I resolved some time ago to take the month of August off because it's some blazing hot and the fishing really slows down. I know a couple of other guides up and down the coast that do that, and it seems to make a lot of sense to me. We're back in a reverse weather pattern once again, with onshore winds giving birth to coastal showers and thunderstorms in the mornings.

My good friend Dr. John Hitt and I did manage to get out for a few hours in his new Coastal 21 center console. He'd just finished his 20 hour break-in period, and it was my first ride. We were uncertain about leaving John's dock Friday morning, as storms were already upon us. We decided to wait a few minutes, and see how things looked. Once the storms passed through, we decided to take a chance, and off we went.

We headed down the river and across San Carlos Bay to Tarpon Bay for bait, and got plenty of shiners, and some pinfish, but none were in the 2 - 2.5 inch range that I like for redfish under a popping cork. So, we decided to head to Chino Island flat, which is almost always full of small pins. But, before we could even get there the weather was looking iffy. We did manage to get some small pinfish, and headed to the first stop for redfish, but the weather was beginning to look threatening. We quickly hit a snook, then two nice redfish within a half hour or so, which was fortunate, as the weather seemed to be closing in around us. We were seeing lightning in several directions, and John and I decided as he put it, not to try and prove we were lightning proof. So, were took off, hoping we could get back up the river to safety before the storms hit.

Talk about being chased by a storm; we were! We had to run right at one, but we were pretty sure it was moving away from us. It turned out to be the right call as we got away from it as we rounded the corner at York Island, but the one coming onshore behind us seemed to be gaining on us, and we were running over 40 MPH. It was growing uglier by the minute, and we hit John's dock with just enough time to get the boat situated on the lift so that he could leave the livewells running on the bait and fish.

Weather has been the story this weekend, delivering record rainfalls up and down the coast of southwest Florida. I have two remaining trips for August, on Monday and Tuesday. Right now, I don't know if the weather will even let me do those. Here's hoping.

If you want to be able to continue to fish Florida waters please follow this link, "Manatee Zones: How You Can Help" and please take the time to become involved, even if you don't live in Florida. Let the politicians know WHY you come to Florida on vacation!

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