Fishing reports needed

[Todd]

Some know that I have been having shoulder problems for awhile.

Today I finally had surgery to fix my shoulder. Had a torn labrum as well as a torn rotated cuff, did not see that on the MRI Now have two anchors and hopefully my shoulder will be better than new.

So I will have to live vicariously through your reports while I am rehabbing.

[MarkM]

You type pretty good for using only one hand there.

Hope the shoulder heals up soon. In the meantime I'll post every time I don't catch any fish so you can remember how good you used to be at fishing.

[Todd]

You type pretty good for using only one hand there.

:

The iPad rocks.

[krash]

So what made you have surgery if nothing was found in the mRI ?

I ask because I have shoulder issue, for a while now, went to a top rated shoulder guy, he said its not right, did MRI 2 times, physical therapy, said no pain no gain, injections, more physical therapy. But it still sucks. Basically I cannot reach backwards, lift much over my head, and can't throw a baseball or football overhand. It doe not bother me to much to paddle for hours, cast all day, or when diving.
After all said and done the Dr. said Look I can;t do any more except open you up, do a fulll manipulation, take it apart and put it back together. He said it would be good as new but require 4 to 6 months of painful therapy.

[Todd]

They saw the tear in the labrum, not the rotater cuff tear. It is a long rehab but I know two guys that had it done and they both say they are better than new.

[barrynfla]

Sorry you're on IR, Todd, but good luck with, hopefully, a quick recovery.

[Manning]

Good luck on the mend.

[GILs_GONE_WILD]

Been there, done that, got TWO T-shirts. (Both shoulders). I feel your pain. Stay on top of that rehab RELENTLOUSLY! That's all I've got to say except ... get well soon!!!

[GILs_GONE_WILD]

It is a long rehab but I know two guys that had it done and they both say they are better than new.

Don't buy into that "No pain, no gain" thing. That is for building muscle. NOT repairing tendons. I had one of the TOP shoulder doctors in the area and he said do not let them hurt you (no pain) while rehabbing. Take it easy ... baby steps.

[Norm]

You type pretty good for using only one hand there.

I thought you told me he was use to using only one hand

All kidding aside....I wish you quick recovery Todd Having gone through carpal tunnel surgery on both hands in the same summer and now still dealing with this damn ankle...I understand the the frustration you will experience.

[Heywood]

18

[DaveR]

A quick mend my friend!

[Todd]

18

Nice! Where are my pics?

[Mark R]

18

Nice! Where are my pics?

Swimming!

[jbdba01]

Holy crap - I have the same problem but was able to rehab around it (probably not as bad). Downside is now I have tennis elbow from the rehab. WTH??

Here's a stinkpot/kayak report...

I threw Wonder Boy and my SOT kayak in the 17" skiff and headed from CRB to Indian/Tarpon Key. I had looked at the wind forecast and figure 12 is doable, but around mid bay we found ourselves in seas 3-5' maybe 4-6' with gust +20. Ahh yes...good plans gone bad. The plan was to fish our way back to CRB.

Regardless, I've been in worse in the skiff, so as long as the engine held up I knew we were fine. Course going down one of the bigger troughs there was a very real possibility that if we broke down one would come over the stern. About that time I realized my boat plan was with my wife in in the woods on a girl scout retreat. Hmmm....mental note - two people get the plan.

Half way into the mess there was only one thing to do. Power through. At least we had a life raft, but no one was out there to come get us. Water temp was a balmy 63 degrees so it would have been a nice cold paddle in. I had visions of last year's kayaker from MacDill, but with the St. Pete getting closer and closer I pretty much erased the thoughts of hypothermia.

Here's how it started (raw video)...looks quiet enough doesn't it? Winds were coming from E/NE - how bad could it get?



Reaching St. Pete and on the leeward side of 275 we got on some early fish and yes the Riptide Flats Chub was "bank" (that's what the kids now adays call money) with a nice 24" red and a couple trout.

Seeing more reds near the island, I threw Wonder Boy in his waders and gave him the general direction and told him I would wait in the stinkpot while he cleaned up shop. With the upside down rigged 3" rootbeer mullet he fished the school of mullet pretty hard , but after about 30 minutes the gig was up and I had him come back. We motored over to a couple other islands and let the winds do 90% of the work pushing us across the flats. We got on some more trout and flounder, but the reds had eluded us again.

After a couple hours the winds calmed down and we hit the Clam Bar - we slammed out on Lizard Fish. We saw some mackerel and small Jacks near the shore, but with the tide going out faster than I expected we bid a hasty retreat and crossed to Bishops Harbor. On the way over we saw a pod of about 6-8 dolphins with what I can only describe as what appeared to be more little dolphins being made. Seems they didn't like the voyeurism - so they bolted when we came back around for a better look (I thought I had see a HUGE triangle fin in the mess and thought a shark was getting "what fer". Making it to Bishop's we fished the opening somewhat hard but after 30-60 minutes of more dink trout and flounder we opted to fish CRB on the flats. It felt like the winds had calmed down enough to pull that off.

As soon as we rounded the spoil island of Port Manatee I knew that idea was toast. Going head on into a steady 12-15 knot winds, we paid Neptune with a good back beating. My crocs absorbed a good part of that smack down, and I was REALLY thankful it wasn't as bad as the morning beat down.

Rounding into CRB we fished the channel ledges, but that was enough of that. I backed up the trailer had Wonder Boy load up the skiff. Into a squirrelly tide and wind situation that had the boat catty wampus to the trailer he lined things up. He played his cards right and gave it just enough gas at the right time to get her on the trailer the first time - we had a couple minor adjustments, but I winched in the whole party w/o too much fan fare.

I tossed him the keys and had him drive us all home. Nothing like coaching up Wonder Boy on his first trailering of the stinkpot. As we headed down Boyette, I had him pull into DQ for some lousy burgers, but some great milkshakes. There was more coaching on how to pull out of a very tight parking lot, but he did fine.

We got home and he was hell on wheels getting everything cleaned out. We talked bout going to the Keys and sleeping on the skiff, but we would need both kayaks, and maybe the sail-canoe on top of the 4 runner. (Seems he has the fishin' bug bad.). We would live off the land and if we didn't catch - well...that's just too bad. He commented on realizing how fortunate we are to live down here - I reminded him that over the summer I had seen some Amish folks on St. Pete beach fully in Amish garb clearly taking in the vastness of the ocean; obviously they had never seen the ocean before.

Two of the smaller kids made a break for it and all the sudden the lot of 8 of them was in the water hooting and hollering like they had just won the lottery. Mom and Dad didn't partake, but they should have. Perhaps they didn't want to mess up their clothes...perhaps they were just used to holding back a bit, but Mom and Dad were smiling from ear to ear.

Boat cleaned, kayak put up he asked what the odds were of being able to take the boat out by himself or maybe introduce a buddy to fishing in the boat?

I told him if he manned up for the next p-f.com in January I would give it some serious consideration, but don't hold your breath.

Seems we'll both see you in Jan (hopefully), so heal up.

[Heywood]

18

Nice! Where are my pics?