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“Rare Game Fish”
By Terry Lacoss
Catching tripletail requires a tackle box full of fishing skills where fishermen scout the beaches where there are numerous buoys and floating objects located close to the beaches. Tripletail laying just under the surface appear to be dark shadows where premium sunglasses worn by the angler is a must. Live shrimp cast without a float or weight is the common fishing tactic.
However, during a recent backwater fishing trip with McCauley Adams, McCauley hooked into what I thought was a large black drum. A closer look at boat side identified McCauley’s catch as a delicious eating tripletail. I have been backwater fishing Amelia Island waters since 1973 and this if the very first tripletail that has ever come on board my Triton backwater boat!
Kingfish are typically found along the beaches, inlets and offshore structures, however a few summers ago Cumberland Sound fishermen were catching kingfish weighing to thirty-pounds! This was the only occasion that kingfish have been caught far back in the brackish waters of Cumberland Sound.
Striped bass are also a rare catch for Amelia Island bay and tidal river fishermen unless you are fishing far up the tidal rivers where a mix of salt and freshwater mingle. A few winters ago, Egan’s Creek fishermen were consistently catching striped bass to five-pounds while fishing under the 14th St. Bridge!
A tackle box fishing seasons ago I was fishing tarpon fishing at the St. Mary’s south jetty rocks with outdoor writer Bob McNally when an 8-pound Spanish mackerel leaped right into our fishing boat! However, it is not uncommon for striking game fish such as kingfish to leap right through a school of surface feeding bait fish and land head first into a nearby fishing boat.
One of my rare and most enjoyable fishing experiences includes watching high leaping game fish capture their prey in mid-flight. One of the largest king mackerel that I have ever witnessed sky rocketed on a live mullet and literally chomped the large silver mullet into small pieces while in full flight. During the first run the small kingfish hooks pulled free of the fifty-plus pound kingfish.
During yet another mid air attack a young fisherman on my boat hooked into a five-pound ladyfish. The ladyfish came leaping high from the water and was captured in mid air by an eighty-pound tarpon. The young angler brought his large silver sided tarpon to the boat after a thirty-minute battle where it was released.
On May 20, 1961 Lynn Joyner was shark fishing from a downtown shrimp dock when a large fish took his large shark bait. After a lengthy battle, Joyner landed a new IGFA all tackle Goliath Grouper that hit the scales at 680-pounds.
Catching a redfish with multiple spots is not rare, but catching it during the up coming “4th Annual Amelia Island redfish Spot Tournament” will be a rare experience for the lucky fishermen! On September 7th-8th area fishermen will testing their fishing skills while angling for a multiple spotted redfish. The big event will be held from the Amelia Island Yacht Basin and offers a 100% payback for the tournament fishermen. There will also be live music and a big raffle where the lucky raffle ticket holder may win a Southwest airplane ticket to any of their destinations.
For more information please visit www.fernandinabeachguidesassociation.com
