Tom woke up before the alarm went off. The excitement of the tournament kept him from sleeping well. He shook Kim. Leaning over, he kissed her as her eyes fluttered open.
"Time to get up, Honey," Tom said.
"Mmmm, okay. What time is it?" Kim said as she stretched her arm above her head.
"It's a quarter to five. I woke up before the alarm. I guess I'm kind of excited this morning," Tom said.
Kim pulled the covers off them. She looked down and giggled. "Not that excited," Kim said as she reached for Tom's penis. "Maybe I should help you take the edge off."
"That would be nice, but I don't think we have time. Let's take a shower and get dressed," Tom said.
"Wow, you must be geeked about fishing. You don't turn down a blowjob very often," Kim said with a giggle.
While Tom used the head, Kim went to wake the others. Even with the alarm clocks set, the teens agreed that the first one up would wake the others. Kim went from stateroom to stateroom waking up her teammates. When she woke Eddie, Kathy, and Molly, she and Molly shared a smile and a giggle.
Kim joined Tom in the shower. They washed quickly and then went to dress. Kim and Tom put on their khaki uniforms. She went back to the staterooms to make sure the others were wearing the same outfits.
The teens gathered in the galley. They decided on cereal and juice for breakfast. Jenny put on a pot of coffee. At five-thirty, Randy and Fran came aboard. They ate with the teens and talked about what they planned for the day. A few moments later, Kristin called for Jenny. Jenny went out and invited Kristin aboard.
"We have coffee, juice, and cereal," Eddie told Kristin as she walked toward the galley.
"I'll have coffee please. My husband and I had breakfast this morning," Kristin said.
Molly poured a cup of coffee for Kristin. She asked if anyone else wanted some and filled cups for those that said they did. When she handed Tom his coffee, Molly giggled.
Brad went to the bridge and started the engines. He turned on the electronics and reviewed the checklist to make sure he didn't forget anything. Once the engines warmed, Sally, Jack, and Eddie went out to release the boat.
The parents walked up to the boat and wished the team good luck. They told their kids they would see them at the weigh in later in the afternoon. The teens waved to their parents as the boat began to move.
Brad pulled out of the slip. He maneuvered the boat to the outlet and into the ocean. There were several other boats ahead of him and a few behind the Lady Guinevere. Eddie came up to the bridge and told Brad to hold back so they could see where the other boats headed.
"It looks like most of them are going out to the shelf," Eddie said. "I think we should go to the place we caught the marlin. You know, fish over what we think is a wreck."
Brad headed the boat toward the south side of the island. Eddie went out on the sundeck and glanced down at the rest of the team in the cockpit. Jenny and Kathy had begun showing the other's how to mark the leaders on the pitch rods.
"You have to make sure the mark is no more than thirty-six inches from the hook. I usually mark them at thirty-two inches with a red marker and thirty-six inches with a black marker to make sure. Make the marks an inch long," Jenny said.
Once the leaders on the pitch rods were marked, they showed them to Kristin.
"That's a good idea. I've never seen anyone make two marks on a leader," Kristin said.
The teens prepared the rods. They attached the bright hook less lures to the teaser rods and rigged ballyhoo to the pitch rods.
"Why don't we just leave the teasers on the rods when we go in? That would make it easier," Kim said.
"We don't want the other teams to walk by and see what we plan to run," Kathy said.
"Oh, that makes sense," Kim said.
Once they were out of sight of the other boats, Brad speed up. He pulled up the waypoint for the place they wanted to fish first. Brad turned on the cockpit cameras and the recorder. He checked the monitors to make sure everything was operating properly.
On the pier, the parents began walking back to their rooms. Sarah came up between Joel and Laura. She hooked her arms in theirs and chuckled. "When you get Joel in the shower later, shave his hairy balls. I was spitting pubes after I blew him last night," Sarah said.
"I see all the other men shave their nuts. Is that why?" Joel said.
"That's part of it. We love clean shaven men," Sarah said with a chuckle.
"Don't worry, he'll be a bare as a baby's ass when I finish with him," Laura said. She laughed and added, "Maybe I'll be that way too."
Marge heard Laura and turned around. She walked backwards and said, "I'll shave you if Joel doesn't want to."
"I think I can handle it, Marge," Joel said.
The adults all laughed at the exchange. They went back to their rooms and back to bed. The group planned to spend time on the beach during the afternoon while their kids fished.
Brad announced that they were approaching the first waypoint over the intercom. Jack scrambled up the ladder to the tuna tower. He turned on the electronics and then told Brad he was ready to take over. Jenny stayed in the cockpit and sent Kathy up to watch for fish.
Jack slowed the boat to trolling speed. Brad went down to the cockpit to help set the lines. Jenny began shouting out instructions to the other girls and within minutes, the teasers were out. Kim and Molly lowered the port rigger while Sally and Jenny took care of the starboard side. Eddie, Brad, and Tom stood back and watched the girls work.
"I'm impressed," Kristin said. "The girls set up this boat as well as anyone I've ever seen do it."
"We all practice together. Everyone can do any of the jobs necessary to fish competitively. Our team wants to do well," Brad said. "Jenny doesn't have to give us instructions, but it helps make sure we don't get in each other's way."
"It's refreshing to see men that don't act all macho. I've been on boats with female members of the team, but they are treated as if they don't know what to do," Kristin said.
Fran moved closer to where Kristin and the boys sat on the mezzanine seat. She pointed her camera at the transom and the girls that stood ready. Randy stood up on the sundeck so he could capture the action from above the cockpit.
"There's a fish following the starboard teaser," Kathy shouted down to the crew.
Jenny grabbed a pitch rod. She handed it to Molly and said, "You're up, girl. Catch that fish for us."
Molly looked shell shocked for a moment. Tom noticed that Molly was unsure and went over to her. "You can do it, Molly," Tom said.
