Encountering Monsters – Terry vs. Satan II – Adventure of the Week

Last Updated on September 7, 2018 by Terry

Good morning friends. I had an eventful half hour late one afternoon last weekend. Something great happened and also two devastating events took place, in thirty minutes! I have a sore left elbow from a bit of tendonitis but wanted to sneak out for a few minutes to a small oxbow in the White River Refuge. I have a streak on the line but decided to chance it.

The Sunday afternoon before, I had upped my lunker streak to 8 trips in a row. That means landing a 4 pound or larger bass. So it is taking a chance to break the streak every time I go. But on the other hand you can’t improve the streak if you don’t get out there and try it.

I pushed my kayak in and began working my spinner bait around some logs. Within twenty minutes I had a big hit. We used to joke that we had caught an arm breaker when a big one hit. Well, it was sort of true this time. Two things happened: my streak has increased to 9 trips in a row with this large fish and my arm was completely broken down. I have apparently developed more tendonitis than first believed.

When that big fish hit, and I attempted to set the hook, it felt like someone had stabbed my left elbow with an ice pick! The sharp pain caused me to lose my rod and reel from my left hand but I caught it with my right. With cat-like reflexes and being the skilled athlete that I am I was able to bring in my big fish.

A little later I called Carla and asked her if my insurance card was up to date. She does expect a call like this from me every once in a while so she wasn’t too shocked to hear from me. “What have you done this time” she asked.

I informed her I had a medical emergency and was headed to Hazen to see if I could find a medical facility open at 6pm on a Friday. “What’s the emergency?” she screamed at me.

“I can’t fish!” I yelled back at her.

Hey, that is an emergency where I come from.

So, something great, the lunker streak is alive at 9 trips in a row.

The two devastating events:

Devastation 1: I can’t go fishing until I can get one of those special shots in my elbow. So I’m headed to a funeral Saturday morning and then to the walk-in clinic for the shot. (Labor day is Monday and I must be ready for action.)

Well, that didn’t work. The weekend clinic folks wouldn’t give a joint injection. Hip only. Have to see a specialist to get joint injections. Useless. That was Saturday, it’s Wednesday and it hurts just as much. So I did not get to fish Labor Day. This coming Saturday ain’t looking good either.

Devastation 2: My greatest video. After I hurt my elbow, I was slipping out of Big Foot slough, and back into the main part of the lake when I encountered my nemesis. Many of you remember I was viciously attacked by a cotton mouth moccasin on July 31, 2015. I spent three days in the hospital. Nearly died. (Well, the doctor said it was possible.)

As I rounded the corner of the slough, a very large cottonmouth was swimming toward me from around that same corner. These guys appear to be hovering above the water as they swim. This was probably his first kayak encounter so he looked a little bewildered. I eased my phone out of my pocket, clicked it on video, and began filming and talking to him. He just laid there on top of the water with his head raised about five to six inches above the water.

He was within six feet of my kayak. His head was working back and forth in an effort to discover who/what I am/was. I’m remembering feeling giddy getting footage this close to a real life monster. My kayak continued to drift slightly and now I am less than five feet from him.

I was feeling around for my paddle in case he made a sudden move, the wrong way. Don’t forget that his head is high as the side of my kayak. If he came any closer he could just crawl right in. I now had the phone in my right hand and was touching the paddle with my left. I was so excited that I had forgotten that my left elbow was useless if it came down to a fight with Satan himself.

This event was becoming a little too close for comfort. He finally gave in and turned and swam into some nearby cypress knees and out of sight. As far as forgetting how painful my elbow was, I may have been frightened beyond rational thoughts and feelings. Maybe the encounter simply “scared the pain out of me”.

As I began paddling toward the launch, I was reminded of my elbow pain and it was intensifying as I crossed the narrow lake heading to the vehicle so I could begin to seek medical help. I was thinking I may also need a change of pants. I wasn’t sure if I was simply sweating profusely or the monster had literally scared the piss out of me. Turns out it was only sweat, but it was a close call.

I had loaded everything up, changed clothes, and was now sitting in the vehicle avoiding the pestilence bugs. (Mosquitoes) I had now made a few calls looking for an open clinic without success. I suddenly remembered my video of big foot. (The snake) I hit the camera button on my phone to view my videos. “Wait a minute, somethings wrong” I thought.

I had the video of the big fish I had caught, but the only other video was a blur of the kayak and water that lasted three seconds! Oh no, what is wrong? This can’t be. The footage of a lifetime and it’s gone. I concluded that Satan is very powerful and doesn’t like his picture taken.

I was still sitting and staring and feeling completely devastated when suddenly I realized what had happened. In my giddiness, I had forgotten to hit the record button. The entire thirty seconds of video was lost. The three seconds happened when I hit the record button thinking I was turning it off. I had actually run the video for those three seconds as I was sliding my camera function on my phone away.

Tears were forming in my eyes. I couldn’t believe what I had done. (Not done) How foolish I felt. Having a giant cottonmouth attempting to get into your kayak simply doesn’t happen very often so I may never have that opportunity again. Bummer.

I’m not sure what people mean when they say a video went viral, but I may have had the chance with that one. The giant monster was so close that if I had reached out my hand, he was close enough to strike it! Not that I would have really tried it.

Thanks for your time. Don’t forget to hit the like button and share this story.

Oh yeah, if my definition of devastation means I can’t go fishing for a couple of weeks and I messed up a video, life is great!

Call me and let’s go have some fun this weekend. Me and ole Jeffro may be going fishing Saturday afternoon. Well he may be fishing and I will be filming. My elbow is hurtin’ for sure.

Hey, I just thought of something; Maybe my arm is hurting because Satan hit me on the elbow during our encounter. Hmmm, I wonder.