Liquid O2 charters with Golf Professionals, Chris Champaign and Derek Goff
It’s no secret that gulf coast residents and our guests love the outdoors. Our beaches, fishing, hunting and golf are second to none. Recently our publishing parent company launched a golf magazine, Free Golf Forum Magazine. As I have been working to create new relationships in the local golf industry, I’ve had the opportunity to meet most of the local golf professionals. Surprisingly, most have been reading Coastal Angler Magazine for the number of years that our publication has been in business.
Inevitably, our conversations turn to fishing and the overwhelming majority professes their love of some type of fishing.
The greatest thing about this career is the time spent around passionate people fulfilling their need to relive childhood memories or connect to the thing that allows escape from their day-to-day activities. Recently, I had the opportunity to experience both of these when golf professionals Chris Champagne, PGA professional at The Preserve Golf Club in Vancleave, Miss., and Derrick Goff of the Santa Rosa Golf & Beach Club and I were guests of Capt. Colin F. Byrd of Liquid Oxygen Offshore Charters on his 34’ Sea Vee.
We had an amazing trip. We caught two wahoo and seven yellowfin tuna. Fishing on the gulf coast never gets old. Especially near and around the oil rigs and platforms of the northern gulf coast.
During this incredible bluewater trip that took us more than 351 miles over 12 hours, we had time to visit and share how we arrived at our mutual passion for fishing. I think Chris said it best:
“My first memories of fishing with Dad, when I was a young child, had sunken deeper in my soul than I ever imagined. Growing up in South Louisiana, you may figure I was brought up catching reds and specks, but actually my memories are catching “Sac-a-lait” and largemouth bass in the Atchafalaya Basin and at Toledo Bend Reservoir. It would be several years before I would turn these memories into a passion later in life. I moved from Lafayette, La. to the panhandle of Florida in my early 20s to work in the golf industry. At this time I was introduced to saltwater fishing. I must admit, after my first redfish, I knew I would be doing as much saltwater fishing as possible for the rest of my life. Capt. Colin Byrd has introduced me to bluewater fishing and my fever for this sport continues to grow. Now, there is truly nothing that makes me happier than to be on the water with family and friends. Thanks Colin—and thanks Dad for introducing your son to a lifetime of enjoyment.”
One of the coolest things about the trip was that Derrick had never caught a wahoo. Capt. Colin helped change that first thing that morning. By 8:30 a.m., Derrick had landed a nearly 70-pound wahoo.
“I grew up fishing inshore mostly. This was my first wahoo, and what an incredible fish!” Derrick said. “Definitely looking forward to another trip south with Captain Collin and Liquid Oxygen.”
Ben Bloodworth is co-publisher of the Mississippi Gulf Coast edition of Coastal Angler Magazine, and of the Mississippi edition of Free Golf Forum Magazine.
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