What’s That About Karma? – Quest for a King Part 4

What’s that about Karma?

“That was freaky.” Paul shouted over the roar of the motor as we sped back toward the harbor racing the setting sun.  I chuckled and leaned back in my chair smiling, knowing full well the irony of the events which had unfolded that evening.

For anyone who didn’t happen to see the articles in the beginning of the summer, I have been trying to catch a King Salmon on Lake Ontario for the last three summers.  Time after time, trolling long frustrating hours to the dismay of myself and my friend Paul who has been gracious enough to put up with me even though I seem to bring bad luck every time we set the poles out.  I am not sure if I’m the only one to feel this way but, it seems like everyone could be having the best season ever, they could be  catching fish on hooked spatulas  with out trying. Yet the second I set out on the water, the fish magically shut down, the conditions are just off or I’ve done something wrong in the eyes of the Lord.  Friday night was no different.  Paul had not been skunked since we last fished together which was exactly five trips for him and told me he was hesitant to take me aboard again.  I know that he was joking yet at the same time I knew there was a serious side to his statement, I was on borrowed time.

At fist glance the lake looked promising  however; upon reaching our desired depth of about 100 feet of water about a mile off shore, the waves were chunkier making set up a bit more difficult in the 14 foot dingy.  Two and a half foot waves from the south eastern direction steadily rocked the boat as the sun beat down relentlessly from the immaculate sky as the first several hours of trolling began the same way  as every other trip, dead.  Although the fish finder  was sounding the alarm every few minutes, it seemed as if our lures were invisible to every  group of fish we passed.  Beginning to fear the worst as the sun dropped ever so slowly down the western sky, I could hear the sarcastic comments about my bad luck in my head when Paul broke the silence.  “I don’t know what kind of karma you swallowed kid but.”  That is as far in the sentence as he got.  Instantly, literally instantly, the pole hanging off the left side of the boat trolling a dipsey diver and spoon bent into a dangerous position. “ HEY HEY HEY, FISH ON!” Paul yelled.  Grabbing the rod I was determined not to screw this up, just trying work the fish nice and easy.  I could feel the fish wasn’t the biggest in the world yet he threw his head around like a a pit bull on a rope.  Lifting dow and reeling up, keeping pressure on the line yet not horsing, subdued the fish in less than two minutes.  Flopping in the net I anxiously waited for confirmation as to if this fish was indeed a what I had been looking for.  Paul stretched out his hand, “Congratulations on your first King young man, very nice fish.”  Bingo! I sat in the passengers chair grinning ear to ear taking in the sight of this little muscle head of a fish.  Finally the moneky was off my back.   The scale read just at twelve pounds and Paul told me I had to keep since it was my first king.  A meal fit for a king or a king fit for a meal? I thought.  After tossing the fish into the cooler ,I leaned over board plunging my hands into the cool water to wash off and triumphantly said, “ Hey Paul, whats that about Karma?”  We both laughed, the timing of events could not have been planed better.

Our evening was not over.  On the last pass of the night I was playing with my small hat camera, taking videos of the sun set and water for later scenic use.  I had laid the camera down to grab something, when another pole came to life.  Bolting to the pole  pole I could not believe our good luck.  In the heat of the moment   I couldn’t remember if the camera was recording or not or even if it was upright.  The battle was short and the fish was heavy yet  did not fight well proving to be a lake trout.   A good fish none the less weight wise but felt more like I was reeling in a log.   Upon landing the fish I quick looked back at my camera and was amazed to see it was up right pointing straight at me with the recording light  on!  “Dude I got that entire fight on film!”  I yelled in astonishment.   One fish was enough for my stomach to handle and i was successfully able to  released the lake trout to be caught another day.  Before I released him however; I found out just how sharp their teeth are, like little needles.  My thumb slipped into its mouth as I picked it up making three beautiful surgical incisions.   Part of me hopes they scar up like a badge of honor, that should impress women for sure………………

That is definitely not the last king I will catch in my life time yet I have to wonder, how many other people would have give up after getting skunked for three straight summers?  I refused to do so regardless.  This is my challenge to you, do you give up too easily?

Leave you creative or interesting responses in the comment section below.

Take a look at the video below to watch the fight

Were Eagles Dare, PWL.

Jason