SPECTACULAR DAYS ON THE WATER
by Capt. Tom Rowland
Occasionally, the stars all line up in your favor and the chemistry between anglers, guide and fish is such that the experience of a day of fishing is embedded in your mind as a "perfect” day. A few times a year, I experience days that it seems that nothing can go wrong. These days are magical and I have documented a few for you to read. When I decided to add this section, the first day that I thought of was one from last year.
My Father, Tom Rowland, Sr. and my mother, Judy were in town awaiting the birth of my second son. It was early October and the weather was fantastic. Stuart Grossman, one of my favorite clients was coming to town to fish for the week with the understanding that we might have a baby any day; any minute. The evening before the trip, Stuart phoned the house for the 100th time that week to check on my wife and also to check on the fishing. I suggested that we leave early the next morning in order to have the best chance at a tarpon. Stuart asked my father if he would like to join us and after some convincing, my Dad decided to go.
As a young man, I went to work with my Dad occasionally, but usually only when I was in some kind of trouble and he wanted to keep an eye on me. Today would be the first day that my Father would actually see me at work. I was excited that he would be able to see me on a real charter and see exactly what it is that I do for a living. We had agreed that this was Stuart’s fishing trip and that he would be an observer.
We put the boat in the water and picked up Stuart at his Sunset Key home
just off Key West. My Dad and Stuart got along wonderfully from the start.
I had told Stuart a lot about my father and family in the 100 plus days
that he had chartered me that year and my Dad had also heard a lot about
Stuart. Suiting his personality, Stuart phoned me or my wife several times
a day for months to check on her progress and to see if there was anything
he could do. Lately, he had spoken with Dad on a few of those phone calls.
The day began with a 20 minute run to a tarpon spot. The sun was rising
and unveiled a few tarpon rolling in a channel. We fished for them for
an hour without a bite and I decided that we had better go to a bonefish
spot while the tide was right. We packed up and headed for another area.
Once on the bonefish flat, Stuart insisted that my Dad share the fishing 50/50. Reluctantly, Dad stepped on the bow. I spotted a small school of bones coming towards us and put my father on them. The first cast came up short, but the second was perfect and soon my Dad was tight to a bonefish. After a picture, we released the fish and Stuart got ready. 15 minutes later, I spotted another school and Stuart made the cast flawlessly. "Strip!,Strip!” I said as the fish followed the fly. The fish opened his mouth and took Stuart’s fly and soon a second bonefish was to the boat.
