Capt Ronnie Got it Done today!!

Our granddaughter is spending a couple of weeks with us, from Missouri. Here 12th birthday is coming up, so I asked Captain Ronnie if he could put her on a shark.

We originally planned to go last week, but the weather didn't cooperate, so we rescheduled for today. When I got up this morning I was worried because it was blowing pretty hard but started to lay down nicely as the morning wore on, when we got to the dock at 1:30 we were greeted by glass slick water.

As you can see from the first photo she wasn't so sure about the trip.

Ronnie said he wanted to see if he couldn't put here on a triple tail on the way out. So we zigzag along the crap pots all over the sound and finally spotted one. Ronnie make a perfect cast to him and as he handed the rod to Katie the Triple Tail turned and headed for the cork. AND THEN IT WAS ON. A few minutes later and several squeals later she had landed her first triple tail, a very nice fish slightly over 22 inches.

After photos we went back to cruising the crab pots and it wasn't long before we spotted the 2nd one. This time Ronnie didn't even get time to hand her the rod before he was on, he absolutely nailed the shrimp. And it wasn't long before she had her 2nd triple tail in the boat, slightly over 18 inches.

We checked a few more pots but couldn't spot any more, so we headed out to meet up with one of Ronnie's other boats that was already on the sharks and had already reported a couple of great battles over the radio.

They were just landing one as we showed up. We anchored up a short distance away and started our chum line. And it wasn't long before Katie was fighting her first Black tip. It was quite a battle, but her and Ronnie finally won the fight.

A few photos and a trip back to our anchor and we had the lines back in the water. Shortly afterwards she had another fish on. She had it about half way back to the boat when it finally realized it was hooked and took off. We weren't sure where it was going, but it seems like Mexico might be its next stop! It made it all the way under our partner boat, before she finally managed to get it turned. Thank goodness he had ipilot holding his position and didn't have an anchor line in the water. The battle went on for a very long time, and we finally saw a little color, both Ronnie and I thought it was a really big shark in the little flash we saw before he took off for another long run. When she finally managed to get him back to the boat the next time we finally got a good look at him and it was a beast of a Jack Carvelle. There were several more runs before the finally managed to wear him down. I am not sure who was more tired at that point the fish, Katie, or Ronnie, they all looked fairly exhausted! One of my favorite quotes during that fight was when she said "You how the Rod and I will reel it!" We told her that was cheating!. You will notice one of the photos where both her and Ronnie have an intense look of concentration on their face, that was during the battle with the Jack.

When the fight was done, she had a few bruises on her hip, a blister on her finger, and a big grin on her face!

We anchored back up and got the lines back out. Just as we were about to quit for the day we had a thump on the line, but he managed to strip the bait. We were hoping he would find the other line but when our Partner boat's Rod went off we figured he had found their line instead. Then all of a sudden our Rod went off two and we were doubled up.

This was a Big shark, but after the earlier practice, especially with the Jack, Katie was ready for this one and had him under control fairly quickly. Ronnie got it leadered and was just lowering the Gaff in the water, when it made a big lunge and snapped the leader. It was a shame to lose him, but he was leadered so she has her second Black tip to her credit, and based on the smiles of everyone on board no one cared that much that he lived to fight another day.

After that we packed it in, and headed back, the wind had turned it the water was just starting to get a little rough on the way back in.

As you can see from the photos she might have started the trip with some doubts but ended it wanting to know when we could go again.

Thanks again Ronnie for one heck of a great trip, it was the absolute best fishing trip I have ever taken and I never touched a Rod.

And here are a few of the photos from today. Sorry so many but it was hard to limit it to just these. There were so many great photos and memories from today.

Not so sure I want to go Shark Fishing.

1st Triple Tail, Let's do it again!!

2nd Triple Tail, the addiction has started!

Sun was at a bad angle but just to good of a photo not to share.

First Shark, now its on!

Try to have a camera around a 12 year old and not have a selfie. Notice we are all grins now, no more scowl.

The Jack that almost won!

I am not sure which one of them is concentrating more or was huffing and puffing more when they finally landed him.

The one that got away. Less than 2 seconds after this shot he snapped the leader.

Fighting one of the triple tails.

About to land the first shark.

Will this Jack ever give up.....