Getting the chance to spend “one on one” time with your partner in crime these days is not easy. Long hours, night classes, Virginia traffic, and a crazy cool 12 year old daughter do not add up to many occasions for the Mr and Mrs to break away. When the opportunity does present itself, we like to make the most of it. Our Saturday plans quickly changed from a full family day to a “his and hers” day when our little one said she was invited to an all day birthday party and sleepover.
We launched our kayaks to calm water with a slight breeze. The little smirks on our faces while paddling next to each other gave it all away. It was just her and I and nobody else, at least in our eyes. For once I could care less about the power boats or jet skis. Nothing was going to ruin our day on the water. Our plan was quite simple; it was no plan at all…who cares what we do.
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Amanda and I packed a full array of inshore tackle, snacks, and of course a few tasty adult beverages. The voyage was long but relaxing. The first couple of spots didn’t produce anything so we decided to take a little break and do a little shallow wading. Watching school after school of little mullet and this year’s fry swim by our feet captured our attention. The water was crystal clear and filled with aquatic life which added a little coolness to our day in paradise.
After a cold “freshy”, we staked out in one of my favorite spots. It didn’t take long to hear, “I got one!” Sure enough, Amanda’s popping cork enticed a hungry redfish. I was smiling ear to ear as she battled and maneuvered the strong puppy drum around the bow of her kayak. I don’t know who was more excited once the fish was in the net. The cool thing is this was Amanda’s first redfish, which I tagged for her.
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| Mrs. Bekolay’s 17 1/2″ redfish. His name is Fred. |
The wind started to pick up as the day went on. We tucked into a little cove only to find more redfish feeding on the bait that was stacked in there. The clear water made it a little tough. You had to be super stealthy while stalking in the cove because it didn’t take much to spook these fish. The ones you didn’t spook were willing to destroy anything you threw at them.
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| Spinnerbait smasher! 18 1/4″ redfish |
We decided to call it a day after landing a few more little reds. Even with the packed parking lot of boat trailers, we found ourselves to be the only ones in sight. It just made sense to beach our kayaks and soak in the moment of peace and serenity. It was therapeutic to put our feet in the sand and shoot the breeze while staring into the endless horizon of the bay. The warm fuzzy that I got was indescribable. It was the perfect way to end a perfect day with your perfect person.
