Family Fishing Fun

Day One
John and Lisa Bartling joined by son Patrick and daughter Amanda got in on some good fishing this past week just before Christmas. We have had our share of wind lately but there are always good options to be had on a windy day. We used First Growth, a spacious 28 foot twin outboard with facilities to venture out into the Gulf of Mexico. We spent the morning light tackle fishing for Spanish Mackerel. Bonefish Trek rods and Rage Ultralight rods and Diablo 350 spinning reels were used for this fun. We kept a number of the mackerels for bait.

As the wind was blowing plenty hard we had no problem launching the kite. We used EOS Reels and Trek XT boatrods with a long trace of 100lb mono with short piece of wire attached to an 8/0 hook.

Fox EOS 50 is a fantastic reel

butterflied mackerel dangled beneath
a kite really attracted the sharks

Amanda waiting for a bite with the kite up

Amanda's Shark boatside for release

It was a team effort to let the kite in and out. It never took more than 10 minutes for a shark to find the bait bobbing in the waves at the surface. Quite exciting action. One of Patrick's sharks jumped 6 times really putting on a show.

Patrick Bartling watches the line melt off of his EOS reel

Patrick worked hard for this Blacktip

Lisa got in on the action and had an exciting battle and was coached expertly by Amanda. John was happy just to be photographer and really enjoyed watching his family having so much fun fishing.

Lisa Bartling gets advice from daughter
Amanda and how to play her Shark

Lisa Bartling goes face to face with her Blacktip Shark

Lisa Bartling used the Fox Boatrod XT
fitted with an EOS 50 reel to catch her Shark

Day TwoA couple days later we had planned to go Sailfishing but alas the wind was howling again. I called John around 6am and we discussed options. We decided to use Foxy Lady , the 22' bay boat, and do a Cape Sable trip. A choppy ride across Florida Bay but the creeks and beaches around the "Corner" were well worth the ride.

Foxy Lady

exploring the pristine beaches of Cape Sable

The family enjoyed exploring pristine beaches and fishing creeks and channels all protected from the wind. Redfish, Sheepshead, Blackdrum, Seatrout, Mangrove Snapper and Crevalle Jacks were the fish caught. A number of tasty Sheepshead were kept for dinner.

Family fishing fun!

John Bartling with a Tasty Sheepshead

Lisa Bartling caught this Blackdrum on a
Bonefish Trek rod and Diablo 350 reel

Patrick caught the big fish of the day, a Black Drum

lots of action in backcountry creeks using
Rage Ultralight rods and Diablo 350 spinning reels

Patrick was Trout King

Tackle used was Bonefish Trek rods and Rage Ultralight rods fitted with Diablo 350 spinning reels spooled with Fox Horizon 10lb Braid. The Bartlings really loved this trip and told me plans are being made to come back next December.

Captain Skip Nielsen