The weather the last few days has not been that great and neither has the fishing. Today there was a stiff wind straight out of the north. Going up the creek there are places to get on the lee and out of the wind but you are limited. I had some pilchers with today and took the spinning rod to try to catch that cuda that has eaten 4 of my bonefish. Yesterday he was on the flat and stayed about 40 feet from me but stayed even as I waded. It’s as if he knows I’m going to catch his lunch. I lost sight of him and soon hooked a bonefish and in no more than 2 seconds he came out of nowhere and got it. He has been on that flat every time I go there. Today, armed with bait and the spinning rod he was nowhere to be found.
Early this afternoon I waded the lee side of this north shore. Visibility was good and I could see bonefish coming from a long way. Two big ones were coming right at me and I laid the fly out well before they got close. When I figured they were close enough I stripped and the biggest came for it and I felt just the slightest tug. I kept stripping and he kept coming and that’s when I noticed I had snagged a little piece of grass and was dragging it along. A few minutes later is when the real fun started. I had waded just about as far as I intended and decided to just wait there a few minutes and scope out the water ahead. That’s when I heard some commotion off to my right in about 3 feet of water. I saw these fish milling around fairly fast and at first didn’t know what they were until I saw the black tails and then realized they were permit. They were well within range and I launched my #4 tan gotcha right in the middle of them, did about 2 strips and hooked up. It was one of the smaller ones in the group but still gave one hell of a fight. I guessed it weighed right around 10 pounds. The rest of the school were still in the same area milling around and I was putting the most pressure I dared trying to get this one in and go for another. I just released the fish and looked over and saw a bull shark enter the area to join the fun and the permit didn’t care for this party crasher and took off. That is the first permit I have ever caught and never expected to catch one up the creek and that close in. As I was coming in Hermon was just crossing the bridge and I hailed him over and told the story. He said I keep telling dat mon da creek is an amazing place.
So now I can say I got the grand slam which is bonefish, tarpon and permit but instead of getting it in one day it took me 10 years.