St Marks - A memorable afternoon

Use this area to post inshore fishing reports from the area. Please try to include relevant information such as:
Location, date, time, water conditions, weather conditions, baits, techniques, species caught, etc.
Image

Moderators: bman, Chalk, Tom Keels

User avatar
Reel Slow
Site Sponsor
Posts: 1819
Joined: June 30th, 2005, 5:37 pm
Location: Tally

St Marks - A memorable afternoon

Post by Reel Slow »

Had a good friend bring his 10 year old boy over from MS to try to get him a redfish. Seems simple enough. He just happended to bring his triton aluminum duck boat to fish the lakes during the evenings and that turned out to be important cause my boat had to go to the shop the day before we were supposed to go :smt011 . This time of year, they want a left n*t and 6 month wait. So, I'm hosed.

His boat has no troller so I brought my old transom mount to hook on and we launched at Wakulla Beach instead of running to my favorite areas (where TC wore them out as it turns out). Speaking of launching, he had to put his truck way in the water :o to launch. Oh well, dodge is known for their rust resistance :-D .

Well, my good buddy had 6 rods, a 4' net, a push pole, 2 paddles, 3 gas tanks, 2 batteries, a cooler and us 3 bodies. Tight, but comfortable, for the 3 of us!

We motor out to find some trout and to drift a bar for reds. First couple drifts the little fella lands a nice trout (17") on top, and a big lady fish that he really enjoyed fighting. I have a roll on top near the bar and tell him to cast over there. Low and behold he places it on top of the roll like lefty kreh or something. Bam! A nice red is on! The Red runs towards and under the boat and I notice his spool aint turning. Pops had the drag set for tarpon or something. Much to our chagrin, the red breaks off on the good run they make upon first seeing the boat. That turned out to be a costly mistake!

We put another 16" in the boat that my friend catches and then off to another spot. I see reds working the shore, but can't get the kid close enough for a cast (his dad had 17lb mono on the reels). So, off we go to find more reds up a creek. About this time the tide is rolling inand of course here comes the wind :smt012 .

Now were up goose creek with 12-15 winds, incoming tide, a troller on the back, a few holes in our shirts from the little fellas missed casts, a couple broken down rods from the little fellas missed casts, and having a blast. But, it was hard as hell to control the boat to get in position for a cast to a likely place. Pops is being very good and letting lil fella take all the casts. Then I see a honey of a spot. Tell the lil' fella to fling his spoon right up the cut and he makes a perfect cast, despite the 17lb test mono that appeared to have been spooled in 1983. As he returns it to the boat a upper slot to over slot red just missed the spoon as he pulled it out of the water :smt012 . By this time were blown away on to find another spot. On and on, we caught alot of shoreline, oysters, shirts, and engines, but couldn't find him a red.

Well, for a fitting end. We get between two likely spots with the two of them in the front of the boat I see a cast that cannot be refused. So I shift from port to starboard. Of course, this rig has no rear platform, so I kinda had to jump across the rear end. Upon landing on the other side, I noticed some arms flailing in in circles at the front of the boat :o . I give him credit he held it for a good 10 seconds before belly flopping in the water rod in hand. My old buddy, taking a swim and messing up a good spot! As well as a perfectly good cell phone! When he pulled it out of his pocket the lil fella says " is that your cell phone daddy?" "Yes, son." Lil' fella "it is probably dead like those fish now".

I tried to talk pops into waiting for the outgoing tide as I knew we would wear em out! But, he was spent. Lil fella was a trooper and had a great time and was the source of many a good laughs for me, altough his pop looked a bit miffed untangling line all day.

Boatless in Tally.
birddog
Site Sponsor
Posts: 7516
Joined: May 22nd, 2003, 9:30 pm
Location: Thomasville, Georgia

Post by birddog »

A great read, RS. I guess the Burger curse continues. You'll get'em on those reds next trip for sure. :thumbup:
GULP! free since 1970.
User avatar
Reel Slow
Site Sponsor
Posts: 1819
Joined: June 30th, 2005, 5:37 pm
Location: Tally

Post by Reel Slow »

He may be done with my guide service!
Fishman
Site Sponsor
Posts: 764
Joined: July 17th, 2004, 11:31 am
Location: Wakulla County FL

Post by Fishman »

Enjoyable read :D
User avatar
rocket
Site Sponsor
Posts: 3165
Joined: May 2nd, 2002, 8:00 pm
Location: MODERATOR

Post by rocket »

Wish the lil' fella could have landed one, but it sounds like he had a lot of fun!
User avatar
Chalk
Moderator
Posts: 11996
Joined: March 9th, 2002, 8:00 pm
Location: 30° 13' N, 85° 40' W
Contact:

Post by Chalk »

:thumbup: :thumbup:
User avatar
dstockwell
Posts: 4214
Joined: March 5th, 2002, 8:00 pm
Location: Valdosta, GA

Post by dstockwell »

Very good :thumbup: :thumbup:
User avatar
wevans
Site Sponsor
Posts: 12827
Joined: June 12th, 2002, 11:06 am
Location: Sopchoppy

Post by wevans »

Even on bad days.......... Fun Happens :-D :thumbup: :beer:
“Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them and you have their shoes.”
Image
User avatar
Reel Slow
Site Sponsor
Posts: 1819
Joined: June 30th, 2005, 5:37 pm
Location: Tally

Post by Reel Slow »

rocket wrote:Wish the lil' fella could have landed one
Man sooo close it still hurts.

Next time pops will have power pro spooled on the reel!
User avatar
tin can
Site Sponsor
Posts: 12535
Joined: May 6th, 2002, 8:00 pm
Location: Tallahassee, Florida

Post by tin can »

RS, that is funny stuff. Oh, the pain we endure, just to chase a fish. :-D

Sounds like you need to coach dad on line size, and what that star knob on the side of the reel does. :wink:
What was I supposed to do today?
User avatar
wevans
Site Sponsor
Posts: 12827
Joined: June 12th, 2002, 11:06 am
Location: Sopchoppy

Post by wevans »

17# Mono is what I use on ALL of my inshore and Bass reels :smt004 :-D :beer:
“Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them and you have their shoes.”
Image
mattfsu7
Site Sponsor
Posts: 52
Joined: March 4th, 2004, 12:52 pm
Location: Tallahassee

Post by mattfsu7 »

Great story!
User avatar
Eerman
Site Sponsor
Posts: 3671
Joined: February 11th, 2004, 9:05 pm
Location: Tallahassee

Post by Eerman »

Ahh...I remember those days. 'Cause I have em everyday. :-D
"Why does Sea World have a seafood restaurant?? I'm halfway through my fish burger and I realize, Oh man....I could be eating a slow learner."
AJ
Site Sponsor
Posts: 938
Joined: December 24th, 2001, 8:00 pm
Location: Tallahassee

Post by AJ »

Good story, it's always more fun when someone else takes the dive. I have washed two cell phones in salt water, both would do nothing but vibrate afterwards :roll: .
You gonna talk, or you gonna fish?
User avatar
Reel Slow
Site Sponsor
Posts: 1819
Joined: June 30th, 2005, 5:37 pm
Location: Tally

Post by Reel Slow »

AJ wrote:it's always more fun when someone else takes the dive. I have washed two cell phones in salt water, both would do nothing but vibrate afterwards :roll: .
:lol: He gave his cell phone a bath last time too. 2 cells in 2 trips. He is actually a good fisherman, but things get hectic with his boys in the boat.
Post Reply