Port Aransas South Jetty

Sailfish on! Accidentally . . .

One lucky guy Bryan Conklin of Sugarland caught this sailfish -- accidentally. How do you accidentally catch a sailfish? Ask Bryan Conklin.

Conklin, of Sugarland, came to Port Aransas to fish with his parents, Larry and Barbara Conklin, aboard their brand new 32-foot Boston Whaler, the High Bid, on Memorial Day weekend.

The Conklins recently bought a home in The Moorings and the boat to go with it, but are not experienced anglers.

As they headed out of the jetties, Bryan had his line in the water, trolling for trout, or anything else that might bite. He was using a Shimano Sahara 4000 spinner reel with a gold spoon on 12-pound test.

As they passed the end of the jetty, he felt a tug. Thinking it might just be a tarpon, he tugged back.

Before long the fish jumped, and to everyone’s surprise, it was a sailfish. The fight was on.

Bryan fought the fish for about 40 minutes, finally bringing it to the boat.

According to Larry Conklin, they hadn’t had the boat long, weren’t completely outfitted and, frankly, as the “new, green guy,” didn’t quite know what to do with the fish next. “We didn’t even know how to get it aboard,” he said.

They did get it aboard, and after a quick photo-op, they put the fish back into the water and began revival procedures.

Some nearby anglers in a bay boat came alongside to help out. The Conklins passed the fish to the smaller boat, and they worked with the fish until it was able to swim away on its own.

Beginner’s luck? Maybe not: Bryan fished the next day in the channel and caught a 47-inch kingfish, again on 12- pound test.

I think I’d llike to go fishing with that guy.