Florida Fishing Reports

February 15 - Snook - Hippy Shots - Redfish

Hey fishing dudes n' dudettes! It's time for a Hornetbear anglin' update. I've been fishing a good bit but damn, damn, damn meddling work has been impinging upon my reporting. As you may know, it takes a lot of time to upload this crap AND it doesn't pay very well. Actually, it just plain doesn't pay. Period. Who really cares about money? you can't eat money! (unless it buys food.) That's how the man keeps us down. Someday, we all know cars will run on pictures of redfish. Toyota is surely working on this as I type.

But, enough about that obvious source of alternative energy... A sweet report is afoot. Anglers, lurkers, and mildly curious spouses just sit back. Get really FOCUSED. Here comes a grip of sweet photos. Report follows.

Let's just kick this thing off with a hippy shot. Hippy shots are for our unwashed brethren who love pictures of birds, trees, lichen, other boring crap and Jack Johnson bootlegs.


Jacks are everywhere in beautiful Sarasota! They don't take traditional lures and you have to scoop them out of the water with a pitching wedge. A sand wedge puts too much backspin on them.


I gotta tell you, Ospreys are all over the area I fish.


A Flock Of Seagulls. That'd be a good name for a band...


This is my buddy Kris from SoCal... We were catching tons of trout until the canoe was struck by a drunken rental from CB's outfitters. I'll always remember his idiotic smile.


Eco-Avenger ALERT! Notice the plug stuck up in the mangroves next to that beautiful specimen of avian life. you will be happy to know I recovered this long, lost lure before it entangled that bird. Then I replaced the hooks and perforated many types of sea life with it. Sweet, sweet irony.


These chickens taste like crap.


This is a big redfish. I saw it streaking across a grass flat and I was like, "I'm gonna get you." This is why we go fishing here in Sarasota. It's exciting!


Paddlefishing Paradise.


Ok. Ok. TIME OUT. MIRROLURE MOMENT ... I mostly fish jigs. I love them. However, I sometimes fish Mirrolures because they work. Let's play a game... What can you catch on a mirrolure in a day... here we go...

Mirrolure Snook - no Brainer


Mirrolure MULLET?!


It's like nobody can escape! Mirrolure Needlefish!


You know how to unhook a stingray from your mirrolure? Shake vigoroulsy.


thats an amazing lure! Get into it!

OK so what's next? here's a hippy shot for the sailboat set...


Hippys rejoice...


Hornetbear and Redfish


And one final hippy shot for the unwashed masses!

_________________
http://www.hornetbear.com

Last edited by Hornetbear on Sat Feb 16, 2008 7:38 am; edited 1 time in total

July 17, 2007 - Night Snook - Trout Aplenty - Atmospheric Hippy Shots

People say that Florida is flat. This is because it is quite flat. However, when you take into account the massive thunderheads that form in the summer, you can get quite a range of visual topography. It rivals any mountain range in the world. I've been fishing and watching these massive storms boil on the horizon. It's amazing and constantly in flux.

The fishing has been status quo. Lots of snook at night. Lots of trout all day. Catfish, redifish, and ladyfish spread around the flats. It's hot by 10:00 am and you don't want to go back out there til' at least 6:00 pm unless it gets overcast. Nothing really amazing in terms of fishing, just nice steady action.

You hippies will be just pleased as punch about this report. It's more colorful than a tie-dye and has more nature and landscape shots than a Greenpeace brochure. So, tie back your dreadlocks, grab a handful of sprouts, throw on that Enya album and enjoy, dirtbag!

See? Every day it gets like this.


I've been watching these mangroves grow for like 10 years. It's not the fastest process, mangrove growth.


As you can see, I caught this redfish on a black and white clouser I tied myself. The pinnacle of angling achievement. I am awesome.


The anvil tops of thunderheads are from scraping against high winds as they expand upwards.


Hippy photography discussion: "Whoa." "Dude." "Whoa." "Dude." (repeat 10x)


I tried and tried to revive this fish. Finally, I just added it to my creel.


If you look closely you'll see the paragliders.


I like to fish lures until they're completely torn apart. A lure without a tail is just a shorter lure with less action. It's all about presentation!


This is a 280 lb. tarpon. I caught it with a purple and white deceiver I tied from my own hair. I used a fly rod I built out of bamboo. I grew the bamboo myself and watered it with tears. I spun the line out of lawn clippings and spider silk. This photo is actually a drawing so the fish would not be harmed in any way. I am such a tool.


Millions of these under the lights and out on the flats at night. I need to start bringing out a big rod with a circle hook. Ladyfish are incredible bait.


These were swarming through the lights and jumping in the boat from all over the place. I found one in my shirt pocket!


Artsy!


This snook was actually not under the lights but hanging out on a oyster bed in the dark.


Snappah!


Hippy shot 27411.


Hippy shot 27412.


Trout on strike king jerkbait with cloud reflection.


Oysters are sharp but quite tasty.


Abstract trippyness.


Nice cool blue sky. Ironically it's about 95 degrees out.


Ye ole' seatrout shot.


I love the fishing and weather in July. Amazing time to be anglin' in Sarasota.
_________________
http://www.hornetbear.com
“When I found the skull in the woods, I called the police. But then I got curious about it. I picked it up, and started wondering who this person was, and why he had deer horns.”
- Jack Handy

June 27 - Exotics - Pufferfish - Redfish - Bluefish - Copious Hippy Shots

This report has some really exotic stuff in it. Stuff you just don't see that much of here in Sarasota. Oh, there's the requisite hippy shots, redfish, seatrout and whatnot but you'll be shocked by some other downright freaky sealife. To summarize the fishing: it's been good, but not mind numbingly, jaw droppingly insane. There are certainly tons of trout, as always, but the summer pattern has really started and the heat of the day makes the fish take a siesta grande. if you can get out at night, sunset or sunrise the fishing is strong but those times of day are really intended for eating, drinking and sleeping, though I suppose drinking can certainly be performed while fishing... Anyhow, lets get to the photos...

Hornetbear's Aquarium Emporium could get started with a few more of these beauties...

Night fishing is heating up. Literally. It's like 84 degrees out. Shorts and tee shirt weather. And a massive viking hat. And Clown shoes. And Leg warmers. You know, the essentials.


If the hook travels through the water facing upwards, how did this pinfish manage this trick? I think he was doing an upside down flyby like Maverick in Top Gun. That's what you get for showing off, Mav.


As usual, I was only focusing my efforts on large trophy fish.


Eco-Boy recovered another great lure from the mangroves. The tide was pretty low...


Got out fishing with my friend Kris at a secret spot.


Gotta love a good hippy shot. This one is pretty freaky. Kick back. Play some Floyd.


It's considered a crime in Sarasota to have a really crappy boat like this one


This is a green topped specklebacked monkeyfish. Not to be confused with the blue or blue-green specklebacked monkeyfish.


