Memorial Day weekend, 2026. As a younger man, Memorial Day weekend usually meant spending time with family and friends at a local barrier island or sandbar to honor those we lost. Flying a flag of remembrance from T-Top rod holders, grilling burgers and fish, playing in the surf, burying your toes in the sand – this is what we did. We followed the same important tradition this year, but with an offshore twist.
I got the invite to fish on a 35 ft. catamaran-style boat like no other I’d fished from before. In all these years, I’d never been on a cat hull design. This offshore beast was a wave-crushing machine with four live wells, two massive coffin boxes, the most comfortable and spacious seating you could imagine, and rod and drink holders at every turn. It defied the old architectural mantra of “form follows function”, as it was equally both.
But this story is not about a boat build; rather, it is about celebrating Memorial Day with friends old and new. In addition to being with the regular gang, I met some new folks who were an absolute joy. On this two-day trip, I was fortunate enough to spend time with families who made the fishing, conversation, and long runs offshore and the back, as good as gold.
It was ARS season, opening day, and we did well, including a few fat red grouper to add to the box. But it was the company that made this trip special. Both days included a father-daughter team and a father-son team. These kids had strong sea legs and knew how to fish! More importantly, catch after catch, story after story, I learned as much about life as they did from me. Whether discussing the importance of Memorial Day or how to read the bottom machine, it was as good as it gets.
Finding fish on your numbers, digging up grouper and snapper, or putting down your rod for that much-deserved sandwich or snack, that’s always part of the plan. For me, and I know I’m not alone, the long run back to the dock has always been special. This part of the offshore experience embodies the theme of a family trip. Whether chatting it up with the captain at the helm or falling fast asleep in a bean bag at the back of the boat, there is a unique joy, motoring back in from a long day at sea. This is a time to reflect on the fishing, the jokes, the laughs, and the fun, from both the adults and the kids.
Passing my old stomping grounds at Anclote Key, anchored boats dotted the shoreline. They waved at us, we waved back. So, it wasn’t so much about the quality of the boat or the amount of fish in the box, but the memories made on this treasured holiday. I couldn’t see the faces of the folks waving at us as we motored on by, but I knew those families were laughing and smiling just like the families I was with. I’m not sure if there’s a US holiday as important as this one, so whether fishing offshore, anchoring on the island, or gathering with friends and family on dry land, the virtue, of course, is just being together.