In search of the perfect sunset!

dfb · Post by **dfb** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 1:06 pm

Recently had business trip to Orlando. After business was concluded planned to spend 3-4 days with wife driving to Key West so she could see the sunset. Knowing that with all the water around, I should be able to find some shore fishing.
I did some research on internet and found this site. I asked a few questions and received some quality info. Stumbling around saltwater, 5,000 miles from home, with no gear poses some challenges.
The weather was not condusive to quality nightime fishing with no moon and lightning all around. We made it to Key West, she saw her sunset and I timed the return trip to stop 1/2 way back up the keys at a certain time and place suggested to me.
Well I was the only one on the bridge and tide was 2 hours late even after adjustment for local tide correction. Finally at 11:30 PM the tide started to slack. Even before it changed direction, I hook -up with a Tarpon. I had not brought any gear from home, so I had spent a solid 29.00 on a pole at K-mart!. Spent another 24.00 replacing the line with powerpro. and bought 25.00 dollars worth of misc. gear. Here I am on a bridge hooked up to a Tarpon laughing at myself for having spent 1800.00 over the last ten years going on 3 or 4 quality guided tarpon trips that did not even produce a strike!
Well hooking a Tarpon was the easy part. He does a little dance like you see on TV. Then.....He decides to go out to the Atlantic under the bridge. Oops. Damn near have to suspend myself with one arm from the bridge to keep line from chafing on trussel under the bridge. About 1/2 way to Africa, he decides to turn around and head to Texas. For some reason he chooses the same path that he had departed on and ends up in the Gulf doing the midnight dance. YADA, YADA, YADA.... I work my way down the seawall and release the silver bullet with the shining eyes. Kind of neat seeing a companion following his struggle all the way to the rocks. Interesting walk down the seawall in the dark. I have 3 sets of eyeballs in the rocks and brush watching me. Not sure what they were but they didn't have fins and were mucch smaller then the bears at home.
Thanks all for the help. What a resource of great info without the BS you useally get while nosing around looking like a tourist.
Anyway, it was late and I had told my wife I wouldn't be too late. So with the Tarpon goal met, I thought I would be responcible and head to hotel. I dumped my bait off bridge and packed up my little gear. Before I left, I shined my light back into the water and noticed that tide had now just started to move out to ocean. While I watched, I started seeing large ghosts 2 - 6 feet under the surface! WOW... no bait, many fish...Made my trip.. Great tips and advice. Left a little under your pillow to support this site. Thank ya all just wanted you all to know that sites like this are the ticket to success!!!
PS got back to hotel and in AM as we are packing up, Wife turns on weather channel. Weather suppose to improve to clear sky's and 88 -90 degree calm days. Temp at home is 18degrees and snowing. Not a hard choice to let her make!! We extended trip for another 5 days. I have to get back to work now, but I will try to post a little more as I found some great shore fishing and have a couple tales that you would have had to see to believe..
thanks again
dfb

mikeypbg · Post by **mikeypbg** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 4:53 pm

Nice report dfb...I am constantly impressed by the quality of the information and advice passed around this site. I have lived in Florida all my life but had been discouraged by shorebound fishing in the saltwater due to many many failed attempts. That is, until I found this site.

The reports shared were highly informative and encouraging. People all over the state catching the fish most people spend a small fortune chasing on a boat, more consistently than those people who head out on those vessels. It took me a while, but after careful reading my fishing drastically improved. I eventually hooked up with a few of the guys from this site, and we all fish with each other constantly and share information back and forth. They have all taught me so much and the people from the site who I have met and fished with a few times on the local piers, also have incredible stories and advice to share. The people on this site are genuine experts in shorebound angling and I am proud to be a part of it all.

You also mentioned how this site is a key to success. You couldnt be more correct. What Tommy and the others have done here is truly remarkable and as the site grows, so will the quality of its content because we are all here to help each other.

Thanks for sharing your story. I am glad you found the site to be as helpful as we all have over time.

Mikey