2016-04-23 Southern Slam Outfitters Private Island Retreat

http://www.southernslamoutfitters.com/

It all started with a visit to Precision Tackle....

http://www.precisiontackleonline.com/Home.html

It all began with an announcement to the NCLA members that a new meeting location may have to be selected in the near future and a request that the ladies keep their eyes and ears open for a place that would meet our needs.  While Yella was at Precision Tackle she mentioned to Dave, the owner, that we were on the look-out for a new meeting place.  Dave gave Yella a lead about a fishing guide named Capt. Carey Gibson, out of Homosassa, who may be able to help us.  Yella, in turn, sent Delores a text with a condensed version of the conversation and Capt. Carey's contact information.  Something to look into, for sure.

A few days went by before Delores found enough time to give Capt. Carey a call.  Seems Dave had given him a "heads-up" that someone from the NCLA would be calling, which of course, makes the conversation a bit easier.  They talked about the need to visit a few location options, talked about his charter business, and talked about this unique charter package that he offers called Private Island Retreat.  He went on to describe the package, which included a trip out to a private island at the mouth of the Homosassa River that had a "mini-rustic-resort", for lack of a better term.  There was a pier/dock, a boardwalk that led to two cabins, a small community bathroom, an enclosed kitchen with all the necessities, and a covered porch with grill and lawn chairs.  And to top it off, it even had  hot-tub and hammock!  It sounded pretty amazing and like something a few of the NCLA gals would be interested in doing.  Capt. Carey agreed to meet up with Yella and Delores and show them a facility at Homosassa Riverside Resort & Marina in Homosassa that might suit their needs for a new meeting place and take them on a quick tour of the private island he had referred to in the conversation.  So plans were made to meet up.

The primary purpose of the visit was to check out the   Riverside Inn's Community Center.  Capt. Carey felt that it may meet our needs for a new meeting place, if we ever needed one.  It had plenty of tables/chairs and a bar and looked like a fairly good alternative.  As the conversation went on, it shifted to talks of a private island resort that the Capt. has access to.  It's an exclusive charter package that he offers which includes transport to the island that houses two rustic cabins, a community bathroom, a full kitchen, covered patio with grill, a fishing pier, and much more.  It sounded too good to be true, so he offered the gals a boat ride out there so that they could see for themselves what he was talking about. 

Delores and Yella climbed aboard Capt. Carey's boat out of Homosassa Riverside Resort & Marina and enjoyed a 4.5 mile scenic trip to the mouth of the Homosassa River where the Private Island Retreat was located.  It was a beautiful day for an adventure and they were eager to tour and explore the Retreat Compound..

Capt. Carey helped the girls onto the dock, escorted them down the boardwalk and gave them a tour of the place, making a special effort to point out a few of the amenities such as the covered two-story boathouse at the end of the pier, a deck with two lounge chairs for relaxing in the sun, a hot-tub and a hammock.  He went on to show the two separated sleeping quarters, each with a queen bed, a set of bunk-beds, dresser, night stand and T.V.  Both of which have wall unit air conditioners.  Then a peek into the "community bathroom" with toilet, sink and shower.  The "community kitchen" was next and it also serves as the Captain's Quarters with a futon that Capt. Carey would call home for a weekend.  Safety First policy prevents the gals (or anyone else for that matter) from being on the island unsupervised.  Finally, an impressive and well designed and decorated covered patio complete with super comfortable patio furniture, large gas grill, dart board, and dining table with chairs.  Seriously?!?!  What more could you want in a get-a-way weekend stay?  It was perfectly awesome!  Many thanks to Capt. Carey for taking the time to give a personal tour of the place.  The trip back to Riverside Resort & Marina was spent with talk of organizing a NCLA Girls-Weekend-Get-A-Way.  And the sooner the better!

Not too long after the Island Retreat Tour, Yella gave Capt. Carey a ring and set up a tentative date, (the weekend of March 15th) to get a few of the NCLA girls together and organize a "Girls Weekend Get-A-Way".  It would include a kayak shuttle aboard a pontoon boat, a boat ride for the gals and all of their fishing and over-night gear (including enough food and beverages for the weekend), and a full day fishing charter.  Yella sent out a mass e-mail to all of the NCLA members and it wasn't long before she had the necessary four takers to solidify the event.  Yella, Martha Ann, Amie, and Delores were planning on having a fun-filled weekend of kayak fishing, night fishing, and charter fishing.  March 15th couldn't get here fast enough!

