This was a special one!

 Two trips again today, man it's been cranking!  My morning trip was with Jim and the goal was to show him around the bay areas he can fish on his own in his 32' center console.  It's tarpon season so I located a some fish and we set up on them.  The first bite was a solid hook up on a tarpon about 140lbs that jumped several times right towards us and then screamed off before jumping again and spitting the hook.  Well, that was an adrenaline rush!  The second bite was solid but the hook never set properly.  Then the third and last bite that was subtle and we never saw the rod bend.  Geeze!  Ok, off to other areas like finger channels and jetties that proved to be slow.  I really wanted Jim to get his tarpon! 

My afternoon trip was definitely incredible.  I had regular client Maria and her friend Cory.  Cory recently got over a major health issue and it was an honor to have her aboard to enjoy an afternoon on the water.  Maria is a a fly angler and a good one but I still tried to keep her out of the 20 MPH winds.  When that didn't work I had no choice but to put her in the teeth of the wind.  But, Maria is awesome and didn't flinch continuing to make pin point accurate casts.  My goal was to get Maria a snook on fly but it wouldn't be easy with the wind, dirty water and well, it's snook.  The first three casts I made for Cory on bait got bites and the third one stuck allowing Cory to catch her first snook.  I stopped and let the spot rest for Maria.  I proved tough.  Finally Maria hooked a few hard fighting jacks and the pressure subsided a bit.  Maria then tells me she knows me well and knew I felt a huge relief.  She was right!  As the fish on fly started to get good she sets on a good fish and a nice fight later a snook comes to the side of the boat.  YES!!!  I uttered words I shouldn't and once we got it in the landing net there were many screams, hugs, more screams, high fives and more hugs.  This was awesome!  Mission accomplished!  I can sleep tonight! 

Capt. Mo Estevez

www.MiamiBonefishing.com

786-853-1409

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