Stone steps to nowhere

Five, maybe six years ago Tom and I started building a set of stone stairs from the top of the dock stairs to the next level up the hill. We made a lot progress, but just didn't have the stones to complete the job. It has been under an attractive blue tarp since to protect it from the elements. In the mean time we collected a few more stones and made one more failed attempt to complete it. Well now I declare it 99% complete, it just needs some vegetation stuffed into the nooks and grannies and around the edges to dress it up and prevent wash out. For now they kind of go nowhere until more steps are added to the next level.

Well a little more work and some time for things to settle have produced the following results.

Snook shark

The last day of our Sanibel Island vacation was spent with cocktails and a line out in the trough. Bait was the heads and some attached entrails of a gulf kingfish I caught earlier in the day. A few cocktails passed and no action so I got up to check my line. I was setup with an 8/0 Gam octopus hook, about 2 feet of 26 lb. 7 strand knottable wire. As soon as I touched the rod a little line payed out. I cranked down the drag and the fish started to run. A couple of good hooks sets to be sure and the fight was on. There was enough surf to make it hard to see, I was expecting a shark but was surprised by the biggest snook I have ever hooked. It was exciting to have an audience and not screw up. I landed the 32" fish, lots of good pics and a video. Here is my favorite.

Here is a pic of a typical fly rod fish from the trip. This is one of a few pics taken by a random beach walker. On the first evening of fishing not much was happening until another random beach walker pointed out a couple of snook that were practically beaching themselves while chasing minnows about a cast and half away. Two casts and I had my first snook of 2013!