November 8, 2005 — Thanksgiving is when?
Admittedly, since December 24, 2004, Mother Nature has shown incredible signs of Schizophrenia. With the first snowfall on record since 1854 in the Rio Grand Valley, Mother Nature ushered in a year of temperature records and has left us scratching or head as to the culprit. Has global warming actually affected our fragile environment enough that we must stand around wearing shorts and t's sweating off our proverbial, well you can fill in the rest, a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving? As the season draws to a close and we look back on the fish and stories we saved up for the slow trophy trout action in the months to come, we turn our attention to leases and ranches and stalking bigger game with more deafening consequences.
Mom and Dad will be resigned to ranch living for the remainder of the season while I hold down the fort along the coast. Fishing has been rewarding in certain areas but fish remain tightly packed and difficult to find. However, with the difficulty, like all risk and reward, the fish we are catching are good sized trout and fun sized reds. Flounder gigging along the cut has kept us all sane and I think BJ and Frank's significant others believe they have disappeared off the face of the earth. To just be beginning the flounder gigging season exhibits how late our fall patterns actually are. WE ARE STILL WET WADING.
With tropical disturbances still in the gulf and water still lukewarm what are we to do? Hunt, Hunt, Hunt and take care of ignored correspondences, get ready for the winter boat shows, and take care of close dear friends. For the few out of the loop, or at least wise enough to stay away from the fishing chat forums, beloved friend captain Dan Coley is waging a battle with lung cancer and we, along with 2coolfishing.com, are sponsoring an auction to help him and Joyce through this tough time. We thank all the generous guides and anglers that have so willingly donated trips, gifts, and money to this great cause. If you are interested in contributing, or bidding on auction items, please go to http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/forumdisplay.php?f=51.
Pray for colder weather and go chase the other white tail.