Escaping the heat

[tunanut]

Doing my best to live a micromini version of the life of JT, I took my family north to escape the heat that has plagued the Carolina's this summer. My boy was stoaked to get a chance to do some line wetting while we were up there. I gathered some intel on some smallish giant bft's near the coast so me and alex figured we'd try something really stupid. We borrowed a 1977 Whaler and headed out of the Saco River is search of the ellusive BFT.





We search around Wood Island for some mackeral, but none were around that we could find.


So we pushed offshore, not very far, to see what we could find. DAD, DAD, What's that? I think we've found them son, now see if you can jig up some bait.






Will these do?


Why not, their tails are moving. We set a 2 line spread a said a prayer to the tuna gods.


Not a half hour later, POP, ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzgggggg

alex grabbed the rod and wouldn't give it up. I got it dad, could you see if you can fit your harness on me please. I quickly got the harness around him. It was a little big on him, but he wanted to fight this fish. I cleared the other line, got the motors started as the fish pulled the boy around the back of the boat. For about 40 minutes he would gain a little, loose a little; an epic battle between an 11 year old and one angry fish. It was a classic giant tuna fight. Circles, back and forth, head shakes, but it was the swimming back at the boat that finally freed the fish. He had likely worked a hole in his jaw with the violent head shakes and slack line was just what he needed for his get away. I told him it was my fault for not moving the boat fast enough for keeping tension on the line, but that we would have had to release it anyway because the boat didn't have the required permits to land and sell bft's. And even though we didn't come home with a fish it was a stellar fishing trip in my book.





With that under our belt we headed north to see if we could find some freshwater species on Highland lake up in Brigeton, ME. The action was awesome, not big fish, but alot of them and quite the variety.









Then it was time for some watersports. First was some blueberry picking with his sister on the kayak, then some wakeboarding and old school sking. The boy made wakeboarding look so easy, I'd give it a try. Toeside, yikes.







and it wouldn't be Maine without



Would love to hook up with you someday and put alex on some of those pig yfts in PV or Panama, but for now I'd have to say that it doesn't get much better than this.

Now back to my regularly scheduled life of work ,more work, and wishing I had JT's life.

[Agitated88]

where to start? Awesome day with your son!! Amazing to see brother and sister enjoying one another's company, enjoy those mements! Awesome job on the tuna, it's NOT always what's in the cooler that makes a good story. Excellent photo's and well written. Thanks for sharing your family's adventure with us!

[Robja]

Nice report tunanut. I like the pictures. I am puzzled though. Why get away to escape the heat. This has been a great summer thus far. Plenty of 100+ degree days with lots of humidity. My palm trees and bananna trees are loving this global warming temperatures in central NC. All I have to do is remember back to this winter and I would take this weather any day of the week.

[Patudo]

Great report! Those photos of your kid tied to the bft - that'll bring some good memories back to both of you in years to come. Thanks for sharing!

[Capt Josh]

Soooooo stoked to see reports like this. You guys have it figured out.

Another nominee for the DAD OF THE YEAR AWARD!!!

Keep these reports coming amigo. What an awesome post.

Looks like you wakeboard a lot like i surf!!!


Awesome

[tunanut]

Thanks Josh, but I really don't deserve an award for playing with my kids, it's a pleasure. I'm fortunate to have a great wife and two excellent children that love to get out and do stuff. Wish I could find more time for creating these kinds of memories with them. We've had a few decent trips this year, I may let the boy report one.

Robja, as for the heat, these 100 degree days are doing a great job of killing the stripers on lake norman. It's going to make for tought winter fishing, but hey, as long as your banana trees are happy.

[Ace1st]

Now theres a report. That kid will never forget hookin that giant! Good for you!

[Boneshaker25]

Thanks for the report. I live in Raleigh but spent about 4 years in Maine and as an outdoorsman was loving it. We used to fish the Saco river for stripers and blues so the pics brought back a lot of memories of trolling up and down the jetties at Camp Ellis. Good job on hooking the tuna btw. How far out did you have to go to find them? I lived in Naples which is near Bridgton.

Thanks for sharing.

[chumslicker27]

Yes indeed awesome report and PICS! Awesome job on hooking the BFT- That boy is hooked for life!

[gottaflylee]

Its all about the kids and this report and pictures prove it...great job on getting it done...