That
day, the Steelers were playing the Patriots at home for a trip to
the Super Bowl so I was a little distracted. Around 11:30am, I waived
to club member Dave Kops as he made his way through the backyard
to the dock in search of Snook. I picked up a little 19” linesider
the day before on some plastic and it was enough to get Dave’s
attention. He was intent on putting some spoons to the test today.
The weather was clear and pretty cool. We also had north winds blowing
the low tide out making the water in the canal pretty skinny. I
didn’t expect he’d have much luck so I decided to resist
temptation and polish off some business in the home office before
the game festivities started.
It wasn’t more than about 10 minutes later when Dave is hollering
for my attention. I look out the window and he’s holding tight
to an impressive rod bend up the canal against the current. I shout
to ask him what he’s got on and he says, “I’m
not sure, but it’s big! Get your axx down here and help me
land this thing!” In the few moments it takes me to get there,
he’s already lost plenty of line and his fish is flirting
with the mangrove coverage on our side of the waterway. I recommend
he may need to get wet in order to gain a better angle and pull
it away from the bank. Just then, we both see the coppery flank
and black racing stripe of a fat snook rolling 50 yards to the west.
We’ve got to move quickly now so I pull the kayak down and
launch it from the dock. It immediately starts getting away in the
current, but no big deal. I’ll just hang over and grab it
with my foot so Dave can lower himself in and get the angle he needs.
As soon as I touch the Kayak with my right foot, my grip on the
dock rail slips and instantly I'm taking a free fall into the cold
January water. After surfacing, I make my way toward the middle
of the canal to get a better read on the fish's location. It’s
still making for the coverage so I tell Dave it’s now or never,
“Give me the rod to get a better angle or get in with me!”
He lowers himself into the kayak, and since I’m soaked, he
gets a hard time about his little boat ride. After a good laugh
about the blooper, we get back to business. Dave is able to gain
some line now that he’s managed a better angle. By this time,
my brother Brooks heard the commotion from his house next door and
arrived on the scene with a digital camera in hand. He hands me
a landing net and gets set for some documentation. The fish is tiring
and starts coming right to us now. The tables were finally turning,
and after some careful maneuvering, and a couple of last second
runs that missed the net, Dave's fish is ultimately secured.
Brooks captured the moment and Dave released a 39” snook to
fight another day. Then it sinks in we’re standing in the
canal in January and I’ve got a pretty nice gash in my arm
that happened when I fell off the dock, but we’re all about
as happy as anyone can be. That fish was a surprise that proves
conditions don’t count for everything. You just never know
what might come to the surface.
Later
that night, the Patriots managed to proceed past us and ultimately
on to their 3rd Super Bowl in 4 years. There’s always next
year. For now, at least, we had the memories of one of the best
seasons ever in NFL history and the biggest Snook yet for Dave.
And we’ve got the pictures and the scars to prove it.
Many
more snook were caught during this winter period providing some
of the best action anywhere. It reminded us how lucky we are to
live where we do.
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