New Beer In Town

You all know how much I enjoy India Pale Ale, well here is a new offering on the market, if you can find it, savor it like a fine wine. Pairs well with Lamb, Beef and almost anything else you can think of. It would be a great addition to your Super Bowl Tail Gate Party. You hear me, Baydog!?

You taste, you decide!

A Litter Of Cat....boats!

Just sharing a few pictures from a great day of sailing that four Cat Boaters had on the Bay yesterday, the water and sky had just the right contrast for nice pictures. Roland on Ibis, Rick and Mary on Sea bean, Carl aboard Katzenjammer and me sailing Lee Marie.

A one reef day although the pictures don't indicate the sea or wind conditions because we were in the lee of a Key. I don't have any pictures of the sail because we all arrived from different directions and left the same way.

We are gathering more Cat's each year, they are becoming very popular in this shallow environment. To date there are about 9 Catboats in this area.

Just arriving

Three Sanderlings and a Sand Piper

From Right to left: Lee Marie, Katzenjammer, Ibis and Sea Bean

Lunch Time
Carl (bending over) Rick, with the cooler, Roland and Mary walking up the beach.

Upper Keys Sailing Club Catboat Registration Form...

Here is a link so that you can register online for the Catboat Regatta.

https://www.regattanetwork.com/clubmgmt/applet_registration_form.php?regatta_id=4709


Hope to see you there!!!!!!

Catboat Regatta Update

Here is a picture of the flyer that is being circulated to publicize this event. All Catboats are welcome, sailed or trailed to this event.

2012 Catboat Regatta, sponsored by the Upper Keys Sailing Club

Catching Florida Redfish (Red Drum)

Yesterday was a sailing day, today we changed gears and went out to fish for the wily Redfish.
We were successful and had a great time in the process. These fish are excellent eating, however, today was a catch and release day, all the fish were released unharmed.

My fishing partner was a guy named Wayne, from Canada, he is great to go with because we both have a passion for what we do. Wayne is a fresh water guide up in Canada and has his own Flats boat down here, on this day we used mine. A few pictures tell the story better than I could.

We did what they call sight fishing, you spot the fish and cast to them, unlike blind casting where you cast indiscriminately and hope that there is a fish somewhere near your lure.

We used medium Wt. Carrot Styx 7' poles with 10 or 15 # test braided line. Lures consisted of pinch lead weighted hooks and a plastic DOA. Basically a weedless worm rig with a jerk bait. If you click on the last photo you can see our lures.

Six pound Redfish

Reel good day

Wayne, fish and his favorite rod

Removing the hook

Catch and release

Nest Key Rendezvous. Green Eyes, Ibis and Lee Marie.

Sailing In The Everlades

Rose left, me center JC and Jack right.

With the weather being ideal, ten to fifteen mph out of the E several Catboats set out for a sail. Our destination, as usual, is Nest Key, seven miles to the North of our home location, Nest Key offers a sheltered beach and a time to chit chat with fellow Cat boater's. On this trip Green Eyes, Ibis and Lee Marie were in attendance, we all arrived at different times but spent enough time there that we were able to share stories, have lunch and enjoy a Heineken. Pictures are always better than words, in this case it is no different.

Roland is already here

Roland and Jack ( a trans Atlantic sailor).

Bleached Mangrove roots

Driftwood abounds on this shore

Two cats viewed through the Mangroves

Roland and Jack on the shore of this Key

Roland and Jack with Ibis

Roland and Jack, Jack is an experienced Blue water sailor

Three Cats off Nest Key

From left to right, Rebel, Rose, Roland, Jack and JC

Lee Marie

Roland, JC and Jack

Rebel is the main attraction

Rebel, an American Bull Dog,JC and Rose proud parents.

Green Eyes taking pictures of Pelicans on Pigeon Key

Green Eyes leaving Nest Key

Day's End On The Reef!

As the day drew to a close for these two fisherman, a camera caught the moment that we all enjoy! Fishing on the Reefs of the Florida Keys.

Two guy's, from different counties, enjoying some of the best fishing in the world.
Shoel and Me.



Reef Fishing Yesterday

Yesterday I took my Flats boat, along with another boat out to the reefs hoping to find some edible fish, Snapper, Spanish Mackerel Etc. Not long after we arrived at a promising location we trolled around until we found the species for which we we were looking. After three hours we headed home with a nice catch for tonight's dinner plus enough to give to some of my fish loving neighbors.

My boat, called Yellow Tail, strangely enough yellow, had two on board, a new acquaintance from Canada and me. The other boat named Shoo Fly had three aboard, Skip the owner, his daughter and Wayne, another Canadian. We had a great day chasing fish and the weather and sea conditions were perfect for our type of craft.

Meeting up with Shoo Fly
I'll take your picture,you take mine.

Pirates of the Caribbean

Yellow Tail going through Tavernier Creek

Shoo Fly, don't you bother me!

What is that in Wayne's hand...Oh, that's his pole.

Shoo Fly's crew, threw back fish they did not recognize, turns out they were highly prized reef fish.

Sun setting on a great day of reef fishing.

Ibis and Lee Marie sailing on Fl Bay, 2012