The countdown has begun...

September 14, 2011

On the back side of the recent full moon on Sept 12, my dad and I decided to take off early one afternoon and head down the beach to try our luck at surf fishing for the Fall run of Red Drum!!  Or Sciaenops Ocellatus for you latin guru's. The weather conditions were favorable as was the tide. The wind was from the S - SW at 10-15 mph, the tide was dead low when we arrived and we fished most of the incoming.

Well I had no longer got my poles baited up and tossed out when I look..and my dad is playing around with something on this little 9 ft spinning pole that was thrown in close and meant to catch bait or anything trying to sneak by. After about a 20 min fight, it came to the surface...and what had our hopes up was nothing but a big ol'ray! Oh well...it was still early. About an hour or so goes by and one of my dads poles goes down hard. If you fish with a conventional style reel, you know the clicker will grab your attention and even make your heart skip a beat!! It was only a 10 minute fight or so when the fish revealed itself..as being a small frisky sand shark. That was it for the rest of the night...not another bite.

But with this trip...the countdown has begun. The hour meter has started until the time comes when a Red will creep by and take my offerings. This drum waiting meter, if you will, can end at the next trip, the 3rd trip, a trip next year, or a trip that will happen in a couple years! It may never end for that matter. These fish are elusive, and it is a privilege to catch one. Some folks spend their whole lives in search of these fish and are never graced with their presence. Hopefully....the meter for me is about to expire!