Capt. Michael Passalacqua

“Mike Sr and I were having a blast fishing down in Flamingo. Snook fishing was the name of the game. I was poling along this perfect mud bank with slightly off-color muddy water. Mike Sr was at the bow, and we had caught a few decent snooks laid up along the bank in textbook situations.

Mike was standing ready, his fly in hand, and a little fly line out of the rod tip as I spotted one in the distance. We were prepared. As I made one final push, my mind froze, and the push pole somehow brought the boat to a stop without me even thinking about it. I whispered to Mike, “Drop your fly at your feet.” A large silhouette that I initially thought was the bottom quickly transformed into a fish-like shape. With utmost care, he dropped the fly and extended the rod tip slightly.

Just a few inches off the bow of the boat, in that muddy water, a healthy 30-inch snook quivered and engulfed his fly. After a battle to keep him out of the bushes, we successfully landed the fish, creating an unforgettable memory that I won’t soon forget.”