Are You A Local? Take A Day Off

While driving to Fish Tale Marina a few days ago I crossed over the Little Hickory bridge. At the top there was a young couple standing arm in arm looking east waiting for the sun to come up and start another day. The wind had finally stopped blowing and the air was full of moisture so that everything was shrouded in a mist like fog. I knew the sunrise was going to be a colorful and beautiful one.

We are so lucky to live where we live. Just about everywhere you look there is something to catch the eye. Rosette spoonbills are wading the flats and eagles soar overhead. Dolphins are working the schools of fish for breakfast and the ever present royal terns are diving for bait. It’s too bad we tend to drive right past these moments without stopping.

This is the time of year when we really need to sit back and take a deep breath and enjoy our surroundings. I figure we have just about a month. January will soon be upon us and that will mark the beginning of the winter tourist and snowbird season and we locals won’t have time to do anything but work. It’s a good thing. Our economy depends on this time of year. But it’s very tough on family outings and most of our free time is spent trying to rest up for the next working day.

So get out there and smell the roses. Take a weekday off and go to the beach. I don’t care what beach... just go. Pack a lunch, a good book and a beach chair and plop yourself down and enjoy the view. Turn off the cell phone. You can live for a few hours without voice mail and text messages.

Go to a local weekend festival. There are all kinds of art fairs and events going on in our area and in most cases you can visit a least two in a day. No festivals? No problem. Head over to Matlacha and visit the dozen or so art galleries along Pine Island Road.

Make lunch last forever. Go to your favorite watering hole and have a nice long lunch with your significant other. Arrive around noon and stay until three. Try several small things on the menu accompanied by your favorite libations and be sure to try something you’ve never had before. When you think it’s time to leave, order one more item off the menu.

Go topless. Rent a convertible from one of the car rental outlets at the airport and then cruise the beaches with the top down. Start with a leisurely drive through Sanibel and Captiva Islands and then head over to Fort Myers Beach and cruise the strip. Stop along the way and visit a t-shirt shop and do your best to find something really tacky to put on a shelf when you get home. Something that says “Florida” on it and has sand in it would be perfect.

Last but not least get up before dawn and find a place to watch the sun come up. Take a photo of it and then do the same thing in the late afternoon and watch the sun go down. Put those photos on the fridge or on your desk at work and refer to them often.

The Art Of Fly Fishing (It's All About The Feel)

I remember the first time I picked up a fly rod. I was browsing in an Orvis shop in Louisville, Kentucky a little over 30 years ago looking for a new fishing hat. They had those really nice wide brimmed hats that kept the sun and rain off your ears and neck, a must for any fisherman. The hats were in the back of the store and I had to walk right past the fly rod display. I stopped and picked up a rod. The first thing I noticed was how light it felt. It was like holding nothing at all. The taper from the handle to the tip was more gradual and the rod was a lot longer than the spinning rods I used. It felt new and different!

A salesman came over and introduced himself as “Mike” and he asked me if I would be interested in trying out the rod. They had a casting area out behind the store and he said he’d be happy to rig the rod up and let me give it a test run. I explained to him that I had never even held a fly rod until that very moment and had no clue as to how to begin to cast with one. Mike said, “No problem. I’ll rig it up and I’ll give you a quick lesson.” I really wish I could remember Mike’s last name. I’d love to thank him for putting me on the road to what has become one of my favorite ways to fish and a major addiction.

Up until that day fly fishing was a mystery to me. I knew it existed because my Grandfather was a fly angler and I had seen it on fishing shows on TV, but the art of casting and rigging the outfit were beyond me. Over the next year I took some lessons and I slowly but surely perfected my casting. I actually started catching fish! It was great but most importantly it renewed my interest in fishing all over again. It was like being 6 years old and catching that first fish.
Now, years later, I’m often asked, “What’s so special about fly fishing and why spend the time and money to learn a new way to catch fish?” I answer, “It’s all about the feel.” That’s the only way I can explain it. I tell the person asking the question that they have to feel what it’s like to have a fish on a fly rod to truly understand what the addiction is all about. And it really is an addiction!

Unlike spin fishing, the connection with a fish on a fly rod is much more pronounced. You can feel every little head shake and move, and when a fish runs you feel the power of it all the way up your arm. It’s almost as if the rod doesn’t exist. It’s just you and the fish. Therein lies the addiction. That’s why “fly guys” have a glassy look when getting ready to hit the water. They know that soon they are going to be able to feed their addiction and they really don’t want anyone or anything getting in the way. OK, I’m kidding… or maybe not.

