Through a Guide's Eye

Chapter 42: Michael and Eric - Lightening Brothers These two brothers came to fish with me the first time in 2010. First day out fishing: We all walked the flats. Fish were everywhere. After some time, I thought I could feel some temperature. I shared my concerns with the brothers, but they wanted to keep following the good action that they had enjoyed. A little while later, I heard the first rumbling ... and could see the first signs of clouds forming and darkness creeping over the horizon. Again, I voiced my concerns. No response. Then, however, as Michael continued casting, his line started ‘buzzing’. As he wondered aloud about that this caught my increased attention … while explaining “static” to him. I strongly suggested that we would reel in and head back. All agreed – but it was a walk of about 1 mile or more back to the boat! As we walked through the shallows – you don’t make much speed walking through water! – some ten minutes into the walk there was the first lightning, quickly followed by a vicious crack of thunder! Pure electricity discharging! And seemingly not too far from us! Water is a hell of a conductor, you know? I asked the two brothers to lower their rods as they kept walking, so as to offer less of a ‘lightning rod’ to the elements. We pushed on as hard as we possibly could … now accompanied by almost constant lightning and thunder. This seemed to come at us from all directions. While not seemingly making any headway eventually we reached the boat … and just as well, because as we got in, we could hardly see the anchor line through the heavy rain, that now pounded down on us! Chapter 31: USEFUL TIPS: When Bonefish Eats The Fly Sometimes you can feel the fly has been taken, but most times you cannot … unless you strip very fast, faster than your fish coming at you! Most times bonefish will move toward you, toward your fly, and when it eats, it will not stop moving. This is called ‘eating on the run’. This can be mind-boggling, since during such moments you will probably not be sure of what is going on. Follow these rules: If your fish moved toward your cast, regardless of angle, and then suddenly stopped …it ate the fly. Or … if the fish spotted your fly and burst towards it and then stopped … again, it ate the fly. Now strip-set the fish! Chapter 28: TRIP TO HAITI The boat was – sloppily - searched, and out came a policeman with a bottle of rum in his hand. Lernex had still not been discovered under his canvass, and neither had Thomas under deck. “You are smuggling rum, the boat will be seized!” the man-in-charge shouted. “Take all into custody”. Now, these were the days when parts of the USA were ‘dry’, alcohol not being allowed, and in Haiti, during those days, the American Government had a lot to say, probably a lot more than the local one. Being in possession of alcohol was seen as an act of bootlegging. Off they were all marched, the captain and two of his crew, out of sight of the vessel, into the direction of ‘town’. Lernex, however, under his canvass, had heard all … and had wisely remained still and invisible. He stayed where he was for another hour or so, hoping that all was clear for sure. Thomas, likewise, having awoken during the shouting, had also had not moved, equally afraid. Finally, Lernex took heart and came out from under his cover. The dock was clear, as was the boat, but so also were his companions, except for Thomas. There they were, very young and inexperienced, and one with a bad head for the rum he had drunk, in a dangerous country, just the two on this boat, which was laden with who knows what, in addition to rum, although certainly not with cows! What did these boys know about regulations, about legality?