Taking the rod from Jenny, Molly flipped the bait into the water. She free-spooled the reel while listening to Kathy's voice over the intercom. When Kathy said the fish took the bait, Molly flipped the lever and headed for the fighting chair.
Molly sat in the fighting chair. She attached the straps to the reel and waited for the line to go tight. When the rod jerked and bent toward the stern, Molly began to fight the fish.
Reeling down, then, using her legs, Molly pulled back on the fish. The fish pulled line off against the drag. Molly kept up the fight while the fish ran.
"That's the way, keep pressure on it," Jenny said. "The drag will keep the fish from breaking the line. Use your legs and back, not your arms."
The fish came up for the first of a series of acrobatic jumps. It danced on its tail and then porpoised across the water. Molly cranked on the reel to keep the fish from making the line slack.
Jack steered the boat toward the fish in an attempt to cut it off. He worked the throttles carefully and kept his eyes on the fish.
"It's a marlin. I think it's a white marlin. The fish looks like about a hundred pounds," Kathy shouted into the intercom.
The fight lasted thirty minutes. When Molly brought it close to the transom, Jenny used a gloved hand to grab the leader. Jenny carefully wound the leader around her hand, making sure she could release the fish if it made a run. Kim stood next to Jenny with the tag stick in hand. Sally stood close with the line cutter.
Jenny managed to get the fish along the portside of the boat. She reached over the gunwale, grabbed the long bill and held on. Kim placed a tag in the fish while Kristin watched.
"Good tag," Kristin said.
"Sally, see if you can get the hook out," Jenny said.
Sally grabbed the hook removal tool. She leaned over the gunwale, grabbed the circle hook with the tool, and wrenched it out of the corner of the fish's mouth. Screeching, Sally held the hook up for Kristin to see. Jenny revived the white marlin and released it.
The girls gave each other high-fives and then they hugged. Kristin marked the fish on her clipboard and returned to her seat.
"Great job," Tom said as he began resetting the teasers.
Eddie congratulated Molly, as did the rest of the team. The guys reset the lines and prepared for the next fish.
"Oh my God, oh my God!" Molly chanted. "I can't believe I did it!" She looked at Fran and smiled. "Did you get that on tape?"
Fran nodded and said, "Yup, every minute. I think Randy did too."
Molly couldn't stop dancing. She felt excited by the fact they let her catch the first fish. Kathy and Jack shouted down, telling Molly that she did a great job. Jack used the intercom to tell the others he was making another pass. He made a wide turn and approached the waypoint from the north just as he did the first time.
"Look, there's another fish," Kathy said as she grabbed the microphone. "Fish on the port rigger!"
Tom pitched the bait to the fish. Kathy watched and told Tom when the fish ate the bait. He got in the chair to fight the fish. Once again, the team hooked a white marlin. This fish was about the same size as the first one. Tom fought the fish to the stern and then Brad grabbed the leader. A few moments later, the tagged fish swam free.
"It looks like we've located a school of young marlin," Eddie said to the rest team. "If we play our cards right, we can probably fish here all day."
As the morning progressed, the teens hooked additional fish, all of them marlins. The fish weren't huge, but that made it easier for them to tag and release the marlin. By lunchtime, the team had tagged five of the marlin.
Tom and Molly went into the cabin to make sandwiches. While they worked at the counter, Molly babbled about catching the first fish.
"I can't believe you guys let me catch that fish," Molly said.
"Why not, you're a part of out team," Tom said.
"I know, but what if I would have lost it? What if I broke the line?"
"You didn't, Molly," Tom said with a chuckle. "What the hell, those things can happen to any of us."
"This is the best time I've ever had. You guys are so nice to me," Molly said.
"That's because we want to play with your sexy ass," Tom said.
"You're a goofball, Tom."
Molly and Tom finished making the sandwiches. They took out a bowl of potato salad and placed it on the counter. When Molly bent over to get paper plates out of a cabinet, Tom playfully patted her butt.
Once the food was out on the counter, Tom and Molly went out to tell the others, including Kristin, Fran, and Randy. The fishing slowed down and it gave the teens a chance to eat. After lunch, the girls changed into shorts. The temperature had climbed to over eighty.
"What happened to the cold front you thought we were going to get?" Sally asked Eddie.
"I guess it passed us by. This has been a great day so far," Eddie said. "Brad, you and Sally should take over on the tower and give Jack and Kathy a break. I'll take over a bit later."
"Why are you two taping this tournament? I saw you at the meeting last night," Kristin said to Randy and Fran as they fixed their plates.
"We're making a pilot for ESPN. The network wants to make a show featuring the Lady Guinevere team," Fran said.
"That sounds interesting. Why did the network select these kids instead of a seasoned team?" Kristin said.
"I think it's for several reasons. As far as being seasoned, do you think the other teams are any better than this one?" Randy said. "Not only that, but the kids have an appeal that some of the other teams ESPN thought about don't have. They are coed, young, and very pleasant."
"That's very true. It's nice being on a boat where every other word isn't a cuss word. Do you think the pilot will be aired?" Kristin said.
"We hope so. It would really help our carriers if it does make it," Fran said.
"The team seems very well rounded. These kids are very smart, aren't they?" Kristin said.
"Yes they are. We've been with them for several days and it's refreshing to see teenagers that are willing to learn from each other," Randy said. He smiled, thinking about how much he was learning from the teens.
Kristin, Fran, and Randy heard someone yelling, "Fish." They went out to the cockpit to watch the action. Kim stood at the transom with a pitch rod in hand. Eddie cranked on one of the teaser rods, drawing the fish closer. When he told her to, Kim flipped the bait toward the fish.
"He ate it!" Sally screeched, not needing the intercom.
Kim asked for a stand up harness. She said that she wanted to fight the fish standing up because the other fish were small and she felt this one would be small too. Eddie helped Kim into the harness while she kept track of the running fish. Eddie's hand brushed against Kim's mons, causing her to giggle. She turned her head so she could keep an eye on the line and also talk to Eddie.
