Back home

Back from my trip to Florida.  I had a great time, caught a few fish and had a number of firsts.  I caught my first saltwater fish on a fly, a sheephead.  I caught my first shark, a small bonnethead.  I also caught several speckled sea trout, random bait fish and annoying catfish.

Rain, rain go away...

...I want to go fishing!  The rain seems to just keep coming here in Florida.  The past two days have been really wet.  Not that I am opposed to fishing in the rain, but I would prefer to stay dry.  Hopefully things will clear up today so I can get out for a couple hours.  Sigh.

Saltwater first

I got out for an hour today before dinner today slinging a small tan pass crab under the docks and boats in the canal behind where I am staying.  There were four fat sheephead eating barnacles off the bottom of one of the boats.  I fired my crab as close as I could without spooking these already skittish fish.  After a few failed casts I finally landed one in a decent spot.

I thought I had snagged the bottom at first then it started to run.  The biggest of the bunch had taken my fly.  After a short but fun fight I landed a beautiful fish.  The first saltwater fish I've caught on the fly.  It took a small tan pass crab.

I caught it on my Colton Fly 7wt rod.  What a fantastic rod for fighting hard running fish.  It really did a great job turning the fish on those runs.  Not to mention it is so easy to cast.  I don't have the room to back cast so I am limited to roll casting.

Hopefully this is just the start.  It has been pretty slow inshore this week with the memories of Debby still fresh in the fishes minds.  Most of the fish have been hard to find and even harder to get to bite.  I have managed a few trout and catfish here and there.  The trout only seem to feed after dark.  All on the small side but anything is better than the skunk.

Two days with the skunk!

Two days gone and all I've caught is bait.  Well, not that I have been trying very hard though.  The tides are slack and off times and the weather really hasn't been co-operating.  Not to mention the mess that Debby left.  The water is still very green and stained.  Hopefully tomorrow I can get out and give em hell.

I went out and fly fished in the surf this morning.  I didn't see anyone catching anything but bait but I stayed for about an hour.  The tide was just starting to go out but there was no bait pods around and no birds to be seen.  I did see one tarpon crashing some bait in the afternoon but he was too far out to reach.

1400km down 700 to go

My trip is in full swing.  One full day of driving done, half a day to go.

Countdown

Only three more days until I head down to West Central Florida for some serious fishing.  Two weeks of hot days and salt water!  I can't wait.