Fishing In the Territory

Before I begin I have to start with; I just saw a crocodile on the beach down at the barge landing. The same place where I saw children and dogs swimming yesterday arvo. It was about 2.5m long. This place never ceases to suprise you.

Anyway. I went fishing for the first proper time yesterday, out in a boat. We went out into the open water in this friggin tinny. There were three of us and I swear to god there were a few times when I seriously thought we were going to go under. The sea was rough. And it was windy as hell. It was the most unpredictable water I have ever seen in my life. The tide was going out but the wind pushing the water back upstream. Our little boat couldnt cope and most of the time we werent going anywhere at all. Be we finally made it up river and out of the wind.
As we began to fish I was being my usual smartass self about who was going to catch the first fish etc etc. I was standing up on the seat as well, so not really in the prime position for landing a huge fish. Next thing, winding in my lure i thought I had hit a snag, then this giant fish came to the surface and took off. It was the biggest fish I have EVER seen in my life. My line peeled off and I just stood there in disbelief, on my chair, while everyone else had the brains to actually sit down and hold on. Anyway basically I lost my balls and handed my rod over to Ritchie. Hes had a lot more experience than me in catching Barra so I figured if anyone could land it he could. We got it up alongside the boat but it had pulled us into some trees. So while crouching in these trees and trying not to tip the boat at the same time, the three of us were trying to get this giant fish in the boat. I had the net. Which was a total stupid idea. I have never used a net before. I didnt know what to do. PLUS the fish was too big for the net anyway! In the end we lost it. The boys were screaming like it was the end of the world. Obviously I hadnt yet come to realise how precious a fish this size actually is. Ritchie thinks it was at least 110cm. Apparently there are only like 3 people in town that have caught over a metre. He was devastated all day over our loss. Lol. I was just proud that was the first Barra I've ever hooked! This is just the beginning! Except of course if I never catch a Barra ever again I will hate this day for the rest of my life.

Truely the one that got away.