DirtyChimneyMan
08-01-2016, 10:45 PM
So I was part of a charter on The Mad Gaffer with some friends and also got to bring my 7 year old daughter Abigail out on her first real fishing trip. :D Although the weather was not the greatest (noaa lied again) we had a great time!! The fishing was really good and since I was with the googans... Achem I mean my friends, lol, most of em said it was the best trip they ever had been on! (Thank you again Capt Ray and Billy)
Now we were rocking and rolling most of the day, tho it did lay down a bit for a while. I was really worried about my lil girl(and my friends daughter who's 8 and on her first trip also). It's hard enough sometimes for a grown adult to keep their balance on a boat, let alone one that's not in the greatest conditions. But the girls were AWESOME!!! :D:D After a small lesson on how to walk on a boat from Capt Ray they were able to get around quite well. So if you have some little ones that are ready from that 1st or 2nd trip, The Mad Gaffer is a very kid friendly vessel.
Now the fishing.......
So after a very rocky ride to some bumpy bottom, we dropped in some lines and started drifting. After about 4-5 bounces of the spro, WHAM. I'm in... So I take a couple turns of the handle (hoping I set the hook:eek:) and called over Abby so she could reel in her first fluke. "It's hard to turn the handle Daddy" as she keeps cranking and gains ground and I keep smiling and laughing telling her all the while that she can do it. And when that fish came over the rail, her face, her smile, the high five we gave each other, I can only hope she never forgets that as I know I will never forget it.
So we fished on and on and kept plucking away at the fluke and sea bass. Everyone caught plenty of fish with even a ling and a mackerel tossed in for good measure. I only ended up losing 1/4 of my jigs so I'd say that was positive also:rolleyes:
So all in all it was a great day with friends and family. I had heard of a lot of good things about the gaffer and producing fish and on this trip, that was exactly what happened.
I also now have a new favorite picture of my daughter and I. ❤️🎣
Now we were rocking and rolling most of the day, tho it did lay down a bit for a while. I was really worried about my lil girl(and my friends daughter who's 8 and on her first trip also). It's hard enough sometimes for a grown adult to keep their balance on a boat, let alone one that's not in the greatest conditions. But the girls were AWESOME!!! :D:D After a small lesson on how to walk on a boat from Capt Ray they were able to get around quite well. So if you have some little ones that are ready from that 1st or 2nd trip, The Mad Gaffer is a very kid friendly vessel.
Now the fishing.......
So after a very rocky ride to some bumpy bottom, we dropped in some lines and started drifting. After about 4-5 bounces of the spro, WHAM. I'm in... So I take a couple turns of the handle (hoping I set the hook:eek:) and called over Abby so she could reel in her first fluke. "It's hard to turn the handle Daddy" as she keeps cranking and gains ground and I keep smiling and laughing telling her all the while that she can do it. And when that fish came over the rail, her face, her smile, the high five we gave each other, I can only hope she never forgets that as I know I will never forget it.
So we fished on and on and kept plucking away at the fluke and sea bass. Everyone caught plenty of fish with even a ling and a mackerel tossed in for good measure. I only ended up losing 1/4 of my jigs so I'd say that was positive also:rolleyes:
So all in all it was a great day with friends and family. I had heard of a lot of good things about the gaffer and producing fish and on this trip, that was exactly what happened.
I also now have a new favorite picture of my daughter and I. ❤️🎣