"I don't think we have time for that right now, Eddie," Kim said and then she giggled.
"Damn, I always wanted to fool around with a cute girl while she fought a fish," Eddie said. He finished adjusting the harness and stood next to Kim. "Don't forget to snap the clips on the reel."
Kim placed the butt of the rod in the gimbal. She held the rod with one hand and used the other to snap the clip on the right side of the reel. Switching hands, Kim fastened the left side.
When the fish came up and jumped, Kim pulled back and cranked the reel. She kept the line tight and let the fish wear itself out. Brad maneuvered the boat to shorten the distance. Thirty minutes later, Eddie grabbed the leader. He pulled the fish close so Jenny could put a tag in its back. With the fish tagged, Tom released it by removing the hook.
"That makes six marlin. All of them properly tagged and released," Kristin said. "I have to admit, I'm impressed. I'm also impressed by the fact the girls caught four of the six fish. Most of the teams I have observed have one or two anglers and the other members tend to the tagging and releasing."
"We do this for fun. We want everyone to have a chance to do everything-that's how we practice," Jack said.
"That's what Jenny told me. I think it's great. Maybe some of the men can learn from you kids," Kristin said. "I'm sorry; I don't mean to call you kids."
"Why not? That's what we are, isn't it?" Jenny said.
"You are to me. I'm old enough to be your mother," Kristin said with a chuckle. "I used to go out with my dad, but I stopped when I turned sixteen. I thought it wasn't cool. I wish I hadn't done that."
While Kristin talked with Jenny and Jack, Eddie, Molly, and Kim reset the teasers. At two o'clock, Sally told the cockpit there was a fish chasing the starboard outrigger teaser. Eddie grabbed one of the pitch rods and waited until the fish swam closer. He flung the bait at the fish and let the reel free spool. Kim reeled in the teaser and the fish took the bait.
Once the hook set in the fish, it made a jump. Eddie saw the size and made his way to the fighting chair. He fought fish larger in the past while standing up, but now they had a fighting chair. Eddie decided to use it.
"That looks like the largest one we've hooked today," Kathy said while standing behind Eddie.
"It looks big, that's for sure," Eddie said. He clipped the reel to the straps and settled in for the fight.
Eddie fought the fish for an hour. Jack grabbed the leader and began pulling the marlin close to the boat. Kim poked the tag into it and then stepped back. Tom couldn't control the fish by holding it by the bill so he cut the leader at the hook. Tom showed Kristin the leader so she could see it.
"Looks good, Tom. That makes seven fish. It's three o'clock, time to pull the lines," Kristin said.
Eddie sat and rested while the rest of the team tended to the rods. They cleared the lines while Eddie fought the fish. All they needed to do was bring in the outriggers and remove the teasers and baits. Brad headed for port while the others put the rods away.
Jack went to the bridge to take over from Brad. Sally came down from the tower and joined Jack at the helm. A few moments later, Brad and Jenny came in.
"I hope we place well today," Brad said. "We fished our butts off."
Sally giggled and grabbed Brad's bottom. "You still have a butt. A nice butt."
Brad laughed and gave Sally's butt a firm squeeze. "You have a nice butt too, Sally."
The four of them were still laughing when the rest of the team came into the covered bridge. They all felt good about the day, and congratulated one another.
Brad pulled up to the gas dock so they could top off the fuel tanks and have the holding tank pumped out. When the attendants finished, Brad moved the boat into the slip. With the boat secured, they went to the conference room for the day's weigh in.
Kristin took the score sheet to a table where the tournament organizers recorded the fish. A man took the sheet, looked it over, and then talked to Kristin for a moment. He went to a large board, which they kept turned away from the room, and began entering the catch.
The teens bought sodas and then sat at a table near the front of the room. They watched as the other observers took their score sheets up to the table. All of them squirmed in anticipation of what was going to happen.
Fran and Randy came over to the table. They chatted with the team for a moment before beginning to tape the activities.
"How did you kids do today?" Marlin Parker said.
Eddie glanced around and then said, "We did okay I guess. We'll have to wait and see what happens. Your teasers worked great today."
"That's good to hear. What colors did you run?" Mr. Parker said.
"We ran all twelve inch pink and green," Eddie replied.
"That's an odd size and color for sailfish, Eddie."
Smiling, Eddie said, "We didn't fish for sails today. But we did raise sails with those teasers when we were pre-fishing."
Marlin Parker told the teens he would see them later. He left to man the booth his company set up for the tournament.
The tournament committee continued to record the different fishing team's catches. The observers gathered around a couple of tables near the stage. The teens had trouble sitting still while they waited.
The teens' parents came into the room. They walked over to table to talk to their children. When Molly saw her mom, she jumped up. Molly hugged Laura as she babbled about the day's fishing.
"What did you do today, Mom?" Molly said.
Laura chuckled and said, "We went to a nude beach. I had a great time."
Molly giggled and hugged her mom. "Things have really changed for us, haven't they? I'm having so much fun with my new friends. Sometimes I feel as if it's all a dream."
"Honey, it isn't a dream. We have changed and for the better," Laura said. "I've been doing things I would have never dreamed of."
Thinking about Tom, Molly smiled and nodded her head. Laura stepped away. She went over to Joel while Molly took her seat.
Wally Tanner, the tournament director, took the stage. He called the room to order, asking everyone to quiet down.
"Okay, we have computed the results for today's fishing. I'm sure everyone is anxious so we get started. Of the twenty-six boats entered, twenty-four caught fish. One boat wasn't able to get out due to mechanical troubles. We all hope Papa's Toy will be ready to go tomorrow," Wally said.
Two men turned the standings board around. A cover prevented anyone from seeing the standings.
"In twenty-forth place is Stern Affair with one hundred points. Stern Affair tagged two sailfish. In twenty-third place is�"
Wally Tanner read off the standings. The two men that turned the board toward the crowd moved the cover to reveal each boat as Wally announced their place. When they reached fifth place, Wally announced that Hasty tagged six fish and earned six hundred points. They beat the sixth place team because they used circle hooks.