If ospreys could talk, this one would probably say, "what choo lookin' at foo?" It just seems like the kind of osprey he'd be.


We were out in the Sarasota kelp beds catching these monsters. Note the natural tar seeps sticking to the boats, too. The people we rented these from were really pleased about that. Real happy to see us.


Snook. That's the whole caption. "Snook." No. Wait.
"Snook, there it is!" (rap music here) That's the caption. That's slightly funnier.


I said all kayaks were the same but I was wrong. This is an Ocean Kayak Drifter and boy did it ever suck. What a tremendous suckstorm. The wettest boat I've ever been in. And it filled up with tar. And it got covered in tar. And it was cold. And aluminium foil doesn't work as a scupper plug. The dolphin was pretty, though.


That's Sarasota Mountain in the background. Nice picture of it.


This dock light is one of the underwater ones and man does it hold the snook. Maybe you can just see them better from beneath. Cast well beyond it and bring the lure thru slowly. No fish can resist that presentation. It must look like a underwater reenactment of Shakespear's King Lear.


These two are my old college roommates. The one in the foreground is completely insane.


Check out this mountain estuary. Sarasota is the most beautiful place in Florida, hands down.


Check out this monster! It's called a smelt and I think this is a pretty big one.


This is one of the best eating fish there is.


This bluefish jumped like 3 feet in the air. It was pretty dark out and I was thinking "Tarpon!" but then I started thinking "bluefish" when I saw it was indeed a bluefish. Nice one though. These really put up a fight.


And a final shot for the hippies. Enjoy my unwashed brethren! Now go get some dental floss n' soap you dang filthy hippy! Jeez.

_________________
http://www.hornetbear.com
“When I found the skull in the woods, I called the police. But then I got curious about it. I picked it up, and started wondering who this person was, and why he had deer horns.”
- Jack Handy

April 6 - Everglades - Big Redfish - Camping

Ahhh, camping on the beach in the Everglades. The steady pulse of the sea. The ebb and flow of the tide. The sound of a raccoon polishing off a bottle of Captain Morgan's...Nature. Sweet. We left from the shady and cool oyster bar headed out to Picnic Key to camp. We jumped a few tarpon and got a chance to hang out fireside with the Captain (Morgan) and his immediate superior the Admiral (Nelson).

The amazing, self bailing, HMS Terrapin.


Since we were looking for Tarpon and stinkpotting anyhow, elitist artificial lure talk was quickly thrown from the window. We went in search of finger mullet to drift through the passes. I ran the boat and Jamie threw the net from the bow. This was fun until we filled the net with 100 greenbacks which all fit perfectly into the mesh. After beheading all these baits and remarking how good the fishing would be in the massive kill zone we'd just created, we found some perfect mullet. I fired up the engine and we set out in a hunt of the white whale of the gulf coast, the mighty tarpon.

It's important to note the massive scale of this area. It's not a pass or a beach. It's hundreds of passes and sub passes and little micropasses and tons of current wildly pouring in then 5 hours later screaming out of these channels. There aren't that many grass flats or oyster beds just mile after square mile of mangroves and lime green water. You throw a bait or lure out and the feeling is not so much "I'm gonna get you fishy" but "I guess this is what you do out here..."

The wind whipped and the current marched gulfward. We fished, hard, In the saharan sun.The mullet struggled perfectly off the stern. We did this for the better part of an hour. I started in on a 7 minute rant about how mind numbingly boring tarpon fishing was aboard the HMS Terrapin. Suddenly, in karmic retribution for my bitching, Jamie's drag on his massive narwhal rod and reel setup started to scream and a serious tarpon did a half pike 50 yards off the stern. About 95 pounds of fish was going crazy in the pass and I found myself skeptically glancing towards my gear. Jamie was getting all "Ahab" as he laughed maniacally and stood in the calf deep water breaking over the stern. The fish continued its run, jumped again and finally landed on the garden hose Jamie was using for a leader, breaking like a twig. I was shocked and the whole scene was a little surreal. Tarpon jumped and rolled sporadically around the boat. Those were some big fish. I apologize for not having photos but, well, we only jumped tarpon and they craftily evaded a photo session. It was all pretty awesome.

Here, you are known as BAIT.


Good looking redfish there.


After a tremendous day of tarpon fishing Jamie reintroduces himself to the Admiral.


That evening, we rigged up the narwhal rod and soaked the remaining bait. We didn't have any wire leader and we broke quite a few off that were probably sharks. We caught some catfish which were then hooked up and thrown right back out. The night fishing was actually much more eventful than the day fishing and its pretty hysterical to sit around the fire until the the rod starts freaking out and screaming in the night. It was really cool. We eventually ran out of bait and in a display of true bait chucker resourcefulness caught a big sailcat on a chicken wing. It was sweet. Then we chucked THAT unlucky bugger back out and went back to swilling fireside. Good times.

Fly fishermen and their ilk may want to avert their eyes. Yep. I said a chicken wing. Raw. Not a problem. This is how we're doing it.


Things got a little foggy after that. There was discussion of an early morning assault on the tarpon and a more rambling discussion of how awesome we are at fishing. We also talked about the anchoring of the boat and how well planned out it was. The waves lapped the shore. There were no bugs to speak of. Nice.

The sun rose to a clear and windless morning. There was a falling tide and a 1750 lb. boat basically giving us the finger from dry land on the high tide line. Evidently the anchoring was NOT that well planned out. Jamie mentioned that there was no way this could have been avoided since the admiral AND the captain had made such a strong showing at the fire the night prior. We busted out the chairs and started watching the tide rise for the next 5 hours or so. The tarpon really lucked out this time.

Oh wait. It's supposed to be IN the water. That's the problem.


We were able to get back on the water by 11:30 and headed back to town and homeward.

Back in Sarasota, sportfishing capitol of the world.


ACTION! So much more fun than boring old tarpon fishing.


There have been tons of redfish around lately.


Hippy shot alert. Hippy shot alert. Grab your wind chimes, seashell necklaces and bongos.


Ok. I have officially won the smallest fish caught on hook and line contest. Nobody can touch this.


Hmmmm. Perhaps a boating safety course is in his foreseeable future.


I tipped the lure with the world's smallest hook and line fish and caught this beauty on the next cast. 29"


Thats it! Thanks to Jamie and Stacy for inviting me along on their Everglades trip.
_________________
http://www.hornetbear.com
“When I found the skull in the woods, I called the police. But then I got curious about it. I picked it up, and started wondering who this person was, and why he had deer horns.”
- Jack Handy

March 26, 2007 - Red - Snook - Trout - Howling East Winds

You know what would be awesome? Three weeks of steady 18 knot winds with no rain and no end in sight. That'd be really, really terrific from a fishing standpoint. Oh wait! Great news! there HAS been 3 weeks of wind and more in the forecast! Sweet! I hope you sailboat owners are enjoying this because I'm a little sick of it. They say March is the windiest month of the year in Florida and they appear to be 100% on target with that statement.

