(black and silver) and gives me a good run for the money. Turns out to be a jack, not the red that I was hoping for, but gave a great fight nonetheless. 
My father gets a hook up with a nice red and as he is approaching the boat, turns his head and spits the plug back at him 
. Brian struggles with short strikes and can't manage a hook up here.After tiring of the short strikes we move West to a cove and creeks where we have had success many times in the past and can't even buy a bite. Fished, topwater mostly, but also spinners with Gulp! and found nothing. Went back East to try some coves father down in hopes of finding some reds on the shallow bars. Still couldn't find one anywhere, and very little action to be seen around the bars.
Went out to 4-7 feet of water, got into a few ladyfish, 1 snotcat and nothing else.
At this point in the day we weren't making a run farther away from the river as we all had obligations for the afternoon and evening and made accompanying promises to return by way too early 
, so we decide to head back into the shallows and make a drift across a few good bars and spotty bottom. Brian, finally gets a hook up on a keeper trout (17.5" and turns out to be the only keeper of the day) so at least we're not skunked. Another short trout for my father and then I get the bite I've been waiting for all day. 
Hooked on 3" Gulp! natural with red jighead. He's pulling drag. Made a loop toward the aft portside of the boat, comes back around the bow and turns to starboard heading for the stern, still taking drag. Got a enough of a look at him to see some good color and confirm species, but not size. Having just replaced the line on my reel with Cajun Red Line 14#, and a relatively loose drag, I felt confident in the fight with the fish. Just as that goes through my head, Snap 
and the fish is gone. This pretty well sums the day up for me. 
We make a few more casts and decide that we'd better head in if we want to have a chance to go again soon. Regardless of the total tally, this was one of the prettier days I've had on the water in quite some time. Possibly because it was long overdue, but something about starting the day off at Aucilla as the sun is moving above the treeline to the East is just magical. Look forward to next time, and hope to chase the afternoon bite as well.