As calendar dates were being circled and excitement built up, Yella got funny feeling in the pit of her stomach that March 15th had a more significant purpose than a rustic cabin sleepover...in fact, she knew that date rang a bell, but couldn't quite put her finger on it....until it dawned on her that she had a Baby Shower to attend that day.  Not something that she could just "reschedule".  March 15th was that date and she had somehow forgot to mark it on her calendar as such.  Panic Mode begins.  How does this problem get solved?  What to do?  The simple solution would be to reschedule the cabin sleepover to the following weekend.  Capt. Carey seemed to be fine with that plan, and the other three girls were easily convinced as well.  So the March 15th date got postponed one week to March 22nd,  Crisis Averted.....right?

Yeah, well...guess again!  The following day Yella got a call from Martha Ann, she owns a pottery in Homosassa called Peppercreek Pottery.  Well, it just so happened that one of the biggest festivals held in Homosassa,   Shrimpalooza was being held that very weekend and it's one of the biggest revenue days for the pottery so naturally Martha Ann had to be at the shop that weekend which caused her to bow out of the Rustic Cabin Sleepover.  Yella sent out and emergency S.O.S. to the NCLA club members.  She need a replacement and she needed one fast!  That's when Pam came to the rescue and took Martha Ann's place for the weekend.  Things were back on track with Yella, Delores, Amie and Pam.

lCapt. Carey had clients scheduled for a fishing charter the morning of March 22nd and so the gals were instructed to meet at the Riverside Resort Crab House Restaurant on the Homosassa River at 12:00 noon.  The weather reports predicted rain for most of the day but as with any other Florida day there was a 50/50 chance that the predictions were wrong.  The rain started falling by 11:00 a.m.  By noon there was a slight reprieve and the ladies began to pull into the parking lot one right after another and made their way into the bar/lounge area where they found Capt. Carey waiting for them.  The rain had stopped just long enough for them to make their way inside, giving them the false impression that the rest of the day would be clear and sunny....then it showed up again twice as heavy, this time with strong winds combined.  This was not what they had bargained for.  The Capt. had the most up-to-date weather app on his phone and he referred to it every 15 minutes.  1:00 came and went while the gang consumed a few beers and nibbled on some appetizers, patiently waiting for a break in the weather.  2:00 came and went ... still the rains and wind were there.  By 3:00, the group came to a mutual decision to cancel the trip and reschedule yet again.  It just seemed that they couldn't catch a break no matter how hard they tried.

A few days later, Yella conversed with the rest of the group and decided on yet another rescheduled date for the Rustic Cabin Sleepover Weekend adventure.  This time April 23rd was the chosen weekend.  It really didn't matter much to Yella at this point in time anyway, though, because over the course of the past several weeks, she had started a new job that required some of her weekend time.   Her window of opportunity had come and gone.  She advertised her open slot via e-mail and that's how Nadia came on board.  Now the group of four consisted of Delores, Martha Ann, Nadia and Pam and they would have to work together to pull this off.  A plan was put in place.  Delores would bring enough beverages for the weekend.  Martha Ann would cover breakfast food.  Any fish that were caught and in slot would be harvested for dinner but Pam would bring hamburgers just in case that didn't happen and Nadia would provide the sides for dinner.  The skies the morning of looked promising as everyone kept their fingers crossed for a beautiful weekend.  Each made their way to Homosassa for another try.

By 9:00 a.m. Saturday morning all of the girls had arrived and were wandering around with their cell phones trying to find one another by calling and texting.  They converged on the Riverside Resort & Marina's Gift Shop where Capt. Carey was waiting for them.  He escorted them to the back side of Riversport Kayaks which is a local kayak dealership in the Homosassa area.  Behind the shop was a man-made canal with several boat slips and a boat ramp.  Capt. Carey kept his utility pontoon boat back there and that's what he planned on using to ferry the ladies' kayaks out to the private island.  All of the ladies went back to their vehicles and moved them closer to the ramp where Carey had positioned the pontoon for loading.  With the help of his good friend, D.J., (Riverside Resort Manager) those yaks were carefully loaded and stacked so that they would be secure during transport.  It took them several minor adjustments before they got it just right.  After the ladies gave their stamp of approval, D.J. took the pontoon and headed out down the Homosassa River toward the private island.  Phase 1  complete.

