Return to the Big Bend Day Three

Thu, May 24, 2012

Monday, 06 September 2010 02:00

Return to the Big Bend Day Three

Written by Bill Howard

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Photograph by Bill "Heywood" Howard

We woke to an East wind which would really plague us all day. Again we were on the lookout for Tarpon. We did see some really big fish, but you couldn’t really set up on them real good. We sat on a sandbar and watched the sun come up, all the while to the sound of tarpon crashing bait.

Sunrise

DaveR on Tarpon Patrol. If they announced that there were Tarpon on the moon, Dave would find a way to get there.

Dave_close_Sunrise

Tommy joins in on the patrol.

2_kayaks_sunrise

It was a very slow morning. I went back to my bowl area and sure enough the Tarpon showed back up. Unfortunately only three of them came by. I had a good shot at one, who was just cruising along the surface. I made the perfect cast with my DOA Baitbuster, it turned towards it, and then spooked. FAIL!!! So, I went on a sighting seeing paddle.

White Pelicans

Low Tide Landscape

Day Three was a bust on Black Drum. My feeling is they are like Redfish, when the breeze picks up, they don’t really tail all that much. Oh, we did see them. Tommy had a nice one tail right next to him, made the prefect cast and saw the take. The fish even took some drag, then nothing. Spit the hook. After that it was like they just weren’t there.

End of trip feast – L to R, Dustin, Dave, and Tommy

steamer

bluecrabs

Final word about the trip; we learned on very important lesson. Never let Dustin get out of your sight. Ever!!

redfish

redfish_2

It was great trip with even better company. I can’t wait for the next one.

Read 689 times Last modified on Sunday, 05 September 2010 18:37

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Published in South Atlantic Reports

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Bill Howard

About the Author: Bill has lived and fished the South shore of Tampa Bay since 1972. An aspiring photographer and writer, he has had several of his pictures published in several local fishing publications and was selected to write for an Australian Kayak Fishing Journal called “Blade”. He is on the Pro Staff for Fins Braid, Columbia Sports Wear and Slayer Inc.

As a member of the Malibu Kayaks Pro Team, Bill is active in the local and state tournament scene. He has won numerous Catch, Photo and Release tournaments as well as several online tournaments. He has also helped organize demonstration days and seminars covering such topics as safety as well as fishing the flats.

In 2008 he completed a 129 mile, 17 day trip around Tampa Bay. The event called “Paddle Around the Bay” raised nearly $4000 dollars for the American Heart Association. He also volunteered his time and served on the Hillsborough County Sea Grass Task Force. Charged with developing plans to protect the fragile sea grass in Tampa Bay, the committee made recommendations directly to the county commissioners that when put into place will greatly improve the health of the sea grass in the bay.

Bill serves as Vice President of the Tampa Bay chapter of Hero’s on the Water. This group is tasked with taking injured and recovering veterans out fishing in kayaks. Paddle. Fish. Heal is their motto.