"Our second place boat has eight hundred points. Lazy Daze tagged and released six sailfish and one marlin. That makes today's leader Lady Guinevere. The Lady Guinevere team tagged and released seven marlin, all with circle hooks. Their point total is one thousand seven-hundred fifty points. Congratulations on a great catch," Wally said.
The teens tried, but they couldn't contain their enthusiasm. They all cheered and pumped their hands in the air. The rest of the crowd applauded the team. Once things settled down, Wally stepped back to the microphone.
"You wouldn't care to share where you fished today, would you?" Wally said.
The teens all said no at the same time. Everyone laughed at their response.
"I didn't think so, but I thought I'd ask. Okay folks, that's it for today. We have one more day of fishing and anyone can win. We have hotdogs and sodas available at the concession stand. The room will be open until eight tonight. Good luck and be safe," Wally said.
"Oh my God, we smoked them today," Tom said.
"Yeah, we did real well. We have to make sure we don't get too cocky though. Like Wally said, anyone can win this thing," Eddie said.
"We have over twice as many points as the second place team," Molly said.
"That's true, but I assure you the other teams will be targeting marlin tomorrow. If they get on them, any of the boats can catch up and even win. We have to stick to our plan," Brad said.
"What is your plan?" Jeff Lamar said as he walked up to the table with his brother Eric. "Great fishing today, congratulations."
"Thanks, Jeff," Jenny said.
"I didn't see you again today. Do you guys have a secret place?" Eric said.
"We got lucky, that's all, Eric," Eddie said.
"Yeah sure. You guys don't depend on luck. Anyone that's ever fished against you knows that," Jeff said.
"Thanks, Jeff, that's nice of you to say that," Kathy said.
"It sucks, but it's the truth. So, are you going back to your secret place tomorrow? Maybe we'll try to follow you," Eric said.
"Probably, we'll leave at six thirty if you want to try to keep up," Brad said.
Jeff and Eric laughed. "Naw, we're not going to do that. We have changed to circle hooks because of you though. We kept seeing you get the extra points and decided to give them a try. Once you get used to the hook-set, it's easy," Jeff said.
Jeff and Eric told the teens they would see them later and left. Eddie and Jack went to get sodas for the team, stopping to chat with a few of the other teams on the way. All of the teams they talked to wanted to know where they had located the marlin.
Eddie and Jack bought the sodas and returned to the table. The teens talked with their parents, telling them about each fish they caught. Don commented that they sounded like golfers recapping each hole they played.
"We're going to go to the pool for a little while," Marc said. "Do you kids want to meet us for dinner later?"
"Sure, that would be great, Dad," Sally said. "What time do you want us to meet you?"
"How about six? That way you can get to bed early," Marc replied.
The group agreed to meet at six for dinner. The parents said goodbye and left. A few minutes later, Nate came over to talk to the teens.
"You kids smoked them today," Nate said in his gravely voice.
"Yeah, I guess we did. We just used what we learned from you, Nate," Jenny said.
"You kids may have learned a few things from me, but I don't think that's why you're so successful. I really believe you have a sixth sense for locating fish. Some of the teams you beat today are made up of people that have been fishing for many years-before you kids were born," Nate said.
Jack, Tom, Kim, Sally, and Molly listened to Nate talking to the others. They knew Eddie and Jenny worked as mates on Nate's boat.
"What are you planning to do tomorrow?" Nate said.
"We haven't talked about it yet," Eddie said.
"You know that if you head out to where you caught the marlin today you'll have half the fleet following you," Nate said.
"I didn't really think of it, but you're probably right. What do you suggest?" Eddie said.
Nate grabbed a chair from the table next to them. Turning it around, he sat with his arms folded on the back. "If it were me, I'd head out to the shelf where everyone else fished today. You'll pick up sailfish, but with your point lead, it doesn't really matter. If you wanted to fish marlin, you could head out after the boats spread out."
"That sounds good to me. What do the rest of you think?" Eddie said as he glanced at the other members of the team.
"I think that's a great idea," Tom said. "I didn't realize there was so much strategy involved."
"There is if you want to win these tournaments. Many of the boats don't take the time to locate fish the way you kids did. They know there's fish on the shelf and they're happy to fish there. It's the easy way. They figure they can catch more fish than anyone else so they're happy," Nate said.
"Do you think they'll fish the shelf tomorrow too?" Molly said.
"Some of the teams will look for the marlin, but most of them won't, Hun. You kids caught them with their pants down and they will want to fish where they're comfortable. You have raised the bar. All of them know you kids will be out there fishing your asses off just like you did today. Don't rest on your lead," Nate said.
"I hope Kristin doesn't tell anyone where we fished," Kim said.
"She won't tell anyone. Not only is it against the rules, it's just plain wrong. Kristin is a good woman, I've known her and her husband for many years," Nate said.
"Do you really think the other boats will try to follow us?" Sally said.
"Hon, you can count on it. It isn't as if you can hide with that battlewagon. Your boat sticks out like a sore thumb. One of these days I'd like to fish on her," Nate said.
"You're welcome to fish with us anytime you want to, Nate. We can always use pointers," Jack said, and the rest of the teens quickly agreed.
Nate laughed and said, "Hell, I was planning on picking up a few tips from you. You kids take care. I'll talk to you later."
Nate left the table. Jack mentioned how helpful Nate was and that he liked talking to him.
"He's a great guy and a great fisherman," Jenny said. "He was so patient with Eddie and me when we worked for him."
"I would really like a chance to fish with him someday," Jack said.
"I'm sure you'll get the opportunity once you guys move down here," Kathy said.
"It won't be too soon for me," Kim said. "Going back to Michigan is going to suck!"
"It won't be too bad, Kim. We get out of school at the end of May. That's only two months from now," Tom said.
