Indian River, FL

[schoolie monster]

We slowed way down and worked the area carefully. I let my dad cast alone for a while and had a drink and tried to spot a fish for him. After 10 minutes, I pick my rod up again and two casts later I hit another fish. Its a 4lb trout. Another 10 minute break, another two casts I hit another fish. It turns out to be a 3lb snook, not big, but decent and it completed the backcountry slam.

I was trying to let my dad have first crack at things the rest of the day.

We worked that area and other similar areas, but the one thing that was missing was the presence of the bait.

We had seen some nice snook in some downed trees earlier and Tod wanted to give that area another shot with some live shrimp. My dad got a small snook and I got a flounder and then my dad had a nice snook jump all over his shrimp. It was on for a few seconds and just came off. It woulda been his fish of the trip, at least 5lbs.

I switched over to a DOA shrimp to allow my dad to have the remaining live ones. I'm working the trees and have a subtle bump, another trout a bit bigger than the other one. We both got another small trout on the way out of the area to end the day.

Usually when I go down there, I'm rusty from a long winter up here, but I fished well and didn't miss much.

It was a great trip and the hotel we stayed at has a little sand bar and restaurant right on the Indian River, so it was cool to have a couple beers and a meal on the water. Even though it was windy, the temps were in the 80's during the day, mid 60's at night. It was a good break from the weather, being a dad and from work.