Author:   Terry Lacoss

                96965 Buccaneer Trail

                Amelia Island, Fla. 32034

 

Title:       “Fall Fishing at Amelia”

 

  Amelia Island’s fall fishing season finds many changing fishing patterns for many species of pelagic saltwater game fish.  As water temperatures begin to cool and a fall run of mullet takes place, fishing action for redfish, tarpon, jack crevalle and a wide variety of shark peaks at both deep inlets of Amelia Island.  The St. Mary’s Inlet, located at the northern tip of Amelia Island and the Nassau Inlet” located at the southern tip of Amelia Island become highways for large schools of mullet that are making their fall migration.

    Both deep inlets then become major ambush points for all of the above species of game fish, setting up excellent fishing opportunities for both the light tackle and big game saltwater fishermen.

     Huge schools of fall run red drum move into the deep holes and shallow sandbars during the fall fishing season and can be caught fishing dead on the bottom with cut baits, fresh shrimp or live finger mullet.  However most of the red drum here will be over the legal slot size limit, measuring over the Florida maximum size limit of twenty-seven inches.  Fishermen may keep one redfish per day measuring at least eighteen inches and not over twenty-seven inches.

  Tarpon fishing can also be enjoyed while fishing dead on the bottom with cut baits, or live menhaden.  Flounder fishing is excellent along the jetty rocks during the falling tide while fishing dead on the bottom with finger mullet, or bullhead minnows.

  Sheepshead fishing close to the jetty rocks is also productive during the last of the falling tide, while fishing close to the jetty rocks with fiddler crabs, or barnacles.

  Sea trout at the St. Mary’s rock jetties will take a live shrimp fished deep under a trout float, fish the riverside of the south jetty rocks during the falling tide. 

     The rock jetties at historical Fort Clinch also offers excellent flounder, sea trout and red drum fishing during the falling tide.  Here fishermen will find fish in between the small rock jetties and right on the bottom with live finger mullet, or fresh shrimp.

  In the deep waters bordering the fort, fishing on the bottom with fresh shrimp produces excellent catches of good eating whiting.

   Offshore fishing action can be red hot during the Fall fishing season as cooling water temperatures find bait fish and striking fish migrating out to deep water. One of the best kingfish locations during the fall fishing season, is the “Brunswick Forty Mile Bottom”.  Here bluewater fishermen can jig up a livewell full of cigar minnows at the R-5 Navy tower, then begin slow trolling livies close to the tower.  Here fishermen will not only find king mackerel, but dolphin, sailfish, barracuda, cobia and many more species of pelagic saltwater game fish.

  Fishermen will soon notice that after leaving the Navy Tower and navigating in an easterly direction, the water depth drops from 110 – 125 feet of water within five miles.  A rough bottom is soon located which offers excellent trolling and bottom fishing.  In fact some of the southeast’s best bottom fishing can be found in these waters while fishing dead on the bottom with fresh squid, or live cigar minnows.  Typical species include cobia, grouper, red snapper and black sea bass.

  Running further offshore, fishermen will find the Continental Shelf. Which is located some 70-miles offshore and has a water depth of 180-feet.  Trolling with ballyhoo and large plastic lure combos produces excellent catches of sailfish, wahoo, dolphin, white and blue marlin and black and yellowfin tuna.

  However one of the more popular styles of fall fishing, includes bottom fishing at the many close to shore reefs and wrecks for gag grouper.  Bottom fishermen will find numerous lime rock ledges and wrecks in water depths of 50-70 feet of water within fifteen miles offshore of the St. Mary’s rock jetties.

  Anchoring or drifting over one of these productive fishing drops can produce some real rod bending grouper action!  Red snapper are also found at these close to shore live bottoms and wrecks, which are identified on the local offshore fishing chart with GPS coordinates.

    Huge schools of redfish can be found in the backwaters of Amelia Island during the fall fishing season and can be taken by a variety of angling techniques.  One of the more popular methods is casting a topwater plug during a flooding tide.

      A full blown fall northeaster, paired with a full moon floods backcountry marshes where wade fishing is extremely popular for tailing reds.  Casting a gold Johnson spoon, led head jig rigged to a Berkley Gulp shrimp is a deadly technique for tailing reds.  Fly fishermen enjoy wade fishing an working a crab pattern fly where reds weighing to ten-pounds are showcasing their spotted tails.

  As the tide falls, red drum will school at creek mouths, mud flats and docks that border nearby flats and deep channels.

  Sea trout fishing is also excellent while casting topwater plugs during a flooding tide.  Sea trout will readily take a live shrimp drifted under a small popping cork, mirror lure, or a ¼ ounce led head jig rigged with a chartreuse plastic curly tail.

  Flounder fishing takes place during the falling tide at creek mouths, boat docks and deep sloughs.  One of the very best flounder fishing tactics, includes fishing right on the bottom with finger mullet, or bullhead minnows.

  Further up the tidal estuaries, area fishermen will find excellent largemouth bass fishing during the fall fishing season.  Some of the more popular tidal rivers include the big and little St. Mary’s Rivers, Lofton, Boggy and Thomas’ Creeks.  Look for the falling tide to produce largemouth bass weighing to eight pounds while working a trick worm slowly along the river’s edge.

  Surf fishing is also excellent during the fall for whiting, blues, flounder, red drum, sea trout and small puppy drum.  Fish on the bottom with a peeled fresh shrimp barbed to one hook and a live sand flea on the second hook.   Some of the best surf fishing action can be found at the “Old” pipeline, the south end of Amelia Island and the new rock jetties, which are located at the southern tip of Amelia Island.

  Delicious eating blue crabs can be caught while fishing right on the bottom with a weighted piece of chicken and is excellent family fun!  When a slight tug is detected, slowly pull the blue crab to the surface and net with a long handled net.  Keep the crabs alive in a bucket of water, then place in a boiling pot of water with crab boil added.  When the crabs turn a bright pink, they are ready to eat!

  Non Florida residents over the age of sixteen will need a saltwater fishing license when fishing from land, bridges, piers and boats.  For more fishing and charter information, contact the Amelia Angler at (904) 321-5090.