"I know, but I can't wait," Kim said and then she giggled.
"We should head back to the boat. We have to wash her down," Brad said.
The team agreed. They got up to say goodbye to a few of the people they knew before heading to the boat. Randy and Fran decided to go back with them.
Tom, Jack, Eddie, and Brad started washing down the boat. The girls went into the cabin to vacuum and dust. Fran and Randy offered to help, but Kathy told them that it was covered. A half hour later, the teens relaxed in the saloon.
"Can I show you guys some of the tape we recorded today?" Randy said.
"Sure, what do you need?" Kathy said.
"Just a television. I can connect the camcorder and play the tape," Randy said.
Kim jumped up and pushed the button that raised the large flat screen television. Randy opened the cabinet and found the connectors he needed. He hooked up the camcorder and turned it on.
"This is tape from the meeting this afternoon. We interviewed some of the other teams," Fran said.
The tape started. It showed one of the teams sitting at a table. They could hear Fran asking about the tournament. One of the men began telling Fran about their day and the fish they caught. Then Fran asked how the man felt about the first place boat.
"I'd like to know where they fished, that's for sure. I think it's great that we have young people getting involved in the sport. That team is very young to have a boat that size, but I guess that if their parents can afford it, it's okay. They seem to know what they're doing," the man said.
"Does that mean you don't have any animosities about fishing against them?" Fran said.
"None at all. As I said, I think it's great. Our sport needs fresh blood." The man laughed and went on. "I hope those kids win tomorrow. I don't see how they can't win. They have over twice as many points as any of the other teams. Even if we locate marlin, they will be tough to beat."
"It doesn't bother you that they may win all that money?" Fran asked the man.
The man laughed aloud. "We don't do this for the money. You have a bunch of guys fishing out of million dollar boats and spending thousands for fuel and other things. We do this because we enjoy it and because we can. If you interview a few of the teams, I think you find there is an owner that can afford it and a group of his friends. No one wants to fish alone."
"Does that mean you don't take the fishing seriously?"
"We take it very seriously. We're competitive in most things we do. In our businesses, we strive to win. The same holds true for fishing, golf, tennis, or any other sport we engage in. If I had to guess, those kids aren't doing this for the money either. If they are, they have a rude awakening. I also think it's great they have sponsors to help them. As I said, they're the future of the sport. Not bill fishing, but tournament fishing. This sport will never come close to the success the bass fishermen enjoy, but as long as we have a few teams, we can have our tournaments.
"I hope getting exposure will draw some outside prize money. Most of the money they give out is from the entry fees the teams pay. As I see it, this sport will always be for those that can afford it. No one will make a living at it," the man said.
"How many of these tournaments do you fish each year?" Fran asked.
"I don't know. We fish quite a few. Our team, as well as many of the other teams, will fish in six to ten tournaments a year. We fish from Florida to Cabo San Lucas and ports in-between. I love the travel as much as the fishing."
"Doesn't that take a lot of time away from your business?" Fran asked.
"Not really. I have the boat taken to the ports by a captain and then fly to the tournament. That or we charter a boat. It all depends on how much time I have and where the tournaments are held."
"Thank you for your time. Just so you know, we are doing a feature about the Lady Guinevere team for ESPN. I would like your permission to use this interview," Fran said.
"You have my permission. Just give me the forms and I'll sign them," the man said.
Randy turned off the camcorder. He sat down next to Fran and said, "Well, what do you think? We interviewed a few other captains and they all said basically the same things."
"I think it's cool. Are you going to use the interviews in the pilot?" Jack said.
"We may use bits and pieces of the interviews. If we include everything, it would make a very long show. Randy and I have talked about saving parts for a second show," Fran said.
"I think that guy is wrong about not being able to make a living fishing," Sally said.
"Why do you say that, Sally?" Brad said.
"It seems to me that if you put the proper marketing plan as well as a good business plan, you could make a living. Maybe not by winning tournaments, but there are other ways.
"If you think about it, television shows aren't for entertainment, they're to sell advertising. The more viewers you get, the more you can charge for advertising time. I agree that the shows on television have to be good, but that's only because advertisers want people to watch them.
"You've all seen some of the crap they have on television. Take game shows for instance. They give away stuff that is made by their advertisers. They also give away money, but it's all about minutes of exposure. If they have to pay twenty thousand dollars for a thirty-second commercial, they get the same exposure by sponsoring a show," Sally said.
Jack beamed as he listened to Sally. The others sat slack-jawed, not knowing what to think. Sally looked at them and smiled.
"If we could put together a show that showed us fishing it would be cool. If we put together a show that included information about ecology, it would draw viewers interested in that subject. We could go fishing and take an expert that would talk about conservation or things like that.
"I think people will watch shows that they are interested in. By doing a through study of viewer demographics, we could come up with something," Sally said.
"Okay, who are you and what did you do with Sally?" Kathy said and then she giggled.
"I know you guys think I'm a ditzy chick, but I do read," Sally said with a big grin.
"Sally, I don't think you're a ditz, but you do surprise me sometimes," Kathy said. "Where did you learn that stuff?
"I read an article in one of my dad's golfing magazines. It talked about how they fund golf tournaments. I learned the sponsors calculate the number of minutes their name is displayed and mentioned, as well as the inches of print they get from a tournament. The article said they could sponsor a tournament with several million dollars in prize money for what they would pay in traditional advertising.
"After reading the article, I did some research on the internet. That's where I found out about advertising and television programming," Sally said.
"You're absolutely right, Sally. Networks base their programming on the amount of advertising they can sell. That's the reason the better shows air in primetime. It's the time they will draw the most viewers. Cartoon shows are aired when kids will be watching, but the advertising is targeted at the parents," Randy said.
"I can remember begging my mom for the latest Barbie dolls when I saw them on television," Jenny said.
