It was a Struggle

We had another beautiful morning today when I met Tom and Christy Wigger and their two kids Tessa and Ryan up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp. But I had warned them to wear long pants and long sleeves and sure enough, the Sand Gnats were out! We made our first stop over behind Tyger Island to fish the logs on an incoming tide with jigs and live shrimp on the bottom. Although we had some nibbles here and there, we had not takers.

After running around (and blowing the Gnats off) to the Jolley River, we set up in to the current and fished the jigs out front and float rigs out back. Not getting any bites, we moved down to Snook Creek and went all floats. We had two quick bites and it was Tessa who had the first hookup. She worked it quickly to the boat and landed a nice hungry Seatrout - Skunk Off!

After a pit stop back at Dee Dee we continued on and over to the Bell River, fished a marsh pointe, then ran over to Soap Creek and fished a large outflow. Here, Tom got on the board with a Seatrout catch. 

As we were heading back to the ramp we passed a big pod of porpoise who were just "lolling" along the bank, which was cool to see and made for a great way to wrap up a day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Setting The Flounder Bar

 We had a beautiful morning greet us out at Goffinsville Park this morning when I met William and Dara Blalock out as the sun was peaking over Amelia Island.  We made a quick run down to Broward Island to begin fishing just as the tide turned and I was thinking, "this is IDEAL" -first of the incoming tide, jigs and live shrimp, some accomplished anglers - we're going to "load the boat"!  Nope. We fished up and down the island and I don't think we got a real bite! 

After buzzing down the Nassau we set up alongside some flooding shell banks at Spanish Drop and worked it pretty good. Finally, Dara had a strong hookup and landed a keeper sized Seatrout. It was still a bit cool but the sun was up and feeling good so we crossed the river and fished another stretch of bank with the jigs and shrimp combo. We had fished a good way, hit some small marsh runouts, but with no real bites I was beginning to stow things away for another run, so I missed it!

 William had pitched up into a drainage and he said a fish "bammed" his bait, knocking it out of the water, and off the hook. As he reeled in Dara went in and when she tightened her line it began to move off, heading west. Dara tightened up and set the hook and Fish On! She played it patiently and perfectly landed a nice 24" Redfish (it later grew to 26"- amazing!) But boy what a fish!

We fished the outside of some docks at Seymore's Pointe then ran thru Horsehead over to the mouth of Jackstaff. Fishing on the other side of a grassy island, William hooked up and landed another keeper sized Trout. We took a short cut thru the marsh and back to Nassauville and with time running out, set up between two docks.

William quickly hooked up and landed a feisty Flounder then he said he had another strong bump, but not a take. Dara again went in, felt the Bump, set the hook - wasn't sure if it might be a log = but it began to pull back and, Fish On! She worked it slowly to the boat and landed a nice 22" Flounder, a fish big enough to set the bar for first place in the 2022 Anglers Mark Bragging Rights Tournament-Flounder Category (scroll down the right side of this report for link to standings). 

We had a good box of fish in the boat so as we headed in we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

No See-Ums Anyone?

Be careful what  you wish for! I'm always hoping that we won't have to deal with the wind and boy did it lay down nicely this morning! We had clear skies, calm waters and almost no wind when I met Nate Aron, his wife Brittany, and his stepfather Gil up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park. Being a Saturday, I wanted to get away from the crowd so we headed over to the Jolley River and turned back into the incoming current to begin tossing float rigs and live shrimp to the flooded oyster shell. Aaron did tangle with a big Gar fish, but we had not takers, and we begin to loose blood from the swarm of No See-Ums! We tired every flavor of insect repellent I had then we cranked and ran!

Our next stop was up the river at Snook Creek, fishing the floats. Although we had a not takers, we did have a bite or two. We then buzzed thru the Jolley, around to the Bell and began fishing between dock pilings on a high and still incoming tide. Nate and Brittany had switched to jigs and shrimp and finally, Nate had a hookup and landed a hungry Seatrout.

After making the run down the Bell back towards town, we pulled up at a flooding oyster pointe and drifted float rigs again. Gil was being real patient, drifting long, and when his float disappeared he lifted his rod and let the circle hook set, then patiently brought to the boat a feisty Seatrout. 

