Fishing was slow the day of the Expo and I told Jimmy that if he needed a day with the family that it was fine with me to do something on shore.Our plan was to get out sail fishing on the L and H with Jimmy’s family along with his mate Wes. Jimmy said “No,No we’ll go if it is slow maybe we will come in a little early. We met Jimmy at the boat where he and Wes had everything ready and the bait all in the tank. The family and Jumped on and we ran out and got set up.
Wes and James set out the kites and Deb and I sent three rods out on each Kite. The name of the game is for us to keep the baits from flying in the air while they are hanging from the kite lines. The baits swim freely with the hooks in position where there is no drag ing leader to get tangled in and just about as good a presentation you can give a fish. It took concentration to see the little corks that hang in the air above the kites. The bite came on not long after we got set up. Jimmy had put us right on the spot and with his whole family knowing the drill we had released 20 sails by lunch time. Everyone was asking if anyone was hungry and everyone would say, “No ” waiting for the next bite.
Just after lunch we chased a school of Mahis and caught a bunch. There were 50 in one bunch and 100 in one bunch. For how many were there I bet Jimmy hoped we would have caught more. They just would not bite. Jimmy’s buddy was running up for the south and asked Jimmy if he wanted some bait. We took a break to load back up and then headed back to the spot. We got set back up and got the sails going again. It was unbelievable! Other boats came to the area and it looked like everyone caught some. By sunset we had 33 sails. I didn’t really know what we had done entirely. It was Jimmy’s best day of sail fishing in over 10 years. The previous boat record was caught when Jimmy was a mate on the L and H. With time left the record could have been broken but with respect to his mentor Jimmy stopped at the exact number 33. First class in my mind.
One of the most frustrating things as a captain is when fishing is slow and the opportunity to show you anglers what you and your mate can do. It really takes a good bite to get to really get in the game. Today I saw Jimmy and Wes and in their element doing what they are great at. It was their opportunity to do what they prepare for everyday hoping a great bite will come on. They were ready for it and it was something to see.
It was a real treat to be the angler and watch Jimmy’ s family fish together. At one point Jimmy came down and caught a sail and James his son (11) drove the L and H on the fish and did really well. If you didn’t know it was him up there you would have assumed it was Jimmy.
Jimmy and I have had our 2 best days fishing together with his family aboard.Mine in Kona and Jimmy ‘s in. Miami. To think of the odds of that timing right is unfathomable to me. I can’t wait to see what happens the next time we get to fish together.At this point I would have to believe it will be a day that will be out of the ordinary.
