Sometimes it makes sense to skip fishing

Some days, the weather is so bad that it doesn’t make sense to fish. Especially with a fly rod. However, being on the lower scale of intelligence, that is exactly what I did on Sunday. It was cold. It was windy. It was raining. Yet, I decided to try and fish with my fly rod.

After a short run to a shallow flat, I deployed my trolling motor and began searching the area for redfish. Strong winds made the surface of the water choppy. If redfish were present, I would not be able to see them. So, after a few minutes, it was off to Plan B (trout on a wind-sheltered bank).

Conditions were much better behind a tree line. The water was 4-feet deep and surprising clear. I let the skiff drift along the bank and picked up my fly rod. On the first cast, a strong gust of wind blew the fly towards by body and it impaled my right forearm. It was about this time that I began to question my own intelligence. While I performed minor surgery on my arm, the skiff drifted towards an oyster bar. I deployed the power pole to keep from running aground and then completed the hook removal process.

After successfully catching and releasing myself, I noticed a few trout milling around the base of the oyster bar. They were not particularly large but given the conditions, any fish would be a victory. I cast, being extra careful not to hook myself (again). The fly landed several feet in front of the trout and slowly drifted towards them. Of course, the smallest fish in the school ate the fly. No worries. I was happy to hook something, other than myself.

Contact Captain Greg Peralta at captgregp@gmail.com or call (843) 224-0099.