We fished Soap Creek, sticking with the float rigs at the top off the tide and Aaron found another Trout to catch after Brittany had chummed it  up! After fishing Lanceford for a bit, we headed in. The wind had picked up a bit and blown off the gnats so as we headed back  we counted it as another great day to be out on the water fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida 

10 Spotter

 

If we had been in the "Spot Tournament" we would have been running to check in! This morning I fished with cousins Adam and Patty Garner, meeting them early down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp. We headed up the intercoastal, turned into Middle River and headed around to the Pumpkin Hill to set up fishing float rigs and live shrimp on the last of an incoming tide. Both Adam and Patty were getting excellent drifts in outstanding conditions, but we had no takers. We move down the bank, fished a "cove", then moved around the corner and fished some grassy island, to no avail. 

After a run back to the Seymores Pointe and fished a large outflow on the first of an outgoing tide and here we knocked the "skunk" off. Adam had a good take, tightened up his line and a set the hook. He played the fish patiently to the net and landed a 10-Spot Slot Redfish. The duo of anglers continued to toss their floats up current and let it drift around a corner and they picked up another couple of feisty Redfish. 

We ran down to Spanish Drop and fished a bank with the float rigs, then moved back and fished it again with jigs and shrimp. Adam had made a good cast up to the bank, bumped it over some shell, and BAM - he had a hookup. After a brief battle he landed another nice Redfish. 

Back to Seymore's we went with plans to fish some dock pilings now that the tide had been going out for a bit. Pitching jigs, we had not bites until there was a faint bump and a hookup. Patty was on the rod and expertly landed a "just short" Flounder. Our final stop was over at the mouth of Jackstaff, fishing with the Artic Pelicans, then we headed in and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Not Much To It

 After a big wind yesterday, it calmed around midnight and it made for a beautiful fishing day for today. Although still just a bit cool, it warmed to a nice, balmy day of fishing. I met Ed Johnson and his fishing buddies Ken and Don down at Sawpit Creek boat ramp early and we ran up the intercoastal and dipped into Jackstaff, passing a pair of Bald Eagles resting a shell bed. We set up at a large marsh run out and began casting float rigs and live shrimp. It took a few minutes but finally we "knocked the skunk off" with a few hungry Seatrout catches. Before we left, Don had a strong hookup and his drag began to rip, the line heading east. It didn't slow down for a bit and I guessed, "shark", and if so, it would be the first of the year on the Anglers Mark. Don played it patiently and after a good battle we saw, sure enough, a shark fin. We boated it, dehooked, and released it. 

We ran thru Horsehead around to a large outflow and fished with the float rigs, but had no luck. We then motored down the Nassau and set up into the current at Spanish Drop. The trio of anglers picked up some Seatrout, with one that Ken caught being of keeper size. Then, after Ed had made a good cast  up near the bank, his float almost immediately disappeared and, Fish On!  We didn't think there was much to this fish for a little while, but we should have known - it stayed up by the bank even though Ed was applying soime pressure. I realized that this was a big fish about the time it got back in the current then it was Game On! But Ed was up to the task and played it expertly (Ed was the Nassau Sportsfishing Angler of the Year last year). The big fish stayed deep for a while, and when Ed worked it to the boat it would bull away, but eventually it wore out and came to the net, a 26 15/16" thick Redfish, boy what a fish!

We worked that bank thoroughly and picked up a handful of smaller "rat" Reds, then moved up the river and fished another run out, then further up to fish Twin Creeks. Just north of there Ken hooked up and landed keeper sized Flounder on a jig and shrimp.

Our final stop was over at some rocks at Nassauville, fishing jigs dropping down a sloped river bottom. Ed hooked up and landed a keeper Trout then Don had a strong bite and put the biggest Trout in the boat, another keeper. We had had some excellent weather and some good action so as we headed in we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Like It Was Scripted

We had a beautiful day to greet us this morning - just a bit cooler than yesterday, but clear skies and the forecasted winds of 12mph didn't seem so bad, coming out of the North West. I met Todd Johnson and his cousin David (when's the last time you fished with your cousin?) down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early and we made a quick run over to the docks at Longpoint and drifted live shrimp under slip floats on a tide that had been going out for about 3 hours. I liked the conditions, but we didn't get a bite.

