A major run of red drum, or redfish, takes place at both Nassau and Cumberland Sounds. Here, huge schools of up to 100 fish can be found holding in deep passes during the slow moving tides. Many red drum fishermen believe the last few hours of the in-coming tide produces the best action while fishing right on the bottom with cut baits.

Most of the fall run redfish will measure well over the Florida State maximum legal size length of 27 inches. Be sure and release oversized red drum properly so they will survive. In many cases, particularly when landed from deep holes, the air bladder of the red drum will inflate and need to be deflated so that the released fish will survive. A long knitting needle with a sharpened point is ideal. Be sure and sterilize the point of the needle before deflating the air bladder. Simply lay the red drum on it's side and on a wet towel. Insert the needle just below the dorsal fin and in the middle of the side, the needle should be inserted towards the head as well and at an angle. You can tell when the air bladder is punctured because you will begin to hear the bladder deflate. Once the air bladder has been deflated, hold the redfish in the water until it can swim away in good health.

Huge schools of redfish can also be found in the backwaters of Amelia Island during the fall fishing season. These fish are excellent sport with both spin and fly fishing tackle. Look for some of the best action to come during the full moon and when fall tides flood the spartina marshes. Here, redfish will migrate back into the flooded marshes and gorge themselves on their favorite meal, fiddler crabs!

When the tide begins to fall, redfish will move from the flooded marshes and begin to school on mud flats where they can be targeted with topwater plugs. Try Rapala's "Skitter Walk", Mirror-O-Lures "Top Dog", or Storm's "Chug Bug".

Fishing for Amelia Island sea trout is also excellent during the fall, particularly during all of the high tide phases. Many of the larger sea trout are taken with topwater chuggers, including the "Chug Bug".

Live shrimp fished under a popping cork also works well for sea trout, some of which can weigh up to eight pounds! Historically, Tiger Basin gives up it's fair share of fall sea trout catches during the last of the incoming and first of the falling tides. Fish close to the marshes and anywhere oyster bars create an ambush point.

Look for the shoreline running from the mouth of Egan's Creek to the footsteps of historical Fort Clinch to produce better than average catches of flounder. The falling tide produces flatfish here often topping the eight-pound mark. Fort Clinch Park officer Carl Middleton once landed a 15-lb. flounder while fishing the small rock jetties right in front of Fort Clinch!

The best fishing tactic for fall flounder includes barbing a finger mullet or bull head minnow with a #1 kahle hook. Then drift the live bait slowly over the rough bottom using a "Fish Finder" setup.

The fish finder setup consists of fishing with 20-lb. casting tackle with a 1-oz. egg sinker threaded onto the terminal fishing line. Next, a small plastic bead is placed on the fishing line and a 50-lb. barrel swivel is tied to the tag end of the terminal fishing line. Finally a 14-inch section of 25-lb. fluorocarbon shock leader is tied to the remaining side of the barrel swivel and the #1 kahle hook is tied to the tag end of the shock leader.

The flounder's strike comes as a solid thud. Allow the flounder to kill and swallow the live bait for at least a count of ten before setting the hook!

If you plan on flounder fishing at the south end of Amelia Island, fish from the northwest corner of the fishing pier to the first few docks located in the Nassau Sound. Wade fishing during the falling tide can be excellent, not only for flounder, but for redfish and sea trout, too!

Most wade fishermen here will bring along their 5-foot cast net and a live bait bucket. Generous schools of finger mullet can be netted during the falling tide. These are excellent live baits for all of the above mentioned species of saltwater game fish.

Surf fishing is also excellent during the fall, particularly at the southern tip of Amelia Island and close to the newly constructed rock jetties. Fresh shrimp will attract a wide variety of surf species including excellent-eating whiting, bluefish and pompano. You can also dig up some live sand fleas, which are excellent baits for surf fishing, particularly pompano.

Offshore fishing for grouper, red snapper and black sea bass is best during the fall months while fishing right on the bottom with cut chunks of "Boston Mackerel." Some of the more productive bottom fishing locations include KBY, FA, FB, FC, HH and the Amberjack Hole.

When the seas are calm, try the "Brunswick Forty Mile Bottom," where trolling and bottom species of game fish are waiting to put a deep bend in your saltwater fishing rod!

Most fishermen who target these famous fishing waters will stop at the R-5 Navy tower first and fill up their live well with Spanish sardines and cigar minnows.

Grouper and red snapper fishing can also be excellent close to the tower. Trolling for dolphin, king mackerel, cobia, and the occasional wahoo just east of the tower in 100 feet of water can also be excellent.

Wahoo fishing is great at northeast Florida's Continental Shelf, where bluewater fishermen can also expect to catch dolphin, sailfish and even blue marlin!

During the past few fall fishing seasons, there has also been a major bite for sailfish, with some sport fishing boats landing and releasing over ten sails per trip!

Largemouth bass fishing in the many area freshwater tidal rivers is excellent during the fall. Fish the lower reaches of Lofton Creek while casting a gold # 9 rapala during the falling tide. Other productive freshwater rivers include Boggy, Mills, Plumbers and the St. Mary's.

Striper fishing is very good during the last of the incoming and the first of the falling tides from the Highway 17 bridge on the Nassau River to the I-95 interstate bridge. Fish on the bottom with fresh shrimp, or troll the mouths of small feeder creeks with silver rebels or rapalas.

The St. Mary's River also yields it's share of fall stripers from the Brick Yard boat launch on the St. Mary's River to the I-95 interstate bridge.