In search of the perfect sunset! chapter 1

dfb · Post by **dfb** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 12:42 pm

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 8:06 am Post subject: In search of the perfect sunset!

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Recently had business trip to Orlando. After business was concluded planned to spend 3-4 days with wife driving to Key West so she could see the sunset. Knowing that with all the water around, I should be able to find some shore fishing.
I did some research on internet and found this site. I asked a few questions and received some quality info. Stumbling around saltwater, 5,000 miles from home, with no gear poses some challenges.
The weather was not condusive to quality nightime fishing with no moon and lightning all around. We made it to Key West, she saw her sunset and I timed the return trip to stop 1/2 way back up the keys at a certain time and place suggested to me.
Well I was the only one on the bridge and tide was 2 hours late even after adjustment for local tide correction. Finally at 11:30 PM the tide started to slack. Even before it changed direction, I hook -up with a Tarpon. I had not brought any gear from home, so I had spent a solid 29.00 on a pole at K-mart!. Spent another 24.00 replacing the line with powerpro. and bought 25.00 dollars worth of misc. gear. Here I am on a bridge hooked up to a Tarpon laughing at myself for having spent 1800.00 over the last ten years going on 3 or 4 quality guided tarpon trips that did not even produce a strike!
Well hooking a Tarpon was the easy part. He does a little dance like you see on TV. Then.....He decides to go out to the Atlantic under the bridge. Oops. Damn near have to suspend myself with one arm from the bridge to keep line from chafing on trussel under the bridge. About 1/2 way to Africa, he decides to turn around and head to Texas. For some reason he chooses the same path that he had departed on and ends up in the Gulf doing the midnight dance. YADA, YADA, YADA.... I work my way down the seawall and release the silver bullet with the shining eyes. Kind of neat seeing a companion following his struggle all the way to the rocks. Interesting walk down the seawall in the dark. I have 3 sets of eyeballs in the rocks and brush watching me. Not sure what they were but they didn't have fins and were mucch smaller then the bears at home.
Thanks all for the help. What a resource of great info without the BS you useally get while nosing around looking like a tourist.
Anyway, it was late and I had told my wife I wouldn't be too late. So with the Tarpon goal met, I thought I would be responcible and head to hotel. I dumped my bait off bridge and packed up my little gear. Before I left, I shined my light back into the water and noticed that tide had now just started to move out to ocean. While I watched, I started seeing large ghosts 2 - 6 feet under the surface! WOW... no bait, many fish...Made my trip.. Great tips and advice. Left a little under your pillow to support this site. Thank ya all just wanted you all to know that sites like this are the ticket to success!!!
PS got back to hotel and in AM as we are packing up, Wife turns on weather channel. Weather suppose to improve to clear sky's and 88 -90 degree calm days. Temp at home is 18degrees and snowing. Not a hard choice to let her make!! We extended trip for another 5 days. I have to get back to work now, but I will try to post a little more as I found some great shore fishing and have a couple tales that you would have had to see to believe..
thanks again
dfb

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we cannot complain; we've got it good! we do not make pimple's on the butts of the old timers that did it all, and more..... way before, "Cabela's".... see ya in the spring... dfb

Last edited by dfb on Wed Oct 17, 2007 12:08 pm; edited 1 time in total

swordfish · Post by **swordfish** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 2:28 pm

HA, yep channel 2 gets a good amount of tarpon stacking up and they will willingly hit just about any artificial they can spot in the dark. Glad to see our little slice of heaven helped someone out from the far side of our nation. I would be DELIGHTED to go to AK to go do some crabbing. Id drop EVERYTHING Im doing just for the opportunity!

-swordfish

BoatlessFisherman · Post by **BoatlessFisherman** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 6:28 pm

Sounds like you picked a winner of a Bridge, Thank you for the Great story for the site to enjoy.