Free Fishing Trips for Deployed Soldiers’ Kids through the SKIFF Program — 47 Fish, Labor Day 2013






This morning I was joined for a “S.K.I.F.F.” fishing trip by 16 year old Elliot Beltran and his 15 year old brother, Nathaniel.




Neither Nathaniel (L) nor Elliot (R) had ever caught a fish before this morning’s trip. By trip’s end they’d boated 47.


SKIFF (Soldiers’ Kids Involved in Fishing Fun) trips are provided free of charge to families whose children are separated from a parent due to that parent’s military service thanks to the Austin Fly Fishers and a network of supportive individuals from all over the U.S.

The boys’ dad, Olsen Beltran, is a Warrant Officer in the U.S. Army Signal Corps and is serving a 9 month tour in Afghanistan which began just last month. Their mom, Beatriz, is currently working her way through college focused on earning a bachelor’s degree.

Neither of the boys had ever fished before, so, we truly had to start from scratch with casting lessons at the boat ramp and “modeling” of all the techniques we employed. Fortunately, both boys were both athletic and so they caught on quickly and did well.

Fishing was a bit tough today. The winds started out from the south and completely reversed directions, changing about 160 degrees to come out of the NNW. We caught fish prior to that wind shift, and then again when that breeze died, but got nothing during the entire hour or so in the middle of the morning while it blew northerly.

Prior to the wind shift the fishing was spotty. We had to “run and gun” at several areas and never found enough fish to do other than downrig. We put a total of 20 fish in the boat prior to the wind shift (at 8:45) from off of Areas 858/859/860, 1240/1237, and 517/650.

After the northerly wind died to light and variable (around 9:50), we began to see the fish behave as they normally have been behaving around 8am or so — that is, coming up off bottom, collecting together in larger schools, and chasing bait horizontally, and occasionally to the top.

During this time we were able to catch fish using a vertical technique with slab spoons in the vicinity of Area 040, and, thanks to a briefly appearing flock of terns, find another nice school of fish along the bottom at Area 196. During this final 70 minutes of the trip we more than doubled our catch of 20 to end the day with 47 fish, all of which were white bass.

The boys have a younger brother, Matthew, who is in 3rd grade. He is lined up to go on a separate SKIFF trip with two other boys his own age whose father is also deployed. To plan ahead, I asked Nathaniel and Elliot which of the techniques we used today did they think Matthew could both handle and enjoy. They gave me some very good insights, so, hopefully those insights will help make for a very good trip for their little brother when that day comes.

To all of you “Friends of SKIFF”, thank you for making a way for these boys to be introduced this morning to the sport we all share a love of!

Olsen, as you read this in Afghanistan, please let the other soldiers in your unit know we’d love to serve them by treating their kids to a trip and their spouses to some down time away from the kids. Thank you for serving!!


TALLY = 47 FISH, all caught and released


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TODAY’S CONDITIONS:


Start Time: 7a

End Time: 11:00a

Air Temp: 78F at trip’s start.

Water Surface Temp: 87.6F

Wind: Winds were S6-76 at sunrise, turned NNE8 by 8:45 and blew for an hour, then died to light and variable by ~9:50.

Skies: <5% high patchy clouds on a fair sky.


Bob Maindelle

Holding the Line Guide Service

254-368-7411

www.HoldingTheLineGuideService.com

Salado, Texas