The conversation didn't last long, which was okay by me. And I didn't think much of his comment at the time, because we had a plane to board and fish to catch. So on the plane we went with other USNA glitterati and fans heading to Jacksonville for the Navy-Notre Dame game. A couple of hours later we were on our way to Palm Harbor Marina to meet Curt Toomer, former squadron mate, long time friend and fishing companion, and our captain for three days on the Intracoastal Waterway in search of Redfish and Sea Trout.
We arrived at the marina around 1130, and soon after that we were underway in his 18 foot Maverick skiff, a perfect boat for the intra coastal. The strategy for the trip was basically running to spots Curt had already scouted days before which were holding Reds and Trout. Tactics were equally simple. Tackle was for the most part spinning gear, tossing live shrimp, mud minnows, or soft plastics off grass points or up against the grass banks.
The weather on Thursday was as good as it gets. Temps in the upper 70s, an occasional overcast, light breeze, and water temps in the 70s. The only thing interrupting the solitude was the "sounds of freedom" from the Blue Angels, who were flying around practicing for air shows on Saturday and Sunday.
But it was easy to ignore the pilots in blue spandex, especially when you're tying into fish. Thursday afternoon turned out to be the best day of the trip, numbers-wise. We brought at least 20-24 fish to the boat; Reds, Trout, Mangrove Snapper, and a nice Bluefish that spit the jig head right at the boat.
Included in the catch was one keeper Red of about 20 inches, and 5 Trout, enough fillets to feed the clan, with a little to spare for a hanger on at the cleaning table.
The plan for Friday morning was the same as Thursday. Only problem was the frontal system that moved through about noon. While we kept fishing throughout the afternoon, the 20-25 knot winds kept us limited to protected parts of the intra coastal. Despite the conditions, we continued to catch fish, including a nice 23 inch Red and 16 inch Trout.
With the winds forecast to continue through Saturday, our game plan for the last day of the outing was to head south and fish around the docks down in Ponte Vedra. We hit a creek bend on the way down, and managed to catch a few trout and snapper, and one keeper Black Drum. With the wind blowing a good 20 knots,m though, we motored south to calmer waters. On the way down Captain DiPaola managed to tie into a big Red moving along a grass bank. But his shouts of "I got this" went sour when the fish broke him off, disappointing, but also a rush watching him fight the fish. We moved down further south. But, while the trees and houses did block the wind, there wasn't much in the way of catching. So we ziggied back up to the spot where we had started fishing, and battled the 20-25 knot winds to catch Snapper after another. This last stop, though, also tuned out to sweet revenge for Captain DiPaola, who managed to catch his Redfish for the trip with a Berkley Gulp shrimp pattern off a grass bank, a feat given the conditions.
As we offloaded Curt's boat Saturday afternoon, one of the employees at the marina, who is a big time fisherman, described us as "animals" for being out in these conditions. He was right that the conditions for the most part weren't ideal. But you can't plan the weather. And while we didn't put as many fish in the cooler as we'd liked, we still boated some nice Reds and Trout. Most of all, we enjoyed the time spent together. We've known each other, and fished together, for over twenty years. Our Navy careers brought us together, but spending time on the water has provided that "connective tissue" that has nurtured a friendship going back over two decades.
Many thanks to Captain Curt Toomer for his guiding prowess. And a special shout out to his lovely wife Michele, who was the most gracious of hosts.
Tight lines,
Mikey D Fishing
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