Ward Melville HS Fish Club aboard the Grand Slam Charters in Montauk

[missinglink08]

Sorry for not getting around to posting this yesterday.

In the spring, Capt Tom Mikoleski approached me and stated that he would like to invite out members of the club for a charter. Well, having to sort through 40 kids wanting to go and having to arrange for a canceled trip due to weather...6 members of the Ward Melville High School Fishing Club met Capt Tom at the dock Tuesday morning for a trip on the Grand Slam Charters.

Simply said, the kids had an incredible time. Beautiful weather and loads of fish. Capt Tom put us on some jumbo porgies and sea bass. The kids filled up coolers in literally no time! Every kid was rewarded with lock and load action for a few hours. Capt Tom then recommended that we try some fluke fishing and the kids were once again rewarded with steady action. The kids boated a few dozen flat ties keeping several nice fish. While they were reluctant to leave the porgies and sea bass, they were happy we did. Most of the kids are petty new to fishing and this trip easily ranks up as one of the best they've ever been on, if not the best!

Captain Tom should be applauded for several reasons. Not only did he invite us out with him, which is extremely generous to say the least but he also set all the kids in the club up with a copy of his book, Bass Buff. During the trip, Capt Tom fished along side the kids and helped out the kids showing technique and taking advantage of teachable moments. I know the kids really appreciated this hands on experience and I am sure that Capt Tom handles all his charters this way.

Scup, sea bass and fluke...almost a Grand Slam. Hopefully next time!

[missinglink08]

A few pics

[EC NEWELLMAN]

Good morning...

It is great to see those in the for-hire industry doing a "its for the kids day" and this this is so good to hear about!

Top notch!!!

[missinglink08]

Capt Tom Mikoleski is top notch...agreed.

I did get around to really posting this earlier this season but here are some of the recaps of other trips we have taken on for hire fishing vessels:

May 25 --aboard the Fishy Business out of Orient Pt-- 25 members of the club splayed jumbo porgies (averaged 19", no exaggeration) with Capt Phil Kess and crew. We could have splayed for hours more but we opted to try fluke around the green lawns area and was rewarded with a pick of fluke and blues to 6 lbs on buck tails

May and June trips aboard the Celtic Quest and Osprey Fishing Fleets out of Port Jefferson NY. We took several trips, some were charters and some we walked on as a group. A total of 55 different kids (most were active club members but some friends/family members of members came out with us for the first time as well....that's what's it's all about). We fished for fluke and/or porgies. Some were stellar, some were a pick. One trip in early June, Capt AmAnda Cash put us on the mother load of porgies. Simply put, for a 4 hour trip with a 45 minute steam each way, the boat caught so many fish that everyone in the crew including Amanda and mates that she called down we're cutting fish for an hour after we hit the dock! The kids in the club got tired of catching so many fish that they took a break to have lunch. Spoiled and silly fishing!

Capt Barbara Fusco of Luv 2 Fish Charters called in the spring and offered to take a female member (and a family member) of the club out for some skinny water action. A student was selected but arrangements haven't been made for a trip yet.....I'm sure they will be soon!

One final thing the club has done was that a few of the kids looked to help out a local yacht club with a fundraiser. 2 members of our club, Brendan Watkins and Brein Flanigan, teamed up to build a custom spiral wrap fluke rod (7' medium light action Baston blank with Fugi guides) to offer Capt Bob Simon and the Stony Brook Yacht Club for their Fluke tournament. The rod was part of a raffle that was used to raise $$$ for the Marty Lyons Foundation. A great turnout and a load of $$$ was raised for the foundation. It was great to help share in this community service event!

There is more to come this summer and the fall season for the club. Gotta get out and fish!