Recent wind, rain and cold has made boating a bit problematic.  In an effort to scratch that itchin’ to go fishin’ Sunday I resorted to watching reruns of “Wicked Tuna”.  To see how others were coping, visits to the Skyway Fishing Piers and those at Fort Desoto revealed a fair number of anglers at each.  Though I didn’t see much activity going on at either of them, for those we spoke to, it didn’t seem to much matter.  Questioning why I was out in the dreary conditions it dawned on me, for many there’s more to fishing than just catching.  For some, breathing in salt air is the cure for everything.  For some it’s comradery.  For others it’s the anticipation of that unknown tug on the other end of the line.  What is it and how big?  For still others, it’s hoping that one that got away twenty years ago bites again.  You know… that one that still haunts you, that once in a lifetime monster that came out of the water and spit your hook back at you.  It’s what keeps us going back and a constant reminder of that old adage, “a bad day of fishing…”.  Oh yeah, I was encouraged to observe bait still gathering at the south Skyway Fishing Pier.  Pelicans could be seen pounding the surface about halfway out the structure.  I saw some whitebait and many pinfish jiggled up on gold hook rigs.  Though pier operators reported action pretty slow, anglers were catching some sheepshead, whiting and Key West grunts.

Captain Jay Mastry 

CapMel Staff
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