Rainbow Springs SP (Feb 22-Mar 6)

Monday - It was a three hour drive here using Rt 39 to avoid some of the construction on I-75. We got set up in site 14, which is nice and big. We ran into friends Tony and Linda and talked to them for awhile.

Tuesday - Rain threatened most of the day, but after a Wally run, we fished for awhile at the Ingles Recreation Area from shore. Joan caught a 16" LM Bass, which was going to be dinner, but John was putting it on a stringer when it made an escape move and got away. After dinner at the Front Porch, we went to the dam to fish again from shore. Joan managed to lose another bass about the same size without John's help. John caught a large bowfin, which are not good to eat. 

Friday - Most of our northern kayak group are in this area in the winter. We kayaked the river here. John fished while folks were shuttling vehicles and caught three small bass on the Kiyose and a shell cracker. It was chilly, but a beautiful day on the water. After, we went to the Front Door Restaurant. 

Saturday - Today was the annual Heartland, Vermont Days at Golden Corral in The Villages. We have been going as long as we have been married and Joan longer. It is always great to see everyone and get caught up, and also to meet others for the first time. Afterward we went to Barry and Julie's place to visit and let John fish in their pond. He managed one nice bass. 

Sunday - We really enjoyed the contemporary service at the UMC Church of Dunnellon. The pastor has a great sense of humor and love of the Lord. After a very good lunch of blackened basa sandwiches at Swampy's, we checked out places to launch around Crystal River. We decided on the Archeological Site on the river. John fished a few spots and caught a too small trout, a small ladyfish and a small mangrove snapper. We hope to find some bigger ones tomorrow.  

Monday - We launched at the Archeological Site and headed up a creek, where Joan got a redfish on that quickly ran and broke her off. John only managed a few ladyfish. It was a beautiful day and a nice paddle. There were several boats with folks fishing, but not a lot of catching. We threated ourselves to grouper sandwiches at Charlie's Fish House before heading back. The basa sandwiches at Swampy's was better. 

Tuesday - We put the kayaks in at Blue Run Park across from Swampy's and went upstream a bit to fish a large inlet bay where we have seen action. Joan lost a nice fish and John caught a couple small bream, but it was slow. We used Kiyose and Tenkara rods. Anyway, it was a beautiful day on the water. 

Thursday - We had trouble deciding where to go today since we have it been very successful. We started out at the Ingles Recreation area and decided to pick up three Wally bags of trash fishermen had left there. We then fished, but nothing. Next, we went over to the spillway, but nothing there either. Next we went all the way to the end at Yankeetown and ate our lunch, but did not put in because the no-see-ums drove us away. Finally, we went to the dam and launched the kayaks. After fishing about an hour with no bites, we went to a shallow bay and John landed a 12" crappie. We thought we had found a pattern, but never caught another. It got quite windy. 

Friday - We kayaked the Silver River with the group. Some of us put in at Ray Wayside Park and paddled upstream to meet others who put in at the state park and paddled down. When we met after about three miles we turned around and finished paddling with the current (much easier).  We saw the monkeys that have made a home along the way. There is no fishing on the river.

Saturday - We had dinner at the China Wok with our friends Mike, Christina, Fred, and Holly. This was the best Chinese food we have had for a long time. 

Sunday - Great worship this morning followed by fishing with our new friends Fred and Holly before they left to go back home. We also showed them Tenkara fishing. In the evening we had dinner with Mike and Christina and fished with them down at their dock. Mike caught a lot of bream and shell crackers on the Tenkara while John caught a nice bass on the Kiyose.

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Little Manatee River SP (Feb 9-22)

Tuesday - It was windy but not too cold for our move. We got here about 11:15, and were able to go directly to our site and set up. We ran into Dave and Pat, who were on their way to Publix. We were able to do a couple loads of laundry. We went to a dinner and talent program at our church this evening, put on by the youth group, and greatly enjoyed both.

Wednesday - It was cool, but the wind didn't pick up until after the campfire coffee. We checked out River Oaks RV Park near Ruskin, but although the people there were very nice, the sites just don't have enough space. We did discover a good place across the stress to launch the kayaks at a county park. No restrooms though. 

Thursday - We knew the boat ramp was closed, but we thought we could still launch the kayaks at Ft. Hamer Park. Sadly, when we got there, we find out the whole park is closed. We decided to stop for lunch at Popies Restaurant and go up to Apollo Beach and fish from shore. It was crowded there with many people fishing, and there were manatees all around. We saw a few fish caught, mostly jacks, but also a few pompano. Sadly, it was only casting practice for us. 

Friday - We launched the kayaks in at Emerson Point to fish. We tried several areas with little results. John finally caught two 13 inch seatrout about 100 yards off the launch. Reports from other fishermen were similar. 

Saturday - We stayed around camp today and hiked down to the nice park we found on the river. John fished with the Tenkara and caught two bream and a talapia. 

Sunday - We enjoyed another great service. Skip and Shirl arrived around noon, and after they got set up we walked to the lake and down to the river. 

They then came over for chicken and rice done in the Dutch oven. 

Monday - The four of us drove over to Medard County Park to visit our friends Bil and Joanne and possibly put the kayaks in there. It was too windy to do that, but we had a great visit, went for strawberry shortcake and fished a little from shore and the fishing piers, but no fish. In the evening, we enjoyed spaghetti with Skip & Shirl. 

Tuesday - We all decided to wheel the kayaks the approximately 1/2 mile to the lake here that nobody fished. After two hours of hard fishing? The only catches were two two bream caught by Joan and John. We have concluded that the lake is not worth the time. 

Wednesday - The four of us went back to Medard County Park and this time launched the kayaks to fish. John led the catching with two large blue tilapia and a large crappie, which we brought home and and enjoyed along with Shirl's beef stew. All were delicious. This area is a bird watchers dream, with many types of herons, pelicans, terms, etc. It was an absolutely gorgeous day. 

Thursday - We said goodbye to S&S this morning. In the PM we drove to O'Brien's Farm for our last BLT and strawberry shortcake for this season and to pick up veggies. They are doing another controlled burn here so we cancelled a hike down to the river. John doesn't do well around too much smoke. 

Friday - We tried Apollo Beach - nothing, then EG Simmons - only saw a few undersized trout caught. It was very windy, so no kayaking. 

Saturday - Big changes may be coming to our park in Zephyrhills, so we drove there to attend a meeting. Details to follow. 

Sunday - Quite sad that this was the last worship service here at UM Church at Sun Cty Center. Wonderful people. A beautiful day today and we visited with several fellow campers.

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