Florida Roadtrip 2014

Just got back this past weekend from a weeklong trip down south. Just in time to see my partner in crime, Shane, tie the knot with our other roomie and now his wife Annie. 

Sorry for the grainy picture. 

Elaina and I started our trek 7/30 and arrived late that night in ocean isle beach, nc.  

Loaded and ready to rock.  

We spent a day on the water with my longtime friend Wyatt and my cousin Michelle on their 18ft Scout center console cruising the intercoastal and exploring the nude beaches. 

After catching up my cousin and Wyatt's family we headed further south to st. Augustine, fl to hang with Captain Luke for two nights before reaching our final destination of Melbourne, fl. We spent one day with Luke out on his regulator 32 chasing Bonita, sharks, and hoping to luck into a tarpon behind the shrimp boats. 

We wrapped up st. Augustine with a date night at the conch house restaurant before waking up early the next morning to hit up mosquito lagoon on the way to Melbourne. 

Mosquito lagoon was quite uneventful. We caught a few spike trout and explored the Florida nature. 

Caught a few fish on the new Hard Head Custom Baits weighted hook with spinner!!!

Melbourne was great we got to spend a lot of time with my family, parents, uncle and grandfather. We ate great every day and I even got to venture down to palm beach for a day offshore. 

Lots of swings and misses, but overall a great first experince fishing with Matt and Eric the crew from www.deepbluekayakfishing.com. 

I was able to connect with a 31" king mackerel for my first offshore fish. We were fishing live gogs (expensive lil buggers) with wire stinger rigs. 

While I didn't get to catch one I was able to witness it first hand. Matt Eckert hooked into and fought a beautiful sail while we were on the water. 

On our way north we stopped again at mosquito lagoon for a second try. Of course Elaina showed me up with the biggest fish of the day!

These hard head custom baits jigs are the bomb!!! Check out the link on the left side of the site. 

We also stalked some monster bull reds on the flats that day, but I just could get them to eat. Also, while we were on te water we got a FaceTime call from Elaina's sister in Punta Cana flashing her new engagement ring!! Congrats Kristina and Alex!!

We eventually made it home August 8th, just in time for Shane and Annie's big wedding on the 9th. 

We clean up nicely....

We would also like to send a big congratulations to our kayak fishing friends Michael and Samantha Bartgis on their wedding this past weekend as well.