An update for the last 18 months.

Well, I guess I kind of lost interest in fishing for awhile, but don't leave yet. I am back at it, just slowly gaining momentum is all. When you fish every day you tend to get pretty good at it. When you only get out once or twice a month like most anglers, you tend to get a little rusty. But I am getting back into things, a little slowly but Im getting there.

Last May, (the beginning of Tarpon season...) I had my ACL replaced from an old football injury I suffered about 18 years ago. I hyperextended my left leg when I got hit from behind going up for a wounded duck pass. (Which I caught by the way.) Back then I had arthroscopic surgery and they said it was still 25% so they didn't repair it. 16 years later I was playing soccer with my kids at a cubscout campout and I whiffed... and the rest of my acl tore. I walked and fished on it for about a year and a half until I finally decided I wanted it fixed so I got it replaced. Dr. Eddie Echols at Florida Orthopaedic Institute is the man! I ended up getting my acl replaced along with microfracture surgery because the cartilage in my knee was messed up pretty bad and I was starting to get some symptoms of arthitis. The physical therapy part of my rehab required 3 visits a week for 3 months, and light duty for several weeks after that. My knee is just now feeling close to 100%. Anyway on to the fishing related stuff.

My first fishing trip after the surgery was in July of last year. One of my charter captain friends took me out Tarpon fishing. Of course as luck would have it I hooked a 90 pounder that really gave the newly reconstructed knee a good workout. Since jumping around on the gunnels to follow the fish around was out of the question. I ended up sitting on the bow of the boat using a newly developed fighting technique I like to call "Sit and Spin" I would stick the rod tip in the water when the fish would swim under the boat and turn to the other side to fight it some more when it was clear.












Finally we landed the fish for a quick photo and released it to grow some more for next tarpon season.














That believe it or not was about all the fishing I did in 2008 after my surgery. I did start fishing again on my own in 2009. I havent had quite the success on a daily basis as I was having before my surgery. I think alot of that has to do with the high fuel prices being prohibitive to daily fishing trips, as well as just being to lazy to go by myself. I enjoy fishing much more when I have someone along to share the excitement.

This spring the redfish bite was hot. I got on a couple of schools and they kept me occupied and provided a couple good meals for friends and family as well. But the highlight of the year so far was my birthday. My lovely wife got me a charter with Capt Joe Gonzalez down in Biscayne Bay for Bonefish, Permit and Tarpon. I hooked several bonefish but unfortunately got broke off every time because they were over fan coral and new what they were doing while alas I did not.

We saw several tarpon but they were not in the mood to eat. The highlight of the day was when we pulled up on a sand bar and saw dozens of huge sickles mulling around on the flat. Permit everywhere. Unfortunately they were not in the mood either, but after about 300 casts with nice tasty crabs, I finally got one to eat. This fish was easily 25 lbs. and pulled like a freight train.






This photo was taken by my good friend and fishing buddy ApolloBeachSam of SaltyShores.com. This photo is also in the July 2009 issue of Saltwater Angler magazine. So I guess I finally get my 15 minutes of fame.










And here I am with my big ol Permit. Quite the birthday present eh? I know I was pumped.
Joe Gonzalez is one of the best guides in Biscayne Bay and I would recommend him to anyone looking for an experience of a lifetime.


























Thats the update for now. I will definitely make an effort to keep on posting reports.

If any of my readers are interested in fishing the Tampa Bay area with a professional guide dont hesitate to contact me and I will do my best to find a guide that will customize a trip that will provide you with some awesome fishing and some great memories to take back home and share with all your friends and family.

Finally Back In Action on the Hotrod Gheenoe

I got out for a couple trips early this week targeting Sheepshead and Redfish in some deep holes surrounded by shallow flats. The water was so low I had to drag the Hotrod through barely ankle deep water in a few spots to get to my fishing hole.

As you can see from the first picture, I scored a small Redfish on my fly rod. My first actually. It was a little on the small side, but still it pulled a lot better than the dink trout I have been catching on it. I am looking forward to spring and summer when I can go out on the flats and catch some big Redfish and Snook on the fly rod in the areas where I had my success with last year.

I really haven't been out much since the boat wreck the day after Christmas, and I still haven't received any money from the insurance company. I do know how much I am going to get though I just need to find and buy a new trailer before I tell them to come and pick mine up and then they will pay me.

I'm looking at taking the insurance money and possibly selling the Hotrod and getting a new boat that will be large enough to take two anglers fishing instead of just one. I hope I don't regret that decision. The Hotrod is so easy to maintain and inexpensive to operate and I had no problem pleasing almost every angler I have taken fishing on it so far. I guess I need to weigh all the advantages against the disadvantages and compare that against a different boat.

I think I will probably keep the Hotrod for a while longer and see how it works out. God forbid I get a different boat and have to think up a new name for my blog...

On a related note. I finally got around to getting my American Red Cross First Aid and Adult, Child and Infant CPR certification, the last step I needed to get my USCG Captains License. Now I just need to get my package together and submit it and wait for it to come back from the Coast Guard and U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Then I will be ready to get into business.

Thanks for reading, and I look forward to your comments and suggestions.

On and on.....

It's well into the month of February and I am still waiting on the insurance company to settle. There have been some developments of late but I kind of prefer to keep my cards close to my vest as the old saying goes since one never knows who might be reading this.

Here is what I can say though. While the insurance company was doing thier research, I was doing mine as well as I wanted to know the actual value of the Hotrod to know if they were trying to screw me over or what.

