<figure id="attachment_7420" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-7420" style="width: 448px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://www.the-chesapeake.com//wp-content/uploads/2015/01/The-sunset-years-of-a-fisherman.jpg"><img class="wp-image-7420 size-full" src="https://www.the-chesapeake.com//wp-content/uploads/2015/01/The-sunset-years-of-a-fisherman.jpg" alt="The Sunset Years of a Fisherman. THE CHESAPEAKE TODAY photo by Carlene Jarboe" width="448" height="336" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-7420" class="wp-caption-text">The Sunset Years of a Fisherman. THE CHESAPEAKE TODAY photo by Carlene Jarboe</figcaption></figure>
<h2> <span style="font-size: 12pt;">Wine and Bait Sunset Cruises</span></h2>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> A woman who loves to fish is a rare gift from God. Such a woman deserves to be honored and cherished. And, she rates a bigger diamond in that engagement setting.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> My wife is not such a woman. She used to enthusiastically fish with me. She would even work as second mate on the night snapper fishing party boat that I captained. Then, we got married. Soon, very soon after establishing what has turned out to be a very long relationship, she stopped fishing with me. When I asked her why she wasn&#8217;t going to join me on the first night fishing party boat trip that I ran after our honeymoon, her reply was like a gaff to the heart: &#8220;Well, we&#8217;re married now.&#8221;</span></div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> <a href="https://www.the-chesapeake.com//wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Fishtackular-column-header2.jpg"><img class="alignleft wp-image-1151 size-full" src="https://www.the-chesapeake.com//wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Fishtackular-column-header2.jpg" alt="Fishtackular column header" width="448" height="292" /></a>That&#8217;s what it is like to be a boated fish: in the cooler, on ice, done.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Over the years, I have tried with zero success to re-introduce the joy of fishing that I thought she had once experienced. Also, her company on board with minimal fishing effort on her part allows me to bring home twice as many fish as my lonely self is allowed. She doesn&#8217;t even need a fishing license. Florida residents over 65 years of age fish free.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<figure id="attachment_3632" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3632" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fish-and-Eat-Cheap/dp/B00HACWAAO/ref=sr_1_1_twi_3?s=books&;ie=UTF8&;qid=1422260655&;sr=1-1&;keywords=Fish+and+eat+cheap"><img class="wp-image-3632 size-medium" src="https://www.the-chesapeake.com//wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Fish-and-Eat-Cheap-aud-cov-2-300x300.jpg" alt="Available in eBook, paperback and now in Audible. click to listen to free 5 minute sample." width="300" height="300" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-3632" class="wp-caption-text">Available in eBook, paperback and now in Audible. click to listen to free 5 minute sample.</figcaption></figure>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This week, I came up with another scheme to get my dear partner for life back to her pre-nuptial roots. On a breezy afternoon, I suggested we go out behind the reef line where the water would be calm, catch a few fish, and enjoy the sunset on the ride home.</span></p>
</div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> &#8220;But the wind is really blowing. Won&#8217;t it be rough out?&#8221; She observed.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> &#8220;No, look at the docks. The tide is down. The reef will be blocking the waves. I&#8217;ll stay on the patches behind the reef line.&#8221; I shrewdly replied.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> So off we went, in mid-afternoon, on a fishing till sunset cruise.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> The ride out at half throttle was pretty nice as the old 20 foot long Shamrock beats into a 1-2 foot chop just fine. &#8220;See, it&#8217;s not too bad.&#8221; I observed.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> A glare was her only reply as she tried to sit in a low spot in the boat while spray jumped over the windshield.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> The waves progressively built up and I eased the throttle to trolling speed. Even behind the reef line, 4-5&#8242; waves were rolling through in the reef passes. And, the water was churned into milk making sight fishing impossible.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Instead of anchoring, I chose to drift toward shore and jig over the sand, grass, and rocky bottom. After fifteen minutes of not catching fish and a not so happy wife observing that I had not caught a fish, I decided to take advantage of the benefit of a following sea.