Kids Catching!
There is one thing that really gets me going, and that's kids catching fish. I am whooping and hollaring, if they are in my boat or not!
I had a miracle fish this year that is UNBELIEVABLE.
I was working a charter with the "Are you smarter than a 5th grader" crew (well not really, but it could have been). I had a grandpa, two 11 year olds and an 8 year old on the boat. Mentally, I was prepared for a few tangles, backlashes, missed strikes, spilled soda or whatever. Having raised both of my kids on the water, I thought I was prepared for just about anything. But, nothing could have prepared me for what was about to happen on that day!
We were back trolling, fishing 4 rods, 2 on plugs and 2 with SNG/eggs. We had endured some of the aforementioned midadventures, but kept smiling and worked our way right through it all. We were working the slot below "Mud Island" (if you are familiar with the Kenai) and fishing in a moderate crowd (if you are familiar with the Kenai). I am working the tiller in the back of the boat looking forward to keep an eye on the gear and the kids as well as telling corny jokes to keep them all entertained. We are working river-right, slowly backing down the slot, along with the flow of traffic.
I checked down stream, taking my eyes off of the gear for just a moment and was greeted by a loud bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz! I look up and saw the forward-left rod bent down and ripping line... FISH ON!!! WOOOOOO HOOOOOO!!!
I do my best to restrain my exhileration, holding the boat steady in the traffic and urge the crew to reel their gear in, while Brandi, a petite 11 year old young lady is hanging on for dear life. I look down stream to formulate a battle plan, and make sure that other boats in the vicinity are reeling up and or moving out of the way (common curtesy).
While still holding the boat steady in the current, knowing that we cannot move to follow the fish until the other lines are in, I check the progress on the crew. BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!! What I saw brought a bit of surprise and fear to my eyes.... all three of the others were simply standing there holding their rods....
GET THE GEAR IN GUYS!!! was my urging when grandpa said, "We can't..."
I look downstream again, only to be greeted with a fish angling river-left and taking out all three of the other lines! All that and still peeling line... I look to the left and see some commotion on another boat about 50 yards away, only to realize that the fish took out the gear of another boat. These guys were very skilled on Kenai tactics and reeled up the uneffected lines and were keeping right with us, not fighting the tangled lines...
Knowing that we had a team effort at this piont, I brought the other lines in by hand and cut them away. Finally, it is Brandi and the fish. BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!! We are finally free to move and begin to follow the fish... game is on.
As I start moving toward the fish, it makes another big run. I visually follow the line, and was again shocked to see it running straight toward another boat another 50 yards away... this time, however it is running right at the motor... This was a very skilled oponent indeed. Sure enough, the feel of the rod changed from a pulsing, tugging, line ripping action to a steady, rod bending pull.... Not Good. I holler at the second boat (another guide) and let him know that the fish is around his motor.
While we are keeping the tension on the line, the other guide leaned over the stern and was able to grasp the line and slide it off of his lower unit, when all of the sudden we heard a "POW" and the 80 pound Power Pro went slack.... AWWWWWW... We all looked at each other with the same realization, the line hit the prop and the fish was gone. What a great battle nonetheless...... We should be able to reel the line right through the tackle of the middle boat at this point without any grief....
But wait, the line was angling back across the river.... the fish was still on!!!!! The middle boat was able to cut his lines, but drifted along with us to see what kind of beast could be on the end of this 11 year old Idahoan's line...
We fought the fish for about 1/2 mile downstream for another 20-30 minutes. At one point, young Brandi, exhausted from the greuling fight, handed the rod to her 11 year old cousin... it was still a team effort.
Finally, the fish was close to the boat... It poked it's snout out of the greenish/gray glacial water for our first glimpse of this adversary... and OMG!!!! It was a HOG!!!
I took a stab with the net, not knowing the condition of the line or hook, knowing that I had one shot... Success!
This beauty (the fish that is) weighed in at 60 pounds... Brandi weighed 70!
So, I love when kids catch fish!
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by RollinontheRvr
One of these days.
Bookmarks