St. Marks, Tuesday afternoon!
Posted: May 23rd, 2007, 11:16 am
Time for a quick report on my adventure yesterday afternoon with the Mangler (my oldest son, a paramedic/firefighter with WCEMS) and his WCEMS EMT partner, Anthony ! We left the Fort in Bobby's boat about 3 p.m., for a hastily prepared trip to the west flats. The water temp was around 74 degrees, the wind was blowing off shore to about 15 mph, down to around 10 mph later in the evening, with the water slightly stained, and the tide coming in about 3/4 of the way to the top. 
Again, the New Penny & Natural Gulp shrimp work very well along with the live shrimp (provided by Anthony) behind a CT rig. I suggested we start off by fishing the top of the west reef (where I left them biting from Saturday's trip) and, yes, they were still there - hungry for our baits...most of them small.
In an effort to entice a larger trout, I put on a Silver/Black Smithwick Devil's Horse and started frothing up the waves with it whereupon a magnum sized trout crashed it in 3 feet of water up on the reef. Unfortunately, the God's of fish had to Palm Beach release the huge sow trout for me close to the boat. It was estimated to be 24+"'s, maybe 4-5 #'s (I would have released her anyway - CPR, eh)!
As the sun began to get lower, we moved into the bars around the big bay area where Anthony caught a 20" trout on live shrimp and Bobby released the 16" redfish he caught on live shrimp, also.
Then, disaster struck...I just hate it when Mr. Murphy comes callin'!
Anthony jumped out of the boat in shallow water to free his hung up CT from the bottom and became immediately attacked by a hidden crab trap - OUCH! Major trauma time, folks! 
Your Capt. here had to revive his medic skills of old and patch up a bleeding Anthony while the Mangler began urgent transport back to the landing. I think poor 'ole Anthony will require at least 25 sutures...man, what a hole that nasty trap dug in his leg! 
By the way, there is a lesson here for all of us...especially those of us that really are medically trained: Make sure you have a ADEQUATE 1st Aid Kit on board your boat, not just some cheesy cheap one bought at the store to make the USCG Aux happy!
Baby 4x4's and a towel is really not what one wants to wrap a sever laceration with even on a temporary basis - live and learn! 
Anthony is doing just fine after his 4 hour trip to TMH's ER...Ah, next time just stay in the boat there Anthony, eh!