The fishing has been good and the nature photography has been swell too. The high pressure and whipping winds make for lots of cloudless skies (which all look kind of the same) but taking a camera out at sunset is basically a can't lose proposition for nice photos. Everything is better at sunset. Sunsets make fat people look tan and skinny. Small fish look bigger. Even a Yugo looks kinda nice at sunset. If you can't take nice pictures it's because you're not taking them at sunset. With that said, lets get on with this blustery fishing report.

Staying in the mangroves is a pleasant alternative to being beaten up in the ongoing maelstrom in the bay. I caught several jacks right in this very spot.


Once again, I have gotten the paddle into crystal clear focus but the actual subject of the photo is all whacked out. Nice one, Ansel.


The little black dots along the nose and face of the common snook are called meyopores and allow the snook to communicate with its kind and sense motion and mass in the water column around it. Just kidding. I don't know what the hell those things do.


Someday when you're older, like 6 or 7, you will start an Ebay store and support your old man.


This is the earmark of a truly great nature photographer. Note how I have quietly snuck up on the legendarily skittish great horned owl and captured this amazing photo. Lesser photographers will need a lot of patience and practice before they start achieving this kind of National Geographic quality result.


See? Sunset photo. Can't fail. You'd have to be a soulless monster or power drunk forum moderator to not like one of these.


Action! Dangerously close to that mangrove too!


Ye olde redfish hole produces another sweet fish.


It's funny that an animal that freaks and jumps all over the place when you catch it chooses to just hang out on your thumb until you shake it off. Perhaps, when snook are young, their mothers don't give them enough attention which makes them thumbsuckers. (Insert drum and cymbal sound HERE)


Ha! That channel marker has on a funny little party hat. I bet the other markers hate it when he goes to the cocktail parties...


Ok hippy, here you go. Show your girlfriend too. Now tell your dolphin story. Good.


It's blurry but its pretty cool.


I don't keep many fish but this one was gut hooked so badly that I decided to bring him home. I hate to waste them and trout are some of the best eating.


This is sweet snook/sunset/kayak fishing shot. Kind of sums it all up I think.


Thats it. Fishing remains steady. Enjoy the breeze!
_________________
http://www.hornetbear.com
“When I found the skull in the woods, I called the police. But then I got curious about it. I picked it up, and started wondering who this person was, and why he had deer horns.”
- Jack Handy

Last edited by Hornetbear on Mon Mar 26, 2007 7:29 pm; edited 1 time in total

March 13 - Trouts - Red - Nature Shots out the Wazoo

Phew. the fishing has been a little tough in the greater Sarasota metro. Caught a bunch of trout, ladyfish and some other fish but it hasn't been the wide open free-for-all that I experienced the last few months. Ironically when the fishing is not that good the photography gets really good. There's something about not catching hundreds of fish that really makes you look for nice photos. Ying and yang, i guess. Anyhow I have some nice looking artsy shots and enough fishing shots to keep it somewhat about the fishing.

I find myself really looking for new kinds of fishing shots. Underwater. In action. etc. Thats where its at. keeping it fresh. I like to document the fish caught but leaving them in the water is probably more interesting, long term. Thankfully, a hippy shot will never go out of style. Shoot, at the end of the day most people like the hippy shots BETTER than the fishing shots. What a crazy world. Who thought people like sunsets better than a picture of a 14 inch trout. Weird. Well, here's the report

I consider Little Sarasota Bay to be sort of a Walden Pond with million dollar homes, power boats and jet skis.


Yow. Not even a bird or plant in that thing. Totally abstract weirdness.


I was fishing when the world started to melt. It was freaky. Fortunately I had my fishing ruler and took some measurements and got everything back to normal.


Better throw some fish pictures in... This is the wily sea trout putting up a fight.


I'm starting to realize that fishing isn't really about fish. It's about the experience. Fish are just a small part of the overall package.


Had to get the ruler out again for this one.


I like the upside down bird reflection in this photo. I also like ice cream and Snoop Dogg records. Snoop rocks.


I'm sure you're thinking, where are the fish? Well it's my post and I'll show a fish when I'm good and ready. Now, just sit back and enjoy this cormorant.


Now, enjoy this cormorant... again.


Ok. Ok. It's supposed to be about fishing. Here's another fish.


Umm. Well. There might be some really small minnow type fish in the water under this bird.


I call this picture "stick"


Gamefish! Pretty color on this one as well.


Don't Forget: Limit you catch. Wear sunscreen. Don't be a complete tool. Pick up trash.
_________________
http://www.hornetbear.com
“When I found the skull in the woods, I called the police. But then I got curious about it. I picked it up, and started wondering who this person was, and why he had deer horns.”
- Jack Handy

February 14 - Snook - Reds - Tons of Trout

Hola amigos. The fishing is great. I was in Washington DC, our capitol, where the fishing totally sucked.  I'm back and it's real nice again.

I've been getting out and enjoying some darn steady action. Trout, snook and even the elusive Sarasota redfish have made an appearance. The snook are in the canals and trout are in the deep potholes and redfish are kinda in-between those two places...

Anyhoooo... all I use is jerkbaits on a 1/8 leadhead. Spoon? Nope. Topwater? Nah. Texas rig, doa shrimp, live kitten? No, no, no. I've been just going with what works and its been killing it.

Just put a dab of peanut butter on your thumb to catch snook.


Ahh. The beautiful sea trout. These little guys are thick right now.


You catchy the reeedfeeesh then you don't. They are a wily breed.


This, friends, is a massive trophy lizardfish.



Small redfish are all over the bay these days.


This is the first pinfish I've caught in the last 2 years. Amazing. When I was growing up this is what I exclusively fished for.


Funky winter weather makes the clouds do this... Totally different than the thunderstorms of summer...


Catching fish from the dock rules. It's the minimalist in me. I call this photo "hobie, cat".


I think it's a little crazy to not touch the fish at all. Grab em' carefully but with authority. Get the hook out. release.
I love the XTOOLS unhooker. It's like a endoscopic surgery instrument for deep hooked fish.


The best hippy shots occur at sunset. Even a mostly cloudy one will fire up those crazy mothers...


When the fishing is really good you can catch em' on a bare jig.


Ahh. Canal fishin'. The fall leaves. The avian life. The grocery bags and plastic chairs caught in the trees.


Hornetbear's Anglin' Gear Corner: This little anchor is the best. It holds in all but a freakin' gale and you can knock it over the side with your elbow when you catch a fish drifting. I love it.


Hornetbear's Rigging Info: You cannot have a soft bait that spins around in the water. Make sure you drag it through the water at a good speed and watch the action of the lure. You want it to stand or wobble slightly when retrieved. If it's hooked badly it spins and just doesn't look like a fish swimming in the water column. Don't let your bait spin through the water. Fish like a natural presentation.


