Looking back at my “Olympics” moment

With the Winter Olympics producing American winners singing the Star Spangled Banner

I recall my own brief version of such glory in the fishing world.

It started just a week after 9/11 when I was one of the very few passengers on an Air Japan flight to end up in Nagasaki for the first World Cup Fishing Tournament. Capt. Bob Rocchetta was also on that flight, and was ready for any development in that uncertain time by telling me if anyone starts acting “funny”‘ I’ll take him high while you take him low.” There was nothing really to worry about until we heard we were flying into the end of a typhoon.

As it turned out, that fouled up the entire fishing schedule. We had hardly any info about the fishing beforehand, and went out on a couple of commercial boats to drift off a busy port on what was supposed to be a practice day — but turned out to be a morning qualifier for the afternoon final. All the Asian anglers were entered in an inshore tournament requiring specialized tackle and techniques. while all the others from around the world had to learn quickly how to catch small fish on the rigs and bait provided. everything counted except for sharks and rays. The captain sat in the stern to measure each fish with a minimum of about one foot. Keepers were handed back to the angler to be put into his personal live well — while the shorts went in the captain’s bag. Many of the fish were Japanese versions of fish I was familiar with from the Atlantic, such as sennet and blowfish. The dangerous lionfish joined them in the well after the captain cut off the fin that carries the poison.

Upon returning for lunch, we found out that the morning was actually a qualifier for the afternoon championship. Bob surprisingly didn’t make it, but my formative years of catching nibbling fish on small hooks paid off — and maintained my reputation as a trash fish king.

I never felt as if I was in contention, but when the fish wells were weighed in I was amazed to find that I had a small, but clear lead.

At the awards dinner that evening, I was declared the World Cup winner as the band pounded out the Star Spangled Banner for my “Olympic’ moment during which i was presented with enough roses to start a business with before adding a very large and heavy trophy — and $20 thousand dollars in crisp new twenties.