whats your favorite adventure with your father? fishing or non fishing

Every fishing trip was special with dad. One of the best was a day out in the FL keys the day after some drinking the night before (not for me I was only 17 and someone had to drive my dad and his brother home) when a sailfish takes a run. Those two brothers wanted to get that boat moving, so thay would not get motion sickness (yea right... the empty bottles told me otherwise)   so they backed up that boat as fast as it would go to get him him and get the boat moving again and to the dock. That was the fastest fight I have ever had. That sailfish is still mounted on my wall 35 years later.

When I was a kid starting at 10 and 11 years old my Dad took me out salmon trolling on his metal dories through the Jaws of Humboldt Bay and onto the open ocean outside of Eureka.  I remember thinking we were going to die in the swells out there, but my Dad's confidence and ability always helped me to go with it.  I'd usually be doped up on Dramamine to counteract the seasickness, and that would mean I'd sleep through a good portion of the trips.  I remember being woken up to fight a fish, and it was torture!  I didn't hate it, but I always wished I could enjoy it more.  I actually remember catching more Hake / Pacific Whiting than salmon on some trips!  By the time I was in college I had overcome much of the seasickness, at least while trolling - but I still couldn't tie my own knots or hook a chovie without getting sick.  We caught lots of nice salmon to 25 pounds, and my Dad really knew his stuff, having been a commercial fisherman in the Mosquito Fleet out of Shelter Cove in the early 70's.  In the early to mid 90's I got out alot with Dad and my Gampa, and my Dad got a series of nicer boats through early this century - moved on from a metal Gregor to a fiberglass 21 foot Whaler Outrage hull that was awesome, then eventually got a nice Triumph that he outfitted for tuna.  By that time I was in to the kayaks, so I didn't get out as much with him, but he was more in to the long tuna runs by then anyway.  At one point I got him to go salmon trolling on the yaks with me at Shelter Cove - Spring 2006 it was.  Dad taught me everything I know about hooking a chovie and running gear that catches salmon.  We paddled out toward the Bell where I'd been catching some decent salmon already that year, and we put in our DeepSix's with dodgers and chovies trailed behind.  It wasn't long and Dad caught the reef and broke off the works!  $25 worth of gear gone like that, and I had guided him on this disaster!  Dad took it in stride and tied on a backup rig.  It wasn't long and he had a fish on!  The local fleet had been catching lots of 6 to 8 pounders with a 10 here and there, but Dad landed a 15+ pound early season fatty king!  I was so stoked that he'd redeemed the earlier gear loss with this great fish.  We trolled on looking for more salmon and got separated by a few hundred yards.  We didn't have any VHF's, so when I paddled up to him 30 minutes later I was surprised to hear him say I need to take a fish off of him so he wasn't over-limit.  I said, "the limit's 2."  And he says, "I know, I've caught 3.  Here, take this one."     I was so damned proud while at the same time so determined to get my own fish to fill out my limit!  He says, "How long you going to stay out?"  I answer, "I don't know, maybe an hour."  But I was thinking "I'll stay out as long as it takes to get my own fish!"  About 45 minutes later I picked up my salmon and headed in - none of the fish we caught were anywhere near the size of the first fatty he'd landed to start the day.  Dad had fileted his fish and headed down to Dead Man's with his longboard.  I knew I'd provided a really fun day for him, and the opportunity to really show me how it's done was, I'm sure, a real validator for him even though we were on my "kayak turf".  We shared some great times over a few brews on the drive home, and I had reached the ultimate in Man to Man relationship with my Dad right there.

Cancer got him 5 years ago.  After a massive stroke that paralyzed him I shared 4 months of priceless communications with him before he passed.  I knew he was really proud of me for what I was starting to do with fishing and outdoors pursuits in general, and I owe it all to him.  Every bit.  I love you, Dad.   

I have zero memories doing anything with my father.......BUT I BET MY SON DOES!!!!   

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there.

Great stories. Awesome thread Cameron.

I have tons of great memories of my Dad....we are closer now that I am older and not such a f*ck up as I used to be.     But even then, we would still enjoy time on the water together....we could always set aside our differences and go fishing together.   

He's heading back to Alaska in a few days to do his first, only, last Full Marathon. He tried last year with me but had heart problems. Can't join him and it's killing me.

Happy Fathers Day Dad. I love you.

Sincerely,

Jim

Killer pics of you and your Pop, Jim.  Thanks for reminding me to post one of mine.   

Great thread guys.  Lots of good memories!

Mine is killer crab and fish limits on my dad's boat with ScubaLuis.  Especially our great adventure out to the unknown when we made the long run out for some Albacore.

Hiking up to a plane wreck in the High sierras when I was 10. My Dad was building a soap box derby car and we pulled some pulleys out of the wreck to use. MT Price above the crystal range.

These photos are GREAT! Keep em coming.

Ive been through 2 dads, 1st one was a flake and a dick to my mom. He eventually died of a brain tumor.

