Simpler Times

Here I am with my Granddaddy, Haywood Wiggins after a great day on the water catching redfish. Back then (I think I was probably 15 or 16 years old here), I brought home almost everything I caught so my mom could cook it up for the family to eat that night. We didn't let a thing go to waste and lived off of the simple things like freshly caught fish, vegetables grown in my Dad's garden, and sweet sun tea. Those were the days!!

Hey - I wanted to give a quick update on how me and my fishing partner Todd Royall did in last weekend's tournament. Remember I was up in Destin for the 9th Annual Old Nick's Redfish Roundup tournament? Well, me and Todd took 1st in the spots division. Pretty darn cool.

Had a great turnout for my seminar on Friday night and then the tournament hit an all time high record for attendance. I hope those numbers increase next year too . . . we'll definitely be back! Thanks to Nick's and to Legendary Marine for the invite.

We've been traveling a lot lately, shooting shows and fishing. Last week I got to do something we've never done on AF . . . fish and film on a Bass lake. That's right, I said it - B A S S fishing. We were in St. Cloud fishing with Skeeter Bass Pro, Chuck Pippin. It was a beautiful lake and we had a great time with Chuck, just a little tough bite though. We'll show a little of it in an episode later this season. I think I'll stick to saltwater, I think I've got a little of it running through my veins. Ha!

Now, I'm off again to the Everglades in pursuit of tarpon! How many of you remember Capt. Gary Thompson from season 6 in "Tarpon Time"? Check out the AF YouTube Channel to see what Gary had me catching back then. We're hoping for a Part two of that same experience. Haven't caught a tarpon yet this season, so fingers crossed, no bananas on the boat . . . here we go!

This week's episode is a little something special for our friends at Star Brite. Last season we went to the Dry Tortugas and Key West on the Star Brite (62' Viking) and caught some amazing fish. This year we were scheduled to go again and do something a little different, but they had to postpone due to a "family member" having surgery and treatment coming up. We decided to do a look back to that Key West trip, put in some footage you haven't seen and dedicate it to the speedy recovery of "Jake." 

We're cheering you on Jake and can't wait to see your tail waggin' again soon! Tune in tomorrow to see "Keys Chronicles" (Friday, May 23rd at 10:30 a.m. ET on Fox SunSports). Check the AF website for replay times on Sunday and Wednesday.  

I'm heading back out on the water for now!  

Until next week . . . tight lines,
Blair

Destined for rough weather . . .

I can't seem to outrun, escape or get away from the weather!! Bah! We have NEVER had such a challenging season as this one. Last you heard, we were in Chokoloskee shooting with Capt. Brian Sanders. Luckily we got a show shot in one day because the weather gave us no choice but to pack up and go home the next day. Then, we head up to Destin because the reports of cobia all over were pouring in, plus we were invited by our good friends and Skeeter Boats dealer, Legendary Marine. We never pass up an invite from those folks. We head out on day one of the shoot and the weather gods do NOT want to cooperate. We were patient that week though and did get an episode. Stay tuned this season and I'll get to show you some Mogan redfish in this episode from Destin.  

Me and the AF crew were even socked in one day on land . . . never stepped a foot on the boat, we found other ways to entertain ourselves at the Harborwalk Village and Emerald Grande. Great place to be stuck inside, I tell ya! I may have gained a few extra pounds from all the great food too. Might have to head back up there soon just for another plate of oysters! 

The other positive was we got to spend time with some very cool anglers and military folks. Legendary Marine and Skeeter Boats put on a killer dinner Friday night to kick off the Royall Rumble - a cobia tournament with the Wounded Warrior program and local captains. Earlier that evening I was introduced to a young man, Chance Roye who was fishing the tournament with his Dad. His Dad said, "My son met his hero!" and I thank you for that, thanks Chance. My heroes were all in the room that night. What an honor to meet these folks and given the opportunity to thank them all for their service and sacrifice. Everyone in the Captain's meeting jumped to their feet for a standing ovation when introduced to our Veterans. Thank you! 

This weekend is a pretty exciting and big weekend for Dick's and for the AF Crew. We'll be in Tampa kicking off the newest store in the Westshore Mall. Can't wait because Dick's is really going all out to welcome Tampa Mogan Maniacs to this new location! I'll be there on Saturday, April 26th and Sunday, April 27th from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. each day. I'll be doing some seminars on inshore and offshore fishing in Tampa Bay. We just aired two of the episodes we shot in Tampa this season, and I'll be talking about those cool lookin' hogfish too! 

