....
Dad filled with pride seeing young daughter fight sailfish
E-Mail this story
Print this story tool nameclose
tool goes here By Capt. Ron Howell
Special to The Reporter
Posted - Friday, December 19, 2008 11:24 AM EST
Samantha Howell reels in a sailfish, as her father, Capt. Ron Howell, and a mate stand behind her aboard the DeBaitable.
With only two minutes left in the first day of the Don Gurgiolo Sailfish Classic, a dark shape appears under the short kite bait. As quickly as it appears, it gone!
Thirty seconds later its sail and bill break the water under the long rigger and it eats.
The angler never misses a stride as she moves from rod to rod. The fish eats and the angler comes tight. ?DeBaitable is hooked up,? calls the captain to the committee boat. The fight is on!
The fish comes up jumping. It swims toward a boundary buoy and gets half way around. The angler backs off the drag of the reel, as the captain maneuvers the boat to clear the line from the barnacle encrusted buoy. It?s a rough day at Conch Reef and the fish charges down sea into the sanctuary.
The boat has to stay outside the no fishing zone, as the angler watches in despair as 400 hundred yards of 12-pound line disappears off the spool. Miraculously, the angler turns the fish. Slowly and agonizingly, the angler gains inch-by-inch of the line and the refills spool.
Then the great fish charges up sea into the waves. The boat shudders as it backs down into the heavy chop. The angler disappears for what seems like minutes at a time as blue and white foam engulfs the transom and cockpit.
The cold north wind and heavy seas are cold, but the angler hangs true, up comes the double line and the leader, the mate stretches out, the fish surges off, again. The angler holds on again. So close?not quite? the mate gets a wrap on the leader, the fish is up on its side. It is full grown at 7 and half feet. It?s released.
The angler, however, was not full grown. She stands about 4 feet. At eight years old, it?s Samantha Howell on the rod. She is little, but her determination is huge! To see her fight the fish, swelled me with pride. Through all the years of sport fishing, I have seen many grown men crumble with such fish. Not this girl. She is ready to go again.
Samantha has been fishing with me since she was three years old. Her passion for the sea and fishing is pure magical. She comes from a family of fishing people. Her Uncle Mitch Howell is a backcountry magician winning many tournaments, like the Super Fly and Redbone here in Islamorada. Her grandfather Ralph Holden is veteran of sailfish and marlin tournaments. And, I, her father have been a mate and a captain for over 26 years.
Samantha can be found almost everyday when she?s not in school with me aboard the Captain Michael at Robbie?s. The regular customers ask if she will be on board when they make reservations. Our beginning anglers know her when they leave. She is quick to offer support and advice when a novice hooks into a ?big one.? She helps the crew with many chores. But above all she is my pride and joy.
If she?s on the boat, God help those poor fish!
///////////////////////////
The pic did show this little girl as the boat was in reverse 'chasing' that sail, backsplash over her head.
keynoter.com if interested
Dad filled with pride seeing young daughter fight sailfish
E-Mail this story
Print this story tool nameclose
tool goes here By Capt. Ron Howell
Special to The Reporter
Posted - Friday, December 19, 2008 11:24 AM EST
Samantha Howell reels in a sailfish, as her father, Capt. Ron Howell, and a mate stand behind her aboard the DeBaitable.
With only two minutes left in the first day of the Don Gurgiolo Sailfish Classic, a dark shape appears under the short kite bait. As quickly as it appears, it gone!
Thirty seconds later its sail and bill break the water under the long rigger and it eats.
The angler never misses a stride as she moves from rod to rod. The fish eats and the angler comes tight. ?DeBaitable is hooked up,? calls the captain to the committee boat. The fight is on!
The fish comes up jumping. It swims toward a boundary buoy and gets half way around. The angler backs off the drag of the reel, as the captain maneuvers the boat to clear the line from the barnacle encrusted buoy. It?s a rough day at Conch Reef and the fish charges down sea into the sanctuary.
The boat has to stay outside the no fishing zone, as the angler watches in despair as 400 hundred yards of 12-pound line disappears off the spool. Miraculously, the angler turns the fish. Slowly and agonizingly, the angler gains inch-by-inch of the line and the refills spool.
Then the great fish charges up sea into the waves. The boat shudders as it backs down into the heavy chop. The angler disappears for what seems like minutes at a time as blue and white foam engulfs the transom and cockpit.
The cold north wind and heavy seas are cold, but the angler hangs true, up comes the double line and the leader, the mate stretches out, the fish surges off, again. The angler holds on again. So close?not quite? the mate gets a wrap on the leader, the fish is up on its side. It is full grown at 7 and half feet. It?s released.
The angler, however, was not full grown. She stands about 4 feet. At eight years old, it?s Samantha Howell on the rod. She is little, but her determination is huge! To see her fight the fish, swelled me with pride. Through all the years of sport fishing, I have seen many grown men crumble with such fish. Not this girl. She is ready to go again.
Samantha has been fishing with me since she was three years old. Her passion for the sea and fishing is pure magical. She comes from a family of fishing people. Her Uncle Mitch Howell is a backcountry magician winning many tournaments, like the Super Fly and Redbone here in Islamorada. Her grandfather Ralph Holden is veteran of sailfish and marlin tournaments. And, I, her father have been a mate and a captain for over 26 years.
Samantha can be found almost everyday when she?s not in school with me aboard the Captain Michael at Robbie?s. The regular customers ask if she will be on board when they make reservations. Our beginning anglers know her when they leave. She is quick to offer support and advice when a novice hooks into a ?big one.? She helps the crew with many chores. But above all she is my pride and joy.
If she?s on the boat, God help those poor fish!
///////////////////////////
The pic did show this little girl as the boat was in reverse 'chasing' that sail, backsplash over her head.
keynoter.com if interested
