captmike28
Well-Known Angler
Those close to me know one of my greatest sources of enjoyment is teaching kids how to fish. Thanks to my own charter business and the Kids camp trips I run on the Orient Star I have had the chance to teach hundreds of kids to enjoy the sport we all love. Every so often you come across a kid who is just overflowing with natural talent. Today’s half day charter was one of those experiences as memorable for me as it was for 10 y/o Keegan from Minnesota.
Abut 6 weeks ago his grandmother contacted me to set up a trip while the family was scheduled to be in Southold for her son’s wedding. She related that Keegan Is a huge fishing fanatic but, so far, he has only had the opportunity to fish the local lakes at home. So, our bottom fishing trip for Sea Bass and Porgy in the Sound was his first shot at some real deep sea type fishing. Even though all his prior fishing was done with spinning tackle it only took me a few minutes to show him the proper technique for drift fishing with a conventional reel. He quickly learned to differentiate the sinker bouncing along the bottom from the bites, get the timing down on when to strike, and began to deck some nice sized medium to large Scup with regularity! During the first 2 hours of the trip, he only had a minor overrun of the spool twice and both times he realized not to let out more line or try to reel against the tangle making things worse. He astutely asked for my help and we cleared the bird’s nest quickly, getting him right back into the action.
I explained to the family at the dock that when the tide slacked off a bit we could anchor up and try for some larger Sea Bass, but we would be fishing with heavier weight tackle and lead approaching 12 ounces. I figured it would be a tag team approach with young Keegan but boy was I surprised. Within seconds of his rig touching bottom in 95’ of water he was already cranking on the first keeper Sea Bass of the day. Only a few minutes later he decks a double header of keeper Sea Bass, all by himself. Honestly, I have seen some adults struggling to fish the heavy lead in the deep water drops I like for biscuits, but Keegan managed to figure out how to get the proper leverage all on his own!
Essentially, this talented 10 y/o put on the proverbial clinic today catching the most fish, the largest, and the only double header of the day. No doubt Keegan has a very bright future in the fishing game! It was a joy for myself and his whole family to watch. Not to mention the fine dinner filets they went home with.
Abut 6 weeks ago his grandmother contacted me to set up a trip while the family was scheduled to be in Southold for her son’s wedding. She related that Keegan Is a huge fishing fanatic but, so far, he has only had the opportunity to fish the local lakes at home. So, our bottom fishing trip for Sea Bass and Porgy in the Sound was his first shot at some real deep sea type fishing. Even though all his prior fishing was done with spinning tackle it only took me a few minutes to show him the proper technique for drift fishing with a conventional reel. He quickly learned to differentiate the sinker bouncing along the bottom from the bites, get the timing down on when to strike, and began to deck some nice sized medium to large Scup with regularity! During the first 2 hours of the trip, he only had a minor overrun of the spool twice and both times he realized not to let out more line or try to reel against the tangle making things worse. He astutely asked for my help and we cleared the bird’s nest quickly, getting him right back into the action.
I explained to the family at the dock that when the tide slacked off a bit we could anchor up and try for some larger Sea Bass, but we would be fishing with heavier weight tackle and lead approaching 12 ounces. I figured it would be a tag team approach with young Keegan but boy was I surprised. Within seconds of his rig touching bottom in 95’ of water he was already cranking on the first keeper Sea Bass of the day. Only a few minutes later he decks a double header of keeper Sea Bass, all by himself. Honestly, I have seen some adults struggling to fish the heavy lead in the deep water drops I like for biscuits, but Keegan managed to figure out how to get the proper leverage all on his own!
Essentially, this talented 10 y/o put on the proverbial clinic today catching the most fish, the largest, and the only double header of the day. No doubt Keegan has a very bright future in the fishing game! It was a joy for myself and his whole family to watch. Not to mention the fine dinner filets they went home with.
,,,,,,,,,,, have a bless day,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
