27 Apr 2008

I met Lee at Shoreline park for a few hours of fishing. I was a few minutes late, I just couldn't pry myself from the bed after the last few days. My first stop was a dock that I'd heard was holding a few reds. As we approched we noticed another boat was already working the pier. We slid over to the next dock an pitched a few shrimp with no results.

The other boat was having trouble with the wind. They didn't have a trolling motor and were both trying to fish at the same time, all the while the wind was pushing them into the dock. Thay'd get blown in, start their engine, and back out, only to get blown in again. We watched them boat two nice slot fish. I told Lee we needed to get in there before all the fish got spooked. I eased over so we could pitch over there as well and gave the guys some friendly advice. If only one person fished at a time, while the other kept the boat away from the pier. Our same baits got thrown in there a few times without losing as much as a leg. We decided we'd come back later, after the fish had a chance to rest.

We drifted a nearby grass flat and caught a white trout and a small grouper. Peeled over to another pier where the mangrove snapper were hungry. A few snappers and a small grouper later we picked up and ran to the Pass, in search of the bull red that Lee was after. In the Pass I see my good friend Capt Lance Powers, I give him a call for a report. He proceeds to tell me about the abundance of catfish today. Catfish...yeah!!! Well catfish it's gonna be.

We caught small snappers and groupers, not a catfish...or a redfish in sight. I made it my top priority to find a catfish! It took me a few drifts to do it but we finally caught one. Then it happened... Lees rod took a turn towards the bottom and the drag started pouring line off the spool. Oh yeah, that's him. Lees grin split wide open, this is what he was after.

The fish put up a good fight, but Lee wore him down and I lipped him with the Boga.


Our friend the wind awoke from it's short nap, on the wrong side of the bed. The bay was starting to turn white We made another drift and hooked another fish that got us in the rocks and missed a couple more. The wind continued to increase so we headed back towards our original dock and the ramp. Relocated back to a now deserted pier, we had no problems fishing it at will. Empty hook after empty hook kept returning to the boat and both the bait supply and the time were running out. Lee had put his rod away when I hooked up. A 20" Redfish was my reward. Lee picked his rod back up and we finished giving away the rest of our bait. We couldn't get another hook to find strike home.

We were back I the ramp a little after 1100. Having released all of our fish, the clean up was quick. Lee and I parted ways; me headed home for a nap and Lee trailering his boat to central Florida for more fishing.

Thanks again, Lee, I had a great time. And yes, next time we'll take your boat.