Atlas V Launch Views

After a quick run around the "swamp" with Elmo and Odie, Karen and I took our usual walk around the subdivision.

On the way back to the house, Karen spotted the Atlas V launch of the missile detecting satellite.

I managed to get a short video of the rocket at mid launch, which Karen insisted was a UFO.

When we got back to the house,  I grabbed this video to prove her wrong.

I didn't bother posting on the fishing conditions because everyone I talked with had no luck to speak of.

If the weather stays decent, I plan to walk Pocket road to see if I can pick up one of the gator sea trout that roam the canals this time of the year.

Tight lines.

A Mixed Bag At Catfish Creek

It was a mixed bag at Catfish Creek this afternoon with Atlantic Croaker, black drum, and redfish on the menu.

Since I have to get to work tomorrow, Karen and I decided to take Elmo and Odie out to the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge to see if we could catch some fish and just enjoy the day.

We waited until after 3:00 pm to leave the house and were on the water before 4:00 pm.

I stopped at Mosquito Lagoon Bait and Tackle to pick up some live shrimp and headed out to Catfish Creek Loop to stake out a spot.

The air temperature was 73 degrees and there was only a slight breeze blowing over the river when we pulled into a spot where Karen caught some drum last year about this same time.

I didn't feel like flipping artificial baits today, so I brought along a folding sports chair and set out two rods with live shrimp to watch.

For the next hour or so, that's all we did.  Watch the rods.

Finally, as the sun started to dip I hooked a small (very small) croaker which I promptly released.

After a short time, Karen spotted some swirls in the shallows closer to the bank so I reeled in my shrimp and shot a short cast to the area.

Within a couple of minutes I hooked into a Puppy Drum which was released after a brief fight.

Karen had a couple of bites but couldn't seem to hook anything so I told her to cast into the same area where I caught the drum.

After another five minutes or so, I had another hookup with a small, multi spotted redfish that just made the slot.

After another brief tussle I landed and released the redfish to grow up a bit.

There were a lot of people driving around the refuge apparently watching the Coots, ducks, gators, and God knows what else.   Anyway, the traffic started getting ridiculous and as the sun started going down, the gnats also started to get ridiculous.

We were both getting eaten alive and although Karen didn't catch anything this evening, she was ready to call it a day.

We packed up and headed home along with all the other visitors in the refuge.

The fishing is beginning to pick up in this area, and as the cooler weather sets in, we should be getting more and larger fish.

When I get back in town again I plan on walking the Pocket road to target some of the gator sea trout that roam the area.

Till next time, Tight Lines and bent rods.