St. Joe 7/7

[CATCH 22]

Got to Presnell's at 6:00 Excited about a day of fishing with Chalk. Ya see, We did some bartering, I was to build him an Alum. casting platform for a day of skinny water adventures on the Ghost Rider. Slid the boat in and we headed to a spot where Chalk and Birdog had success the other day. Threw top water for a good long drift with no takers so we headed to a trout spot a little deeper. Cast after cast the Trout would follow the jerk-baits up to the boat and then swim off Chalk started throwing a little plug He picked up in Hawaii and caught a few shorts whilst I'm still searching for something to entice a bite. Finally tie on a catch 2000 and catch a couple dinks, but hey, were getting somewhere. Set up another drift and finally boated a keeper. Caught a couple Blues and a few more shorts and said enough with this spot and went to his never fail, sure fire hole. Chalk says " Dang, I ain't caught one in a while" and Bamm,a nice 22"er. Then I say "I still ain't caught a keeper" a Bamm, another short Fished for trout for awhile longer and decided to go back to try for some Reds. We weaved our way through the scallopers and set up a drift in the skinny. Threw soft jerks for a while to no avail so we started throwing spoons, " Aint caught one in a while", You guessed it, Bamm, a just short red so I think what the heck, it's worth a try "I still ain't caught a keeper" and Bamm, nuthin It,s getting a littlr later in the day and half the scallopers have done to clean thier quarry and have cleared out of a spot Chalk wanted to try, so we buzzed in there. Shore nuff skinny "You said you wanted to fish skinny"was his reply to my look of astonishment. I finally got my First red in about 10 years, to bad it,s a short, 17.5, but a red nonetheless. Give up after 3 hrs of floating over em without a taker and headed back to try to get a limit of trout. Chalk tried his new fish attractant " Ain't caught one in a while" works again Gonna have to figure out how to bottle that stuff. Who needs Gulp when you have Bitch in a Bottle Caught a few more shorts and decided my poor back has had enough, put it on the trailer at 7:30pm. Had a Great day with a new Friend, can't wait to do it again

[birddog]

You fellas have more patience than I do. Way to persevere.

[Chalk]

I enjoyed the day on the water with you Catch22.

We did see a school of nice size tarpon, my eyes rolled around in my head like a slot machine for a second, jonesing for a 12 wt and a toad to throw at them

You were a trooper all day Catch wish the fish were more inclined to eat the baits vice follow them to the boat Bitch in the Bottle

We will have to get after them a little harder next time

Thanks again for coming aboard the Ghostrider

[Barhopr]

Tough day fellas, but you did get blood in the boat

[tin can]