Remnants of a 20- knot sea breeze the night before promised a bumpy ride for Capt. Chris Savitz and the 65-foot partyboat Mayport Princess. A smaller boat tucked itself behind the stern of our Mayport-based boat, seeking a smoother ride offshore. When that happens, you know it’s choppy.

Anchor balls reduce the manual labor of hauling an anchor topsides from the deep.

“The forecast is for winds dropping to 10 to 15 knots by midmorning, so I believe we can fish,” Savitz said. “One thing for sure, bottom fishing has been red hot during our past few trips. All year, for that matter. Yesterday we landed six nice cobia and a mix of bottom fish, highlighted with a 22-pound red snapper.”

Savitz is a full-time Mayport ship pilot, who subs for Capt. George Strait, owner and captain of Mayport Princess. Both are well-respected charter captains.

We took a 60-degree heading for the Amberjack Hole, known to local fishermen simply as AH. This popular reef offers wrecks and a hard bottom with numerous small ledges varying from two to three feet in relief. It has an average depth of 75 feet and is only 20 miles from the inlet.

Soon enough, deckhands began rigging 8-ounce bank sinkers to 80-pound terminal tackle, with equal portions of fresh squid divided among anxious fishermen. Soon our throttles were pulled back, and Savitz watched the color bottom machine like a fish hawk.

With the wind still blowing up to 15 knots, he spun the wheel, turning Princess into the wind. The anchor chain rattled out, our engines in reverse, and we soon stopped.

“If you can’t anchor exactly over bottom structure and fish, you simply won’t catch ’em,” the captain said. “You could be 50 feet away, and miss the fish. Positioning is everything.” Moments later, he popped his head from the steering cabin and gave the order, “Drop your baits down!”

Fishermen were soon setting hooks and bending bottom rods, proof we were on the spot.

Red snapper swarmed many jacksonville bottom spots last season.

However, the fish were running small, with several undersized grouper and red snapper released.

“Let’s reel them up,” Savitz said. “The seas are laying down. Let’s run out to deeper water. It’s pretty much stirred up by recent winds, so let’s see if we can find some cleaner water at Elton Bottom.”

As we headed another 20 miles offshore, the water began to clean up. The presence of flyingfish offered hope that fishing would only improve. An hour later, we anchored directly over hard bottom with a 3-foot ledge. Time to drop those baits.

With a depth of slightly over 100 feet, it would take more time to lay baits on bottom and reel up fish.

The extra depth was worth it, however; sisters Jennifer and Carolyn Gergely on the stern were soon fighting a pair of large fish that threatened to tangle surrounding lines. Some of the more seasoned anglers quickly got their lines in and made room, to avoid a monumental tangle. Other anglers were not so quick, but fortunately both fish fought a few yards to the side, and were finally brought to the gaff. Their prizes were identical, 30-pound amberjacks.

At the same time, Rick Vollmer leaned into his bottom gear, as something huge tried to gain its freedom by sticking its nose into the ledge far below.