TIFTON — Teenagers Nicole Taylor and Jake Moore have been fishing together since they could walk. Every kids’ fishing event held in the area, they attended.

As they grew older they continued their love of fishing together. When they were too old to fish tn the kids’ fishing events, they volunteered to help at these events and continued fishing and added kayaking to their adventures.

Four years ago, when Taylor entered ninth grade, she began thinking about her senior trip. She knew she wanted to go to Costa Rica fishing, and she knew Moore had to join her. Nicole’s father, Del Taylor, has been fishing in Costa Rica for years and she had seen pictures and dreamed of going one day.

Fast forward to August 2016 and Taylor started planning her senior trip and asked Moore if he was interested in going to Costa Rica. He quickly agreed to go. Planning began and on March 18, Taylor, Moore and their fathers headed south.

The first day of fishing on the Firefly was the perfect day for fishing. Her first catch was one of a lifetime — black marlin.

Black marlin are very rare, caught in only three places in the world.

“The whole boat was going crazy,” Taylor said. ”The real hero of the moment was the mate, Chache, because he did not let me go overboard.”

She fought the fish for over two hours, giving everyone a show each time the marlin jumped. Taylor and the marlin fought hard and each time he reached the boat, he turned and ran all the line off the reel.

Finally near exhaustion, the fish was released back into the wild ocean. Captain Franklin estimated the fish weighed around 700 pounds, an exceptional fish by any standards and a record for a female. When the boat entered the dock that afternoon, everyone was there to celebrate ”the chica” who caught this rare and huge black marlin.

The second day of fishing saw Moore fight, catch and release a sailfish. Then he landed a 50-pound tuna, which they enjoyed for supper that evening.

Taylor then fought, landed, and released a blue marlin, which the captain estimated to be around 300 pounds.

At this point the captain, crew, and Taylor’s father began to get very excited. She had already landed two of three fish needed for what is known as a grand slam.

Achieving a grand slam requires catching a black marlin, a blue marlin and a sailfish.

All Taylor needed was the sailfish and finally she hooked one. The sailfish tail-walked, jumped and flipped and was estimated at being around 100 pounds.

The captain and crew were excited and told her that people fish for years to accomplish what Taylor did in two days.

Father, Del, said, “It has always been my dream to land a marlin, but watching my daughter’s first catch be a 700-pound rare black marlin was wonderful, but then for her to complete a grand slam, I cannot explain the feeling of pride and happiness.

“Many times fishermen will become tired of fighting a large fish and pass the rod to a fellow fisherman for relief, but not Nicole, she fought every one of her fish alone. The captain and crew were even commenting on her determination. I’m so proud and happy for her.”

Taylor and Moore were tired after fishing for two days, but they had many more things to do before this trip of a lifetime was over. Moore most enjoyed an ATV adventure around the town of Jaco and into the rainforest to a waterfall.

“I enjoy fishing, but I really enjoy unusual type adventures,” Moore said. “The ATV ride and the zip line were my favorite things.”

In addition to everything else, they toured a chocolate and pineapple farm and interacted with much of Costa Rica’s wildlife. To finish off the trip they were able to visit a volcano, Arenal.