This past weekend it was scheduled to be my bachelor “weekend”, for I am getting married next weekend!  My brother (best man) was to set it up with my groomsman and keep me in the dark until I was driving south Friday after work.  I instructed that I did not want the Vegas weekend, I would rather spend my time with good friends doing the thing I love most, Fishing!  The plan was executed perfect, except we forgot to tell the fish it was safe for them to swim the flats once again, it is the end of March, right????  I arrived in Everglades City to stay at my good friend Jesse’s place and make that our base camp.  After a great meal at the Cuban Cafe in Chokoloskee (BTW: hands down the best food around Everglades City, huge servings, fair prices, fresh seafood caught personally by the owners uncle), many adult beverages were consumed along with stories from past times and fish tales! We awoke at 5 Am and trailered three skiffs to Homestead where we would fish Biscayne Bay in search of Perms and Bones… The only decent reports I have heard of have come from the outside so, the outside it was.  First light we made the run across to be greated with rollers but light and variant winds.  Within an hour of poling the winds had kicked up and after the 3rd or 4th wave that came over the bow of the Whipray, it was time to vacate the plan and move inside.  The skies were perfect, lighting the flats a perfect sight.  We poled for hours on countless flats to see only 3-4 sharks, two rays, and a handful of cudas, that was it, no bones or perms to be found!  Very dissappointed, we called it day and headed back to Everglades City to fish Sunday in the park.  A similar night took place and before we knew it we were running through the mangrove ditch to Chokoloskee Bay onward towards Lostmans!  Idling through a couple creeks we saw some snook so it ment there was hope that the species did overcome the massive freeze!  After about 15 minutes I enticed a solid 26.5″ snook into eating my fly, a great way to start day two.  Before long the frontal system was throwing high winds and overcasts skies on us.  We made the best of it and managed a handfull of fish before the rains chased us off the water.  It was a great time with great friends to spend my last trip as a single man! 

A little off topic but may be a solution for your chronic pains that come with being an angler!

I have been battling a bicep tendon tear for almost a year now.  My company specializes in regenerative cellular therapies, especially in the sports medicine arena.  I have been putting off treatment because my life outside the office revolves around spending time in the gym and casting a fly rod (both which put major strain on the shoulder and body)…..I know, habits are hard to kick even when pain is afflicted.  Seeing that for the next three weeks I will not be fishing or lifting weights, it seemed like the best time to do it – knowing that Tarpon season will be awaiting my return and a 12wt will surely do some damage, it was time and my friend Rich urged me to do it. My good friend Richard was recently treated by my Partner Dr. Joseph Greco for the same injury and had great success - even avoiding surgery!  Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) can be used to treat soft tissue injuries such as tendon and ligament tears along with many other problems (tennis elbow, chronic wounds,  hair loss, etc..).  I was injected with Orogen Plus, a patented variant of PRP by Orogen Biosciences yesterday and will keep you updated on my progress.  I should know if it worked within three weeks!  If your interested in learning about this non-surgical procedure visit www.orogen.net or www.bloodrecovery.com. 

The three skiffs awaiting the water: Notice this was the busiest I have ever seen Everglades City!

My brother, Justin, and Mike fishing along side of us, I managed to get a shot of them landing a Everglades snook. Great to see the snook alive and moving!