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Date: The Extra Knot
Title: Dec 2004
Date: 13 Nov 2004
Time: 16:19:53 -0500
“The Extra Knot” We collected live bait from the traps and were heading offshore with the Glen Dolph, his wife Helen, daughter Holly (18 yrs), son Daniel (14 yrs) and Daniel’s friend Nick (14 yrs), from the Orlando area. Glen told me Daniel loved to fish and wanted to be a mate on a charter boat. I’ve heard that before from folks of various ages and backgrounds only to discover, again, the person indeed loved to fish, but just wanted a means to blue water so they could fish. To them a mate is a stowaway fisherman; all the fun but no cost. The majority of ‘want to be’ mates devalue the position failing to regard the serious, as well as, the non-’sexy’ responsibilities of a professional mate. Heck, the bulk of (>95%) ‘wantabies’ don’t even bother to ask questions. Questions about — bait, rigs, general technics, much less fish habitat, boat handling/positioning or emergencies — aren’t asked. When I found out Daniel had an interest in being a mate, I expected to find an eager young angler self absorbed in catching a fish. But on the way out, I looked over my right shoulder to see Daniel and Little B sitting together on the bait cooler going over the knots for making a grouper rig. Daniel intently watched Little B’s fingers as he formed the knots. The next time I turned around, Daniel had the line in his hands. Apparently, the first time Daniel formed a fine wad. The next time, though, Little B coached Daniel into making a knot. I thought, this kid is different. I don’t know of many 14 year old boys who would care to sit still long enough to be taught a knot. Furthermore, Little B told me on the way out he and Daniel were exchanging fish stories. The same thing Glen and I were doing. You know, the biggest fish, the fish that got away, different places we’ve fished, etc. In their conversation, Daniel told Little B what he wanted on today’s adventure. Daniel wanted a big fish but...for his friend Nick to catch it! That selfless spirit manifested itself throughout the day as Daniel involved himself in everything from getting bait for others to bringing in the anchor off the anchor ball. He was a joy to be with because he had a joy of being there. At such a young age, Daniel had figured out that the joy of fishing transcends the simple act of winding string around a spool to bring the fish in. A monkey can be trained to reel in a fish. But a monkey can’t enjoy the big picture. The delight in rigging up a section of surgical tubing with wire and hook to trick a six foot barracuda into vaulting itself from the sea. The funny faces one gets when a harnessed, live amberjack is dropped over board to punish a couple of anglers in a tug of war with a goliath grouper. Slowing down the boat to admire dolphins playing in the wake. The anticipation of things to come when a trap is loaded with pinfish. The relish of proving, to die hard bottom bouncers, that grouper can be caught trolling. The honor of showing a novice angler why people love to fish. The comradery shared on the boat. The fun of watching an experienced angler get caught up in the ‘spirit’ as a horde of amberjack crash top water plugs. The satisfaction of a clean boat. The gratification of showing an interested person how to tie an extra knot. Each offshore adventure is an opportunity to learn and teach. I learn new bottom every time out. Little B and I try, to the best of out ability, to teach a clinic each trip. Trying to cram as many seasonal styles and techniques into the day that we comfortably can. And we learn from the experiences of those aboard. For example, I’ve cleaned tons of fish in my life time, but as embarrassing as it is, two weeks ago, a fellow showed me how to clean a fish the right way. He also showed us an extra knot.