I was on a boat in the ocean, fishing for Tuna and we were into a large school of fish. The deck hands were continuing to throw live Anchovies into the water to hold the fish by the boat. Birds were circling overhead and there were hook-ups all over the boat. I had just lost a fish when it happened. I re-baited with a nice fat Anchovy. As I cast the bait, the mother of all Pelicans grabbed it before it hit the water. This bird had the wingspan of a small airplane. It was peeling line like a tuna, but none of it was in the water. It’s like I had a turbo-charged kite. I tightened my drag and decided I should be able to get the bird close enough to release it unharmed, but that was MUCH easier said then done. It seemed the bird was flying in several different directions at the same time. The closer it came, the more angry and excited it got. It did not help that I had an 11′ fishing rod. With a rod that long it was difficult to get the pelican close enough to free it.

By this time most of the other passengers had reeled in their fish and the school was gone. We needed to relocate and find another school of fish. After all, we are supposed to be catching tuna, NOT PELICANS! I didn’t know so many people had caught pelican before, or so it seemed by all of the advice I was receiving. The calls were everything from, “shoot the bird” to “just cut it loose.” That is when I heard a distinct voice. It was rather high pitched and piercing. “No! You can’t hurt the bird. It’s protected!!!” As luck would have it, we had the International Queen of the Audubon Society on board. She claimed to be friends with, Senators, Congressmen and possibility The President of the United States. There would be no killing of this bird! In the meantime, I have this bird about 20′ away, which is franticly flying around like a car on a rollercoaster. I had no idea pelicans were so athletic and talented. It seemed to have the strength of a bull with the endurance of a marathon runner.

Finally a deckhand grabbed my line with gloved hands and tried to wrestle the bird closer. All the while this prehistoric Pelican is snapping its bill like a punch press. He was able to retrieve the bird and it was released unharmed.

As I turned to consume sustenance and drink from the boat’s galley, I was faced with an angry mob. I had fears of a swashbuckling encounter ending with my walking the plank. You see. I had interrupted fishing, a crime worthy of death, on the high seas. I am sure my demise would have been sudden if the boat’s captain had not stumbled out of the wheelhouse holding his sides, while laughing hysterically.

“That was the funniest thing I have ever seen”, he exclaimed. He said he had the whole thing on video and was planning on winning $100,000 on America’s Funniest Home Videos.

I eventually got some food and returned to fishing. I ended up with two Tuna, which are resting peacefully in my freezer. It was a great trip, but I hope I never hook another Pelican.

Ken Bear Cole
Fishing with Bear LLC

© Ken bear Cole All rights reserved

Once I was waiting to board a boat for an overnight tuna trip. There were some dead anchovies on the dock, so I decided to see what I could catch, while waiting. I cast the anchovy toward the water and a pelican swooped down and grabbed it before it hit the water. I now had a freaked out pelican on the end of my line. I wanted to release the bird unharmed, but that was MUCH easier said then done. It seemed the bird was flying in several different directions at the same time. The closer it came, the more angry and excited it got. It did not help that I had an 11’ fishing rod. With a rod that long it was difficult to get the pelican close enough to free it.

By this time, a crowd had gathered to watch the show. I was receiving lots of council on how to free the bird. I didn’t know so many people had caught pelican. This was my first time and I never wanted to do it again. It was a good fight, but rather scary.

I later decided to just grab the line and pull it in. This would have been a better decision if I had a pair of gloves on at the time. The line cut into my hand and now I was hooked. Every movement of the bird cut deeper into my hand. I did not know pelicans were so athletic and talented. I soon learned that these are strong birds, which can snap their bill like a car door slamming shut. Finally I cut the line, which leaves the hook still embedded in the pelican’s bill and about 10’ of fishing line hanging out of it’s bill.

As I am trying to unwrap the line from my hand, I hear these words:

“Hey, you!”

What idiot could be yelling at me?

All I wanted to do was remove the fishing line and examine the damage to my hand. I knew it wasn’t good because it was really bleeding badly.

That idiot was the local game warden. He informed me it is illegal to catch pelicans. Some how he thought I did this dance with insanity on purpose. When I tried to tell him this was all a mistake, the game warden thought I was copping and attitude.

I am not sure when he drew his gun. Maybe it was when I pulled my fillet knife to cut the line from my hand. All I heard was the drawing of the gun as two police officers placed me ever so un-gently on to the dock. At that point I wasn’t sure which hand hurt more. The one with the fishing line embedded in it, or the one with the knife. The knife hand hurt because it had the heel of a boot standing on it. As I looked up, I saw the game warden with the gun.

I didn’t go fishing that day, even though I had already paid for the trip. I spend the remainder of the day, and part of another in the emergency room getting stitches in one hand and a cast on the other. I was also allowed to spend the night in the county jail. They really need to think about new mattresses and noise control. I didn’t get much sleep that night. It’s not on my list of favorite places to stay.

My buddy, who was going on the trip with me, bailed me out when he got back. He had a great time tuna fishing! He told me all about it on the drive home. As I walked into the house, my wife asked, “How was the trip? Did you have a good time?” Not really!

By Ken Bear Cole