Winter
Fishing at Amelia
Speckled sea trout are plentiful in tidal rivers, bays, inlets and surf during Amelia Island's winter fishing season. Sea trout can weigh upwards of six pounds, with a few catches weighing close to ten! Some of the best sea trout fishing comes from Tiger Basin during the last hour of the flood and the first few hours of the falling tides. Fish the flooded oyster bars with live shrimp, fished under a small "Rattling Float". Egan's Creek also harbors excellent winter sea trout fishing during the falling tide while drifting live shrimp deep under a trout float. Trolling 1/4-oz. led head jigs also produces excellent action, particularly during the last hour of the falling tide when sea trout can be found schooling from the 14th Street Bridge to the mouth of Egan's Creek. The Nassau fishing pier and Nassau Bridge also harbor excellent winter sea trout fishing. For the best results, drift live shrimp deep under these fishy bridges. The Nassau Bridge at the mouth of Sawpit Creek is a sure bet for catching your limit of winter specks! Excellent sea trout fishing can also be enjoyed at the St. Mary's jetty rocks, Amelia Island beaches and the Amelia River.
Triggerfish are considered one of the best eating of the reef The winter fishing season is also a good time of year to find redfish schooling in Amelia Island backwaters. Here, winter redfish will typically school during the warmer portions of the day and over a mud bottom where the mid-day sun is warming up the water temperature. One of the best lures for winter redfish is a "New Penny" colored Berkley Gulp shrimp, fished slowly along the bottom. Gold spoons, in-line spinners and a variety of live baits, including shrimp, finger mullet and bullhead minnows will also entice winter redfish to strike. Some of the key winter redfish areas to find schooling activity includes the "Tiger Basin", "Lanceford Creek Flats", the "Horsehead" and the "Lion's Den". However, there are numerous shallow sloughs that can be found just off from the Amelia River where winter redfish can be found schooling. To locate schools, look for nervous water, several wakes (also called pushes) and redfish tails sticking from the water! Flounder fishing can be enjoyed during the falling tide at the footsteps of historic Fort Clinch. Here, fishermen can fish from the small jetty rocks or from a small, anchored boat. Flounder weighing to ten pounds simply love live finger mullet, mud minnows, or cut baits fished slowly along the bottom. The winter fishing season is also a good time of year to anchor your boat in the deep waters of the Cumberland or Nassau Sounds while fishing dead on the bottom with fresh shrimp. Winter fishing here will net good-eating whiting, black drum, bluefish and yellow mouth trout. Sheepshead are plentiful at the St. Mary's jetty rocks during low tide phases. Look for sheepshead in the intracoastal waterway to hold close to barnacle-clad docks and bridge pilings. For best results, fish close to these shell-clad structures with fiddler crabs or barnacles. Sheepshead offer a snowy white fillet that is simply delicious eating!
Giant redfish can be found in Amelia's backwater Amelia Island also offers a variety of shore fishing from its pristine beaches, the George Crady fishing pier, the Fort Clinch fishing pier and from the little jetty rocks located at Fort Clinch. One of the best shore or pier fishing tactics includes fishing dead on the bottom with ultra fresh shrimp. Expect to catch black drum, bluefish, sea trout, flounder, red drum, yellow mouth trout and sheepshead. Offshore fishing is excellent during the winter months while drift fishing over sunken wrecks, rock ledges and artificial reefs for a variety of saltwater species. Included are red snapper, gag grouper, black sea bass, cobia, amberjack and reef shark. For best results, fish close to the bottom with fresh local squid. If you are targeting large grouper or red snapper, fish close to the bottom with live baits including cigar minnows, mullet, pilchards, pinfish or grunts. Look for FA, FB, FC, HH, KBY, Schultz's Fish Market and the Amberjack Hole to produce excellent winter bottom fishing action. A variety of trolling species school in water depths of 80 feet and deeper during the winter fishing season. Trolling with dead cigar minnows rigged to 20-lb. trolling tackle produces excellent king mackerel action. Be sure and bring along a set of downriggers and set the depths deep from 20 to 50 feet of water. Some of the best winter kingfish action comes during mid-day when the winter sun warms up the water temperature and baitfish schools become more active. Here, king mackerel will strike flat lines and outrigger baits.
Offshore bottom fishing is great for grouper (above), Blue water fishing action is excellent for winter wahoo and sailfish. Troll at the popular "Tuna Patch" where the water depths drop off over a live bottom from 120 feet to over 1,000 feet of water in less than a mile! Freshwater fishing is particularly excellent during the winter months for trophy largemouth bass weighing from five to ten pounds. Northeast Florida bass fishermen will find a multitude of freshwater tidal rivers that harbor excellent winter bass fishing, including the St. Mary's, Little St. Mary's and the Nassau River systems. Fish the falling tide while casting gold rapalas or dark-colored trick worms to small creek mouths or fallen tree tops. Fishing with live shiners under a small float is still one of the best fishing tactics for landing that largemouth bass of a lifetime! Non-Florida residents, over the age of 16, will need a saltwater fishing license when fishing from land, bridges or piers. This also includes crabbing. For more fishing and charter information, call the Amelia Angler at (904) 321-5090.
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