Someone must have reported catching where you were. We passed by you all around 12:30 to call it a night. There had to be 10 boats with you guys. I got a 25” and 21” wiper a nice channel cat and a yellow cat. Couldn’t buy a crappie bite in the evening though. I love when the water is higher for night fishing. Wish we would have stayed out longer. They just seemed to be turning on when we left. But getting home any later would have had me a complete zombie.

There were a ton of boats right around the island. We were set up away from everybody else along the treeline closer to the marina. I hate fishing on top of other people. I may have screwed myself from the sounds of it if you say the were catching.

No idea if they were catching.  We just drove by and figured that some Facebook group or other mentioned the island having fish.  The other island on the shoals gets even worse.  I have passed by there before and could swear that there are 20 boats tied together.  Looks like a Christmas tree with all of the red and green lights.
 
Not going to say that I go where no one goes, but usually have a good 50 yards between boats.  But every 3-4 times out, there is that guy that will pull within 20 feet.  

Pork that would be meeee pulling in so close but I'd be just sayin hi, 👋 cause ya know I can't catch no stupid fish.

Keep this under your hat.... I sold my boat.😭

There's a guy livin' in Gods' Country, in proximity to Lake Arthur, Pymatuning, Shenango, and Wilhelm, and a host of smaller lakes. Some of the best fishin' we could ask for. Former fellow OTR Trucker, fellow fisherman and neighbor, and all around good guy. And now he's gone and sold his home and his boat. What? Wait! HIS BOAT!!!!! Oh, the humanity. I think he has become an "RV Specialist" and surrendered to the Deep South.

GOSH emitch, 😢that poor guy, how sad. Sounds like a great guy too.🤗
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😂😅🤣🙈

Yep I did... I sold the boat. Time to pack it in. Wife and I been spending time visiting our favorite spots we've come to enjoy over our 46 years together. Some like Arthur, Tamarack, Wilhelm, Shenango will likely be seen, for the last time.

Time to move on and see what's to see and maybe fish by the sea where too I shall not catch, them stupid fish.

But fret not, for through the miracles of the internet... it'll be like I never left. 😜

Thanks neighbor. 🍻

I've watched a lot of fishin' shows and though the elusive walleye is my preferred target fish, if I had the jing and a weeks vacation to spend on the Gulf, I'd like to hook up with a few of those monster Redfish. Seem like really good fighters, and everybody raves about a "blackened redfish dinner". Awesome fish! Wishin' you and yours good fortune, BT.

mitch cost of food and housing and even a fishing license isn't really expensive along the panhandle into "bama.

Unfortunately, the dadburn transportation will knock the heck out of your budget if you fly into Pensacola.

Having somebody ya can share driving with, would be the way to go. Two people should be able to drive it in one day. Of course, there's the coast to coast coffee and ya can drive down and back, by yourself... in the same day😳.

13 hours, 850ish miles from Grove City to Floribama. Buy a combination saltwater license and fish both states.

May looks to be the beginning to good times and tightlines in both states.

Thank you for the flowers driver. 🍻

EMitch
I've watched a lot of fishin' shows and though the elusive walleye is my preferred target fish, if I had the jing and a weeks vacation to spend on the Gulf, I'd like to hook up with a few of those monster Redfish. Seem like really good fighters, and everybody raves about a "blackened redfish dinner". Awesome fish! Wishin' you and yours good fortune, BT.

I mean its not the Gulf of Mexico, but you can catch some big ol' Redfish in NC. The Neuse River is famous for giant reds, but where we go for vacation near Wilmington, we got into some nice reds on the Cape Fear River. They are a blast to fight.

They can be caught up past NJ too.  Not in regularity, but I caught one about 10 years ago in Lavallette, NJ.  Much more common the further south you go.  A good bit in the VA Tidewater area.  World record was caught in Avon, NC - Hatteras Island.  If you are looking for bull reds from shore, I am not sure if there is a better place than the Buxton Point in May, a few miles south of Avon.  It is a crowded conga line and the locals will throw you in with the sharks if you are using braid and try to join their line.  Pound for pound, they would whoop any freshwater fish's rear.  Not sure how they compare to permit, cobia or amberjacks in the salt.  They all have pretty good reputations of pound for pound power.  I've caught yellowfin tuna, mahi mahi and a sailfish before.  All were ridiculous fighters, but the off shore gear strapped in a fighting chair, is much different than rod in hand from shore or inshore boat.  I did fight a nice mahi mahi on a lighter rod on one trip.  Kind of a bummer taking 15 minutes to get the thing in, while my buddies using the heavier gear were decking fish after fish.  But for anyone that has ever done the mahi mahi thing, many captains try to keep a fighting fish close to the boat.  It drives the others into a feeding frenzy.  That was his way of doing it and sort of fun, for the first 5 minutes...
 
But yes, I would trade the local fishing scene for what you can find in the South in a heart beat.  With the bonus of no winter!!!  Although, 6 months of temps near 90 would definitely be something to get used to.  So, basically for 6 months out of the year, fishing and most other things, are reserved for early mornings and late evenings.