Some of the best fishing action during the fall is available at the St. Mary's and Nassau inlets. "Bull" reds weighing over 40 pounds are a common catch, but must be released immediately. Tarpon weighing well over 100 pounds are schooling as well, along with large sharks, jack crevalle, bluefish and the occasional king mackerel. Fishing deep with live mullet or menhaden is key when targeting all the above species. Kingfish weighing to 40 pounds are more likely to take a live menhaden or mullet fished right on the surface.

Offshore fishermen will enjoy excellent bottom fishing for gag grouper, triggerfish, sheepshead, black sea bass and red snapper. Be sure and check with www.myfwc.com to be sure what species of bottom fish are currently in season, including bag and size limits.

Back country fishermen will enjoy unusually high flood tides during the fall. They can find redfish tailing in the flooded spartina marshes when there is a full moon and heavy northeast winds. Simply get out of your shallow-water skiff and wade the marshes while casting a crab pattern fly, spoon fly, gold Johnson spoon, or a 1/8-oz. led head jig rigged with a Berkley Gulp shrimp in the New Penny color pattern.

Fly fishing is also excellent during the last hour of the falling and the first two hours of the incoming tides. For the best action, try to locate schools of mullet stirring up the bottom. One of my favorite redfish flies during low tide is the popular "Redfish Magic."

Sea trout weighing to 10 pounds will be taking live finger mullet fished under a small float where deep channels pass by structures including oyster beds, dock pilings and similar structures. When there is a presence of mullet schooling on the surface, try working a surface plug such as the "Chug Bug", or the "Zara Spook" in the chrome and chartreuse color pattern.

Beach fishing will be excellent during fall fishing season, particularly at the very southern portion of Amelia Island. Here, a small rock jetty provides an excellent ambush point for sea trout, redfish and more. Some of the best action comes during a high falling tide, paired with a full moon when water clarity is best.

Some of the largest Amelia Island beach sea trout are taken using live finger mullet as bait with a "Fish-Finder" setup. The fish finder setup begins with a 1-oz. egg weight threaded onto your 20-lb. braided fishing line. Next, a small plastic bead is also threaded onto your terminal fishing line followed by a 30-lb. black barrel swivel that is attached to the main line using a Palomar knot. Then, an 18-inch length of 20-lb. fluorocarbon shock leader is attached to the remaining side of the barrel swivel. Finally, a #2 Kahle hook is tied to the business end of the leader. Barb live finger mullet right through the bottom of the mouth and out through the top of the head, then retrieve slowly along the bottom just behind large rolling swells.

Live shrimp can also be used with great success while targeting beach trout, and are available at local bait shops on Amelia Island. Barb the live shrimp right through the bottom of the tail with a 1/4-oz. chartreuse-colored jig and retrieve slowly along the bottom.

Sand fleas are excellent live baits for pompano, whiting and redfish, and are available right in the pounding surf while sifting through the sand with a sand flea rake. First, churn up the sand with your feet ahead of the sand flea rake, then sand fleas are washed into the sand flea rake.

Freshwater fishing in the Nassau and St. Mary's River systems should be excellent in the upper feeder creeks for largemouth bass weighing to 10 pounds. Lofton, Mills, Thomas', St. Mary's and Boggy tidal rivers offer excellent bass fishing when casting a minnow-type plug or a dark, weightless plastic worm. Be prepared to encounter striped bass, redfish and sea trout where salt water mixes with fresh water!

For more fishing charter information, please visit www.ameliaangler.com,.