[bajadan2000]

Martin ponders, standing knee deep in salt water. What did I forget, he asks himself?
Where Am I? A clue, bones all around my feet. Hmm, good, they look like fish bones. OH-OH, big fish bones. This must be a trip to the dark side.
What day is it? A fishing day, close enough.
And that cigar, the same one in the dream last night. Must taste better the second time up. That's one salty cigar.
As he looked out across the bay, taking in the beauty of the wildness, the romance, the history of those that have gone before him. He knew what drew him here.
But what did he forget?

 

[Mr. Fisherman]

He was forgetting.... forgetting.... What did he read on the board not to forget? Oh yea, his Bait Boy.... He read at the bottom of Pilar's tag line Not to forget your Bait boy and he almost had... He reached past the bananna in his sea bag for his cell phone.

 

[San Anita]

And grabbed a burrito left over from last Wednesday instead, and had breakfast.

 

[tracker]

It was hard to tell the difference between the cigar and the burrito! Both tasted about the same!

 

[Mark Mc]

But as he scrounged for the cell phone he felt a......"YOW! What the...." ....he pulled his had out and saw the 3 ounce Megabait iron jig hanging from his thumb by one of the hooks. His first thought...."not to the barb, please"....he looked closer through the blood dribbling down, and sure enough the barb was all the way in. Now he was feeling both the stinging pain, and the fear & embarassment that he'd have to miss the fishing trip. He couldn't bear that thought. So right there in the middle of the busy boat ramp, he yelled out "IS THERE A DOCTOR OR A NURSE AROUND HERE?!!!!!"

Several people immediately gathered around.....no doctors or nurses, just concerned fishers. One of them was Puffin (Big Jon), walking barefoot through the ramp slime. He said "here lemme just yank it out....no big deal." But to Martin, the thought of this fellow doing surgery on his thumb scared him more than anything. "No, No....I want a REAL medical professional." Just then a stocky fisherwoman showed up and said "let me take a look at that." It was Nancy, the Sea Jypsea!! Martin gave her a puzzled look. "Don't worry, I'm an ER nurse. I've removed more hooks than you've caught tuna." Martin was shaking. Nancy said "look, if I'm gonna get this out, your gonna have to hold still." Being the take-charge person she is, she ordered him over to the nearest boat rail. She grabbed one of the mooring lines, and without asking him, she started lashing his arm & his hand down to the rail, as though it was some kinky bondage ritual. He protested, but it was too late. She tied it very tight, with her special tuna jig knots. Then Nancy reached into a little zipper-bag on her waist....and pulled out a piece of heavy dental ribbon floss. Some other Salty Dog butted in and handed Martin a big shot of Tequila, which he graciously accepted. Nancy said "gimme that I need it". This shocked the growing crowd.....a drunken nurse? But no....she poured the tequila on the wound, washing the blood away and giving a little sterilization at the same time. Nancy put the floss around the hook right where it penetrated. The with the moves of a surgeon, she pulled on the floss with one hand while moving the hook in a circular motion with the other hand. Martin grimaced....the unknown Salty Dog poured tequila forcibly into his mouth. After about 40 seconds of this hook-pulling dance (which seemed like an eternity to Martin), the hook popped out. A big cheer rang out at the ramp. Martin gave Nancy a big, tequila-laden kiss. She wrapped up the wound & suggested that he go get a tetanous shot. But Martin had other thoughts....."How can I salvage this fishing day? My thumb is in pain....I can't reel or hold a rod with this hand..."

But Martin would figure out a way to fish that day, no matter what.......

 

[8knots]

hmmm, he just couldn't figure out what it was...fishing license, check.....favorite chewed up cedar plug, check... knife, check....sunglasses, check. Martin caught himself laughing at the folly of how much 'stuff' it took to pusure his passion. Ah, but it made him feel so alive...his little adventure, his antidote to the demanding work hours he put in. His passion made him whole and that made him crack a little smile of content. He kept checking his mental list, lots of water, check...beef jerky for everyone, check...Dang, what was he forgetting? Rubber boots as he looked at his old tennis shoes...

 

[Han Solo]

Thanks for the laughs ... you guys are too much.

Hey is this dude gonna catch a fish or is he just bouncing off of walls back on the beach?

 

[djchaser]

So Martin walks back to his rig and notices a lack of fishing poles in the boat and truck assout: and he finnally realizes what he forgot :hoboy:

 

[tracker]

Maybe the Hornitos were not such a good idea last night. At least Santana's is on the way home!

