Shell Key - Sept 2003

[Pirogue]

Thursday night, I had the truck all loaded up and ready to go. Friday morning was my weekly Operations meeting to go over our issues. This is also the last month of our fiscal year and next week is our final week to close business. So, this trip was needed to purge my mind before the floodgates and e-mails from Corporate demanding more money start flying in.

The morning started as normal. My meeting went fine with no real issues to keep me from leaving. Then, as I am clearing my desk, our Accounts Receivable person, aka “The Sharkâ€Â

 

[Swampy]

Thanks Pirogue, this report is refreshing to me also. Glad ya brought that red fish on board. Nice fight and yer right, when the battle is on there is always "post" readiness thoughts going through yer head! :roll:
Will that fly of Chucks catch salmon?
swampy

 

[oldsparkey]

Pirogue.

You are one of the few paddlers and campers I know ...... that brings more food home then they took with them and still eat like kings. I am sitting here reading your trip report and getting hungry which is bad since I just had breakfast. :?
Isn't it a great , independent , feeling paddling, camping, fishing, and being free in the boat your made and catching fish on the fly's you tied. Life is Good.

Swampy ... My fly's will catch anything including the fisherman if he is not careful. :roll:
Chuck.

 

[Pirogue]

Swampy,
I think Chucks fly should work. I would suggest tieing the body in pink crystal chenile and the tail in purple marabou. But what do I know. I catch my salmon at the fish counter in Publix. :wink:

Chuck,
This is odd. The canoe has slowed me down. I was so excited about getting out to that island but just took my time and paddled along. I was taking time watching the tailing mullet, redfish. The trout as they get spooked and the pinfish swimming around.

One time while paddling up to the camp launch I saw 11 snook with in 100 feet. All must have been over 24 inches just sitting in sandy pot holes among the grass flats. Any of you guys that know snook fishing can relate that these fish are uncatchable. They will sit there and thumb your nose at you.

I am lucky. The fishing techniques on the west coast are so different from what I am used to growing up on the east. The guys I fell in with have been willing to teach and offer their locations. In turn, my fishing has improved.

The canoe does give you an added feeling of freedom.

Oh yeah, Swampy. Chuck is right, his flys do catch fishermen. It must be the fly. It couldn't be my sloppy casting- No sir.

 

[Swampy]

Pirogue, I fit into that same catagory! If it'll get into the water ( by hook or crook) and the fish gets lockjaw once the hook is in hiz mouth... then I can wrestle it into the boat. You'll never see me on one of those fishing shows with the famous guides and hosts!
swampy

 

[oldsparkey]

Pirogue

Yes, .... The canoe is just slightly slowed when paddling then your pirogue but I would like to think what has slowed it down is your, wisdom, apparition and enjoying your surroundings more.

You stopped to smell the roses , So to speak.
Rush thru the work day and week but slow down on the weekend and especially when out on the water having fun...... Ya want that to last forever.
Chuck.

 

[Floatforfish]

I was thinking of you Saturday as I drove by the launch site and saw all the cars. Looked like you had a good turn out. The weather Saturday was sure stormy. My daughter and I got out there about 1630 after passing through a bad storm only to be greated by another at East Beach.

BTW, I find those snook will come right to the surface if you bait your hook with a 1/4 stick of TNT. :shock:

Glad you had fun. I hope to paddle and fish on Sunday. You might want to check out paddlezone.net. It's a new sight devoted to paddle fishing in Florida.

Aaron

 

[Pirogue]

Float,
It looked like DeSoto got hit harder than us. Our rain only lasted about an hour. When I went out after it let up, it looked like it was still pounding to the east and south.

Ain't Florida weather great. It pours on one side of a pass and clear skys on the other.

I have seen PaddleZone. Kevin Fenn was a guide out of Osprey Bay Kayaks and also fished with these ne'er do wells for a while. He has since moved and I guess started that web site. He helped get the Annual No Motor tourny started.

Congrats on completeing your boat and have fun!

 

[Floatforfish]

Yeah DeSoto got pounded. When I got out of the the car it was gusting to 30. God bless my daughter, she says "It just a little windy". We threw the cast net for awhile along the mangroves and had fun. I am taking her to the Glades for 4 days for her 9th birthday in Oct. I love being able to enjoy the outdoors with her!
I know Kevin from his time in G'Ville. He is starting to guide in the 'Goon now that he is living in Orlando. Good guy.
Have a great weekend.

Aaron