September 12, 2005 — Move Over Rover
Simply being the youngest guide out of the lodge can make times at the lodge around the older salts quite unbearable. To add fuel to the flame, out fish the old salts and there is hell to pay. I think the familiar saying around here goes something like this. “The difference between Brandon and a 6 month old puppy is the puppy will grow out the whining stage.” Tight lipped and humble, I usually just go about my business and let my fishing speak for itself. Well this thanks to the 4F Fishing club revenge was swift and sweet.
Holding one of their annual tournaments out of the lodge we had 4 boats consisting of three fishermen apiece. Although conditions were fairly tough yet consistent, every boat landed a ton of 15 to 16 inchers it was hard to get a quality trout bite going. On day one Steven whipped up on the trout landing a number of 20 to 25's with a beautiful 29 inch sow to boot taking Big Trout of the day Honors. Before people start saying we are meat haulers the tournament only allows one red and two trout. Fishermen after my own heart. Dad and Teddy brought in a few 16 and 1/4 inchers and a couple of rat reds. My guys brought in a couple of very nice upper slot reds and a couple of 18 inchers to win big red of the day.
Day to sealed it up for brothers Roland and Pete. We boated a very nice and heavy 25 inch trout and a very nice 27 and 31/32 red to take big trout and big red honors of the day. Not to mention placing 1 and 2 overall in their tournament. Poor Dad and Teddy were once again feeding the tide runners and Steven could not match the pace he set for himself the day before. So in a once in a blue moon chance to gloat…MY BOAT ROCKED. So, now fish gods humble me and put me in my place…but they did give me the opportunity to puff out the chance for day, or two.
The week was very interesting. Snook were prolific through out the bay. We caught 8 on Sunday in trout hangouts in the middle of sand pockets and in very shallow water. trout were hanging in the grass in water about waist deep, too deep for this cat. The reds were right alongside and a little out of sorts. We have another mass exodus of water out of the bay and pushing the fish off the flats and out o a little deeper water. Rain bait and Spanish Mack are all over the place which heralds in the return of the big bull reds. Its starting folks, fall is here and the bay has her bay feel starting to take over in the mornings and late evenings. Look forward to the fall fishing.