Seriously, fly fishing is really not that complicated. It’s just another way to deliver a lure to a fish. It takes time and effort so it’s a good idea to seek out lessons if you are serious about the sport. It’s very easy to develop bad casting habits right off the bat and a good instructor will nip that in the bud. There are quite a few shops in our area that cater to fly fishing but my favorite is Lehr’s Economy Tackle in North Fort Myers. They’ll take the time to answer your questions and will work to set you up with the proper equipment to do the job.

I still remember my first fish on fly. It was a smallmouth bass that weighed just over a pound. It ran me up and down the stream and fought incredibly well for its size. It made fishing fun again. I was addicted.

Don't Forget To Look Around

Sometimes we forget to look around. That thought came to mind a few weeks ago while on a charter with a young couple from Indiana.

We, as anglers, tend to get totally wrapped up in “the trip.” We start mentally planning several days before the event by looking at tide charts, watching the weather and putting the entire fishing outing together in our heads. Long before the trip takes place we begin strategizing like a college basketball coach planning for March Madness. Where’s the bait going to be? Which way is the wind going to blow? Are the tides going to provide a good flow of water? What is Plan “B”?

And then the day arrives.

After a quick trip to the first stop, the bait goes on the hooks and the lines go in the water. One of the baits gets hit and the fight is on. It’s a nice redfish. A few minutes later a trout is caught and then another red is on. After a quick flurry of action it suddenly gets quiet. While I contemplate a move to a new spot, an osprey dives to the surface of the water and catches a trout for breakfast. But before he can get fully airborne a bald eagle dives from above and the battle for the catch is on. All eyes on the boat are on the birds and the fishing is forgotten. After several minutes the eagle prevails and flies off with the osprey’s catch. The young lady on the boat says she’s never seen an eagle in the wild, much less what just occurred. She’s much more excited about capturing the photo of what just happened than catching the redfish.

Moments later several bottle nose dolphin show up and begin to coral mullet against a nearby sandbar. With explosive burst of speed the dolphin crash through the fish and consume their quarry. Once again the couple put down the rods and grab the camera.
As the dolphin swim near the boat the camera shutter clicks over and over and the young man says, “This is a lot better than Sea World!”

I can certainly relate to their excitement.

A few years ago my wife and I took a short vacation break in Colorado. We flew from Fort Myers to Denver and then drove to Leadville, an old historic mining town located 11,000 feet above sea level in the Rockies. For a flat-lander Florida boy, the mountain scenery was breathtaking. We arrived shortly after a late spring snowstorm so the area was still covered in a blanket of white, something not seen in southwest Florida. On our drive up to the mountains we saw wild elk and antelope and even encountered a large herd of buffalo. Fantastic! At every turn there was something wild and different to experience. For my wife and me, it was new. For the locals, it was an everyday occurrence.

Colorado gave me a new appreciation for the natural environment that surrounds our home, and for the thrill it provides newcomers not accustomed to our saltwater estuaries. We tend to take our wildlife and scenery for granted while in the pursuit of the “big one.” That trip taught me to stop for a minute, take a look around and enjoy the moment as well as the great angling available to us here in the Fort Myers area.

Getting Serious About Blogging

Ok... I admit it. I haven't found the time to blog as much as I'd hoped but I'm going to change that. I'm going to make this easy for the time being, both for me and readers. At least I'll give you something instead of nothing!

I've written tons of articles for different publications and most are introspective and have very little to do with the mechanics of fishing. I started writing those articles back in 2006 on a recommendation from my wife, JoNell. At the time I was asked to write for a local fishing magazine called "The Nautical Mile" but the editor wanted something different. Perhaps a human interest side to fishing and the great outdoors. JoNell, in her infinite wisdom and public relations savvy, came up with "Reflections On The Water". The stories would be about the things that happen on the water, but mostly my observations. I loved the idea and wrote the first Reflections article in April of 2006.

For my blog I'm going to go back and pull from that library each month, along with adding new material as the stories happen.

Enjoy!

The Captain Gets To Go Fishing

I rarely get to go fishing. I’m not kidding. I’m a charter boat captain and I usually leave the fishing up to the client while I spend my time giving instruction, tying on fresh rigs, baiting hooks, casting and hopefully, unhooking fish. If you’ve ever taken your family fishing then you have a pretty good idea of what’s involved during my day on the water.

