I pierce the piece of hotdog with my hook,
I turn
And toss it as far as possible
Without taking the hotdog off the hook
Splash!
Ripple spread across the water


Now it is a waiting game
5 minutes
10
15
“Bite you dumb fish,” I curse out loud
20
Then it hits.
The rod bends almost into the murky water
Line rushes out.
I set the hook

The fish rushes away from me.
I yank!
He is 25 feet out
I reel in,
I continue
to fight,
20 feet
15 feet

A giant greenish, brown tail soars out of the water.
with scales the size of an egg.
He closes in on the dock.

His brown eyes lock onto mine.
His body his long, muscular body
Turns,
And he takes off to deeper water,
the line gives in,
and Snap!

I yell
Tempted too jump in after him
But he got away.