Still Fishing

On Monday, we drove down to Naples to visit Steve and Sharon in their new condo.  The condo is beyond deluxe, and all you can say about the view is "WOW !!"
They have a bathroom that is bigger than our boat.

Phil and Cathie, our Wisconsin pals who have a boat like ours, are also becoming dirt dwellers.  They are buying some property on a canal in Punta Gorda.  They say they're keeping the boat.  (That's what Frank and Pat said when they bought a villa in Venice.)

Still fishing almost everyday.  Here's two of the ten I caught today.  I'm looking down to find the fish cam remote button with my toe.

Here's a link to another video of me catching a redfish.  (I post these so my pal Steve can see what it's actually like to catch a redfish.)

A day at the beach

 A day at the beach is not always "a day at the beach."
When the redfish are biting--and I'm catching them like I have been, there's only two kinds of days for me.  "Fishing" or "Not Fishing."  The latest fish cam video from yesterday can be found here.  (No Dawg, I will not be mooning the fishcam.)

We went to the beach today. Instead of fishing.

We also went to Walmart, CVS, and the bait shop.  Earlier in the week, I took my favorite rod to the guy at the bait shop to see if he could fix it.  I was worried that the cost of repairs might be more than the rod was worth.  He had to put a new eye on it and repair some of the other eyes.  I got it back today. He charged $4.50. 


We went to Don Pedro Beach again.  Found more sharks teeth.  There's a small dock on the ICW side of the beach.  When we got there, we tied our dinghy next to a Rosborough like ours.  As we were leaving, the owner was on board.  He told us his name was Vern Cheek, and he taught at Purdue for 41years.  We talked to him anyway.  He was smart enough to leave Indiana, and now lives in Punta Gorda.  He travels with his boat a lot.

There is a "go-fast" boat tied up next to us in our marina.  Three motors.  Here's a photo.

I couldn't agree more.

Palm Island Marina

We're staying in Palm Island Marina near Cape Haze.  There are two basins here, and we're in the NOrth basin.  The harbormaster told us that most long term boats stay in the South basin, but since the bath house is next to the NOrth basin, we asked to stay in it.  They say that they use the North basin for boat clubs, and Marine Max. 

Marine Max is one of the largest boat dealers in the country.  They have reserved on a long term basis, and paid for, 7 or 8 slips in the marina to display their boats for sale.  But due to the economy, Marine Max has closed their office at this location.  There were a few new Sea Rays here earlier, now all but one is gone.  So those slips stay empty.

As for boat clubs, there was a group from Cape Coral with about 10 boats that stopped here for 2 nights last weekend.  Other than them there's only been a few transients stay here.  I follow a website for Ranger Tugs, so I know they have some boats coming in next week.  (One from Maine is already here.)

 
We are bow in right in front of some condos.  We look out our front windows into their living room.  Which of course means they look right into our bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and living room.
We have a canvas cover for the front windows, but find it easier to put foam boards on the inside, held in place with a small compression curtain rod.  We take the center one out in the daytime so we can open the center window for ventilation.

The marina has a really nice pool and jacuzzi.

We are located just off the ICW, and quick access to my secret fishing spot.

If you want to watch more video from the fish cam, click here for another redfish from yesterday.
And, yes, I CPR all the fish.
Catch, Photo, Release

Grand Theft Auto

My old pal Don came over today.  Back in the old days, we raced identical sailboats against one another.  We had some very competitive races in those days, and we both pulled practical jokes on each other.  I think I was guilty of the worst "joke." One day at the sailing club, I found his "hide-a-key" under the back bumper of his Suburban, and left some inappropriate things in his car.  He immediately signed up for OnStar, and ditched the hide-a-key so we couldn't get into his car again. Or so he thought.

At the time, one of my crew members worked for a General Motors dealer.  While Don was out sailing at our sailing club in Indianapolis, we wrote down the serial number of his Suburban.  A few weeks after that, Dan-O told GM that his customer needed a replacement key for his Suburban.   So, with a key to Don's Suburban in hand, we were just waiting for the right time to strike again.

