# My Personal Best Surf Trip Ever.......With a HUGE Bonus



## Garbo (Oct 2, 2007)

I went to bed last night in Panama City Beach,"and woke up there this morning. I got up and after a couple of cups of Java, I picked up a 6# rod and a few pomp jigs and walked down the beach toward the jetties. Late yesterday evening, I caught a redfish in a washout right behind the MoonSpinner Condos and as I approached that same area I slowed down to look for anything that might be moving around. A pelican came down the beach just barely over the water and as he passed the washout a pompano skipped across the surface of the water. I walked out to the sandbar which was almost dry and made a long cast out the washout. As I bounced the jig back, I didn't get touched until the jig got about 40 feet or so from me, and BAM,a small pompano, and on the first cast. I cast again, alot shorter cast too, instant hookup. Most were short and there may have been a few borderliners, but not big enough to keep, before work. The only thing that could have made it better would have been for LITECATCH to have been there with me. 

I stood in the same spot and caught 25, not every cast but not far between either. I have never caught Pompano like that in my life. The only thing I have ever caught like that is Hardtails. I set a limit that I would quit at 50, and before I got to 30 an elder gentleman and his grandson who had been watching me from the balcony of the Condo they were staying in walked down the beach and yelled out to me "what are you catchin?" I yelled back "Pompano, come here, and bring the little boy". He and the little boy made their way out to the sandbar, which for all practical purposes was an Island. I had just landed my 28th when they got to me, and I showed them the fish which was short as most of them were and he thought that was the coolest thing he had ever seen. I cast the jig and handed him the rod and and told him what to do,he bounced the jig no more than 5 times and doubled over. I helped him land the fish and his grandson released it. We did it again, and again, and again, and again. I quit counting when he and his grandson started fishing but I know we topped 40 between us, all sharing one rod. It was a blast watching the granddad and his grandson both. They had an absolute Ball. When we walked back to the beach, granddaddygot really wet as he slipped in the trough between the bar and the beach. I helped him up and asked if he were o.k. and he replied he had never been better, and that he and the grandson were about to go to the tackle store and would be back very shortly. 

The HUGE Bonus was the thrill and delight of the two of them having a HUGE time that that little boy will remember for the rest of his life. 

That is my greatest Surf fishing Trip ever..To date.


----------



## Deeplines (Sep 28, 2007)

Thanks for the report Curtis. 

As much as I hate it sounds like I need to go to the beach.


----------



## reelfinatical (Sep 30, 2007)

:clap :clap Very nice!!


----------



## Ultralite (Oct 1, 2007)

GOOD story curtis:bowdown...that's what i'm talking about...just good on your part for being there at the right time, right place...call it fate, call it coincidence, or just plain luck, it was meant to be and you are to be commended for just being a damn good guy...now don't get a big head, okei just think that is way cool...


----------



## Whitie9688 (Sep 28, 2007)

nice report! you know that kid is gonna be out there every chance he gets now!


----------



## LITECATCH (Oct 2, 2007)

i agree with you Curtis! i wish i had been there also! i have never caught a pomp.


----------



## Redfish (Nov 9, 2007)

:clap:bowdown very nice job Garbo, Curtis sounds like you and your new friends had a Great time can't get any better than that ,that young boy will always remember this day, the best part is he was with his Grandfather,Both my Grandmothers were very Good at Fishing and I will always remember the Good times we had Fishing I Miss them both, Great Report !! BTW Glad to see your Back!!!


----------



## mdrobe2 (Oct 12, 2007)

Awesome report. That is what this forum is all about to me. I would have done just like you did- hand the rod to the kid and let him or her have a blast. I was walking around an island across from Galvez Landing in Perdido a few weeks ago and I threw my net for some kids that were around and got some lizard fish. Those kids played with those fish for a while, placing them in buckets. The parents and the boys thanked me andI had done my good deed for the day. You did the right thing, especially since the fish were a tad short. No since hogging them when they aren't keepers. Nice work.


----------



## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Jeez, save some for the rest of us! Looks like you made a couple new friends. 

A few years ago while shark fishing on the beach,a young kid who looked to be about 11 or so came up and started bombing away with shark questions. This kid was obsessed with sharks it seemed and did not walk away the entire timeI was there cause he would not miss seeing a live shark. His father asked him to leave me alone but I told him he was fine and that he wasn't bothering me. After about a half hour the clicker started screaming and that boy was freaking out he was so excited! So I did the best thing I could think of and handed the rod tohim (with the drag backed off to a more modest setting) and away he went. About 10 minutes or so I had to hold the foregrip while he turned the handle but you should have seen the look on his face when he saw the shark for the first time, a blacktip about 4 foot or so.I pulled it up on the sand and held it down while his father took a picture with the usual crowd gathering of course to see the shark the little boy caught. I thought he might cry any second! There is nothing better than watching a young kid catch a big fish, there expressions and excitement are priceless.


----------



## Inn Deep (Oct 3, 2007)

Awesome!! Thats was very cool of you!


----------



## Garbo (Oct 2, 2007)

I will never forget helping the Granddaddy out of the water, and seeing his face when I asked him if he was O.K., and he replied "I have never been better". He lost his footing in the loose sand in about thigh deep water and went completely under and naturally I was concerned as he was probably in his early 70's at least. When I grabbed his left arm to help him up he started to stand and I asked if he was O.K. and he looked at me when a thrill in his eyes and seemed very happy although the just got completely dunked. He was ready to get to the tackle store. 

It was really cool, and an honor to be able to be a part of it. Sweet Memories, man, Sweet Memories.


----------



## still flippen (Oct 6, 2007)

Best fishing report I have read in some time. Way to go Garbo:usaflag:bowdown


----------



## Shiznik (Feb 24, 2008)

Great post! I hope that when I have a few more years on me, that if I get off track with my fishing, I sure hope someone helps get me back on track. And my outlook on helping people is the same. I think its all about others that are around me having fun too!


----------



## JimD (Nov 27, 2007)

Cudos to you! Great job, you just gave both grandpa and grandson memories they will never forget.


----------



## bigpopper (Sep 11, 2008)

Very cool report! There's somethin to say about being at the right place at the right time to make an imapct on someone's life as well as your own. 

Great fishin!


----------