Come out and get registered to win a Minn Kota Talon, trolling motor, Costa sunglasses and a couple of guided fishing trips inshore with Capt. Chris Camps and offshore with Capt. Ryan Farner. The sales are on! Come out and get geared up for your next fishing trip too. 

This week's episode we're doing something a little special for our friends at Star Brite. Last season we went to the Dry Tortugas and Key West on the Star Brite (62' Viking) and caught some amazing fish. This year we were scheduled to go again and do something a little different, but they had to postpone due to a "family member" having surgery and treatment coming up. We decided to do a look back to that Key West trip, put in some footage you haven't seen and dedicate it to the speedy recovery of "Jake." We're cheering you on Jake and can't wait to see your tail waggin' again soon! 

Tune in tomorrow to see "Keys Chronicles" (Friday, April 25th at 10:30 a.m. ET on Fox SunSports). Check the AF website for replay times on Sunday and Wednesday.  

Heading outside to make sure the weather doesn't change just because I'm out there. I'm starting to get a complex! Is it me? 

Until next week . . . tight lines,
Blair

Ahhhh . . . on the water!

I'm finally back on the water. The weather has given us a break here in Florida and today I'm fishing Cape Canaveral with one of my favorite McGills of Wright & McGill. I took my new Skeeter SX240 bay boat home from Miami and Drew McGill flew in last night just to spend some time fishing with me. There is no better excuse to dunk my new ride and test out everything on it. I need to show Drew just how much we appreciate everything his company and family have done for us and send him back to Denver with some Cobia, Triple Tail, flounder and whatever we manage to hook and can keep. This isn't just a mission to test the boat, this is a mission to get some sun, fill my Engel cooler and feed my family. Drew couldn't have picked a better couple of days to spend down here and get away from the winter weather he's got back home. This is a photo from 2006 when I was on a Wright & McGill photo shoot just at the beginning of working with them on my own signature series line of rods. Definitely a flashback for y'all.  

The Miami Boat Show went great. The Skeeter team really rolled out the red carpet for me and the AF crew. They had my new boat front and center, posters, give aways and it was a great way to kick off our 2014 season together. In fact, we shoot our next episode next week in the Tampa Bay area, then the traveling craze begins again. After Tampa Bay we're off to Panama City, Slidell, LA, Buras, LA, Ft. Myers and Bradenton just to kick things off. I'll keep you posted on the details of each stop, just giving you a quick run down for March. Thanks to everyone who came out to meet me last week in Miami. Loved seeing some familiar faces and always a pleasure meeting new ones.  

Skeeter, Minn Kota, Humminbird, Star Brite, and Eagle Claw/Trokar are all heading to the Bassmaster Classic in Birmingham, AL. We wish them all a great show and to all of our fellow team members and Pros fishing the Classic, we hope you do well! Oh, by the way. . . Minn Kota Talon is running a cool give away, check this out:  Enter to win a FREE Talon - "Like" the Minn Kota page on Facebook and click the LOCK DOWN A TALON TAB to enter.  That's it!    

I'm keeping it short this week because I've got to get these fish cleaned for my guest and for dinner.  Tune in this week to AF and catch the last airing of "One Hour Later" on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. ET (Sportsman Channel). We've got some killer kingfish and snapper action to show you from the Dry Tortugas.  Then on Monday at 9:00 a.m. and again on Tuesday at 2:30 a.m. check out "Tortuga Bank."  Capt. Chris Trosset has me fishing off of a deep ledge on the back of the Star Brite 62' Viking for snapper and grouper. Boy were my arms tired! Remember, if you can't watch it on TV, you can always subscribe to the AF YouTube channel for full episodes anywhere / any time.

Until next week . . . tight lines,

Blair

Bienvenido a Miami

So here's a Throwback Thursday photo for ya - how many of y'all remember this one from Biscayne Bay in 2001?  Time sure flies when you're having fun . . . and catching fish! Check out that earring I'm sportin'.  Ha!  

