Hello and welcome! My name is Capt. Jonathan Moss and this month’s Pro Tip is a little different than usual but a tip nonetheless. As I write this, my family and I have just returned home from a long Labor Day weekend, spent at the family beach condo in Cocoa Beach, Fl. We decided to leave the skiff at home and enjoy some quality, family time, just me, my wife and our eight-month-old baby boy. Of course, I couldn’t help myself and brought a few rods. One morning we took advantage of the weather and drove south to Sebastian Inlet. And let me tell you, I had some interesting encounters with other anglers while we were there.
1. There were the old men who were just grumpy. Nothing but a trophy was going to please them. I tried to encourage them, but they were not having it.
2. There were the meat hunters who needed to be reminded that there is in fact a slot and bag limit on snook. I watched a guy literally drag a snook on the concrete sidewalk, holding only the leader, to a measuring stick. Yes, he got an education from me (I tried to be as polite as possible, but please, let’s not drag fish). He thought snook needed to be 24 inches to be kept. I confirmed with him that the legal slot size is 28-32 inches and then proceeded to help him release the snook. Thankfully, it swam away.
3. Then there was the guy whom I asked, “How’s the fishing?” His reply, “Well, we haven’t caught a thing, but I am just so happy to be here fishing with my son!”
He was literally the happiest fisherman out there. We talked for a minute, and I told him he truly understands the reason for going fishing,
I appreciated his attitude and thanked him for taking his son fishing!
Lastly, there was the teenage boy, who was hungry! He was also snagged on a rock! But he was dedicated. He had his pliers on his hip and a 5000 size spinning outfit! I was proud of him. We talked and pointed out some laid up snook on the rocks. He was a lot like me at that age.
My thoughts (or should we say tips):
- Don’t Be Grumpy! If you’re grumpy while you’re fishing, go home. It’s a whole lot more fun when you’re happy.
- Don’t Be Greedy! If you’re looking to fill a freezer, know the regulations and don’t be greedy. It could save you money—and jail time.
- Take A Kid Fishing! If you’re a parent, aunt, uncle, caretaker, whatever, take your kids fishing! Go outside!! If you don’t know anything about the outdoors, call me, go to a local tackle shop, or YouTube it!
- Practice, Practice, Practice! If you’re that hungry kid, keep practicing that cast in your front yard, tying and retying rigs and memorizing knots. Proper preparation prevents poor performance (the five Ps). I believe in you!
Capt. Jonathan Moss
Go Castaway Fishing Charters
www.gocastaway.com
(407) 760-8593