I'd Rather Be Fishing, Really!

I'm pretty sure that this photograph was taken after a recent budget hearing at city hall. It was over quickly, before full darkness enveloped the city, and I was chatting in the rear parking lot with city councilman Michael Blynn, civic activist and member of several city boards Mike McDearmaid, and the guy on the right, I just can't think of his name off hand. I've been putting way too much time into city business again, too many advisory board and council meetings, plus the recent election campaigns kept me hopping for a bunch of weeks this spring.

Tonight I decided to do something I haven't done in awhile, go to a fishing club meeting. Capt. Bouncer Smith was the speaker and I hadn't seen him in ages. He used to keep his boat, Bouncer's Dusky, at the Keystone Point Marina a few blocks away, lived close by, and was one of the founding members of the South Florida Fishing Club. I'd run into him twice a month at the least. Now he lives and docks his boat about a dozen miles south of here and hangs out at the Miami Beach Rod & Reel Club. I rarely get to see him anymore.

Bouncer and I don't do much of the same types of fishing. He likes fishing offshore in the ocean and I'm more of a bay type guy. He's a live baiter while I prefer casting lures on light tackle. But when it comes to consistantly guiding his charters to tournament winning catches and landing world record fish Bouncer is the man to beat! I always manage to learn something new from listening to him speak. He knows the waters, he knows the fish, and his anglers are rarely dissapointed. Tonight he talked about fishing for swordfish, everything from what baits to what hooks, and how deep to fish at various times of day or night. He also told about guiding a young girl angler to several world record fish.

On the way out I chatted with Dr. Barry Schugar. I hadn't seen him in ages either. We exchanged cards and plan on doing some fishing together really soon. It'll be a welcome change from endless discussions about zoning changes and the need to encourage moderate income housing.