Well, last week ended with both BarHopp'R's in the shop at Smith Marine! I wasn't sure if either would be ready Monday, but hoped they both would be. I was able to get hold of Pete LaTulippe, my Monday party, and move him to Tuesday, to free up the day. That turned out to be a real blessing in disguise, as a cold front blew through here Monday afternoon. The high winds forced most of the guides to cancel at the docks Monday morning. The few that didn't had a terrible time, and most that I know of didn't even get bait.

I got to Smith Marine around 9:30 Monday morning and hooked up to BarHopp'R II. She was done, except for me getting her home and installing some last minute things like rod holders, fire extinguisher, etc. She looked good and functional. Once I launched her at Punta Rassa ramp and took off into the heavy seas on the river, the floor and bow deck ahead of me looked like the deck of an aircraft carrier from behind the tiny Action Craft console. Man, we got some room here! The sea trial went fine. All systems worked fine, and I headed for home to do some rigging.

Once home, and working on the new console, I realized that no matter how I did it, I would only be able to get four rod holders on that small console. I have been spoiled by 10 rod holders on BarHopp'R I, but II has rod holders in the gunwales. Around noon, my bud Capt. Mark Bess showed up, and was not a happy camper. He had given up trying to find bait at 10:30, and called his trip. He had been through a whole three gallon bucket full of chum without catching the first shiner. Under the circumstances, he made the right call.

Mark stopped at Smith Marine for something, and learned that BarHopp'R II was now ready, with new jack plate pump and controls installed. On the way home with BarHopp'R II, I was reminded that the Float On trailer under her was totally inferior to the Boatmaster Trailer under BarHopp'R I, and had a problem which had to be remedied. The moron who had designed the trailer for the boat's original owner had cut the bow stop even with the bow with the boat at rest on the trailer. The problem is that their trailer is a flexi-flyer, and the bow of the boat will swing as much as a foot on a good bump, no matter how tight you have it drawn up against the stop. The bow kept bouncing up and getting caught on the top of the bow stop, tearing up the fiberglass and the rubrail on the bow. It had done it again, and I hadn't even been across any big bumps! Just plain poor design! Boatmaster, on the other hand, had designed a large, wide, double stop that is a good 6 inches taller than the boat, and it has never given me any problem. Well, actually it did cause one. It's built too strong. One day, I came in on the trailer too hot, and cracked the lip of the bow when I hit the bow stop. Something had to give, but it wasn't going to be the trailer! So, I hauled BarHopp'R II and her puny trailer to Boatmaster for modifications, and would pick up BarHopp'R I on the way back.

Tuesday morning Pete LaTulippe, of Derry, New Hampshire, and I were greeted by strong winds out of the northeast, absolutely predictable after the passage of a front. I knew the fishing would be tough. I figured if we could get bait, we'd have half the battle won. I had shrimp in the boat, just in case. We got bait without too much trouble, and were off to the first stop.

Much to my surprise, the speckled trout, which are usually one of the few species willing to cooperate after a front comes through, weren't in a mood to play. We worked some of my favorite potholes, but could never get a good strong bite going. I'd say we caught a dozen, maybe a few more, through the course of the morning. We also hit a snook hole, and had some reasonable luck there. Pete lost a big snook when the hook pulled, caught a couple of ladyfish, and three or more jack crevalle. Pete did catch two snook, and lost a second big snook when he hit the fish like Mark McGuire hits a home run. He broke the line on the hookset. I reminded Pete that we were fishing with 8 pound test, not the 20 pound that bass fishermen are used to.

So, all in all, Pete and I had a pretty good day, considering the conditions. And, we had a good time.

I was really looking forward to Wednesday's trip with my friend Chic McSherry, who was back on vacation from Glasgow, Scotland, with his son Jamie. Jamie has got to be one of the cutest, smartest six year-old kids on the face of the earth. This time, Chic was bringing his three year-old, Scott, as well. Scott turned out to be just as cute as his brother. I was concerned that at three years of age, Scottie wouldn't have the hang time to do a 6 hour half day, but ultimately, he did great. He never once whined about wanting to go in, or anything. He was a delight.