A few weeks ago I was waiting at the dock for my passengers to arrive. The weather was what pilots and boat captains like to call, “marginal”. A low pressure system was developing over the Gulf of Mexico and the forecast called for steady rain. The good news was there was no mention of high winds or lightning. When my folks arrived at the dock the decision was made to reschedule for another day. I had explained to them that getting wet was most likely, but that the bite should be really good because of the impending bad weather. They really weren’t equipped though, clothing wise, so we set up another date and they were on their way to breakfast.

As I was walking back to my truck and trailer I got to thinking about how rarely I get to fish alone. “Hmmm”, I said to myself, “I’ve got a fully equipped boat sitting in the water with bait, food and drinks on board. I’ve got a full-body Gore-Tex foul weather suit and there’s rising water, overcast skies and a low pressure system building in the Gulf.” I put the truck keys back in my pocket.

There was a light rain falling as I pulled away from the dock. I decided to make my first stop at the end of the long bar just outside of the Sanibel Bridge. The pompano had started to show up there a couple of weeks ago along with lots of mackerel and bluefish. Not today… The sharks were in, big time! In less than an hour I’d caught and released several big bonnet heads, a couple of black tips and one 5 foot bull shark. The smaller game fish were nowhere to be seen and having had my fill of “shark fun”, I headed for one of my favorite areas; Matlacha Pass.

I love the waters of Matlacha. It’s one of few places that you can fish and see only one or two other boats the entire day. Local knowledge of the water is required to navigate around the many oyster and sand bars and that keeps most unadventurous anglers at bay.

The rain was steady now as I pulled up on a spot near a small creek opening. The water was coming in slowly around one of the mangrove points so I cast a free-lined shrimp on a circle hook just upstream and let it slowly move along the mangrove line with the current. Pop!!! It was the unmistakable sound of a snook hitting bait near the surface! I reeled the tension out of the line and the fish was on. After a brief struggle I was able to pull the 25 inch snook out of the mangroves, land it, measure and release it. Things were looking good!

Over the next couple of hours I caught three snook, four nice redfish, a bunch of sheepshead and several mangrove snapper. I released everything except a couple of sheepies for dinner and then decided it was time to head for home. The inbound tide had started to slow as it reached its peak and with that, the fishing had slowed as well.

The ride back was wet but uneventful. I passed small oyster islands along the way covered in white pelicans, royal terns and gulls. I saw an eagle on a channel marker and lots of dolphin feeding on ladyfish and mullet near the mouth of the Caloosahatchee River. I only passed one other boat along the way; a crabber pulling his traps.

After arriving at the dock I cleaned the fish and peeled off the wet rain gear.

There were breaks in the cloud cover and the rain had finally stopped. What a great day it had turned out to be; lousy weather with lots of fish! I made a mental note to do this again as soon as possible.

Capt. Rob Modys
SoulMate Charters

My Move to Fish-Tale Marina... 1 Year and Counting.

A little over a year ago I got a call from a friend of mine, Captain Mark Combs. We did a bit of catch up conversation and then he got to the meat of the call. He asked me about the possibility of moving my charter operations from the public ramp at Punta Rassa to a marina on Fort Myers Beach and perhaps helping out with adding a charter fleet to that location. Now I know that sounds like a no-brainer to most folks but for me, and many other charter captains, the thought of leaving the “no strings attached” lifestyle to work under supervision takes some thought. I said, “Mark... I’ll get back to you.”

A couple of weeks later I was sitting in the office of Al Durrett, owner of Fish-Tale Marina, discussing the logistics of a possible move and wether it would work or not in todays volatile economic climate. His idea was to put together a group of the best captains in the area to give his clientele a shot at some of the best fishing that Estero Bay and the Gulf of Mexico has to offer. He was looking to round out what was already a successful business and put more foot traffic in the marina.

I’ve spent a great deal of time fishing in the Florida Keys and much of that time was spent on the island of Islamorada. Almost every marina in that area had a charter fleet of both offshore and inshore guides. On any given day you could take a trip to the deep blue water for sailfish, dolphin or tuna or go back country for bonefish, permit and snook. I loved walking though Bud and Mary’s, Papa Joe’s and Holiday Isle looking at the charter fleet and wondering what it would be like to work out of a place like that. Time to find out.

