The Rule of Three

There's something about the Rule of Three. Good things, bad things, strange things––for whatever reason, they often occur in sequences of three. A historically cold Minnesota winter of polar vortexes has nixed most outdoor activities these past months and forced me to look back at my most memorable fishing adventures from 2013, when temps were above zero.

And there it is. The Rule of Three. As I reflect on highlights and lowlights from my time on the water last year, three incredible experiences stand out. Each venture, in and of itself, was a spectacular moment that could stand alone as a capstone adventure in any outdoorsman's life. The fact that I was lucky enough to enjoy these gems in the same year––or the same lifetime, for that matter––is not lost on me. As payback, I guess deserved the worst winter weather since before I was born.

Here are my top three extreme fishing adventures from 2013, each one incredibly unique and diverse in its own right.

1.) Ashford Castle
Cong, Ireland

Having traversed the Atlantic Ocean and Ireland's wildly untamed Connemara region to reach fabled Ashford Castle, I now can say that I have lived like royalty. It was only for a day, but a day in an ancient world lasts a lifetime in memory.

The castle, once the proud estate of the Guinness family, was built on the shores of Lough Corrib in 1228. The view across the lake has not changed in over 6,000 years and all of the castle's 83 rooms retain their original features. The room my wife and I stayed in offered a stunning view of the 44,000-acre lake, home to some 365 islands. It was a view made better (if not blurrier) by the complimentary bottle of champagne and decanter of cherry that welcomed us upon our arrival. And so we learned, quite quickly on this special visit, that life as royalty is good.

As gorgeous as the grounds were––the castle is caressed by formal gardens that Rick Steves raves about––it was difficult to pull ourselves out from within the castle walls that first afternoon. Ashford Castle is just too magical. Original architecture is still in-tact, ranging from massive fireplaces to Waterford chandeliers to Roccoco gilt mirrors.

Eventually, I made my way outside the castle to face the famed Cong River with rod in hand. The Cong River, an excellent trout and salmon stream, spills into the lake outside the castle's front door, creating a picture-perfect scene of a fairy-tale like bridge leading to the castle's grand entrance. "We call that the 'Oh-My-God!' corner," says Ashford's Director of Sales and Marketing Paula Carroll. "That last bend always surprises guests, when you come around the corner and suddenly this majestic castle comes into view as though sitting on the side of the lake."

2.) Little Palm Island
Atlantic Ocean, Miles Offshore Florida's Southern Tip

I am balancing on a 12-foot, wooden paddle board armed with an oversized kayak paddle I used to propel myself away from the jungle island and into the Atlantic Ocean when I notice a shark swimming 30 yards behind me. Ahead of me I see nothing but azure water so I do the only thing that comes to mind: I wobble down to my knees to untie the fishing pole I have strapped to my board and cast out in the direction of the unmistakable fin.

The shark is oblivious to my first two casts, but on the third cast she catches the scent of the shrimp I'm using for bait and charges after it. I wind faster. This angers her; she accelerates with remarkable speed to close the gap between her teeth, my bait and me.

I'm quickly running out of space––I have wound in nearly all my line and the chase is still on. I lower my rod tip into the water and whip it to the back of the board to keep my bait in motion when––BANG––the shark annihilates my bait 18 inches in front me! The shark strike creates a surface explosion like a cannonball hitting the water.

My pole is instantly doubled over from the weight of the sea creature, which spins 180 degrees with a splash of its tail and races off into the depths of the Atlantic with me now in tow behind her.

As thrilling as it was, the shark escapade was just one episode of a surreal sequence of adventures my wife and I experienced at Little Palm Island Resort & Spa near the Florida Keys, a private, 5-acre island resort miles offshore from the southernmost tip of the United States.

Click here to read the full story of my adventures at Little Palm Island Resort and Spa, including sailing, beach dining and ocean sunsets.

3. Fishing the Everglades
Miami, Florida

A 400-pound crocodile is glaring at me 15 feet away with its razor sharp teeth on display. A cunning predator, the crocodile has the strongest jaws on the planet with a biting force of 5,000 pounds per inch.

"Crocs can jump through the air faster than you can blink," says my guide, Jim Willcox.

Now I lock eyes with the crocodile and wonder, for the first time during this extreme fishing pursuit, if I am perhaps no longer the predator.

It feels as though I am in the Amazon, or maybe on the Nile River, fishing in a foreign world where crocodiles are kings––they have been known to attack great white sharks––and every cast holds the promise of catching something bizarre. Instead, I am only 80 miles south of Miami, fishing in the Florida Everglades with a man many say is the best guide in the business.

And while reaching Captain Jim Willcox was easy and inexpensive compared to the travel required for equal adventures in far-flung parts of the world, our journey since leaving the dock in Islamorada, Florida, has not been void of danger. "He died this spring," Willcox says, nodding to a memorial photo pinned to a mangrove tree along the channel. "Lost control of his boat. They found his boat way up in the mangrove trees with the motor still running 90 minutes after the crash."