As most of you regular BarHopp'R readers know, I spent most of the week home with my wife, Jean, who had surgery last Thursday. She was really sore and slow moving, particularly from the incision under her right arm, where they took her lymphs. After a week off, I did get back on the water for Thursday and Friday of the week.

Thursday I fished with Jim Miller, who has a place on Pine Island. His son David, both of whom I've fished with before, bought his dad this trip and prepaid it long ago. I believe it was for his birthday. Jim brought along his grandson. I picked the boys up at the Waterfront, then headed to the Picnic Island flats to catch bait. The bait was beautiful.

Although the wind was out of the northwest at around 15 knots, we had a good bite all day long. The problem was getting the fish hooked. I've had many of you tell me at the end of a trip that now you could understand when I write about folks having such a hard time with the hookset. I'm sure that anyone who has been there and done that on the BarHopp'R can empathize and relate to how different this light line fishing with no weight really is! I mention this in everyone's defense. It really is hard to get the knack of waiting on a tight line in one day's fishing, and Jim and his grandson sure had their problems.

But, they had a lot of fun trying and missing and letting them get loose. Sometimes, trying to get a good snook to the boat on light tackle is tantamount to trying to catch a greased pig with no fence to keep him caged. Although the Miller team only boated 3 snook, 4 big trout to 5 pounds, and a couple of big jacks, I heard young Miller use the "Awesome" word several times. We finished the trip back at the Waterfront for lunch with Jim's wife, and other grandson, Mike, who had flown in that morning, too late to go fishing. It was a fun day. Jim is a super nice fella, and his grandson was a very nice, well mannered young man, and a delight to have along.

Friday, the wind was back to the west at 15 for most of the day for Ed Wells, of Richmond, Vermont, his two sons Dillon and Silas, and his brother Gary. I thought we might have another good bite, but that turned out not to be the case. I worked hard at manufacturing a bite for the Wells boys, but the fish just didn't want to play. Even the bait was tough! As always, there were plenty of missed opportunities, but if the fish had been in a mood to eat, there could have been many more. Most days I can get something going, but this wasn't one of those days. The boys ended the day with 3 snook and 3 nice trout. They were great guys and didn't let the slow bite dampen their spirits.

I guess I'm guilty of having too much faith in my ability to get a bite going. Someone once said he'd rather be lucky in fishing than good at it. I guess I should have relied on luck more than I did experience and knowledge of what works that day.

Next week if a full week, so their should be a lot to report on, barring any weather complications. It's March, and it's windy even when there's not a front on us, but we're still having our share of fronts come our way. For the most part they aren't weather makers, but can still screw up the fishing.