10/9/04 Nantucket News from Capt. Lynne Heyer

As I start writing this report I get a great feeling of accomplishment and pride. As I last reported I was heading to Islamorada to fish in the 8th Women's World Invitational Bonefish Tournament.

If it weren't Capt. Tim Klein and for my husband, Capt. Jeff, I probably would not have gone. They started talking about this tournament last winter. We discussed the tourney, but who would I fish with? Capt. Tim was already busy, and Jeff and I could not be paired up as no husband and wife teams are allowed. As we fished a bunch of days with Tim in the Tavernier/Key Largo area last winter, Capt. Duane Baker was mentioned. Tim thought we would be a pretty good match up.

Guess he was right. We are a pretty good pair. We fished our butts off each day, leaving if not first off the dock, then second. Capt. Duane is now another guide for whom I have much affection, adoration and admiration. Duane worked very hard to put me were I could cast and get the best shots. Tim and Jeff were right on target. We did fish very well together. I was told not to gloat so I will get to the point.

WE WON!!!

Yup. It was awesome, and so much fun. I met some very nice women anglers, and I got to know some of them a little better. I also met the other captains and guides, and they too were very friendly to me, the new person. I won't go into all the details, but the last day was unbelievable. I needed some big Bones to get into Grand Champion category--the weight fish, over eight pounds. I had none, and two other women were ahead of me weight fish-wise. I had a lot of releases: six on Day 1 and one more Day 2, but I needed weight fish.

The last day was windy. We headed toward Duane's favorite flat of the week. We waited for the 7 a.m. start. No 9#'s today. My Vector 10 was ready. As we started fishing, the sun was barely up, but we are both ready.

I tried not to think about the standings. Duane was very calm, I guess. We started out on the first flat kind of slow. We saw fish, but not as many as the day before. We worked back and forth. At 9:15 a.m. we hooked into my first weight fish. I could tell that Duane thought it might be a good fish because he says “Don't horse him. Take it easy by the boat.” He weighs him on the Boga, and the fish is 9+. We rigged up the live well. If you release the fish alive, you receive 100 bonus points. We are feeling pretty good with one weight fish in the boat. We run into the weigh station at the Lorilie Restaurant and Bar. At 9:40 a.m. , the fish weighed out and swims away to fight another day.

We headed right back to where we left, and got right back to work. The second fish was not a weight fish, but another release.

Duane mentioned that he thought the fish on this flat the day before were all weight fish. I saw one up wind, pointed it out and Duane positions us. The fish lazily swam towards us, and I cast. It was a little short, but I let the fish catch up to the fly. Bump, bump and we were on for a good ride. I knew it was a weight fish.

We did everything right, and just before Duane gets down to the net, the wily bone spit the hook. UGH! Duane said, “That's just not right.” I felt the same way.

Not to worry though. Ten minutes later, we hooked another weight fish. We trekked back to the weigh in, and find out that the fish is 10.9 lbs. Holy sh** we were in the running.

Diana Rudolph is in the running too. She weighed in her second fish of the tourney. If she had a big release day then it was going to be close. I didn't know how everyone else was doing. I was so excited about the 10.9 that I cared, but it was just awesome to get two big bones in one day.

Off we went back to the favorite spot. I have no idea what time it was, but I know the afternoon was waning. At 2:15 p.m. , we hooked another fish. With this one, Duane was on the fence. Duane weighed it again, and even had me look at the Boga. He swears it's bigger than the day before. Decision made. The weigh master heard us coming. He was all smiles. Me too. Duane put the fish in the weighing canoe, and it was 8.3 lbs. Wow! No other weight fish had been brought in, and I couldn't contain myself. I gave a big “YAHOO!” We push off the dock with only a few minutes left. Duane didn't want to be on the dock hanging around. We still don't know what everyone else had done, and Duane was trying to bring me down to reality. I am not sure he could at that point, and the smile on my face was unshakeable. I even tried to hide it behind my face mask. The rest is pretty much history. We did win. Unfortunately no one else brought in weight fish, and Diana didn't catch me.

Everything was awesome, and more than that, I just don't know the right words to describe it. And when I try, I well up with happiness tears. Yes, I am an emotional fool. I again have to thank my dear friends, MaryBeth and Tim Klein, Hubby Jeff and of course, Captain Duane.

-- Capt. Lynne

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