Fishing remains steady.

Note to Anglers Everywhere:
It's a fine line between knowledgeable fisherman and know it all jerk. Do the right thing. Be cool. Teach by example. Make friends.
_________________
http://www.hornetbear.com
“When I found the skull in the woods, I called the police. But then I got curious about it. I picked it up, and started wondering who this person was, and why he had deer horns.”
- Jack Handy

Dec 10, 2006 - Big Trout - Redfish - Wide Open Fishing

Fishing is amazing right now. Plain old awesome.

There has been just wide open trout, redfish, jacks, etc. Basically everything but the wily snook has made an appearance lately. Windy? Cold? Who cares!

I'm even getting a little paranoid about the backgrounds of my pictures because the fishing has been so hot. Is everyone catching fish like crazy?

Anyhoo, here's some pictures to check out. Enjoy!

Sweet trout pulled from the fishin' hole.


26" trout which is a little too big for the camera!


Strangely, Fish and Game did not come by. They were definitely checking boats...


This ladyfish is probably not having a great day based on present company...


Tons of redfish schooling...


Tons of trout.


Run for it! That cormorant is coming...


Jacks were up on the oyster beds.


Another sweet redfish.

_________________
http://www.hornetbear.com
“When I found the skull in the woods, I called the police. But then I got curious about it. I picked it up, and started wondering who this person was, and why he had deer horns.”
- Jack Handy

Dec 2 2006 - Reds - Snuke - Trout - Night Shots - Hippy Shots

Greetings anglers of the Atlantic, Gulf and some hangers-on from the Pacific! I am thoroughly bummed to report that some of the finest pictures I've ever taken in my favorite month (October) I ran over with the lawnmower. That's right. The camera was waterproof but was NOT lawnmowerproof. I will definitely seek out that feature in my next camera. I had thrown the camera up into the grass after a late night of dock light fishing and I atomized it the next morning. There were some hippy shots on that thing which would've made Jerry Garcia tear up. But, alas, that's how it goes.

I can now report my new camera purchase is the new Pentax OPTIO W20. It's 7 mind warping megapixels and I got 2 batteries for extended trips into the everglades or outer space or whatever. The grand total with a 1 GIG memory card was $320.00  -- I did not buy the warranty because my experience with the OLD Optio was so good and the camera itself had improved so much in 1 year that I felt that the warranty didn't equate to the improvements in the camera and it's resolution. If it breaks I'm screwed. That's the devil may care kind of person I am.

The pictures I had included these highlights:

1. HUGE jacks under a dock light. The jacks had pulled me so close to the light that the photo was a illuminated with the light from the dock light instead of the flash. It was some Ansel Adams photography I was layin' down.

2. Big Ol' SLOT snooks. Really. Lots.

3. Snook everywhere. Just plain old everywhere.

4. Snappers, lizardfish, hippy scenery aplenty and other aquatic bric-a-brac.

5. The Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot and Paris Hilton totally sober watching CNN at 2 in the morning. It was HOT!

Oh Well.

This brings me to the belated November installment of the report. I have been travelling all over the place which has, annoyingly, cut into my fishing. Las Vegas has no fish except at the Mandalay and the Mirage and there is no access there to speak of. I heard about an easement but security is quite tough there... I finally managed to get out a few days and shoot enough pictures to make a decent report. The weather has been cold and windy but the fishing has been strangely awesome. When the air temp gets under 70 I usually assume a total skunking but, amazingly, the fishing was really good. The howling winds, wildly low tides and freezing temperatures really piled up the fish into deep channels. The wind also creates a pretty predictable current which, if you're all zen tuned in, you can pretty much ESP the exact location of the fish. Lets get on with it.

This is a 20 inch trout. I was fishing next to some guide with some clients who were getting skunked. He was all tucked out of the current and just not where the fish were. So I staked my kayak out and started fan casting like a psychopath to mark my terrain. I was catching tons of redfish and trout right here. Nothing huge but steady action...


This is a release shot. These are good for several reasons. 1. It means you actually released the fish an didn't kill it during a 30 minute photo shoot. 2. You can't show the same fish over and over being released. You basically know this is the only shot like it. 3. You just never know what you're going to get. Sometimes a artsy underwater shot. sometimes just your hand. Unpredictable! Adventure!


One thing a photo does a pretty bad job of doing is showing how cold and windy it is. Suffice it to say it was quite cold and windy.


Night fishing is just so easy. You just cruise over to the light and get to catching. I can catch fish in an hour and be back by 9:30. Sweet.


Kind of a hitchcockian hippy shot right here. Sometimes you take a photo that's a little disquieting to the typical hippy. That's the breaks, dirty hippy. Live with it. It's not all sunshine and moonbeams out there.


Caught tons of small to mid sized redfish. Schools of them would chase the unlucky winner to the boat. Really. I couldn't buy a redfish this time last year. What a difference a year makes. I bet in 2 more years ther'll be tons of nice fish hanging out in Sarasota.


Note the oysters beneath this here redfish. Right after this I cut my thumb wide open on an oyster I caught. I pulled it in like you do when you catch the wily shellfish. I was briefly excited, then denial, anger, and finally acceptance. I grabbed it like a real dummy and started bleeding copiously. You should have seen the blood. Final destination III blood. Video game blood. I tried to keep fishing but it was just too gnarly.  I was all casual in grabbing it and I swear it was razor sharp. I don't carry much in the way of first aid (read: none) with me and I was a little concerned to tell the truth. So I applied some pressure a gingerly paddled back to shore.


We debated the virtues of polarized amber glasses for awhile then Mr. Redfish mentioned that he was choking to death so I let him go. But I still think amber is the best color. I don't care what that stupid redfish said.


Tons of these. Man, I wish you could see the pictures I lost. Imagine this fish but part dinosaur, part cougar and part rabid ferret... that's a jackcougferrasaur! very dangerous... Borat like...


HIPPY! Up and atem! That's a blurry feeding osprey shot!


Dock light trout. Simple. Beautiful. Like a haiku.


Is this a mangrove snapper? It looks a little different? If there's a snapperologist out there please reply...


I've switched to light Penn gear for all my anglin' needs. This picture captures all the fishing gear I use except for a 25lb bag of fertilizer and a stun gun and a thermos and a big dip net and a 3wt fly rod spooled with phone cord. that is all I need. really.


This is a picture of my beautiful leg. Too bad that small snook got in the way. Otherwise, I bet Tyra from Americas Next Top Model would send me an email. You know she's on all these fishing forums. She's into legs... She's just too busy to post. Tyra! I know you're reading this. It's Steve! Text me...


And that friends is it except one final aside...

