I know, I know...this isn't fly fishing or Missouri-related content. I'm sorry. I just had to share this story because I don't fish in saltwater very often. Last summer, Wendy and I were asked to join a couple of our best friends at a destination wedding in the Dominican Republic. I made sure to not bring up fishing one time prior to to the trip or even during the trip. However, when the bride and groom brought up the idea of fishing, it felt downright rude to advise against the notion.
So we chartered a trip out to into the great blue yonder. If you've never been on a chartered fishing trip in the Gulf of Mexico or the Caribbean, let me explain how things go. The deck hands do all the work. They bait the lines, watch the lines, and constantly monitor. The captain drives the boat and is always on lookout. The anglers sit around (some of them vomiting off the side of the boat) and take turns reeling in fish that have been hooked while trolling. Yes, it is fishing! No, there isn't much skill involved. Luck plays a role but you had better be the right person at the right time. When I describe it this way, it inherently sounds a little boring. With that being stated, a born and raised Missouri boy doesn't get many chances at catching saltwater fish so it was actually a lot of fun.
Wendy ended up landing a barracuda and I had the pleasure of reeling in a Mahi Mahi. Wendy was a little bummed that she didn't catch something bigger, with more mystique. I was bummed for her too. She was happy for me to catch a species that I had never caught before. I had always wanted to catch a Mahi Mahi and they are every bit as beautiful in person as they are in pictures and on video. No, it didn't require much skill on either of our ends but the pictures with the hero poses are ones that will live on as long as the memories!
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