The Stumbling Gypsy
Welcome back Yak fans, Wow, March reds have been plentiful and trout doing well with a popping cork such as Cajun thunder or 4-inch glow chartreuse gulp.
This month, I’d like to share a little history with you. When I was growing up, I used to spend summers with my grandparents in the Jensen Beach area on the east coast, and learned my love of fishing from my grandfather, Dale Butler. This was in the early 60’s and we spent a lot of time on the water and fishing bridges for Mr. Snook.
My grandfather was a champion snook fisherman in 1964 and kept a log book of times, tides, moon etc., and really seemed to have it dialed in. If the mix was right, and we needed to be there at two AM, unlike school, he never had to wake me up twice; I was ready!
My dad (not a fisherman) always said that he fished to stay clear of grandma, which at that tender age I never understood; but now after 30+ years of marriage I think I have a clue. I still remember standing proudly next to him at the Snook Nook; a bait and tackle shop, with a wall full of fish mounts, that’s been happily serving anglers in Jensen Beach since 1948.
So anyway–where was this story going? Oh yeah, for about 15 years I’d been have asking for my grandfather’s photos and trophies (I already had his gear and favorite fishing hat–priceless) and my uncle finally came through. Among his stuff was a book titled, “How to Fish for Snook” by Earl Downey, that was published in 1964. What I want to share with you, is the fishing regulations in 1964.
1. No license required for saltwater fishing
2. Minimum lengths: snook 18 inches; flounder 11 inches; mackerel 12 inches; mullet 12 inches; pompano 10 inches; redfish 12 inches, bluefish 10 inches; and trout 12 inches.
3. Bag limits and possession (get this): snook, four per day, possession limit eight; sailfish, two per day; tarpon, two per day; shad, 15 per day.
4. It was legal to harvest sea turtles 7 months out of the year…
So, if you read between the lines, it meant you could keep as many reds, trout, pompano, flounder etc., that you could catch over the minimum size limits. Where is Mr. Peabody? I want the Way Back Machine so I can go back to those good old days of yesteryear (for the younger reader, this reference is from a cartoon from when I was a kid. See Mr. Peabody was a dog that had a pet boy named Sherman…) oh, never mind.
Also, in 1964, they decided to stop commercial fishing for snook, and the only county where it was illegal to snatch-hook them, was Pinellas; all others not so much. Needless to say, we ate a lot of snook at the grand’s house. I still remember landing a beautiful 30 plus inch red and watching my granddad throw it back. His comment, “Look at that mouth. It’s a bottom feeder. You don’t want to eat a bottom feeder”. Like Bob Dylan sang, “The times they are a changing”.
I hope you enjoyed this little trip back in time as much as I did sharing it with you. The book also contains some old-school recipes I can’t wait to try. Let’s have a great March, and remember, if you’re a kayaker and had a day of fishing to remember, let me know. I’m always looking for a good story. Thanks for reading and god bless.
Bruce Butler owns and operates Indian Bay Outfitters and guides saltwater kayak charters all over Hernando County. You can reach Bruce at 352 428-5347 or visit his Facebook page @ Indian-Bay-Outfitters