Next on Carey's agenda was to get the ladies to the island.  Focused shifted and Carey had all the gals bring their gear to the boat slip where his restored 1972  20 ft Proline flatback was waiting.  This baby was equipped with a 2016 Mercury 150 hp 4 stroke motor.  It was quite impressive.  Then the loading of the gear began:  4 women / 4 totes full of fishing gear / 4 totes full of clothes / 4 totes full of food / 8 rods/reels and a cooler full of beverages.  So, the biggest shock about the boat was that it actually had enough room for all of that "stuff" with plenty of room to spare.  It was quite a pleasant surprise.  The ladies were assisted aboard and felt the excitement built as Capt. Carey pulled away from the dock.

And everyone knows that you can't pull away from Homosassa Riverside Resort & Marina without checking out what the monkeys are up to on Monkey Island.   For the history of Monkey Island:
http://www.riversideresorts.com/True_Story_of_Monkey_Island_Webpage.pdf

The 4 1/2 mile boat ride down the Homosassa River was spent sharing expectations of what exciting adventures  the weekend would hold.  Capt. Carey pointed out various landmarks as he slowly made his way through the No Wake zones.  As soon as he was able to throttle up the motor he gave the ladies a quick warning.  They closed their eyes, held on to their hats and felt the wind in their face as Carey made his way through the last leg of the trip.   Several minutes past before they felt the motor slow down and when they opened their eyes, they saw D.J. at the island pier with their kayaks.  Another wave of excitement overtook them!

Carey carefully approached and tied off to the dock and the both he and D.J. assisted the ladies off the boat and onto the pier.  It was time to explore the island oasis and all it had to offer.  It sure did look inviting.

D.J. and Carey helped the gals onto the dock and proceeded to transfer all of their gear off the boat as well.   While the ladies transported all of that from the pier to the covered patio and made sure that everyone had their own belongings, Carey and D.J. started carefully moving the kayaks off of the pontoon boat and onto the shoreline.  The empty pontoon boat stayed at base camp for the duration of the weekend. 

Once the boat was unloaded, all four ladies separated their gear and took a walk around the area to get acquainted with the layout.  Delores and Martha decided to share Cabin A.  Nadia and Pam took Cabin B.  Each air-conditioned cabin had a dresser, queen bed, night stand and a set of bunk-beds.  There was a community bathroom and community kitchen.  Martha Ann brought all of the breakfast supplies, Nadia brought snacks for the weekend, Pam brought dinner fixin's and Delores brought an assortment of beverages.  All of which were stored in the community kitchen.  Martha Ann lead the group in a mid-morning break under the covered deck area.  Seemed this place had pretty much everything they needed for a fantastic fishing weekend. 

Now that all of the chores were done around camp, it was time to get a look at the surroundings.  These would be the waters that they would be fishing for the next couple of days and it was new territory for them.  They liked what they saw.  Everything looked fishy as far as the eye could see.  Calm waters, mangrove islands, and points scattered about here and there.  So much water....so little time.  They were anxious to get out there but that would have to wait a little while longer.

While the girls were getting supplies and gear situated in and around the camp, Capt. Carey was giving D.J. a ride back to the marina.  Carey would staying at the island during the weekend for safety precautions but D.J. had other chores he needed to do around the marina.  From the 2nd level of the boat house, Pam and Nadia got a better view of their surroundings.

Well, there's no time like the present.  The minutes were ticking by and the girls were wondering what was taking the Capt. so long to get back.  They were anxious to get water bound in their kayaks and explore the fishery but didn't want to give the good Captain a scare by vacating the island before his return so they decided to be patient and in the meantime, they could always cast a line from the pier.  You never know what could be lurking in the water within casting distance.  It was the best way to pass the time until Carey got back.

Pam and Nadia had been keeping an eye on the river looking for a glimpse of Capt. Carey's boat.  As soon as they could confirm that it was him heading in their direction, they scrambled down from the boathouse platform and notified the other two that he was on his way back.  Delores made her way down to the waters edge where all of the kayaks had been tethered together to keep them secure and began the process of separating them so everyone would have enough elbow room once they started loading them with fishing gear.

Poor Carey - he had no idea how those four ladies were going to keep him running.  As soon as he got back, the girls began badgering him about getting the kayak fishing adventure underway.  They had been pacing for a while and were eager to get those yaks water bound.  It had been quite a while since he had been in a kayak but he was determined to give it a go.  So he drug his yak to the water, loaded it with his gear and prepared himself for a long, uncomfortable afternoon, all for the sake of making sure these gals had a great experience.