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> After the old 302 inboard gas engine started and sputtered for a bit, the antique Ford 8 banger found a sweet spot in the trough and we glided home far before the hour of sunset.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> I stopped upwind of an old exposed concrete barge wreck a short distance from the channel home. In the 1 foot chop, I eased the anchor in, let out a mile of scope, flipped the chum bag over and settled for the evening. I was not going to let my wife be deprived of the sunset portion of that expedition.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Yes, we may now be in the tropics. But, no, I don&#8217;t want to be in hot water.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> The ground fish chum enticed a huge horde of hungry but well schooled fish that were very competent at removing my bait from the hook. Still, I caught more than my share of Blue Runners, Bermuda Chubs, grunts, small snappers, Ballyhoo, and a few saltwater stickleback fish called Leatherjacket Jacks.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> The sun went down in a blaze of glory. My wife toasted with her nearly empty goblet of wine. I had a bucket of fish for bait, future chum, and pelican food. Actually, life doesn&#8217;t get any better.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> This past evening, I suggested we bypass the reef trip (Why invite rejection?) and take the short version wine and bait sunset cruise to the old barge.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> The sea was nearly flat. There was not even enough wind to hold the anchor line taught. We were in for a lovely evening. She pulled out a glass and poured her wine. I baited the hook and cast my line.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> The sunset was magnificent! The sky was lit all around the horizon with a multitude of colors and cloud formations. It could have been the best sunset in the history of the world. As we marveled at the beauty, New York City was preparing for two feet (or more) of snow. Not only was my wife happy, she is also presently enthusiastic about helping me finish our big electric powered, handicapped accessible catamaran to share the joy of wine and bait sunset cruises with our friends and handicapped heroes.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Needless to say, I brought home a happy wife AND a bucket of bait, future chum, and pelican food.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> The secret of staying married for a long time is to live with your mistake. Hopefully, it will be the best mistake you ever make. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Here&#8217;s to fine wines and tight lines in the sunset.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Larry Jarboe &#8211; <a href="mailto:bass21292@yahoo.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: #1155cc;">bass21292@yahoo.com</span></span></a></span></div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr"><div id="metaslider-id-3609" style="max-width: 750px;" class="ml-slider-3-100-1 metaslider metaslider-flex metaslider-3609 ml-slider ms-theme-default" role="region" aria-label="Advertisers" data-height="500" data-width="750">
 <div id="metaslider_container_3609">
 <div id="metaslider_3609" class="flexslider">
 <ul class='slides'>
 <li style="display: block; width: 100%;" class="slide-11695 ms-image " aria-roledescription="slide" data-date="2016-08-03 00:11:16"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/lindascafelpcity/" target="_blank" aria-label="View Slide Details" class="metaslider_image_link"><img src="https://www.the-chesapeake.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Lindas-On-The-Go-side-604x403.jpg" height="500" width="750" alt="" class="slider-3609 slide-11695 msDefaultImage" /></a><div class="caption-wrap"><div class="caption">The sunset was magnificent! The sky was lit all around the horizon with a multitude of colors and cloud formations. It could have been the best sunset in the history of the world. As we marveled at the beauty, New York City was preparing for two feet (or more) of snow. Not only was my wife happy, she is also presently enthusiastic about helping me finish our big electric powered, handicapped accessible catamaran to share the joy of wine and bait sunset cruises with our friends and handicapped heroes.</div></div></li>
