BigBendFishing.Net

Fished east of Econfina this past weekend in fog.
One major observation: people are much more friendly when you
pass by them in the fog....they just wave and wave!
Fished toward Rock Islands in creeks on incoming tides and caught some nice trout on mirrolures. Basically caught fish everywhere I saw movement. I tried some frozen shrimp and mullet strips
in several places under a cork without any takers. Never saw the flats without fog. GPS is a lifesaver. Except for fog,
weather was awesome!

I hope some of those people waving didn't get upset when I didn't have time to wave back.

Nice report. I shoulda tried some mirrorlures, and will next time! Thanks.

They were waving because they were lost..........not "friendly".

RHTFISH wrote:people are much more friendly when you
pass by them in the fog....they just wave and wave

Cran replied :

They were waving because they were lost..........not "friendly"

They probably thought you were reponding to the flares they fired

Good report

I was out of town this weekend, but I had more than one person tell me they had someone follow them to the hill because the person was out there in that junk, and couldn't find their way home!
I can't imagine someone would leave the boat ramp, in a fog like that with no gps, or compass.

Rocket, your statement kinda strikes a chord with me. I gained my boating skills and knowledge through experience, not all of it good. But, when I started boating there weren't nearly the number of boats. I've become an advocate of mandatory boater education. Everyone has to pass a written and hands on driving test to get a drivers license. Anyone can buy a boat, and immediately they're a boater, with no training or test. Very few dealers show a new boat owner how to operate their boat. Most of the rookie boat owners are ignorant, not stupid. They just don't know any better. I suppose that's why I try to show a little patience when I run into a rookie on the water.

TC,
I agree w/ you 100%. Everything I've learned was damn near self taught, trial, and error.
I just think it's stupid to try and navigate in an area when your have no instruments, or not that familiar w/ your surroundings.
Everyone bashed those Georgia guys, who went out of Keaton last year in rough conditions, and one of them died. Over, and over I read they had no business being there.
Same applies here in my opinion. All it takes is some jack-ass running on a plane trying to find his way around, hit a rock/oyster bar, or worse, another boat, and you have a tradgegy.
Just my .02c.

Nice report & how bout those Mirrolures!
The fog reminds me of snow when everybody also seems neighborly. I'm guessing it's that everybody is sort of dealing with the same thing together at the same time and it creates a common experience to connect with.

I have to agree. EVERY individual who owns and operates boat should be required to get a license to drive said boat. Being an X-lifeguard for lakes and pools in Iowa and Missouri, I would have to say that the only times I got in the water to save a life was when a boater knocked himself/herself out being careless.
Although I don't own a boat, I plan on owning a boat. When I get a boat I plan on taking EVERY possible boaters course I can find. Not to mention a boat maintenance class. My first time EVER out on a boat we were 30 or so miles off shore when all of a sudden the oil alarm started going off. The captain had filled the oil before we left dock, so this didn't make any sense. Everytime we were going full throtle the alarm went off. Due to paranoia and not realy trusting the alarm we didn't go out the full 80 miles he wanted, we stayed in no further than 45 miles.
On our way back we didn't go full throttle and it took a LONG time to get back to the dock. I don't blame the captain, when we got back to dock and were able to fully inspect everything we found the oil fllter clogged. I don't think we would have gotten stuck, and he had some kind of boat tow insurance, but it was still nerve rackin for a first timer who had never been so far out that land was not visible.
When Aucilla and I were out I was surprised at the number of sunk boats we passed. I can't imagin how many people could have or did drown because of carelessness. I find the open water calming, but to be honest my general paranoia causes me to wish I was the captain. I'd personally be responsible for my own life than have it in someone elses hands.
An intersting side note, one of the times I had to 'life save' was because a canoe had knocked a swimmer out because they weren't paying attention to where they were rowing.

Drayno