One year later the fleet at Fish-Tale has grown to nine quality captains with over 300 years of combined fishing experience. Captains Mac McKinley, Mike Denegre, Brad Brown, Sean Davis, Ward Kowalyk, John Fetter, Sam Arcure, Phil Pica and myself make up a list of some of the finest guides in the area and all are well versed in putting folks on fish. I’m proud of this gang. I’ve watched them work hard day in and day out to make lasting memories and go the extra mile for customer satisfaction.

Captain Mac has more experience in his little finger than most of us have in our entire bodies. You want to learn something about Estero Bay? Mac is your man. Captain Mike is the family guy. He does group trips and always returns with dinner and smiling faces. Captain Phil is an offshore guide that specializes in sight fishing for permit, tarpon and cobia. If he can’t find fish then they aren’t out there. Captain Sam splits his time between back country flats fishing on an 18 foot skiff and captaining the Estero Bay Express; a 50 foot excursion boat that does sightseeing, dolphin watch and sunset cruises. Captain Brad, Sean, Ward, Jon and myself make up the back country crew. If you’re looking for trout, snook, redfish or tarpon on light spin or fly tackle then look no further.

A year has gone by and I have to say that it’s hard to beat the marina atmosphere. I’ve taken a genuine liking to Fort Myers Beach and love working there. It’s a beach town with beach people and that’s hard to beat. It has a character all it’s own and I’ve met some great folks there. There are small motels, beach resorts, restaurants and hidden away watering holes. There are lots of places to shop. I like the fact that you can find everything from expensive beach art to t-shirts on the beach.

Spring is in the air and summer is right around the corner. Take time out of your vacation or busy work schedule and visit “The Beach”. Stop in at Fish-Tale Marina and say hello to the gang. You won’t meet a friendlier bunch anywhere. We’ll be happy to show you our little slice of paradise.

Capt. Rob Modys
SoulMate Charters

I write a monthly column for the Nautical Mile Magazine called "Reflections On The Water". I'm re-posting it here in memory of a good friend.
In the photo, left to right. Capt. Rob, Travis Palmer and Nick Contessa... Team "BC Soul".

Reflections On The Water

I lost a good friend and a fishing buddy a week ago. He died in an auto accident on his way home from a meeting in Clearwater. Nick Contessa was a great guy with a passion for his family and fishing. I spent quite a bit of time with him on Estero Bay looking for the ever elusive snook and redfish and talking about our families, dreams and past fishing victories. Every now and then we actually outsmarted the fish. Nick was fun to be around. He was always jovial and full of life which makes it all the harder to say goodbye. Take care my friend. Say hey to Dean-o and your Dad when you see them up there and tight lines.

The following Reflections article is a reprint from March of 2006. I wrote it for Nick after his father passed away.

There’s an old saying that goes something like this… Every day spent fishing adds another day to you life. I wish that were true! But there is some merit to the idea that spending time on the water, away from the trials and tribulations of life, can help alleviate some of the day-to-day stress found on the mainland.

Fishing, whether from shore or from a boat seems to be a “mind eraser” for most anglers. I know that when I’m out there looking for the next big snook, redfish or tarpon, I have very little time to think about anything but the approach and the hopeful impending hookup. This is what led me to call a good friend of mind whose father had recently passed away.

Nick Contessa and I had spent quite a bit of time together on Estero Bay fishing and talking about family, work and the latest lures and fishing tactics. The death of his father had hit him hard and had taken him away from the water. Having lost my dad only a few years ago, I knew a bit about what he was feeling. Like my father, Nick’s dad had introduced him to fishing and had taken the time to see that angling became a part of his life. Nick told me that his dad really didn’t fish all that much himself, but he enjoyed watching and helping Nick. Obviously it’s paid off. Nick is an excellent angler and a pleasure to share a boat with. It was time for him to get back on the water. I called and we set the date.

We started early and headed to one of our favorite spots at the top of the bay. The fish were there and the fun began. We found school after school of marauding jacks chasing bait around and through the oyster bars. Some of the schools were so large the “push” of the water looked more like a pod of dolphin! The mix also included a few snook, ladyfish and Nick managed to get hooked up with a big red.

Nick then suggested we try a spot that I hadn’t fished before and we were off to the backcountry of Estero Bay. After arriving we started casting soft plastics to the bushes and the bite began almost immediately. We both got several snook and large trout along with more jacks. The water was falling and the bite continued for over an hour. We still joke about my next comment. “Nick, I don’t think there’s enough water to float a fish back here now. We might want to think about getting out of here before we have to spend the night.” I then looked up under the mangroves and saw a big redfish moving slowly with a bit of his back and tail out of the water. I led him with a cast and within seconds the fight was on! A few minutes later I landed a twenty-six inch fish. After releasing the red and laughing about what I’d said about the lack of water, I spotted another push well up under the mangroves. Nick graciously said, “Go for it” and soon I had another big red on. The drag sang and the fish ran up and down the mangrove line but there was nowhere to hide. The water was well below the roots and after a short tug-of-war Nick netted another twenty-six inch redfish.