 <li style="display: none; width: 100%;" class="slide-1464 ms-image " aria-roledescription="slide" data-date="2011-04-03 01:26:27"><a href="http://allpawnandguns.com/" target="_blank" aria-label="View Slide Details" class="metaslider_image_link"><img src="https://www.the-chesapeake.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/All-Pawn-March-2011-Ches-750x500.jpg" height="500" width="750" alt="" class="slider-3609 slide-1464 msDefaultImage" /></a><div class="caption-wrap"><div class="caption">The sunset was magnificent! The sky was lit all around the horizon with a multitude of colors and cloud formations. It could have been the best sunset in the history of the world. As we marveled at the beauty, New York City was preparing for two feet (or more) of snow. Not only was my wife happy, she is also presently enthusiastic about helping me finish our big electric powered, handicapped accessible catamaran to share the joy of wine and bait sunset cruises with our friends and handicapped heroes.</div></div></li>
 <li style="display: none; width: 100%;" class="slide-15651 ms-image " aria-roledescription="slide" data-date="2019-05-28 19:45:10"><a href="https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B07S8F7WF6&;preview=newtab&;linkCode=kpe&;ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_NqC7CbPH5FBPA&;tag=stmarystodaonlin" target="_blank" aria-label="View Slide Details" class="metaslider_image_link"><img src="https://www.the-chesapeake.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/MurderUSA_AUDIO-750x500.jpg" height="500" width="750" alt="" class="slider-3609 slide-15651 msDefaultImage" title="boy screams opening the mouth" /></a></li>
 <li style="display: none; width: 100%;" class="slide-16578 ms-image " aria-roledescription="slide" data-date="2021-05-07 14:29:41"><img src="https://www.the-chesapeake.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Buzzs-Marina-2019-750x500.jpg" height="500" width="750" alt="" class="slider-3609 slide-16578 msDefaultImage" title="Buzzs Marina 2019" /></li>
 <li style="display: none; width: 100%;" class="slide-16742 ms-image " aria-roledescription="slide" data-date="2021-10-24 22:51:01"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/lindascafelpcity" target="_blank" aria-label="View Slide Details" class="metaslider_image_link"><img src="https://www.the-chesapeake.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Lindas-Cafe-Now-Open-at-new-location-750x500.jpg" height="500" width="750" alt="" class="slider-3609 slide-16742 msDefaultImage" title="Lindas Cafe Now Open at new location" /></a><div class="caption-wrap"><div class="caption"><div>Linda's Cafe new location now open</div></div></div></li>
 <li style="display: none; width: 100%;" class="slide-16901 ms-image " aria-roledescription="slide" data-date="2022-01-15 22:19:57"><a href="http://floridafishingkayaks.com/" target="_blank" aria-label="View Slide Details" class="metaslider_image_link"><img src="https://www.the-chesapeake.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Wavewalk-Kayaks-1-750x500.jpg" height="500" width="750" alt="" class="slider-3609 slide-16901 msDefaultImage" title="Wavewalk Kayaks" /></a></li>
 <li style="display: none; width: 100%;" class="slide-17596 ms-image " aria-roledescription="slide" data-date="2023-08-11 22:30:44"><img src="https://www.the-chesapeake.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Press-pass-OConnor-email-750x500.jpg" height="500" width="750" alt="" class="slider-3609 slide-17596 msDefaultImage" title="Press pass O&#039;Connor email" /><div class="caption-wrap"><div class="caption"><div>WHISTLE BLOWERS WANTED</div></div></div></li>
 <li style="display: none; width: 100%;" class="slide-17916 ms-image " aria-roledescription="slide" data-date="2024-08-03 21:43:22"><a href="https://www.huntplumbingheatingandairconditioning.com/" target="_blank" aria-label="View Slide Details" class="metaslider_image_link"><img src="https://www.the-chesapeake.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/HUNT-Plumbing-Heating-and-Air-Conditioning-750x500.jpg" height="500" width="750" alt="" class="slider-3609 slide-17916 msDefaultImage" title="HUNT Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning" /></a><div class="caption-wrap"><div class="caption"><div>Click to website for Special Offers</div></div></div></li>
 <li style="display: none; width: 100%;" class="slide-28836 ms-image " aria-roledescription="slide" data-date="2024-11-06 20:52:51"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D17J3VS7?binding=kindle_edition&;ref_=dbs_s_ks_series_rwt_tkin&;qid=1730944414&;sr=1-2" target="_blank" aria-label="View Slide Details" class="metaslider_image_link"><img src="https://www.the-chesapeake.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/32-Book-Series-THE-CHESAPEAKE-TODAY--381x254.png" height="500" width="750" alt="" class="slider-3609 slide-28836 msDefaultImage" title="32 Book Series THE CHESAPEAKE TODAY" /></a></li>
 <li style="display: none; width: 100%;" class="slide-28898 ms-image " aria-roledescription="slide" data-date="2025-05-12 08:27:53"><img src="https://www.the-chesapeake.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/FITZIES-IS-BACK-FOR-2025-556x370.jpg" height="500" width="750" alt="" class="slider-3609 slide-28898 msDefaultImage" title="FITZIES IS BACK FOR 2025" /></li>
 </ul>
 </div>
 
 </div>
</div></div>