But the story really started back on Thursday. When I was out just doing some R&D and the river was mobbed with people. Then, I heard Friday was another mob scene.
And three's a crowd for me, so I wanted nothing to do with the wakes, and "un"peacefulness. So I had a plan to go to Nassau Sound for Whiting. With dreams of big silver Bull Beach Whiting in the cooler by days end.
So in the cold, Katrina, Damon and I made the 18 mile run from the boat ramp up the ICW all the way to the sound. (the ocean is 1/2 the distance, but I had no idea what the conditions would be)
We get 3/4's the way up the ICW and out of the sunny blue skies we go into a dark overcast skies with wind. I go out to some pretty standard areas all the way out the sound to start.
We catch a few 8" anorexic Whiting, one 15 incher, and hook up on something that about spooled Damon. In which I had to pull anchor, and give chase. To only have my small Whiting hook pull after a 10 minute battle.
We hop from spot to spot. Between the sand bars, outside, inside, and then I just plain gave up by 10am. So we stopped by the bridge and float-fished the pilings for a few minutes, without loosing a shrimp.
NASSAU SOUND BITES ME IN THE ASS......ONE MORE TIME!!
I can't begin to tell you how many times this has happened. So much that a friend Capt Randall and I have sort of a saying about it. (And it's not worth repeating)
There was 3 of us up there. And I talked to one fella, he too had a few "micro" Whiting.
So, I make the 18 mile journey all the way back to the St. Johns River, and try and salvage what now has been at least a 1/2 day of ZERO. I only went there, because Saturday's in the "HUB" of the St. Johns is getting to be almost ridicules, and I wanted to try something different.
But nope......ZING, just gallons lost in fuel and hours lost in time.
We get back to the river, and we went from no one around, to boats everywhere. I try a small hidey-hole, and never loose a live shrimp. So eastward we head.
Katrina and Damon are new to the float-rig. Our last trip we bottom fished. So there's a big learning curve. And I have to shorten it as fast as I can. Because we don't have a lot of time.
First decent spot, good current, some decent bites....a few missed fish and lost fish.
Maybe because Katrina had to use the Ladies Room? So we moved on and stop by the boat ramp.
Okay.....I have to do something and fast. So I take them to a spot where they're going to dive head first into the "art" of the float-rig. From a 0 to a 10 in difficulty, this spot is a 9.80!!!!
But in the past has yielded Trout to 9 pounds, and numerous 6's.
On her first drift, Katrina nails a
real nice fish!!
Okay, Targeted Species now in the box!
They catch several small 14-3/4 inch Trout
just the opposite of what I've caught here.
But they have gills, scales and spots. So I'm happy! Then, another keeper. And the current we had just died. And so did all the bites.
Since we were back in blue skies and light winds, and at about our 6 hour mark. I had another plan. Do Not Give Up, especially after the beating I took today in the fuel tank. I will not be beat!
So we went to one more spot. The perfection couldn't have been any better. "Ahhhhh, incoming tide with nice green water." I was so happy to see "clean green water" it was plastering a smile on my face. And here is where we "sort of" made up for the whole day.
Catching some keeper trout, along with border-line keepers, I released. But we had Action!
And as you can see, the water was dead calm too. The wind was light, and the art of float-rig fishing was being learned by all.
A 6 hr. charter turned into a 8-1/2 hour charter, but that didn't matter one bit. And I doubt you'll ever see my boat at Nassau Sound again, unless it's for summer (80 degree water) Tarpon.
We headed in since Damon had a long drive back towards the Tampa area. I cleaned enough fish to fill up a gallon bag full of prime Speck fillets, with one big Whiting.
I want to thank Katrina & Damon, for having patience. My intentions were good, to start off with. And yes, sometimes a day can be like this.
Like sands through the hour glass, these are the days of my life....just not all the time.
