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Mirage in the Keys… SKIFF PORN, Part 1!!!!
I spent this last weekend hanging out in the Keys at the Alderman’s. It’s always a chill time in the Keys.. fresh seafood, a little bonefishing, cold beer, and a very relaxed atmostphere. My buddy Jeremy and I decided to put together a little poker run/mini-shoot to an island in the middle of Florida Bay one afternoon. With 3 Maverick Mirages (two 18 HPX-Vs and a 17 HPX-V) and Juanki’s “Lake and Spray”, we headed out and shot a few cool photos on the water. So within this chilled out weekend, we did manage to sneak out for 3 early hours of some slightly serious business… bonefishing!!! They were there…. they ate shrimp… they ran like hell when they felt the pinch… and your sun glove smelled like hell after you released one.
Between the photoshoot, giant stone crab claws for dinner, bonefish wreslting, and being amongst great company… the weekend was as always… incredible!!! Enjoy some skiff porn….
Stay tuned… more to come shortly!!!
Redfishing + more in SW Florida…
The Maverick Mirage 18 HPX-V has proven itself to be an extremely versatile skiff when fishing in my home waters in the Florida Keys and Biscayne Bay but I wondered if it’s shallow draft and ability to handle rough seas would suit the fishery on the Southwest coast of Florida well. I towed my new skiff to Ft. Myers this past weekend and met up with my buddies David McCleaf and Capt. Rick De Paiva. There isn’t any other fishing guide better suited to test this skiff out in the SW Gulf coast area then Capt. Rick.
We started out in the AM running the beaches looking for the many pelagics that are crashing bait on the surface. The scenery this AM was simply out of this world, as was the fishing. There is plenty of life on this coast. From mackerel and jacks crashing bait to tailing redfish on the grassflats on the inside. Once we were finished with the pelagics offshore and rode through the swells created by the ocean and bastard pleasure boaters, we headed inshore and stalked tailing redfish on the shallow grass flats. I was a bit dissapoitned at first when I saw some of the boats from this weekend’s Flatsmasters tournament burning up some of the lush grass flats but we made our way away from the mayhem and found our own peace away from the madness. We worked our way through an intricate maze of invisible bars and shallow flats before shutting down and working our way quietly to greener pasteurs. I think my buddy Rick was surprised that the 18 HPX was able to get as shallow as it did. There was no place a redfish could swim that the 18 HPX couldn’t get to. We poled amongst the tailing redfish and found ourselves surrounded. I was overwhelmed and excited to see this many relaxed tailer redfish all around the boat but this was simply a typical scene for Capt. Rick. I shot a few photos, but I didn’t have the lens for the situation so I did what I do best… got on the bow with a fly rod and pinned flies to a few redfish. David and I switched off catching redfish and at one point hooked up on fly and plastics (DOA #425 CAL Jerkbait) simotaneously on 2 different tailing redfish. This was possibly some of the best redfishing I had ever experienced anywhere in Florida. I managed to capture a few hero shots and a bit of the scenery in this bit of paradise.
After a weekend away, I am back on the east coast and ready to spend some days in my home waters. Stay tuned…
Mirage Refined…
08/25/10
Chapter IV… Refined…
We approach the final stages of the construction process of my new Maverick Mirage. The hull and cap were popped from the molds, the cap was then fused to the hull, seadeck installed, and now the final details are being worked on. The hatches were installed, console wired, Yammadog hung on the rear, and little details refined. These photos depict the final stage before the installation of the poling platform. I await several other accessories such as the casting platform, prop, and GPS to bring my Mirage closer to completion.
The wait is near an end and the fun has almost just begun.
Stay tuned for the next chapter… Pre-Absolute!!!
Mirage Fused…
Welcome to the Third Chapter in the construciton of my next Maverick Mirage…. Fused
The construction of my new Maverick Mirage is near completion. I visited the Maverick Boat Co. plant this past week and got to take the first in person glance at my new skiff. The color combination looks great in photos but even better in person. I can’t wait to bring her home. While at the factory, I got to watch the masterminds fuse the hull and the cap of my boat together. After I had lunch with the whole Maverick Boat Co. administration, Tyler of Castaway Customs met up with me and installed the under gunnel seadeck pads. The work definitely speaks for itself as the quality of Tyler’s work is second to none. Here are some photos from my visit north…
Stay tuned for the next chapter… Refined…
Hatched…. Maverick 18 HPX-V
Chapter 2: my Maverick Mirage hatched amongst it’s bigger and smaller siblings!!
2 Tone SEXXX!!!
Stay tuned for the next chapter… “Fused”
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