The hype

[Dead Ringer]

Maybe this just is sour for those of you stuck in the cold, but I hope some will enjoy the thread as it progresses. It will likely be team-written, so don't think I'm one of those weirdos who refers to himself in the 1st person


For 2 years now, Brandon (Buzz Killington) has heard me recount tales of my youth in Florida. Running the marshes of Lake Okeechobee and the Glades. Hunting the cornucopias that are the STAs. He determined that enough was enough and that he had to see it for himself.


So we planned on doing a 10 day trip with the wives. A little bit of hunting mixed in with beaches, outlet shopping and Disney World. A godsend of a newborn in Brandon's young family turned the trip into a "guys' trip". We planned it all fall. While enjoying a stellar season in Ontario, we kept looking ahead to FL. I started communicating with contacts in FL to see what we could set up for hunts. I had several offers to join hunts, but knew from experience that plans often fall through months later. The trip had grown in duration, with Brandon securing a month's leave and my hours being cut way back. What was once a 10 day trip with some hunting mixed in was now a 3 week journey. The plan: fishing, hunting, family and food. My hope: most of it lives up to the hype.


We had to bring the boat. It was the only way to ensure that we'd get out in the marsh at every opportunity. My colleagues in Fl would provide some reports and a day's scouting for each open marsh would be enough to set up hunts. Several offered their boats, guns and decoys, but I'd rather not borrow all of that stuff. Some would join us on hunts, others would just meet up for lunch.


So we loaded up the boat, the canoe, a boatload of decoys. Some fishing rods and a hefty tacklebox. Packed the hubs, serviced the truck and mud motor. There were about 3 weeks of spending most of each night prepping something for the trip.


On January 3rd, my wife and I met up with Brandon in Syracuse, NY after attending a basketball game. I jumped in with Brandon, kissed Laura goodbye and set her back to the Great White North. Brandon and I carried to the south, making our first destination in S. Pennsylvania. After a night at my brother-in-law's house, we headed to Cabela's for breakfast and a rushed 2 hours of browsing. To my surprise, Brandon didn't buy a single item! Such restraint.


Then we headed to Raleigh, NC. We met up with my mother-and-father-in-law at Smithfield's Fried Chicken where Brandon tasted what is likely some of the best fried chicken he's every had. The next morning, my mother-in-law put on a show of Southern hospitality at breakfast. I don't think Brandon (or even I) really expected our oranges to end up on our plate pre-peeled! We were given some fish from the freezer to deliver to my mom and hit the road again. Next stop: Bojangle's fast food chain for BoBerry biscuits. I think there are 4 ingredients: butter, salt, sugar, berries.


SC is a long state on 95, but we finally made Georgia. At the bottom end of Georgia, we stopped to get some pulled pork from the southern equivalent of a chip truck, but this one had a giant smoker out back. Three miles later, we were full. And we were in Florida!


In trying to determine whether to camp or get a hotel in Melbourne, my sister revealed that her friend had offered us a place to stay for cheap. Apparently, she and her mother own a beachfront hotel room that they can use for the fare of the cleaning fee. For less than 1 night at roadside hotel, we now look at the Atlantic out the back window. The sound of waves crashing soothed us to sleep. Brandon's outside walking on the beach right now. I bet it's just him and a bunch of Canadians since it's under 5 C this morning.


Today will be a day with my mom, celebrating her birthday and taking care of some errands. We might swing by her bait shop and pick up some supplies. She ordered another 500yd of mono from SNL on wholesale so I could rig up the 30 coot I just ordered to add to my meager coot rig. Also a new SS exhaust for my mudbuddy since my stock muffler rusted out for the 3rd time in 8 years.


The report is that the hunting has been slow in this part of FL. We have been invited on a bluebill/scoter hunt tomorrow. Supposed to be hunting from a boat using a scissor rig. That NC/VA invention is something new to me (and FL) and I think it might be a concept that follows us back to diver hunts in ON. We'll see it in action tomorrow. Then, fishing. Since the hunting is slow, and the weather cold, we MUST go fishing. The cold will really stack the fish up in the ocean inlets, so we'll be making nightly trips down there. Might also fish inshore or from the beach a bit too. I'm sure mom will know all the hot spots.




Brandon just returned. He didn't see a soul on the beach to the N or S. Apparently, the blue hair Canadians don't even head out when it's this "cold".




Brandon's reaction when he walked into Cabelas:





I didn't even know this existed there. Maybe it's new or maybe I'm new?








Ice storm in Maryland:








Yeah, for real:

[lowflyer]

Good luck on your oydessy DR! I've spent lots of time in Melbourne and was always amazed at the number of lesser scaup I would see passing over the bridge going to and from work and the hotel. Can you hunt the inland water around Indiatlantic?