The girls were so anxious to get on the water and start fishing.  The minutes were ticking by and they didn't want to waste a second of sunlight.  This was new territory and there were so many new places to explore and cast a line.  They were already water bound by the time Carey got in his kayak.  Martha Ann led the pack by heading west and then everyone split up to cover more ground....er....water.  The kayak fishing adventure was now under way and Carey did his best to keep an eye on everyone.

Martha Ann was the first to get her bearings out there.  She spent some time scouting the area and getting familiar with her surroundings but it didn't take her long to get comfortable.  She knew what she was looking for:  mangrove points and fast current and she soon found it, pin-pointing the spot where she would anchor down and start her fishing mission.  While the rest of the girls were still exploring new territory, Martha Ann has positioned her kayak just where she wanted it and anchored down so that she would have no distraction (like drifting out of range) while she dialed in on a few casting spots.  By 1:30 that afternoon she had boated her first snook from her kayak.  It measured in at 29 inches but without knowing (off the top of her head) what the snook regulations were, she snapped a quick picture of it and then gently released it back into the water.  She did not want to take the chance of it dying on her kayak while she researched the regulations.  She found out soon afterwards that she had released a slot snook...one that could have been harvested for a celebratory dinner that night.  But Martha Ann was unaware of just how "On Fire!" she would be that day...she was just warming up.

Delores, Nadia and Pam didn't have as much success as Martha Ann, but it wasn't for lack of trying.  It took them a bit longer to identify potential hot-spots and they spent most of their time just making blind casts and hoping for the best.  That's not to say that they didn't catch any fish, but certainly nothing in comparison to what Martha Ann was boating.  That woman was on fire!  Within an hour of her first snook, she nailed this slot redfish.  This was the fish that would be put on the evening menu and could easily feed four hungry women.  It was a good thing knowing that there would be a choice for dinner:  redfish fillets or hamburgers. 

When Martha Ann caught her slot redfish, she really wasn't too far from the campsite so she paddled back there to put Red on ice until dinnertime rolled around.  Perfect opportunity to take a potty break and stretch the legs, too.  Nadia had the same idea and was already at the campsite when Martha Ann got there.  Nadia, like the other girls (and Capt, Carey) hadn't done as well.  No real solid fish to report, unfortunately.  Martha Ann had set a pretty high standard and seemed to be dialed-in on where the action was, so by 3:00, after a few minutes of conversation, she invited Nadia to follow her out for one last trip.  Hopefully she could help Nadia boat a worthy fish of her own that day.   So she lead Nadia to her hot-spot and told her where to anchor down and in what direction to cast.  While Nadia's getting situated, Martha Ann paddled a short distance away so that she could try a new spot but still keep an eye on Nadia.  And as fate would have it, Martha Ann would pull in the next fish, and not just any fish, another slot snook at 28.5 inches.  There was just no doubt that she was having a stellar day!  A second slot snook was a rare treat and would join Big Red in the cooler.  This would be the perfect opportunity for the gang to savor the flavor of both species that evening.  Two tasty fish, five mouths to feed.  Back to the campsite once again to keep it fresh on ice.

It was getting pretty late out  there and by 4:00, the gang thought it best to go ahead and head back to home base.  They would have like to stay out even longer and keep fishing  but their bodies were cramping from being in their kayaks most of the day and they were hungry and thirsty and just plain needed a break so they decided to go head and call it a day.  While they pulled a few cool ones out of the YETI, Carey was busy working his fillet knife and getting some snook and redfish fillets prepared. 

Whew - - It had been a truly exciting and action-packed day!  Loading kayaks at the marina, unloading kayaks at the retreat, organizing gear, fishing for hours on end.  It was definitely time to take a serious break from it all.  The cabins had this really awesome covered deck that afforded lots of shade and was furnished with comfortable patio chairs which the girls took full advantage of.  There they sat enjoying a few adult beverages and chatting about the happenings of the day:  Martha Ann's stellar angling prowess, Nadia's scenic photographs, Delores's salvage of abandoned lures.  All while Capt. Carey was busy cleaning fish.  Dinner would soon be served.