First the motor. I searched everywhere for a 2001 or newer used 25hp yamaha 2 stroke short shaft motor to replace mine. Blue book puts the value around $1600-1700. Problem is, nobody is selling them, and I wanted to make sure the one I bought was in as good or better condition as the one I had before the accident. Well I couldnt find one. I basically gave up and said to heck with it and decided to buy a brand new one. Guess what, nobody has any new ones either. Something about the EPA cracking down on 2 strokes etc. ad nauseaum whatever. But then I lucked out. I called another dealer asking about a new one and he told me he just happened to have a used 2006 on consignment for several hundred dollars less than a brand new one, which he told me he probably couldnt get anyway... and it had less than 5 hours on it. I went to check it out and the paint wasnt even scratched on the skeg! It was for all practical purposes brand new. Needless to say, I snatched it up so fast his head was spinning. And on top of that, it had a brand new composite 4 blade prop on it and came with the factory prop as well, a 6 gallon gas tank and the hose to connect it and on top of all that the gas tank was full! I put the motor on the Hotrod and took it out and it performed flawlessly as one would expect a brand new motor to do.

About a week later I finally got a call from the insurance company. They told me how much they were going to give me for the motor, which luckily for me was actually a few dollars more than what I paid...shhh! They also told me what they were going to give me for the trailer which I have found a new trailer that can be had for that amount.

Now the only thing left is to figure out how much they are going to give me for the Hotrod itself. As I stated in an earlier post, initially they told me it was a total loss. Well I managed to convince them that it is not a total loss and they told me to take it to a fiberglass repair shop for an estimate and to send the estimate to them. I prefer to do the work myself if possible but I guess I need to take it to a fiberglass repair shop for an estimate. The fiberglass repair shop wants to charge me $45 for the estimate...which they will waive if they do the work. So I guess I have to spend $45...

Hopefully this will all be over soon so I can get back to terrorizing the fish in the bay soon. Of course nothing is stopping me now other than the fact that the weather has been total crap and I've been taking the kids to doctor and dentist appointments and various other mundane tasks assigned to me by "She Who Must Be Obeyed".

Look forward to a sheepshead or other winter fishing type report.

Oh one other thing. My good friend Apollobeach Sam and I made a fishing video for your viewing pleasure. It is basically a fishing show trailer spoof called The Ultimate Angler.

Check it out here

An Epic Fish Tale

I launched the Hotrod shortly after sunrise and headed off in search of juvenile Tarpon. As I idled through the no wake zone I enjoyed my morning thermos of coffee in the crisp cool morning. The weather has been unseasonably warm lately so the 50 degree temperature was a rare treat so far this winter.
As I idled along I saw a large splash off in the distance. At first I thought It was a pelican diving on a baitfish but I looked and there were no pelicans, only a few gulls circling. As I watched I saw a couple more splashes and the gulls started diving as the water erupted into a boiling froth. Jacks! As soon as I exited the idle zone I gunned the motor full throttle and headed towards the commotion. I shut off the motor when I got reasonable close and used the trolling motor to get withing casting range.
I knew the jacks had to be pretty good size because the roving school I have encountered in this area has been running on the large size and from the size of the individual splashes I could tell these were large. I grabbed my rod that I had rigged for tarpon and cast it into the fray. I hooked up almost instantly and my rod bowed over as the fish tried to run. Unfortunatly I had the drag set a little too tight and the 20lb leader snapped. I quickly reeled in the line and grabbed my short dock and mangrove fishing rod. Not even bothering to put a tail on the bare jighead I cast it into the school of boiling jacks and again was hooked up. Unfortunatly my 10lb line was way outclassed and it too broke almost instantly leaving me with a tangled mess when the braid snapped back. I quickly reeled in the line anyway not even bothering to mess with it and grabbed my tarpon rod again. I grabbed another jig I had and quickly tied it on with a loop knot and tossed it out to another ravenous Jack. This time I loosened the drag a bit and let the fish take some line applying drag by feathering the spool with my hand.
As I fought this jack the school turned and was heading right for the boat. I reeled with abandon trying to regain line as the jack followed the school towards me. The jacks looked like a herd of thundering watermelons as they approached the Hotrod. Then they saw me and turned away, my jack leading the school. I tried to palm the spool to slow him but I swear they other jacks had to be pushing him and my line again snapped leaving me fishless rodless.
I decided to head off to my tarpon hole and deal with the jacks later if I could find them again. I arrived at my tarpon hole and rerigged my rods with fresh leader and jigs. While I was doing this the tarpon were rolling all around the boat. Once I was ready I cast to them for nearly two hours with out a single take. I headed back to the dock checking one of the local canals on the way only to find it was nearly dry.
So I continued on my way thinking I was finally skunked for the first time in over 9 months. Then I saw some movement out of the corner of my eye. Birds circling in the distance over a very shallow flat. I didnt see any telltale signs of marauding jacks below but I headed over to investigate anyway. Sure enough first a couple splashes and then the water erupted again. Unfortunately for me they were upwind and I could not get within casting range so I went past them and stopped and waited to see if there for a sign of there location.
I sat for several minutes and decided it was not to be and started to troll back to the channel to head in when I saw a couple jacks hitting bait in the shallow water so I made a couple more casts with the wind at my back but they did not appear to be interested. I drifted a little farther and dropped my anchor to work out a game plan. Suddenly I noticed that the water was getting really rough in a spot that was perfectly calm moments before and it appeared to be heading towards me. I cast as far as I could towards them but they were still out of range so I quickly retrieved my lure and waited as they continued to approach. Then when I thought they were within range I casted again just yards short. So I let the jig sink to the bottom and as soon as the jacks were over it I began to work it back. Fish on! The jack immediately started running as only a jack can taking line by the yard as my drag screamed. For a minute I thought I was outclassed again as nothing I could do seemed to slow this fish at all. Finally after what seemed like 5 minutes the fish slowed down and I began to work it back to the boat. It was easily a hundred yards out. Is I regained line inch by inch the jack began its signature move the wide circle around the boat. It was still over 60 yards away when I noticed it was heading towards a crab buoy. I tried in vain to gain line quicker but to no avail and I could see that the crab buoy was moving against the current. I tried to get the fish off of the buoy line but it was wrapped. I was sure I was going to lose this fish. Fortunately it was exhausted and didnt put up much of a fight. I pulled my anchor and worked my way towards the buoy as quickly as possible as I didnt want the fish to get enough rest to start fighting again. I got to the buoy and could see the fish just below the surface, my line wrapped around the buoy line. I reached in and grabbed the jack by the tail and pulled it into the boat. I cut my leader and snapped a quick photo of the jack, measured it and returned it to the water to be caught again. This jack measured 27 inches to the fork of its tail.