We decided it was time to move on so we headed to a creek opening and ate lunch while waiting for the tide to turn back inward. The conversation eventually led to our dads. We reminisced about past fishing outings with them and how we both were instilled with an appreciation of the outdoors and wildlife. We talked about the first fish we ever caught and the biggest. The conversation was never sad. It was more of a celebration of our angling roots. We both felt that if it hadn’t been for them, we wouldn’t be doing what we were doing that day. And what a shame that would have been!

After catching a few more fish in the creek we headed for home. The fishing had been fantastic and the camaraderie even better. Nick was back on the water where he should be and both our dads were smiling.

Remember, find the time to take your sons or daughters boating and fishing. It’s important to show them what we enjoy in hopes that they’ll continue the traditions that mean so much to us.

Capt. Rob Modys
March 2006

Cooking Your Catch

Of all the questions I repeatedly get asked during a charter there is one that comes up on just about every trip. How would you cook the fish we caught today? I usually reply with a kind of Forrest Gump answer. You can light fry, deep fry, batter fry, broil, bake, grill, saute or even make sushi out of your catch. After a few more questions I can usually narrow it down to one or two suggestions, give a simple recipe and send them on their way to enjoy a fresh seafood dinner. So on that note I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite ways to cook the fish we catch and maybe give you some new ideas as well.

I think that baking fish is probably the easiest and quickest way to get fillets from the fridge to the table. First, line a baking pan with aluminum foil and then spray the foil with PAM. Place the fillets in the pan. Put a couple of tabs of butter, your favorite spices and some fresh squeezed lemon on each fillet and then put the whole thing in a 350 degree oven. The cooking time will vary based on the thickness of the fillets but I usually recommend checking them after about 15 minutes. The simplest way to check fish for doneness is to put a fork in the fillet and twist. If the meat cleanly breaks or flakes away then it’s time to serve.

If you like your fish with a crisper crust just follow the above instructions but instead of baking the fish, try broiling. You really have to keep an eye on this method because the oven temperatures are much higher for broiling vs. baking and this will speed up the cooking time. It also doesn’t work well for a real thick piece of fish but there is a solution. Start the cooking process on bake and then switch the oven to broil after 10 or 15 minutes of cooking. This will help cook the fillet inside and out without drying out the meat and then provide a nice crust.

I love grilled fish. A thick piece of grouper on the grill is one of my favorite ways to enjoy this local, top notch fish. Add a few tabs of butter, some lemon and a touch of spices and you are good to go. Another one of my grilled favorites is a dish I came up with years ago... fish smothered in shrimp. Make a pan out of aluminum foil big enough to hold the fish you are cooking. Peel a half pound of fresh shrimp and set aside. Put a small amount of butter, some salt and pepper and fresh squeezed lemon on your fillets of choice and put them on the grill. While the fish is cooking mix the raw shrimp with some melted butter and fresh garlic. Just before the grilled fish is done place the shrimp on top and cook until the shrimp is pink. Serve and enjoy!

The image most often brought to mind of fried fish is a fillet covered in batter and then deep fried. I’ve got another idea and it taste better because there is less batter on the fish. Instead of dredging the fillets in milk, eggs or both to create a batter I prefer to “dry” dredge. Wash the fillets and then pat them dry with paper towels. Put your favorite powdered fish coating in a small brown paper bag. I like Uncle Bucks, Cajun Fish Powder or Drakes. Drop the dried fillets into the bag, shake and then put them in about a 1/4 inch of hot oil in a frying pan. Cook each side for about 3 minutes and then test for doneness by using a fork to break the fish. Serve with lemon slices or tartar sauce.

The last but not least option is probably the easiest. There are many restaurants in our area that will cook your catch. I’ve tried this at The Fish House, Lazy Flamingo and Pinchers and all were excellent. Most require that you bring fillets and not the whole fish and they offer a number of ways to prepare your catch. You also have choices of vegetables, bread and salads to go along with your fish.

Get out on the water, catch a few fish and enjoy the day and a fresh caught dinner.

Capt. Rob Modys
SoulMate Charters