This past weekend was the Redfish Rodeo, a fishing tournament here on the island that includes fisherwomen from all over the U.S. and even a team from Canada. Although we have numerous tournaments, only a few are for women only, which makes them sort of unique.
I doubt if the guys who fish in a tournament dress alike or wear matching visors—or jump up and down and hug when they catch a big trout or redfish. On second thought, maybe they do when no one is looking!!
Perhaps you remember that I wrote about this last year because one of my closest friends was on the winning team. Well, believe it or not, the same team took home the winning trophy and prize money again. This has happened only twice in the sixteen years that the tourney has existed.
Now, I like to fish as well as anyone, but not in the pouring rain for two days. And both days, water fell from the sky in buckets. And in 90 degree weather, rain suits are not for me, and neither is getting up at 5:30 a.m.
But, I need not worry, because I would never be asked to fish in a competitive situation. Actually, in this case I would be like the little kid in elementary school who was picked last for every team. I’m just not that great a fisherwoman, although I have never fallen overboard like a few of my friends. But we won’t even go into that—what happens on the water stays on the water! I did drop a $250.00 rod and reel into the bay one time, but after three hours of drifting back and forth in the murky waters and a whole lot of luck, I retrieved it.
My biggest problem lies in casting. Oh, I can fling it far, send that line flying, but then I spend the next thirty minutes trying to unravel the “bird’s nest.” When this happens, I sit patiently, saying inappropriate words under my breath as I reach for the cooler. It seems to help.
But when I do catch that elusive fish, I step up and act like a big girl, and take the hook out of its mouth, unless of course, some big guy offers. I certainly don’t want to damage his ego, so if he wants to take that slimy, wiggling thing off the hook, I’ll oblige. Heck, I’ll even let him bait the hook if he’s going to get his feelings hurt. Maybe, that’s why I’m not the best fisherwoman around the island, but then I never claimed to be a sports woman, only a good sport!!!