Mullet Stream Shutdown - Bite is Gone

Yesterday started out with some dense fog but, it cleared out nicely before noon so, I headed over to Fernandina Beach and had thoughts of fishing Nassau Sound between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.  First though, I headed to the north end of the island to check out the fishing pier in Fort Clinch State Park -- they claim it is the longest fishing pier on the east coast (half mile in length).  Some local tackle shop owners had told me they thought it was built on the wrong side of the longer jetty which runs parallel to it and to the south.  Since there is a shipping channel running just north of the pier, I think casting in that direction makes better sense and that the variety of fish should be better and more plentiful so, I would have to disagree with those shop owners.

The pier has some nice restrooms and graphic panels with information about the local flora and fauna and they are nicely located on the approaches to the pier and some alternate steps and a ramp lead down to the north end beaches -- they were nicely cleaned too at the time I used them.  As I made the turn past the restrooms and began the straight walk out onto the concrete pier, I passed a fisherman who had a nice Red Drum in his cooler which he had caught at the very end of the pier (something encouraging).  I think it was a little after 11:00 a.m. and I figured I could at least spend an hour or more trying my luck and a few of those leftover Mullet in my bait bucket.  I also had put my pack of Fish Bites in my pocket to try catching some Whiting.

The end of the pier was already taken by an Asian couple and they had more than a half dozen poles occupying every pole pocket in sight so, I took up a spot a little short of them and threw my big rig deep toward the channel with two offerings of Fish Bites.  I hooked one of the small Mullet on my small rig and kept it closer to the pilings of the pier (hoping for a Flounder or one of those Red Drum).  While I soaked up the warmth of the sun and watched my poles for some action, I saw a beautiful yacht motoring out in the channel -- thought it must be heading for someplace exotic like the Bahamas or farther to the south like Jamaica.  Too bad my motorhome can't get me down there too.  Well, it's supposed to be in the 80s here this weekend -- warm enough for these old bones.

After more than an hour and a half, I didn't get a single bite and didn't see the Asian couple get anything either so, I started to head back toward the Jeep and hoped to head down A1A to the other end of the island.  Besides, the water there looked so muddy and murky that I doubted I would want to eat any fish caught in those waters.  I passed two younger guys on the way back (closest ones to me) and they had caught one Whiting and a couple small fish they said.  I stopped about a third of the way back and cast my Fish Bites out again toward the channel but, again had no bites.

I went about another third of the way back and stopped to try again at a spot where the pier jutted out toward the north (and the channel).  A local guy came down the north side of the pier toward me and we talked awhile -- he has a place in Cleveland too and has fished here for some 30 years.  He was using a mud minnow and hoping for a Flounder, he said but, he too thought the water was too muddy and hoped some changing tides might bring some cleaner water.  I decided to head for the cleaner water at the southern tip of the island.

By the time I got back to the Jeep, it was about 1:00 p.m. so, I didn't get to Amelia Island State Park until 1:30 p.m.  When I 4-wheeled onto the beach, I only passed one other vehicle parked on the beach and it was on one of the points I had fished a couple days ago (with no luck).  On the way out to the farthest point, I didn't notice any Mullet activity along the shores so, I didn't stop to try casting my net into the water.  Instead I drove all the way out and along the farthest sandbar to see what might be happening but, there wasn't any bird activity on the waters and no other vehicles.  I decided to stop a little closer to the farthest sandbar (still in Nassau Sound though) and tried using the Fish Bites with a piece of Mullet too on each hook for the deep line.

I tried the smaller rig in the shallower waters where the outgoing current was running still -- fairly strong too.  As I waited and watched for some bites, I grabbed my casting net and bucket from the Jeep and walked the shore looking for some live Mullet to put on the smaller pole.  I only managed to net a few of the Mullet and a few silver minnows after trying more than a dozen throws with the casting net.  Anyway, I at least had a live Mullet to put on the smaller pole and walked the shore toward the farthest sandbar and even walked onto the sandbar for the first time as the tide was so low -- water wasn't more than ankle deep.  It was the first time I had seen the water that low since being down here.  Normally, you would have to wade through waist deep water to get onto that same sandbar.

One guy showed up in his truck as I walked the shore back from the sandbar and he inquired about the Mullet and if I had caught anything -- his response implied that if the Mullet are gone then, so is the fishing for this season.  I tend to agree.  Oh yeah!  I only had one bite on that live Mullet and it must have been a big Blue because he only left me the head -- food for the sea gulls.  Also, the water was much cleaner and fairly clear.

Next stop -- Tampa and the Gulf of Mexico (off Honeymoon Island).  Only 12 miles from Bay Bayou RV park where I have a month reserved from Dec 14th to Jan 14th.  After that, maybe Naples or the Florida Keys -- Coral Castle somewhere along the way too.