In a few weeks, we both trailered our boats down to Kentucky Lake for a regatta, and we parked our tow vehicles in the lot at Lighthouse Landing.  While Don was out practicing for the next day's race, my crew and I were back at the parking lot, and up to no good.  With our new key, we drove Don's Suburban into the nearby town, parked it at the senior citizen center, and went back to the parking lot to wait for Don to return.  When he came in, some of his crew took their stuff off the boat and were going to put it in the Suburban.  Of course they couldn't find it.  "Don, your car's been stolen!"

I asked if maybe he just forgot where he parked it.  But the look on my crew's face gave away the joke.  Don, however, wasn't seeing any humor in the situation.  He still wanted to call the police.  Grand Theft Auto.  I'd never seen him so mad.  We suggested that maybe if he'd walk into town, that someone at the senior citizens center could help him.  They deal with that kind of memory problems all the time.   I'm lucky I'm not still in that jail cell.     

Don spends the winters near here in a nice condo at Burnt Store.  I had told Don about catching redfish, and he wanted me to take him to my secret spot.  We headed out before the wind picked up, and were able to see some redfish tailing and pushing water around the flats.  So we both casted to where we thought the redfish were, and bam! I've got one on.

I caught the first redfish on a gold spoon.  Don digs into his tackle box, and out comes his gold spoon.  We drift a little farther on the flat, and we see another fish moving water.  We both cast to the nervous water, and bam! I've got one on.

That's pretty much how the day went.  We were throwing the same identical gold spoon in the same water.  I caught fish, and Don didn't.

It was a great day spent with a great old friend.  And I really felt guilty about catching all the fish.  (NOT)

Lucky hat

I'm not superstitious.  However, I will not go fishing again without my lucky hat.  Yesterday was cool and windy.  I fished in my secret spot for several hours, and didn't see a fish.  I left Pam by the pool to enjoy the free beer, while I wore out my casting arm.  Nothing.
To make matters worse, one of the guides broke on my favorite pole, and my favorite Stradic reel fell apart.  I was able to repair the reel, but the rod will need to wait until I get home. I brought a back-up rod.

Today, I went out in the morning before the IU game.   Saw lots of redfish.  Another boat was anchored in my secret spot and the three guys on board were catching my redfish.  I was able to connect with a gold spoon.

 

I know I said I wouldn't post fish photos, but when all I do is fish, there's not much else.  

The video from the fishcam can be found here

Notice how the redfish pulled the dinghy around

Tomorrow, Don and Michelle Argay are coming over to see us.  We fish.  They chat. 

Don thinks I'm going to take him to my secret redfish spot.

Free Beer

Unfortunately, I don't drink.  Our marina has free beer every Saturday.  Not "tomorrow" like most places, but a real day.  Saturday.  Pam participated last Saturday, and now that I've said it here, I fully expect to see my pal Dawg here next Saturday.  That's his favorite kind of beer--"free."  His second favorite kind is "cold."  He used to take a lot of abuse from me while racing sailboats, just to get that "free" beer after the regattas.  See you Saturday, Dawg.

I'd rather go to the dentist than to go "shopping."  At least at the dentist's office, I get to sit down.  Pam wanted to go to Boca Grande today to "shop."  For her that means wondering aimlessly through stores looking at stuff she has no intention of buying. Everything on the island is priced 25% over full retail.  In addition, we had to pay $6.00 to cross the bridge to get out to a place where I can't afford to buy anything.   As we "shop," I nod my head every now and then and pretend to pay attention, but the whole time I'm thinking about those redfish out on the flats.

We had an expensive sandwich for lunch at the Loose Caboose.  While we were eating, I overheard a conversation at the table next to us among some stodgy old blue bloods................"Oh, he's from off island."  I knew they weren't talking about me or they would have said "he's from off planet."