We continued on up the intercoastal and dipped into Jackstaff and then into a side creek and switched to fixed floats and began tossing them with live shrimp to the marsh grass and oysters beds. We were seeing movement here an there and one time we saw a good swirl up between two small mounds of oysters. Todd was on the bow and made a good cast to the spot and let it sit. We both saw the float a"bob", then it slowly went under. Todd tightened up, lifted his rod and then we heard the ZIP, ZIP, ZIP of the reel drag. It was like it was scripted!  The fish boiled a few times but Todd kept the pressure on. We had to move the boat up to get away from a crab pot but as soon as we did Todd brought it expertly to the net - a nice 22" Slot Sized Redfish!

We fished that spot for a bit more and with the outgoing tide, the boat bottomed out on a mud bank but we were able to back off with the big Yamaha. With all that noise, we moved across Jackstaff and fished that bank for a good stretch,  to no avail, then we  made the run thru Horsehead over to Seymore's Pointe. Setting up between two docks, we switched to jigs and shrimp and got into some feisty Redfish. Both Todd and David were catching fish  and at one time we had a "double".

Bouncing between docks, we switched back to slip floats and picked up some Trout here and there, with one of them being of "keeper" size.

Our last stop was down at Littlefield Creek, back to pitching jigs. Here, David got "hot", landing one Trout after another as Todd and I looked on, not even getting a nibble.  Two more of the fish were of keeper size. David had mentioned that this would be a good spot to try a "Carolina Rig" so I rigged one up, hooked up a lively shrimp, and gave it a toss. Sure enough, BAM! Fish On! Another keeper sized Seatrout! Todd gave it a try, using the Carolina Rig, and, BAM! He had a hookup and landed  a Trout.

I'm not sure how they would work in a real swift current, but here the current had slowed and two casts caught two fish! We headed back to the ramp with some nice fish in the box, the sun shining and the temperature warming so we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

In Fine Company

After a terrible, long day of non-stop rain  yesterday, we awoke to clear skies, a tad bit cooler temperatures, and slight winds today. I met Eddie Byrd and Bob Kossman up at the Dee Dee Bartels Park boat ramp on a tide that still had about 2  hours to finish hitting bottom. We made the run  over to Lanceford Creek and fished some docks on what I thought should be an ideal tide. But all we had were nibblers! We worked some oyster shells where there was some movement going on, then fished another dock then moved on. 

Our next stop was over at Soap Creek, towards the end of the tide, and boy, I hadn't seen it this low in a while! There were sandbars where I didn't know there were sandbars! We fished with jigs and shrimp and Bob finally "knocked the skunk off" with a Seatrout catch. 

We dropped back towards Fernandina and fished some marsh drainages and here we got a wildlife show! There were 3-4 Salt Marsh Minks(Google says that's a "company") running along the

bank and swimming out into the river, and behind us, Porpoise were busting fish they had corralled in a small cove.

After a run back to Tyger Island, we worked that bank with the jigs and shrimp on the first of an incoming tide. Eddie got on the board with a keeper sized Seatrout catch, then Bob followed that up with one of his own. The wind had picked up so we made our last stop over at Eagans Creek, working in between docks and picked up a handful of small Trout, a Catfish, and a Stingray! It had been a beautiful day, we had some seen some wildlife, and had a couple of fish in the box for dinner so as we headed back, we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Kicking Off the Bragging Rights

We had some winds forecast for today, 12mph to begin with and getting up to 17mph as the morning wore on. But it was out of the south so we decided to launch up at Dee Dee Bartels Park. The tide had hit low a little after 7am and after I had met Don Walters and his fishing buddy AlexBournias we made the short run over to Tyger Island and fished the logs on that incoming tide. Unfortunately the water was muddy, kicked up by the winds, and we had no real bites - only nibbles on our live shrimp on a  jig.

We came out from behind Tyger and boy was it choppy! The spray from that south wind was coming over starboard but when we turned the corner we quit getting wet and made our way down the river, turned into Lanceford, and found some dock piling to fish. Here, the two anglers got some bits and Don "knocked the skunk off" with a nice Redfish catch. After fishing one more dock we came back to Soap Creek and fished some shell beds and again, Don found a feisty Redfish.

