This morning, April 20, it seemed that summer returned to Southeast Florida. Rainy weather returned and the morning air was thick. And sadly, so are many anglers and water lovers. How so?
Well, I started the day pompano fishing with surf rods on the beach, at a spot that according to my intel, was productive 24 hours earlier. But this morning, seaweed was thick enough to pull surf rods down in their spikes. By 8:30, I took my lone fish home, and hooked up my skiff and headed back to the coast, to fish the Indian River. Landed two fair snook under docks, and the trout bite went off as the rain clouds piled up and got dark. It was only noon, but I left the fish biting, because of the fast-building "cauliflowers" over the coast. Got back to the ramp just in time as a few flashes lit the horizon. Anglers in two other boats were launching with rods in the upright racks, rigged for the afternoon.
One guy looked at me and said, "Been out since sunrise?"
I told him, no, launched at 10 a.m. but the weather concerned me.
"A little rain is not a big deal," he laughed.
"No, but the sparklers comin' out of those storms are!" To which he said that as long as you are a few miles from a thunderstorm, you're safe. I just shrugged and said, be careful and good luck, as the skies darkened.
On my drive home, I thought about how foolhardy those guys were, but nothing like the couple I passed on the beach last summer while I literally sprinted to the car lot with my fly rod as a hot thunderstorm sent bolts to the water a few miles up the coast. They were walking the beach toward the storm.
When I warned them, the man actually said, "Oh, it's okay. We are wearing rubber-soled shoes."
I see blatant disregard for personal safety on the water daily when weather threatens. Summer is coming, folks, keep your eyes on the sky.
No comments:
Post a Comment