OLD-TIMERS DON’T NEED A LICENSE TO FISH in Florida. Before the Dark Times descended you might see them lined up shoulder-to-shoulder on almost any bridge or pier—today they are keeping their social distance. I prefer to be closer to the water—preferably in waders in a clear Colorado stream. But standing waist-deep in the warm Gulf waters is an acceptable substitute.
Green Sea Turtle Bottle-Nose Dolphins
You don’t have to be catching to have a good time. Diving terns and splashing pelicans provide enough entertainment and there is always a chance of having a green sea turtle or a pair of bottle-nose dolphins swim by.
Nasty and U-G-L-Y
I know my trout and salmon, pike and perch, bass and such but some of the fish I have been catching are foreign to me. The most prodigious—and voracious—are the aptly-named Lizardfish. Snake-like and well-camouflaged, these toothy guys will attack a lure nearly their own size.
Luck be a Lady
Snook
Sea Trout
Ladyfish are more fun to catch. They are bright silver, quite aggressive and jump acrobatically like miniature tarpon when hooked. Many obligingly throw the lure after a jump or two—a long-distance release. I have caught dozens of ladyfish but only a single snook here—three lifetime. Snook are considered a trophy in Florida waters and are gourmet fare I’ve been told. So are sea trout—just 'trout' hereabouts. But I release everything I catch.
Hit the Road, Jack
The biggest surprise was on my last cast on Friday—a 4-pound crevalle jack that took a good few minutes to coax onto the beach. Of course I don’t carry a camera while fishing so all of these photos are taken from the internet.
And did I mention the B-I-G one that got away?
