In the mangroves with Capt. Bob

I took a recent trip to Naples, Florida to fish with Capt. Bob Marvin.  The weather wasn't the best (rain), but I caught some nice fish and had a great time.  You never know what you're gonna catch in the mangrove swamps, but it was mostly snook this time.  We found several pods of baby tarpon, but they wouldn't cooperate.  I also hooked (and lost) the snook of a lifetime -- about a 30-pounder!  Armed with just a 7-weight fly rod, I couldn't keep him out of the mangrove roots.  He jumped once and snapped my 20-pound tippet.  Bummer!  I may need some professional counselling for that.

Capt. Bob is a great guide.  If you're ever in the Naples area, give him a ring (239-877-9162.)  He will put you on some fish!

Nice speckled trout.

The mangrove swamp:  haven of big fish and the enemy of fishing line!



Here's a small snook -- fun on the fly rod!



Grass carp!

I got this 22.5 pound grass carp on the long pole recently.  It's my biggest fish ever on the pole!  I was fishing at the KY Fish and Wildlife Headquarters in Frankfort, KY.  It took me about twenty minutes to land him, and I had a good crowd of people watching.  Fishing with a 40' pole gets a lot of attention.  Playing a big fish on one gets you even more!