Flashed By a Bald Eagle

 We had a beautiful morning today when I met Jeff and Jinny Key down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp.
Clear, sunny skies and just enough breeze to keep the bugs off! We made our way over to the intracoastal then up the Nassau River to fish our first spot between some docks at Nassauville. I think we were about an hour late - the tide was at a standstill and so was the fish bite - we had no luck.

We then made our way down to Broward Island and pitched jigs and live shrimp as the tide started back in. Jeff found a nice "honey hole" off the stern of the boat and in short order began filling the box with Seatrout, Redfish and Sheepshead. He also rounded out an Amelia Island Backcountry Grande Slam when he put a small Black "puppy" Drum in the boat. This one spot was paying off  - just as we would think the bite had stopped, BAM! Fish On!  I was fishing a little bit and at least twice we had "double" hookups. Jeff would reel his in and I would net it, trying to keep pressure on my fish, then I'd hand the rod off and Jeff would finish him off. It was about this time we had a beautiful Bald Eagle flash by us, diving on a fish. 

We fished north of the island for a bit then made our way up river and into a creek where Jeff worked the bank diligently. He hooked up and landed 4 more Redfish, one of which was keeper size, and I think the biggest fish of the day found its way around a log and broke off. We had some great action, some beautiful weather, a Bald Eagle fly by so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Two Swimming Deer, Two Bald Eagles, Four Trout

 What a beautiful morning it was when I met Doug Mackle and his granddaughter Montana up at the Old
Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp. Clear skies, just a slight bit cool, and the sun coming up over the State Park. We eased out of Eagans Creek and as we did so Montana spotted to doe deer swimming across the creek, heading from the Pogey Plant over to Old Town. Cool!

We made our first run over to behind Tyger Island and fished the logs on a tide that had been coming in for a couple of hours. We must have been late because we didn't have what we could have called a real nibble. We then came out and headed up to the Jolley River where I turned into the current along the "bank". We worked along it good with float rigs and live shrimp. Finally, the "skunk was off" when Montana hooked up and battled to the boat a hard fighting Jack Crevalle. 

On up the Jolley we made a stop at Tyger Cut and drifted the float rigs again. We had a couple of bites then hooked up and landed a nice keeper sized Seatrout. Further up the Jolley, at Snook Creek, we eased along that bank and here Doug had a good fight with a feisty Redfish. While fishing, we spotted two beautiful Bald Eagles working the marsh, and roosting on an old root system.

Around at the Bell River we switched to jigs and this paid off with two more Trout catches, both of which were of keeper size. The biggest was right at 18" long. We fished back at Lanceford Creek and added the 4th keeper Trout to the cooler, then we finished up fishing up Soap Creek to wrap things up. We had seen deer and Bald Eagles and had a 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.

Working Up a Grande Slam

 I wrapped my week up fishing with Rick Payne and his fishing buddy Pedro, meeting them up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp early this morning. We eased out of Eagans Creek and made our way up and around to the Jolley River where we turned into the current along the "bank" and worked back tossing float rigs and live shrimp on the last of an incoming tide. Not much action along there, we may have had a bite or two. 

We then moved down to Tyger cut and fished the point, drifting with a current that was almost at a standstill, and again, not much happening. Further up the river, just past Snook Creek, we worked the bank as the tide came to a standstill. Pedro was on the stern and fishing long and it paid off when he hooked up and landed a nice keeper sized Seatrout to "knock the skunk off".

After coming back to the outside of Tyger we set up and fished the first of an outgoing tide. I was expecting big things but was soundly disappointed. But as we eased around the corner of some grass, Rick had made a good cast up alongside it and when his float slowly went under, he tightened up and let the circle hook set. This fish was pulling deep and not running much and sure enough, when Rick brought it to the net he had a nice Flounder. They also picked up one Bluefish here that was busting bait.

We then ran thru Tyger, over to the Bell, then down the intercoastal were we set up alongside some rocks.The duo caught a handful of Seatrout (one of which was of keeper size) and Pedro hooked up and battled a feisty Redfish to the boat to round out their Amelia Island Back Country Slam of Seatrout, Flounder and Redfish. After hitting one more dock up behind Piney Island Pedro topped off a "Grande" Slam when he reeled in a keeper sized Sheepshead. We had started slow but had some good action later so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Oversized Redfish, Finally

 

We had a beautiful sunrise today when I met Steve Locke and his son Justin out at Goffinsville Park this morning. I mentioned to Steve that we were getting some nice Trout and a few small Slot Redfish but we hadn't been getting nay BIG ones. Right. We made a quick run down the river and around to Seymore's Pointe where I thought we'd get some Seatrout on float rigs and shrimp on the first of an outgoing tide. I was wrong - we only had one bite, but no takers. We ran thru Horsehead and over to Poteat Point and here the duo got a few Seatrout. Justin had one take his bait and pulled a bit of drag and after a successful battle Justin landed a nice 17" keeper sized Trout. We eased up the bank and fished a pocket with those float rigs. Steve had made a good cast but the sun was right in our eyes - he peered past the glare and saw his float drift in to the grass and BAM! Fish On!  Steve worked 'em out, let the drag rip, then patiently played a nice 20" Slot Red to the net. Just like I had mentioned, "we're getting Slot Reds, but they're not real big".

