This column is dedicated to the recreational fisherperson who wants to have a good time, get the boat wet, spend time with friends and family, and maybe catch a couple fish.

Question: What does a fisherperson talk about when he or she has not had the opportunity to go fishing for a couple of weeks in a row?

Answer: Other fisherpersons -- of course. I have been following the fishing escapades of my friends, Sean and Trish Cannon, for several years now. It all started out -- innocently enough -- one day at the Marathon City Marina when Sean asked me, "C.J., could you help me with a couple of fishing questions?" After replying, "Of course," he peppered me with a quick volley of questions. "How do you troll? Where do you buy outriggers? Where should I fish? What do you mean by rigged ballyhoo?"

"Oh, Oh," I thought, "This is going to take longer than I expected." But they turned out to be truly motivated to learn offshore fishing. And, as you will see, this willingness to listen and learn actually became a bit of a double-edge-sword when their catches began surpassing all expectations.

Fishermen love to celebrate other fishermen's success, unless, of course, that success is bigger than their own. Come on now, let's face it, we all have a little competitive ego when it comes to telling fish stories. It's the nature of the beast after all. So, it was with guarded enthusiasm that I congratulated Sean and Trish just a few weeks later when they showed me the photos of their monster dolphin that they caught just past the reef on a weekend when I couldn't catch a fish if my life depended on it. And, to add insult to injury, they still had not installed their outriggers and were running just two flatlines with store-bought rigged ballyhoo. Their picture ran in the Marathon Free Press the next week and the legend was born. And the legend continued. Sean and Trish are having an absolute ball fishing the Marathon waters. Their outriggers are installed, they know how to rig ballyhoo and they are spending time together doing something that they really love to do.

And that's what it's all about. I've seen too many couples who purchase a boat and become very frustrated when they fail to catch anything. Start adding up the initial cost to outfit yourself for offshore fishing and you will quickly see why that could happen. I had a friend in Islamorada that fished with me, and several others of my "fishing group." We all had boats except this one guy. "I should buy my own boat," he would say constantly. "Why don't you just relax and fish with us until you get some experience under your belt?" we would reply. But, undaunted by good counsel, he went ahead and bought a brand-new 23-foot center-console boat. He upgraded the outboard to 225 horsepower and had custom outriggers installed.

He had a dock where he could keep the boat and, therefore, had no trailer. The big day came, the dealer splashed the boat (that means launched for the landlubber), sea-trialed it with him, handed him the keys and wished him luck. It was one of the proudest moments of his life. The trouble started as soon as the monster motor was shifted into gear. The boat moved forward faster than expected and brought about the first panic attack. After several worthless attempts to stop the boat without shifting into neutral, he shut the motor at the urging of concerned onlookers, most of whom had boats of their own within striking distance of this sparkling new misguided missile.

We suggested he take a boat-safety course, but that idea was summarily dismissed. The angst and apprehension of running the boat made it difficult for him and his wife to enjoy taking the boat for a cruise. The fishing didn't work out as planned and returning to dock with no fish, worrying about damaging the boat when docking, adding up the cost of fuel, boat payments, bait, fishing equipment, boat insurance and all the other fun things that go along with boat ownership caused another wedge in the couple's enjoyment of the boat.

To make a long story short, the boat went unused. Lack of use caused all the regular problems that occur to underutilized vessels and the boat became a maintenance issue while sitting on davits. This was the "most unkindest cut of all (sic)." The couple never got the pleasure and camaraderie they had hoped for. The boat become a financial and emotional burden and was eventually sold at a loss after the couple moved out of the Keys. This is a shame. I lost two good friends and a good, hard-working, couple left the area.

Fishing-people need to stick together. I love getting e-mails and phone calls from anglers asking questions or just sharing fishing reports. To make the most of my fishing experience, I need to have people I can count on for up-to-the-minute information about what's happening in my area. Why spend the day trolling in 400 feet of water when the dolphin bite is red-hot in 150 feet? And, how would I know this if I am not willing to share information with my fellow anglers. Sean and Trish have shared information with me that has resulted in my day being more successful, and I hope I have shared worthwhile information with them. I suggest that all anglers develop a group of fellow-anglers to share information and good times. Remember, fishing is supposed to be fun. I call my buddies on the radio and cell phone constantly. I love nothing better than talking about fishing.

Last weekend, Sean and Trish struck again. They were fishing just past the reef in dead-calm waters. One of the trolled ballyhoo lines started peeling off the reel and whining with that high-pitch scream we wait hours for. And another plateau was reached in their fishing careers. Sean and Trish landed their first-ever wahoo, a spectacular 31-pounder. I was overjoyed to be one of the first people to see it and photograph it. Another lifetime memory was formed; another terrific day for a husband and wife team out on the water. So, get out there and do some fishing with family and friends. Share these experiences through photos and conversations. And always remember, life is very, very good in the fabulous Florida Keys.

C.J. Geotis is a life-long fisherman who followed his dream to live in the Florida Keys nine years ago. He lives in Marathon with his wife, Loretta. His e-mail is fishstories@bellsouth.net