We, of course, spent most of the morning trying to get the kids into some trout, but they still weren't in a very cooperative mood. The wind was back from the southeast at around 20 knots, and had the water way up. I think the trout were pretty well scattered. So, after a dozen or so trout, I asked Chic if he'd like to try for some snook and reds, and he said the kids would be OK with anything.

At one of the first spots, Chic hooked a large snook, but Chic, not being used to putting pressure on fish the way we do with light tackle, took too long and the snook rubbed through the light 20 lb. leader. From there we went to a spot I hadn't fished since last summer. I figured the water was right to have some reds in the bushes. I was right! With some chumming the treeline, the reds came out to play. Chic had caught 4 and lost 3 or 4 when some yahoo came right up to us in some lapstrake skiff and asked us which way St. James City was. Looking back on it, I should have sent him on a wild goose chase for that, but I didn't. He cranked his outboard and roared away. That was the end of the redfishing in that place!

Knowing the kids had about had enough, we headed to a snook hole on the way back toward the ramp. We had no more than gotten under way, when Chic called my attention to the fact that Scott had fallen dead asleep in his arms. He was totally limp and oblivious to everything around him. When we got to our snook hole, I suggested that if Chic carefully laid Scott down on the mat, he'd probably go right on sleeping. He did, and he did!

At that hole Chic caught several snook and trout, and hooked another big snook. He played it to the boat diligently and carefully, and just before I was ready to put the BogaGrip on her, the 30 pound leader parted. It wasn't till all that excitement that Scott woke up to see what was going on. We called it a day. It had been a fun The kids were wonderful.

Chic told me during our trip that the European travel agent that had made all the arrangement for his very expensive vacation, had virtually screwed up every phase of it. He was very dissatisfied! He was supposed to fish with me by himself on Thursday, but was afraid that he wouldn't be able to do so if his wife didn't make any progress with the travel people. He wouldn't know until he got back to Sarasota.

Meanwhile, I got back to the office and found a second message from my friend Ron Beck, who was booked for Friday, telling me that he was on his way over from Ft. Lauderdale to fish Thursday. Houston, we have a problem!

I finally got hold of Ron on his cell phone and apprised him of the situation; he had the wrong day, but if Chic couldn't fish, it would all work out all right. I got the bad news from Chic later that evening, and let Ron know that he and his longtime friend Dr. Art Craigo should meet me the next morning. I knew that it would be terribly windy, but I also knew that Friday would be so bad we probably wouldn't be able to fish.

Now, I have to tell you that Ron is a character. The first time I guided him last summer, he just beat me up about my Shimano reels and paddle handles. I beat him up about his Daiwa reels. I had never used Daiwa reels, and he had never used the double handles. So, it's been a standing joke between us when I see Ron. I know he's going to gripe about my reel handles.

But, I fooled him this time, and I showed up with only my fines Daiwa Emblem Z's aboard. I knew Ron knew how to properly handle $200 reels. Boy, you should have heard him on my butt about finally having Daiwas on board.

We got bait without too much trouble even with a relentless wind howling. I felt sure that if we got bait we would kick butt on the fish with the wind blowing out of the south. We guides hate most wind except a south wind. When the wind is south, fish open their mouth. It's so true. A south wind means there's a front bearing down on you from the north. That's always true. The fish know it, too, as they sense the falling barometer and wind direction.

Well, at the first hole, Art broke off several snook so big we never got a look at them. We also got some trout and jacks. From then on for the rest of the day, the fish ate virtually everywhere we went. There were plenty more missed fish, and several more breakoffs, but the boys put some beautiful fish in the boat. We limited out on beautiful snook and redfish, and had some trout, too. The wind blew so hard that it literally pulled my anchor on several occasions. We blew out one of the best holes we were on when the anchor pulled with two fish on. I guess the pull of the fish put us over the edge! We gave the hole about an hour to settle down and went back and caught more fish.

Long story short, we had a blast. Those little Daiwa Emblem Z 2000 reels are small, but were quite up to the job with 8 pound test. They have superb drags. So, we went back to the dock with a load of fish, which I usually don't do. At the docks, Ron and Art graciously allowed me to take home some snook and redfish, too. Us guides are no longer allowed to keep fish when we're working, so I was glad to get to take some home. We had a wonderful snook/redfish dinner that night.

Chic, baby, you shoulda been here. I'm really sorry you had to miss such great fishing. Let's hope for an incoming front when you're here next year!!