My website http://www.hornetbear.com is getting ready to expand it's boundaries. As you may or may not know traditional fishing forums discard your wildly valuable fishing reports. Seriously. I know. that's crazy talk but it's TRUE! So, if you're into it I would like to archive all the good fishing reports (cubs, prowler13, Minnow, DaveR, Monkey, Slowride, Slingshot, Texas Anglers, Anyone who is funny, ET AL!) I'd like to have a rough location, season and other info to store the photos. I  prefer funny reports but if you're humorously challenged, I understand. Big fish are awesome. As are super hot chicks, hippy shots and people sinking their boats at the ramp. I want to store, with permission, great reports. It's the coolest thing about fishing forums (except arguing over idiotic ethics, politics, and bait preference which is really cool and super smart) Please PM me or email me at steveschadt@gmail.com. brothers and sisters, fish on.
_________________
http://www.hornetbear.com
“When I found the skull in the woods, I called the police. But then I got curious about it. I picked it up, and started wondering who this person was, and why he had deer horns.”
- Jack Handy

September 10 - Big Redfish - Night Snook - Excellent Fishing

Aloha anglin' afficinados. Fishing has been hot. Check it out.

The sun rises...


More primo habitat.


Trout have been hitting well all over the bay.


The Marina has finally been torn down. Now, I kinda miss it.


There have been thousands and thousands of mullet everywhere lately. You tend to get excited when you see mullet because they're so active on the surface.  I mean, if you see mullet, it means there's some fish out there. Mullet = not a total dead zone. You can cast lures into mullet all day and catch nothing. Fun.


An interesting juxtaposition of sea and land or my camera went off by accident... not sure...


Dock Light Fishing: This picture shows how far away from a dock light you should be to catch fish. Get too close, no fishes. I've found you should just cast right at the light and hopefully go past it. Lately, the edges haven't produced like right in the middle of the light. Also, pausing your retrieve doesn't work for me. Once you stop a quick retrieve the fish are like "Woah dude, that's a piece of plastic." you have to create competition under the light and a quick and getting quicker retrieve helps.


Good casts make it happen. Once you get good at skipping your lure way up under the dock,you will start really catching fish. When your first cast wraps around the dock light it just ruins your mojo.


Hippy shots are everywhere.


Cast into about 20 wakes and felt the lure being knocked around. This sweet redfish finally smacked it. 30.5" was the measurement. That's the biggest redfish I've ever caught on a jerkbait.


Thats it!
_________________
http://www.hornetbear.com
“When I found the skull in the woods, I called the police. But then I got curious about it. I picked it up, and started wondering who this person was, and why he had deer horns.”
- Jack Handy

AUG 13 – SLAM – WIDE OPEN FISHING – REDS – SNOOK – TROUT

Hey dudes and dudettes. I’ve been night fishing and it’s been pretty amazing. The heat of the day dissipates and the fishing really turns on. Just plain old wide open fishing, non stop. Fish jumping in the boat, monster fish spooked in 8 inches of water, can’t stop catching ladyfish good. The tides have been ripping and when you get to the spots where there’s some flow, lookout. It’s pretty crazy, actually. You start out and the water is completely still. Paddle about a mile to a narrow spot in the intercoastal and…blam. Fish everywhere.

A quick note about dock lights. Dock lights here are tough to fish with lures. In my experience, these snook usually are fat and happy. A little glow in the dark piece of plastic is a hard sell. You’ll get some half hearted strikes but, really, the legend of just pulling snook after snook up from beneath the lights is just that, a fantasy. The reality is the little buggers are easy to spook and surrounded with perfect little shrimp to eat. Hucking and chumming white bait works, of course, but that’s really not very sporting. Chumming for snook is easy. If I ran a charter I'd do it all day long. Fat Jimmy Johnson from Newark needs to catch a fish... However, as a sportsman from Sarasota, I refrain.

I know the snook lights within a mile of my house well and, man, it’s hard work to pull a snook out. You basically get 1-3 chances to present your lures and then its pencils down, they’re on to you, move on.

Headed out at sunset… tide was medium, zipping out, heading to an extreme low @ midnight. Wind was out of the north/variable @ about 10 knots. I headed out and went straight to my spot where the tide moves the fastest. Hooked up right away and there was a ton of surface action. It was mostly ladyfish (I think) but I caught a potpourri of fishes and quickly rang up an inshore slam. The wind and the tide were balanced almost perfectly and I was able to just sit in the same spot without drifting or even changing position. I moved around from boil to boil catching fish everywhere. 

Well. Lets get to it.

Hippy! Front and center! This picture is crazier than that time you were camping in Oregon and found that driftwood that looked like Jerry Garcia riding on a giraffe! Check it out.


This is a hot spot for snook. Don’t paddle under it, though. I predict the whole thing will be just below sea level in about 2 months. A couple weeks ago it didn’t look like this. It’s so decrepit that I don’t like to get close to it. You can watch it slump more and cave in more every day. I’ll start taking pictures of it and we can have a marina collapse pool. I’m predicting hurricane Helene, Sept 25 takes her out. Place your bets!


Redfish! Caught a bunch of these up to about 20 inches. They were hitting right on the surface, shouldering the ladyfish out of the way. It was hard to catch big fish because there were so many small, angry fish.


Terpo! On the davits! You’re for real. Don’t forget your friends. You’d never get this photo because it’s your boat. I love that hull style.


Wouldn't be a fishing report without a catfish...


Mangrove snappers were freaking everywhere too. I caught one that had to be about 3 inches long. I should’ve kept them because there were so many. Cleaning fish at 1:30 AM in the dark with mosquitos is just not worth it.


Hey hippy! The compost pile is doing fine and your ladybugs seem to be controlling the aphids. Now look at this freaking photo! I know. I know. The channel marker is manmade. But otherwise it’s nice, right? Play your pan flute to indicate “yes.”


Mirrolure. I like this little lure. It’s a suspending one and though I like the auditory gratification of night fishing with a topwater, this one really catches fish. Same lure was catching snook under dock lights. Solid.


Hippy shots are where you find them. This ladyfish was crawling with hippy mojo.


Snook on a glow shrimp under a docklight. Imagine, if you will, about 20 slot fish all stacked up and Lil’ Dummy here goes for the lure. The big ones are wayyyy beyond this. That’s how they got big.


This is an awesome snook light. It’s amazing, really. Some lights only have mullet. Some are empty. Some are always teeming with snook. This one makes sense to me but many seem to have no rhyme or reason.


Redfish under the lights. This lure had no tail to speak of and still was catching fish. The puppetmaster doesn’t need no stinkin’ tails.


The ladyfish were everywhere and pretty big. I love catching fish. People say they would fish all day and only want to catch one fish if it's a good one. I disagree. I love steady action. Call me crazy.


Caught a bunch of these too. This was a pretty typical one. Had a couple big ones shake off next to the boat. Trouts have soft mouths. You can’t horse them.


