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A trip
to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico turned out to be Dan Hernandez' hardest fishing expedition. It was also his most gratifying.
The
Monetbello resident, host of the Southern California fishing television show Sport Fishing with Dan Hernandez, took 15 year
old Andrea of Nebraska to the tip of Baja California to fish the East Cape for striped marlin, sailfish, swordfish, dorado,
and tuna through the Hunt of a Lifetime Foundation.
Andrea,
a hemophiliac, is required to take shots every day and medicine three time a week. Her twin brother, Tony, also suffers from
the rare blood disorder. Their medication costs $30,000 a week.
"It
was pretty intense," Hernandez said. "I have never had pressure like that to catch a fish for someone. We've had to catch
specific fish for a show, but this was a lot tougher than Ithought it would be."
But
Hernandez came through.
Andrea,
who fishes every day, usually for bass, caught a 200-pound striped marlin, a 100-pound sailfish, a 35-pound Jack and yellowfin
tuna. She almost hooked a swordfish.
"There's
a big difference," Andrea said of the styles of fishing. "Catching a 200-pound marlin is a lot harder than a 10-pound bass."
Andrea
hooked into the jack the first day.
"It
took me one hour to reel it in," she recalled. "The marlin fought, but not as hard. I don't think the Jack knew we had it
hooked until it got close to the boat. But when it got to the sailfish, it was breezy. They said it would be hard, bit it
was not as hard as the marlin."
Andrea's
entire family was aboard the boat. It was the first time she had been on the ocean. She did not get seasick, but her brother,
mother (Kelly) did.
"I'm
sorry you cannot see it on camera, because we got a shot of the marlin humping, but the look on our face, it was just a killer",
Hernandez said. "We were using bait larger than the fish she usually catches. It was a big difference for her."
Tina
Pattison of Harborcreek, Pa. founded Hunt of a Lifetime Foundation on August 2, 1999 when her 19 year old son, who suffers
from lymphoma, sought a hunting trip from the Make A Wish Foundation.
But
Pattison was told her son was too old and Make a Wish no longer offered hunts. So she began her own foundation that offers
hunting trips for youths ages 21 and under who suffer from terminally ill or life-threatening illnesses. When more than 300
guides also began offering fishing trips, she included them also.
Tony
convinced the family doctors that he take a break from hospitals and go hunting for black bear in Alaska through the foundation.
That set up Andrea's chance to go fishing.
"I
go fishing about every day and I thought it would be real different to fish for bigger fish," she said.
Pattison
said that the 13th youth had just compelted the trip through the foundation The hunter failed to harvest a black bear in Manitoba,
Canada.
"The
father said it was the best trip ever because he was with his son for five days and they were totally together," Pattison
siad.
Through
donations, the foundation paid for the family's trip to Baja. Hotel Palmas de Cortez offered rooms and Hernandez took care
of all the fishing expenses.
"The
whole trip was awesome," Kelly (Andrea's mother) said.
"By
far, this will be my favorite episode," Hernandez said. "I was able to spend time with the family and we played in the (hotel)
pool. I'm still getting thank you notes and e-mails from them."
Andrea
said Hernandez taught her how to spot and get the hook up.
Keith Lair interviewed the family and Hernandez about the trip. Everything below the line of stars is from his article.
Keith writes for the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.
