I managed to talk Rodbow (RB) into riding with me but he wasn’t interested in being a registered tournament participant. I was sure glad to have him along and he did everything he could to help me out.
We launched from the light house canal just after Chalk and TC. It was dark and shallow, probably about 30 minutes before low tide. With the tournament rules being catch and release and winners determined by the longest combined length for a redfish and a trout…..I was in trouble before the start.
I admittedly have a lot to learn about catching redfish(and now….apparently trout as well!! 
). In my 19ft Carolina Skiff and no trolling motor I’m prohibited from getting into some of the skinny creeks and can’t prowl the shoreline like I’d want to. Have you got the feeling yet that I’m setting up as many excuses as I can!! 
My plan was to spend the majority of the time (if necessary) trying to catch a red (just any red!) and then go for some trout. Both TC and Birddog had given me some pointers on where they would fish (without a trolling motor) and TC had taken me to a spot once in his redcross machine. The spot was along the Eastern shoreline of Shell point where a small bar was close to the shore. I had plotted a route the day before to hopefully take me across from the Lighthouse to where the deep channels come together headed into Goose Creek. I got close but still hit some shallow stuff. It looked doubtful that I’d be able to get in until more water came in but I was finally able to pole the last 80 yards or so and get anchored up exactly where I wanted to be.
We could reach the bar and the shoreline with our casts. As far as anchoring up, we couldn’t be in a better spot. RB and I started working baits. I had 5 rods set up with the tras…. er.. tackle that had been so meticulously selected for me. One with a spoon, one CT (useless in the shallow water and grass), one with a plain grub on a hook (only one hook per customer!) with a small split shot, one with a red jig head and paddle tail mullet colored grub, one with another spoon (notice the absence of topwater and as Chalk as already reported the surgery preformed the night before left me with some sort of modified submarine with no ballast! 
) . We waited for some water to start moving and didn’t really have to wait very long. There was some evidence of bait working and occasionally what appeared to be something chasing them. We fished that spot until we had the water thrashed into foam with no success! I kept thinking “the reds are gonna show upâ€