I'm here in South Beach and I'll be hanging in the Skeeter/Yamaha booth for the Miami Boat Show all weekend long. My schedule is 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. today, Friday and Saturday and then 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Sunday. Stop by to see me and say "hey!" Skeeter, Addictive Fishing and all of our sponsors have put together some killer Prize Paks that we'll be giving away during the Miami Boat Show. Come on by and to register for a chance to win a Minn Kota Talon, Humminbird Fishfinder, Flats Blue and Flats Pink Rods, Sabalos Reels, bucket of Star Brite boat cleaning products, Engel Cooler and much more! 

Our friends at DropCam have made a live video feed from the Skeeter Boats booth at the Miami International Boat Show their top "featured" cam for the duration of the show. You can check out the action from the Skeeter booth all weekend long and catch a sneak peak of my new SX240 bay boat. You can also peak in to see all the impressive stuff we're giving away! To view the live action from the Skeeter booth you can download the free app, create a username and password, then open "featured cams," here's the link => https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dropcam/id351175162?mt=8. Or, from your desktop check out this link => http://dropc.am/p/xwc3KD    

We're looking forward to a great boat show and for y'all who can't make it down to Miami to hang out with me and the AF Crew you should check it out on the live cam. It's pretty cool beans! Wanna know what's not cool beans? I thought I was going to be able to drive out of Miami on Sunday with my new boat in tow. I just found out that I can't come back until Wednesday to pick it up! Don't they know it's like telling a kid at Christmas here's the present you waited all year for, but you can't play with it until next week? Oh, the torture!!  

This week's episodes on the Sportsman Channel are from the trilogy we shot on our trip to Key West with the crew of the Star Brite. We had a 3 day adventure aboard the 62' Viking with Capt. Chris Trosset and caught so many beautiful fish, we got 3 episodes. On Sunday's episode "Tuna Fly" at 10 a.m. (ET) I hook a black fin tuna on a fly rod. He takes me all the way around that boat . . . that's a 62 foot fight! Then watch on Monday at 9 a.m. (ET) and again on Tuesday at 2:30 a.m. (ET) for "One Hour Later." This episode has amazing kingfish and snapper action near the Dry Tortugas.  Check it out! If you can't watching on TV, you can always subscribe to the AF YouTube channel for full episodes anywhere / any time.

Until next week . . . tight lines,
Blair

Riggin' Up

I spent last week at a boat show in Orlando, next week I'll be in Miami for another boat show, hanging around boats and talking fishing. I'm itchin' to get on the water and leaning on a Skeeter gunnel at a tradeshow just isn't gonna cut it. Know what I mean? I'm at home now getting my rods, reels and tackle all rigged up and ready for that first cast. Once we get back from Miami it's "Camera! Lights! Action!" for me and the AF film crew. I am ready and now my gear is ready too. In the words of Mr. Producerman "let's go now!"  

Hey, but y'all make hanging out in the boat shows worth it. Seriously, I love hearing all the fish stories, seeing the pics on your smartphones and trading info. Come see me next weekend . . . I'll be hanging in the Skeeter/Yamaha booth for the Miami Boat Show February 13th - 16th. Skeeter, Addictive Fishing and all of our sponsors have put together some killer Prize Paks that we'll be giving away during the Miami Boat Show. Stop by the Skeeter booth to say "Hey" and to register for a chance to win a Minn Kota Talon, Humminbird Fishfinder, Flats Blue and Flats Pink Rods, Sabalos Reels, bucket of Star Brite boat cleaning products, Engel Cooler and much more! For even a little more torture for me to endure, my new Skeeter SX240 Bay boat will be there too.  I'm just going to have to be patient and enjoy hanging out on the boat even if it's not floating around stalking fish.  

This week's episodes on the Sportsman Channel are from our trip to Key West with the crew of the Star Brite. We had a 3 day adventure aboard the 62' Viking with Capt. Chris Trosset hooking into big beautiful fish. This episode is when I hook a black fin tuna on a fly rod. He takes me all the way around that boat . . . that's a 62 foot fight! Sunday is the last airing for "Catalina Blue" at 10 a.m. (ET), where I'm fishing with Eric Bent off of Catalina Island for Calico Bass. Then watch "Tuna Fly" on Monday at 9 a.m. (ET) and again on Tuesday at 2:30 a.m. (ET) I'm fishing off of Key West. Check it out! If you can't watching on TV, you can always subscribe to the AF YouTube channel for full episodes anywhere / any time.  

Until next week . . . tight lines,

Blair