Amidst the devastation and destruction left in the path of both Helene and Milton, finding the motivation to go fishing is still somewhat out of reach as we all desperately cling to what we have with little more than a glimmer of hope for normalcy in the weeks to come.
With most residents of Manatee County struggling to get back into their homes, and still many displaced, it seems fishing is going to take a back seat to the more important things, like our well-being and persevering through this unprecedented catastrophe that we now face.
But the passion for fishing will not die.
The fish will be there when we return to the waters and when we do, what will we find?
Following up the strong currents, gale force winds and an extreme storm surge, the term “back to the old drawing board” rings true for fishers.
The patterns we were accustomed to prior to the storms are all but erased as many fish have moved to deeper waters, seeking a more stable environment, thus making them all but undetectable except for a random stroke of luck by the angler.
And then there’s that ever-looming dark cloud in the form of red tide on our minds which usually occurs after storms of such magnitude. The mere thought causing butterflies in the stomachs of those who rely on our fishery to put food on the table or for a break from the everyday struggle of life.
The fuel for red tide, sewage dumped from treatment plants because they can’t accommodate the supply, combined with record breaking rainfall and fertilizer run-off, produces the perfect recipe for an algae bloom.
Despite all of this, Mother Nature is resilient and will slowly but surely regenerate herself into the lush habitat that we hold so dear.
Soon will be the days of calm waters and predictable tides and the better than average fishing to which we are accustomed.
Soon will come the days when we finally put our lives back together and just go out and go fishing.
Send high-resolution photos and fishing reports to fish@islander.org.