 

[Birdnest]

...as our friend curled up into the fetal position to nurse his thumb, his hangover, and contemplate his next move he had an epiphany. More tequila. Tequila had got him into this mess, so he reasoned that by simply pouring more tequila onto his problems, they would go away....

 

[tracker]

(I really feel sorry for this guy, he is really messed up!)

 

[Mr. Fisherman]

The killer awoke at dawn…he put his Grundens on… he selected a gaff from the ancient gallery…. And he walked on down the dock.
“Martin… Martin!... get up… lets go.” Johnboy gently tapped Matin with his foot as he slep on the dock. “I need you take this line as I back her in?”
As he headed back up the dock he was mumbling something about another flat tire and something about the quality of bearings and how they pick the very best time to go out and something about pulling another bolt from a dark place to replace one that sheared off… as he watched the arms waving and listened to the rant it was obvious that the skipper was agitated. The last thing he heard from the Captain before he disappeared back into the truck to back the boat down was “But it’s all good, I am at the beach and fish are gonna die… it’s a beautiful thing…”
The boat was launched, the rig was parked. “Get on and lets get going,” Martin replied, “I forgot my fishing poles.” No worries, I have plenty, get on and lets get out of here. I am already later than I wanted to be…” Martin boards Kismet . Pilar mumbled something about tires and quality of bearings and something about pulling another bolt from a dark place as he turned to port and headed for the bay…
It seemed like it was just yesterday that Martin had read his first post about Tuna. Now he was on the Kismet with Pilar and they were headed to the killing fields… The dull ache in his head told him that too much of a good thing was not good and he hoped his stomach would settle. He had a little tickle in the bottom of his stomach when the beach faded to a thin black sliver and then winked out of sight all together…

 

[Zodiac-Fisherman]

Then all of a suddan the water temp has risen from 58 degrees up to 61 degrees, Capt and mates are anxiously scanning the horizon for fishy activity. Martin has yelled "Jumpers at 2 oclock!! Everyone glances at the small group of jumpers. Frantically, everyone runs to the deck and grabs a casting rod, rigged up with fishtraps. Electronics are turned off and you slowly slide up into the jumpers..

 

[Mark Mc]

They cast and cast, jigging & reeling, but nobody gets bit. They chase more jumpers, cast in frustration, with no hookups. They are pulling their hair out.

 

[tracker]

In slides Keywest with a full load of live bait. He starts chumming the water around both boats. Soon the all the anglers on board Keywest are hooked up. The Kismet manages to hook up a few, but the live bait show being put on by Keywest is truly epic!

 

[Cloud-Nine]

The radio barks with a big signal from EXTA SEA. Marty reporting with Mark Mc and TWB aboard. They have boated 9 long fins allready all on Mark Mc's secret color home made swim baits. Now Martin knows what he really forgot, swim baits!!! He wonders how close EXTA SEA is and if there is a way to get some of those secret little wonders. Just then he sees another boat appproching, could it be........

 

[Mark Mc]

....yes it is Marty coming over to throw them a bag of swimbaits. But our heros already have plenty of Channel Island Chovies. Maybe the problem is not the lures. Could it be the presentation, the technique? Or something else that is repelling the tuna? What did the whole crew have in common? Was it the breakfast they all had.....something they got on their hands? Unbeknownst to the crew it was............

 

[djchaser]

IT WAS :yay: :yay: :yay: :yay: :yay: :yay: :yay: :yay: :yay: :yay: :yay: :yay: :yay: :yay: :yay: :yay: :yay: :yay: :yay: :yay: :yay: :yay: :yay: :yay: :yay: :yay: :yay: :yay: :yay: OMG who brought the :yay: :yay: :yay: :yay: :yeahthat: assout:

 

[Billfisher]

Speed. All the while the casting happened at a drift, and the trolling happened at the usual 5-8 knots. It was pointed out painfully by the Jedi master and part time Tuna Mc Mystic as he watched them through the binos. "Pilar, try trolling them at 2 knots," the radio barked. As Kismet rolled to a near stop, the horizon was aboom with the deafening roar of...













HOOK UP!!! FISH ON! BLOOD IN THE BOAT!!!


Just then, Puffin arrived on scene and the carnage continued. Fish after fish came from the depths, and Martin mused "Gentlemen, the stink is off." :wave:

 

[Billfisher]

Then, Glen confirmed the unthinkable! These things might actually like Bannanas! Start Chumming!, he yelled.