Article by Capt. Franky Pettolina
For a period of ten years, I was the head instructor for the Town of Ocean City’s Department of Parks and Recreation Youth Fishing Clinic. This was basically a one-hour per week trip to the Oceanic Fishing Pier with a group of anywhere from five to fifteen kids. The kids were usually aged between six and ten years old. Occasionally, there were some younger or older ones in the mix. Each kid was supposed to be accompanied by a parent or some other responsible adult. Sometimes three or four kids would have to share that responsible adult, but it always worked out. The fishing was kind of hit-or-miss. Some years we caught multitudes of shad and blue fish. Other years we caught snags and lost shoes off of the pier. Yes, we actually lost a shoe one year. Thankfully my buddy Robby was out in his john boat and he performed a shoe rescue mission for me.
I think it was the second or third year of the clinic that I caught a friend. Technically speaking, I didn’t really catch a new friend. There was a cute little blonde haired girl taking part in the clinic. She was very enthusiastic and her mother was serving as her responsible adult. At the end of the first fishing week, the little girl’s mom came up to me and said, “You don’t remember me, do you Franky?” At this point I probably could have tried to lie my way out of it, or fake my way through it, but I didn’t. I told her that I surely did not recall having made her acquaintance. Anyway, little blonde hair girl’s mom recounted stories of numerous parties she had attended at my parent’s condo when we were teenagers. The names and details were accurate, but I still could not place her. After we parted company at the pier that week, I called our mutual friend Blaine to verify the identity of my “new” friend. Kristy, or Chrissy or something like that I told him. Sure enough, Blaine did in fact recall that Chrissy was part of his high school clique and he attested to the fact that Chrissy was most definitely present during these gatherings at my condo.
As the Youth Fishing Clinic progressed that year, Chrissy and I chatted about people we knew and I watched her little girl catch some fish (I think it was a shad year). At the end of the Clinic, we said we would keep in touch, but truth be told we didn’t see each other too much. That is until a few years later when Chrissy became a member at the OC Marlin Club. Then we would see each other regularly at the bar, and I would see her daughter during the Kid’s Classic Tournament. As it turns out, we had many mutual friends in our adult years, just as we did in our pre-adult years. Chrissy is the type of gal that always has a smile and something fun to say or do. I was glad to have become friends with her again.
This past spring Chrissy found out she had cancer. She decided to not let cancer rule her world. She took the last few weeks of her life, pre-treatments, to have fun with her friends and get a lot of living in before the treatments began. I told her that I just knew that she had the right outlook and would kick cancer’s butt. In fact, I told her that she would be better before the Poor Girls Tournament and she had to fish it with me. Chrissy told me that she wasn’t sure that she would be ready by then, but she would do her best. As it turns out, a couple of weeks ago Chrissy met my wife over at the Club for a bite to eat and to share the great news that her most recent charts showed that she had in fact kicked cancer’s butt and the outlook was very bright, Although she still had some treatments to go, she was cleared to go fishing! That was good news, and the timing was pretty solid. We were a week ahead of the Heels and Reels tournament. Why wait two weeks until the Poor Girls Open when she could get out right away for the Heels & Reels. Chrissy was ecstatic.
As the tournament day arrived, the weather forecast was iffy, but the fishing had been good so we decided to head out. Thankfully, the choppy weather predicted was late to the dance and we had smooth seas for most of the day. The first bite of the day went to Chrissy and it was a decent sized Atlantic dolphin fish (ok, mahi). In my mind, I was thinking that this was just not good enough though. I wanted to get her a marlin. The day progressed, and the mahi kept coming. We caught some nice ones, but I still wanted Chrissy to get her marlin. As luck would have it on her next turn in the chair, Chrissy was hooked up to a White Marlin! We chased the fish all over the ocean and she did a top notch job keeping the line tight and working the fish. Unfortunately, just as it looked like we were going to get the release on the fish, the hook pulled. We joked it off, but I could tell that the whole boat load of ladies was devastated.
We put the baits back out and it was decided that, even though it was technically not Chrissy’s turn anymore, the other girls said that if a marlin bit it would go right to Chrissy. I kept working the spot where we had our last bite and sure enough another marlin came to our spread. My mate, Mr. Evans, hooked the fish and Chrissy was back in the chair. Again, we were in hot pursuit of the fish, and again, Chrissy was cranking line in and putting it to the fish. The big difference is that this time we got the release! My wife took the rod from Chrissy while Mr. Evans held the fish by it’s bill alongside the boat. Chrissy went over and got up close and personal with her fish. Some people snapped pictures, but I don’t think they turned out all that great. Or if they have, no one has showed them to me. But that doesn’t matter. I have one image permanently etched in my mind. Like I said earlier, Chrissy always has a smile on her face, but the smile I saw when she looked up after her marlin was released put all her other smiles to shame. I came off of the bridge to give her a high five and a hug. This fish was truly special.
We didn’t win the tournament but we were fortunate enough to place in the Dolphin Category. We didn’t take first, but we still got a nice check and a handsome trophy. Those things don’t matter though. That smile is what matters. Watching a group of friends share in the excitement of catching a marlin with a girl that has spent the summer kicking cancer’s butt - and sharing her smile. Best fish I have caught in a long time. Not the biggest, or the most, but definitely the best. And the best smile ever.
Capt. Franky Pettolina is Co-Captain of the charter boat, “Last Call” and President of the Ocean City Marlin Club.
