Planning & Departure
Just as he had every year in the past, we planned on this trip being the usual Thursday-Sunday trip to Phil's condo in Punta Gorda, FL. Phil, Marc, and Ben flew down on Thursday morning, whereas I stayed behind and eventually met up with them on Friday night due to an unexpected wake and funeral of a dear friend. Due to the recent bankruptcy of our favorite budget airline, DirectAir, we all had round trip flights on JetBlue from Boston to Fort Myers, FL. It wasn't quite as convenient as flying from Worcester to Punta Gorda, but the extra legroom, leather upholstery, and DirecTV certainly made up for it. My flight arrived at around 9pm Friday night. Phil and the guys picked me up after their long and unfortunately unsuccessful day of Tarpon fishing. Our 10pm arrival at Phil's condo was followed shortly thereafter by a few vodka & tonics on the lanai overlooking Charlotte Harbor. After the week I had, adult beverages on the lanai was exactly what I needed.
Saturday: Fishing with a Fly
We had a leisurely start to the day that included breakfast sandwiches and multiple cups of coffee before hopping in the Great White Malibu rental car and driving 45 minutes to Boca Grande. Our first stop was the lighthouse at Boca Grande Pass, where the Professional Tarpon Tournament Series was hosting a tournament. We watched for a half hour or so before making our way a few blocks north to the parking area at 19th Street. We geared up and made our way down to the beach. Our plan was to walk up and down the beach spotting Snook as the swam the surf line in search of food. It's what we attempted last year, and it's easier said than done. We spent a good five hours walking up and down the beach, with minimal success. I managed to land my first two fish on my fly fishing set-up, both Snook, and it only made me hungry for more. The fight was fun, but I landed both by stripping the line in with my hand. I was eager to hook one that was strong enough to make me battle it with my reel, but as the old saying goes - beggars can't be choosers. We grabbed a bite to eat at the South Beach Bar & Grille and then headed back to Punta Gorda to catch the weigh-in of a local Redfish tournament. The weigh-in was rather uneventful, so we opted for Plan B: drinks by the pool. A dip in the pool followed by a cold beer on a chaise lounge was a great way to bring the day to a close. We dined at the Riviera Restaurant, a favorite of mine. The all-you-can-eat Grouper Fingers (hint #1: not "fingers," and hint #2: not "Grouper," either) are essential, yet Phil declared "never again" as we walked to the car. We topped dinner off with a few more vodka & tonics before calling it a night.
Sunday: Fishing and then Flying
Our flight didn't leave out of Fort Myers until around 3pm, so Marc, Ben, and I decided to try our luck with our spinning equipment down at Ponce de Leon Park, 1/2 mile from the condo. We spent a few hours in 90* heat catching nothing but tree branches before calling it a day. After showering up and packing, we made our way to Southwest Florida International Airport and headed home to Boston. This trip is always one of my most highly anticipated vacations of the year so it was tough to miss almost half of it, especially considering the circumstances. I know next year will afford me the full four days of sun and fun, and I can't wait. I'm almost fully geared up (you're never fully geared up...), and now that I have a taste for Snook on a fly, I'll be counting down the days until I get down there again.
Just as he had every year in the past, we planned on this trip being the usual Thursday-Sunday trip to Phil's condo in Punta Gorda, FL. Phil, Marc, and Ben flew down on Thursday morning, whereas I stayed behind and eventually met up with them on Friday night due to an unexpected wake and funeral of a dear friend. Due to the recent bankruptcy of our favorite budget airline, DirectAir, we all had round trip flights on JetBlue from Boston to Fort Myers, FL. It wasn't quite as convenient as flying from Worcester to Punta Gorda, but the extra legroom, leather upholstery, and DirecTV certainly made up for it. My flight arrived at around 9pm Friday night. Phil and the guys picked me up after their long and unfortunately unsuccessful day of Tarpon fishing. Our 10pm arrival at Phil's condo was followed shortly thereafter by a few vodka & tonics on the lanai overlooking Charlotte Harbor. After the week I had, adult beverages on the lanai was exactly what I needed.
Saturday: Fishing with a Fly
We had a leisurely start to the day that included breakfast sandwiches and multiple cups of coffee before hopping in the Great White Malibu rental car and driving 45 minutes to Boca Grande. Our first stop was the lighthouse at Boca Grande Pass, where the Professional Tarpon Tournament Series was hosting a tournament. We watched for a half hour or so before making our way a few blocks north to the parking area at 19th Street. We geared up and made our way down to the beach. Our plan was to walk up and down the beach spotting Snook as the swam the surf line in search of food. It's what we attempted last year, and it's easier said than done. We spent a good five hours walking up and down the beach, with minimal success. I managed to land my first two fish on my fly fishing set-up, both Snook, and it only made me hungry for more. The fight was fun, but I landed both by stripping the line in with my hand. I was eager to hook one that was strong enough to make me battle it with my reel, but as the old saying goes - beggars can't be choosers. We grabbed a bite to eat at the South Beach Bar & Grille and then headed back to Punta Gorda to catch the weigh-in of a local Redfish tournament. The weigh-in was rather uneventful, so we opted for Plan B: drinks by the pool. A dip in the pool followed by a cold beer on a chaise lounge was a great way to bring the day to a close. We dined at the Riviera Restaurant, a favorite of mine. The all-you-can-eat Grouper Fingers (hint #1: not "fingers," and hint #2: not "Grouper," either) are essential, yet Phil declared "never again" as we walked to the car. We topped dinner off with a few more vodka & tonics before calling it a night.
Sunday: Fishing and then Flying
Our flight didn't leave out of Fort Myers until around 3pm, so Marc, Ben, and I decided to try our luck with our spinning equipment down at Ponce de Leon Park, 1/2 mile from the condo. We spent a few hours in 90* heat catching nothing but tree branches before calling it a day. After showering up and packing, we made our way to Southwest Florida International Airport and headed home to Boston. This trip is always one of my most highly anticipated vacations of the year so it was tough to miss almost half of it, especially considering the circumstances. I know next year will afford me the full four days of sun and fun, and I can't wait. I'm almost fully geared up (you're never fully geared up...), and now that I have a taste for Snook on a fly, I'll be counting down the days until I get down there again.