We fished across the river there with the floats, then ran back up into Jackstaff and fished a drainage, both to no avail. After running back thru Horsehead and down to Twin Creeks we set up and tossed the floats. Not much action, so we switched to jigs and this did the trick. Justin was on the bow and picked up a Slam within 5 minutes - a Seatrout, a Red Drum, and a Black Drum. We moved down the river to a drainage and stuck with the jigs and it was the right call. Justin caught a couple of smaller Reds, then Steve, pitching to a submerged oyster bed, hooked up and landed a feisty Redfish. He went back to the same spot and BAM! Big Fish ripping. This fish was big! I was worried about a crab pot/rope being in the way but Steve worked it out into deeper water where it was safe. He slowly lifted his rod, then let the big fish run, then slowly worked it in, then let it run. The fish ran deep and behind us and got in the current and Steve stayed patient and gradually brought to the net an Oversized 30.5" Redfish, boy what a fish.

Moving down to Spanish Drop we worked back into the current and here Justin got hot tossing his jigs/shrimp to the shell bank. He caught a good handful of Redfish and a few Seatrout as the jigs fell down that shell into deeper water. Steve switched back to a float rig and went long and picked up a Trout. After fishing a few spots along Nassaville we called it a day and heading back to the ramp. we counted ita s another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Easy. Easy!

 Boy what a front that was that came thru last night as the Mighty Gators brought home their 3rd NCAA Basketball Championship! We had thunder, lighting and a steady downpour for ....at least 10 minutes, but it caused the temperature to drop a good 20 degrees from the previous day. I met David Barrow and his two sons Cole and Knox up at Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp and I was back in jeans and a jacket for the day. We eased out of Egans Creek and made the run over to Soap Creek and fished a large outflow on the first of an outgoing tide, thinking that there may be a few Seatrout hanging out, but no, no fish.

We worked along the grassy bank and all three anglers were getting good casts and drifts. Knox had made one with his float rig up to a point of grass and when his float disappeared he tightened in the line and let the circle hook set and Fish On! Knox had some place to be because he was cranking him in quick and I was coaching "Easy. Easy!", but despite my coaching Knox brought to the net a nice 20" Slot sized Redfish - the "skunk was off".

We then made our  way around to behind Piney Island and fished some dock pilings - a spot that had paid off the last two trips, but we had no real bites up  under the dock and out in the creek. Our next stop was down the intracoastal fishing some structure and this did the trick. The trio of anglers caught a good handful of Redfish, one of which was in the Slot, and they boated a handful of Seatrout, one which was over 20".  We moved forward a bit and again boated Redfish (two were in the Slot, one had to go back) and more Seatrout. 

After running down to Seymore's Pointe and fishing a dock that produced a Stingray, a Seabass, and a Stone Crab, we moved around to Nassauville and picked up another couple of Trout to round out 3 for the box. We had to battle some wind today but we found a few spots that were fishable, and with a few fish in the live well, we made the long run back and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

The Trout Just Keep Coming

 I was back to work today, fishing with the Bailey family -David and Allyson and their son John David. We met early up at Old Town Bait and Tackel knowing that the wind was going to be blowing just a bit, and increasing as the day progressed, and it did. Our first stop was down the intracoastal and after dipping into a small creek David and Allyson fished off the stern to some dock pilings. Altough they did have a nibble or two, it was John David off the starboard side who "knocked the skunk off" when he boated and landed a couple of Seatrout, one of which was of keeper size. 

We then came out of that creek and ran down to some structure and fished deep. David got on the board when he hooked up and patiently battled to the boat another keeper sized Trout and while he was doing that Allyson hooked up and got here's right to the boat for a "quick release". We eased further up some rocks and again, caught keeper Trout, one of which was just over 20" - they had their big fish. We might have picked up two or three fish there but when we dropped back to the original spot, BAM! They got a good flurry of fish catching. A handful of more Trout and then both David and John David battled and landed a Slot Redfish. Allyson contributed to the pot when she hooked up and expertly landed a big 18" Trout. 

After coming back to Fernandina then running way up the Bell River we fished some docks and again found Seatrout deep. I began to count fish to make sure we didn't go over our limit! After adding a couple of more keepers we made our way around to the Jolley River and fished the MOA briefly before heading back to the ramp. We had avoided the wind all morning, had a good box of fish in the boat so we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Need some fresh, natural honey from the North Georgia Mountains? Contact David and Allyson at Ally Bees Honey

Slayed The Trout

 I wrapped my week up fishing with Todd Johnson and his friend Todd "Raleigh" when I met them up at
the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp early. We made a run up the river towards the bridge and dipped into a creek to begin fishing with jigs and live shrimp under some dock pilings This paid off for Raleigh - he pulled a few feisty Redfish out from under that dock. But even better, Todd found a cut to pitch to and it paid off with a couple of big Seatrout catches - they measured right up to 19". Raleigh followed suite and he too picked up a Trout or two.

