Fish in a Barrel, Take Two... With All Three Kids!

Mamma got a Valentines break from the kids today.
I asked here what she'd like better, a first class dinner in a fine restaurant with me or a day with no kids in the house?
I knew she'd take the latter, and I made good with 8hrs of peace & quiet for her.

So whats a Father to do with three kids for day and not go crazy?
That's right, take'em Catching.
Steve's Farm for a day of guaranteed Catching.

My eldest son, Ammon, started the day with a nice little 3-4# cat.
He wouldn't get near it for a pic, his autism kicked in and he retreated to the car a bit upset and muttering loudly.
He'd come out about once an hour to catch a fish when we'd holler at him, but for the most part was content to sit in the car and draw or wander down the banks just looking around.
I did manage a couple of pics of him, but not without protests, and took a pic of his first fish of the day.

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s...ps5mvzgu0k.jpg

My sweet baby girl Shannara, who is getting too big, too fast, caught little 1-2#rs one after the other and wasn't thrilled till she fought-n-caught a nice 5#r.

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s...pspvb4oa59.jpg

Nathaniel had none or the cranial rectal inversion he had last time, and thus his mojo was back and he caught the most fish.
Several nice 5-8#rs, never high sticked or jerked on them and only had a few come unbuttoned.

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s...ps2ea9f0jw.jpg

I tried targeting the big boys, they've a healthy population of cats in the 20-40#+ range.
So I put a Battle 5000 on a new Ugly Stick 7' Heavy, spooled it with 15# and tied on a Carolina Rig with 20# mono leader and 9/0 Gamakatsu Octopus, baited with big hunks of mullet.
Lots of taps and nibbles from all the smaller fish, but once in awhile that sucker would snap over and it was game on!
I released several over 20#, the biggest about 25#s.

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s...ps85uqdxik.jpg

Took home 38.5#s of fish, all in the 5-12# range, gonna be some good eats.
Will see if I can remember to take a cleaning table pic in the AM.

Wo ho! Looking great all of you guys! Those fishes are really big. It's really fun to do fishing in a very sunny day.

Cool way to give momma break and do what you really want to do anyway!

Nice weather, nice looking kids and a fine mess-o-cats.

Good thinkin Chilli!

What a better way to spend the day fishing with your kids. Will never forget some of the trips we all took together even if they had rather throw rocks and swim.