I was contacted by a reader of this blog who asked me if I would take him fishing. I told him sure let me know when you can go and we worked out the details and went this morning.
I kind of took the approach that it would be kind of like a pretend charter, of course I didn't charge him anything because I am not a licensed captain and thus do not really charter, but it can be fun to make believe.
Anyway I met him at the ramp this morning and we launched the Hotrod Gheenoe and went to catch some bait. Then we headed to our first spot. I was kind of nervous that we would not have a good trip since I had not been having much luck the last couple days "scouting" the area, but as luck would have it, on his third cast he caught a nice slot redfish.
That was a nice surprise since I was targeting snook but knew that there were possibly redfish in the area as well. A few casts later I caught a redfish of my own.
We caught several ladyfish at that spot but no more of our targeted species so I decided to move a couple hundred yards and see if we could find more fish. I observed some baitfish getting busted on under a mangrove bush so I set up and we fished that spot for a few minutes. My "charter" caught another nice redfish, and then a smaller "rat" redfish.
We moved again and I caught a very small speckled trout and he caught a small snook, and we both were 1 fish away from an "Inshore Slam". An Inshore Slam is when an angler catches a Snook, a Redfish and a Speckled Trout on one fishing trip. I was pretty sure I would get one as I have been pretty good at getting snook lately and I knew the area we were going to next was loaded.
We both had several hits and misses but were having problems getting the fish to the boat, but at least we were getting some good action. Finally we started catching snook. We both got several to the boat and I completed my inshore slam. Then a few minutes later he landed a nice slot speckled trout.
We then headed back to the ramp but I made one last stop along the way to check out a spot that I have had limited success with and wanted to see how it would do with today's conditions. The water was already pretty high as the incoming tide was almost at its peak. I was having difficulties getting my bait under the mangroves since the water was touching the bottoms of the branches. Then he got a nice hit deep inside the mangroves, but the fish got off. I asked him how he got his bait inside there and he showed me. He was hooking the bait through the tail and casting it to the edge of the mangroves. Then gently tugging on the line, the fish would try to swim away and go right into the target zone. He was literally controlling the baitfish like a puppet.
Today's trip was very satisfying for me. I enjoyed the company and learned a new trick and most of all, I proved to myself that I can find some fish when I am under pressure.
It is totally different fishing with someone you have never met before than fishing with a regular fishing buddy. Of course there was no real pressure as I was not really doing it for compensation, only my reputation was on the line. I think it is good practice though. So if you read this and want to go fishing in the Hotrod Gheenoe, shoot me an email using the comments button and let's go fishing. I can use the practice.
I will be taking the captains license class next month in November and hopefully will have a captains license by February or March. Ill keep you updated on the progress. It might be interesting.
I kind of took the approach that it would be kind of like a pretend charter, of course I didn't charge him anything because I am not a licensed captain and thus do not really charter, but it can be fun to make believe.
Anyway I met him at the ramp this morning and we launched the Hotrod Gheenoe and went to catch some bait. Then we headed to our first spot. I was kind of nervous that we would not have a good trip since I had not been having much luck the last couple days "scouting" the area, but as luck would have it, on his third cast he caught a nice slot redfish.
That was a nice surprise since I was targeting snook but knew that there were possibly redfish in the area as well. A few casts later I caught a redfish of my own.
We caught several ladyfish at that spot but no more of our targeted species so I decided to move a couple hundred yards and see if we could find more fish. I observed some baitfish getting busted on under a mangrove bush so I set up and we fished that spot for a few minutes. My "charter" caught another nice redfish, and then a smaller "rat" redfish.
We moved again and I caught a very small speckled trout and he caught a small snook, and we both were 1 fish away from an "Inshore Slam". An Inshore Slam is when an angler catches a Snook, a Redfish and a Speckled Trout on one fishing trip. I was pretty sure I would get one as I have been pretty good at getting snook lately and I knew the area we were going to next was loaded.
We both had several hits and misses but were having problems getting the fish to the boat, but at least we were getting some good action. Finally we started catching snook. We both got several to the boat and I completed my inshore slam. Then a few minutes later he landed a nice slot speckled trout.
We then headed back to the ramp but I made one last stop along the way to check out a spot that I have had limited success with and wanted to see how it would do with today's conditions. The water was already pretty high as the incoming tide was almost at its peak. I was having difficulties getting my bait under the mangroves since the water was touching the bottoms of the branches. Then he got a nice hit deep inside the mangroves, but the fish got off. I asked him how he got his bait inside there and he showed me. He was hooking the bait through the tail and casting it to the edge of the mangroves. Then gently tugging on the line, the fish would try to swim away and go right into the target zone. He was literally controlling the baitfish like a puppet.
Today's trip was very satisfying for me. I enjoyed the company and learned a new trick and most of all, I proved to myself that I can find some fish when I am under pressure.
It is totally different fishing with someone you have never met before than fishing with a regular fishing buddy. Of course there was no real pressure as I was not really doing it for compensation, only my reputation was on the line. I think it is good practice though. So if you read this and want to go fishing in the Hotrod Gheenoe, shoot me an email using the comments button and let's go fishing. I can use the practice.
I will be taking the captains license class next month in November and hopefully will have a captains license by February or March. Ill keep you updated on the progress. It might be interesting.
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