CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. -- Local fishermen rejoice after a popular Southwest Florida fishing spot is up and running again. The Bokeelia pier has finally been repaired after it was damaged by January's wave of storms.
The Bokeelia pier has been a fixture on the island since it opened all the way back in 1908. But, after January's storms, the Bokeelia pier operators are the ones casting their nets to try and catch the fishermen.
Fisherman were lining the dock Monday, coming from near and far. Some even making the journey all the way from Canada. They all wanted to take in the sights and sounds from the pier for the first time since January's storms.
"It is just like 'Oh boy, we are in for a long haul to get this back open and running again'," said Cynthia Welch, the pier's general manager.
The storm-battered floorboards and mangled the landing on the pier. But, it wasn't just the wood on the pier that got stripped. Captain Chuck Koucky says businesses felt customers swimming away. "It hurt us all and slowed down a lot. we are just glad to have her back up and running," said Captain Koucky.
After waiting more than a month, the fisherman are gearing up to catch some fish. Tom Martin is a frequent fishing fixture on the pier. His angling relaxation follows the restlessness he felt when the pier closed. " I usually drove out to make sure in person, and I was helping on the pier every once in a while. Carry some boards and do what I could. Couldn't do a lot physically but did what I could to help," said Martin.
The anglers are filling their coolers with fresh catches, eager to make up for lost time. "I couldn't wait, couldn't wait. I come out about two to three times a week and I've been coming out for several years now. I don't fish anywhere else but here ," said Martin.