"That is why we're doing this pilot, to try to sell it to ESPN. They have an outdoor series on the weekends that we hope the show will fit into," Fran said.
"Do you think a show about fishing and conservation would work with another network or in at a different time?" Tom asked.
"I really don't know. Fran and I just tape the action and do the interviews. The producers are the ones that will make the decision about the next step. If the pilot airs and is well received, there are other people that will take over," Randy said.
"I still think we could make it work. Even if it didn't, it would be fun trying," Sally said.
"Why don't we see how the pilot goes? If it gets aired, we can go from there," Fran said.
The group chatted about putting together a fishing show for another half hour. Jack got up, took Sally's hand and said, "We better get dressed so we're not late for dinner."
Randy and Fran told the teens they would see them later and left.
"What do you want me to wear tonight?" Sally asked Jack.
Jack smiled and said, "A dress or a short skirt." He leaned over to whisper in Sally's ear. "No panties tonight."
Sally giggled and hugged Jack tighter. "Okay, anything else you want me to do?"
"Not right now, Sweetie," Jack said.
Jack and Sally headed for their stateroom. The rest of the teens followed the couple below. They took showers and dressed for the evening.
"Which dress should I wear?" Sally asked Jack while holding two dresses.
"Wear that one." Jack pointed to the colorful halter sundress Sally held in her right hand.
Giggling, Sally hung the other dress in the locker and then pulled the one Jack wanted her to wear over her naked body. The dress cascaded down, the hem hitting her mid-thigh.
"I have to be careful in this one. If I move wrong, people will see my butt," Sally said while adjusting the dress.
"You have a cute ass, Sweetie."
"Thanks. Do you want other people to see my ass?" Sally asked. She moved close to Jack and put her arms around his waist.
"I don't want you to flaunt it, but if someone happens to see you it would be okay." Jack kissed Sally's forehead as he pulled the back of her dress up. He gripped her butt cheeks, pulling her closer. "I love you, Sweetie."
"I know. I love you too, Honey. Are we going to do something special tonight?"
"I haven't planned anything for tonight. We have to get to bed early so we'll be rested tomorrow. Did you have a good time today?"
"Yes, I had a wonderful time. I love fishing and being with our friends."
"Good, I want you to be happy. I also want you to make sure the others know you aren't wearing panties tonight," Jack said.
"How should I do that?" Sally asked while grinning.
"I'll leave it up to you."
"Does that mean our parents too?"
"No, you don't have to tell or show the adults. Just our friends."
Sally felt her body tingle at the thought of what Jack told her to do. She didn't know why, but she didn't care. If Jack wanted her to flash her ass, she was more than willing to do it for him.
Jack and Sally left the stateroom. They checked with the others to see if they were ready to go. The teens began coming out of their rooms. Sally headed for the stairs, pausing to wait for the rest of the group. As soon as everyone was ready to head out, Sally started up the stairs.
"Did you forget something?" Kim asked Sally.
"I don't think so," Sally said while looking over her shoulder.
"Um, I think you forgot your undies, Sally," Kim said and then she giggled.
Sally pulled her dress up, put her hands on her butt, and giggled. "Oh my, I think you're right, Kim."
Sally wiggled her bottom, dropped her dress and continued up the steps. The rest of the group laughed and followed Sally. They paused in the saloon when Jenny called Sally's name.
Reaching under her skirt, Jenny removed her panties. She twirled them around her finger and then gave them to Sally. "Here, you can wear mine," Jenny said.
"Thanks, but Jack told me not to wear panties tonight," Sally said.
Laughing, Jenny flung her panties toward the settee. "If you're going commando, so am I," Jenny said.
Kim shook her head, laughed, and then she removed her panties. Kathy also removed her underwear and tossed them aside. Everyone laughed and teased one another.
"I'll be right back," Molly said. She charged down the steps to the staterooms. A few moments later, she returned.
When Molly went below, she wore shorts. When she returned, Molly wore a short skirt. She giggled and showed everyone she was naked under her skirt.
"Nice ass," Tom said, causing Molly to blush.
Kim put her fists on her hips, looked at Tom and said, "Hey, what about my ass?"
"You have a great ass too. All of you girls have great asses," Tom replied. The girls flipped up their skirts and laughed.
Everyone laughed and kibitzed as they walked to the restaurant to meet their parents. The girls flirted with their skirts, but didn't completely expose themselves.
"What made you decide to go without panties?" Kathy asked Sally.
"Jack told me not to wear them," Sally replied.
Brad overheard what Kathy and Sally said. He chuckled and said, "Thanks, Jack!"
"No problem, Brad," Jack said.
Kathy put one arm around Eddie's waist and took Molly's hand with her free hand. She giggled and said," Do you like it when your girls go commando, Honey?"
"Hell yes, what's not to like?" Eddie said. He put his hand on Kathy's bottom and gave her a gentle squeeze.
The teens walked into the restaurant. Their parents were there, sitting at a large round table. Don waved the kids over and pointed at an empty table next to the one he and the other parents were sitting at.
After greeting their parents, the teens took seats around the table. Jack held Sally's arm, watching where everyone else planned to sit. He guided Sally to a chair next to Brad. Jack sat next to Sally with Kim on his other side. Tom sat between Kim and Molly. Next to Molly, Eddie sat between her and Kathy. Jenny sat between Brad and her brother.
The server came to the table and took the group's orders. The teens talked with their parents, telling them about the day of fishing. Jack put his hand under the table, resting it on Sally's leg. She wiggled and smiled at Jack. He slid his hand up Sally's leg, tickling her labia when he reached it. Sally clamped Jack's hand between her legs and turned to look at him. The two shared a smile before Jack removed his hand.
The group finished their meals. They moved their seats so the families could sit together and chat for a little while. Molly sat with her mom and Joel. She babbled nonstop about how much fun she was having on the trip.
Eddie and Jenny sat with Ellen and Harry. Jenny started to giggle and said, "You wouldn't believe what Sally said today. She started talking about how we could do a show about fishing. Sally talked about things I had no idea she knew about. She is very smart."
