In 1814, Zephaniah Kingsley moved his family to Fort George Island, seeking to acquire land and make a fortune in cotton, citrus, sugar cane and corn. Today, the Kingsley Plantation on the south bank of the Fort George River is an important historical site administered by the National Park Service. Across the river, on the north shore, is a natural reminder of even more distant history. Beyond the vast shorelines of spartina grass lies Little Talbot Island, a harsh yet pristine environment little changed through 6,000 years of human habitation. This 2,500-acre island and state park is one of the few remaining undeveloped barrier islands in Florida. Little Talbot Island and Fort George State Park are both part of the Timucuan Ecological Preserve; in 1988 these precious lands were set aside for their historical and natural value for everyone to enjoy.

When the summer crowds flee this scenic waterway, the trout fishing picks up in a big way.

The waterways that twist among these historical lands account for a big part of the area’s natural beauty—and a huge helping of recreational value. The unspoiled Fort George River branches off the east side of the Intracoastal Waterway just a few miles north of the St. Johns River. On the incoming tide, clean salt water from the Atlantic Ocean flows west over white sand from the mouth of the Fort George River back into the ICW. At the rivermouth is Huegenot Park, where surfers, kayakers and surf fisherman regularly gather, free to bask in the sun.

In addition to its historical value and scenery, the Fort George River is also known for its fabulous fishing. The winter trout fishery is one of the best-kept secrets north of the St. Johns River. Large schools of spotted seatrout invade the Fort George area in November, taking up residence through early spring. As water temperatures rise, these seatrout start to migrate throughout the Intracoastal Waterway and St. Johns River.

A January trip might produce action similar to what the McConnell family and I found not long ago. Harry McConnell’s sons, Rusty and Andy, had enlisted my guidance in a Christmas gift for Dad.

We started out tossing shallow-running lipped divers and surface chuggers in Simpson Creek, a narrow tributary that branches off the Fort George River. Simpson Creek snakes all the way to Nassau Sound, from the southwest tip of Little Talbot Island to the northern tip where Bird Island intersects the ocean. Ocean-fed at both ends, Simpson is one of the clearest bodies of water in the Jacksonville area. I’d had several very successful trips here the week before Christmas, casting crankbaits and surface chuggers toward flooded spartina shorelines, but on this chilly morning the trout showed no interest in our plugs. I was tempted to yank up the trolling motor and head for the St. Johns River, but I just couldn’t imagine all those trout leaving the area—not to mention that it was too cold to comfortably run very far in a flats boat. Instead, I elected to change our fishing method. We put the topwater lures away. I dropped anchor and the McConnells started float fishing with live shrimp.