Making Memories With Rain, Minnows, Manatee, and Big Fish

 MANY MEN GO FISHING ALL OF THEIR LIVES WITHOUT KNOWING THAT IT IS NOT FISH THEY ARE AFTER -  Henry David Thoreau

Sometimes the fish don't cooperate on some of our fishing trips but when a young couple with a young angler get a chance to get out on the water and experience some of our "salt life", memories are made none-the-less.  Today I had Caleb and Callie Berryhill and their young daughter Molly meet me at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp early. There was a 24% chance of rain but we felt sure we could get out and get some fishing in.

After a quick run up the Nassau we stopped and fished a handful of marsh run outs on an outgoing tide but had no real luck, other than a high flying Ladyfish that Callie hooked up and landed. We fished some docks at Nassauville and caught one or two or three small Mangrove Snapper, then we made a run to Broward Island, only to pull up short at Pumpkin Hill as a rain storm passed us by. But it didn't pass us and came right over the top of us, soaking Caleb and I as Callie and Molly attempted to shelter under a rain jacket a beach towel. After it passed, we ran down to Broward, fished it for a good bit, but had no real luck. But Caleb did spot a Manatee hanging out beside a submerged stump which is always pretty cool to see.

Molly had been playing with the mud minnows for most of the day and having a good time at it but the sun had come back out and was wearing on all of us. We backed up to some dock pilings at our last stop and played cat and mouse with Mangrove Snapper then finally, Caleb had the strong bite and, Big Fish On!  He applied the pressure and kept the fish away from the pilings, worked it out to deeper water, then patiently played it to the net - a Big 25.75" Slot Redfish, and boy was it thick!

We had had an eventful day, ended up with a big fish, saw a Manatee, so as we headed in, we counted it as another great day to be fishing here at Amelia Island, Florida.