"No kidding. Sally knows about how advertising works and things like that," Eddie said.
"Why does that surprise you two?" Ellen said.
"I don't know. I guess I never figured Sally knew about those things," Jenny said.
"I guess it true that you can't judge a book by its cover, isn't it?" Harry said.
"That's an understatement, Dad. When Sally started talking it almost floored me. I didn't think she was stupid, but I didn't know she was as smart as she is. She said she was ditzy, but Sally said she did a lot of reading," Eddie said.
"Maybe you two should spend some time reading too," Ellen said. "It wouldn't hurt you two to learn about a few things other than fishing."
"I want to talk to Sally about her idea. She may be right about being able to make a show about fishing. What do you and Mom think about the idea?" Jenny said.
"I think you kids can do anything you put your minds to," Harry replied.
Jack Waters asked Kathy about how things were going with her relationship with Eddie and Molly. Kathy giggled and said, "Great, Dad. We're all getting along very well."
"No jealousy problems?" Sarah said.
"None so far, Mom. Eddie is very cool about it. I don't know how long it will last, but for now we're all enjoying it," Kathy said.
"Frankly, I think it's wonderful that you kids are all so close and friendly. Most kids your ages wouldn't do well with the relationships you all share," Sarah said.
"We all talk to each other, Mom. Knowing we can talk to you and Dad now helps too," Brad said.
Sarah chuckled and said, "You mean since I'm not acting like a bitch all the time, don't you?"
"You weren't a bitch, Mom," Brad said.
"Yes I was and I don't mind admitting it. My life is so much better since I woke up and realized how I was hurting you kids and Dad," Sarah said. "That's all in the past and I really don't want to revisit that part of my life. All I can do is thank you for not giving up on me and loving me when I couldn't love myself."
Brad, Kathy, and Jack Waters all nodded. They reaffirmed the fact they loved Sarah and, without saying it, let her know they didn't hold anything against her. Kathy and Brad were happy their mother changed and allowed them to be teenagers. Jack Waters felt grateful to have the wife he'd always dreamed of having.
Anne leaned close to Sally and said, "How are things going with you and Jack?" She kept her voice low so no one else could hear her.
Sally grinned as she nodded her head. "Really good, Mom."
Anne smiled at her young daughter. She thought back to her teen years and the fun and love she shared with her brother and Marc. Anne knew the odds of Sally and Jack staying together were stacked against them, but she also knew they would always share a special relationship.
"How about Tom?" Anne said.
"Tom and Kim are cool, Mom. I think they fell in love in spite of themselves. Kim is completely head over heals for Tom. I think he is for her too."
"How do the others fit in?" Anne said.
"Mom, we all get along great. There aren't any problems between any of us," Sally said. She wanted to talk to her mom about Jenny and Brad, but didn't think it was the right time.
Tom put his hand on Sally's shoulder. "Hey, what are you two whispering about?" he asked.
"I'm just telling Mom how well we all get along, Tom," Sally said.
The group decided to leave the restaurant and go outside. There was an impromptu party planned for the teams at one of the tiki bars near the pool. They went out to the large patio and milled around with the other fishing teams. Sally took hold of Brad's hand and led him to the area where others were dancing.
"Dance with me," Sally said as she put her arms around Brad's neck.
"I'm not very good at dancing," Brad said. He put his arms around Sally's waist and began to sway to the music.
"That's okay, I don't mind," Sally said with a giggle.
After a few moments of dancing, Sally said, "You're a good dancer, Brad."
"Thanks. I need practice before junior prom next month."
"Are you taking Jenny?" Sally asked with a giggle.
"Yeah, but I haven't asked her yet. I figure she knows," Brad replied.
Sally pulled her head off Brad's shoulder and looked into his eyes. "You better ask her before someone else does. Girls don't like it when their boyfriend assumes things." Sally grinned at Brad. "I better go dance with Eddie next. I'll bet he's as dense as you are about such things."
Brad laughed and nodded his head. "Yeah, I'm sure he is. Thanks for the tip, Sally."
"Boys! What would you do without us girls?" Sally said with a giggle.
Brad laughed and said, "Um, jack-off?"
Sally and Brad laughed. The song ended and they separated. Sally went over to Kim and told her about telling Brad to ask Jenny to the junior prom. She also told Kim she was going to talk to Eddie.
"I'll talk to Eddie. I want to dance with him," Kim said.
Kim found Eddie and asked him to dance. While they moved, Kim said, "I hear you guys have a dance coming up."
"Yeah, junior prom is next month," Eddie said.
"Have you asked your girlfriends to go?"
"They know we're going, Kim," Eddie said.
"Maybe, but you need to ask them," Kim said.
"Okay, I'll take your word for it. Thanks for letting me know."
Kim pushed her body against Eddie's. She felt his arms tighten around her, causing her to smile. They moved slowly, listening to the music. When the song ended, Eddie kissed Kim's forehead and then said, "Thanks for the dance."
Kim and Eddie headed toward the rest of the group. Eddie smiled at Kim and went over to where Kathy and Molly stood.
"Kathy, Molly, I would like to know if you two would go to junior prom with me?" Eddie said.
Molly grinned and nodded. Kathy said, "Yes, I'll go with you. Molly and I have been wondering when you were going to ask us."
"Um, to tell the truth, I wasn't planning to ask. I just thought you two knew. Kim told me I should ask anyway," Eddie said.
"Kim was right," Molly said with a giggle. "I didn't know you were planning to take me too."
"Why wouldn't I? After all, you're my girlfriend, aren't you?" Eddie said.
"Yeah, but I didn't think you'd want to take two girls to the junior prom. I would have understood if you didn't want to take me," Molly said.
"If he didn't ask you, I would have," Kathy said. "Just think of how the kids at school are going to react when they see us dancing together, Molly."
