# Pandemic Fishing in Florida



## Padre (Jul 29, 2016)

So back in the beginning of March, I ordered a Beavertail Mosquito off the inventory page of the Beavertail website. Liz of Beavertail said I could pick the boat up on March 27th. In the beginning of March, this didn't seem to be a problem. But as we got closer to the 27th, the more unlikely it seemed this would happen amidst rumors of Shelter at Home orders and complete lockdown. Rumors swirled of the National Guard being called in and no one would be allowed to travel. All I wanted to do was be able to pick up my boat. I had already sold my previous skiff and my idea of social distancing was me on my new boat far away from civilization on a redfish flat. Then municipalities started shutting down boat ramps. What would I do if they called for Lockdown on March 26th. How could I live in quarantine knowing my finished boat was sitting at the Beavertail factory. 
At 1 AM on Friday March 27th, my wife and I loaded the truck with extra gas, a 12 gauge shotgun and a handgun. We traveled empty roads through the back roads of the Big Bend and the Forgotten Coast expecting zombies to come out of the fog in the middle of the Apalachicola National Forrest. Our plan was to stay off the interstates and take backroads (Less cases of the Corvid 19 in these rural counties) to Brookesville and make our way to Bradenton through Hillsborough County and not touch anything once we got to those urban areas. 
Obviously, I was overly cautious. But I had traveled around Houston during Hurricane Harvey when you couldn't find gas so I was going to be overly prepared. We picked up the boat without incident and made it back to Destin. We took the boat out on Saturday to get some of the break in hours done. Man it was crowded out. There were so many boats out, it looked like a holiday. I thought for sure there were going to be fireworks that night. 
So now I am ready to slime the boat. I reached out to my fishing buddy on Sunday and asked him if he wanted to catch the first fish off my boat. Of course he was ecstatic. I warned him however, it might be hard to find a flat that wasn't being buzzed by a wave runner or pontoon boat. 
We found a flat through, that didn't have many boats running through it and was holding fish. Impressively, the first fish we landed on this new Mosquito was good sized trout sight fished on the fly. For midday, I thought that was pretty impressive. 
On Monday, after being without a boat for almost a month, I am ready to go out for the 3rd day in row. Besides we haven't gotten a redfish yet. So another buddy and I drive about 45 minutes to a ramp where we know we can fish a remote part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore. These flats were made even more remote because the whole seashore is closed. So the only way out there is by boat. 
It was blowing about 15-18 mph. So the windy conditions made it challenging in that when we saw a redfish, we got usually only got one cast before the wind blew us down on the fish. After a good couple of hours, the first redfish in landed on my new boat. Now it is my turn on the bow. After many missed shots, we are drifting down the shore, I notice someone is wade fishing about half a mile ahead of us. As we get closer, I can see an umbrella, an old beat up canoe with a little outboard on it. It is obviously a couple that is doing the same thing as us, getting away from it all and getting some fishing in while social distancing. 
Just before we get to where they are, he gets out of the water and sits down under the umbrella with his girlfriend/wife. About 100 yards before we get there, we see a school of about 50 redfish, most oversized or upper slot. My 1st cast lands in the middle of the school, which by the way, is moving in the same direction as we are. 2nd cast, nothing as well. But now they can feel us. Now they are moving a little faster than we are drifting. We always keep a spin rod on the platform for just this reason. So while I am stripping my 2nd cast in, I tell my buddy, "Go for it." He picks up the spin rod, casts it and as soon as the jig lands, it goes tight. 
By now, we have drifted to right in front of this couple who is now watching us battle this redfish. He is standing watching this play out right in front of where he just got out of the water fishing. We land this nice looking redfish, take a few pictures, and then to his gasp, we released it. 
I am pretty sure the last thing I think I heard as we were drifting away was her saying to her boyfriend, "I wish you had a Beavertail." People are going to hate us because they ain't us. 
Find a way to get in some Pandemic fishing. Stay distanced my friends.


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## windblows (May 21, 2014)

Very nice. Way to enjoy the pandemic fishing!


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## Viking1 (May 23, 2010)

Enjoyed the report and congrats on the new boat!


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## Str8-Six (Jul 6, 2015)

Congrats on the boat and glad you got to enjoy it while it lasted.


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## Charles Hadley (Jan 20, 2019)

Congrats and great story!


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Those of us that fish in small skiffs long ago took up social distancing... Some of us are downright hostile if anyone gets near us ... when we’re on the water...

Great report.


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## Guest (Apr 1, 2020)

Padre said:


> So back in the beginning of March, I ordered a Beavertail Mosquito off the inventory page of the Beavertail website. Liz of Beavertail said I could pick the boat up on March 27th. In the beginning of March, this didn't seem to be a problem. But as we got closer to the 27th, the more unlikely it seemed this would happen amidst rumors of Shelter at Home orders and complete lockdown. Rumors swirled of the National Guard being called in and no one would be allowed to travel. All I wanted to do was be able to pick up my boat. I had already sold my previous skiff and my idea of social distancing was me on my new boat far away from civilization on a redfish flat. Then municipalities started shutting down boat ramps. What would I do if they called for Lockdown on March 26th. How could I live in quarantine knowing my finished boat was sitting at the Beavertail factory.
> At 1 AM on Friday March 27th, my wife and I loaded the truck with extra gas, a 12 gauge shotgun and a handgun. We traveled empty roads through the back roads of the Big Bend and the Forgotten Coast expecting zombies to come out of the fog in the middle of the Apalachicola National Forrest. Our plan was to stay off the interstates and take backroads (Less cases of the Corvid 19 in these rural counties) to Brookesville and make our way to Bradenton through Hillsborough County and not touch anything once we got to those urban areas.
> Obviously, I was overly cautious. But I had traveled around Houston during Hurricane Harvey when you couldn't find gas so I was going to be overly prepared. We picked up the boat without incident and made it back to Destin. We took the boat out on Saturday to get some of the break in hours done. Man it was crowded out. There were so many boats out, it looked like a holiday. I thought for sure there were going to be fireworks that night.
> So now I am ready to slime the boat. I reached out to my fishing buddy on Sunday and asked him if he wanted to catch the first fish off my boat. Of course he was ecstatic. I warned him however, it might be hard to find a flat that wasn't being buzzed by a wave runner or pontoon boat.
> ...


Great story! Great adventure!


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## AZ_squid (Mar 14, 2018)

I especially like the part where she mentions your boat haha. Great story man.


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## efi2712micro (Sep 17, 2015)

Awesome read! Thanks for the story


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## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

The only way that would have been better is if she had left her BF with the umbrella and hopped in with you!


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## Padre (Jul 29, 2016)

DBStoots said:


> The only way that would have been better is if she had left her BF with the umbrella and hopped in with you!


My thoughts exactly.


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