to set the bar for this year's Anglers Mark Bragging Rights Tournament-Seatrout Category(scroll down the right side of this report and click on Bragging Rights link for standings(.
We dropped back and fished another stretch and picked up Reds and Trout then had another strong hookup. Tom played it perfectly and eventually landed a nice 23.25" Slot Redfish. I was thinking, "this is another Bragging Rights "bar setter" but then we had ANOTHER big bite! This fish was pulling deep and had no intention of coming to the boat (see video below). That Florida Fishing Tackle Ospery 1000CE's drag was ripping smooth and Tom was patient, and evidently living right, and after a good battle, landed an Oversized 28.25" Redfish, Boy what a fish, and a now a Bragging Rights bar setter! We ended up getting Tom's legal limit of 5 keeper Trout then we move on.
Our final stop was back at Nassauville, fishing a drop off, and Tom again put one more Trout in the boat, this one on a jig and Contender Bait "Christmas Tree" grub. The wind was really whipping right now but we had a box full of fish and as we headed in, we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.
I also fished this afternoon. Scott Jones had flown in for a meeting and set up a fishing trip for he and his associates, friends and fellow anglers Larkin and Dodd. We met up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park at 1pm. Unfortunately the wind had picked up to 16mph but was forecasted to drop a bit as the afternoon went on. We left the dock and headed over to Tyger Island to fish the logs with an hour left of an outgoing tide. We fished down the island, pitching jigs and shrimp and minnows and Amelia Island Bait and Tackle Contender 'Christmas Tree" grubs. Dodd was on the stern and was tossing a fly rod that he had brought and making excellent casts up to the drop off. But none of this paid off with fish until the tide changed. We had worked our way back to the north end of the island, set up, and BAM! Scott had a hookup. He played it perfectly, brought it to the boat, and landed a nice feisty Redfish to "knock the skunk off". Then Larkin hooked up with a jig and minnow combo and expertly landed another Redfish. Then both she and Scott had hookups and this time they were using the Contender grubs.
They added one more Redfish to the catch before the bite fell off.
We ran thru Tyger, around to Lanceford, and fished a few docks with the jigs and (now dead) shrimp. We move back Soap Creek and fished some more dock pilings, then moved around and fished some exposed oyster beds. Not a bite.
After making the run back to Eagans Creek we eased down the way, past the marina and Olde Towne Bait and Tackle and set up, bow into the current to work a deep bend. Larkin had a couple of bites, a brief hookup, but not a take. We made the pass again and Scott was able to snag a last hookup and boat a hungry Seatrout to wrap up a great day to be out on the water here at Amelia Island, Florida.
