Florida can be a strange place and sometimes I think long periods of time in the tropics can adversely effect coherent thought . Like it has done mine.
After 19 years in southern Florida I must confess there is one thing I do truly miss . I miss trout. Brook trout, and rainbow trout that live in the cold moving waters that flow through beautiful places . I miss casting my hand tied flies in hope of enticing them .
We’ve just experienced what I would almost call a real winter here in Florida and on saying that I can just hear the eyes roll from all above the Mason / Dixon . It’s all relative I suppose but this “cold” winter did make me realize that I didn’t much miss pulling a trout through a hole cut through four feet of ice on a frozen lake ….. hold that thought.
The economy of Florida has traditionally relied on our ability to entice tourists to abandon their ice fishing habits up north and bring their wallets south for a winter visit . This is where my new business plan steps to the fore and you may well want to jump in on this ….
Picture in your minds eye, thick sheets of plexi glass on pontoons floating out on the Gulf of Mexico . In holes bored through the plexi glass sit ice fishing tip ups baited for Grouper or Snapper . Maybe a bail or two of white cotton around the beach chairs to add appropriate ambiance and a place to rest the umbrella drink .
What self respecting Minnesotan would not pay for the privilege of sending such sun burnt pics of himself back to friends and family huddled in that ice shanty up north ? I personally think this could be a real goer .
I didn’t mean to whine about our winter down here in Florida this year ….. as long as ice fishing sucks, all is good .