We came out of that creek and worked further up the intracoastal to fish some structure and again, we found Trout. Both Raleigh and Todd were pitching to a edge of current and letting their jig fall deep with the current and BAM! Trout on. They landed a few there, a couple which were of keeper size, then we move up and Raleigh put another in the boat just shy of 19".

After running all the way back past Fernandina we made our way around to fish the logs of Tyger. We didn't have much action at all until BAM! Big Fish On!  Raleigh was on the rod and played it perfectly - he worked it up from the bottom, let it run, worked it up, let it run and soon tired it out and brought to the net a nice 25" Slot Redfish. Raleigh added a couple of small Flounder catches to his tally.

Another faily long run took us up the Bell where we fished some docks. More Trout and lots of them. And the biggest of the day, just over 19". In addition to many smalls that we tossed back this angling duo rounded out their limit of 5 keeper Trout apiece. We had caught a bunch of fish and had enough for them to feed their families so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fising here at Amelia Island, Florida.

Good Fishing Day

 I picked up the Stettner crew this morning over at Oyster Bay -Robert and his friends Mark and Kirk. We then made the run over to Tyger Island and set up to fish jigs and live shrimp as the tide started back in. It wasn't long before this trio of anglers were catching fish. They put a couple of keeper sized Black "puppy" Drum in the boat, a couple of small but feisty Redfish, a handful of hungry Seatrout, one of which was of keeper size, then Mark battled to the boat a nice 24.5" Slot sized Redfish. 

After fishing up and down the island for a good while, we made the run around to the Jolley River and fished a stretch of still exposed shell with float rigs and shrimp and then jigs and shrimp, but to no avail. The wind had picked up and our drifts just weren't....drifting! 

A final run around to Bell River did the trick. I was expecting to get Seatrout on the back side of some dock pilings but it was on the front side where Robert found a "honey hole" he had a strong hookup, one that ripped some drag and we knew that if it was a Trout it was a big one, and sure enough, that's what it was, a nice 19" Trout. Robert pulled two three more big Trout out of that same spot before it fell off. After fishing another couple of docks we headed back and counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

First Jack of the year

 I was out again today, fishing with Steve Buckley, meeting him down at Sawpit Creek boat ramp early.
We've fished north the last two times we've fished together but I wanted to show Steve another "side" of Amelia Island. We ran up the Nassau, all the way to a dock that is under repair/construction and got there before the crew showed up to get in a bit of fishing before the sawing and hammering started up! It paid off - Steve hooked up and landed a hard fighting Black "puppy" Drum, a feisty Redfish, and the first Jack Crevalle catch of the year. 

After the construction workers began work we moved around to Nassauville and fished between two docks. Steve had a few nibbles here and there but not much was happening until he had worked his jigs and shrimp out deep and BAM! Nice Fish On!  Steve played it patiently and worked to the surface a big 19" Seatrout.  We then moved down the bank a few docks, fished them pretty good and then the same thing happened. I was thinking "big Trout again" but when we netted it we saw it was a big Weakfish! We'll take it!

The tide had started in so we ran down Broward Island, set up and caught a feisty Redfish, then moved on down the island and worked back and this did the trick. Steve hooked up and landed some small, beautifully coppered Redfish then he battled to the boat a nice Slot Redfish. 

Our final stop was back at Twin Creeks fishing float rigs and this paid off on that higher incoming tide. Steve would make his cast up current, let it drift naturally and BAM! That float would go under. Steve had to quickly pick up the line so the circle hook set and he got most of them! They were small but fun to catch Seatrout and a good way to wrap up another great day of fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida. 

Grande Slam and a Mess 'a Fish

Another pretty day today, so much so that the bugs were a bit of a problem. I had met William and Dara Blalock and their friend Brian Roach out at Goffinsville Park early - the tide was supposed to be at it's low but it was still going out, so we eased down Nassauville and set up between a couple of docks to fish that last of he outgoing. I was surprised that these three experienced anglers didn't get a bite! But we moved down a few docks and worked them until the tide changed and when it did, BAM! A double hookup on Seatrout, one of which was of keeper size. As we moved down a bit Brian had pitched up between some pilings, worked it out and had that strange 'thump" we're all familiar with. Brian set the hook and slowly worked in a nice 17" Flounder. 

We then ran down to Broward Island and fished as the tide started in. It wasn't "on fire" but Dara did finally "knock the skunk off " the spot with a Slot sized Redfish catch. We moved down the island and worked back and things heated up. The trio added another couple of keeper sized Trout, another couple of small Flounder, then William went off the stern and picked up a hard fighting keeper sized Sheepshead. They also caught a handful of small but feisty and fun to catch Redfish. 

After running way up the Nassau we dipped into a creek and worked the bank back into the current. Not a bite for most of the way and I was thinking the spot was going to be a bust but finally we got into a few fish and added the final Slot Redfish of the day - they had their limit. Our final stop was back at the mouth of Pumpkin Hill where we drifted floats but we had not takers. These anglers had an Amelia Island Grande Slam in the box -Redfish, Seatrout, Flounder and Sheepshead, and a good mess of fish at that, so as we headed back to the ramp we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.