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