A Family Tradition

The Striker

Harold’s father, Harold Senior, had started out building his first boat when he was a young fellow which happened to be a box, and he sailed it in the New Basin Canal in New Orleans around the year 1930.

Harold Senior was encouraged and went on to build as many as 30 boats in his lifetime, each one getting larger and larger. Ten of those boats were 30 feet or longer.

Building the Al-Lin

The Otan was his first plank boat. He built three boats with family names; Carol Ann, Linda Jo and the Miss Michelle. They were built in New Orleans. He also built the Belvedere owned by Mac McQueen in Biloxi, Mississippi. The Silver Hook was his last boat to build and then Harold Senior and Harold Jr built the Striker and then the present boat, the Al-Lin which is named after Harold’s two children, “AL” for Allen and “LIN” for Lindley.

Harold moved from Biloxi to Destin and started fishing in 1973 to the present day. Allen and Lindley would ride along as young children and started helping with some of the charters. Allen became a captain at the age of 18. Harold’s daughter’s children, Gavin and Madison are now enjoying fishing at the ages of 7 and 10. Now they go with their “PawPaw” and help out with some of the charter trips. Jace, Harold’s nephew, has been on several trips and now has ‘fishing in his blood’.

Captain Harold says, “We have been very Blessed to make a living from what we love to do!”