Last weekend, Salt Strong invited all the local chapter presidents to a weekend retreat for fellowship and fishing as a thank-you for leading our local chapters. The retreat was held at Pirates Point in Ruskin, Florida. Salt Strong rented out the whole property for us all. They also arranged for four boats to take us all fishing in the area.

Alex Peterson, the St. Pete chapter president, brought his boat, Mark Dunam brought his boat and arranged for his friend Shane to bring his boat, and the last boat to arrive was Luke Simonds with the Salt Strong boat. When I arrived at nearly 4:00 pm, the winds were only working against us. They were supposed to lay down for the morning, so we were all hopeful Saturday would be a beautiful day for fishing.

Once all the presidents arrived and introduced ourselves to each other, we broke bread together. Joe Simonds granted me the honor of praying over the gathering and blessing our first meal together. Chief Eddie, the Cape Coral President, and Darlene, the Tampa Bay President, prepared an awesome first meal. It was Italian sausage with onions and peppers with bowtie pasta, grilled romaine lettuce with blue cheese dressing, and some garlic bread.

After supper, all the presidents’ names were put in a hat and then drawn for which boat each one would go on. I was happy as I was the third name drawn to be on the Salt Strong boat. I have been wanting to fish with Joe or Luke Simonds for years. Once everyone was placed on a boat, those of us who wanted to go night fishing got changed and met at the dock.

All who wanted to go night fishing arrived at the dock at about 8:00 pm, and we divided up into two boats and went on our way. I was on the Salt Strong boat with Luke, and we only had artificial baits; the other boat had a combination of pilchards and artificial baits. Our boat worked the docks in the canal the resort was on, and I am unsure where the other boat went. 

We fished until roughly 9:30 pm. We had six folks on the boat, all with different baits, and the bite was slow. Unfortunately, we did not see much life in the canal. When we finally found some mullet, they were all in too shallow of water for us to get to them. I know Luke had a snook hit the Skinny Lipper he was throwing, and I believe Ben, the Jacksonville President, hooked a trout, but I do not know what he was throwing. Once we returned to the dock, we all went to our separate cottages to prepare for the next day’s adventures.

When I returned to my cottage, I called Tania to wish her a good night and tell her I loved her. I was sad I couldn’t share this incredible experience with my best friend and favorite fishing partner. Tania and I only spoke for a short time before I headed off to bed. It had been a long day with fishing Friday morning and then the three-hour drive to Ruskin.

Check back in on Friday for the full report on Saturday’s fishing adventures! Tania and I send our best wishes to all fellow anglers, hoping your fishing adventures are safe, blessed, and full of tight lines and good times! Until next time, keep casting and chasing those dreams on the water.

The Treasure Coast Chapter of Salt Strong now hosts monthly meetings in Fort Pierce on the 4th Thursday of each month. These meetings offer a range of benefits to members, including a 20% discount on tackle, access to Smart Fishing spots, and insider information on local trends. Additionally, there will be monthly tournaments and guest speakers featured. If you’re interested in learning more about Salt Strong, click the links below to receive a FREE pack of Slam Shady or a 30-day test drive.