| Tail-Less Gar | |
|
It
was late June in the scorching sun of Northeast Alabama.
A friend, Steve Latimer and myself, Terry Smith were fishing on the Coosa
River for the elusive, mysterious and mystifying long nose gar during the
sweltering heat of the midday sun. We had caught and released several
praiseworthy fish before the oppressive heat started to take a toll on us.
As I attempted to make one more cast I glanced at Steve, sweat was
pouring from him like rain drops, his clothing was soaking wet, and he started
laughing uncontrollably. I was not in much better condition than he, so under the
circumstances I decided we should perhaps throw in the sweat drenched towel and
call it a day, but not before one more cast.
Then
it happened, (tap- tap,) another strike. I was unsure if I would be able to boat
the fish in my horrid condition. I
could barely see thru the sweat that was pouring profusely from my brow, I could
hardly hold my rod, and my mental capability had diminished greatly from all the
extreme heat and sizzling sun.
After
finally boating and examining the abnormal looking creature as best we could in
our dreadful condition, both Steve and I thought that we had truly succumb to
the intense heat, while on a gar fishing trip, during the month of June, on the
Coosa River, in Northeast Alabama.
However,
pictures do not lie.
