This week started slow, and was plagued with some mechanical problems, but ended with a bang. Read on!

My good friend and loyal customer Bob Woodward was first up and last up for the week. He was to fish Monday with his friend Jack, and Saturday with his lovely daughter Maura. In all the times we've fished together we've not had a bad trip. As I alluded in my last report, this would be the first stinker. But, Saturday would make up for the stinker.

We ran north and got beautiful bait, then down to the snook beaches. The bite was non-existent! We came inside and tried to get it going on the flats, with the same results. I worked my butt off, and we fished hard, but the fish just wouldn't eat. Bob and Jack finished the day with 3 snook and 1 trout. It was a nice weather day, with a lousy tide in the AM, but a descent tide in the afternoon, but the fish just didn't care. It was every guide's worst nightmare!

Tuesday was scheduled with Steve Ladd, of Palm Beach Gardens, one of my favorite customers. Steve is possessed by the fishing devil. I can't think of too many guys who love to fish more than Steve, or who have as much fun at it, no matter what's happening. I was to pick Steve up at Jensen's dock, but fate had other ideas. As I ran through the skinny water behind York Island, I noticed my water pressure dropped to zero. That sometimes happens in tunnel boats in shallow water with the jackplate all the way up. But, usually the pressure will bounce around off zero. A few seconds later the overheat alarm went off, and the motor shut down, and I knew the pressure reading was for real. I checked everything out, and there was no trash on the intake, and no water coming out of the piss-tube. It appeared that I had lost a water pump. Damn!

Fortunately, my best bud Mark Bess was fishing that morning, and even more fortunately, he took the shortcut behind York Island, too. I was on the cell phone trying to call Steve to tell him of my problems when I saw Mark come through the cut. I wasn't able to get through to Steve, and knew he would be standing on the dock at Jensen's wondering where I was. Mark stopped to see what was up, and wound up towing me back to the Waterfront Restaurant, which was closed for several days. I off-loaded all my tackle onto Mark's boat and we were off to Jensen's to try to let Steve know what happened and reschedule him for the next day. Mark was fishing with Bob McIntire, a great guy who Mark and I have shared as customer and friend for some time, now, and his friend Bob. Bob fishes with which ever one of us has a day open when he calls.

Sure enough, Steve was standing at the dock when we arrived, and knew immediately something was amiss. I introduced him to everyone, told him I'd see him in the morning, and wished he could come with us. Steve said he'd rent a boat for the rest of the day.

We headed up to Cayo Costa to show Mark where I'd been getting this fabulous bait. Bait was easy, and we were soon off to the east side of the Sound to fish the islands around Rocky Channel area. Expecting another terrible day, I showed Mark where I'd managed to catch the only snook the day before. Much to our surprise and delight, the hole was full of redfish, and we sat right there and caught a dozen or so on live and cut baits. We also got a nurse shark.

Once the bite finally slowed, we headed south to a favorite high water spot and caught a few more reds, a couple of trout, and lost a snook. We headed back to the Waterfront in time to tow me back to the ramp, and give me time to get the boat to Smith Marine. Danny stayed late working on my boat, and found that the key which locks the impeller to the shaft had disappeared. He also repaired a couple of other minor problems, and finally sent me on my way around 7 PM. I thought I was ready for my trip with Steve on Wednesday morning.

Not so! I cranked the Yamaha that morning and saw the pressure gauge bounce up to 15 pounds. Good! I idled out the no wake zone and hit the throttle. The pressure rose to 15 pounds as I got up on step, but as soon as I did, it dropped to zero. I thought surely the gauge was playing tricks on me. I kept running. I'd had a problem similar to this long ago. When I ran slow for too long, the overheat alarm would come on. I'd have to let it cool, then I could continue on at cruise speeds. I slowed BarHopp'R I down to idle speed, and sure enough, she went into overheat. In addition, the piss-tube was barely passing water. It looked like a 90 year old man with prostrate problems trying to tinkle!! When she finally cooled, I was able to crank up and quickly run her back to the ramp. I called Steve and told him I'd pick him up at noon in BarHopp'R II, and headed for Smith Marine.

