Friday - We had planned to drive over to E.G. Simmons County Park to launch the kayaks and fish, but it got very windy in the morning. We decided instead to launch at the fish camp down the road. We tried to get under the bridge into a back area, but it was too windy, so we fished in some sheltered areas for awhile. Skip and Sherl team caught one crappy while the John and Joan team caught a small bass. It was a good outing considering the wind was so strong.
Saturday - After the campers coffee, where one of the rangers mentioned that a great place to visit is Dakin Dairy near Myakka City, Fl. We first stopped by Jiggs Landing to show Skip and Shirl, then we had lunch at Linger Lodge, which used to be a fish camp, but now is a uniquely Florida destination restaurant. The food was quite good. We then went to the dairy and it happened that a tour was going to begin in a few minutes, so we decided to go on it. This is a 2000 cow operation and quite different from anything we had ever experienced. We found it to be very interesting and fun.
Sunday - Super worship service at Happy Gospel Church @ Lakwood Ranch this AM. Very friendly people made us feel right at home. After BLTs at O'Briens, we put the kayaks in at the fish camp and fished for a couple hours. The weather warmed up nicely from a chilly 48 degrees this morning. Joan caught two tilapia that we brought home, but John's 13 1/2 inch bass was a half inch too short to keep.
Monday - It was too windy to fish, so the four of us went into Bradenton and hit a few thrift shops. We found many Beany Babies that we put on Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes. Afterwards, we went to Neal Preserve and had lunch and hiked the trail there.
Tuesday - We said goodbye to Skip and Shirl and hello to our former pastor, A.C. and his wife Kathy. A.C. married us 9 1/2 years ago. It was great to visit and catch up with them since they retired from the UMC. We had chicken and rice cooked on the Dutch oven, which seemed to be a hit.
Wednesday - we got our errands done in the morning, including Joan's haircut, and fished in the evening. Things started off slow, but later, with some coaching from two men on the other pier, we began to catch nice hybrid striped bass. The secret was to keep the Clouser from going too deep. John filleted them when we got back, and their should be enough for a nice dinner.
Thursday - We waited for it to warm up, then drove over to Ft. Hamer Park to put in there. We first went up to a hole we know about and got out of the kayaks and fished from a sand bar. Joan started things off with a small redfish, then a little while later, John caught a couple of ladyfish and a small snook. That was going to prove to be all we would catch for the day. When we got back to the camper, we cooked up the fish we caught yesterday plus the tilapia we caught earlier and enjoyed a nice fish dinner. In the evening, we returned to the fishing pier to see if the stripers would show up and Joan put on a show to the delight of some onlookers and the amazement of two locals. John caught a couple on the Tenkara, while Joan caught about 10 on the 4 wt We gave the fish to the guys there along with a Clouser that was the same as Joan's.
Friday- We had a peanut butter English muffin, and headed cack to the fishing pier to see if there might be a morning bite. Joan had quick success with a nice hybrid striper. Sadly, that was it for the morning except for a few hits. John tied some flies including a grass shrimp that he saw on YouTube. For dinner we went to O'Brien's for BLTs and strawberry shortcakes. In the evening, we headed back to the pier and this time John started it off with a striper on his first cast with the Tenkara. Soon he had another on, but it took the whole tippet. Joan had some hits, but the only real catcher this time was our friend Jeff, who was using minnows. Thanks to him, we brought home three and John cleaned them.
Saturday - The pier was full when we got down there about 5 PM, so we just watched for awhile. We saw a group of folks catch a couple stripers. When they left, John gave Joan a rod set up with a Clouser he had tied yesterday. She casted in and hooked a nice striper, while John went and got a stringer, she had caught two more. By the time John had them on the stringer, she had another. John finally got a chance and had one on his first cast, and another on his second. We put 11 on the stringer and released at least six more. We had a nice pile of filets after John got them done. We invited friends, Jeff and Dawn over for dinner Monday.
Sunday - Great service at Happy Gospel, then enjoyed Super Bowl.
Monday - We took our coffee down to the fishing pier and once again Joan put on a clinic. Jeff was there too and caught a couple and John caught three, while Joan caught about nine hybrid stripers. Our friends Mary and Dave came over to visit and check out the park, then we went out for pizza lunch. Our friends Dawn and Jeff came over for dinner to help us eat fish. They brought over awesome potato salad and pecan bars that were like pie.
Tuesday - It was too cold and windy to go out and fish, so we visited and got things done around camp. It warmed up enough by late afternoon to go down to the pier and fish. It was slower this time, but we caught enough to help friends we met earlier here fishing to add to theirs and have a nice dinner with their families. The sunset and moonrise were awesome.
Wednesday - We have some rain coming in tonight, so we wanted to get everything picked up outside so it wouldn't be wet when we leave here tomorrow. We went to O'Briens farm and had our last BLT and strawberry shortcake while we are here. We went down to the fishing pier one last time and met some friends down there. Joan caught most of the fish once again, catching six, while John had to settle for one. We were able to visit for awhile with our friends Guy and Nancy, who came in today in the site right next to us.
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