I managed to get two of my five trips in before the wind went off the charts. First up was my old friend Joe Trad, and his sons Joe Jr. and Philip, of St. Louis, Missouri, whom I've fished with since back in 2000. After circumstances kept them away for several years, I was amazed at how the boys had become fine looking young men of 18 and 20 years.
The wind was already blowing pretty hard when we left the dock for Tarpon Bay. The ride over was fairly bumpy, with the tide running out and the wind blowing across it at our backs, making a following sea. Sometimes, no matter what you try to do, the water just falls out from under you, making for an exciting ride.
Once on the flat at Tarpon, we elected Phil to be the chummer, and went to work. It took him a little bit to get the hang of throwing the chum without spraying it all over, but he did, and the bait came in well. Within my alloted hour, we were done and on our way to the first stop. It was bouncy, to say the least. But, once there we were out of the worst of it for a while.
Our first stop was in a pretty creek in Ding Darling. It's usually full of snook and out-sized trout in the spring. Our wind allowed us to anchor on one side of the creek and cast to the other. I tossed some live shiners occasionally to try to get the fish eating. The boys managed some beautiful trout to about 5 pounds, and fairly early on Phil hooked a big snook, and managed to bring her to the boat with lots of excitement and coaching. It was a 32.5 inch snook that weighed in a 10 pounds. Phil was on a total adrenalin high. This was his biggest fish! Everything after that was sort of anti-climactic, even the big trout. We did catch a few more snook, too. Once the bite slowed we moved on.
We made the trek across the Sound at it's narrowest point, and the big wind at starboard side. It was really blowing, and there was some serious waves and chop, but the Talon handles that kind of water very well, and allow enough speed to stay pretty dry. Once across we settled on a spot that has been loaded with snook, as it usually is in the early spring. And, there have been some big ones hanging out there. We managed a nice jack crevalle and a few more snook, including a nice snook right at the slot that Joe caught. After working the spot well, we were on the road, again.
We settled on a pretty mangrove key with the wind at our backs, and pitched to a nice trough where the snook lay in the current. We had numerous baits scaled by cantankerous snook, and missed a couple, but only managed to boat one. After a reasonable time we were on the move, again.
After riding a few miles we settled on a beautiful key that I love to fish during the spring because it's full of snook. There are usually some reds around as well. But, it was more of the same, as we had lots of baits scaled, and only managed to boat two snook.
It was noon and we were a bunch of hungry anglers. Our tide was done moving, as well. It was time for us to eat, and we were off to the Waterfront Restaurant. We had a great lunch, and recapped what had been a tough bite, but a pretty good day with some nice fish. And, it was great to see Joe and the boys again, and renew an old friendship.
It was more of the same on Wednesday for my first trip with Jack Kruse, and his friend David Jones, of Boulder, Colorado. It was already howling before the sun was up. It was another bumpy ride in a following sea to Tarpon Bay. With Jack chumming we loaded up on bait within an hour. But, there wasn't as much of the big baits as there had been in the last few weeks.
We headed back to the same creek that had given us some big trout a a big snook the day before. We found similar action. Jack and Dave caught some big trout, a nice snapper, and several snook to just over 28 inches. Once it slowed down, we again made the exciting ride across the Sound with a 25 MPH wind blowing over our starboard gunwale. I was already tired of fishing in so much wind! It just wears you out!
At our next stop we managed several snook and a nice trout before we had an incident with another boater. I was working on a bad wind loop. It was a mess, and it was deep, and I had a bunch of line out and down the current, trying to get to the bottom of it. A boat approached and it was obvious he was going to run right over us. Well, believe it or not, I'm used to that, but I waved him off and shouted to him that we had a bunch of line out that he was about to run in to. I was trying to keep him from getting in to my line, because a hundred yards of Power Pro wrapped around your prop and shaft can very easily get into the lower unit seal, and wind up destroying your lower unit!
