Yesterday's 1st of 2 pre-planned trips for this week had my dentist/C.com member Dr. Carlos annotated within my appointment book. Also slated for this almost in stone, fun-filled outing was Dr. Carlos's octogenarian, hand ball playing, C.com member Raymond. Keep in my that last week, I had both anglers as guests but on separate trips. The doc's Sat. trip yielded his PB Pomp with various species also cleaned/bagged back @ramp(to include spoon-scraped Ladyfish). Raymond's Wednesday trip was a much tougher bite with no bagged filets to accompany him during his 2 hr. drive back to Orlando area. After fishing with Dr. Carlos 3 day's later, we tentatively planned for the 3 man team for yesterday, if he could re-arrange his Wed. appts. Well, after the doc made the necessary adjustments, he realized, as I really knew, that fishing really DOES come 1st!!
This account will start it's ramp-down @this point. Raymond called(texted) us that he was unable to go and wished us well. This was the fortune teller(Raymond), unknowingly, forecasting the next day's shakedown. Carlos and I both evaluated Raymond's pull-out decision as a cold temperature, wind gust avoidance. Realistically, the YMCA has heated, indoor facilities that he enjoys his MULTIPLE days of hand ball every week. This spryster is 88 years young folks!! A pushed-back 9 am(hr. later) meetup was planned to start the 2 man "easy-peasy, Mr. Greasy" non-stop action. While doing my Trailer hook up to vehicle(1 billionth time) just 20 mins. prior to meetup, my coupler was resting on top of the ball by 3/4" so I flipped my dolly roller-jack into horizontal storage position(mistake). I figured I could just pull it onto the ball but my trailer tires were stopped by my 8' 1x8 board. Still thought easy-peasy for just 3/4" fwd movement. The coupler tongue, sitting firmly atop the ball, slipped off with my pull/board-freeing efforts! now crashing to the ground because the dolly jack is now in stow position. The top edge of my Carolina skiff hit my lower right side rib cage in Bruce Lee flying-kick force. Didn't hear the snap but highly suspect rib fracture at the imaging appt. this morning. Now, we can add in the easy-peasy catch details- Zero, nada, zilch OMG you gotta be kidding me! After deciding instantly NOT to call/cancel now en route Dr. Carlos just 15 mins. away from his 1 1/2 hr drive, I chose to downplay my 7 -10 pain scale throughout the 6 1/2 hrs of trying to do a net-"implant", hook "extraction", and photo "shot" to include with this day's trip posting. My Bowling league play, tomorrow's Bossman Slab's trip is now on Hold 'til further improvement, sorry Ed was really looking forward to it. Luckily with Dr. Carlos's cordial acceptance of 1st mate assistance(anchor detail, crank boat on trailer) the 20 spot, varied bait offering the fish apparently had the NOBITE virus goin' on. I was able to accomplish my "field trip" tutorial by having the doc attend(pull/rebait) my minnow(3), crab(2), and pinfish(2) all being a 1st experience for him. Wish I could say the same for my rib-injury history = 12 years ago-slipping on fish slime with banana skin(worn down) Crocs breaking 3 ribs(right side)#8,9,10. Well, good thing is all the post-injury/modus operandi will be the same(eg- Sleeping on a recliner etc.) Well guys/girls/Slab- 'til better times be safe.

u2s