Hello everyone!! I know long title right! Well I have been a lurker of the site for the past 2 months while my 4yr old son and I rebuilt a small 2 man boat. The boat has been in the family since I was a little kid...so its prob about 25 years old by now. Back in the day it was called a Jerb, which doesn't even come up in a google search now. Long story short it was a mess and had to be gutted and totally redone. My son helped as much as any 4yr old would...mainly demo and then with the painting! We pretty much have it where we want it now and the only thing left is to name it. We would have picked a name by now but we can't agree on the right Star Wars name for it( btw I have him addicted to Star Wars...... like his dad!!) So today was our second venture out, the first was all about trying to see how she handled and what it would be like to try and fish with him in the boat....needless to say we got skunked the first trip!!
But today we decided to put in at Guana River, after reading all the posts on here about that place I thought it would be perfect for us because of the lack of big boats and their wake!! WE got to the ramp just as the tide was turning from low to high and struck out into uncharted waters. As the tide came in I saw what I thought were Reds feeding and saw my first tailing Red (oh yeah we are not from here...I am a Texas boy transplanted here with the Navy, so still new to this salt water fishing). But nothing was hitting what we threw at them. We finally caught a small catfish and then a stingray and decided to move. The wind was terrible and we decided to take shelter in the cove by the ramp. The tide by now was almost slack and I hooked up with a Red on dead shrimp...just a little over 19". My boy was thrilled that we had something to put in the cooler finally. Then we hooked up with about a 1.5' Hammerhead Shark!!! Really a shark!! But my boy still loved it!
As we sat there my bottom rig started to take some hits and I was trying to time my hook set when all of the sudden I hear daddy daddy daddy and when I look back. I see my boy outstretched over the side of the boat with a death grip on his little kids Star Wars pole and the drag screaming! I quickly grabbed him by his life jacket before he went overboard and told him to start reeling. I saw his line heading for the grass of the shoreline and then it all just stopped! He was trying to reel but not making any ground on the fish, it was stuck up in the grass. SO I told him I would pull it and he needed to reel...as the fish came out of the grass he made a run for open water of about 8sec (thank goodness I changed his line to 30lb spider wire) then it stopped and he reeled like no tomorrow. Then it came to the surface 50' from the boat and made a huge splash...at that point I knew it was a huge red!!!! Then it made another run and all I could do was pray that it was hooked good!! Then all at once my boy looked at me and told me he was tired and couldn't reel anymore and just let go of his pole....about 10min had gone by. So I gave him a quick high-five and told hime he could do it and I would lend a hand.... I reeled while he worked the pole pulling it. When it got to the boat he grabbed the net and wanted to net it...NO WAY...lol...I wasn't about to loose this beast so we both used the net!! He screamed with excitement as I lifted it into the boat and it was a beast!!! I mean this guy out did my PB by about 6 inches!! It was so heavy my boy couldn't lift it on his own so we had to lay it down to take the picture. We gave hugs and high-fives for the next ten minutes after we landed that bad boy. Only prob was after that, for the next hour every 2 min he asked me when he was gonna catch another big fish....lol!!! I was so proud of my little trooper he did a great job and didn't want to stop fishing when it was time to go and pouring rain on us!! His monster came on a float rig , 1/4oz jighead tipped with a mud, set at a mere 1.5' deep.....unbelievable!!! We were wet...it was windy and we didn't catch a whole lot of fish....but we had a blast!!!!!! So I get to claim part of this catch right? I mean this thing could have eaten mine for dinner..Officially it was 26.75" and mine was just over 19"....what a GREAT day! I know this post was long...sorry...but this is one proud dad!!! He already wants to know when we are going again...I think he's hooked!! I just have to figure out how I am going to top this!
Have a great day everyone...btw..this site is awesome!

Well now that is a interesting craft. Please post a few more shots of it. The really cool part is that it has so much history with your family and you choose to get it back on the water That rocks! Getting your own son involved is fantastic and who knows that boat may well be making voyages with his kids someday. Welcome to the site.

http://www.jeffstacklebox.com

Good post!! Cool looking boat. Looks like you have it rigged out pretty good. Your son is definitely going to be spoiled after catching such a nice fish. Good luck to ya'll.

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Thanks for taking me fishing Dad

The beauty of memories is that you always have them. Looks like you've made some good ones... both for you and your boy.

Great job.

DUDE!!! GREAT STORY!! That is why I want a son so bad!! For moments like that! Welcome to the forum! Great post and like me, you may be hooked on Guana River. That place produces good quality fish like that often. Glade you guys had a good time. Congrats!

thats the best thing i have heard all day. i would never call a post too long as long as it was interesting and warranted...and your post was both interesting and warranted. sounds like you had a wonderful time...maybe one day i'll get a kid to take fishing. i want nothing more than to tell a story like yours to someone. you are a lucky fella....catching quality fish, making quality memories.

Great story and well worth the read. Congrats to you and your son on the catch and the memories you will both share for a long time. Nice job!

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Hobie Pro Angler 12
Hobie Outback

Great job Dad. Especially with a kid's rod and reel! Must have been a Zebco. A cool looking boat as well. Your both making memories for a lifetime.

Thanks for all the great replies yall!!! I can't tell you how much fun we had that day even if it was a little windy and rainy at times. As a matter of fact he was waiting on me at the door today when I got home from work. Asking if we could go fishing today since it wasn't raining right then.
Yes, his little pole is in fact a Zebco! I will post some more pictures of the boat...when it stops raining long enough for me to take them. But when we got home yesterday evening we managed to snap a couple of pic's of him with his fish. I just wished I would have remembered to have him hold his pole too!

man, i gotta say...im loving the star wars theme going on. thats a hefty fish your boy has, i know the force was with him for the fight...

Luv it!

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"This is my signature not my facebook page."

Awesome stuff -- great story! Love the boat! Your son is going to remember this (and other fishing trips with you) forever.

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Chris
Perception Sport Destiny 12
Coleman Scanoe

Great job dad!

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Hobie Outback
Mini-X

Best post of the year!

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WS Tarpon 120

Thanks Capt. Jack!

I hope I can put him on some fish again this weekend. We are headed down to Princess Place to do a weekend full of camping and fishing!