I know you were just waiting for it. Most were wondering when I was going to show a bloody limb from an alligator attack. Well, sorry to disappoint. But we'll get to the ending near the ending of the post.
So I thought I had a good plan, and even as I write I was good with it after it was all said and done. Had high flood tide at 930 am and I got down there with two hours left on the incoming. My goal was to walk across the creek that was surely going to be a bouncing walk to get across if I waited until the top of the tide.
The wooden board marker that I had placed on the high side was gone and the only left was small mound of oyster shells that I had used as an anchor. Once across I started my search for wakes, tails, and moving grass. There was still hours until the high tide and I knew I had to wait until the water, and hopefully fish, moved in.
There were some birds flying around, some perched near the water waiting for baitfish, shrimp getting chased across the top, and mullet in v-patterns on the move. There were no blitzes or kurplunks although eery now and then there was a circular splash of something chasing something.
It took about 10 minutes until my eyes found a target where the water met the grass. While I was there to catch a fish it's wasn't the most important thing. I wanted to see. I wanted to watch. I wanted to learn. I didn't make a cast on this fish, because hell, this is going to get great. It was the only tailing redfish I saw all morning.
I was there for two hours left on the incoming and two on the outgoing. One thing about a moon tide especially where you have creeks that empty into rivers which empty into sounds is that happens quickly. It was just about to the second for the high tide where the water came in, went slack, and then left.
At the flip the waters edge took on a new life. The water receded rather quickly and the creeks and points started to show strong current. There were some bigger fish chasing smaller fish and I let my fly go to see what was in the mix.
I caught a couple of chicken finger sized sea trout before moving along. I reached for my phone to take a picture and it was dead. The day before I went deeper into the water and it was in my pocket and since it's been acting a little wonky. So as far as pictures the day was over, and I was to, as the chance for tailing reds, at least here, wasn't going to happen.
I went back to my truck and put my gear away and started home. I had the place to myself except for three guys in the distance shrimping near a creek mouth. Their car was parked way up the dirt road that ran against a bridge. I thought that was weird because I had been back here a few times and besides a few large puddles.... and then BAM.
The first thing that almost happened was I almost disconnected my spine from my skull. Then I almost lost my front teeth to the steering wheel. "WTF just happened?". I spend the door and the water ran in but just into the corner. The truck was on and I wasn't shutting it down. I was all alone. I had no tools. The phone was dead. I have no friends around here. Since the truck was running I was able, in between getting in and trying to forward and reverse it out, to charge up my phone for a bit to send my life partner a text. Surely she would come and help me.
I texted her at 1220 and then went to work. I first tried to drain the swamp, well puddle that my truck was sitting in, to no avail. I found the jack and tried to jack the rear tires to get some rocks and stuff underneath it...forget that. A nice guy who comes down here on his lunch stopped and helped but couldn't. There was nothing left to do but to call AAA. An hour and a half later Theresa responded back.
I had worked out there in the rain for about two hours. At one point I heard all kinds of sirens coming towards my position. I thought, "Please don't let this be a false truck in the water 911 call", but it wound up being a motor vehicle stop that turned into a medical call. But the road was now blocked for the tow truck.
After I called for service it literally took 20 minutes between the time I called and when my truck was back on the road. I called, the guy was sitting in a lot a mile or so away, he knew exactly where I was, he came, pulled me out and that was it.
Of course when I got back on the road my truck was below empty. I thought how embarrassing it would be to have to call AAA again for some gas. After filling up the heavens opened up which I
thought would be good for there truck but I knew underneath was covered in that think gray mud. I thought she deserved some better love and I headed to a do it yourself car wash and I'm glad I did. The tow truck driver said I was very lucky to have not swamped the truck which wouldn't have been good.
By the time the bath was done I was done. I hadn't eaten breakfast, didn't have much except a cold coffee to drink, and I was dirty and soaked. As I headed home a familiar sign caught my eye and I immediately made the traffic move to get into the lot.
Believe it or not it was just what I needed. For a while there I felt alone. Truck stuck. Don't know where I am. Don't know nobody. Jersey Mike's brought me back to familiar territory. I knew what they tasted like no matter what state you get them from and the large picture of Point Pleasant on the wall made me feel like home.
I used to finish old blog posts with a picture of a white milk and an egg and cheese on bagel, scooped out and toasted of course. Today I post the most perfect lunch. If I want to repeat it I'll have to do it by Monday because Tuesday September 1st my new life begins, again.
I learned lots of things today. The fish aren't tailing in every water even on the flood tide. Don't drive through puddles. Call AAA earlier. Theresa won't help me. Jersey Mikes is dam good. And lastly I need a four wheel drive pick up down here. Not only for situations like this but for work at The Guide House, that names back up in the air, and for towing the two boats around. The last thing I need is an Atlantic Highlands ramp repeat from December 4, 2020. If you don't know then you can see that HERE
I've been looking on Facebook Marketplace for something better than a beater. I'd like a Chevy Silverado 4x4 in white, preferably years 2002-2004. Low miles and original owner would be a plus.
The above is a picture from Titusville back in April before I sold the pick up. I wish I still had her. If I did maybe I would have been exploring in her yesterday and could have popped her into four wheel drive and avoided the drama. Maybe I need to change the name from The Guide House to The Drama House.