We've been spoiled by great weather the time we've been here.  It's been above 80 every day.  Today, however, a cold front came through.  It's getting down to the upper 40's tonight with a chilly high of only 70 tomorrow.  Our boat is in a small basin off the ICW.  We're away from the channel into the basin, so we don't get any waves from passing boats.  So our boat hasn't moved once since we've been here.  Until tonight, and the 30 mph wind. 

I'm still working on Uncle Tom's Good Stinkin' Stuff.  To the mix, I need to add some Neosporin  and an aloe cream for sunburn.  Some of the other contents didn't do their job.

More fishing

I've mentioned before that there's really not much in Placida or Englewood.  But if I came here so I could catch Redfish, it's a great spot.

Yesterday, I went out fishing with a friend from Noblesville.  Shelly has a place on Pine Island and a flats boat.  He brought his friend John who is a commercial fisherman and knows the areas back in Bull Bay and Turtle Bay.  We had a great day on the water, and I got to see some area I'd never been before, but we didn't catch any redfish.  We did catch several small trout.

Today, however, was another great day for redfish.  I guess Shelly didn't want to show me his secret spot yesterday, because today he sent me an email saying he went somewhere else and caught 10 big reds and 3 snooks.

I also caught some nice reds, and a gator trout today.

 

I'm still having trouble with the fish cam.  I thought it was on when I caught the biggest fish of the day.  The fish even towed the dinghy around for a while.  I don't know if it was operator error or what, but the best video so far didn't get recorded.

Pam says people don't want to see anymore photos of me holding fish.  I'll try to keep this blog more about cruising on Tonic.  But, if you're not tired of fish photos, I'll keep posting them on my fishing blog....smellslikeworms

Venice

We drove up to Venice yesterday and had an enjoyable day with Frank and Pat.  They're from Pennsylvania and owned a Rosborough (Grey Goose.)  We met them at the rendezvous on Lake Champlain in 2009.  Since then, we cruised together in the northern Chesapeake, Marathon to Punta Gorda, and the Dismal Swamp.  They recently sold their Rosborough and became dirt dwellers in a really nice villa in Venice.  They took us on a tour around Venice, and prepared a great steak dinner. 

Today, I'm going fishing with one of the guys I fish with at home.  Shelly has a place on Pine Island, and a flats boat.  We plan to go into Bull Bay to find redfish.

I think I have an idea for a new product.  This morning, I rubbed on sunscreen, bug repellant, anti-itch cream (the bug repellant failed) and to that mix, I'd like to add fish attractant.  All in one tube.  I need a catchy name for it.

Red day

Today was one of my best fishing days in maybe forever.  Pam and I went out about 9:30, and by noon, I had caught 4 really nice redfish.  I figured out that at low tide, the reds stay in the "potholes."  That's an area that is a little deeper than the surrounding flats.  You can see the holes with polarized glasses.  The areas are bare, and the reds are usually around the outside edges.

I thought maybe Pam could do a better job with the fishcam.  Here's what she recorded

We drifted across some large flats near Stump pass.  The flats are only about 16" deep.  We're enjoying the eagles and white pelicans.  Wide open water.  No one else around.  Then these two PWC's decide to cross the flats right next to us.  They were close enough that I could have cast my bait over and hit them.  I'm not saying that everyone who owns or operates one of these things is fast, loud and obnoxious, but.........

I could see the fish leaving the flats as these noisemakers went through, so Pam and I went back to the dock for lunch.  

Later, I went back out by myself.  It was high tide in the afternoon, and I wasn't sure where the redfish might be.  I had read that they sometimes follow schools of mullet.  So I found a large school of mullet and kept following them myself, casting into and around the mullet.  I caught five more redfish and a trout.

 

A really good day.

What's that smell ?

Some people don't understand how we can live so long on such a small boat.  We're here 2 months on a 25' boat.  (And that 25' includes a 6' back porch.)  Part of the program that makes it possible is managing your supply of clothes.  There's not a lot of closet space.

For instance, at any one time, I have a pair of "fishing" shorts, and a pair of "out-to-dinner" shorts.  The fishing shorts get exposed to a lot the elements.  They get salt water splashed on them.  When I catch fish, I sometimes drag the fish across my lap leaving a little fish slime on my shorts.  And occasionally, I drop my lunch on them, and spill the sardine juice out of the can.  So you can imagine that after a couple of weeks, the fishing shorts start to smell a little like low tide.

After that same couple of weeks, the out to dinner shorts may have only been worn a few times.  So, they become the fishing shorts, and the previous pair of fishing shorts go into the dirty clothes bag.  Unfortunately, the dirty clothes bag is located just below the aft end of the V-berth.  Where our heads are when we sleep.  When Pam gets into bed and asks "what's that smell?"  I tell her it must be low tide here in the marina.

fishcam

There's a resturant here in the marina--Leverocks.  Last night we enjoyed the "Blue Hair" special.  If you eat before 5:30 it's about half price.

I went out again this morning and caught a bunch of fish.  Lots of Jacks, a small snook, and even a couple of tourist tarpon (ladyfish).  I've figured out where the redfish are, and I got a secret lure from the local tackle shop that seems to work.  What I haven't figured out is how to operate the fishcam.  I thought I was taking still photos, but instead, I started the video, and left it on for over 30 minutes.  I videoed the sky, the bottom of the dinghy and the inside of a storage box where I keep the camera.  Here's a short video of a nice redfish that I was able to edit out of the 30 minute long segment.

Again, you may need to visit the website to access he video. 
http://tonic-cruises.blogspot.com/2013/01/fishcam.html

Old buzzards

Pam wanted to go over to the beach at Don Pedro State Park today, so we loaded our lunch in the dinghy and headed out.  The beach at Don Pedro, is pretty much as it's always been.  Old Florida.

 And it's not too crowded.

Just a bunch of old buzzards on the beach today.

This red tide has really been a mullet fest for them. 

We were on this beach four years ago, and Pam picked up about a hundert sharks teeth.  Today she only found a dozen.

While at the beach, I was able to lay down on a towel and take a little nap.  The sounds of the waves lapping on the beach were quite soothing, and reminded me of the night I slept out on a balcony overlooking John's Pass. (A little NOrth of St Pete Beach)  I was in the boat business then, and had to deliver a boat to Naples, Florida.  My neighbor Jake had rented a condo at John's Pass and suggested I stop and spend the night in his condo.  I was tired from driving when I got there, and his place was full of children and old women.  So I took my blanket and pillow out on the balcony and had a very peaceful night.  With the waves lapping in on the shore there, I thought I could hear Leon Russell singing "Back to the Island."

Jake was also involved in another eventful night's sleep.  My pal Dawg and I had to go to NOrth Carolina to pick up a custom built boat trailer, and it just happened to be the weekend of the NASCAR race in Bristol, TN.  Bristol is not too far out of the way to NOrth Carolina.  Growing up in Indianapolis, I always believed the hype that the Indy 500 was "the greatest spectacle in racing."  I was misinformed.  I got tickets to the Bristol race at the last minute, and Dawg and I extended our trip in order to stop and watch the race.  If you've ever been to a NASCAR race (back in the day) you know that motel rooms were very hard to find, and were extremely expensive.  As luck would have it, Jake and his brother Bill were going to that same race, and had a motel room in Bristol that weekend.  Dawg and I talked Jake into letting us sleep on the floor in his motel room.  The only place for me to lay down was under the table.  Jake set a bottle of Captain Morgan's rum on the table just above my head.  During the night, I saw the Captain jump off the label, and dance around on the table singing an altered version of a Santana song.  "You better change your evil ways...........Tommy."

But I digress.  Old buzzards like me nap on the beach, and my mind starts off in an unknown direction, and just keeps going.

Pam's new captain

We went over to our neighbors Monk 36 yesterday evening for cocktails (and iced tea).  They are the folks who were in Islamorada last year the same time as us.  They are doing the loop.  Their voyage was interrupted last year for some health issues, but they're back at it now. 

