The HuntFishTravel Show

Ever feel like you need a little sunshine in your life? Well, pull up a chair and get ready! In February we took a whirlwind trip to Manasota Key, Florida, and let me tell you, it was packed with adventure. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be unpacking all the details – from reeling in fish to paddling through paradise – so stick around if you’re craving a taste of the Gulf Coast!

So picture this: it’s February in Wisconsin, it’s cold, it’s miserable, and I see the awesome folks at the Punta Gorda/Englewood Visitors Bureau – you might know them as Pure Florida is an AGLOW corporate member…

So I send an email and somehow Aaron from Nighttrain Droneworks and I are invited down to soak up some Florida sunshine. I pack my GoPro’s, my tascam podcast recorder and Aaron agrees to play cameraman, and of course, being the amazing drone pilot that he is, was ready to capture all the magic from above.

The lovely folks at Manasota Key Resort were ready to greet us, and we were ready for some serious exploring.

Of course, Mother Nature threw us a bit of a curveball on Monday. It rained. Like, really rained.

So, our grand filming plans took a bit of a nosedive.

But you know what they say: when life gives you lemons, you find the best Publix around and get a key lime pie! We hopped in the car, cruised around, and even though the gray skies put a damper on things, we saw firsthand how the area was bouncing back after those tough hurricanes last fall. It was actually pretty inspiring to see the resilience. And, of course, no rainy day is complete without a Publix cubano platter and a slice (or two) of that key lime pie. Trust me on this one.

All joking aside, the true story of the visit is how the area was hit by hurricane Helen and then devastated by hurricane Milton. Even months later at the end of February the cleanup and the destruction is still evident.

Tuesday morning, we were up before the birds, heading to Eldred’s Marina to meet Capt. Jay Withers with Silver Lining Charters, host of the Guidelines TV Show.

This excursion was AMAZING. I am probably going to annoy everyone with the next few posts, the minute we got into the boat he said, “my goal today is to get you the Florida Inshore Slam.”

I looked at him and said: “dude, I’ve never even been fishing on the ocean, if you helped me get a fish, much less a slam I’ll be happy!”

Subscribe to the podcast and to this blog to find out if I snagged the slam. Landing a Snook, Spotted Seatrout and Redfish in one day is no small feat, to be able to assist a woman who’s used to jigging for walleyes and trolling for muskies is another level.

All that fresh air and sunshine worked up an appetite, so we swung by Steamers Oyster Bar in Englewood for lunch and Waverly Restaurant and Bar for dinner. Let’s just say my taste buds were doing a happy dance. I have an entire blog post coming up on area eats and the restaurants we were able to visit. Some of the stories they shared from the hurricane cleanup was crazy. In that upcoming post, I’ll share the reason we had to eat outside at Waverly.

Wednesday morning, after a hearty breakfast at the Beachcomber Trading Post (a real local gem!), it was time for some paddling adventure. SUP Englewood hooked us up with kayaks, and we spent a glorious morning exploring Don Pedro Island State Park with our guide Danny who took a ton of great photos. Gliding through the water, surrounded by nature – it was pure bliss. We even stumbled upon a fantastic food truck for a quick and tasty lunch before we hit the road towards Clearwater.

We packed so much into what was essentially a 48-hour visit.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing a whole treasure trove of content from this trip. Get ready for:

• Two brand-new podcast episodes: First we’ll be chatting about the whole Manasota Key experience and talk about the real time devastation the Manasota Key Resort experienced from the hurricane, but how they are officially open for business. And secondly, you’ll feel like you were right there with us as I interview Capt. Jay Withers. He’ll share his story and why he decided to leave his Ohio home to make his way south to Florida, and how his tv show came to be.
• A deep dive review of our fishing charter with Captain Jay: Did I snag the Florida Inshore Slam? You’ll find out!
• A written and a YouTube video review of the Manasota Key Resort: Get the inside scoop on our home away from home. I literally want to go back.
• A virtual tour! A video walkthrough of our resort room: Come see where we kicked back and relaxed. The view…THE VIEW!!
• A full review of our kayaking adventure with SUP Englewood: Was it smooth sailing? Did Aaron end up in the drink? Maybe…
• Your ultimate guides! A 1-day, 3-day, and 7-day itinerary for exploring Manasota Key: Start planning your own getaway. I love planning travel and trips, and I think these itineraries will really help you if you’re interested in visiting the area.
• A mouthwatering blog post highlighting the best local restaurants: Because let’s be honest, good food is a crucial part of any trip. Especially to a fat girl from Wisconsin.

Think of this as your sneak peek, the trailer before the main feature. I’m so excited to share all these experiences with you and hopefully inspire your next adventure.

So while you’re waiting for these posts to drop, make sure you’re following along on social media! I’ll be sharing photos and videos from our trip on all my channels: HFT Facebook, HFT Twitter/X.com, HFT TikTok, HFT Instagram, and HFT YouTube.

You can also catch Aaron’s amazing drone footage on NightTrain Droneworks’ Instagram and TikTok.

So, are you ready to dive in? Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss a single story, review, or tip from our Manasota Key adventure. Trust me, you won’t want to miss what’s coming!