A continued trend:   Bad fishing.    2019:  Five pompano caught all year.    2018 and 2017 we were catching 30 per trip.    Third time in four trips:   Not a single trout caught.    Effort to catch trout but not a single trout caught.     Ladyfish, usually easy:  Even ladyfish aren’t being caught.    Reports:  The bait shops.    Ordering 5000 shrimp, they can only get 500.    Everything is messed up.   Everything.  
Honestly, I slept on it.    I’m glad I did.    Today, I woke up a different person.   But the reality remains.    We have a problem.   And we have a system that doesn’t help.     It is the time.    It falls on me because no one else is going to do it.     I have been writing to this governor for months.    I have even threatened to hurt his reelection chances if he doesn’t come to the table.   It’s bad enough:  I canceled my trips after the way it was two days ago.   I won’t take people when there’s nothing to catch. 
The reality:   I’m one voice to ignore.    My plead.    Every one of you.   EVERY one who reads this.    Write to the governor.   Study the last email I sent.   Study the extra notes I inserted below.   Craft your own letter but do it.    If you won’t, tell me and I’ll remove you from my distribution.   If you can’t help me now, I don’t want to be connected to you anyway.    This is that important.   I ask that you send me a copy of what you write.   Write the governor, copy me.   
Your effort:  If it gets me to a table with this guy, I will get the system fixed.    I have the suggestions.  I have the ideas that are solutions.    Help me get to that point.   Again, if you don’t, I’m going to start over somewhere else.     Life is too short.     The fishing is terrible here right now.    And currently, there is nothing we can do about it.    Changes:   Improvements are possible.   What do we want?  We want things to be the best they can be.   Currently, that isn’t happening and no one is doing anything about it.   I would argue the people in those positions don’t even know the problems.  
It’s not a blame game.  It is about fixing things.   Tell him, “work with Neil Taylor.”   I’ll get it done.  If I fail.   I’m selling out and leaving the state.   I’ll live out my days somewhere the fishing is good.    This is no way to live.     It can be managed back.   I have over 25 years in here.   It is a weird thing to consider, but I’m prepared to do it.    I wouldn’t hesitate.  
The link to directly email the governor:   https://www.flgov.com/email-the-governor/
The other notes for you to consider:  Feedback I’ve gotten in the last week.The snook thing pales in comparison.    Things are really bad.     Awful.    And once again, you are the only one that seems to care.    Thank you Neil Taylor. I was at your seminar the other night.    First time hearing you speak.   You did a good program.   My favorite, your apology for your content.    Not doing a fishing seminar but talking about how bad the fishing has gotten.    Interesting.  Matches my fishing lately.   Anyway the most amazing thing of the night, after you brought up the FWC, the complaints came alive.   One after another,, people complaining about that agency.     This doesn’t bode well for Florida.    Thank you for your concern.  No question, if you can’t get this governor to listen to you and do something:  I won’t vote for him again.   He came across as a guy who would be open to improvements like this.     And it is needed.   I hate the FWC.    What a waste of effort every letter I have written to them.    Even when they read them, which I don’t think is every time:  It doesn’t lead to anything.   Now, get someone in there like you are proposing, Florida has a chance.    In the system that exists now, Florida will continue to dwindle. If you are having trouble catching fish, what does that mean for a guy like me? There are too many people.   Too many guides.   Too many everything.   Now, the fishing is suffering because of it.    It is up to us to manage it properly to keep it where it is good enough to remain enjoyable.   We don’t:   I’m moving.   I’ll move somewhere that doesn’t have the problem.     It is that simple.   This is where I expected to be the rest of my life but if it continues like it is right now, I’m leaving. Thanks for always being the guy who does the right thing.    The fishing.   It’s bad.   I mean really bad.   My best trip in the last month?   Two tiny trout and a catfish.   A location where I used to catch 50 fish every time and they were quality fish.     It is not good.   And you are the only trying to do anything about it.   You’ve got one thing right:   The FWC isn’t a solution.   Look at their failures.   Over and over.    No one there who even knows what the issues are.   And it’s their job.    That’s no good.   Put a Neil Taylor in charge and the future of Florida looks bright again.   I know you push Scott Moore.   I’d go for that too.   Scott knows everything.   Scott would count on you.    You, helping Scott, what a great combination.     I’ll try to do my best to help make it happen.     I’ll write my letters.    What do I know:  I’ve only lived here 70 years. This whole thing makes me sick.   Almost 50 years fishing here and it has deteriorated to NOTHING.   I mean dreadful, awful fishing.    You are the one who talks about it.    Everyone else with their heads in the sand:  No respect.    Will it come back?   It might but like you, I think this time it is a signal of bigger problems.    Too many people now.   Too much pressure on a limited resource.    It may never completely recover.    In probably three acres of baitfish for an hour.   Sitting there.   Catching nothing.    And nothing attacking the baitfish.    This is something I have never seen before.     I saw your article in the paper.   I thought you would want this input:  Something is seriously, seriously wrong.

ntaylor
Latest posts by ntaylor (see all)

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR