imincontrol (US)

 Since I posted the pics, I figured I'd share the story behind them. About a month ago my wife and I had been out fishing for a few hours when I took her to one of my favorite redfish spots. She'd never caught a legal sized fish in season and I hoped to find her a nice keeper. We went to the spot and it wasn't too long before she landed her first keeper redfish, a 24". That spot had given me tons of reds before, but she had the hot hand that night and brought in a couple more. I stay out for hours, so when she comes along we bring a grill and cook on the boat. We went to a place out of the wind and I was working a popping cork with a shrimp under it while she soaked a bait on the bottom and cooked. I kept coming up empty and what do you know, another big hit for her. She hauls in a 26" redfish.

I was so happy to put her on fish, but was getting a bit jealous. We had seen tarpon hitting near a bridge the night before and I really wanted to get on one, so we headed there. On the way in there are 3 mangrove islands in a manatee zone, so I figured instead of just motoring through slowly, maybe we should drift with the tide. That decision paid off on the second island. My second cast landed the 31" snook. Great fight as he tried to pull me into the mangroves, but the line held and with the help of the trolling motor, I was albe to pull him out.

On the last island, which is quite long, we were working it for a long time and were nearing the end when the 26" redfish hit my pinfish. We were trying to work him out of a downed tree and he nearly wrapped me on the trolling motor, but my wife did some great net work and helped me land him. 2 legal fish on one drift.....I don't know if I'll ever duplicate it, but I sure try every time I'm coming through on the incoming tide.