I got a call from my friend, Sarasota artist and angler Brendon Coudal, who said his friends were in town from Indiana and he and his wife were driving down to meet them.
They thought it would be great to let them experience a little of Florida fishing. I thought that was a great idea and we set a date.
Fishing with locals for me always seems to set up several challenges. It seems as if Mother Nature knows and throws me a curve ball every time. In this case I lost a bit of sleep the night before knowing this.
As if fishing after a big full moon isn't hard enough we were having a small front move through and another one right behind it. I was sure the conditions weren't going to be favorable for a good bite but as always I was going to give it my best shot.
I picked up my group at the Sanibel Harbor Marriott Resort and made a short run to my best spot for that tide that I knew of. I hooked a live pilchard on a spinning rig, made a cast and handed it to Brendan. From that first cast it was pandemonium for the next 3 hours! At one point we had fish on the deck and fish hooked up. We caught Snook, redfish, big trout and flounder. Schools of big jacks kept coming in giving my anglers quit the work out.
I could not have asked for a better day for anyone. This trip will go down as one of my personal best. Great friends, great fishing, and a lifetime of memories. Doesn't get any better than that.
Thank you Brendan for allowing me to guide you, your wife, and friends on Friday. I hope we can make a habit of it!
