Shoving off the dock at Ricks on the River,our fishing charter was underway just north of down town Tampa. I advanced the throttle, the bow lifted as the crisp air cut through the layers. we were one day behind the cold front, the conditions were tough for fishing. As we approached down town one angler commented on the down town skyline and the unique paintings on the sea walls bordering the river. They are crew team logos and slogans from schools from across country, I explained.
Our first stop yielded several thick convict fish. The fish have goofy looking teeth, and are very slick at debaiting your hook, some old timers say,” ya gotta set the hook before they bite”. After a few misses they found their groove and began filling the box. Leaving the fish biting we made our way to a nearby flat that holds cobia. We saw 4 and spooked them all, it happens. We got on a nice redfish bite as our time wound down.
I tied off at the dock and the crew went headed to the bar, I cleaned and bagged the fish, scrubbed the deck, and sat down as the Cheeseburgers were delivered.