Well, all we got back from this moron was a bunch of crap, and he just kept coming, all the while screaming at me for being where I was. Of course, he got into my line. I grabbed the spool and finally broke it off. Geez. Wouldn't it be a shame if it ruined his lower unit?!
We made a move to another snook spot where the water runs well, and it was more of the same; scaled baits. As I recall we got another couple of snook there, but couldn't really get a bite going.
I asked Jack and Dave if they wanted to try to catch a redfish or two for the Slam, but offered them no guarantees. I felt pretty good about our chances though, as I'd managed to catch half dozen or so ballyhoo that morning. That's even better bait than steaked ladyfish for those reds.
We settled on a key that usually has redfish in a trough on the west side of it this time of year. We put out two ballyhoo "Slim Jims" and a shiner off to the side, but only manged to get a good catfish bite. I figured there must be a bunch of them on the flat, and moved on.
At our next stop it didn't take long after getting the Slim Jims in the water to get a beautiful 10 pound redfish, which Dave really enjoyed catching, and gave him and the boat the Slam. Soon afterward, we had a big, fat trout eat a Slim Jim. The last fish was a catfish, and considering that we were now on the slack side of the tide, that was the signal to move on. I was bummed that we couldn't get a big red to eat for Jack. He's not yet caught a redfish.
We decided to head home, and I fully expected a rough ride when we rounded the corner at York Island. But, between the time we'd left where we were in the Sound, to the time we got to the York Island Cut, the wind mysteriously laid to the point the the ride wasn't bad. Seeing that, and knowing we were back in moving water for a while with a move of ten miles or so, we voted to hit one more spot. We did manage to get some blows on our chum and some scaled baits, but we only managed one nice jack crevalle. But, it was worth the stop. We headed in. It had again been a tough bite, but a good day with a couple of great guys.
I usually hear my wind chimes playing rock and roll during the night when the wind is really up. But, two days of fishing in 25 gusts had worn me out, and I didn't hear much of anything. I got ready, and really didn't realize what was going on until I got to the Circle K, and opened the door of the van, and nearly had it removed by the wind. Damn! Not good! I went ahead with preparation and put the boat into the water. But, it was howling far worse much earlier, and I as well as some other guides were questioning the sanity of trying to fish. Yet, the boats kept streaming in, both guides and sport fishermen. And, most left the dock.
I was to fish with Frank Cheverie and two of his buddies, who I'd fished with back in 2005. We'd had tough conditions, but a great time, and I was really looking forward to fishing with them again. But, as I waited on them to arrive, and watched the weather, I knew that it would be unwise to leave the dock and try to fish three full size guys in so much wind. In the twenty-odd years I've been guiding, I've never been about the money first. I'm about trying to deliver a good trip first, and when you're getting beat up, soaking wet, and can't feel what's happening at the other end of your line, that's not my idea of a good time. Safety also becomes a very real issue in such winds. And, the seas that come with such wind can break hulls and do all kinds of bad things. I hated to send Frank and the boys home, but it was the right thing to do. I learned later than some of the guides who left the dock didn't stay out long. It was miserable.
The forecast for Friday was even worse; gusts to 33 MPH. I canceled my trip with Bob Johnson. We'd already moved it once because of weather, but neither he nor I were about to fish in such wind. Besides, Bob being local can pick his days.
Dittos for Saturday which dawned with forecast gusts to 36 MPH out of the south!! Holy smokes! I was to fish with Scott McBane, whom I'd fished with back in October of 2007. We canceled, and will try to reschedule soon.
As I sit here writing this report I am listening to the wind roar outside, and as I look out my office window virtually everything except the houses are jumping around in the wind. I can't imagine being out there in this wind, but I know as sure as I'm sitting here that if I went down to the ramp there would be trucks and trailers parked there!
We're supposed to see thunderstorms and lots of rain beginning after midnight and into late tomorrow. More wind. Then, the forecast is for calm on Monday. Since when does the wind ever calm right behind a major front? All it does is flip around to the north and blow for a few more days. We'll see, but I think whoever put that report together is engaged in unrealistic wishful thinking!