After a month-long hiatus, Tania and I were eager to get back on the water. Despite a promising marine forecast, the weather had other plans. On the drive to the dock, we watched the skies light up with lightning all around us. Based on our weather app, the nearest lightning strike was 26 miles away, and it had been a while since we last fished, so we decided to go.

We arrived at the dock at about 6:30 a.m., and our friend Steven had arrived just before us. We loaded our gear and started to head out. With dark skies ahead and lightning all around, we decided to stick close to the inlet in case we needed to run back in quickly. I monitored the lightning and told everyone we would head in if it got within 10 miles of us.

We started fishing at the shallow reefs just north of the inlet. Steven and I started dropping Nomad Design slow-pitch jigs, and Tania started with her favorite lure, the squidtrex. The bite was slow, but we were catching fish.

After a bit, Tania changed up by dropping a shrimp to the bottom, which was the ticket. After catching a few fish, Steven switched to the shrimp on the bottom and started catching fish. I myself continued to drop my jig in hopes of landing the big one.

As we drifted, Tania mentioned she wanted to record a video of her catching a fish for the orphans in Romania. I wasn’t optimistic with the slow bite, but the good Lord was listening. Shortly after saying this, her line started screaming. I was able to film Tania bringing in a decent-sized jack, which made her day. Not only did she catch a fish, but she also got a video of her doing it to share with the girls at the orphanage.

The bite remained slow, so we shot south of the inlet to another spot we had marked. This spot produced some fish but nothing to bring home. We ended up calling it a day at about 10:30 am. Tania and I were still a bit jet-lagged from our trip to Romania, and we both felt like it was much later than it was; without a hot bite, we were ready to go in.

We got back to the dock about 11:00 am. We offloaded the boat and confirmed our boat for the following day. Since it was a short day, I invited Steven back for round two. The weather looked better for Monday, so we were hopeful the bite would also be better.

Despite the slow bite, the fellowship and time spent on the water made the day worthwhile. Tania and I send our best wishes to all fellow anglers. May your fishing adventures be safe, blessed, and filled with 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. To learn more about Salt Strong, click the links below for a FREE pack of Slam Shady or a 30-day test drive.