A Trip to Remember
I was
thrilled when Corbett Davis, Jr. called to book a last minute
trip
It was he and dads final "blow out" of the year before
working 7 days a week throughout the busy Christmas rush. Corbett,
Sr. is the founder of the
Jeweler's Trade Shop, located in Pensacola, Fl. Senior is
a rare individual and a gentleman that I am proud to know. I've
fished with his son, Corbett, Jr. and also his grandson, Corbett,
III. His son and grandson are a testimony to dad's outstanding
character and ethics. All 3 men are a pleasure to spend time
on the water with.
I'll refer to the three Corbett Davis' as Senior, Junior,
and the Third.
We
left the dock way too early
It was dark. We were at the dock with the rods strung and
the boat floating in the bayou. Unable to contain our enthusiasm
a moment longer, we set sail. Even though it had rained hard
all night and forecast was not good, we couldn't wait to take
on the day.
Junior
and I never spoke a word about the distant thunder
Cruising through a small bayou, we watched the day stealthily
emerge from darkness. The solitary trees that lined the bayou
looked ancient and noble as the soft orange light silhouetted
their form. Senior looked comfortable, as he sat in a new
chair that I was experimenting with.
Junior and I never spoke a word about the distant thunder
that clamored many mile to the southwest. I am certain it
was on heavy on his mind. As we motored past 3 camps, I checked
to see if the porches we unlocked. The weather provided good
reason to consider possible shelter.
Zig
zagging from pond to pond
The winding bayou finally gave way to broken marsh. Our destination
was near and the weather was no worse. Zig zagging from pond
to pond and experiencing the marsh wildlife is a privilege
that we did not allow to slip by. From pelicans to Roseate
Spoonbills, the variety never ceases to amaze me. Junior is
very knowledgeable and able to discern the various species
of birds. I learn something new from him every trip.
Their
tails waved so seductively
We had arrived at our destination, a small group of intimately
intertwined pounds just off a bayou that proved plenty of
tidal flow. We quietly slipped into a cut and killed the motor.
Junior told dad to climb on deck, but dad declined. Junior
wasted no time getting on deck with his line stripped. Good
chance, because right around the corner only a few feet away,
were two giants busy feeding on the bottom. Their tails appearing
to be 8 inches wide stood out of the water. The tails were
waving seductively, beckoning us towards them. I could see
two fish, one as large as the other. One fish came off the
bottom and revealed his length as his back broke the water's
surface. Junior made several cast, but the wind would not
allow the fly to land on target. Yes, they escaped. But the
memory of that encountered will never be lost.
We call
them, Cajun Permit
Many fish were sighted and caught during our trip. The weather
was beautiful the entire day. Not at all as we, or the weather
man had expected. Redfish from 2 to 10 pounds were photographed
as released. At times flies were presented to schools of Redfish.
Senior missed a Redfish that we estimated went 15 pounds or
more. The men managed to trick a few wary Sheepshead, we call
them Cajun Permit. See the photos
below for a beautiful image of Junior's Permit.
We fished longer than usual. The fish, the weather, and the
company were too good to leave. At the day's end we all agreed,
"the day couldn't have been better".
The day couldn't have been better…
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