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DIane and I rented a cottage on Alligator Point. It came with a dock over the marsh grass and a view that was beautiful. We pulled in on Monday afternoon and this is what we found in the back yard.
The cottage was not fancy, but it sure was comfortable.
Not to mention our tandem was tied up at the end of the dock. After a dinner of fresh shrimp from My Way, we strolled out to the end of the dock where Diane practiced her casting. She was casting at the moonlight on the water, and I have to say she did really well.
We were both fired up about our first trip out in the morning.

Tuesday morning Pinkie and I were on a mission, and that mission was for her to catch her first legal red fish. We cruised out to the oyster bars and began tossing our one knockers. Hers was pink and hers worked. Her first strike yielded a big fat sailcat. She was disappointed at catching a snot cat, but she was determined to catch a red. The red fish hit her one knocker while it was paused and he disappeared with it. I think she was shocked at first because she sat and sort of stared at the spot where the fish hit. I mentioned that she should reel at her earliest opportunity and she hooked up with her fish. She fought it to the kayak and I lifted it into the boat. It was a shade over 18.25" and she was one proud Pinkie. We fished the outside of oyster bars and along grasslines for the next couple of hours with a few follows and swirls but no takers.

Sweet heavens! What a great report and outstanding pictures!!

Congrats again on your first red, Diane! "

".....reel in at her earliest opportunity..."
Yup. Sometimes the taking of the lure is not explosive and sure. Way to go on driving Nicholas a little crazy with your "wait for it" technique.

Great spot for a cozy getaway. Sure looks like you two had a wonderful time down in the harbor.

We fished Wed. morning and Diane caught a 16" trout. I threw my one knocker and a chartreuse Spook Jr. until my arm was sore and then I threw an ADL gold spoon until my arm ached and then I gave it up. Pinkie was keeping us in fresh fish dinners the first two nights, and I was nursing my sore shoulder wondering what I had to do to get a bite. I took out one of the kayaks that came along with the rental cottage on Wed. afternoon. I paddled out in a Tarpon 100 and eased along the grasslines. We were getting really high tides and the reds were up in the flooded grass tearing it up. I saw a couple of tailing reds 25-30 yds. into the grass, but I couldn't get them interested in my spoon. I'm not sure what I would have done with one way back in the grass if it did bite, but by that time of the trip I was ready to try anything. I was having some great fishing trips but the catching part was sorely lacking. And the reds kept splashing as I headed back to the dock. This is where I'd like to thank suber and bk for their tips and suggestions. I appreciate both of you answering my questions. I learned a lot out there with your help.

Thursday morning started out with a distant rumble of thunder and dark skies over the Gulf. We hunkered down and waited for the storm to hit.
Alligator Point disappeared under a red blob on the radar. After the storm passed we decided to take a break and let our poor old tired out of shape bodies rest up. That evening we went into Panacea and ate at Tropical Trader. It was really good (the calamari with three asian sauces was outstanding) and we took home enough food in our "doggie box" to last us another couple of meals. Our movie for the night was provided by Ma Nature.

Looks like a good time.

And just when I thought it couldn't get any better!!!

WOW!!! Well done, Fishinbug and Pinkie!!

Lots of sage advice from bk and Suber, I bet. Treasure trove of experience we get from each other.

We fished Friday. We fished Saturday. We had wonderful fishing trips. We watched sunrises. We marveled at all of the fish activity. We laughed about not catching anything. I went out solo in the tandem Friday afternoon. I headed straight to a few oyster bars with the one knocker determined to change my "luck". My first cast triggered a huge blowup without a hookup. A few more casts and it was "FISH ON!" I fought it all the way to the yak. The skunk was off my back. I was proud the fish was barely bigger than the lure. Then came the clincher. WDD and bk post up a report about muddy creeks and red fish. What do I read first thing Sunday morning? Everything that WDD and bk did the day before while I was chunking and winding and walking the dog. I was beside myself at this point. Our last full day was about to dawn and my two friends gave me a fishing lesson. I was antsy waiting for Diane to get up and going. Her spirit was willing but the flesh was weak without her morning caffeine and some slow waking up. I was fit to be tied by the time we loaded up. The weather was a little breezy and overcast. There was just a hint of cool freshness in the air and my hopes were high. Diane was photographer/videographer for the morning and we crept along as quietly as possible. I had a bone Spook Jr. for the morning, and I started getting hits, swirls and follows on nearly every cast. Finally a fish took it and it was a little rat red. It was a start. On one retrieve I had something following the Spook right to the side of the boat. I stopped the lure and another small red fish nuzzled up next to it like the lure was an old buddy. It looked like it was scratching its back on the Spook. We kept on and rounded a bend that sheltered a small cove. Bait! Lots of it! A few casts later I stopped the lure completely. It sat still for a couple of seconds and then it slipped quietly under. (...2...3...SET!) YAY! It turned out to be a 22" red. The water was so shallow that I used my Mirage Drive as a stakeout pole in the soft mud. The sand flies got thicker and the buffs came up. We rounded another bend and there was a riot going on. It appeared as if a gang of reds had cornered and cutoff a school of finger mullet against the bank. It was crazy to watch. They were all over the Spook when it hit the water. I caught a 23" fish and we called it a day. We left the reds behind still crashing bait. And that's what we did for our impromptu summer vacation.

Outstanding report. Thanks for sharing

Looks like a great way to spend a week.
I've seen some of those movies by Ma Nature. Stephen King has nothing on her!

Okay, now I'm just going into a frenzy of happiness for you both!!

STELLAR!!!! Beautiful reds, Nicholas! You found the ticket! And Ansel Adams photography by Diane!

WOOOOOO HOOOOOOOO!!!!! Just wonderful!!!

She's also a videographer, Jean, and an excellent judge of men. This is her second short film.

fishinbug wrote:She's also a videographer, Jean, and an excellent judge of men.

"...another male..."
Hahaha

What a GREAT video!!! That's some great topwater action right there! Worth waiting for, I say!!

Great report. Looks like a blast! Thanks for sharing

Great report.My daughters family rented a house two doors down from there in early June. I caught my first two redfish just to the left of that dock.Some great memories for you two.

Hot damn! What an awesome report. Not only filled with great pictures and stories, but your excitement is obvious and your adaptation paid off. Also, a huge kudos in taking only what you need and leaving the rest. The video is fantastic as well. Thank you much for this wonderful post.

One of the better post. Thanks for sharing your vacation with us!