Went south

[Rik]

Headed south this morning to go fish down there. After a minor discussion about what a time to meet up with Dave and being unable to come up with a consensus, we left it at 'see ya there'. Some people have hard heads about fishing before sunrise. Rite of passage kind of thing or something. This is the cold time of year, the fish don't bite early.

I pulled in to see Dave paddling off about 50 yards away. After a leisurely unload, I went off after him.

We expected to see tails. We had fly rods. We were going to be successful elite snobs this morning using flies I had hand tied, slaving over every detail.

That was the plan anyway.

The wind was blowing, the right kind of tails weren't popping, I'd forgotten my stake out pole and Dave learned that Wang anchors - my Wang anchor - do not float. At all. Not even for a second. Of course he had to learn this in the only 4 foot deep section within half a mile. "So", he says, "I'll mark it and come back when the tide drops. " Great idea if he had an anchor. Okay, my anchor and my Backwater Hand Paddle (to be used as the float) go over the side. We also added his cut off milk jug (used as a bailer) to the line and off we go.

I was the first hook up with a cute little 16" redfish. Then a ladyfish and another ladyfish and another ladyfish. Dave finally gives out a whoop with a very talented 30" redfish. It's talent was shown when it de-Boga'd itself as I was coming over to take the glory shot. Not long after, I got another cute redfish.

We moved on to another flat and Dave went that way and I went this way so we were split up for the next couple hours. I found what I thought, initially, was redfish nirvana. I came around the corner of some mangroves to a sheltered channel and suddenly I see a sea of tails. Hundreds of tails. I take a second to calm my heartbeat and realize they are the wrong kind of tails. Mullet by the thousands. A guy could get his annual quota there in one day.

Aw, what the hell. Maybe I can snag one. Couple casts later and I make a brief connection and, as you can expect, every mullet in there suddenly blew up in fright. Mullet going in every direction at warp speed. Well, nothing else in there anymore.....

Back out to the flat where I made friends with the cute reds and ladyfish again. It was a 1 red to 2 ladyfish ratio. Caught 8 little reds (combined inches wouldn't make 160) and 15 or so ladyfish. I will brag at my amazing talent with the ladyfish - I did not have to touch or bring any of them into the kayak. No slime, no blood, no ladyfish poop!

Saw plenty of good sized reds but they just weren't chewing. I made some sight casts that I thought were perfect but, once the red saw the bait move, they'd take off. I finally gave up and went in search of the marker we'd left earlier.

I get to the area and don't see it. I'm standing in the kayak looking all over the place and lightly cussing the sumbitch who took my anchor and hand paddle. Then I see an older guy pull anchor and start motoring towards me. Hmmmm, wonder what this is all about. As he gets close, he holds up the anchor, hand paddle, cut off milk jug, twisted anchor line mess and asks, "Looking for this?" He hands it over as if he's done something that should give him good karma and then asks, "How'd you manage to lose that overboard?" When I told him how I'd "lost" it, he was very apologetic but now the Wang was lost for good.

So, beautiful morning, caught plenty of fish, good company interesting spots to go try again when I go back down there.

Oh...the fly rod....I never even took the hook off the keeper.....

[DaveR]

Uh oh. "My" Wang anchor. I thought you gave it to me. Now I feel bad all over again. I broke a rod in half to. An expensive day but always nice to spend a few hours with ya.

[DoubleM]

Great report and sounds like a good trip minus the lost goods, how far south did you boys venture?

[Rik]

how far south did you boys venture?

Not far.

[Heywood]

Que Blindmullet with the "Fail Train" picture

Dave, I'll fix you up with a Heywood Stakeout Pole. They float.

[Pmoconnor89]

I had a very similar experience with mullet pretending to be reds today. Sorry to hear about the losses, but at least it was a productive day on the water!

[Manning]

Great report. Since the doctor has not given me the green light to get back out there I can live vicariously through your adventures and misadventures.

[FLfishchaser]

Dave, it was a pleasure talking to you today. I now know why you looked a bit frazzeled.

[DaveR]

The frazzled look was 2 painkillers on an empty stomach. Nice to meet you too.

[SRQGator]

how far south did you boys venture?

Not far.

Mark, I'll send you a map via PM.

[Rik]

A map might get you to the launch but you'll need a chart to get to where we were fishing.

[DaveR]

how far south did you boys venture?

Not far.

Just a bit.

[shamus]

Apparently you two need adult supervision. call me next time !

[SRQGator]

A map might get you to the launch but you'll need a chart to get to where we were fishing.

Touche. Now give Dave his soap back.

[Rik]

Is that soap on a rope or soap on a line?

[noles]

Apparently you two need adult supervision. call me next time !

Bill's gonna tell you he saw hundreds of the right kind of tale! And he caught 4 big girls! Don't believe him! He never catches anything when we go fishing!