Mom became dad, I remember her taking me sking from the time I was 3, non stop. Love it! We even moved to Utah for a winter to ski non stop. Eventually turned to snowboarding, best memories ever.

2nd dad came when I was 14, he was a good man. His interests were much different then mine, but he was a good provider, a good man. He too was claimed by a very long battle with cancer about 8 years ago. Very sad. Hes the man I refer to as Dad, miss ya!

Once again Mom is Dad, she moved last year to a giant farm she purchased in Kentucky to live out her life with her new husband. The country life. I miss her horribly everyday, but shes had a rough life, she deserves to be happy too.

Happy fathers day Mom, I Love you and miss you!

I am changing the crappy flakey lifestyle my 1st dad gave me, all I remember is drinking and fighting and eventually never being around for anything.

My daughter will have nothing but great memories of me, shes my best friend.

i wasnt on this trip, but a pic of pops with a nice sea of cortez bill fish, cameron

On Sunday's my Dad would drop me off in the morning at Ocean Beach Pier in SD and pick me up just before dark. He would give me enough cash for Frozen anchovies and a dozen rolled tacos. Cool thread. Thanks

Earliest memories started at about 4 years old being carried out to the duck blinds at O'dark thirty in the morning, a layer of ice on the duck pond breaking underfoot. Ah, the smell of wet dog & gunpowder in the morning!
Talked to dad today: 106 degrees in Patterson. A/C is his favorite modern convenience. 

Took my dad to baja for his 50th. Hired a panga where he landed a big pacific sailfish, crazy fight, awesomeness ensued, blah blah blah... 

But, my favorite memory of hanging with was after spending the day sheet rocking his garage when I was probably 22 years old. All sweaty and chalky as shit, we went over to the Flamingo hotel in S.R. to have a couple totties. The night flew by, and before we I knew it the place was filling up and a straight up disco broke out. My dad for some reason stared speaking in a very bad Irish accent and began to convince all the girls in the place to "take off yer shoes!". Pretty soon I can't see straight...I'm dancing with a whole gang of chicks (which trust me,I cannot do well at all)...some woman starts screaming at my dad about stealing her shoes....He ends up getting chucked into the pool somehow by her dude... I still can't see straight... I see him making the "lets get the hell out of here sign"...Can't find him...I leave with two hotties in a cab easily 10 years older than me... Got out of the cab at one of their places and noticed that neither of them had their shoe on. Laughed my damn ass off. Pops still doesn't remember much of that night. At least won't admit to it.

Took my dad to baja for his 50th. Hired a panga where he landed a big pacific sailfish, crazy fight, awesomeness ensued, blah blah blah... 

But, my favorite memory of hanging with was after spending the day sheet rocking his garage when I was probably 22 years old. All sweaty and chalky as shit, we went over to the Flamingo hotel in S.R. to have a couple totties. The night flew by, and before we I knew it the place was filling up and a straight up disco broke out. My dad for some reason stared speaking in a very bad Irish accent and began to convince all the girls in the place to "take off yer shoes!". Pretty soon I can't see straight...I'm dancing with a whole gang of chicks (which trust me,I cannot do well at all)...some woman starts screaming at my dad about stealing her shoes....He ends up getting chucked into the pool somehow by her dude... I still can't see straight... I see him making the "lets get the hell out of here sign"...Can't find him...I leave with two hotties in a cab easily 10 years older than me... Got out of the cab at one of their places and noticed that neither of them had their shoe on. Laughed my damn ass off. Pops still doesn't remember much of that night. At least won't admit to it.

I have a feeling you're leaving some details out........care to fill us in on...The REST of the story?

Took my dad to baja for his 50th. Hired a panga where he landed a big pacific sailfish, crazy fight, awesomeness ensued, blah blah blah... 

But, my favorite memory of hanging with was after spending the day sheet rocking his garage when I was probably 22 years old. All sweaty and chalky as shit, we went over to the Flamingo hotel in S.R. to have a couple totties. The night flew by, and before we I knew it the place was filling up and a straight up disco broke out. My dad for some reason stared speaking in a very bad Irish accent and began to convince all the girls in the place to "take off yer shoes!". Pretty soon I can't see straight...I'm dancing with a whole gang of chicks (which trust me,I cannot do well at all)...some woman starts screaming at my dad about stealing her shoes....He ends up getting chucked into the pool somehow by her dude... I still can't see straight... I see him making the "lets get the hell out of here sign"...Can't find him...I leave with two hotties in a cab easily 10 years older than me... Got out of the cab at one of their places and noticed that neither of them had their shoe on. Laughed my damn ass off. Pops still doesn't remember much of that night. At least won't admit to it.

I have a feeling you're leaving some details out........care to fill us in on...The REST of the story?

maybe, but a campfire really should be involved.

 
  I have so many memories of my kid days with dad camping hunting & fishing.  I can't single out just one.  It's because of his love of the outdoors, that I have mine.

R.I.P dad
8-4-09