Waiting for Insurance Companies and Wade Fishing.

Well, I have not been fishing since the accident on Dec 26th because I wanted to stay home in case the insurance company needed to contact me and I didnt want to miss a call to cause even 1 minute of delay of getting the Hotrod back in action.

Finally I was about to give in to my impulses and scheduled a fishing trip for today with one of my fishing buddies, Capt Greg... (Man, I sure got a bunch of buddies that are captains huh?) ...when I finally got the call I have been waiting for. The appraiser wanted to come check out the Hotrod Gheenoe...the next morning... between 10 am and Noon.

So I had to cancel my trip with Capt Greg (darnit) but I called another buddy of mine (who is not a captain...) and asked if he wanted to go wade fishing around Simmons Park. He said sure so we met at 7 am and launched our boatless selves and had a great time catching nice slot trout and small ladyfish on artificials for about an hour until he hooked himself in the thumb on one of the treble hooks in his lure. Unfortunately, his crimped down barb wasnt as crimped down as he thought it was though. He was stuck pretty good. He couldnt decide on whether he should yank it out or push it through and cut it out. It went right into the very center of the pad of his thumb too. So I volunteered to help him remove the hook. I grabbed it gently with a pair of pliers and said "On a count of three... One... Two..." YANK! "Three" He said he never even felt it. That pretty much ended the fishing for the day though. He said that the fish probably felt sorry for him and didnt want him to hook himself again.

So I made it home about 5 minutes after 10 and was worried that the insurance guy had come and left already.... but as I expected, He showed up promptly at 11:30. (I could have fished for another whole hour and a half... grrr.)

He took a couple pictures of the motor, a couple pictures of the Hotrod Gheenoe, took some notes, asked a few questions and said "Thanks. I'll file this report tomorrow and you should hear something soon." I said, "Wait a minute, I have a couple questions for you." "What do you think? and what is gonna happen?"
Basically he said that he would file the report. He thinks that the motor is totalled and he needs to get an estimate on the glass repair work on the Hotrod, if it is too much he would probably total it too. (It's barely scratched for crying out loud....) He said I would most likely get a check for the market value of my motor and the same for the hull if it is totalled. And they would come and get them... No F'in Way are they gonna take my Hotrod! The can have the motor but the hotrod stays. It can be fixed. The other thing is, I said how do they determine fair market value? He said that they have books and charts etc that list those things. I said what if fair market value isnt enough to replace my engine? I told him first of all it is very difficult to find a used 25hp Yamaha 2 stroke for sale and a short shaft like the one on the hotrod is even more difficult to find. (and more expensive too...) He said "Them's the breaks..."

Oh Hell No, I dont think so... In fact I think Im getting a stiff neck... and my spleen hurts...

Stay tuned...

Catching Up

Well I have been busy with the holidays and family and all that stuff and havent really had a chance to fish since Dec 15th. Then the first chance I got I was heading to the boat ramp and some numbnut rear ended the Hotrod and destroyed my lower unit and put a nice gouge in the hull. There doesnt appear to be any transome damage other than a scratch but I will have it checked out to make sure. I called the dudes insurance company and filed a claim. Supposedly their adjustor is supposed to get back with me within two business days...I wont hold my breath... but you can be sure I will be contacting him if I dont hear from him.
I still need to take my first aid/cpr class so I can submit my package for my Capt's License... But Ive just been to darn busy.
Hopefully I will have time to catch up next week since I am boatless. Man that sucks. Oh well.
I did manage to get out with another friend of mine, Capt. Mike Davis who is a fishing guide, to do some scouting and to check out his boat which I am thinking of purchasing. We used all artificials and did okay. He got a nice snook on the flats,
We also caught several nice trout and ladyfish
As well as a nice bluefish.
Then we busted out the flyrods and got some nice big ladyfish.
All in all not a bad day on the water... But I want my Hotrod back...

