Yesterday a group of us decided to go farther on jet skis than any of us had gone before. We went 35 miles into the Gulf.
The views out that far are amazing. Open water in every direction — nothing on the horizon but water and sky.
Fishing was consistent the whole time. We were on fish and catching — just nothing big enough to keep. Worth the run anyway.
I'll be honest about one thing: 35 miles out is rough on the body. The water doesn't get gentler the farther you go. By the time we were heading back, every mile had left its mark.
The real payoff wasn't the fish. It was the thinking. Out there there's no Slack, no email, no quick questions — just your own head and whatever problem you've been chewing on. Another day spent with my thoughts, and another day where some new problems got solved.
The catch of the day wasn't a fish. It was the thinking.
The second reason for yesterday: gear testing. I'd just installed jetski collars from Jet Ski Fishing Mob out of Australia, plus a new battery box to keep my battery water tight. Both got their first real test at 35 miles. Both passed — battery came back dry, collars held up.
All in all, a good day for thinking and testing.
The downside? I thought of more problems to solve. There's always more.
Until the next run out — work hard, play hard.