"Fish On"

We left the house at o'dark-thirty and drove to the Coast to go on our friend Stephens boat for a day of Tuna fishing. Any of you that know me, know that I am scared to death of fish, the worst being the tiny live-bait fish you actually pay good money for before putting out into the big-wide ocean. They creep me out, all wriggly in the net, then you look in the holding tank and there are millions of them circling-waiting to jump out on me. I did survive this part, but no, I never baited my own line or touched any of the little demons. That's what I bring the men for.

So, barely past o'dark-thirty we headed out, over the Columbia River Bar, to sea, where we did find Tuna. They are so beautiful when they swim by the boat with their deep-blue sparkle and strong tail flashing. Now, about that beautiful-strong tail, it creates a problem, especially when you have to be as strong as the 3-6'3"+ guys on the boat. Those suckers can swim, fast and hard. After reeling in the first 2, you practically cry when you feel the tug on your line and hear the line whizzing out of the measly pole in your arms, and are forced to yell, "fish on!" Then you start the fight. Pull, reel, pull, reel, pull reel, getting close, I see it, yell "got color" then the beautiful sparkly thing you worked so hard to see, gets a second wind and dives while you watch helplessly as line goes out making that, now annoying, whizzing sound. Pull, reel, pull, reel, pull, reel. My arms hurt and my stomach is bruised from wedging the pole into it because I don't have big strong biceps like the sweaty burly men beside me. No way will I complain, or ask for a belt though, must "man up" and I do.

Sometimes it really gets fun, when you all have "fish on" and the fish decide to mess with us human types. They start swimming circles around each other, causing me and sweaty-bloody-burly men to do some form of a square dance with poles and invisible fishing line trying not to tangle up. Like I said, this was fun! I am sure if the Tuna didn't have some hook stuck in its throat it would have a great laugh at us do-si-do-ing.

34 times we did this, and for those of you who don't know, that's a great day of fishing. OK, I personally didn't reel in all 34, I am probably responsible for 8ish, but today I feel all 34. If anyone ever needs a really good lower back and bicep workout, get a guide and go out. I highly recommend it. For all the pain, there is nothing like the rush, when you hear a line start whizzing, then another and suddenly you're there in a school of Tuna for a couple of hours near tears, covered in blood and wanting more.