You can fish with Capt Mike Davis too contact him at 941-729-7404 or visit his website at www.finsnscales.com

Fickle Weather Woes

A few weeks ago we had a few cold fronts come through, the water temps cooled considerably and the fish were starting to move up into the rivers and other backwater areas. Just when the fishing started to get hot the temps moved back up into the mid 80's (how Florida for you...) and messed up the fishing.
Of course I missed the cold fronts because I was chained to a desk with work and Sea School, and then the Thanksgiving holiday week and sick kids kept me derailed for another week, but I did manage to get out the day after Thanksgiving with my brother and we caught a respectable number of fish. Not being allowed to fish on weekends, I eagerly looked forward to getting back into my regular fishing pattern the following week. On Monday I got out with a friend and we caught lots of snook and I figured I still had the fish pretty much dialed in. However the next 4 days really through me for a loop. Tuesday we caught only redfish in all my snook holes but still managed to find a couple while exploring. Wed, I took my test of course (and passed!) Thursday I took another friend out and we looked for almost 4 hours and only caught 1 snook hanging out under a mangrove bush in a little canal. That should have told me something since I tried every dock on the river. Sure enough in the next canal I checked an overhanging mangrove bush and we proceeded to catch a dozen snook in the next 30 minutes with multiple double hookups. Of course I lost the biggest fish of the bunch but that's a whole other story. Friday, I was invited to join Capt Todd Foucher of SlingN'Bait Charters on the Little Manatee river for a flotilla party targeting the large schools of big Jack Crevalle that hang out there all winter long, but the water had warmed up past their secret temperature threshold and they were nowhere to be found. But they did catch quite a few snook redfish and trout as well as some ladyfish too.
Now another cold front has supposedly moved in, the high today is supposed to be a brisk 65 degrees...but the temp is supposed to get warmer every day... I know its only November...and the Midwest is covered with ice and snow... but I sure wish the weather down here would make up its mind either warm up or get cold. PICK ONE DAMMIT! lol

Success!

I passed my OUPV test on the first try! I scored 97% on the Rules of the Road portion that requires a 90% to pass. I scored 86% on Deck General, 100% on Nav General both of which require only 70% to pass, and I aced plotting with a score of 100% also.
Plotting was the only portion of the test I was worried about. Only 10 questions, lots of math, drawing on charts etc... If your lines aren't perfect you will come up with a wrong answer. If your math isn't correct or you use the wrong formula you will come up with a wrong answer. You have to buy the charts if you want to practice. I didn't buy the charts. I was dreading plotting. It is the only part of the test I didn't study for, because I couldn't. I will be completely honest with you. I managed to figure out 9 out of the 10 answers and was pretty sure that they were correct, so I was confident that I passed before I took the score sheet up to the scorer. But that last question... it was a booger. Figure out the set and drift... First I plotted the wrong coordinates, then when I did the math I came up with an answer that wasn't even close to the choices. So I checked my plotting and realized I had used a coordinate from an earlier problem... duh... (make sure you erase your earlier stuff from the chart real good.) Then after correcting the coordinate I still came up with a weird answer so I cheated... not really cheating mind you, but I decided to figure out the speed since they wanted course and speed for the answer. I used the speed equation kind of. I divided the distance traveled by the time in minutes and then multiplied the result by 60 and came up with 10 knots. Since my engine was turning 9.2 knots, the speed of my drift was .8 knots with favorable seas...so I picked the answer that said .8 knots and it was correct.... I guess there is more than one way to skin a cat... but I probably would end up lost at sea if I had to rely on my plotting skills. lol That's why I have a handheld Garmin GPS and keep plenty of extra batteries on board.
Now I still have to finish up with my sea time documentation, get some character references (3 of them) and take a first aid/cpr class. Then I need to put all my paperwork together, have it looked at by Sea School to make sure it is all in order and then send it off to the Coast Guard and wait for about 6 months to receive my actual license... a sweet bureaucracy
I think I will celebrate by going fishing tomorrow!

Back In The Saddle

Well, I finally got past the classwork and was looking forward to fishing the week of the Thanksgiving holiday. Unfortunately between sick kids, visiting family members and honeydo's I only got to go out on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving with my youngest brother, J.R. and probably every boat owner in Tampa... I still managed to find some bait without having to run all the way to the skyway in the Hotrod Gheenoe although it took nearly an hour of steady chumming to fill the baitwell. I bought a couple dozen shrimp at one of the local baitshops before I launched though just to make sure I wouldn't be baitless...
We managed to catch 20 snook and a catfish between the two of us and we had a nice day of brotherly bonding.
I got to fish again this morning, Monday, Nov 27th with my buddy Mike (RedfishSlayer) Flaschenreim and we caught 15 snook and a redfish. Two were very close to slot but they got into the dock pilings broke themselves off. That's what I get for fishing docks with light tackle... Im think I'm starting to get bored with this area and am looking forward to the weather getting colder so I can play with some cobia at the power plant or some big sheepshead at a couple rockpiles that I haven't visited since last winter.

Help me out...

I want to write a piece on holiday gifts for anglers and would like people to send me me some suggestions for things they would like for gifts this holiday season. Not the obvious things like a 65ft Hatteras, or a Shimano Stella on a G.Loomis GLX... but things you would actually have the possibility of getting from someone who's last name wasn't Trump, Hilton, Gates or Rockefeller.
So just click on comments at the bottom of this and it will email me with your suggestions.Also feel free to comment on any of the other topics presented in the other posts. Your feedback is appreciated.

Whew...I'm Glad That Is Over.

Today I finally got a break. OUPV Class aka Captain's School pretty much sucked. I am so glad it is over. Unfortunately I don't feel as if I got everything that I could have out of the class. Some things are just memorization like the rules of the road, navigation general and deck general, but the plotting is going to be my undoing I fear, unless I can find a way to remember how to work the different problems.
Originally I planned to take the test the day before thanksgiving which would have given me two days to study before the test. Fortunately they are closed that day so I get an extra week. I just hope I can have enough self discipline to actually study. I get distracted so easily lol.
Even after passing the test there is still a shitload of paperwork to be completed before sending off my package to the USCG. I'm starting to wonder why I ever decided to undertake this adventure in the first place. I mean its not gonna make me a better fisherman, I make more money with my regular job than I ever would as a fishing guide. I don't particularly desire to drive a tourboat or diveboat or any other type boat that the license would qualify me for. I could say for the respect and admiration of my peers, but you know what, if you have never taken the class or the test, you have no idea how much of a pain in the rear it is.
Hopefully when I take the test, and "IF" I manage to pass the damn thing I will get a feeling of achievement that will provide the motivation required to finish putting the paperwork together and sending it off.
I could probably sit here and bitch about it for at least 10 more paragraphs but I think I better go study instead...
I really need to go fishing...

