Spectacular Days on the Water
2001-05-20 - Capt. Tom Rowland

My Father, Tom Rowland, Sr. and my mother, Judy were in town awaiting the birth of my second son. It was early October and the weather was fantastic. Stuart Grossman, one of my favorite clients was coming to town to fish for the week with the understanding that we might have a baby any day; any minute. The evening before the trip, Stuart phoned the house for the 100th time that week to check on my wife and also to check on the fishing. I suggested that we leave early the next morning in order to have the best chance at a tarpon. Stuart asked my father if he would like to join us and after some convincing, my Dad decided to go.

As a young man, I went to work with my Dad occasionally, but usually only when I was in some kind of trouble and he wanted to keep an eye on me. Today would be the first day that my Father would actually see me at work. I was excited that he would be able to see me on a real charter and see exactly what it is that I do for a living. We had agreed that this was Stuart’s fishing trip and that he would be an observer.

We put the boat in the water and picked up Stuart at his Sunset Key home just off Key West. My Dad and Stuart got along wonderfully from the start. I had told Stuart a lot about my father and family in the 100 plus days that he had chartered me that year and my Dad had also heard a lot about Stuart. Suiting his personality, Stuart phoned me or my wife several times a day for months to check on her progress and to see if there was anything he could do. Lately, he had spoken with Dad on a few of those phone calls.
The day began with a 20 minute run to a tarpon spot. The sun was rising and unveiled a few tarpon rolling in a channel. We fished for them for an hour without a bite and I decided that we had better go to a bonefish spot while the tide was right. We packed up and headed for another area.

Once on the bonefish flat, Stuart insisted that my Dad share the fishing 50/50. Reluctantly, Dad stepped on the bow. I spotted a small school of bones coming towards us and put my father on them. The first cast came up short, but the second was perfect and soon my Dad was tight to a bonefish. After a picture, we released the fish and Stuart got ready. 15 minutes later, I spotted another school and Stuart made the cast flawlessly.  “Strip!,Strip!” I said as the fish followed the fly. The fish opened his mouth and took Stuart’s fly and soon a second bonefish was to the boat.

As the tide became higher, we found fewer fish and I decided to go after permit. A short run brought our skiff to a great permit flat on an even better tide. The flat produced well and we got plenty of shots with no reward. After a few more flats, Stuart got a great shot at a tailing permit. Stuart put the cast slightly in front of the fish and he tailed up and Stuart set the hook. A sizzling run followed and Stuart handled the situation  well. 40 minutes later, we landed Stuart’s largest permit ever, 32 pounds.

We were all overjoyed at the morning’s great fishing. It was time for lunch and we enjoyed a great Turkey sandwich overlooking another terrific Permit flat. Midway through lunch I realized that a tarpon would complete Stuart’s slam and we needed to get going to insure that he would have plenty of opportunity. Just then, I spotted a permit tailing about 200 feet away. My Dad hopped on the deck and I poled him to it. He placed his first cast slightly behind the fish but it was good enough to fool him. Suddenly, the fish tipped up and my Dad was also tight to a permit. After photographing his fish, I sat down and  looked at my anglers.

We ran to another spot and then to another without any success. I could tell that the hopes of a slam were waning for Stuart and my Dad. I encouraged them to hang with me and we would make it happen. I was afraid that we were going to run out of time so I hurried to another spot.

Finally, we came across a school of tarpon at 6:00 pm. Loosing our light, we hurried into position and got Stuart on the deck. Stuart hooked up quickly but lost the fish. He turned to my Dad and offered him the rod but Dad declined. We were determined to get Stuart a slam. 

Because we had worked so hard today and we were rapidly loosing valuable light to be able to see these fish, Stuart became a little frustrated. He had hooked 4 fish and the inside of his leg and not landed a one.

Finally, I saw a fresh fish and instructed Stuart to cast to it. This time the fish stayed on and I picked him up for the photograph to document his lifetime achievement, a permit, bonefish and tarpon on fly in one day.

I asked my Dad if he wanted to give it a try and he did. After 2 fish on, he managed to land a tarpon and we completed the double slam. We rode home that night into the setting sun. By the time we got back to the dock, it was dark and I was unsure of what to expect when we got home. Nothing had happened with my wife that day, but a few days later, my Dad and I exchanged the bow of my skiff for the hospital and witnessed the birth of Hayden King Rowland, 8 pounds 3 ounces.