Diary of a Half-Back Lifestyle

**A model Florida Crawfish aka, lobster.**

American Press Travel News—3/29/2021—Bob and Barb “On the Road Again”—-Why do we travel half way back to our old home, VT, to TN., from Southern Florida? Summers in Florida are humid. With my deviated septum (partially blocked nostril) I have a hard time breathing in heavy humidity. So, when the cooler winter and spring breezes, with their lesser humidity devolve into more summer-like conditions, even starting from the first day of spring, we head for the hills of TN.. In Florida we eat seafood, in TN. its beef, chicken and garden vegetables. Fishing in Florida its sea fishes, in TN. its crappie and trout, and our favorite walleye pike. I can breathe in TN., and love the cool breezes throughout spring, summer and fall.

We live on a small farm at about 2000-feet above sea level. When the summer heats up all around our plateau, we are 8-10 degrees cooler than all the other areas, cities and towns, and just about every night is a no-AC needed event.

As an author, I find it easier to work at our farm in TN. than in Florida. Florida has too many things going on, and this causes me to divert, and avert my time from putting finger tips to keys. However, the Keys is truly a paradise for a fisherman, like me. With boating, searching for marlin and dolphin fish, the schools of tuna, the occasional wahoo, I get lost in the Gulf Stream of life. My preference these days is to sight fish for permit, bonefish, seatrout, snook, and redfish inshore, in quiet waters.

My sons David and Brian were brought up in the Keys, and were my nearly constant companion on my favorite boat “The Shalom.” That is until their fancy turned to girls and cars. We gathered our own shrimp and saltwater crawfish called Florida Lobster ( I still prefer the real northern- waters kind, with succulent claws and tail). Today, my sons have a fine boat that they own and enjoy, I have my farm and when I can visit the Keys to be with my boys and their life’s experiences! STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER!!!!!!

Pictures of the Week!!

American Press Travel News–March 12th, Florida Keys–Pictures of the week!! ALL IMAGES IN “HISTORY OF FISHING IN THE FLORIDA KEYS!” THIS BOOK IS BY BOB T. EPSTEIN SEE ON-LINE AT AMAZON!

**Giant Melogadon jaw, inside of that jaw is a Tiger Shark Jaw!!!**

**Ted Williams and his guide Stu Apte!!**

**President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the Keys!!**

An Excerpt from The Book: “A Fishing History of the Keys.”

“A Florida Keys Fishy History of the Denizens of The Deep”

**Curt Gowdy and President Bush out fishing with Bob Epstein (Credit Bob T. Epstein for image)**

American Press Travel News–March 1st, The following is a short excerpt from Bob’s book: “A History of Fishing in the Florida Keys.” –From all corners of the earth, tourist visitors make pilgrimages to the Florida Keys to fish, and it’s no wonder, with more than 600 fish varieties in Florida waters, most of which are caught in the waters between Miami and the 150-miles down to Key West. And according to the writings of Zane Grey, a fabulous outdoor writer, and world famous angler, the waters between Indian Key and Bahia Honda Harbor were the very best in the world (as he wrote in the 1920’s). So, along with locals, and Americans from all over the U.S.A. who come to duel with offshore fish such as swordfish, marlin, sailfish, mackerel, tuna, wahoo, dolphin fish (Mahi Mahi), and a large assortment of other deep -sea fishes, the Keys is most noted for, it stands to reason that the real magnet drawing all to these boney islands, are these underwater finned residents of the Keys! Ask anyone about the Florida Keys, most responses would be about fishing, Key Lime pie-sort of the “apple pie & mom” of South Florida’s special nature, is what is thought of first.
Inshore, there is an entire hierarchy of fish-royalty, from the bonefish, tarpon, permit, the triage of the perfecta, to the snook, seatrout, red drum, and mangrove snapper, that today, as in the past hundred years, attract anglers to both shore, and canoe-fish as well as hiring hundreds of fishing guides and their skiffs, in pursuit of these fish for picture-trophy, and the plate as well. Today, with 43-bridges that connect each of the Keys Islands bridge fishing is also a great draw for anglers without boats, to bring their families and friends to go out to sea without ever getting their sneakers wet and still catch fish too!

Captain Key Largo, Brian Epstein Takes You Deep or Shallow!

**Brian Epstein holds his friends sailfish. Brian (related to long gone Beatles Manager) is as effective in finding fish as his namesake was in finding great Worldwide Talent!!**

AmericanPressTravelNews-Feb 20th, Key Largo, Florida–Captain Key Largo, Brian Epstein grew up in the Florida Keys, more on a boat than in our waterfront home in Tavernier, FL. From a very early age, he had already caught nearly all gamefish you can name that swim the shallows, the reefs, and the very pelagic Gulf Stream. Brian, now married to his wonderful Diane, a Pediatric Emergency Room Nurse, now also teacher, loves the Keys and all wild waters of the world. After many years of Brian working in the steel business, Brian’s passion for fishing could not be cooled in any way. So, his dad (yours truly) and brother have encouraged him to do what he likes best, and has driven so many friends, relatives and business associates to wanting Brian to take them fishing. No kidding, Brian has had virtually no skunked days taking anyone looking for. and fighting the “fins.”

Brian is a genius at figuring out where the lum-lunkers lurk, day or night! Brian is a real “fish-whisperer.” I know you may say, that as I am his dad, I am over-blowing his expertise in finding and putting anyone in his boat on fish? No! He learned from many of the best anglers in the world, and I will not brag on him, and name names because you may think I’m positively prejudiced in his favor, you’d be wrong, I just know the facts, and tell you if you want to catch and keep a few for dinner or release, use a fly rod or any rod-even a handline, Brian is absolute expert. He learned to talk and tell the tides and moon cycles, he finds snook, tarpon and reds, trout, bones and permit, sharks and wahoo, sails and white & blue marlin, dolphin and tuna and many believe he can out-fish anyone in the Keys (how about giant grouper and snapper too). Brian caught his first big blue marlin on no kidding, 20-pound test on an older model Shakespeare, spinning rod outfit with lots of Lithium reel grease. We chased the fish and finally released a 250-plus pounder, after running my Mako for two hours. Captain Skip Bradeen out of Chesapeake Marina, witnessed the fight (he offered to get us a Captains Mount, which Brian refused) Brian was 9-years old and wouldn’t let me touch that rod. Probably would have been a record for a 9-year old on twenty pound test. When I asked Brian what he wanted to do, should I gaff or break the fish off. Brian said: “Pop, I would never kill that fish, it was a great fight, I’ll always remember today.” He has, and now he will be introducing anglers from around the world to the “world class fishing” that the Keys and South Florida is so well known for!!Call him anytime: 954-326-7360 WWW.CaptainKeyLargo.com Promise; outdoor adventures with Brian at the helm, offers lifetime memories!!!