Rusty Chinnis, from Longboat Key, FL, and I arrived on Saturday afternoon to get in a little pre-fishing before the actual event began on Sunday afternoon. An evening trip drifting the Roosevelt Bridge and a trip the following morning in the Indian River near Ft. Pierce didn't produce much action. Rusty and I did manage a few trout to 2 lbs. on CAL jigs and DOA shrimp on Sunday morning. The resort was buzzing on Sunday afternoon as most of the guides and writers began arriving. The highlight of the afternoon was the wedding of Capt. Ray Markham and Beca Moore on the shores of the Indian River. Congratulations Beca and Ray!
I fished with outdoor writer Steve Waters, of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, and Eagle Claw hooks rep, Mike Praznovsky, Jr., Miami Springs, FL, on Monday morning. We waded a flat in the Indian River near the Stuart Causeway where we caught and released several snook to 24" and trout to 20" on CAL jigs and DOA shrimp. The trip was cut short by a thunderstorm that forced us off the water. After a Cajun feast of fried turkey and crawfish pasta that afternoon, I headed back out for the evening bite. Ron Horton, of Action Craft boats, joined me as we drifted the St. Lucie Inlet for snook. Capt. Rick DePaiva, from Cape Coral, FL, also fished the inlet and was joined by Rusty Chinnis and John Kumiski. Ron and I managed 3 snook to 27" on DOA TerrorEyz. Capt. Rick's boat had several similar size fish and 20-pounder caught on a CAL jig. Rick's personal best!

On Tuesday morning, Florida Sportsman assistant editor, Jerry McBride from Stuart, FL, and Joe Beech, of JNB Originals (a drift bag manufacturer) from Tracy, MN, joined me as I headed for a flat that had been producing tarpon and big trout in the Indian River near Ft. Pierce. The tarpon were there, but would not bite so we focused on trout after working the tarpon for an hour or so. We managed lots of trout to 18" on CAL jigs, DOA shrimp and shallow running DOA Baitbusters but no big fish. The event officially ended on Tuesday afternoon but Rusty and I hung around to fish some more on our own.