SPRING FISHING AT AMELIA

Spring fishing action is a warm welcome for most northeast Florida fishermen. As northeasters diminish and give way to gentle southeast sea breezes, warmer water and air temperatures invite area fishermen to test a wide variety of salt and freshwater game fish. The warming water temperatures create temperature breaks, which attract schools of both baitfish and predator species.

Black drum are a favorite target of Amelia Island fishermen during the springtime
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Black drum, some weighing over 70 pounds, are the main target of most springtime fishermen. Large schools of black drum can be found feeding at the Nassau and St. Marys inlets and in area tidal rivers. These big schools of giant fish normally arrive in March and run right through the month of June.

The best areas to catch black drum include the "breakers" at Nassau Sound, the tip of the St. Marys' south jetties, the "Black Hammock," located at the mouth of the Nassau River and the deep waters of the Cumberland Sound, just off from the footsteps of historic Fort Clinch.

Proven drum baits include conch, blue crabs, large shrimp and clams. Combinations of these baits are also very effective when fished right on the bottom. Skilled drum fishermen prefer 50 to 80-lb. tackle, a large weight to keep the bait right on the bottom, a four-foot section of 100-lb. mono shock leader and a 7/0 to 8/0 saltwater bait hook.

Cobia fishing has slowed down during the past few seasons at area inlet mouths and beaches. However, good numbers of cobia can still be found holding offshore at wrecks and large rock ledges. Here, cobia will often follow a hooked fish right up to your fishing boat, have a 20-lb. spinning rod rigged with a large jig or rapala and be prepared for a
real fight!

Kingfish begin arriving in early May at some of the nearshore fish havens. Local kings often weigh up to 40 pounds. Live bait trolling with cigar minnows, blue runners or menhaden often produces the best kingfish action. Live bait fishermen will also find blackfin tuna, dolphin, barracuda, Spanish mackerel, bonito and many more species of saltwater game fish willing to test an angler’s fishing skills.

Drift fishing at offshore fish havens produces great catches of grouper, red snapper and black sea bass during the spring fishing season. For best results. fish right on the bottom with fresh squid, cut bait or live cigar minnows. Some of the best drift fishing action can be found at the following offshore fish havens: KBY, FA, FC, HH and AH. All of these popular fish havens are marked with coordinates on the local fishing chart.

Blue water fishing during the spring can produce some of the best trolling action of the year. Monster wahoo often weighing 50 to 70 pounds highlight most trips to Northeast Florida's Gulf Stream. Don Combs landed a 125-lb. wahoo during a past spring fishing outing to the Gulf Stream!

The continental shelf is located some 70 miles from the St. Marys inlet. Here, the water depths begin dropping rapidly from 180 feet to over 1000 feet within a few miles! Trolling with rigged ballyhoo, or combinations of ballyhoo and lures,

Spring offers excellant drift fishing opportunities, particularly for hard-fighting grouper.
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produces outstanding fishing action for dolphin, blue marlin, sailfish and wahoo.

Backwater fishing in the many bays and tidal estuaries of Amelia Island produces excellent catches of redfish, sea trout, flounder, bluefish and jack crevalle. One of the more popular techniques for catching a wide variety of these backwater species is simply tipping a 1/4-oz. led head jig with a live shrimp. Here, the jig is fished slowly over an oyster bar or close to docks, bars or flooded marsh flats. For exciting fishing action, try a large, noisy topwater plug!

The warming days of spring are the best time of the year to catch largemouth bass.
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Surf fishing action is also excellent during the spring fishing season, with hard-hitting whiting stealing the show. Great-eating whiting weigh from one to two pounds and can be taken while fishing right on the bottom with a piece of fresh shrimp. Look for some of the best surf fishing action to come from the southern end of Amelia Island. Fresh shrimp will also produce good catches of pompano, blues, sea trout, flounder and redfish. Live finger mullet, fished right on the bottom, often produce the largest fish of the day!

Fishing from the Fort Clinch and Nassau Sound fishing piers can result in great catches of whiting, blues, sea trout, sheepshead and black drum, with the Nassau Sound pier often producing big drum during the spring fishing season.

Lofton, Mills, Plumbers, Thomas, Boggy and the St. Marys rivers offer superb bass fishing during the spring fishing season. Look for the best action to come during warm afternoons while fishing a jerk worm or gold rapala.

Crabbing is great family fun and can be enjoyed while fishing right on the bottom with a chicken neck. First, tie a 2-oz. weight to the end of a string. Then tie the chicken neck to the end of the string as well. When a slight tug is detected, bring the crab slowly to the surface and net. Blue crabs offer delicious eating when cooked in water seasoned with crab boil.

Non-Florida residents over the age of 16 will need to purchase a saltwater fishing license when fishing from a boat or land. This also includes crabbing.

For more fishing and charter information, call the Amelia Angler at (904) 321-5090.