"Experiences from the Journal"

By Plasticaster AKA Terry

(editor's note:  This entry first appeared as a message board report on March 13th.  Plasticaster keeps all such entries in his fishing journal.  I have prevailed on him to share some of his entries with us.  I think you'll agree that it was one of my rare good ideas...)

Sea Aggie [son], JoCur and I fished a favorite place of JoCur and mine in West Bay mid-Saturday afternoon, 10th. Tide was low, cool wind was howling, and water was clear, although whitecapping toward end of day. All 3 of us throwing artificials, downwind option only, in waist deep water.

This was Sea Aggie's first really serious wadefishing foray. 'Used his new Stradic spinning reel and Castaway rod combo bought with savings and collected Christmas bucks. He elected to use an Inshore Power Pogy [firetiger] which he found in the Christmas stocking.

So we are in the same place where I caught my first flounder and first red last fall. [Sam called it a "mini-slam."] Sea Aggie draws first blood with a 17" flounder, his first saltwater game fish. He nets it after 3 attempts, and JoCur helps him get it in the DoNet. He discovers, as someone on this board once said: "Them things don't have any handles." I and JoCur follow with 16" and 15" flounders on soft plastics. Our only catches of the day.

Sea Aggie then proceeds to really show us up. Above the screaming wind, I hear him holler "Dad !" and look over to see him grinnin' like a possum cause he's all bowed-up with something big. It pulls back and forth, and starts circling, and I've got a pretty good guess what's on the end. I go over to coach him a little on playing the drag, but he's doing well, and I end up just trying to stay behind him and out of the way as the thing continues to pull and circle.

After about 7 to 8 minutes of fighting it, he's got his first Redfish - a 27 inch copper beauty. It was a really nice one. An excited, happy and proud kid ! It was really special for me to be there as he caught his first SW gamefish. We definitely made a memory.

He kept trying for a trout for the big Slam, but we ran out of light quickly as the weather front started moving in from the west. And we were just about beat from the wind, the wade, the waves and the excitement.

He is ready to go again. So am I.

Proud Dad.