
THEY DON’T ALWAYS BITE!
Originally Published The Week of May 5, 2019 in Western Outdoor Publications
A couple of years ago, I was out on the water in one of our pangas guiding. I had a number of clients on pangas that day fishing.
I liked being out there and I would often go from one panga to another y’know…just to see how they were doing…get a laugh…take a photo…talk a little smack.
I came up on Jerry and Janice. Two of the nicest sweetest folks ever. Had been retired a few years. They often fished with my fleet.
Janice was especially sweet. She’s like everyone’s fairy godmother who would bake cookies and adopt cats.
Today was not a cookie and kitty day.
Janice was in the stern hard bendo on a big tuna. It was the kind of tuna that humbles strong men.
The strain was evident on Janice as she sat on the bench seat. I mean, she was putting everything into it and at any moment, it looked like the rod would snap!
Her concentration was so fierce, she didn’t see us approaching.
Her husband Jerry was up at the bow. Kinda casually dangling a rod and seemingly not putting much effort into it. Looking off into the distance.
Not even paying much attention to his embattled wife in the stern of the small panga.
I asked my captain who was on the boat with them. He was standing amidship (amid panga?) looking a bit helpless.
And he was not helping either Jerry or, more importantly, Janice.
What gives? He looked at me with a smile and shrug that said, “Not much I can do. She’s on a fish!”
So, I asked Jerry if he was OK.
“Sure. I’m just staying outta HER way!” he said rolling his eyes back towards his wife grunting and grinding in the stern.
What?
“I want to help her. So, did our captain. She just barked and growled at both of us and told us to stay the ‘EF’ outta her way and leave her alone! “
“So, that’s what we’re doing. I’m staying waaaaay up her in the bow before she bites me! I’ve never seen her like this.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. I understand the sentiment!
We backed our panga away as well to give Janice lots of space. She cast a slightly evil eye my way too.
I heard Jerry grumble under his breath, as husbands have been known to do, but I still heard him say, “It’s like she’s possessed!”
Indeed, who was that woman in the stern and what did they do with our sweet loveable, Janice?
She eventually got her fish…all by herself after almost fighting for 2 hours. A big tuna and no one was prouder than her…or all of us!
More and more of the ladies are out there on the water and I like the changing landscape…er sea-scape, if you will.
And they’re not just going out to watch everyone else fish. They’re rocking the fish and refusing to sit on the sidelines or be catered to. It’s awesome.
Grit and determination!
I once had a mom and her football-sized adult son on a panga. The young man expressed aloud his amazement that mom never passed off the rod; gave up; or asked him for help.
She laughed at him and said, “I birth’d you, kiddo! There’s not much a fish can do to me after that experience or a fish that I can’t handle!”
Point taken and adroitly articulated.
Gotta love it.
It’s good to see and great to get the attitude too.
And I think the ladies make not only good fishing buddies but good anglers as well. My own mom didn’t fish with dad and I until she was in her 60’s. She’d let us fish or, if she went fishing with us, she was very content to just read a book.
Then, a trip to Alaska followed by a trip to the Sierras changed all that and she was literally hooked. She found what she’d been missing. And then she was all-in!
I think the ladies are fast learners and much more patient than us guys. They are very coachable in that respect. And, they know fewer cuss-words when they’re frustrated…which is rarely.
Us guys think we can do it all. We lack patience and basically think anything can be accomplished by brute force and strength and we will bend the world to our wills!
No smack talk against my own gender, but brute force doesn’t always work.
So, next time, your gal…wife, girlfriend, daughter or mom is on a fish, if she tells you she doesn’t need help, give her some space and smile. And make sure to drop all the props on her when she lands the big one!
Even if it’s bigger than yours! You’ll be glad you did.
That’s my story!

Jonathan
______________
Jonathan Roldan has been writing the Baja Column in Western Outdoor News since 2004. Along with his wife and fishing buddy, Jilly, they own and run the Tailhunter International Fishing Fleet in La Paz, Baja, Mexico www.tailhunter.com.
They also run their Tailhunter Restaurant Bar on the famous La Paz malecon waterfront. If you’d like to contact him directly, his e-mail is: jonathan@tailhunter.com
Or drop by the restaurant to say hi. It’s right on the La Paz waterfront!
_____________
Jonathan Roldan’s
Tailhunter International
Website:
www.tailhunter-international.com
Mexico Office: Tailhunter International, 755 Paseo Obregon, La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico
U.S. Mailing Address: Tailhunter International, 8030 La Mesa Blvd. #178, La Mesa CA 91942
Phones:
from USA : 626-638-3383
from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863
.
Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report: http://fishreport.jonathanroldan.com/
Tailhunter YouTube Video Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBLvdHL_p4-OAu3HfiVzW0g
“When your life finally flashes before your eyes, you will have only moments to regret all the things in life you never had the courage to try.”












