Wow! Woudn't you love to get the green light to cut loose on a sea lion just once. The stuff dreams are made of!
The closest encounter for me, other than having fish stolen of course, is hooking a seal while squid jigging. It was hooked in the mouth by the way... Okay, I was trying to snag it but I missed and it swung over and bit my jig. The fight was a little short. I needed some barbs for any hope at all.
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In the legend of King Arthur, the Fisher King was a renowned angler whose errant ways caused him to be struck dumb in the presence of the sacred chalice. I am no great fisherman, and a steelhead is not the covenant of Christ, but with each of these fish I am rendered speechless.