by Kevin
(Titusville, Florida)
To start off, I LOVE to fish but I am TERRIBLE at it! I am basically just feeding the fish because I am not good at all at setting the hook. I didn't even know how to tie proper knots until I asked my local bait shop owner. I am so bad at fishing, I had to ask how to put a shrimp on the hook! Yesterday, I was fishing in the Indian River Lagoon (very close to NASA in Florida) on a very secluded small piece of beach. The pole I use is a Wal Mart special with reel and line for $19.99. One time (with the same rod and reel set) I caught a 3 lb. sting ray and the reel's inner works were stripped and not worth fixing.xxxxxx I got to the spot around 3:00 PM and had a pole in the water five minutes later. I was already having a better day than usual. I had already caught a Sheephead and a Red Drum. They were probably keepers but I didn't have a ruler to make sure so I let them go. Then, around 3:45PM, I hooked a really good fish. He bit the line, I set the hook (correctly, for a change) and he ran! Fortunately, the drag was set perfectly(by Wal Mart). The fish ran for around 100 yards and I was praying that the line or pole did not snap. When he tired, I started to reel him in and I got him to within 50 yards of me and he ran again. Finally, after 20 minutes, I got him to the shore. This fish was definitely a keeper. I had landed a beautiful, large Red Drum. After packing everything up, I headed home with my fish. I stopped at Ace Hardware first and purchased a scale and tape measure. When I got home, I took the measurements. After all was said and done, I had caught a 20lb. fish that was almost 3 feet long! This fish is, by far, the largest fish I ever caught. My wife says I have been promoted from Rank Amateur to Novice.