by Capt. Christina
Happy 2019! Hope everyone is continuing with their New Year’s resolutions. I know I am and right now we are doing whatever it takes, so here is the scoop. Recently I’ve started my project boat, a 16’2 Scout Sport Fish, I am doing a complete overhaul. I’ve had the boat about five years now and never had the time to fix it up. She’s finally close to ready, so I can start my backwater fishing charter and eco tours, shelling etc… I can’t wait to get out there and teach and learn more about fishing. Just the way it brings people together of all types when you’re reeling in a fish, you just can’t help but smile. Be on the lookout – you won’t be able to miss this boat!
I have been fishing and exploring Naples’ backwaters and The Everglades National Park since I was a kid, starting with our 13’ Gheenoe, which has since been upgraded to the Lowtide25. Recently, I had the chance to hit the crab buoys in search of Tripletail. Everyone in our area has been getting them, but we are usually fishing out of a 16’ foot center console Gheenoe. The water ideally needs to be perfectly flat for us to run out of the pass on a busy Naples boating day. The conditions were just right, the water was flat. We headed out of the pass for our 1st tripletail experience; we hit the first line of crap buoys with no luck. Didn’t see a single fish! We were just about to takeoff and head towards the next line when I saw a tripletail on the last buoy in our line; I had no idea that when you pointed at them, they could see you! We spooked him and had to move on to the next line of buoys. We weren’t sure how many tripletail we were going to be able to see, it being our first experience, so we were bummed about spooking the first one we came upon. In the next line of buoys, we finally spotted another one in time to not spook it. We threw out the shrimp just a little past the buoy and reeled slightly. That was it, he saw the shrimp, attacked the bait, and we had our 1st tripletail hooked. Our first one was only about 13” but the first is the first, nonetheless. We continued down the line of buoys and came across another, pulled in, but not a keeper at only 15”. After a few more small ones, we were down to our last two lines of buoys. One after another, we got two keepers! One 18” and the final coming in at 24” and weighing 10lbs. For our first experience, I’d say we did amazing! Give it a shot! thanks so much :)
