After being a fisherman for over 50 years I’m still constantly amazed at the surprises that can develop on the water, especially when one least expects it.  I had been at Page, Arizona for 2 weeks studying for my USCG Captains exam under the expert tutelage of Captain J. Janssen of Zenith Maritime Academy.  Schooling was completed and I had finished my exams. It was time to celebrate being a licensed Coast Guard Captain and do a little fishing and relax for a day or two..

 

Saturday evening I went into Page for the balloon regatta and ran across Cary Robarge, his wife Judy and their young son Jonathan. They too were staying at Antelope Point Marina and we talked about fishing the next morning. The decision was made to go the short distance to Antelope Canyon, an area that is not only beautiful but that had produced lots of fish in trips past.

 

After a few anxious moments at the dock clearing debris from the intake port on the outboard, Dan Ericksen and I departed for Antelope Canyon. When we arrived the Robarges were already fishing the channel half way back in the canyon. Within minutes Jonathan was fast to a striper and his excited voice echoed through the narrow walls. I couldn’t refrain from smiling as the young man was obviously enjoying himself. It wasn’t long before he had a second and a third fish to the boat. While we watched we were fishless, but seeing Jonathan’s excitement was more than enough.

 

 

 

Jonathan explained, excitedly, the techniques he was using to catch the eager striped bass and the two old fishermen rigged according to his instructions and were soon catching fish on our own. To say that we were a bit chagrined is an understatement. The seasoned guide was getting instructions from the kid and enjoying every bit of it.

 

The schooled bass were holding over a shelf 40 foot down and as the Robarges boat drifted beyond the school the fishing went dead until the fired up their engine and re-positioned themselves over the school. My electric trolling motor has a function called electronic anchor that will hold you in place using the GPS that is built in so Dan and I could stay right on top of the school which gave us a great advantage. I told Cary to pull close to our boat and we moored him off to prevent the drift and soon they were back into fish.

 

 

Jonathan was catching a lot of fish and their boat surpassed ours. I invited the young angler aboard telling him that we wanted him to come aboard and to show us how he was doing it. Without hesitation he obliged and soon was adding to our growing number of delicious fish in the live well. For a hour of so the pandemonium continued until the livewell was brimming with fish and Jonathan had caught more than his share of them, each fish fought deftly and with steely determination.

 

The bite has slowed down and we had to return to Antelope Point. We bid Johnny, as we were now calling him, and his parents farewell and agreeing to meet up with them a little later. We were delayed filleting the 50 or 60 fish we had caught and they were leaving the water to return to Spanish Fork, Utah when we met up again. I thanked the young fisherman for his expert help and guidance and agreed to fish together again soon. That is a promise I intend to keep. Even after being a professional fisherman for so many years there is still a lot  to be learned, especially when the professor is a nice young man whose only desire is to catch a few fish with his dad and mom and isn’t encumbered by technique, technology and complacency and fishes for the sheer joy of it. Cap Henline

 

Balloon photographs courtesy : Page, AZ Tourism