Fun night fishing but I’m ready for fall. That’s the best time to be a fisherman in SW Florida or anywhere (besides Antartcia). Gets cooler and all the fish have been getting big all summer. Bring it on.
_________________
http://www.hornetbear.com
“When I found the skull in the woods, I called the police. But then I got curious about it. I picked it up, and started wondering who this person was, and why he had deer horns.”
- Jack Handy

JUNE 14 – SLAMS – SUNRISES – STINKPOTS – SAILCATS – STORMS

Greetings fellow fishermen! Fishing has been good this last week with the possible exception of the tropical storm that blew over the palm tree in my front yard and dumped 4 inches of rain and fertilizer into my fishing spots. I do, however, believe that fresh water infusion will eventually really help the fishing. The water just gets too clear inshore when there’s no rain. Also, brackish water is what the inshore fish of SW Florida really dig. So, the fishing is going to turn on in a big way, If the wind ever stops howling. Report forthcoming.

To preface this report, is spans a couple days though I plan to describe it like it all happened in like 90 minutes which makes me look like a really gifted fisherman. Read on friends.

Tropical storms make for some nice sunrises...


Surface action aplenty.


The Angriest Fish In The World!


You really shouldn’t ever stake a kayak out and walk away. No matter what when you get back it’s always just barely hanging in there. I almost set my kayak free to roam across Tampa Bay in a 20 knot wind one time. 5 Miles from the launch. Mucho stupido. It does make a rather peaceful picture though. Right up until it drifts away…


Ha! That’s a great Groucho Marx impression! You’re one funny redfish. You have amused me so I shall let you live.


Now THAT is a freaking catfish! Look at the size of that mother. Also I’m teaching “Catfish Handling 101” at the community college.


This is a sweet, top secret fishing hole. Just walk in bare feet down the sidewalk, catching snook. Simple.


I call this picture “redfish” for obvious reasons


I call this picture “The American Revolution And You.” I’m quite insane.


This snook was like, “You better put me down and go check on your kayak, dummy.”  And I was like “You can talk?” And then there was this big flash of light and I smelled burning rasins and incense and then I woke up with all my clothes on inside out. It was wierd.


When I get some treasure I’m totally going to bury it here. Textbook spot.


Trout, do you think that cloud looks like rain? Answer me damn it! You trout are such know it alls...


Chartruse is the new white. It’s in all the magazines.


Tangs. Not the breakfast drink, the little fish.


Mango snappers. Not the breakfast drink, either


Juvenile Mango? Grunt? Racoon?


Hippy! Get the hell over here! This is just what you need to finish that windchime.


This is a sheepshead. Underwater. Hanging out with me. We’re buddies. Sup’ my sheep?


Managed to do a little stinkpottin’ with the terpenator too. We were going to go out and give a baitfishing for tarpon seminar but it was a little too stormy for the HMS Terrapin. So put some greenbacks into the deadwell and went out to slay the flora and fauna of venice. Fun!  This shot is of Terp manhandling a redfish from the bow. He eventually lost it next to the boat and was like “Well, I got the best part of the fish… the fight” and I was like “you suck and you lost it and it doesn’t count unless you boat it.” Good times.


I let Terp outfish me because it’s his boat and he’s super sensitive. That’s the only reason he caught fish and I didn’t. it’s definitely not a skill thing.


Another beautiful day fishing the peaceful wilderness of SW Florida. Fire up the outboard! Crack me a beer! Crank up the tunes!


That’s the report!
_________________
http://www.hornetbear.com
“When I found the skull in the woods, I called the police. But then I got curious about it. I picked it up, and started wondering who this person was, and why he had deer horns.”
- Jack Handy

Last edited by Hornetbear on Thu Jun 15, 2006 11:29 am; edited 1 time in total

MAY 30 - REDFISH - SNOOK - TROUT - HIPPY SHOTS

Ahhh. Summer in Southwest Florida. It’s my favorite time of the year. Nobody around. Hot. Love bugs. Hurricanes. It rules. If you don’t like summer here you don’t get it. The fishing has been improving. Report follows.

Artsy sunrise shot.


Perfect conditions.


The super high tide put some fish under these mangroves.


This is the only semi-safe way I’ve seen to hold a catfish is like this.


A redfish swims away.


This is a picture of water falling from the sky. Legend has it that this used to happen all the time in Florida.


Nobody escapes!


Hippy, take a gander of this cloud!


I caught this fish in about 8 inches of water on an oyster bed.


The lure went in over a mangrove limb and I caught this snook by bouncing it in and out of the water… Gitten er’ done!


Seaweed hippy shot.


This monster completes the coveted inshore slam.


Hopefully the fishing will turn on with the coming weather and tides. It sure is good conditions lately.
_________________
http://www.hornetbear.com
“Any man, in the right situation, is capable of murder. But not any man is capable of being a good camper. So, murder and camping are not as similar as you might think.”
- Jack Handy

FEB 22 - POMPANO - CATFISH - SLAM - WIDE OPEN SOTE ANGLING

How you doing, fellow anglin' aficionados? I've returned to the greater Sarasota metropolis and have resumed angling. The fishing has been really, really good. Fish everywhere. I caught a really big snook but fumbled the monster during the photo shoot. You'll have to just imagine a really great picture of a really big snook because all I have is a nice clear picture of my hand. Report follows...

Weather has been beautiful. Really nice clear windless days this week. I managed to get out early in the morning and found the fishing to be extremely good, as I mentioned. I have developed a theory about fish location as it pertains to where the sun is.

HORNETBEARS GUIDE TO FINDING WINTER FISH IN THE MORNING:

The sun rises in the east and sits in the southern sky. Therefore, the northwest corner of bays, canals, lakes, and kiddie pools get the first immediate light. Thus, this area will heat up first and in the cold mornings of the Florida winter the fish will congregate there. I have been having amazingly good luck seeking out this exposure ASAP when I get on the water in the morning. I have been paddling over a mile to get to these hot spots (no pun intended) and have been rewarded with radically improved fishing over the eastern shores. Cloudy and overcast days to not have as dramatic a difference but fish, like people, are creatures of habit. Fish the northwest corners in the morning. Just roll up like you own the place. You might want to scream some crazed expletives at the fishing guides that are there already. They love the local color this adds for their clientele. You will also want to twitch uncontrollably and talk to your paddle, hand and/or beer.

HORNETBEARS GUIDE TO FINDING WINTER FISH IN THE EVENINGS:

Do the same thing but the northeast corners become the hot spots.

HORNETBEARS GUIDE TO FINDING SUMMER FISH:

It's so hot in the summer do the exact opposite of what you do in the winter. in the spring and fall you're on your own...

Ok! Fishing is easy! Cast, retrieve, unhook, repeat...

WHITE PELICANS. SO BEAUTIFUL BUT QUITE STINKY WITH ALL THE PELICAN POOP AND WHATNOT...


