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Craig Hammond of Arcadia, California was the youngest fisherman on the boat and a breath of fresh air for me. This kid was psyched...I mean charged and ready to kick some butt. True enthusiasm, nothing phoney. He took any advice from the seasoned fishermen, used it and ate it for lunch. |
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It was Craig's birthday and he had a live skipjack on his line for bait. All of the guys were kidding him about how only a shark would be grabbing his bait...when one person yelled there IS a shark after your bait. But it wasn't a shark, it was a 440 pound marlin which did a screaming reel special..."see ya, bye-bye". |
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All those who had been busting his chops were now gasping for air, as they saw the fish clearing the blue water into the sky, jump after jump. Craig was all over the marlin, never letting up the pressure on the 80 lb. test. He slew the beast, all ten feet of him...and won the battle, releasing that marlin like a true sportsman. |
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Earlier that day he had wrestled with a 150 pound tuna and kicked his butt...Go Craig! One day at dawn, I gave him some advice...the tuna were running at about 60 feet and hitting on 60 pound fluoro carbon and a couple of slip sinkers. He jumped all over that information, tied up and was on in a heartbeat. He was open to all he could learn, never questioning the results or the four thousand lame questions of "why". He put the info. to work and when it showed results he'd just smiled from ear to ear and say "thanks alot". |
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I tell you that makes it all worth while to me. I get stubborn at times about learning new tricks or may I say new techniques. The only one losing out is me. Always keep an open mind, leave the bloated ego at home in bed. Craig, Dude, keep an open mind and do just what you're doing. |
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Dude, this is one birthday you won't be forgetting for the rest of your life.
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