The wind had picked up so we ran back to Eagans Creek and fished  some docks with slip floats and jigs and shrimp. We hadn't been there for more than 5 minutes and had a hookup. Alex was on the rod - at first I didn't think it was very big, but then it dug deep and bent the rod. Alex kept the pressure on, played it perfectly, and landed a big 21.75" Seatrout - a fish big enough to kick off this years Anglers Mark Bragging Rights Tournament-Seatrout Category! (scroll down the right side of this report for link to standings).

Don was fishing one of the slip floats and let it drift up near a piling and was ready when it disappeared - he lifted his rod and let the circle hook do its job, and Fish On! Don patiently brought it to the boat and landed an 18.99999" Seatrout, another nice fish! We worked up and down that bank, dipping in between docks and caught smaller Trout and a good handful (4) of 11" Sheepshead (garnering an Amelia Island Back Country Slam of Redfish, Seatrout and Sheepshead), then we headed in, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Back To Back Flounder

 I wasn't really expecting a Flounder catch on the first drift this morning but that's what we got. I had met Matt Husa and his kids 9yo Divya and 5yo Kian down at the south end boat ramp early, and as the full moon disappeared over the trees, we headed up the intercoastal, cut thru Middle River and made it around to Pumpkin Hill with plans to drift live shrimp under floats on a tide that still had a couple of hours to hit high. 

Matt and Kian had taken the stern, drifting long, but Divya was on the bow and had a good drift going along the marsh grass on her first cast. When her float slowly went under she got her bail shut and began cranking - she had a hookup! Divya worked it to the boat and landed hungry 12" Flounder!  And just a drift or two later, in the same spot, she had another hookup. She brought this one to the boat, also, and it measured just a tad bit under 14". 

Matt and Kian had been working the stern and they teamed up to hookup and land a feisty Bluefish. We moved and fished the

point, then moved down another bank and fished some grassy islands and here Divya caught and landed a Seatrout.  Matt also hooked up and landed a keeper sized Seatrout. After fishing back around the corner, we made  the run down to Broward Island and fished jigs on the bottom on the very last of the high tide, not ideal. But we did get to see the Bald Eagles while were down there.

After a run back to Seymore's Pointe we set up at a grassy point and here the action picked up a bit. Both Divya and Matt/Kian team were getting bites and landing Seatrout. Then Matt had a strong bite and this one ripped some drag out-a bigger fish. Matt played it patiently and after a good battle landed a 17" keeper sized Seatrout. 

We ran thru Horsehead to the mouth of Jackstaff, turned into a creek, and fished a large outflow and again had few bites, then wrapped up pitching jigs along the bank in Jackstaff, then headed in, counting it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Trout Time

Although we had overcast skies this morning, there was only a slight breeze and it looked like a good day for fishing.  I met David Gross, his son Drew and his father-in-law Doc down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp and we headed up the intercoastal to dip into Jackstaff and set up at a large  marsh run out, drifting live shrimp under floats on the very first of an outgoing tide. 

It didn't take long and the trio of anglers were getting bites, hookups, and landed a handful of 14.5" Seatrout. We then ran thru Horsehead and fished a pointe of grass as the water flowed by and again, had good hookups of Trout. We moved down between two docks, drifted the floats, and again, Seatrout.

Our next stop was down the Nassau at Twin Creeks but here we got "skunked", not a bite. We moved further down to Spanish Drop and began working up alongside the bank. David had made an excellent cast, but right into some submerged oysters (that I didn't warn him about), but  as he popped his jig/shrimp combo out of the oysters, BAM! He had a strong bite and, Fish On! David played it patiently and soon landed a nice 20" Slot Redfish. We worked that bank for a bit and when we got to the corner we had a good flurry of Seatrout catches.

We then made the run back to Nassauville and fished some rocks and picked up another few Seatrout. Drew had hung with it and was putting fish in the boat along with his dad and granddad.  Our final stop was back at Seymores Pointe, fishing some dock pilings, but to no avail. But we had had some good action through out the day so as we headed back  we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.