Valentina's big adventure!

Paddled out to the Mile Buoy yesterday with my eight year old daughter Valentina between my legs hoping to find her a big enough fish to win the annual Kayak Connection tournament here in Santa Cruz.

Well, a strong south swell totally shut down any bite for us at all.   

Then ran into Fishmaster1 and his brother Mike and cousin Gibby...when we told Andy that we hadn't caught anything at all yet and really just wanted to catch something...anything!...Andy bust out the little tackle and all of a sudden Vale was cranking in Kingfish after Kingfish!!

 

I tied on a sabiki and the kingfish catching continued and she also got a big old jack smelt, and some of the abundant anchovies that were schooling around.

DC paddled close by at one point and gave us a raised fist of approval when he saw us hooting and hollering and her screaming and laughing as she cranked in a nice one.

 

Back at shore she weighed in her jacksmelt (10 ounces!), which turned out to be nowhere near enough to win the whole tourney (thank goodness!  ), but it was enough to win the junior division (she was the only entrant!!), and a sweet new Kokatat PFD as a prize!!!

Huge thanks to Andy FM1 for helping make her day so special OTW and to Dave and Jess Grigsby for the awesome tourney and stoking her out with a much needed PFD upgrade!!

Had a blast seeing old friends and making new ones and enjoying the great BBQ put on by Dave over at KC. 

Hopefully next year we will get a few more youngsters fishing out there!!

I feel very lucky that she enjoys spending time fishing out on the yak with me.   

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Congrats to Valentina on the catching and the win. My daughter JuJu went out for the first time on the kayak w/me this weekend. She is 7 and dreams about fish, I think I have a lifelong fishing partner  The girls have a blast, we are lucky men.
-Amos

So cool seeing you guys getting that quality time in! Looks like you made some great memories yesterday. Way to go pops

Doesn't get any better than that, nice going dad! 

excellent...great work Jim and Valentina and wtg Andy

nice pfd ...very sharp

F-Yeah Jim!

Congrats Valentina!:

Way to go Jim

Good job!
I made the same mistake, taking my son fishing when he was 5.  Now he bugs me nonstop and I dare not go without him.  His arsenal is growing, already wants a new rod and reel.

Way to go Jim. Good job Valentina on the big win.

I love the 1st 2 pictures!!

She sure knows how to work it for the camera!  You two are quite the pair!

Great moves, Jim, and way to go, Valentina!  Love it.   

Thats so cool!  I caught a jacksmelt one time, it was a crazy fighter.
Way to go getting your little girl out to the can, she's growing up right for sure!

Good times!!! I WILL NEVER FISH SANTA CRUZ AGAIN! 

Thanks fellas!

Here are sone pics of her in her old West Marine PFD...it barely fit her anymore even when totally loosened up, so the Kokatat is a HUGE upgrade...and it has a pockets for her to bring snacks and toys!

 

Thanks again Dave, Jess and Kayak Connection!!

 

Sincerely,

Jim