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“Can you hear me now?” “Is this any better, how about now?”

That by-line for mobile communications service became a punch line for thousands. And why not? The world has become communications crazy.

Cellular technology, once thought to provide the general public with a method of urgent communication, has become an imbedded part of everyday communication for many. It has not only become the bane of the motoring public but an interruptive irritant to many, with the loutish behavior of inconsiderate cell phone users in public domains.

Like the Good Book states... There is a time and place for everything... but sometimes it doesn’t work out exactly that way.

Experience has taught me that one place it definitely doesn’t belong is on a families vacation fishing trip and our little story today will bring the evidence to reality.

The Smiths (named changed to protect the innocent) are a nice family from up north somewhere around the Big Apple. They love Southwest Florida especially when their northern abode is awash in frequent blizzard conditions. They pull their two teenagers from school a few days before spring break each year and make it an annual two week “run to the sun”.

They love the water and being on it with a fishing rod in hand. Well in advance, they arrange a charter once per week during their two week sojourn and that’s what they did again this year.

The first charter date presented us with a beautiful day; light winds with a nice morning incoming tide and just a tad of an easterly breeze. We got underway on time and headed nearshore for a date with some nice Spanish mackerel.

Concentrating on our passage through the myriad of crab traps nearshore, I never glanced around to see what was going on in the boat. That is until we dropped anchor and began to set up for our fishing.

Dad was totally engrossed in a cell phone conversation with someone regarding a work issue; Mom had her cell engaged with one of her family members and the two teenagers were bent over their cellular instruments with thumbs flying “texting” their friends.

We had the boat at anchor, the chum in the water and no one had even stirred a muscle toward grabbing a rod. They were all tied into their private cellular word.

“OK, we’re here — anybody want to go fishing?” startled them and with great effort they ended their electronic hookups and grabbed a rod.

By the time they slapped a shrimp on their jig, the mackerel were already flitting in the chum slick and jumped on every cast within a split second. They were nice size mackerel that gave more than a credible fight on the light tackle.

They were keeping few of the macks for dinner and we boxed the first half dozen aboard but it was difficult to hold their attention — the cells phones and blackberrys presented us with a cacophony of rings and message indicators all morning long.

Here we were in a great fishing experience and you’d turn around to catch the kids texting someone and Mom talking to another relative. Bummer!

Dad pulled the ultimate when he asked me if I wanted the latitude and longitude coordinates of the spot we were on. He kind of chuckled when he announced that his cell instrument had GPS capability and he had stored the coordinates of this spot where we had great mackerel action.

With a “no, thanks” I informed him that we were set up on a well published nearshore reef and the coordinates were available to everyone. He blanched when I informed him that if on a private spot, he’d be in a wrestling match for possession of the information.

Anyhow, that day we had a great fishing experience which I knew the Smiths didn’t fully enjoy. They were so engrossed in trivial disruptive communication.

The next trip was scheduled for the following week — time to try a bold and purposely misleading requirement to change the pattern of behavior.

Borrowing a page from our comrades in the airlines, I asked them to shut off their cell phones and blackberries this morning as it really interfered with my navigational equipment. They looked kind of stunned and quizzical but, thankfully, they all pushed the off button.

This trip would be focused on the pleasures and thrill of fishing.

We chose a spot just a little further offshore and our action turned into an exciting day to enjoy light tackle. Our visitors for the day were legions of kingfish that had started their spring migration north. These schools of kings were in the 10 to 15 pound range, challenging and exciting the Smiths with their energy, aggressiveness and tenacity on the hook.

We lost as many as we landed and the latter were all released. This was the ultimate in light tackle fishing and it totally enveloped and exhausted the anglers.

They even cried “anchor” a half hour before the trip was scheduled to complete and we headed home. They had had enough.

But they all agreed that this was one of the best family fishing trips they ever experienced.

I interjected the thought that they were focused on the fishing today and past experience with the cellular interruptions belonged in another place at another time, not on a fishing trip.

Dad pronounced the final victory, “You are right, Captain, we’ll leave them at the condo next year.”

The on-the-water experience and light tackle fishing is such a rich encounter it really deserves undivided attention.

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Species in the spotlight

Name: Cero Mackerel

In season: Year around but prefers warmer water.

Florida Regulations: No size limit or bag limit in Florida waters.

Habitat: Found in same locale as Spanish mackerel but usually much larger. Not nearly as common as the Spanish. Distinguished by a bronze stripe that runs from pectoral fin to base of tail. Stays in south Florida waters

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Capt. Bill Walsh owns an established Marco Island charter fishing business and holds a current U.S. Coast Guard license. Send comments or questions to dawnpatrolcharters@compuserve.com