FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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What are the odds?

I spent the last couple of days fishing with my buddy Todd.  It is the annual Austin Boys trip, but like all groups this one is slowly changing.  I have fished with lots of groups over the years, and after time things change.  Folks can not make it one trip, others head to different places and this year was no different.

The Purple Demon Limetreuse did the job today.

I was really looking forward to fishing in Todd’s new to him East Cape poling skiff.  He has not started the process of learning to pole as he has only had the boat for a short while.  I was just interested in how it ran and handled rough water.  Well the rough water part never came up, it was the nicest, calmest, flat water for both days.  But it was a “softer” ride than some I have been in, and we were able to get in everywhere we tried.

Purple Demon does it again.

Todd has basically quit wading and now sticks to drifting for redfish.  This trip, other than the occasional small trout, we fished for reds.  And while the action was not fast and furious either day, we caught them both days, though for some reason while we caught a few nicer ones, we just did not hit the mother load.  But I try not to look a gift fish in the mouth and remain glad for every one we caught.  This was a lot more laid back than the usual trip, took it easy in the morning, and quit nice and early for happy hour  The highlight of the trip:  What are the odds.

The only other good fish I caught today.

Todd with a red on the Wedge Tail.

Yesterday we decided to fish the Lagoon on a short day.  Fishing was slow at first, until the tide started moving just a little.  On a side note, both days the tides was flat and never did get humping, just a slow creep up, and creep down.  They reds started moving around when the tide started up.  They came out of the “deeper” middle area of the Lagoon and invaded the flats and for an hour we caught fish, most smalls, and a couple of trout.  Funny how catching 18″ reds is catching “small” fish.  They still pull like a tank.

One on the Purple Demon Lmestruese Knockin Tail.

There was another poling skiff on the shoreline fly fishing, we saw then catch at least one.  As we were drifting back and forth across the Lagoon they yelled out they were not trying to cut us off, and we told the the same thing.  So unlike many of the horse’s ass that we all see acting the fool at POC, these were polite folks, as we were, just working together to share the water.  And boy did that turn out to be a good thing.

And on a Mansfield Magic spinnerbait.

Todd wanted to call it an early day so around 2:00 he hits the key, but no, it doesn’t start.  We try it again, no go.  This engine had 12 hours on it when Todd bought it, and maybe 25 hours now, so no reason it would not start.  (I have to take a minute to comment on motors.  I have been a Mercury guy for almost 50 years.  His engine is an E-Tech, which interestingly enough so were the last 2 engines that either left us unable to leave the ramp, or kept acting up, overheating, stopping, and generally being a pain in the ass.  Maybe why OMC is toast?  But that is another discussion.)  

So now here we are, no other boat in sight other than the poling skiff.  Todd has Sea Tow, so we were not going to be stranded, but he thought we should trolling motor over to the other skiff, see if they had any thoughts, and make sure if we had to call Sea Tow someone else knew where we were.

The key and the kill switch seemed to be loose, but since he had a couple of other times where he had a little trouble starting, we were just unsure of what the issue might be.  So when we get over there they were 2 buddies from Houston and when we got close to the boat it had Florida numbers so I asked where they were from.  The owner has a house in Florida, his skiff was high dollar, actually a stunning looking boat.

Todd asked for some input and of all things it turned out the boat owner personally knew the owner of East Cape, who Todd had spoken with several times prior to buying his boat.  (On another side note, the owner of East Cape actually posts his phone number so folks can contact him about his boats.  Think about that, do you think Johnny Morris does that, or even gives a crap when you are stuck out there?  East Cape, what a great company.)  So anyway he calls him and they talk about what the issue might be while Todd messes with the kill switch configuration.  As the gauge tells us we are about to loose enough battery juice to start it somehow fires up and off we go.  I want to thank those guys for being real gentlemen and a credit to our sport.

Mid Story Rant 

After a POC trip where as I headed in to Froggies and found 3 folks, with one paddle and one board, paddling to get back so I stopped to see if they needed help .  There was lots of traffic that day, I met several boats alone heading in and out, who just plain ignored them.  How many boats passed them?  They came all the way from the island taking hours to get back, and boat after boat did not stop.  Karma can be a bitch, and if you were one of those who did not stop a pox on you.  You are not a sportsman, and I will leave it at that.  So I towed them in shaking my head at the quality of the “fishermen” that inhabit POC.

For the way it is supposed to work the best example I can think of is Lake of the Woods.  My buddy Clyde’s old motor would stop and start before deciding to run, which it always did.  As he headed out from the ramp on LOW it did its usual thing, and the next 2 boats that left stopped to check on him, and none passed him by.  Those folks are an example of real sportsmenship and just plain good folks.

I did not intend to turn this post into a rant, so please bear with me.  I just do not get the continued decline of civility and sportsmanship in the fishing community, and of the hundreds of places I have fished from Canada to Key West, POC is right up there with the worst.  The sport seems to be a boat “fashion” show.  How the sport has morphed into owning a boat that cost more than a house somehow makes you a fisherman, and better than 3 folks in a beater boat paddling for all they are worth, makes me sad.  So you spent $75k on a boat and you just ride by folks who are in trouble?  And as you read this you are getting defensive, you might want to think about it.  And if that was you that day might be time to look inward.  Sorry, but finding real gentlemen on the water at POC seems like finding a unicorn.

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So we called it a good couple of days and headed back in.  This will be my last trip with that bunch, times change.  Next will head back down for a couple of more days with some new folks who are down this week.  The blog has helped me meet so many good folks, and I am really looking forward to spending a couple of day with them.  And thanks Todd, as usual enjoyed it.

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I caught this one 5 years ago on this date.  I happened to be fishing with Todd in his boat, which I will be doing the next couple of days.  It reminded me of why I have long quit weighing them.

Why would I want to know?  Would it add anything to the memory? When you think about it there is only one question – Was it a big one?  It does not matter what fish it is, marlin, bass, trout, or the rest of them.  They are either big, or not.  So just getting your hands on one like this for quick CPR should make your day.  Ounces are irrelevant, they are only a method to brag to other fishermen.  I was just as guilty until it finally dawned on me what our sport is really about.  The bite, the fight, and then the wonder at the sight of our quarry.  That is what first attracted us and it is easy to lose sight of why we fish.

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Today is going to be a day of rest, then back at it.  Have not decided the plan yet, but might slide out to the creek then head to POC.  And when that is done it is off to Dripping Springs for a wedding this weekend.  I really would like to slip a day at the lake in while I am at it, but looks like that will have to wait until next week.  But I will keep fishing as much as I can, this is my favorite time of the year and time to get it while the getting is good.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines