This morning’s trip was the fourth S.K.I.F.F. trip of 2011. S.K.I.F.F. (Soldiers’ Kids Involved in Fishing Fun) exists to take the children of deployed or deceased soldiers on fishing trips at no charge to the soldiers’ families. Below is my report to the membership of the Austin Fly Fishers and other SKIFF supporters …

Dear AFF and Friends of SKIFF,

Today I had the joy of fishing with the sons of Sergeant First Class and Mrs. Dameon Vassar of Killeen. SFC Vassar is stationed in Kuwait serving with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR). Young Dameon is in the 7th Grade and his brother Josh is in the 5th Grade.

Dameon with our largest fish of the trip, a hybrid striper that struck his TNT 180 slab.

Josh with 2 of the many white bass he worked u up off the bottom today.

Neither boy had ever caught a fish before, so, we started with the basics — how to hold a spinning rod and reel, how to open the bail, how to close the bail, which direction to turn the handle, what the drag does, and more. The boys were fast learners!

We headed out in search of fish and were blessed to find some bird activity which makes the fish finding equation so much easier to solve. Over the course of the morning we found fish in 5 different locations, the first 3 indicated by birds and the last 2 found “the hard way” with sonar and trial and error.

We found fish at Area 738 (2 white bass, 1 hybrid), Area 739 (4 white bass, 1 hybrid), Area 608 (10 white bass), Area 736 (11 white bass) and Area 737 (13 white bass, 1 drum). Every last fish was taken either on a 3/8 oz. white TNT 180 or a 3/4 oz. white or white/chartreuse TNT 180 slab fished either jigging-style or smoking-style. Our tally today was 43 fish, all caught and released in good condition.

For their efforts in landing the first fish of their lifetime, I’ve submitted both boys names to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Angler Recognition section to get them each a “First Fish Award” certificate and pin.

As we headed back to Killeen to meet Mrs. Vassar, Josh says to Dameon, “Man, we’re going to have to show dad how to do this when he gets back!”

Thank you all for your support!!

–Bob Maindelle

Today’s Conditions:

Start Time: 6:45a

End Time: 11:40a

Starting Air Temp: 57F

Water Surface Temp: 56.6F

Wind: SSE11 at trip’s start increasing steadily to S20 by trip’s end.

Skies: Fair and bright.