MSYellowfin

<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">My two girls Robin (14) and Jamie (15) along with their cousin Zack (15) have been really looking forward to the MBGFC Jr. Angler tournament that was held this past Sat. My hat really goes off to the MBGFC for the work they do putting on this event and the overall feeling they give off to the kids. Great event for the kids.<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">After reviewing the satellite images and deciding that blue water was not in striking distance we made the choice to fish the nipple/131 hole area. We kept the boat overnight at Orange Beach Marina, which made leaving out so much easier! Met up with friends the Graves at the pass at 4:30 AM and headed to the nipple. Arrived at nipple a little over an hour later. Put out dredges on both transoms, Mold craft lures up close, Islander/ballyhoo midway back and ballyhoo on the long riggers with a Ahai jet way back center. Trolled in pretty, but dark water till noon. Around noon a school of 50#ish YFT started skying just off the bow. As we approached the school we get two screaming knock downs. One on the way back jet on a Tiagra 30 and one on an up close Sr. Mold craft Chugger on a 50W. To make things fair we had assigned which rods each kid would be responsible for, as it were, Zack had the tuna on the 30 and my daughter Robin had the tuna on the 50W. Both drags are screaming like there is not tomorrow! We clear deck and settle in for the fight. After maybe 5 minutes Zack?s fish just comes unbuttoned??? No worries Robin?s is solidly hooked up. Maybe 30 minutes later we see double line then leader. I gaff the yft and a solid 50 lbs yft is on the deck! My daughters first blue water fish! High fives all around.<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">Fish rest of day without another hit. We see schools of tuna but are not able to coax them into hitting. To top off a great day we saw numerous whales throughout the day! Could not get pics of whales, but did get some good video that I may post later.<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">Robin wound up winning 1<SUP>st</SUP> place tuna and nice plaque and a Nintendo Wii as well as getting her picture taken under the banner. Really cool for Robin! I had my kids totally involved, they helped prepare the ballyhoo, set drags, even hooked them up the Braid harness and tied line to my truck and had other child drive off to let them see what a drag screamer on a 50W feels like!<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">They can?t wait to go again!! Dad just needs a bigger boat!!<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">testing drag settings<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">rigging ballyhoo for circle hooks<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">Sunup at the nipple<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">1 of 2 dredges I pull<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">Nephew Zack hooked up on a YFT<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">I could not get her to get any closer to the YFT!<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">Taking fish to weigh dock<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">Robin rec her Wii and plaque<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">MScontender

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MSyellowfin
2008 54C Viking "Jacquelyn"
2010 36 Yellowfin "Forgiven"
2010 24 Hurricane Deck Boat
2001 Contender 25 (sold)

lastcast

Way to go dad! Looks like you found some new fishing buddies. Sounds like you got-em hooked.

Skip

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daddytime

VERY Nice-Great report and congrats to Robin. Cool how you got them involved in the rigging. Great pics. Guess them dredges fired up the yft. Never have tried them. Watch out now with that bigger boat comment. You'll be leaving alot earlier and seperating yourself from more cabbage to boot.

Guess the water wasn't that bad for YFT to be around. You just made some awesome memories. Good job.:usaflag

PELAGIC PIRATE

Congrats on the winning Jr tuna , that is just awesome for you and your children !

Ocean Master

Great Job. It's wonderful to see the family having such a good time. Memories are made.

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GAHUNTER

Congrats on the great tuna and great family time!

I am a strong believer in dredges, especially in outboard powered boats where we don't have those throaty diesels to raise fish. I also run two dredges, and I add two loooooong daisy chain surface teasers. All this hardware is a pain when you get into the thick grass, or when the little dolphins attack, but the rewards are worth the trouble, as evidenced in your pictures.

Is that a Calcutta dredge?

lobsterman

Well done Dad.

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DISANTO

That's absolutely awesome.....way to go girl! (and crew)

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redslayer

awsome catch!

$EA $ICKNE$$

Congrats Robert! A late fathers day present to be able to pull off that kind of trip with the kids!