WOULDN'T BE A SARASOTA REPORT WITHOUT THIS SHOT. I REFRAINED FROM TAKING MORE OF THESE SHOTS. YOURE WELCOME.


HERE'S THE WORLD'S CRAPPIEST STAKEOUT POLE. IT WAS A REAL PIECE OF CRAP UNTIL IT BROKE THEN IT AMAZINGLY BECAME EVEN CRAPPIER. I OWN A SUPER NICE CAPT. DICKS STAKEOUT POLE BUT I KEEP IT AT CUBS HOUSE IN PINE ISLAND... CUBS? YOU READING THIS?


CAUGHT A BUNCH OF THESE. I GOT A NICE GATOR TROUT AS WELL BUT, LIKE THE SNOOK, I CHRIS SIMMS'D HIM BEFORE I COULD TAKE A PICTURE. NOTE THE WHITE GRUB LURE. ITS A GULP. THEY'VE BEEN KILLING IT ON ALL SPECIES.


WHOA! DANGER! CAUGHT A BUNCH OF THESE UNDER SOME DOCKS. EVEN WITH PLIERS THESE FISH ARE HARD TO UNHOOK. INSERT SAILCAT HORROR STORY HERE.


WHOEVER SAID THESE HOOKS TEND TO BREAK WAS RIGHT. NOTE THE "KEEPER" PART OF THE HOOK WAS "KEPT" INSIDE THE LURE. I STILL LIKE THEM BUT THEY DO TEND TO SELF DESTRUCT AT SOME INOPPORTUNE TIMES...


YEAH! GAMEFISH. THIS IS IN THE AFTERNOON AND IN THE NE CORNER OR THE BAY. THIS SHOT CAME IS RIGHT AFTER I DROPPED THE BIG SNOOK WHICH KIND OF SOFTENED THE EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER I WAS ON.


"I'VE GOT MY EYE ON YOU MR. LURE!"


OHMYGOD! THE SURF IS GOING OFF! LOOKS LIKE HAWAII!


OH. WELL THEN. MAYBE THE SURF ISN'T ALL THAT BIG. PERHAPS THAT SANDPIPER BROUGHT HIS BOARD...


ALL GOD'S CREATURES ARE BEAUTIFUL, EXCEPT FOR THIS UGLY MOTHER.


THAT, FRIENDS, IS A SOLID LITTLE LURE. I CAUGHT MORE SPECIES ON THAT IN 2 HOURS THAN I'VE EVER CAUGHT BEFORE...


HEY! YOURE A FUNNY LOOKING JACK! HOW'D YOUR FACE GET SO SMALL?


FOR ME, THIS IS AN ETHICAL GREY AREA... DO YOU TURN THE FLOUNDER INSIDE OUT TO GET YOUR FAVORITE LURE BACK? OR DO YOU LET HIM GO WITH A NICE RED SOUVENIR TO SHOW HIS FRIENDS? I CUT IT AS SHORT AS I COULD AND LET HIM HAVE THE LEAD HEAD... WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO? THERE IS NO BIGGER BUMMER THAN SEEING THE FISH UPSIDE DOWN AND FLOATING AS YOU PADDLE AWAY...


PHOTOGRAPHIC NOTE TO SELF: IN THE FUTURE, KEEP THE EXOTIC BIRD IN FOCUS NOT THE ROD TIP


POMPANO! IN MY OPINION THIS IS THE BEST FISH TO EAT. NOTHING COMPARES. SNOOK IS A DISTANT 3rd PLACE BEHIND THE TASTY, TASTY GROUPER.


I CALL THIS PHOTO "ABSTRACTION #3: ROD, CHANNEL MARKER, HERON"  I ALSO CALL IT "A BIRD BUTT"


SO MANY TROUT. SO LITTLE TIME. OR IS IT LITTLE TROUT SO MANY TIMES? HARD TO SAY.


FILTHY HIPPY, TAKE A MOMENT TO ENJOY THIS BEAUTIFUL REFLECTION. THEN ITS BACK TO WORK AT THE WHOLE FOODS LOADING DOCK.


SOON, TERPS NEW BOAT WILL SIT IN THE PLACE THAT THIS LITTLE SNOOK CURRENTLY OCCUPIES. THIS SNOOK ALSO REPRESENTS THE 3rd MEMBER OF THE COVETED INSHORE SLAM, ALBEIT A RATHER SMALL MEMBER.


"THIS SUCKS. I'M NEVER GOING TO EAT ANOTHER GRUB AGAIN SO HELP ME GOD. THAT LITTLE RED HEAD ON IT THOUGH... SO ENTICING...SO TASTY..."


The fishing has been awesome. Another week comes to pass. Can you believe it's February? Feels like May... Fin.
_________________
http://www.hornetbear.com
“I brought you a tuna sandwich. They say it's brain food. I guess because there's so much dolphin in it, and you know how smart they are.”
- Marge Simpson

JAN 1(ish) - HOLIDAY REPORT - WINDY - JACKS - TERP

Greetings. Managed to fish a few times lately in a variety of conditions. Met up with Terp on Monday we angled up some action. Fun fishing. Report follows.

Thought I'd open with a hippy shot... I can almost smell the B.O. this one is so darn beautiful.

AHHH. SOOTHING. LETS GO RASSLE UP SOME SEA LIFE.

I'm not sure of the exact chronology of these so I'll just kind of go from photo to photo with witty anecdotes interspersed betwixt them. Enjoy, readers.

YOU'LL BE SEEING A LOT OF THIS DURING THIS HOLIDAY REPORT

I have located a jack free for all area. Even Terp was able to catch them in this honey hole. They were everywhere. Working the seawall. Freaking out on the surface. Easy sight fishing for several days. But now they're all gone so DaveR don't even bother trying to jump that hole. Dead zone. Terp ruined it.

YOU'LL ALSO BE SEEING A LOT OF THESE LURES DURING THIS REPORT

"UMMM. SAVORY LURE, HOW PAINFUL YOU ARE. YET, I MUST HAVE YOU."

Saw something amazing and mucho uncool this day. Some yahoos renting a house on the water were WASTED and shooting a potato gun at pelicans and ospreys. I'm a pretty live and let live guy, with my vertical fish holding and whatnot, but, what a crew?! It was father, mother and kids all merrily chugging cocktails and discharging weapons. I keep fish and game in my cell phone and I called them (863-648-3211) but I don't think anything came of it. I should've taken a picture but I was a little concerned I'd be a even more fun target than a bird. Anyhow, it kind of sucked but I was catching a bunch of fish so, hey, what do you do? I don't think any pelicans procured painful pouch potato punctures.

"GET ME BACK IN THE WATER! THAT DRUNK GUY HAS A GUN!"

TOPWATER LURES ARE PRETTY DARN COOL. UNLESS THEY CATCH ON YOUR EARLOBE. THEN, THEY SUCK.

The following day the weather was breezy but the fishing remained very good.

