Glad you didn't end up (1) fried and/or (2) drowned. That would have put a
damper on things.

An excellent tale to start the day. It probably won't make the "This
Happened To Me" series, but I liked it anyway. And since you're an angler,
no one here would ever question the truth of your account. The Fisherman's
Code, you know....prevents us from ever doubting each others' stories. I do
wonder, though... what happened to the fish that started this whole chain of
events? Did the tacklebox float? What prevented you from emptying the canoe
in 4 feet of water?

If you ever do want to punch up the retelling of this story... say, to
awe-struck grandchildren some day... here are a few suggestions, from an old
hand at making a silk purse from a sow's ear:

1. A premonition of impending doom would be a nice touch. For instance, a
raven might have perched on the other end of your canoe, impaled you with
its baleful glare, and croaked "nevermore." That would do nicely to set the
tone for disaster.

2. The fish stayed on the line. Obviously, it should be at least 3 pounds.
(Note: Bubba and I passed a fellow in another jon boat back way back in a
cypress-shaded, buckbrush-choked slough some years back. We were throwing
chartreuse and white buzzbaits... he a floating, jointed Rapala plug... with
a noodle spinning rod and light line, no less! I grunted my greeting. He
asked if we'd caught anything. Having just put in, we hadn't had a bite yet,
so I gave him the standard reply: "Yep... two bass that might go four, maybe
five pounds apiece. You?" He revealed his novice standing by saying he'd had
a few on but had lost three bass that might have gone a pound or so each. I
shook my head in sympathy and paddled on. Maybe I should have clued him in
to the third rule of Fisherman's Code... well, the Code is more what you'd
call "guidelines" than actual rules... that says not only am I compelled to
believe him, but no bass that breaks off ever weighs less than three pounds.
The greenhorn had a lot to learn.)

3. If the fish pulled you out into the lake a ways, that would be
interesting.

4. Juice it up with details. Need a few more lightning strikes here and
there. Throw in a tingling sensation, your line rising in the air on the
cast, a greenish tinge to the roiling clouds overhead, and some sound
effects... crackling of the lightning... ear-shattering boom, the whole
world erased in a flash of white, the hissing of steaming water. Make it a
little more scary, if you can. I guess it would be too much to hope that
there might be alligators nearby?

5. Don't forget to lose a pole or something that you can catch a year later
in another story. Remember, one story will keep grandchildren enthralled
only so long. The fifth time you tell it, they may be looking for an escape
route. Better to have a few backup tales in your back pocket. Losing, and
then recovering lost tackle in unlikely circumstances, is an admirable
account.

6. Skivvies, huh? Not whitey-tighties, I hope. If you can bring yourself to
do it, I'd lose the shorts and make the run for the house buck nekkid. This
conjures up a more entertaining image. Keep the straw hat though. That was a
stroke of genius... that and the steel-toed boots.... made me realize you
have the potential for rising in the ranks to the top tiers of fishing story
tellers.

7. Details. Always add irrelevant details to add plausibility. Next time,
try this. "I stopped by the lake on that way home from the (mill, shop,
garage) and was still wearing my dungarees and long-sleeve work shirt." Let
me suggest a few mo time of day, type of rod and reel, what lure you were
throwing; who gave you the canoe and what color was it; length of drive
home; avoiding eye-contact with other motorists (better yet... a cop that
pulls up next to you at an intersection).

8. Soaking and short-circuiting your electronic gizmo on your key ring was
good. Losing it might have been better. Breaking glass is always a crowd
pleaser. Just a point to ponder.

I've been here a few years, and I can attest that some of the best liars on
the planet hang out in this forum. I claim to be an old hand at telling fish
stories, but compared to them, I'm still a rookie myself, so I'll open it up
to the other readers. Help him out, guys... how can Bruce take this story
and build it into a legend that is worthy of being handed down through
generations to come?

Joe

"Bruce" wrote in message
news:k3RMe.9456$1b5.5361@trnddc05...
While fishing at a local Bass lake yesterday I saw the clouds approaching
snip