-By @7th Grade
I didn’t do anything over vacation because my dad was working and the weather was lousy. If things had gone my way I would have gone fishing. The following is what I think would have happened
I hear voices, soft voices then louder talking as I open my eyes to find my dad waking me up to go fishing. I guess he thought it was the best idea if we wake up at 4… I didn’t agree but this was the plan and there was no going back now. Getting stuff together was easy due to the thorough preparation the night before. Then before I knew it we were off to Hampton New Hampshire where the fishing vessel Yellow Bird was docked. Of course in the car I grabbed my last bit of shuteye before the eight hour trek ahead of me.
Arrival at the ship was as expected. The captain greeted us aboard, got us rods, and told us where to put our stuff. At 7:00 am sharp the boat engines roared to life and off we were. Two hours until our first fishing spot. I decided to head up to the wheelhouse which sits right above the main area of the boat otherwise known as there salon is where people can sit, sleep, and eat. With about 24 people stuffed on to a 60ft boat, the deck was crowded.
Two hours later and I was still sitting on the top floor in back of the wheelhouse. Anxious to get fishing, I rushed down to my rod where my dad had set them up with bait. Finally the Captain got on the PA and told us the depth, ocean bottom composition, and to catch those fish! Like 24 loud raindrops all the sinkers hit the water from around the boat. When my line hit the bottom it must have landed right on a fish’s head because my line got an instant tug. I set the hook by lifting my rod quickly and started reeling! First fish and it felt like a big one. “Got one already?” My dad asked.
“I most certainly do,” I replied. Nothing more was said until I got the fish up. It was a haddock, a 31” haddock. That made my dad right there. The feelings of accomplishment and pride filled my body.
“Nice One!” My dad said throwing it in the bin behind us. “Now will you kiss it?” He said laughing. Just one look at him said “No” and he laughed again. That was my only fish for that spot and I was just fine with that because it was what my dad would call, “ A beauty.”
The next fishing spots were slow and not many fish were caught until the absolute last spot. I waited until the Captain came on the loudspeaker for the last time this trip. But when he did it gave me high hopes for the spot. He said,
“Well looks like a lot of fish down there. Rocky bottom lots of drop offs that could get your line stuck and severed.” This meant bait fish which means bigger fish which means sharks. Most of the underwater food chain was three hundred forty feet under this boat. Just like the first stop I hooked up instantly, but this was not as big as my first fish. I could tell by the resistance the fish put up. All of a sudden it was a lot heavier and a lot tougher to hold onto the rod and to reel it in, whatever it was. When this monster was within 50 feet of the surface I notice it was a blue shark. The biggest blue shark I had ever seen in my life. At least eight feet long and was gnawing away at this cod that had my hook in it.
“Shark’s got my fish which has got my line!” I yelled out. Obviously the shark heard me, let go immediately and swam away… Or did he. About a minute later look who’s line it’s on. My dad’s! Then another person’s line until it finally went away for good. All my fishing time was spent on reeling in the shark that I only got one mangled cod, which was fine with me, it was a trophy. Just in time to go home for the day. That day my dad an I brought back over ten pounds of fish. Which made for a great meal with friends the next night. Nothing better than fresh fish!
Tags: child mindset, fishing, fun things to do, parenting tips, teenager, Vacation