Getting back into the action, slowly.

It has been a long 3 weeks of being sick, getting nothing but bad news, and being off the water. However, I am feeling pretty good and I am hoping I can do at least one charter this week. I will never get back to being able to fish everyday with these beat up lungs, but I would feel a lot better being able to fish at least a few days a week. Next week I have several doctor appointments to get things in place to begin the lung transplant evaluation. I will also be setting up appointments with several lung transplant centers in Florida, starting with Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. Then possibly in Gainsville at Shands, and if necessary look out of state like Baltimore or North Carolina. Today is the first full day of fall, and I am excited to start seeing some cooler temps. Cooler water temps will get those bass feeding up for the winter months. Although I haven't been on the water, I can tell you from experience the fish will begin schooling on shad in the morning hours. My years of fishing in October and November have brought many of my clients some big fish with top water baits fishing shallower waters 4-7 ft in areas with hydrilla that does not come up to the surface. I am also going to add some additional fish attractors over the coming weeks. The ones I had placed last year should start seeing some action as I placed them in shallower water. I finished adding all the LED lights from Blue Water LED to the boat, so this baby lights up like a Christmas Tree now. I love it !!! Also Next month I am going to have a small fundraiser for a friend that also has CF and is going through the steps to have a lung transplant. More details to follow. So if your coming to Orlando in the next few weeks and want to go fishing, I am back so feel free to call me.

The summer truth

For the past two month I have been battling a lung infection, plus tough fishing conditions. As for my lung infection; I have to take all my normal daily meds (12 different ones multiple times during the day) plus a IV medication 3x a day. Normally these infections wipe me out physically to the point that I get tire just by being awake, i have had a few of those days during this infection but I have been forcing myself to do something physical, usually working on or outside the house with various projects. I am also doing as many charters as I physically can do. This activity is helping me physically but more so mentally. I have several friends that are going through the painful evaluation to be added to the lung transplant list. It is a long, painful 2 week evaluation to become a canidate to receive a transplant, it is also tough mentally plus add the incredible financial burden pre and post transplant. Seeing my friends go through has really brought be down mentally. It has made me push harder to keep my lung function from becoming lower then 29%. Hopefully I will finish this run of antibiotics this week and start doing some serious excersing, like swimming and biking. Poor health has kept me from being able to do a lot of things, and I want to get back some lung function so I can do more with my wife and son. Something I haven't done for over 4 years because of health reason is fish a bass tournament, but this week I a night tournament. It starts at 5pm and ends at 9 pm. It's team style tournament, so my friend, a former guide with me at disney, asked me to fish it. My friend Mike is an amazing angler, I consider myself to be very good, but Mike has this special ability to make things happen. After the first 30 mins of fishing, Mike hit the jackpot spot. In five casts he landed 4 fish. The rules are 3 fish limit, no smaller then 14 inches, and only 2 can be over 21 inches. Top weight from 3 fish win. In those casts, Mike landed one that was just short, then one about 2 lbs, then a massive 8 lbs 9oz lunker, and immediatly after that fish, he lands another one about a pound and a half. It happened so fast, I had to catch my breath, and was just blown away by what he had done. We were unable to get a single bite after that, and came in 2nd losing by 5 oz, in a competition against 30 other teams. This has pumped me up so much. Now the tough news about my charters. I tell everyone this time of the year the truth about how my lake fishes. You will catch fish first and for most, but getting fish with size is hit and miss. Currently my lake temp is 87 degress, these temps are usually common mid to late August not early July. These hot temps make the fish sluggish. It doesn't mean they won't bite, but the big fish focus on moving very little and when they do, its for something big, so they don't have to feed as often. Now all my clients have different levels of experience, but I start their charters with me, all the same. I use weightless flukes and sinkos. These baits will allow the angler to get a feel for all the under water hydrilla (grass), and the suddle way the fish bite. Once they get a few fish in the boat, I will change to what baits and techniques they are familiar with, and focus on getting those trophy bass to hit. That has been the tough part of the job this summer. Latley more charters havent been getting that big bite and it really frustrates me. I expect to give my clients the best, that is why I am on this private lake, no one else fishes it. I assure you the lake has plenty of trophies, but the intense water temps plus the unusually strong winds out of the south have made all the fish so sluggish. Even when a big fish bites they are not holding on to the bait long enough for my clients to set the hook, or we get then near the boat and they spit out the tail of the bait. Again it has been frustrating me more then probably most anglers would be.This report might turn away potential clients and I understand that. I am very up front with how the fishing is, because as much as I want you to fish with me; It's more important to me that you have a good time, and that those that fish with me come back again. We have a long way to go before we see cooler temps, but I will continue to make all my booked charters fun for my clients.