Vets Reel In the Relaxation

For about 50 armed services members and veterans, June 28 represented both an early Independence Day and Veterans Day celebration rolled into one.

Homestead fishing guide Dave Sutton and 20 South Florida colleagues treated members of the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, National Guard and their families to a half-day of fishing in Biscayne Bay.

The fifth annual American Veterans Fish-Off featured more participants, more prizes and fancier digs than in previous years. Professional fishing guides hit up their sponsors for rods, reels, gear and other accessories so every veteran went home with a prize. And all enjoyed a catered barbecue lunch at the posh Champions Club at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"I want to thank all the captains. This is huge -- what you did for us," said Darrin Barritt, an F-15 instructor-pilot for the Missouri Air National Guard.

Barritt -- who spends an average of one week a month on reserve duty at Homestead Air Reserve base -- and his wife, Lori, fished with captain Dave Kostyo on his 28-foot open-fisherman Knot Nancy.

Within minutes of reaching the deep blue waters south of Triumph Reef, they encountered a flock of diving terns. Kostyo stopped the boat and directed the couple to cast live pilchards on 20-pound spinning outfits underneath the birds.

The waters then erupted into a kaleidoscopic frenzy of neon schoolie dolphin, and the Barritts managed to boat seven fish before the school lost interest and faded off. They planned to share their bounty with Barritt's squadron.

"Big fish, small fish -- that's our relaxation," Darrin Barritt said with a grin.

Luis Servilla, Louis Herrera, Sean Tinklenberg and Rob Gill took turns fighting a suspected Goliath grouper that ate a live bait dropped on the wreck of the Doc DeMilly by captain Monty Lopez. The fish broke the line, but it gave the crew fodder for fish stories at the barbecue.

"It was a good fight. I cramped up," acknowledged Herrera, of Miami Beach, a U.S. Army reservist and member of the Hialeah police SWAT team.

Added Tinklenberg: "It must have been a monster."

Air Force veteran Tom Lynch of Davie sported a fishing war wound to the barbecue.

"I was bringing some fish in a plastic bag to my vehicle. The snapper bit through the bag, and he bit me in the bicep," Lynch said, displaying a few drops of blood on the sleeve of his T-shirt.

"This qualifies you as a wounded veteran," Sutton deadpanned, to laughter from the crowd.

Michael Weatherby, retired from the Air Force but holding a civilian job at Homestead, was outdone by his 10-year-old son, Kuhrt. Guided by captain Brey Abreu, Kuhrt caught several snapper, a barracuda, and a blacktip shark.

"It's not a fad with him -- he's the fisherman of the family," Weatherby said of his son.

Tinklenberg, a U.S. Army reservist stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C., hopes to fish in the sixth annual Fish-Off.

"It was a great day, an experience," he said. "I'll definitely be here next year."