| Wading in the flats and fishing in St. George | | | | fishing line. This time it felt like I had |
| Sound was as soothing and relaxing an outing | | | | hooked a concrete block. I brought him to |
| as I've had in years. Getting out of bed | | | | the top of the water. When I measured him on |
| early, my brother in law and I left the rest | | | | the inch marks I had painted on my rod, he |
| of our vacationing family and drove the mile | | | | proved to be 22 " long; well within the 18-27 |
| to St. George Island State Park, Florida. | | | | inch size regulations for a Red Fish. I put |
| We'd scouted the area the day before and | | | | him in my mesh bag that was tied to my |
| found that the boat landing area at the park | | | | fishing vest and let him swim around with the |
| wasn't deep enough to safely launch the boat. | | | | two trout. |
| The island was still digging out of the sand | | | | |
| due to Hurricane Dennis. | | | | My silver spoon seemed to be the bait of the |
| | | | day for within 10 minutes I had another fish |
| Since we couldn't put the boat in the water | | | | on the line. As I brought him closer to me I |
| there, we just pulled the truck, boat and | | | | saw that it was another Redfish; a little |
| trailer into a nice shady spot close to the | | | | larger than the first one. Since I had |
| water and decided to wade. It was a | | | | already caught my limited of Reds for the |
| beautiful morning for wading and we almost | | | | day, I released the one in the bag and |
| had the whole bay to ourselves at 8:00 in the | | | | replaced him with the larger one I had just |
| morning. There was only one kayaker paddling | | | | caught. |
| around about a half mile from us. | | | | |
| | | | Every fisherman who has ever caught a good |
| The gentle lapping of the water around my | | | | sized fish looks around to see if anyone else |
| knees, the picturesque morning sun and the | | | | had witnessed his great achievement. I |
| mist on the water made this morning a | | | | scanned the area around me and saw there were |
| magnificent one. We slowly eased around the | | | | two other fishermen now standing on a sand |
| oyster bars that seem to exist throughout the | | | | bar about two hundred yards from me. There |
| bay. About a half mile away I could see a | | | | was also the kayaker I had seen earlier, |
| boat cautiously moving through the open water | | | | closer to me now, paddling around the oyster |
| of the bay, careful not to run aground | | | | bars enjoying the morning. My brother-in-law |
| because the water could change from 4 feet | | | | seemed to be didn't seem to be having much |
| deep to 0 in a flash! | | | | success for he merely shook his head in |
| | | | disgust as I held up the beauty I had just |
| Before I left the shore I had stocked my | | | | caught. |
| fishing vest with a couple of spoons, a gold | | | | |
| one and a silver one. That was the only | | | | As I was about to cast again, I saw the |
| tackle I had with me. When wading I carry a | | | | Kayaker getting close to me. I was about to |
| mesh nylon bag to carry my fish if I'm going | | | | become irritated about someone invading my |
| to eat them later. I also put my Florida | | | | fishing space when the girl who was paddling |
| non-resident fishing license in a zip lock | | | | the boat yelled, "Are you Bob Alexander?" |
| bag and stuffed it in one of the many pockets | | | | |
| of my vest. | | | | Now this was spooky! Out in the middle of |
| | | | Apalachicola Bay, almost 500 miles from home |
| Tying on my gold spoon, I cast into the shore | | | | and someone is looking for me? She certainly |
| side weeds. I hadn't retrieved it more that | | | | didn't look like a bill collector or the IRS. |
| a few feet when something grabbed it and | | | | For a moment I thought I must be in the |
| headed for the other side of the bay. After | | | | middle of a Twilight Zone episode. |
| a few wild forays up and down the channel | | | | |
| between the two oyster beds where I was | | | | As the girl paddled closer, she proved to be |
| standing in waist deep water, I brought the | | | | a mermaid with a gift! As I waved my hand in |
| fish up to me. It was a beautiful trout | | | | acknowledgement, she held up the zip lock |
| about two pounds. I continued wading and | | | | baggie that I used to carry and protect my |
| casting down the shore line and eventually | | | | fishing license. It must have fallen out of |
| worked my way further out into the bay. | | | | my pocket and drifted on the wind to where |
| During this time I caught one more trout and | | | | the lady kayaker was floating. |
| nothing else. | | | | |
| | | | Not only did we have a great morning of |
| Tiring of not seeing another fish, I changed | | | | fishing, but I had also experienced a |
| to my silver lure. Within a couple of casts | | | | miracle. You can't ask for much more from a |
| I had a good sized fish on the end of my | | | | sunny morning in June. |