Johnny Pike

Johnny Pike was a huge fish that lived in the waters of a very cold and remote lake in Northern Ontario. It was every fishermen’s dream to catch Johnny Pike but so far no-one had been able to. Johnny Pike was not only big in size but he was also very nasty and mean. Some fishermen, although they would never admit it, were afraid of him. That all changed when Harold Jamieson came to that lake and went fishing.

“Hey Harold,” said his friend Bob, one nice summer afternoon. “Do you have any plans for tomorrow?”

“No,” snapped Harold. “You know I never have any plans.”

“Well,” said Bob. “I was wondering if you’d like to go fishing with me.”

“What for?” asked Harold. “Just so you can catch that mean and nasty pike that everyone is always talking about.”

“I’d like to try,” said Bob.

“Seeing as I got nothing better to do,” snapped Harold. “Sure, I’ll go fishing with you.”

Bob and Harold left very early the next morning to go on their fishing trip. It was funny, but Harold seemed to be in good mood that morning and it surprised Bob.

“Hey Bob,” said Harold. “So you want to try to catch old Johnny Pike, eh?”

“Yes,” said Bob. “I’d love to.”

“Well,” said Harold. “I’ll tell you a little story about me and old Johnny Pike.”

Harold told Bob about the time his grandfather took him fishing when he was just a young man and how his grandfather had been known as the best fisherman alive, that was until Johnny Pike came along. Harold’s grandfather wrestled with that fish for over three hours and then finally the fishing rod snapped from all his foolishness.

“Oh my!” exclaimed Bob. “You’re grandfather must have been so angry.”

“Oh angry he was indeed,” said Harold. “He never went fishing again after that day.”

Bob and Harold got to the lake, put the boat in the water and started to fish. About an hour later, Harold pointed to a rock in the middle of the lake.

“Okay,” said Harold. “In about five minutes, I want you to steer the boat to about ten feet on the north side of that rock.”

“Sure,” said Bob.

Bob did as he was told and within minutes a huge fish came onto Harold’s line.

“Is it?” asked Bob excitedly. “Is it Johnny Pike?”

“No,” said Harold. “It isn’t.”

“How do you know?” asked Bob. “That fish seems pretty big to me.”

“He’s not nasty,” said Harold.

Harold pulled in the fish into the boat and Bob was sure that they had caught Johnny Pike, no matter what Harold said.

“You want to see Johnny Pike,” said Harold, angrily. “I’ll show you Johnny Pike.”

Harold threw his line into the water and pretty soon, he had some action on his line.

“Oh no!” exclaimed Bob, when their boat almost capsized as Harold was having the fight of his life.

Bob had never seen Harold get so worked up. He was just as mean and nasty as that fish he had on the other end of the line.

“Oh, so you want to be mean and nasty do you!” exclaimed Harold to the Johnny Pike. “Well, I’ll show you mean and nasty.”

Harold and Johnny Pike fought for hours. Harold would almost get Johnny Pike into the boat and then Johnny Pike would find a burst of energy and take off into the deep waters. Harold would then let Johnny Pike fight it out for a few minutes and then he would try once again to get him into the boat.

Sweat was pouring off Harold and Bob could see that he was very agitated.

“Want me to take over for a bit,” said Bob, worried about his friend.

Bob no sooner said that than Harold flipped Johnny Pike into the boat. The weight of Johnny Pike almost capsized the boat.

“Wow!” exclaimed Bob. “He is massive.”

“He sure is,” said Harold, wiping the sweat off his brow. “He sure is!”

Bob took a picture of Harold holding Johnny Pike and then Harold did what all good fishermen would have done, he put Johnny Pike back into the water. Bob just smiled and watched Johnny Pike disappear back into the cold, clear lake.