Title: “July Fishing at Amelia Island”
Author: Captain Terry D. Lacoss
11 Centre St.
Fernandina Beach, Fl. 32034
Amelia Island fishermen will find good numbers of king mackerel prowling the shallow waters of the southern tip of Amelia Island, also commonly refered to as Nassau Sound, during the month of July. Numerous schools of bait fish is the big attraction for nearby king mackerel who have been know to leap six feet from the water when feeding. Mackerel fishermen will find large schools of menhaden holding in ten to thirty-feet of water, while large beach mullet can be cast netted right in the shallow surf.
Amazingly small boat fishermen have been targeting “Beach” kingfish during the past few summer fishing seasons and with outstanding success. After launching their small boat from the public boat ramp located at nearby Sawpit creek, the southern tip of Amelia Island is only fifteen-minutes away where kingfish may weigh over the forty-pound mark!
Tossing a eight-foot cast net over a school of menhaden often fills your boat’s live well with extra bait fish for chumming. Next live menhaden also referred to as pogies, are to a kingfish wire leader.
The kingfish leader includes a 3-foot section of #3-piano wire haywire wrapped to a 50-pound black barrel swivel. The tag end of the wire leader is then haywire wrapped to a 3/0 live bait hook. Next a short section of #4-piano wire is haywire wrapped to the eye of a #4-4x treble hook and the eye of the live bait nose hook. The length of the “Stinger” wire is adjust so that the stinger hook lays alongside of the live bait just behind the dorsal fin. The nose hook is barbed through both nostrils of the nose.
Summer live bait trolling just beyond the surf also nets excellent eating cobia and Spanish mackerel as well.
Tarpon fishing is also red hot during the month of July at the St. Mary’s inlet, Nassau Sound and along the beaches of Amelia Island. Anchoring up at the very end of the St. Mary’s south jetty rocks by far offers some of Florida’s very best tarpon fishing. Slowly chum with cut pieces of menhaden while fishing dead on the bottom with large size menhaden barded to a 7/0 circle hook. A 4-6 ounce tear drop weight is attached to sinker slide with a light pice of wire so that the weight is thrown during the first leap of the tarpon. Tarpon fishermen will also catch bull reds, shark and cobia as well.
Look for grouper, sea bass, triggerfish and lots of no keep “Um” red snapper to bend your bottom fishing gear at FA, FC, FB and HH fish havens as well. Fish dead on the bottom with live menhaden for keeper size bottom species. Live bait trolling at these same live bottoms with live cigar minnows, Spanish sardines and live menhaden will produce king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, barracuda and the occasional sailfish.
Freshwater fishing is often overlooked during the month of July simply because saltwater fishing for a wide variety of species is oftentimes the best of the entire year. However if you target one of the many freshwater ponds, or lakes located at the southern portion of Amelia Island during early morning, freshwater bass fishing can be absolutely fantastic!
I prefer arriving at my targeted bass lake just before sunrise while casting a surface plug close to shoreline cover. My personal favorite surface plugs include the Heddon “Sara Spook” in the Baby Bass color pattern, or a Storm “Chug Bug in the blue and chrome color pattern. Buzz baits also work well along with a slow sinking “Trick” plastic worm in the black and blue color pattern.
Surf fishing is also excellent during the month of July as well for delicious eating pompano that actively feed in the surf during an early morning flood tide as well. Bring along a sand flea rake as without a doubt, sand fleas are the very best bait for hard fighting pompano that can weigh over three-pounds. Surf fishing can also cexpect to catch beach whiting, bluefish, redfish and more.
For more fishing and charter information please call the Amelia Angler Outfitters 904-261-2870, or visit www.ameliaangler.com Amelia Angler Outfitters is located at 111 Centre, St. Fernandina beach Fl. 32034.