The fishing story I like to tell the most is about a young man from NYC that caught his first fish while on a charter with his Dad. We left the dock about noon, it was a cool day in late March. We reached our fishing spot where we set up to fish. I explained to the guys what to do when a fish hits. After about ten minutes the Dad with a voice filled with skepticism asked, "Are there really fish here?" It was almost like the fish heard him, we turned around to the sound of his son's reel which was singing. The fish he had on started peeling out drag and then it all stopped. We were all overcome with the horrible sound of silence. The fish had spit the hook. The look on the young anglers face was a look that was somewhere between excitement and disappointment. We talked about what had happened as we re-baited his hook and he now understood what to do. With his line in the water and a fresh dose of excitment, the young angler from NYC waited anxiously for the next fish. His father on the other hand had a different encounter. While trying to cast, he not only tied his line in the biggest knot possible, he had tied himself into the same knot. I had my work cut out for me! The next sound was from an excited young man who had listend to all the instructions I had given him. He had his rod tip up, the rod-but buried in his stomach, he let the fish make long speedy runs, making sure not to reel against the drag. He had more natural fishing ability and skill than most veteran fishermen that I have seen fight fish. He worked the fish like an old pro. After a ten minute fight we finally landed his first fish. I couldn't tell who was more worn out from that fight, the young man who expertly landed his first fish, the fish that fought a fight that stands out among other fish or the Dad who was excitedly yelling and screaming words of encouragment to his young son. After it was all said and done, we had weighed, measured, photographed, and released a fine 32-inch 18 pound red drum caught on ten pound Ande line. I have to say that was my favorite charter I have ever taken out.

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