Gabe Dietriechson (12 years old), of Dumfries soared to first place in the Special Angler National Rankings after his win at the April 18th Colonial Yacht Club Spring Trophy Season Rockfish Tournament.
Gabe landed a 19.9 lb 35.75” rockfish to seal his first place win in the Special Angler Division and lead his Rebecca-E team to a whopping 800 point windfall. Gabe was fishing with his father Douglas aboard the 42’ “Rebecca-E“ , an Evans styled vessel, flagged out of Cobb Island, Md.
The team was hosted by the extremely capable Captain Jeff Hammett and his crew that included his wife Kim, daughter Rebecca, and 1st mate Russ.
Two other families with special needs children were also aboard that included friends of the Dietrichsons (Ron and Alex Mendoza of Woodbridge). The team competed against a fleet of roughly 35 other boats targeting the spawning rockfish. The tournament featured five Special Anglers with two returning National Champions.
The day provided magnificent weather and calm seas, but a later than usual spawn of the stripers produced hard to come by catches. Although many anglers were doing fishing dances to bring on the schools, Gabe went to the “fishing prayer.”
Per his father Douglas, “Gabe said a second fishing prayer just 30 minutes before he reeled in the big fish. He said the second prayer worked, because on that one, he closed his eyes.”
