Fishing is an Adventure Best Shared with Loved Ones

By Jason Calhoun

I believe that kids gain a sense of purpose outside of school and their extracurricular activities when you have wonderful experiences with them. When adult life becomes too difficult for them or when they get confused as they navigate their teenage life, they will be able to reflect on the good times they had with their families. No matter what happens in the future, they'll always be able to look back on these moments with nostalgia.

For this reason, I love it whenever families and young kids join Lock It Up Charters. There's a certain kind of joy about having an outdoor adventure with your family. Of course, as an angler myself, I am a bit biased to say that fishing is one of these amazing outdoor activities best shared with children.

All my favorite memories have to do with seeing the smiles on children’s faces after they make a fantastic catch. More than my love for landing a big fish, there is nothing more fulfilling than watching the excitement on a kid’s face once they catch something, especially when they have been working on it the whole day. Honestly, I do not see fishing as a job. Rather, it is a way of life. I consider myself lucky that through this fishing charter, I get to do something I really love and share my passion for it with other people.

Snappers and groupers are my favorite targets whenever I am out fishing, be it on my own or with guests, although I am always ready and just as excited for other fish available. After all, you never really know what you will hook into with fishing. I also go after mahi-mahi, tuna, and triggerfish, too.

Some guests sometimes ask me to help them catch sharks and barracuda. And because I target many other different fish species, I never shy away from their requests. I understand that the key to a great fishing experience is letting the guests decide what they think is best for them. With the help of good weather on any scheduled fishing trip, I help them satisfy their curiosity and love for adventure to the best of my abilities. Truth be told, though, I still catch whatever bites.

Year-round, I target snapper. They are everywhere! They are a great fight and catch for everyone, even inexperienced anglers. Kids have a great time catching them.

From May through December, I catch groupers. Similar to snappers, they are great to catch but also a tad bit more difficult to deal with. They mostly stay along rocky areas and can suck in bait, blow up, and anchor in those rocks. So, anyone who wants to catch groupers should be quick and strong. They put up quite a fight, but the whole experience is fantastic!

Triggerfish are a fun fight with a light bite. Although they are difficult to capture, any angler can catch them all year round. For those who prefer fishing in the summer, it is when mahi-mahi are most plentiful. They can be caught all year long, although the winter is when it is more difficult to locate them. Yes, you read that right: we feel the cold in the Keys, too. Fighting these fish is enjoyable. When you load them onto the boat, they appear stunning. Mahi are difficult to capture since so many things can go wrong when trolling for them.

Tuna are usually caught by trolling as well. These are blackfin tuna which is a small version of the yellowfin. Though not as big as the other tuna, the blackfin tuna can give a great fight. They are fast, powerful, and, most importantly, delicious. Whenever I try to catch tuna, I always see predators, or what I like to call "tax men."

Catching barracuda and sharks is something I like, too. Challenging but fun. Barracuda are a lot more fun to fight and are usually easy to target. Sharks, though? They are trickier and need bigger live bait. For both of these, I always tell the guests that these require twice as much work as any angler would usually put on bigger fish. This is because you have to catch the live bait first before you can start targeting these bigger predators.

I use a variety of techniques because I catch various fish. My techniques also depend on the water body, and the conditions in the fishing spot dictate a lot of what I do. Having experienced a lot of different circumstances that affect fishing, I eventually came up with several setups.

That does not mean I do not have a favorite piece of fishing gear, though. In fact, my all-time favorite rod and reel combo are the Penn lines. It is a popular favorite among women anglers, and the guests are no exception. I experimented with other brands and gear, so the Fierce, Battle, and Spinfishers is my current go-to for spinning combos. However, there is just something about Penn International that I deeply adore. Perhaps because of that buzz about having the gold on the boat?

For custom rods, I usually get mine from a local rod shop. A reel as impressive as the International deserves a special fishing rod. Lead is a must in most cases, but the weight is determined by the current and depth. For skirts and feathers, I often go for the pink ones, unless I am targeting wahoo because they like the purple ones better. Blackfin seems to go for the pink, while Mahi eats everything. For these fish, live bait is definitely always the best, but I catch plenty of frozen bait as well. It never hurts to be prepared and have options, you know?

With all these fish I have caught over the years, my best catch has got to be the African pompano. They are way harder to catch, but when I do, it is everything. The exhilaration is otherworldly! They fight like no other, and they are extremely delicious.

Now, my wife personally hates whenever I catch them, so I do not actively look for them. Throughout my life, I have captured only a handful throughout my life, and many of those times are just before a major hurricane hits. After I caught my very first one, which I did with my wife, Irma hit us. Wilma hit two weeks after I caught another. The very last time I caught an African pompano, Dorian devastated the Bahamas a week later. A lot of our friends say it is just a coincidence, but hey, what an interesting one it is.

Suffice it to say, there is nothing like a fishing adventure! And what better way to indulge yourself than with the people you love? I wish you and your family would experience that unforgettable fishing experience with me. So, what are you waiting for? Join a fishing tour with me.