I hadn't fished out of BarHopp'R II in a while, and forgot what a nice boat it is to fish. I will always favor BarHopp'R I, as I've spent almost six years fishing from her. II is just different enough to keep me turned around wondering where things are sometimes, but it's much lighter, and actually rides better. It's much more utilitarian looking, as it has open gunwhales and is open under the rear deck, but she fishes very well.

I picked Steve up at noon as promised and we headed to Cayo Costa for bait. I wasn't sure the bait would be there so late in the day, but it was, and we got plenty without a problem. We headed to the hole where we'd caught all the reds the day before, but they were gone. We headed to another of my favorite north spots for snook, and managed 3 to 25 inches. From there we headed to a redfish flat and managed to get a bit going. Steve had a ball catching 14 of the bronze torpedoes. Steve is a real hoot when he's catching fish!

Thursday and Friday were reserved for John Eicher, of Orlando, his dad Chet, brother Scott, and friend Tim. Thursday we were facing a pretty lousy tide, and I decided that the Stickbeach and snook would be the best bet for getting a bite going. It was a good call, as the boys boated 12 to 15 snook, and 6 or more nice trout. Later, inside, we went for redfish, but the boys missed the only two hits we had. They did hook one stingray.

Friday, the tide was a bit better, and John told me they'd like to spend some time trying for redfish. I was certainly agreeable, as I just don't think you can beat the pull of a good red on light tackle, and they just never give up. We went and caught 8 to 10 snook and 3 trout early, while we were waiting on the tide to get right for redfishing, then moved to the reds at around 10:30 AM. It didn't take long with the beautiful bait we had to get a bite going. We all had a blast catching reds. Before it was over we had caught 15 - 16 redfish and were joined by Capts. John "Bubba" Shearer and Rick DePaiva, who shared in the fun.

It had been a great two days with four great guys. They worked me hard, and put me away wet, but it was a blast getting them into those fish.

Saturday was supposed to be my trip with Bob Woodward and his daughter Maura. I love fishing with them, and on our last trip I wore Maura out on the big redfish. After the Monday stinker with Bob, I couldn't wait to get out there and try to redeem myself. I was very disappointed when Bob told me Maura's flight was canceled due to bad weather up north, and she wouldn't be joining us.

We had a light breeze from the south which I figured might augment the 1.7 high scheduled at around noon. After catching bait, I went straight to the flats and began my chumming. We had an immediate bite, and it was a good one. The redfish were going crazy for the live baits tail hooked to keep them swimming away and near the surface. Bob and I were catching them two at a time at times. The spell of our fun was pierced by the words "Hey, Butchie!" I turned around to find my friend Steve Ladd in a Jensen's rental boat paddling his way in. I had told him he was welcome to join me anytime he saw me on a flat catching fish, but that he had to come quietly. Steve was coming as quietly as he could with the only method he had. I directed him around to my port side and showed him where to anchor. He didn't have live bait, nor a way to keep it alive, so he was rigged with Fin-S Fish black and gold shiner on a 1/8 oz. jig head. Steve caught a red on his first cast! He caught a red on his second cast....his third cast. You get the picture. He was ecstatic, and very vocal. He was able to catch faster than Bob was because he didn't have to rebait after each fish. Bob was taking this all in and turned to me and said, "God, I love this guy. Who is he? I've never seen anyone who was so enthusiastic about fishing." Bob was really taken with Steve, and I knew I have to introduce them when it was all over. Steve was putting on a show for us, and we were putting on a show for Steve. Then Capt. Paul Hobby pulled in on my starboard side and joined the action. They too benefited from the chumming and the wild bite, and were actually catching faster than we were on lures.

When it was all over and the dust had cleared, Steve had caught 16 nice redfish, Bob had caught more than 30, and I imagine Paul's crew caught 15 or more, too. We motored over to Steve and made introductions, and talked about the fun time we'd just had. Steve was pretty much in a state of shock and disbelief, and made it clear it was the best day of redfishing he'd ever experienced . It certainly had been a fantastic day. I'm sure sorry Maura had to miss it!

And that's the way it went. Except for that first slow day with Bob, it was a great week of flats fishing. I'd like to think it will hold up for my friends John and Martha Hitt, who I'm fishing three days next week, but the odds are it won't as the tides become less favorable. We'll see next week.

Note: Those of you who have trips booked in the future, or who may want to book, should note my new phone numbers. Home/office is 239-628-3522, and the new cell phone number is 239-633-5851.