WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE?

ABOUT THE TRIP

It was winter and cold, at least by west-central Florida standards.  The wind blew the fifty-something degree air around endlessly.  On a good day, the wind was blowing 10 – 15 miles per hour, but on most days it was much worse.

I had not been fishing for a while and my attitude showed it.  I was fidgety and uncomfortable and doing everything I could to get the weather to change.  Of course, the results of my efforts (nil) frustrated me even more.  And then a miracle happened.  Like most miracles in my life, it was not the one I was hoping for, but it was a miracle non-the-less.  It came in the form of a simple sentence from my wife, “I will go fishing with you”.  I do not know why she said it, but she said it and I was in.

Off we went to the bait shop and then the marina.  That the marina staff was surprised to see us deterred me not at all.  Into the water the boat went and onto the boat we went.  Away from the dock and we were headed out about 10 miles to a really productive spot that was just 6 miles offshore.

The wind was blowing, and the waves were spraying (a little bit).  We had our gloves on to keep our hands from freezing as we held on to the metal t-top supports.  It was low tide so it was a little sporty negotiating some of the spoil areas near the Egmont Channel, but we got through.

We tossed out the anchor and the boat settled right on top of what looked like grouper gold.  Lots of structure and a ton of little marks that, to the trained (hopeful) eye, looked just like grouper should look on a depth finder (whatever that was).  Even though I was the only one fishing, I rigged three rods.  I put the bait down on the first rod and turned to bait the second one.  Before I could even get a bait on the second rod the first one was hit.  I finished dropping the second bait to the bottom, returned to the first rod and reeled in a respectable, but short, gag.  And then the second rod was hit.  Not waiting to bait the first rod again, I reeled in the second one which now had an even more respectable, but still not keeper-sized, gag.  The cold wind was still blowing and the waves were still rolling, but we were about to hit big fish territory, I just knew it.

As I turned to get some more bait, I looked at my wife for the first time since we had dropped the anchor.  She looked at me as only a best friend could and said, “What are we doing here?”

Even though I had yet to get a bait on the third rod, I knew she was right.  I had abused her good nature long enough and admitted as much to her right then and there.  I had scratched my fishing itch and it was time to go home.  Without further ado, we stowed the gear, threw the remaining bait overboard, picked up the anchor and left.

There is no doubt in my mind that my quick and insightful decision to end the shortest, most promising fishing trip ever in mid-bite saved my marriage.  She still doesn’t talk about it, but I am sure she believes that even miracles have their limitations and she had done more than her fair share to facilitate that one.

LESSONS LEARNED

Occasionally fish will bite when the weather is bad.  But rarely is the bite worth the effort.  I guess everyone needs to have more than one hobby, or at least enough faith to know that there will be another good day to fish sometime in the future, because not everyone has a wife that can work a miracle like mine.

ON THE HORIZON

Warm, sunny, flat days.  I have faith that summer is coming.