It was pre-dawn and the air was thick. The dark sky was
briefly illuminated periodically from distant lightning. Longtime friend and
co-worker, Charlie Vaughn and I were launching his skiff from Pineland Marina
for a couple hours of fishing in an area I know well for kayaking.
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| Typical Pine Island Sunrise |
We left the ramp on the tail end of an outgoing tide just as
the sun was peeking over the horizon. Edging up to the shallow flats on the
outside of Big Jim Creek, I scanned the water’s surface for any sign movement,
bait, fish or bird. The water was still and a few long exploratory casts with a
Zara Spook Jr produced no interest from anything in the area.
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| Distant Thunderstorms |
We spent the next couple of hours chasing agitated baitfish
and feeding birds, producing varying sizes of ladyfish and trout on paddletails.
As the tide slowly rose, Charlie brought his Carolina Skiff closer to the miles
of mangrove edges that line the many small islands in Pine Island Sound. Around
Rat Key we produced some good inshore snapper that Charlie decided to turn into
tasty sandwiches.
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| Snapper! |
Heading back to the ramp, I guided Charlie into a small bay
where I have caught many Pineland redfish over the years. We slowly moved along
the mangroves casting and searching for any sign of life in the increasing heat
of the morning. Just at the end of our mangrove line, Charlie’s drag began to
sing that song we all love to hear. He very quietly and calmly said “That’s a
heavy fish, Bob. This is the one we were looking for”.
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| Charlie Redfish |
After running around the boat several times, the big redfish
finally showed signs of tiring. Charlie brought him close enough for me to
reach down and land him. The over-slot fish was nice enough to smile for a few
pictures, and was released soon thereafter.
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| Pine Island Stilt Shacks |
We decided to end the morning on a high note and head back
in. The sun was now baking hot and any semblance of a breeze had disappeared.
As usual, Pineland had produced really great fishing and remains a healthy
fishery for anyone willing to travel.
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