It looks like we may  be getting wet every  day this week and today was no exception!  Mitch Bair and I  had  watched the weather forecast last evening and even this morning and it was looking decent for a fishing trip today so I met Mitch and his son-in-law Will down at Sawpit Creek boat ramp and as we headed up the intercoastal to turn into th...

There were forecasted rains for today and when I met Russ Kesel and his sons Sam and Noah and Noah's girlfriend Alysa down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp we could see the big dark clouds barreling to us. But we were all up for fishing so we headed p the intercoastal then up the Nassau and made our first stop at Spanish Drop. After turning in to t...

I fished with Chris Sneed and his fishing partner Chuck this morning meeting them down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early on a tide that had been coming in for a few hours. There was almost zero wind so we made our way around the south end of Amelia to fish the small jettu while we were in the area.  There was another boat on the north end so we...

Most folks know that my wind cutoff is at 15mph. So when I got in from yesterday's morning trip and sat down for a picnic at Old Town Bait and  Tackle and checked my cell phone for the weather report for an afternoon trip and saw 19mph I was somewhat chagrined. But the weather was nice just a bit overcast and the wind was out of the west so I enj...

I fished yesterday morning with Tom and Theresa Gaslin who were taking in an Amelia Island Backcountry fishing trip to celebrate their new status as fist time grandparents congratulations! Although the weather forecast improved from the night before with a small chance of rain the wind stayed the same hovering between 12-16mph. After meeting at O...

It appears the thunderstorms were moving in early today but I was able to get out and fish this morning with Melody and Scott Norton and after meeting them down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp we made the run up the intercoastal and thru the Back River and around to Pumpkin Hill where we stationed ourselves alongside a flooded grass line right at...

We had a beautiful June morning today when I met Paul Johnson and his kids Henry and Grady up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp. Sunshine and just enough  breeze to make it pleasant to fish the back waters of Amelia Island. We eased out of Egans Creek and made our way over to the outside of Tyger Island and set up off a point of grass to...

I fished with John Cipriani and  his fishing buddy John Givens this morning and after meeting them out at the Goffinsville Park boat ramp we made a quick run around to the other side of Seymore's Pointe with plans to drift float rigs and live shrimp on a tide that had been going out for about an hour. John was tossing the flat rig and had a few g...

I wrapped my week up fishing with the Portfleet's Tim and Lori and their daughter Danielle. After meeting them early this morning down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp we ran up the Nassau River to make our first stop at Spanish Drop on a tide that had one hour to hit bottom. All three anglers were tossing jigs - Danielle and Lori baited with live s...

I fished south today meeting Allen Richardson and his grandson Walker early at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp. We made the run up the intercoastal and around to Poteat Cut to fish jigs and live shrimp on the last of an outgoing tide. Both anglers were getting good casts we had some nibbles but no real takers. After fishing one drainage over in Jackst...

I did a quick trip this afternoon with Tom Pool and his wife Terri meeting them up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle ramp. We ran over to the outside of Tyger and fished with float rigs on a tide that had been going out for just a bit and it paid off - Tom hooked up and landed Seatrout. We ran up to the Jolley River and fished the bank with the floa...

I fished this morning with the Keller group- Tom Keller and his son-in-law Andrew and grandson Bryson. After meeting them up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp we made our longest run up to the Jolley River and all the way up to the MOA where we set up to toss jigs and live shrimp on a tide that had been coming in for about an hour. After...

I finished my week up fishing with Howard McClure and his fishing buddy Joe. I met them early this morning down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp and even though we had some forecasted winds to get up around 14mph we were eager to get out into the backwaters and get some fishing done. After making a 15 minute run up the intercoastal thru Back River on...

Today was one of those windy dreary days when you just hope you catch a fish with the tough conditions considered. I had met Brian Roach and his son Michael and friend Lee down at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp and as we were running to our first spot the wind was already kicking a bit. But we made our way around to Pumpkin Hill and set up to drift...

I fished today with Don Bickel and  his brother-in-law Doc meeting them out at the Goffinsville Park boat ramp. The tide was still coming in for  just a few minutes so we made a quick run over to Pumpkin Hill anchored and began to drift float rigs with live shrimp. My demo cast produced a bite that I wasn't ready for but subsequent drifts produc...

On Monday May 29th 2023 aka known as Memorial Day **Never Forget** we ran a 12hr charter with a multi-return customer (Dr. Nic) out of Mayport. Dr. Nic brought his 2 boys Drew and Luke who are young but you can tell they LOVE fishing! We used our 37ft Cape Horn with the owner Capt. […] The post 12hr Charter May 29th – Drew and Luke Rippin Lips app...

After a long weekend off with the Memorial Day holiday I was back at it today when I met Tom Jenkins with his son Braden and friend Steve with his son Zach. We met early up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp eased out of Eagans Creek and made our way over to the outside of Tyger on a tide that had been going out for about 2  hours. That f...

Well since the troll only yielded us a mahi a wahoo a few short strikes and some pulled hooks we took our frustrations out on the bottom fish! Capt. JD assisted me today with an awesome group of men/friends from the great state of Tennessee. The mutton bite was fired up for the 3hrs we […] The post Mutton and Mangrove Snapper on a 12HR appeared fi...

We've had rain and wind all week and trips had to be cancelled or rescheduled but we were able to squeeze in a trip today before tomorrows expected high winds (again).  I met Laura and Alex Winter out at the Goffinsville Park boat ramp early and although it was nice and sunny the NE wind was already picking up a bit. We fished between a couple of...

I wrapped the week up fishing with  my newest in-laws Douglas and Cindy Bailey who were down visiting Amelia Island to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary!  We met up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp eased out of Eagans Creek and made a quick run over to Bell River where we set  up fishing a flooded oyster bed with float rigs and l...

Redfish Bonnethead Shark Seatrout Flounder Mangrove Snapper Black Sea Bass and Silver Perch - not bad if we were in a species tournament!  But the ones that counted were a couple of Slot Redfish three keeper sized Seatrout and a Mangrove Snapper. I had met Eric Stevens and his friends Mike and Steven out at Goffinsville Park early this morning and...

Bluefish get a bad rap in that they are a bit fishy but if you know how to prepare them they can be delicious! Here's an age-old recipe for grilling Bluefish. The key is to prep the Bluefish!  Immediately after you catch them bleed them by cutting their gills and then put them on ice. When you get home filet them off the bone and skin and cut ou...

It's just plain crazy how our public officials seem to disregard the tax paying boating public. City of Fernandina commissioners are moving ahead with a Waterfront Park that will severely limit boaters using the marina ramp. In the Nassau County Dee Dee Bartels is dangerous to use when there is a west wind and hazardous to your boat anytime you la...

My theory this time of year is that the water temperature rises with the air temps and it falls with the air temps and the fish get confused.  And of course there's the theory about fishing during a full moon!  All week we've had beautiful weather a full-ish moon and cooler temperatures than last week and the fish bite had been somewhat down. Thu...