‘What a catch’

Dear Editor:

So many people have laughed at me for hitting a rock with my new boat six hours after buying it. Yes, I hit a rock. Yes, I took the bottom end out of the motor.

So now the rest of the story: hooked onto a musky, massive, powerful, stupendous, and was pulling our boat like 15 miles an hour. I was holding on, setting drag, Wayne was trying to steer, put the motor in reverse and yell directions when suddenly this massive fish jumped right in the air, it was magnificent.

We froze in absolute awe as it  flew right over a rock. To our horror we now saw its nefarious plot. It was trying to rip the boat loose. I calculated the situation and then decided I would not release, hang the consequences. There was a blinding flash, a scrapping blast of sound but I never wavered! I held on. It looked back and saw I was too much for him, with one last plunge to the depths, one futile try at besting me, it gave up, swam over and bowed in defeat.

Magnanimous to the end, I saluted a worthy warrior and released him to fight another.

As I surveyed the damage to the boat, I let out a satisfied sigh. Yes, the damage was profound but what a catch.

Eric Van Grootheest,
Fergus