FLORIDA FISHING

Sorry, no picture on this one, I don't have the training (or the inclination) to try to download one from my phone.  I attended a conference in Orlando Fla. this week, took my travel rod and spent a few hours fishing in the Atlantic.  I was a little under equipped for surf fishing, I couldn't get the bait out far enough or according to the locals "out of the wash".  Found a little bait shop just north of Cocoa Beach, the guy behind the counter was very helpful and got me set up to do local fishing and some fresh bait for only 8 bucks, I don't think I have ever spent $8 buying fishing stuff!  I found out that around Cocoa Beach they use a simple 2 hook bottom rig with long shank J hooks.   We discovered that if you go a couple of blocks north of Cocoa Beach the parking is free so we jumped on that.   I fished the beach on 2 different days, the first day the surf was too big and I couldn't get out of the wash, the second day the water was more calm and I waded way out to cast, I only had a couple of hours, didn't catch any thing but it was a beautiful day with brown pelicans diving for as far north and south as I could see.  Spent some time fishing brackish water and caught a bunch of what the locals called Whitling (croaker family) the biggest was about a pound.  Bought about $200 worth of shirts at the Ron Jon surf shop in Cocoa Beach, big store full of cool ocean stuff.  The day after I get home, my son goes to Destin Fla. to a fishing gear conference and catches a 5-6 pound red fish off the beach right behind the hotel he is staying in.  Go figure.

Patience started the year right with 100% days fished in 2009 Jan 1st and 2nd but reality set in and we had to come home!  Had some excitement on the way down, burned up a bearing on the trailer.  Tipped the guys at the Gila Bend NAPA to stay open late but they only had the inner bearing (both were trashed).  No worries, 2 of us had super 9000 computer phones, we located the right bearing in Maricopa, asked the wife to pick them up and run them out to us, we were good to go by 9:00 pm.  Decided to spend new years eve in Gila Bend (Space Age Lodge) and got an early start and were in Cholla Bay by 9:00am.  Here is  a little request for the Governor of Sonora:  PAVE THE @$%*^@@#$ ROAD ALL THE WAY INTO CHOLLA BAY!!!! Thanks to good friends for taking us in and finding us a place to spend the night.  The water in Rocky Point was calm and the weather warm.  The anchovies were in huge schools and on Thursday, Jan 1st we watched the dolphin circle them into a ball and attack, the birds were working the ball too, it was cool.  Friday we found a sea turtle sunning itself on the surface, it let us get close enough to take some good pics.  We filled the boat with calico bass on Thursday and talked ourselves out of going out to the 51 mile reef on Friday (too much time boating would cut into our last day of fishing).  Caught a ton of sand bass on Friday and when we returned to the launch area, there was a 100 pound black sea bass laying on the filet table, where was it caught?  You guessed it, 51 mile reef.  Oh well that just means we have to go back and try again.   Every day on the water is a good day! 

Every one caught good fish on this trip but I had 2 inexperienced anglers and we broke off several good fish, OK maybe only 2 good fish.  Not every day turns out this productive but any day on the water is good.  This is a place Crazy Charlie introduced to me.  I'm going to miss Crazy Charlie, he always put us on the fish then got real serious about fishing himself.  He forgot his hat one day so we put a small towel on his head and taped it in place with electrical tape, he looked just like Sadam Husein!  

Another one bites the dust!  Makes for goooood fish tacos!  All you purists who rag on trigger fish (AKA cochi) can kiss my fish smelling @#$%.  I'm headed down to Mexico soon, I am going to start the new year fishing.  Fishing every day of the year, what a good way to start.  Poveromo always explains the gear he uses, I use  BPS Ocean master combos.  Good stuff if you don't mess with the spool release too much and lock it up.  I am getting good at opening the reels up and resetting the release button from inside.  BPS, take some time and fix this would you?!

What the heck is a blog?

I am not a big fan of blogs, I did this one to get better at using technology so this entry won't have a lot of stuff about fishing.

Basically any idiot with a computer can set up a blog and say any thing they want.  The problem is that a lot of people (get a life!!) read blogs and actually believe what they read.  One of the funniest blog scams was the story about Microsoft buying the Catholic church.  I heard about it on NPR, it cracked me up!   So, when you are reading my blog stuff and think I am full of crap, please feel free to say so, the problem is is that I will think you are full of crap too so who is really full of it?  Wow, too much though went into that.  I promise to only put accurate (in my mind) info on my blog

So here are my fishing thoughts for today:

Fishing is fun.  Boats are expensive but worth it.  2 stroke outboards rule.  Release what you aren't going to eat.  Salt water smells good but it wrecks your trailer.  And finally, if the US hadn't given Mexico that land bridge that connects the main land to Baja, Arizona would have it's own ocean shore line!!!

Why I fish

What is the secret to a successful fishing trip?  Monster fish, incredible photos?  Not for me.  I'm not to the point yet where I have to catch a personal best or a particular species in order to have a good time and I hope I never get there. More than a few times I have had the discussion with my wife about how much I paid per pound for the fish I caught (isn't it cheaper to buy it at the store?), well the cost is ZERO because I was going fishing any way!  Ever seen a sea turtle swimming in the open ocean,  ever been close enough to a whale to hear the inhale after it blows, ever had dolphins look up at you while swimming at your bow or heard them squeek  to each other?  Nothing is better than sharing these kinds of experiences with family and friends (while you are fishing).  Not to mention the fish tacos and BBQ filets you enjoy while you re-live the experience, you know fishing stories, they always get better with time.   Some fish for trophies, some to fill the freezer.  Either is OK with me but I don't base the success of a fishing trip on either one and if the water is too rough, watch a video, take a nap or play cards, what the heck, you're not at work!  

Here is a picture of the Patience and some of the folks, some family, some friends that enjoyed a day on the Sea of Cortez,  Cholla Bay.  (the famous JJ's Cantina is starbord and in front of the bow.