"I don't care how they react. If you want to dance with me, we'll dance. Besides, almost everyone knows the three of us are going together." Molly giggled. "Some of my other friends think I'm nuts, but I just tell them to mind their own business."
Eddie laughed and said, "Most of my friends think I'm lucky."
"You are lucky, Baby. How many boys have two hot chicks that love having sex with you?" Kathy said.
"I'm very lucky, but not because of sex. I'm lucky because I have two wonderful girls to love," Eddie said.
Molly and Kathy hugged and kissed Eddie. While they embraced, Tom came over and said, "Um, when you're finished, I'd like to ask Molly to dance."
Molly giggled and released Eddie. She took Tom's hand and walked to an open area. They held each other and began to dance.
"What was that all about?" Tom asked.
"Eddie just asked Kathy and me to junior prom." Molly giggled and then said, "Thanks to Kim."
"What did Kim have to do with it?" Tom said.
"She told Eddie he should ask us. He just thought we knew."
"Didn't you?"
"Well sort of. I mean I'm sure Kathy knew Eddie would take her, but I didn't know that he was taking me too. Besides, a girl likes to be asked," Molly said. "No one wants to be taken for granted. That's the way my ex boyfriend treated me. He just assumed I would have sex with him whenever he wanted it."
"Guys can be dumb sometimes," Tom said.
"You aren't that way."
"Not always, but I have made the mistake of assuming things before. My last girlfriend left me for another girl. I don't know if it was because she is lesbian or because I started taking her for granted. I do know I'll never do anything like that again though."
Molly snuggled against Tom. She lifted her head and said, "Thanks for talking to me the other night. You made me feel a lot better."
"Molly, you never have to feel like the odd man out, not when I'm around."
Molly choked back her tears. She hugged Tom tighter, thinking about how lucky she was to have good friends. Her memories of Len were no longer bothering her because of the love the others showed her. The song ended. Molly reluctantly released Tom and walked back to the group.
The DJ played a fast song. The five girls went out and began dancing. Tom, Jack, Brad, and Eddie watched the girls as their short skirts came very close to flipping up enough to expose them.
"They seem to be having a blast," Brad said.
"Yeah, they do look like they're having fun," Tom said.
"Brad and I owe Sally and Kim. They told us to ask the girls to the junior prom," Eddie said.
"I think it would have been a mistake if you didn't," Jack said.
"No shit! Kathy, Jenny, and Molly would have been pissed at us if we didn't ask them," Brad said.
"We should think about heading to the boat soon. I wouldn't want to oversleep tomorrow morning," Tom said.
"You're right Tom. It's almost eight already," Eddie said.
The girls finished dancing. They came over to the guys and agreed that it was time to leave when Jack mentioned it. The teens found their parents and said goodnight. Marge told the kids they would see them in the morning before they left to fish.
On the way down the pier, the girls walked in front of the boys. They flipped the backs of their skirts up, flashing their naked butts. The guys laughed and told the girls they had nice asses.
Back on the boat, the teens sat in the saloon for a few minutes. They went over their plan for the next morning. Kim and Tom sat on one of the settees with Eddie, Kathy, and Molly. Jack, Brad, and Jenny sat across from them. Sally sat on the floor with her back against Jack's legs. She bent her legs, wrapped her arms around them, and rested her chin on her knees.
Sally knew she was exposing herself to the group sitting on the settee across from her, but she didn't care. It wasn't something they hadn't seen before. Jack kicked off his boat shoes. He slipped his feet under Sally's bottom, flexing his toes against her firm buttocks. Sally wiggled against him.
"What time are we getting up?" Jack said.
"We should get up by five so we can eat before we leave. Kristin, Fran, and Randy should be here by six," Eddie replied.
The teens got up and began heading down to the staterooms. They all said goodnight to each other before going into their rooms. Kim and Molly stood in the passageway talking for a few moments before calling it a night.
"Thanks for letting me dance with Tom tonight," Molly said. "He's a good dancer."
Kim giggled and said, "You don't have to thank me, Molly. Tom wanted to dance with you and it doesn't bother me. We're all friends here and I know no one is trying to cause any trouble."
"It's really nice-you know, the way things are between all of us. I hated it when my ex-boyfriend got all jealous when a boy looked at me or said something to me. Len would make me feel like he owned me and I couldn't have any friends he didn't approve of."
"One of the things I love about Tom is the fact he doesn't get bent out of shape if I flirt with another boy." Kim giggled and smiled. "Or another girl for that matter."
"Eddie and Kathy are the same way. At first, it bothered me because I didn't realize they could love me and still let me be myself. Now, I know they love me and want me to be happy. The day Eddie and Kathy asked me to go with them was one of the best days in my life. Meeting you guys ranks right up there with that day."
"I think that it's going to be wonderful when we move down to Florida. We have friends in Michigan, but we're not as close to them as we are with you guys. Not anymore anyway."
"I guess that's how life goes, isn't it? I mean we meet new friends and have new experiences. The funny thing is how my mom has joined the group too. Before, I would have been pissed if Mom wanted to hang around with my boyfriend's parents. Now I want her to be there. We can talk and have fun together."
"I think it's cool that she accepts your relationship with Eddie and Kathy. I doubt most parents would understand. My parents would, but they're kind of different from most parents. Mom and Dad let Jack and me make our own decisions most of the time. My aunt and uncle are the same way with Tom and Sally. If you ask me, our parents learn from each other just like we do."
Molly nodded. "I guess I better get to bed. I'll see you in the morning, Kim."
Kim gave Molly a hug. "Okay, goodnight." Kim pulled up the back of Molly's skirt and grabbed her bottom. Giggling, she said, "Tom's right, you do have a nice ass!"
Molly hugged Kim tighter and laughed. She grabbed Kim's butt and said, "Your ass is nice too!"
The girls giggled for a moment. Kim kissed Molly briefly and then let her go. After saying goodnight again, they went to bed.