Cruising the World for Fish – Part One
Twenty members of our immediate and extended family just returned from a short, three-day cruise from Long Beach, California to Ensenada, Mexico. This cruise (a celebration of my mother-in-law’s 80th birthday) gives me the opportunity to discuss a topic on which I haven’t previously written.
Many readers have asked a very interesting question: “Is it worth it to book fishing trips as part of shore excursions while cruising?”
This will be a two-part column in hopes of covering the topic well enough that you will be able to choose wisely when faced with the opportunity to fish as part of your next cruise.
Our Adventure
Last Saturday, two of my sons, Mark and Don Jr., along with their sons Branson (11), Carter (12) and Owen (6), booked a 32-foot sea-worthy vessel along with a local captain and first mate to guide us as we fished for tuna, ling cod, and a mixture of “bottom” fish. The cost for a six-hour adventure was $500 dollars, including a 10 percent tip.
Mark and Don Jr. chose the trip based on the notion that with their sons aboard, it would be better to control the entire boat which would make it easier to cater to their needs, a great decision to be sure.
From the moment we stepped onto the boat, the captain put the youngsters up front right next to him and “they” helped guide the boat from the dock to the fishing grounds, an hour out to sea. The young boys loved being the center of attention.
From their perch in the captain’s seat, they spotted pods of dolphins, seals and sea lions, and were amazed as the dolphins pushed schools of yellowtail tuna towards the surface and we were able to hook and land one nice tuna.
When we arrived at the fishing grounds, the waves were already making it difficult for all of us to stand at the back of the boat and fish. The three of us (adults) assisted the younger boys as they hooked and reeled in fish. Eventually, WE hooked the fish and the youngsters reeled them in.
The Problems and Lessons Learned
Two problems hindered my grandchildren and made them turn to the adults for help. First, the only choices of rods and reels were heavy, stiff trolling rods with large, bulky level-wind trolling reels. Imagine a six-year-old trying to set the hook with such a rig … not a pretty picture (although it was quite comical). The second problem was simply a matter of wind and current. Wave action made it difficult for all six of us to be fishing at the same time. Added to that was a strong current which took our lines away from the boat making each hookset increasingly difficult as our rigs drifted away. The youngsters weren’t strong enough to make the proper hookset.
In the end, we had plenty of strikes, landed a dozen fish, lost several more to marauding sea lions, the current, or mistakes on the hooksets, and while we thoroughly enjoyed our time on the water, the hard truth was that this particular trip wasn’t best suited for the ages and sizes of the children.
Once back at the dock after a fun-filled six hours, we were ready to take a few photos, donate the fish to our captain and his mate, and head back to the cruise ship. My grandchildren talked about the fishing adventure for the rest of the cruise, loved being together as a family, and bragged about driving and guiding the boat from the captain’s seat.
While they seemed to have a great time, I know deep down that they would have enjoyed the adventure more if the tackle had matched their sizes and ages. Also, I realized that booking a fishing trip is a little more complicated than simply fitting one in during the time allotted by the cruise ship’s Itinerary.
In Part Two, I’ll write about recognizing the differences between a great fishing opportunity and a very expensive sight-seeing excursion. Stay tuned.
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