Sea School Update

Well, it is Saturday evening. I have received all the information that they are going to be giving and we spent the day taking practice exams. Literally for 8 hours we did nothing but 'Rules Of The Road' practice tests. They require a 90% to pass. Possibly the most difficult part of the OUPV test. The other difficult section is supposed to be plotting, however plotting and the other sections only require a passing score of 70% so I'm not too worried about them. I took 18 practice tests and in the first 14 of them only passed twice. I am proud to say though that I passed the last 3 that I took. Usually I would fail by one or two questions. Some of the guys in the class were excited when they only missed 7 questions even though on each test you are only allowed to miss 3.
So to answer the questions probably going through your mind:
Is it hard? It can be, if you don't or cannot study. I have always been good at reading something and retaining what I have read, and also at taking tests and even find it fun. Kind of a challenge, like a puzzle.
Should I take it? If you just want to take it for the sake of taking it, no. If you want to take it to make you a safer boater? No the CG Auxiliary and Boatsafe.com both offer safe boater courses that are a lot less expensive and don't take near as much time or effort to complete and pass. I would not take the class unless you want to be a fishing guide or want to run a boat commercially and I don't mean just as a fisherman, but as the captain of a vessel. Then I would recommend getting the master license so you would have more possibilities open to you. Even then it doesn't look like the possibilities are all that glamorous, unless you like the idea of being a sea going bus driver or truck driver. But I guess I would rather drive the boat than wash, paint, load and maintain it. I don't mean this as an insult to those involved in maritime professions, but it just doesn't seem like the job for me.
Tomorrow is the last day. So it will be practicing plotting on charts and working the various equations...the I will just have to study on my own and prepare for the test. I wanted to take it this Wednesday but was told the testing center will be closed for Thanksgiving. So I guess I have an extra week to study.

A Star Is Born...

Yesterday evening, Wednesday November 15, 2006 marked my television debut, as I was a guest on Capt. Todd Foucher's show SlingN'Bait TV. (I know I sound like I'm shilling for him but what would you do if you got to be on a television show?) Like I said yesterday, it can be seen on The Sportsman Channel, log on to their website and check the schedule or log on to Capt. Todd's website, its in the links section on the side of this blog..or you can click on Episode 5. <-----click there! Then come back and read some more.

It was a real blast making that show. Capt. Todd and Danny his cameraman, voice over, editor, anchor boy etc. works real hard to get good footage and then assemble it into the finished product. Granted its a little rough around the edges but it gets better every week. Considering they started with absolutely zero experience at all, I think they are doing a great job.

Anyway... Ill post more later, I have to go study my Rules of the Road for my Capt's School and start working on my acceptance speech in case I win any academy awards or something.

Check back soon.

What's Happenin In My Life

Well, I'm at the halfway point through the Sea School OUPV course, also known as Captains School. We have been covering International and Inland Rules of the Road for the last two days and we have another day left of that before we move on to the next subject. This is probably the most important part of the class too as it requires a score of 90% to pass this portion of the test. On the actual test there will be 30 questions so you are allowed to miss 3 answers, so I am studying my tail off.

I am really looking forward to finishing up the class so I can take my test. Then I need to schedule a First Aid and CPR class. The class is offered by several organizations including some fire departments and The American Red Cross. I think I am going to take mine at The American Red Cross, Tampa Bay Chapter. They offer several courses throughout the week. They are about 6 hours long and you have the option of taking a daytime class that goes from 9:00 am - 2:30 pm or an evening class that goes over two evenings from 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm the first evening and from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm the second evening. You can get a class and schedule information by going to The American Red Cross Tampa Bay Chapter and clicking on the class schedule.

Once I have completed and passed the U.S. Coast Guard OUPV test and receive my First Aid and CPR cards, and the results of my Drug Test and Physical, then I will have to finish up my paperwork including the documentation of my "Sea Time" and Character References, I will have my paperwork checked over by Sea School and then submit the package to the U.S. Coast Guard. Then I will just have to sit and wait until they issue my OUPV License. I have been told that it can take several months now due to security concerns thanks to Osama bin Laden and Friends. Originally I had hoped to have my OUPV License in time for my birthday in March, but now it looks like I will be shooting for May... Of course I would be happy if I got it sooner but that just gives me more time to practice up on my guiding skills and plan my guiding business.

Also I have just heard that there is a new model of Gheenoe that is a little longer than The Classic, which is what I have now, and also 2 inches wider, runs about 5 mph faster with a 25hp engine, and is also a dryer ride, always important when comfort of passengers is considered, especially in less than perfect conditions. Of course I eventually plan on getting a regular Flat's or Bay type boat, but I am still quite interested in the possibilities of guiding from a Gheenoe.

I haven't had time to fish since last week and the weather has been turning a little cooler every day which means that the fish have been on the move and I haven't been keeping track of them. So I am eagerly looking forward to next week so I can get back after them. Of course next week is also Thanksgiving which means lots of people will be taking the week off as lots of businesses give Thanksgiving and the following day off, since it is Thursday and Friday. So I expect it to be a little more crowded on the water which will make fishing even more of a challenge. But I'm up for it since I took the week off too. Hopefully I will be able to get out on Monday and Tuesday at least.