The TV weather guessers said it would be 86 degrees today.  I thought it was a little chilly while I was out fishing--maybe only 84 or 85.

I left Pam at the dock while I went fishing today.  There's a guy doing some repair work on some condo stuff here, and when his wife goes to work, she drops off their son Daniel for his dad to watch.  Pam has been talking with Daniel, and has even invited him on our boat.  I guess it's her grandkid fix.

Fishing today was excellent.  I went up near Stump Pass, and drifted across the flats.  The flats are about 18 inches deep, and covered with grass.  The wind blew me along, and I was standing up in the dinghy.  I drifted up on top of several redfish that saw me before I saw them.  I finally anchored near some mangroves, and ended up catching 5 or 6 redfish, several jacks, some sheepies, a barricuda, and some others.

I even caught a snook.

It's a challenge getting photos with the fishcam.  I have to hold the fish, find the remote control, and push the appropriate button to snap a photo.  The fishcam is mounted on a piece of PVC on the back of the dinghy, and I'm never sure if it's taking photos, videos, or nothing at all.  Today, some dummy put the camera in it's holder upside down, so all the photos had to be flipped.

Sheep

Here in our marina, I can see lots of big sheepshead eating barnacles at the bottom of the pilings.  However, there are "No Fishing" signs throughout the marina.  So, I knew of an old railroad bridge down the way with lots of pilings.  So, I got some shrimp for bait and we took off in the dinghy.

After fishing the pilings there for quite a while, I had only caught some small groupers, and snappers.  We did see a guy with some nice sheepies.  He had walked out on the bridge, and shot a bow and arrow between the ties to hit the fish.  He had a line tied to the arrow, and pulled the fish up.

Later, I was fishing the mangroves off the ICW, and caught some sheepies.

And, I found the reason we came to this part of Florida.  REDFISH !

 

I had to spend a little time with him to ensure he was OK as I released him.

What do Notre Dame and mullet fish have in common?

After the Monday morning rain, we went out driving around, exploring the area.  There's not much here.  Lots of condos, a couple of Publix groceries, and a whole lot of empty commercial space.  We drove about 15 miles up towards Venice and found a Walmart.

Late in the day, I finally got out to do a little fishing. As you can see from the fish cam, even though the red tide destroyed the mullet, it didn't kill all the other fish here.  

Later, we watched IU basketball and Notre Dame football at the same time. 

Looks like Notre Dame suffered the same fate as the mullet at the hands of the red tide.

Red Tide

We have been out in the dinghy a couple of times, and found quite a few dead mullet floating everywhere.  In addition, we find that we start coughing a lot.  A sure sign of red tide.  It's an algae that irritates your respiratory system.  (Unless you're a mullet.  It's more than an irritation to them.)

I bought a small camera online (not a go pro--but similar.) Then I made a stand for it that fits in a rod holder on the dinghy.  The idea is to film me catching fish.  We'll see how that goes.

Here's a video of us cruising on the ICW.  If you received this by email, you may need to visit the blog's website to view the video.  http://tonic-cruises.blogspot.com/2013/01/red-tide_6.html

Here's coming back into the marina

There are two basins in Palm Island Marina.  We're in the North basin.  As you can see, the North basin is not full of boats.  The only other cruising boat here is a trawler that was in the same marina as us last winter in Islamorada. 

Palm Island Marina

From this

To this

In only 22 grueling hours of driving 1150 miles.

We had to go up the road a few miles to launch the boat.  I drove the boat back through dangerous manatee infested waters while Pam drove the truck and trailer back on the road.  She got back to the marina in only 5 minutes, it took me about 30 minutes. 

I don't chit or chat.  However, Pam more than makes up for my deficit.  She chit-chats with anyone and everyone.  While waiting on me to return, she was talking with some folks from Wisconsin, and sure enough, they are friends with our friends Phil and Cathie also from Wisconsin on Buddy, a Rosborough like ours.