During the planning stages of this trip, Pam contemplated the possibility that even though four lady anglers would be spending most of the day fishing, the ultimate yield of slot table fare species might be a big fat zero.  Stuff happens.  On the off chance that this might occur, she developed a strategy for "Plan B".  That would consist of her secret homemade hamburger recipe with all the fixin's.  Without Martha Ann's redfish & snook, beef would have been their only source of protein.  But since those "just-in-case" burgers were grill-ready, there seemed to be no reason to hold them back from the buffet line.  Four grilled fish fillets and four grilled hamburgers would be just enough to feed four hungry lady anglers and one hungry fishing guide!

While Grill-Master Carey was slaving away over a hot grill, the girls were preparing the table for a well deserved feast.  Paper plates, napkins, plastic utensils, fresh redfish & snook fillets, hamburger fixin's: buns, cheese, mayo, mustard, ketchup, lettuce, tomato, onions, chips, sides: macaroni salad, southwestern corn, baked beans and cold beverages in the YETI.  As they enjoyed dinner, they relived the events of the day with the focus of attention on Martha Ann's unforgettable angling prowess.  She certainly earned the crown that day and the ladies were just so happy to have been a part of the memory.  Having a dinner on a private island with great company and knowing that the meal was a joint effort between them gave them a sense of accomplishment.  And things just kept getting better.

Oh Lord...what a day it had been.  So much had happened and after the dinner table had been cleaned and things put away, they found themselves with full bellies and a little unexpected down-time.  It was getting late and they contemplated a few options.  1...Do they take a quick nap and gear up for a stab at a little night fishing or 2...Do they call it a day and just use the rest of the evening to relax.  There was still a long day of charter fishing with Capt. Carey the following day, but no one wanted to waste a single second of the time out there.  They had to make it count.  That's when Carey suggested a Sunset Boat Ride.  That would entail a trip to the mouth of the Homosassa River to watch the sun set and then the return trip afterwards.  Their reaction was a unison of "ooohhhsss" and "aaahhhsss" with wide eyed looks of wonder.  They couldn't think of a better way to cap off the day and were so grateful to Carey for suggesting it.

As if Saturday wasn't exciting enough, Sunday held even more adventure. A six-hour professional fishing charter with Capt, Carey targeting trout and redfish.  It was the topic of conversation after they arrived back at the cabins after the sunset cruise.  But those plans would require a good nights sleep instead of nighttime kayak fishing and so they opted to rest their weary little bodies.  Pam and Nadia occupied Cabin #1 and Martha Ann and Delores took Cabin #2.  Both cabins were furnished with dresser, night stands, a queen bed and a set of bunk beds so technically each cabin could sleep up to 4 people.  But most importantly....there was A/C.  There was also a T.V. in each room but no one really cared to watch it.  It was time for some much needed rest.  When Sunday morning rolled around, the thought on everyone's mind was the weather and water conditions so curiosity took them to the dock at daybreak to get a glimpse of how the day would begin and they were met with a beautiful site.  Calm waters and smooth as glass.  Breathtaking sunrise.  The girls were anxious to get the day started,

The Homosassa River sunrise was a beautiful sight.  The flat water surface allowed the ladies to catch the subtle clues of where fish were pilfering for food within visual distance.  They had a feeling it was going to be a beautiful day.  But what's better than watching a sunrise?  Watching it with a fresh cup of coffee in your hand.  Nadia was on top of things.  She had already found the coffee supplies in the kitchen and was busy getting them laid out for the rest of the girls.  She's awesome like that.

The smell of Nadia's fresh coffee brewing made its way to Martha Ann which prompted her to pull her breakfast tote out of the refrigerator.  She had brought enough breakfast supplies to make sure no one would walk away from the table hungry.  Lined up on the counter, buffet style, were bagels, cream cheese, sliced tomatoes, capers and salt & pepper shakers.  They each created a bagel masterpiece and took that and their coffee outside to the community table under the covered deck.  That breakfast was delicious, and a perfect way to start the Sunday morning.  How nice it was to be a part of a ladies-only fishing retreat.  Drinking coffee and eating breakfast together outside while the sun came up and the morning began.  It was a good thing that they filled their bellies.  The day turned out to be a busy one.