On another interesting note. Tonite at 8:00 will be a very special episode on SlingN'Bait TV, Capt. Todd Foucher's fishing show on The Sportsman Channel. If you cant watch it on The Sportsman Channel, you can also watch it on the SlingN'Bait TV website after 8:00 pm tonite. It is episode #5. You can watch it by clicking here : SlingN'Bait TV Episodes and then clicking on Episode 5: Alafia Adventures. I will comment on it more in the near future after I watch it, but it should be a good one.

A Report From Sea School

Well, I just finished up my first 2 days of Sea School in my quest to become a U.S. Coast Guard licensed Captain so I can be a guide. The first two days we covered Aides to Navigation, Plotting and other Basic Navigation stuff.

These are things like using a compass and charts to plot a course, finding your position using known landmarks, and the different buoys and daymarks and their meanings. So far so good. I try to study what we went over whenever I get home from class and take the practice tests at the end of the chapters we covered the days before so I can ask questions on any of the answers I miss, if I cannot figure out why my answer is incorrect after seeing the correct answer. So far so good.

Some of the things that are confusing are the various nautical terms used by mariners. Port and Starboard...which are left and right respectively are pretty easy..but then they toss in terms like left to starboard and that makes for confusion...(I figured out that it means you are passing something that is on your starboard side...so It describes your position in relation to that object...left (you) to starboard (the object).

The plotting portion was fairly easy, the most difficult part being the "line work" meaning trying to keep your angles as you move your parallel rulers from your position to the compass rose on the chart or from the compass rose to some other location without messing up your angle. Then of course you try to draw a line without messing up your angle..which can be very easy as the point on your pencil wears down and gets thicker...or you dont hold your pencil at the right angle etc...

Then there is the math...not too terribly difficult... There are basically two formulas that will get you through most of the stuff you need. One is for plotting your course taking into account variables such as variation of the earths magnetic field and deviations in your compass. It sounds really complicated but it is fairly simple once you have it explained to you and you do it a few times. The second is the Speed, Time, Distance equation. Another that is pretty easy. Of course we havent learned how to take into account other variables like wind, and current yet. (Set and Drift) . Working the problems is actually kind of fun.

Most of the students in the class of 7 are there for the same reason as I am I believe, to eventually become guides or charter captains. The first day the instructor asked us if we had boats, of course we all said yes. Then he went through and asked everyone what kind of boat we had. I had the proud distinction of having he only 65' Hatteras in the class... Just kidding. I told everyone that I am the proud Captain of a 15'6 Gheenoe and got a lot of snickers... (not the candy bar). A couple of the students have offshore type boats and a few inshore guys have nice bay and flats boats, everyone is at least 6 feet longer than mine too...lol
No big deal its not the size of the dog in the fight..its the size of the fight in the dog... lol

For any of you thinking about taking the course I will tell you right now, it has absolutely nothing to do with fishing or being a guide, or even running a charter operation from a business perspective. So if you decide to take the class, forget about fishing and guiding while you are taking the course and concentrate on learning what they are teaching you. Without passing this course you will never be a guide. That is what keeps me motivated to not fall asleep and pay attention and also to have the discipline to study to ensure my success.

There is a younger guy in the class, probably right out of high school, who is also taking the class so he can become a guide and he just doesnt get it. He cant figure out how to do the plotting and says that it doesnt matter because he will never use it etc. I told him he is very wrong in his assumption as he will use it at least once... if he expects to pass the test. After that, use it or not, that my friends, is a good enough reason for me to learn it.

I'll keep you posted.

Is There A "New Fishng Stuff" Jinx, Or Is It Just Me?

Is it just me? It seems that almost every time I upgrade something on my boat or get a hot new fishing combo, or some great new sure-fire catch everything lure, that something always gets in the way of me getting to try it out for a couple days. And you can ask anyone who knows me well, patience is not my strong suit. Don't get me wrong, I can fish with a three year old and an 8 year old all day long and not lose my cool. I'm referring to a different type of patience, as in I get all excited about trying out something new and cant wait. Of course it's not just fishing, when I was a kid, I lived up in Michigan for a few years. It seemed every Christmas my coolest present was always something that I couldn't use till the snow melted in like march. For instance, I learned how to ride a skate board in the basement. My mothers washer and dryer were covered with dents from where the skateboard shot out from under my feet and rocketed into them with a loud house shaking Ka-Boom! Later in life, I think my wife got a sadistic pleasure out of buying me a new set of Callaway X16 Irons the before we left for a three day cruise, and of course I could not take them along, effectively making me wait 2 weeks before I could use them. This year, her company is having their annual Christmas party at Captiva Island, we are going to be there all weekend long. Guess who isn't going to be allowed to take a fishing rod...I bet she even buys me one right before we leave.
Anyway back to the matter at hand. I put a brand new depth finder on the Hotrod last Thursday. Fri I fished on someone Else's boat. Saturday and Sunday are non fishing days for me of course. Monday I fished on someone Else's boat. Today my son is home from school sick with a fever. His temperature is .4 degrees above the normal 98.6 so my loving caring wife let him stay home from school so I cant fish today either.
Oh well, it's election day so I guess Ill go vote. Maybe I can fish tomorrow. I'm supposed to get a new trolling motor soon, I wonder how long that will jinx me for?

