In Memoriam, Fishing with Aidy, Remembering a Friend
Aidy The Englishman, he’s called, is a commercial fisherman from Northern England and has been coming to Hernando County for the last five years. Why, you may ask? The climate? The beaches? No. What this commercial fisherman comes to do is fish–and I thought I was a fanatic!
Tall, tattooed, topknotted and a killer goatee, Aidy had become a fixture at Hernando Beach Bait & Tackle for a few weeks out of every year. I hadn’t seen Aidy for a while, but when I went to a get-together at the Pasco-Hernando Fishing Forum at Trader Bay Seafood, there he was. We swapped some fish stories and such, and I asked him how he’d been. That’s when he told me of the Doctor’s report and a grim prognosis. But, Aidy being Aidy, the talk quietly went back to fishing. I was surprised to hear that, though he’s fished with several flats guys I know, he’s never brought in more than a single fish on the trips he went on. My mission was clear; I had charters on Saturday and Monday, but I told him Sunday was all his.
We hit the water early and, though the cancer had caused the removal of his right bicep muscle, his comment was “shouldn’t be a problem. I hardly miss it at all.” My thought ran to could I be that tough?
So, at a little after seven, watching the sun rise across the bay, we worked our way back to one of my favorite spots. With Aidy at one end of a three-foot wide creek and me at the other, he proceeded to catch reds, trout, and sheepies while I, to my consternation hooked an out of the slot red. Aidy’s were short and mine was large, and never had I wished that the roles were reversed. From there, we paddled out to the front trout hole and met up with my good friend and fishing buddy Lew Lowrey, and proceeded to put Aidy on to more trout than he has ever caught before. So Aidy came out with his first limit of trout, and we went looking for reds. We worked all my favorite spots and, though we kicked up a few, my mission to hook him into a big red wasn’t working like I planned. Well, that’s why they call it “fishing.” We worked the area ‘til 4:00 and Aidy, God bless him, was still ready to keep going; but, I had a charter the next day and had to get the gear ready, and my butt (which by the way I don’t have one) was killing me after nine hours on the water. So, I set up the next Saturday to go again. But, due to commitments, Aidy could not make it. When we talked that Sunday Aidy, as usual, was full of confidence and I was happy to hear that on our trip, he had had the most fun in the five years he’d been visiting. His goal is to try to make it back in January, and I’ll get my chance to put him on that big red. Aidy, this one’s for you.
Aidy returned the next year but, due to deteriorating health issues, he had to go back to England, He sent me an Email hoping to return soon and, as always, on a positive note; but, it was not to be. Aidy lost his final battle after a good fight, never complaining except for how it messed up his fishing. If there is a God in heaven please let Aidy nail that big red. RIP my friend.
Bruce Butler of Indian Bay Outfitters is Hernando County’s premier kayak fishing guide with full and half-day charters available. Kayaks, tackle and gear provided. Just bring your lucky hat and a good attitude and be ready to see some pristine shoreline and great fishing.
Bruce Butler “Stumbling Gypsy” (352) 428-5347 Bruce@IndianBayOutfitters.com
Web: www.IndianBayOutfitters.com