[swinginFish]

Oh young grasshopper ...

What to others may have appeard as a goofed gaff shot, was actually an orchestrated movement I learned directly from the world's most famous kayak angler. Indeed, as an orphaned lad of 2, I was adopted by a rogue band of Aleutions, raised on penguin beaks and blubber, and tutored in the angling arts by none other than Nanuk himself. While the story's long, I'll make it short and say I was the first relatively-white man to be initiated into an exclusive group of "fish whisperers". To the point, whether I wanted to or not, I spent hours, days and yes, years, working to perfect what is known in an Aleutian dialect as the wottaphuqup maneuver.

When performed by a master, wottaphuqup enables a fish to swim away unharmed, but upon fine inspection, shows that a needle-sharp gaff was swung in such a way as to pierce and separate "the line of death" in its exact middle. That said, I must admit that, like the fictional Zorro, I too choose to mark my quarry, however rather than leave my encountered with a minor flesh wound, purposely swing high so that there's a bit of "bling" to remind them of our chance meeting.

Young friend, I rejoice much in your catching of small fish. But know this. I will, from this time forward, rejoice even more when you too come to perform wottaphuqup like me.

Avery