Showing Off On The Hotrod Gheenoe

I had the distinct pleasure of hosting Capt. Todd Foucher, Local Tampa Fishing Guide and host of SlingN'Bait TV on the Hotrod Gheenoe. SlingN'Bait TV is a new fishing show on The Sportsman Channel that focuses on inshore and back country saltwater fishing in the Tampa Bay area. SlingN'Bait TV is unique among other fishing shows in that not only does SlingN'Bait TV entertain you while he and his guests catch fish, but SlingN'Bait TV also educates you on techniques and tactics for catching various species of fish including Snook, Redfish, Spotted Sea Trout, Spanish Mackerel, Mangrove Snapper and Grouper among others. SlingN'Bait TV also does the unheard of actually giving you specific locations where the fishing was done, including in some cases, GPS coordinates, tide and solunar information. No fishing show has ever done this and SlingN'Bait TV is causing a stir in the guiding industry. Prime fishing locations have long been closely guarded secrets by guides. After all, this is where guides earn their livings. Even recreational anglers keep the locations of their fishing holes close to their vests as they don't want to go fishing and find someone parked at their spot catching "their" fish. Capt Todd thinks these worries are unfounded though because fish migrate and just because they are somewhere today doesn't mean they will be in that exact location tomorrow. Capt Todd's hope is that through SlingN'Bait TV, anglers will be able to learn to find new areas to catch fish by looking at factors like tide, current, terrain features, and weather. It is definitely a new breed of fishing show.

I invited Capt Todd to fish with me on the Hotrod Gheenoe in the Alafia River in Hillsborough County Florida. Although he has fished for years in the South Shore area of Tampa Bay, he has never fished in the Alafia River. Some people would think I am crazy taking a guide out and showing him my hot spots because he will take his clients there and clean out my fish. But I am of the same mind as Capt Todd in that I know that the fish are here now but they wont be for long as they will move farther up the river or back into the various canals and creeks along the river as the weather cools. Then in the spring, when it warms up again they will pass this way again as they move back out to the flats and finally to their spawning areas on the beaches.
We started the day by catching bait, Scaled Sardines, which are plentiful in the river at the moment. Again when the weather cools the bait will all but disappear and I will have to change my fishing tactics to adapt, either using live shrimp or lures. Shrimp is expensive, and lots of non gamefish will eat it as well so I prefer to use lures.
After catching bait we moved into a small creek and began tossing our bait along the mangrove edges catching small snook. Then Capt Todd noticed a large swirl in the water and said he thought there might be a dolphin in the creek. Then there were lots of swirls and he said it looked like a school of big Jack Crevalle and Capt Todd tossed his bait over by the swirls. As soon as the bait hit the water the surface erupted and began to boil and his bait was instantly picked up by a huge Jack Crevalle. Not wanting to miss out I tossed my bait out as well and hooked up with a jack of my own. Unfortunately Capt Todd lost his Jack, breaking off in the roots of the mangroves lining the creek. My fish however was not as fortunate. It was a decent sized fish and towed the Hotrod up the creek and into the mangroves, then it swam out into the middle of the creek and pulled the Hotrod out of the mangroves. After a prolonged action packed battle I finally landed the fish.

After releasing the fish we moved to another location and started working the mouth of another creek. The water was high so we had to get our bait as close to the mangroves as possible to either draw the fish out or have the bait swim into the mangrove roots into the hungry mouth of the waiting fish. Suddenly, both our lines went tight and we had a double hookup. We ended up with two nice over slot redfish.
We fished this area a little longer and then moved to another creek mouth. The tide was now moving out so we fished the end of the creek and the outside edge on the down current side in the river. We caught several more snook including a
nice 30+ inch slot fish. We then started working the banks of the river paying special attention to docks and points and areas with submerged structure like old dock pilings, dead trees, rocks anything that might provide a hiding place for a big predator fish waiting to ambush an unsuspecting bait fish for an easy meal.
We actually found a couple new spots holding fish that I had not found before even though I had been fishing this area for the last two or three weeks. I told Capt Todd that I wanted to take him fishing here to show off what I had learned from him over the last year and a half since
I first fished with him. But I had an ulterior
motive as well. I wanted to take Capt Todd along so he could critique my skills and hopefully help me fine tune my fish finding skills and maybe even find a couple new spots on the river. Needless to say, an unsuspecting Capt Todd fell right into my evil trap... Actually Capt Todd is a great guy and is always willing to help out a fellow angler, whether it is another professional guide, an experienced recreational angler such as myself or even a total beginner such as myself when I first met him.
We finished the day at one of my best producing spots on the river. A dock I found fishing with my 3 year old daughter last week, that has produced dozens of snook over the last several days. Unfortunately due to the tide and the time of day it kind of let me down as it only produced one snook. But what a snook it was, another slot fish over 30 inches long. I guess if your only gonna get one fish if its a big one that makes it all worthwhile.
The trip kind of left me with mixed emotions though. We found and caught lots of fish, but I was just too lucky this time. I would have liked my guest to have caught the big ones. Well maybe not all of them because I would have been a little jealous. I think that I owe much of my success as an angler to Capt Todd and the priceless advice Capt Todd has given me since I first met him.
It was a great trip and an educational experience for both of us. I try to learn something new every time I go on the water. That is what keeps it interesting. Capt Todd hopes to teach his viewers something before they go on the water so they can have more success fishing and enjoy their fishing experience to the fullest.

Capt Todd Foucher can be reached through his website at http://www.slingnbait.com/ or by telephone at (863) 670-1643 and his television show SlingN'Bait TV can be seen Monday at 1130 am, Wednesday at 8 pm, Saturday at 6 pm and Sunday at 330 am on The Sportsman Channel. New episodes are aired on Wednesdays at 8pm.
If you dont have The Sportsman Channel you can also view SlingN'Bait episodes on his shows website, www.tv.slingbait.com. New episodes are available for viewing wednesdays at 8pm followed by a live chat with Capt Todd himself in his live chatroom.

