Greed Gets You Every Time!

  Greed is not a pretty thing.  It causes a lot of pain in more ways than one and, in the end, will come back to bite us in the butt.  This is not only true from the human aspect but also with the critters of the world.  Let a predator attack something a little too large and old karma is just liable to strike back.  The primal urge of greed becomes the ultimate downfall.  

  This morning, that primal urge was working at its best.  Mark and I had settled into fishing from the pier this morning.  A few mornings ago, I had caught four red drums and we were in hopes of a few more.  The ones this morning were to be cleaned and shared with our sweet elderly friends.  We were using little mullet for bait.  These were between three and four inches in length and would offer any red fish a delightful mouthful.  It was not long before I saw my line lift. Ok!  I had a bite.  I waited then set the hook.  Well, where was my fish?  Nothing was pulling back on the line.  Something was sorely amiss.  I wound in the line to check my bait when I realized that I did, indeed, have a fish on that hook but what a mess!

  A small croaker, not much larger than my bait, had decided to take a nibble and wound up getting hooked....and tangled!  Once the hook was embedded in the fish, the live mullet literally hog-tied the croaker!  Now. both dangled from the line!  The croaker was both hooked and ensnared.  That fish should have kept to smaller morsels for his breakfast.  Attacking a mullet of this size was too much for the small croaker and it became his downfall.  Greed has a way of coming back to bite those who practice it.  Best keep your mouth shut, Mr. Croaker!  You are in a fine fix now!