On Saturday morning, Tania and I planned on going out early; unfortunately, we slept through our alarm and didn’t wake up until 7:00 am. I texted the boat club to let them know we were running late and would be there by 8:00 am. Tania and I got ready as quickly as we could and headed to the dock. Since it was a cool crisp 54°F, I decided to stop at Wawas for a cup of coffee on the way to the marina.

After Wawa’s, we stopped to pick up a bag of ice and four dozen shrimp from the Fishing Center, then headed to the dock. We arrived just before 8:00 am and, to our surprise, still found open parking, a rare sight that late in the morning.

We had planned to stay in the river since the marine forecast predicted 3- to 4-foot seas, but when I checked the weather buoy, it showed 2.6 ft at 13 seconds, so I convinced Tania to head toward the boils. I was surprised at how flat it was once we made it out of the inlet, but the water was dirty, so I wasn’t sure how good the bite would be. We were already heading out, so we had to give it a try. 

We reached the boils around 8:30 am, and I was surprised there weren’t more boats out there. There were usually a few boats, but when we arrived, we were one of three. Tania and I both started fishing with our 30g slow-pitch jigs. On our first drift, I caught the first fish, which is usually bad luck for the boat, but it wasn’t today.

Shortly after I caught my first fish, my jig got hammered, and for the next few minutes, I just held onto my reel, watching the line peel out. Tania had to start the boat, and we began to chase down what was pulling my line. After about 10 minutes, the fish was still making runs, but I was able to reel in more line than it took out. Another five minutes went by before we got a glimpse of the fish; it was a 5-6 ft tarpon. It didn’t jump, but it rolled about ten feet from the boat. I was super excited, but unfortunately, once it saw the boat, it decided it didn’t want anything to do with us and made another run. This run was the last one as it broke my line. 

Even though I didn’t land the fish, we were both excited just to see it. Because we had to chase the fish, we were about half a mile from the boils, so we had to make a run back to start another drift. This drift proved to be as productive as the first, but this time, Tania and I both landed a few 10lb jacks. The one Tania landed had teeth marks in it from where a shark tried to steal it from her. 

We ended up drifting the boils until 2:00pm. Each drift caught fish; some we landed, others broke off or were taken by a shark. Most of what we caught were big jacks, but Tania did land a 37-inch redfish. She also lost a 5- to 6-foot tarpon after a 35-minute fight. We were both once again disappointed to have lost the fish but were glad to have at least seen it.

Overall, we had a great day at the boils, even though we didn’t catch any permit. We lost count of the big jacks we caught, but we also brought home six nice-sized croaker and a Spanish mackerel. Tania also caught a small black margate and numerous catfish. 

By the time we got back to the dock, Tania and I were exhausted. It felt like we had spent the day at the gym lifting weights. It was really nice being out in the sun today catching. We both really needed our vitamin sea! Days like this remind me that the reward isn’t always the fish in the cooler but the peace and gratitude found in the pursuit itself, a gift that only time on the water can give.

Tania and I send our best wishes to all our fellow anglers. May your time on the water be safe, blessed, and filled with tight lines and good memories. Until next time, keep casting, keep believing, and keep chasing those dreams on the water.

The Treasure Coast Chapter of Salt Strong now hosts monthly meetings at Islamorada Brewery and Distillery on the 4th Tuesday of each month. These meetings offer members a range of benefits, including guest speakers and fellowship with local anglers who share their knowledge and help one another catch fish. Membership to Salt Strong includes a 20% discount on tackle, access to Smart Fishing spots, and insider information on local trends. To learn more about Salt Strong, click the link below for a FREE 30-day test drive.