What's a better feeling.....

[Williamsdad]

Than puttin somebody on fish? Hope some of the Take a Kid Fishing folks will share their experience. Mine is from the Jaclk & Jill Tournament - thanks Otto and Carl!

My wife agreed to be my "Jill", (ok I pretty much forced her), first trip ever, and off we went. Struck out in our first 2 spots to the west, then went east. Underestimated the north wind, so spent many hours stuck, or put-putting in a foot of water. Never got deep enough til after noon-one.

Started getting hits on white gulps, but all undersized. Wife wasn't really into working the popping float, so I swithed her back to shrimp. All the sudden, the rod I rigged especially for her (heavy rod, surf casting reel) has a nice bend, and she's struggling. I know it's a good fish. She stops reeling long enough for me to tightIn the drag, and then continues. We're in thick rock grass, and I don't know how that's not a problem. I give her pointers like keep the tip up, but that's it. Thought I caught a glimpse at one point, figured either a shark or a red.

Then it's under the boat. I grab the leader and lift to the net - a 30 inch red. Too big to weigh-in, but hey, to me, we won! Picture as soon as Luc tells me how.

And for the 3rd trip in a row, we had a "dolphin encounter" running back from the east. Has anyone else seen that? Thye go under, around, and generally play with the boat, and it seems to be in about the same spot every time. It's wild!

What a fishery we have!

[fishinfool]

The Bottlenose Dolphin have been playing tag with boats for a long time. They will sometimes surf your wake. If we ever learn Dolphin speak, maybe they will let us in on the fascination.
Yes we do have quite a fishery. I hope we can keep it this way or better in the future.

[Williamsdad]

I've seen dolphin surfing, and escorting boats lots of times, what I've seen the last 3-4 trips is different, and almost always in the same spot. Haven't seen such consistency or inquisitive behavior before, just east of LH.

[Aquamaholic]

I've seen dolphin surfing, and escorting boats lots of times, what I've seen the last 3-4 trips is different, and almost always in the same spot. Haven't seen such consistency or inquisitive behavior before, just east of LH.

I have had the same thing happen around some of the creek mouths over in that area. I have always seen dolphin in bow wakes and checking out boats, but the last two trips out they have gotten closer, followed us longer and seem much more inquisitive, just as you mentioned. We had a biggun' charge right as us as we were in shallow water entering "his" creek.

I figure they were there first, so I usually just find somewhere else to fish when I see them working an area.

[LucWilliams]

Very proud of my Mom and her guide!

[Bullet]

Nice!! Glad to see they're still biting. Bet she loved fighting the red.

As far as the dolphins, a few years ago we were running back in Register Bayou & we saw 4 dolphins slaying some mullet about 50 yards from us. I guess they'd had their fill because they picked up and came over to our boat (under way) and just played. They rode the bow wave, went under from side to side....they just seemed to be playing. After what seemed like a couple of minutes, they left us. Hasn't happened again.

Anyway, sounds like a good day.