By 8:00 that morning, everyone had their fill of coffee and bagels.  Breakfast time had been relaxing with conversations of what excitement the day would hold.  The table had been cleared and the small amount of dishes they used had been cleaned and put away.  It was time to get ready for a 6 hour professional charter with Capt. Carey Gibson.  Kayak fishing the day before had been fun, but it hadn't produced the quality fish that they hoped for (with the exception of Martha Ann, of course).  They were certainly counting on Capt. Carey to help them rectify that problem.  His boat was loaded with gear and some comfortable chairs and by 9:00 a.m., they were ready, willing and eager to get going.

Every Homosassa local knows that no fishing trip is complete without a visit to Bonnie "The Bait Lady"'s bait houseboat just outside the mouth of the Homosassa River.  Her bait boat had become a well known landmark and one of the local icons that add to the charm of Homosassa.  This trip would not jinx that tradition so naturally Capt. Carey headed straight for her boat after leaving the island.  He had to pick up a couple of dozen good-luck shrimp in order to stack the odds in favor of some slot trout and redfish.

Some of the awesome photos from that day:

From 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Capt. Carey motored those girls here, there and everywhere.  They spent a little time at each hot spot and if too much time past without someone hooking up, he would pull up anchor and move on.  There were lots of places to hit and he was prepared to visit every single one of them, if he had to, just to make sure these ladies got what they came for (mostly just a fun time, but some keeper fillets would be nice, too)  By 3:00, the group had their fair-share of fish in the cooler and agreed that it was time to head back to camp.  Their casting arms were tired and there was still lots to do before they could make their way back to the marina.  They realized the weekend was coming to a close.

Although they continued to relive the events of the day, they knew they had to turn their attention to a new project like clearing out their belongings from the cabins and making sure that all of their things were present and accounted for.  Bags were packed, gear was organized and totes were lined up down the pier, ready to be loaded.  That was the easy part.  While the girls had been busy taking care of those details, Carey had been trying to contact D.J. by cell phone.  DJ had helped transport the kayak barge from the marina to the island on Saturday morning and had agreed to do the same for the return trip.  Problem was...cell phone towers were down (ATT, Sprint, Verizon) and DJ couldn't be reached no matter how hard Carey (or anyone else for that matter) tried.  Plan B went in action.  The girls joined forces and worked hard to help Carey load all four kayaks and all the gear onto the pontoon.  There was just no other option and no telling how long it would take for cell phone service to come back on-line and it was getting later by the minute.  The girls were pretty anxious now to get back to the marina and call it a day.

Carey made a final walk around the property to make sure that all the doors were locked, windows shut and the air conditioners turned off.  There was a lot to secure before he could take the girls back to the marina, so while he was taking care of all those final details, they gathered together at the end of the pier to wait for him.  While they were there relaxing and chatting, they spotted this family of manatees leisurely swimming by.  It was a great way to end their stay on the island.

By the time the manatee family cruised by, Capt. Carey had the mothership loaded with kayaks and gear and everything on the island secured.  It was time to make their way back to the marina.  Although the ladies were exhausted and ready to go home, they had such a great time that it was hard to accept the fact that it was almost over.  The weekend had been a nice break from reality.  Nonetheless, they boarded the boat and found themselves a comfortable place to sit for the ride back.  Carey pulled away from the dock and turned toward the river.  It was a very quiet ride back, everyone doing a little internal self-reflection of the weekend events....ready to get home and share those stories with friends and family while they were still fresh on the brain. 

Back at the marina, Carey positioned the boat so that it would be easy to unload gear and kayaks.  The ladies, with help from their spouses, began the daunting task of organizing and transferring their things off the boat and into their respective vehicles.  Carey turned his attention to unloading the cooler full of redfish and trout...the haul they brought in earlier in the day during the chartered fishing trip.  Those fish still had to be cleaned and filleted.  Everybody was tired at this point, including the Captain, but even after putting up with four women this weekend and doing 99% of the physical labor, he was still happy to get those fish prepared for transport and made certain that all the ladies got to take home their fair share of fresh fish!

Overall the weekend was a complete success and worth every single penny they had paid to experience it!  Capt. Carey went out of his way (and above & beyond the call of duty) to ensure that these four Nature Coast Lady Anglers experienced a fishing weekend that they would never forget.  It was an amazing one from start to finish and Capt. Carey Gibson was the Capt. that made it all possible.  Everyone should try this trip at least once.  The NCLA is planning on making it an annual event.

Thank You Captain Carey Gibson for an unforgettable weekend!  We appreciate all the time and effort you put in to make it an outstanding event.