Well, this was another week shortened by the Labor Day holiday and circumstances beyond anyone's control. Tom Cariddi, of Green Pond, New Jersey, was scheduled for Tuesday, but had an illness in his family that delayed the beginning of his vacation. We rescheduled him for Friday, which I had kept open to give myself a three day weekend.

So, Dino and Anne DeGrande, from Westland, Michigan, were the first to fish this week. After being off for a week, I wasn't quite sure what to expect with the bait, or the fish, but things worked out just fine. There was plenty of beautiful bait at Fosters Point, but we once again were threatened with morning storms. While catching bait, I ran into an angler who I'd referred to Capt. Tommy Stephens earlier in the summer. Tom had fished him the day before, and I had suggested to Tom where to find redfish, which they had. I had a feeling I'd find him right where I wanted to fish once I was done with bait, and I was right.

Fortunately, the angler was sitting in his boat about 75 yards from where I wanted to fish, so I poled in quietly to my spot and anchored. It was a typical beginning for Dino. He had a tough time getting the hang of waiting on a really tight line before going for the hook set. He missed and broke off quite a few fish. Anne predictably got right into the groove. The gals always seem to do better than the guys. Dino and Anne had boated four nice reds, broken off three, and missed several when our neighbor anglers left. I had not seen them catch a fish.

We had watched several of the floats with fish still attached slowly move off to the north about 100 yards from where we were fishing. Once our bite slowed, I poled us into position within casting distance of the floats, and we began catching again. That's a trick I sometimes used in Sarasota Bay years ago, when I was lure fishing. I'd catch a red on a spoon, hook him to a shallow float rig, and turn him loose. Then I'd just follow him around with the trolling motor and catch more fish. It works because they tend to stay with the school. By the time we were forced to run from an incoming storm we had tangled with about 30 redfish, and boated a good 15 up to ten pounds, plus 2 big stingrays, and a catfish. Dino and Anne were great folks, and we had a blast with those reds. We ran from the storm straight to the Waterfront, and had a fantastic lunch before heading home.

Thursday was to be the first of three trips with Kevin Haag, the very successful owner of Douglas Realty, in Ft. Myers. We had a lousy tide, and a strong wind out of the southwest, but I felt sure the reds would be right there where I left them the day before. I picked Kevin and his friend Jim Dougal at the Waterfront at 6:30 AM, and headed to Fosters Point for bait. Bait was tough, but we eventually got plenty. We were rained on before we even had our bait caught. Sure enough, our angler buddies were back there catching bait when we arrived. He was done first, and I figured he'd once again be right back where I wanted to fish.

I was right. But today, he was sitting right in the spot where he'd seen me catching the day before. I took up position not too far away, where we could see fish moving in front of us. The fish weren't having anything to do with us, though. They just wouldn't show any serious interest in eating no matter how hard I chummed them. We caught one redfish, and missed 5 others. That was it. I moved to another area where I often catch lots of reds on a falling tide, but it was the same thing there. I had seen redfish, and knew they were there, but they just wouldn't play. We caught a few trout and 3 catfish before we were once again run off the water by an approaching storm.

We were back at the Waterfront just before noon. It had been a frustrating day for me. I had so wanted my first trip with Kevin to be a great one, but it just wasn't in the cards. Being an avid fisherman, he completely understood, and knew I had tried hard to make it happen. I would get my second chance next Monday.

Although the tide was very nearly the same on Friday, the wind was around to the northwest, and down to about 10 knots. I had slept poorly that night because I was worried about where I could find some redfish that would eat on that low, falling tide. I had a place in mind. I was in the water and ready to go early, but my client, Tom Cariddi had not shown up by seven o'clock. Fearful that I had forgotten that perhaps I was to pick him up at the Waterfront, a ran across to St. James to see if he was there waiting on me. He wasn't. When I returned to Punta Rassa at 7:30, Tom and his girlfriend Cathy Tonnisen were there waiting on me. I was concerned about getting bait because of the late start, but there was still plenty. The water was full of threadfins which quickly made a mess of my net, and we kept quite a bunch of them to use as dead chum for the redfish.

Tom and Cathy had fished with a guide out of South Seas the day before. He said they had caught some reds fishing in Redfish Pass, and a few fishing chunked ladyfish against the mangroves. He and Cathy were excited about fishing them in the shallow water of the open flats. Tom had told me on the phone that he was an experienced fisherman and would have no problem with our tight line hookset. I took that with a grain of salt, as nearly everyone has problems adapting to this kind of fishing. Tom was right, though. He only missed one fish all morning long, and that was because he was lighting a cigarette when the red hit.

Although Cathy wanted me to cast for her, she was a good fisherman, too. Cathy is also one of the most gorgeous women to ever climb on the BarHopp'R's deck and catch a fish. She was just stunning, and as sweet as she could be. She sure enjoyed those shallow water redfish, but much to my surprise, Tom had the hot rod. I thought surely Cathy would outfish Tom, but Tom was really on the ball. We also missed our share of fish, but ended the morning with 15 or more reds, 5 trout, and a catfish just to keep us honest. We headed to the Waterfront to top off the day with the worlds biggest and best cheeseburgers and some great conversation. It had been a great day with some great folks.

As I write this I'm listening to reports of a big, mean storm that's only a few days out in the Atlantic. It will probably be a problem for the east coast, but it remains to be seen just where. She's a huge storm, three times the size of Andrew, and shows up with large masses of pink and red on the radar. Maybe she will be remembered as Pink Floyd!