Blood in the Bilge: A Close Call While Tarpon Fishing

July 14, 2007 By: Marshall Cutchin

Rick Cannon didn’t bargain on falling in after hooking a 90-pound tarpon in Florida’s Pine Island Sound. Nor did he think much of the electric trolling motor blade touching his arm as it passed — until he climbed back aboard and saw blood draining into the boat. “‘It was so stupid of me to even think of catching this fish. I sat there and pondered the situation. “How am I going to do this?” I’m seeing blood go in the bilge. It looked like a knife fight had happened on the boat. I thought, “My wife’s going to be really mad if I die out here fighting this fish.”‘ ” Del Milligan in The Ledger.