[Dead Ringer]

Good luck on your oydessy DR! I've spent lots of time in Melbourne and was always amazed at the number of lesser scaup I would see passing over the bridge going to and from work and the hotel. Can you hunt the inland water around Indiatlantic?

Lowflyer, there are spots that you can hunt and spots you can't (municipal bylaws). I used to hunt the Banana River just a bit north and that's where we'll be going out in the morning. The plan was to walk out from a shore access and just body boot (minus the silhouettes) with a few longlines. It would have worked to get us our 2 apiece bluebill limit. I used to do it all the time in college and didn't even bother with decoys. Just get between the 2 rafts of 5k birds and catch them trading back and forth.

But we've been invited to hunt from a boat in the morning with a chance at bluebill and black scoter. Neither of us have ever hunted black scoter nor have we hunted from a floating [modified in this case] scissor rig. Should be a riot!

A trip around town today with mom netted us several opportunities for fishing, so that will be the ticket until we head to the STAs.

Most years there's great hunting up around Merritt Island NWR and in the fresh too (drought this year nixed that). But a kindred spirit like you would love some the IRL hunting. Next time, let me know and I'll see what I can put together.

[big jobber]

Have fun fellas. Hope all your planning and hard work pays off.

[TurkeyRookie]

Awesome opener guys, really looking forward to the updates and reading along with you.

[Buzz Killington]

Yeah its a fairly rough go so far.
The food is amazing, and DR managed to score us a room through some friends and family for our stay.

Here is the view when you open the back door =)



The cold Canada boys.

Rough times....

[Buzz Killington]

The hunt today was something special.
My first time on the salt

We met up with a lad - Ryan - who through an acquaintance of John's had agreed to take us for a salt hunt.

We woke up at 0430h and with a quick bite headed for the 7/11 where we would meet up and convoy to the launch.

Ryan showed up in a silver Ram pulling a 16ft mod V jon boat with homemade pods and a 50hp outboard. There were a few slot bags full of Scaup decoys, canvassback, the odd mottled, and a number of black scoter. These were all nestled on top of palm fronds and surrounded by the makeshift scissor blind that I'd been looking forward to seeing.

After an exchange of pleasantries, we set off on a short 1 mile run to the launch.

We helped get the boat in the water and hopped in.

It was a good ride - about 15-25 mins to the spot. We started throwing out decoys and after a fast setup - as 3 guys usually can setup quite fast - we waited patiently for legal and talked with Ryan.

We found out he is a pro angler for some sports drink. You know - the guys who's boats look like nascar with all the stickers over them. But his work boat was 39ft of raw hp and was large and in charge.

We enjoyed his stories about what he does when he isn't hunting.

By legal, there were about 4 birds swimming around the decoys. A few minutes later there were 2 off the port and starboard that were within 25yds.

Those clever black scoter! We yelled at them, shot at them to get them to lift.....nope. instead, they swam out to a good 50yds THEN lifted to fly away. Lol

Quite funny.

About 39 mins into the hunt, a lone Scaup worked into the dekes. I dropped it at 25yds, then a quick water wack to finish it off. First salt bird ever!

We exited the blind and drove over to retrieve it. It's kind of interesting to grab a dead bird on 8 January in the water, and have warm water on your hands and getting sprayed with warm sea mist.

Felt pretty cool.

About an hour later after a missed bird from the back of the boat, a lone black scoter was coming up the line. I tapped John and pointed in its direction. He had time to take a well aimed shot and dropped a new species. His first ever Black scoter!

Those would be the only 2 birds to come back with us as the birds simply weren't wanting to be there. Of 5 opportunities for birds we only managed those 2 but what a riot!
We left shortly after the 5th opportunity of gorgeous Buffleheads as Ryan had to work. We were grateful just to get out on the salt and enjoy the weather.

The sun had been hidden by the clouds all morning making it a warm, bitter sweet day to be on the water.

We picked up the decoys, packed the boat, and headed back for the ramp.

I gave Ryan my contact information to leave the offer in his mind - "you ever want to battle the cold and get some birds Canadian style, call me."

That was the last we saw of him... until we ran him down 10 minutes later to get the shoes John left in his truck =)

What an experience.

[Dead Ringer]

The "float rig" blind before it was dressed with palmettos:





And fully dressed:





Pulling in to the parking stall:





Hunting the mangroves:





Our guide for the day:

[tinman454]

Nice!! Hope it only gets better for ya! Have a great time.

[TurkeyRookie]

That must of been something else, congrats! Any shots of the birds?