A Great Big Redfish and a Great Big Smile

I took a friend fishing today. We hit some docks in a local river that empties into Tampa Bay. We were drifting by this one dock not intending to stop because I was heading to a different dock and my friend launched a cast as we drifted by. All of a sudden his line goes tight and his rod doubles over and he says "Redfish!". I'm thinking to myself, no big deal, when I see a huge swirl and he says "Big Redfish!". So Turn the boat with the trolling motor and try to slow our drift. I didn't want to drop the anchor as I didn't want this nice red to get tangled in the anchor rope. The current was ripping and the wind was blowing pretty good as well in the same direction as the current so I could barely hold the boat still with the trolling motor on high. It was more like a controlled slow drift. I ended up banging into a dock and the fish took off for the middle of the river, so I turned the boat to chase after it. I drifted next to a piling and reached out and grabbed it to stop the boat from drifting, ready to let go if the fish looked like it was going to try to wrap around it. So with one arm on the piling and the other with my boga grips I tried to help my buddy land his prize. I almost had the fish once but it took off when I touched the line with my free hand. My friend fought the fish to the boat again and once again tried to grab the line and again the fish took off. Finally the fish was wore out and I managed to get the gripper in its mouth. Its head was huge. Possibly the biggest I have seen, and the fish was very fat. I estimated it to be at least 33 inches but when I got it out of the water and measured it it was only 32 1/2 inches long. Needless to say my friend was ecstatic. I think I was just as excited about catching the fish as he was.The rest of the trip turned out pretty good as well. I caught 14 snook. 1 was a 28 1/2 inch keeper which I released for good mojo. I also caught a small redfish (compared to his anyway) and a catfish. My in addition to the redfish, my friend caught a nice 18 inch Spotted Seatrout, 2 catfish and 1 snook. He lost at least 5 snook. But I knew we would get him one. We also had a double hookup on some very large Jack Crevalle but we both got broken off at the boat on our light 20 lb leaders. Turns out that this was also his first inshore slam.
I think the look on his face says it all.
It's a great feeling putting someone on a nice fish like that, and very satisfying as well.

A Recent Discussion...

One of the fishing forums I frequent had a very heated discussion between two well established fishing guides with well over 40 years of guiding experience between the two of them, and two popular up and coming guides.
Apparently, the old timers took offense at the other guides sharing information on the forums with other fishermen about areas where they were catching keeper size grouper inshore. They younger guides said that they were looking to fill a niche by offering their clients the opportunity to not only catch the normal Spotted Seatrout, Redfish and Snook but also to catch grouper, usually only available by going many miles offshore. They are also trying to help out recreational anglers because they feel that that is what guides should do.
The old timers said that by sharing too much information with recreational anglers the young guides would ruin the fishery by causing too much pressure on the area. They also claimed that they have known about the area for decades and that the young guides had not discovered anything new.
Anyway, from there it turned into a free for all, not so much between the guides but from the illustrious members of the peanut gallery, choosing sides and bashing the guides that held a differing opinion from their own. Ultimately the thread was deleted and that was the end of that discussion.

Now for my take.

The old timers are concerned that the area will become a parking lot from all the recreational boaters fishing the area for grouper and eventually they will deplete the resource. They also take offense that the younger guides are, in their opinion, using their fishing reports as a vehicle for marketing their guide operations. And they are also concerned that by providing too much information to recreational anglers that they will possibly lose business due to the fact that if people can find out where to fish for free on the Internet, then they will not require a guide.

The young guides are trying to expand their services by offering a wider selection of fishing opportunities to their clientele. They are also trying to help out recreational anglers. They dont think that they are harming the resource or the business of the other guides, because even if the give out the locations that still doesnt mean that the other anglers will know the proper techniques or when to use them. I know for a fact there is more involved in catching fish than having a boat and a livewell full of bait and tend to agree with them. On multiple occasions I have went fishing with guides and went back to the same locations without catching fish on my own. I have taken other anglers fishing and they have told me that they tried to fish those same areas with no or limited success.

The guiding profession is very competitive, and I can see where both sides have valid points. As more and more people move to Florida, fishing pressure can only increase. I can see opportunities for guides to get more business but I can also see where the competition will increase as more anglers become guides. I think the successful guide will be the one who can stay on top of the fish as they move around due to seasonal changes, weather, and increased fishing pressure. The days of the secret honey hole are coming to an end, if they arent over already.

Another "Learning Experience"

I went out yesterday after having a really productive trip the day before. I was excited thinking that I knew where the fish were hanging and when they were supposed to be eating etc. In other words, I thought I had them dialed in.
I got out and caught some really nice bait and got to the first spot and we caught ladyfish galore and a couple redfish. I wrote it off as just being a little early. So I went to the next spot. We had better luck there, catching a mangrove snapper and then I kid you not, foul hooking a snook in the tail, get this, on a sardine that I had hooked through the tail. Sometimes you see the craziest stuff.

So I moved off to fish another area and had really slow action. Like it might has well been nothing. Couple redfish, some snook and a trout but nowhere near in the number I was expecting.
When I got back home I talked to some of my friends who were out fishing and they reported really slow trips as well. I got on a web forum and most everyone was reporting poor fishing.
I guess I need to take a couple days off and give the fish a chance to come back. I must have wiped em out. Just kidding. Actually the weather was much warmer yesterday than it has been in almost a week or more, there was barely any wind, and the sky was mostly clear. So that very well could have been the cause.
With everything cooling down to the mid to high 70's the fish are moving into their fall and wintertime hangouts, then all of a sudden the next day its 90 degrees by 9:00 am. I think they get confused and just dont know how to act sometime.
Oh well, we still caught fish and had a good time on the water. And that is all that really matters.