Nat Ragland was one-of-a-kind. Not only was he a top shallow water skiff guide in the Florida Keys and Homosassa, but he was an innovator, a boat builder and a storyteller non-pariel. I was lucky enough to spend quite a bit of time with Nat in the Keys…he knew a lot about a lot…especially how bonefish moved, how permit ate, how tarpon thought. He was a master boat-rigger…wiring water-tight connections using shrink sleeves, reinforcing gunnels with the Dremel tool and rolling gelcoat to perfection. Nat and Mike Hewlitt worked their magic on my ’85 Hewes Bonefisher and gave it another ten years of life!
I listened to strange tales of Orange Quindillons, Sidewinders, Puff Flies, Shypokes, Jack Plates and Super Skiffs…Billy Pate, Woody Sexton, Bill Levy and Montgomery Chitty. Norman Duncan, Lenny Berg and Flip Pallot. If the vodka got to flowing with good current, Nat might even give up one of his choice backcountry mangrove snapper spots. Yes!
Nat always wore these short shorts/hot pants. He was a big guy and they looked kinda inadequate for his 6’3″ frame and long legs. One time Nat and I fished a party together and one of the anglers was a smokin’ hot show pony. She didn’t know how to fish but was happy to show off her “stuff” and rode next to Nat the whole time in the skiff. After the trip, I asked her “How was your day?”
“Oh, great…we didn’t catch squat but that Capt. Nat, oh boy, I really like him! What a fun guy and he has such smooth hairless skin!”
I told Nat that night…”Hey buddy, that cupcake likes your legs”
The next day Nat and I showed up at Sugarloaf Marina and met the same party in the parking lot. Nat had taped a large patch of black sheepskin inside his thigh just under his shorts. He approached the showgirl and dropped trou right then and there. “How do ya like me now??” Huge chuckles all around.
So here is a podcast with Capt. Nat Ragland speaking his wisdom and spinning his yarns. Pretty sure this is the last recording of Nat’s voice before he passed. As far as fishing in the Florida Keys and Homosassa goes, Nat ranks right up there with the greatest. RB
Monty Chitty credited Nat as his mentor. He hired Nat for something like 50 days straight to learn the ropes. I caught my first Permit with Monty on a Puff.