WHAT A FUN FISH TO CATCH. THE WILY SARASOTA BLUEFISH. MUCH SMARTER THAN THE DIM WITTED TAMPA BAY BLUEFISH

YOU WANT HIPPY SHOTS?! TRY THIS ONE ON, STARCHILD MOONBEAM!

CAN ANYONE IDENTIFY THIS FISH? SMALLMOUTH? MUSKY? WALLEYE? I'VE NEVER SEEN ONE.

IN ENGLAND, THEY HOLD ALL SEA TROUT WITH THE PINKY FINGER EXTENDED. ITS CONSIDERED VERY POLITE.

NOT A GOOD FISHING SPOT. I SUGGEST FT. DESOTO. PEOPLE DON'T SHOOT AT YOU THERE. I DON'T THINK...

YOU ARE A VERY SMALL FISH. BEGONE. YOU ANGER ME.

LURES. BEAUTIFUL LURES. SHARP POINTY WORKS OF ART, REALLY.

Fishing was good and the winds continued to build. The next day was sunny and the wind was howling out of the south. I didn't care. A little wind will not keep the hornetbear from angling. I scoff at the wind. Except when I put my stakeout pole in the water and almost flip out of the kayak. Then I panic and curse at the wind. But that doesn't happen that often, really. It's mostly scoffing.

I met Terp out on the water. He had forgotten his anchor so he was briskly drifting into docks, mangroves, seawalls, et. al. I was fishing and I'm not totally sure what Terp was up to since he drifted away from me at like 7 MPH for the first hour or so.

CAUGHT THIS SWEET LITTLE SNOOK. TERP HAD CAUGHT NOTHING.

CAUGHT THIS SLOT RED. IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY YOU CAN SEE TERP DRIFTING IN THE BACKGROUND, CATCHING NOTHING.

CAUGHT SOME JACKS. TERP STILL HAD CAUGHT NOTHING.

Started to feel pretty bad for the terpenator. I told him I'd take him over to my honey hole where I take little kids that want to catch their first fish. He cheerfully agreed to this.

TERP, DO YOU WANT TO DO THE HALF DAY CHARTER OR GO AHEAD WITH THE FULL DAY?

THATS RIGHT. NO SKUNK FOR THIS GUY. HAVING FUN NOW.

Terp started to kind of slay the jacks. We were in em'! It was fun even though he was casting across my line and telling me to fish the oyster bed behind us. I just figured, whatever, its really about the client having fun.

THIS PICTURE REALLY TELLS A STORY.

ACTION SHOT! DOUBLE HEADER!

"DUDE THAT WAS THE BEST CHARTER EVER. DO YOU TAKE CHECKS?"

We paddled back in and called it a day. It was a beautiful but windy afternoon and the two master anglers again dominated the poor defenseless sea life. I pity the fool jack that tries to swim past Terp. I PITY him. Fin.
_________________
“I brought you a tuna sandwich. They say it's brain food. I guess because there's so much dolphin in it, and you know how smart they are.”
- Marge Simpson

DEC 15-18 REPORT - SNUKE - ADVENTURE - CANAL - REDFISH!?!?

Amazingly, I caught a small redfish this week. I know. I know. It's unfathomable but there it was. All 15 inches of wild redfish fury a'flippin and a'floppin beside the kayak. Caught a bunch of other fish too and of course captured some priceless hippy imagery that you'll all want to check out. Report follows.

I can't really remember the exact dates and whatnot so this will be more of a ramblin' photo essay rather that my usual strict chronological account. That's just how it's going to be. Get used to it.

THERE IT IS. A DEBRIS RETAINER. LOOKS LIKE IT'S REALLY DOING A GREAT JOB, TOO.


I DON'T KNOW WHY EVERYONE TALKS ABOUT KAYAK SECURITY. THEY'RE EVERYWHERE JUST LAYING AROUND. EVERYWHERE.


FREE KAYAK! COME AND GET IT! THERE'S PLENTY TO GO AROUND. STEAL A PROP WHILE YOURE AT IT!


I CALL THIS PHOTO: "JACK AND JERKBAIT IN SILHOUETTE" or "MY GLORIOUS THUMB"


SO, THIS LADYFISH ACTUALLY JUMPED INTO THE KAYAK. REALLY. FISHING IS EASY ONCE YOU KNOW HOW.


WHOA. EVERYBODY LOVES THOSE FREAKING SHRIMP.


LIZARDFISH IS TRULY A GOOD NAME. BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE A LIZARD. SEE? AND MAYBE THE NAME SMALLTOOTHYDINOSAURFISH WAS A LITTLE LONG.


NEW PENNY SHRIMP JERK BAIT?! HAS THE WORLD GONE MAD?


GO AHEAD. PLAY YOUR BONGOS AND LIGHT YOUR INCENSE NOW.


NO SPOT IS TOO NASTY FOR THE HORNETBEAR TO ANGLE AND NO SNOOK IS SAFE.


RECOVERING ALCOHOLICS THROUGHOUT SW FLORIDA SHOULD WARMLY RECALL THIS FAMOUS SPOT


YEP. PULL OUT THE BONGOS AGAIN. IT'S TIME.


"OH, HI. I WAS JUST PASSING THROUGH. PLEASE RETURN ME TO THE WATER. YOU SEE, I BREATHE WATER, SO, YOU'RE KIND OF CHOKING ME, WHICH SUCKS. AND MAYBE I COULD HAVE ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE SHRIMP THINGY'S. THEY'RE REALLY GOOD."


I CALL THIS SHOT "PEACEFUL SEAWALL" or "PRIVATE PROPERTY KEEP OUT, DIRTBAG"


ONE MORE SEAGULL IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT AND YOU'LL WIN THIS GAME OF TIC-TAC-TOE AGAINST TEAM OSPREY


RUMOR HAS IT THIS IS TOM CRUISE'S NEW HOUSE. THIS DIGITAL CAMERA WILL PAY FOR ITSELF YET!


OHHH. WHITE PELICANS. SO GOOD WITH GARLIC AND BUTTER.


ITS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT IN PELICAN SOCIETY, WHITE MALE PELICANS ARE ACTUALLY THE MINORITY AND PROBABLY DISCRIMINATED AGAINST.


OH I CATCHY THE SNOOKY. YEEEESSS. NO PROBLEMO. ALL DAY LONG. SNOOKY SNOOKY, COME TO THE HORNETBEAR.


THIS IS ACTUALLY A REALLY NICE FISH. MAYBE EVEN SLOT. SEASONS OVER THOUGH. RUN ALONG.


HERE IT IS! THE SHOT WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR!


REDFISH! UNBELIEVABLE. EVERYBODY LOVES THE SHRIMPY!


And so another week of fishing has come to pass. Fin.
_________________
“I brought you a tuna sandwich. They say it's brain food. I guess because there's so much dolphin in it, and you know how smart they are.”
- Marge Simpson