Keaton Report June 8,9-2019

Keaton Report June 7-8 2019

It is with Great sadness that I write a report tonight as I just now found out today that Travis Beach , past owner operator of Keaton Beach marina from 1993 – 2014(?) passed away on May 20, 2019.

I had seen Travis in his golf cart in the ramp parking lot the week before; then decided to take him some trout fillets after a solo trip of scouting only to find him stoved up at Sandy’s house where upon he told me he had slipped, fallen and broken two ribs.

I haven’t spoken to any of the family as I have just heard of their loss and am devastated that I was unaware of Travis’s passing.

Travis had vision along with his daughter Sandy and they built a remarkable business despite getting knocked down just month’s after he purchased KBM, When the un-named Storm ( March ‘93) literally destroyed the entire Marina store, motel rooms, docks etc. and left only the boat lift erect and defiant. Travis never blinked. He and Faye just put up an American Flag and rebuilt the Marina complex and had a tremendous business, while establishing Keaton Beach as a fun Family atmosphere and the Speckled Trout Capital of Florida. Travis and I stood together at the Trout Wars with the Florida Marine Fisheries folks in the 90’s and I recall Travis’ speech to the commissioners as he beseeched them not to increase the out-of-state licenses and not to reduce the trout creel. The Beach family should be very proud to have created such a community of which I was proud to have belonged. Many folks caught their first trout inshore or their first grouper offshore after asking advice from them. Thank You for all you did for me as I struggled to establish my guide service. Your generosity and professionalism made it delightful to work from your establishment.

Fishing report: We continue to catch Outstanding limits of Trout and reds despite water temps in excess of 87 degrees. Billy Pillow and I caught ten trout to 24” and two reds to 26” in an hour and twenty minutes