Another Big Fish Tale!

  It must be a year for big reds.  The red drum fish that have been caught near the Bayou are huge!  While I normally do not keep these gigantic monsters, if a visitor catches one and wishes to keep the meat, the fish is cleaned.  Or, if need be, we will clean the fish to provide a few meals for folks.  Personally, I do not care to cook these large fish.  The meat is coarse and strong.  I prefer those reds that are around five pounds and not thirty-five or larger!  That said, Mark did clean another just yesterday.  A friend (Darlene) and I were on the pier when my sweet sister-in-law (Cynthia) meandered down the board path.  Being the dutiful hostess, I baited a hook with a live menhaden, tossed out the line and handed her the rod.  "Here...catch a fish."  Yup...she did.

  After just a few minutes of her holding the rod and not paying one bit of attention, I noticed a large fish roll about fifty feet from the pier.  "Uhh...one of you has a big fish on your line." I told my visitors.  "Not me." said Darlene as she dangled her bait in front of me.  Cynthia, on the other hand, said "Maybe?  I am not sure."  Again, the large fish swirled in the water.  Then, Cynthia realized that the fish indeed was pulling her line.  She started to wind the reel..."Umm...you might want to set that hook." I reminded her.  

  To make a long story short, the fish was on her line and she did try her best to reel it in to the pier.  Not being used to fishing, she found the task too difficult so I had to relieve her occasionally.  We played "Swap the pole" for a few times before the massive fish tired and came close enough for Darlene to scoop it in the net.  That, in itself, was a difficult task.,  The scoop net was rather smallish for a fish of this size.  After a few attempts, she literally shoved the fish into the net and it took the two of us to haul it onto the pier.  Geez!  With the tide being low, that scooping was hard!

  Once the fish was unhooked, measured (at 31 inches!) and photographed, the discussion changed to whether she wanted to eat her catch or let it go free.  She opted to save the meat for a family meal when all of her kids were home over the holidays.  Good deal!  This was the largest fish she has ever caught so it was a proud moment for her.  A great catch and a good team effort! Fun for all....