# Back In the Game



## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

Got out today with my buddy Mike on his new Hell's Bay Marquesa--first time on the water since my surgery in April. Although I had to cast using only my right hand/arm and reel with two fingers on my left hand, I had a great day! Actually, it would have been a great day even if I didn't catch a single fish--just so thankful to be back on the water with a good friend in one of my favorite places.

We launched out of Outdoor Resorts just as the sun was peaking over the mangrove shoreline and ran south. We expected a few hours of falling tide and then a nice low (+1.5) to fish some of the beaches and bites south of the Chatham River and down to Lostmans. Rolling up to our first spot, we saw thousands of glass minnows. So, I tied on (actually, had Mike tie on!) a Mirror-Lure 9MR (MirrOglass Suspending Twitchbait) in the CFPR color. Mike was throwing a DOA Shrimp. Boom! The snook bite was on. We caught at least 30 snook at this spot, along with a couple of trout, and a couple jacks. Water was clear so we were able to cast to fish that we could see moving over the light colored sand. There were shots at several reds, but no luck. At another, close by spot, we started seeing finger mullet, so I switched to a Slayer SST XL in Cockroach, rigged on a 1/8 oz. jig head. The big one ate and took off like a scalded dog! Several runs and a few minutes latter, Mike carefully netted the big snook.

Although the bite slowed in the early afternoon as the water temperature reached the low 90's and the shorelines and bites were flooded, we ended the day with 40+ snook, 4 trout, a few jacks and lady fish and, of course, a sail cat or two. Just a great day to be alive and on the water! Here's a few pic's from our day.


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## The Fin (Sep 28, 2021)

DBStoots said:


> Got out today with my buddy Mike on his new Hell's Bay Marquesa--first time on the water since my surgery in April. Although I had to cast using only my right hand/arm and reel with two fingers on my left hand, I had a great day! Actually, it would have been a great day even if I didn't catch a single fish--just so thankful to be back on the water with a good friend in one of my favorite places.
> 
> We launched out of Outdoor Resorts just as the sun was peaking over the mangrove shoreline and ran south. We expected a few hours of falling tide and then a nice low (+1.5) to fish some of the beaches and bites south of the Chatham River and down to Lostmans. Rolling up to our first spot, we saw thousands of glass minnows. So, I tied on (actually, had Mike tie on!) a Mirror-Lure 9MR (MirrOglass Suspending Twitchbait) in the CFPR color. Mike was throwing a DOA Shrimp. Boom! The snook bite was on. We caught at least 30 snook at this spot, along with a couple of trout, and a couple jacks. Water was clear so we were able to cast to fish that we could see moving over the light colored sand. There were shots at several reds, but no luck. At another, close by spot, we started seeing finger mullet, so I switched to a Slayer SST XL in Cockroach, rigged on a 1/8 oz. jig head. The big one ate and took off like a scalded dog! Several runs and a few minutes latter, Mike carefully netted the big snook.
> 
> ...


Great report! Glad to see some light at the end of the tunnel!


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## Zika (Aug 6, 2015)

Excellent report, Dave. Good to hear you're back out there, although the snook might not agree...


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## fatman (Nov 23, 2012)

strong work


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

great day.. great report... I'll be back on the water on Monday - but over on the Flamingo side...


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## Cape 914 (Jul 4, 2017)

Good to hear your back out.


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## Mac 763 (11 mo ago)

Welcome back!


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## iMacattack (Dec 11, 2006)

Looks Photoshopped.. 

Glad to hear you're healing up and back to making the forum jealous with your fishing reports! 

Cheers 🍻


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## Bertrand (Jan 18, 2014)

DBStoots said:


> Got out today with my buddy Mike on his new Hell's Bay Marquesa--first time on the water since my surgery in April. Although I had to cast using only my right hand/arm and reel with two fingers on my left hand, I had a great day! Actually, it would have been a great day even if I didn't catch a single fish--just so thankful to be back on the water with a good friend in one of my favorite places.
> 
> We launched out of Outdoor Resorts just as the sun was peaking over the mangrove shoreline and ran south. We expected a few hours of falling tide and then a nice low (+1.5) to fish some of the beaches and bites south of the Chatham River and down to Lostmans. Rolling up to our first spot, we saw thousands of glass minnows. So, I tied on (actually, had Mike tie on!) a Mirror-Lure 9MR (MirrOglass Suspending Twitchbait) in the CFPR color. Mike was throwing a DOA Shrimp. Boom! The snook bite was on. We caught at least 30 snook at this spot, along with a couple of trout, and a couple jacks. Water was clear so we were able to cast to fish that we could see moving over the light colored sand. There were shots at several reds, but no luck. At another, close by spot, we started seeing finger mullet, so I switched to a Slayer SST XL in Cockroach, rigged on a 1/8 oz. jig head. The big one ate and took off like a scalded dog! Several runs and a few minutes latter, Mike carefully netted the big snook.
> 
> ...


Good to see you back on the water and smiling!


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Good deal, get em!


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## TX_maverick (Oct 26, 2020)

very nice snook!


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## SS06 (Apr 6, 2021)

Awesome


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## NOALA50 (May 31, 2021)

Glad to hear you are back in action. Brown water must be helping the healing process.
BTW, love the SWC pants. Bought them after your post. Mine will look more appropriate 
on Estero Bay this October than they do wading the Sipsey. Don't want the good ole boys 
to mistake my fishing for "trolling". LOL


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## fishnpreacher (Jul 28, 2018)

Glad you're back at it, nice work on the snooks!


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## Drifter (Dec 13, 2018)

Sounds like an amazing day! Jealous


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## LastCast (Jun 13, 2012)

Glad to hear you're back and on the mend


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## FMH (Aug 24, 2015)

Glad to hear you're back on the water.Nice report!


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## flynut (Sep 7, 2015)

Welcome back. Nice report brother. I'm jealous. Stay safe.


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## Zaraspook (Aug 3, 2017)

I know exactly how you feel. I lost three years of fishing to a shoulder injury before getting my shoulder rebuilt. Your first day back on the water was maybe the best ’first day back’ ever!


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## BM_Barrelcooker (May 4, 2011)

Heck yeah !!!
Back in the saddle.


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## rovster (Aug 21, 2018)

Nice, wish I could learn to slay them like that!


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