[Lee Stewart]

When I lived in Tamarak, FL my townhouse was right on the intersection of two canals. I never enjoyed fishing so I didn't do it. But my son loved to fish and he was very good at it. He convinced me to try it and I got hooked - BIG TIME.

I would either walk the canals fishing as I went or get up at 6AM and fish while having my morning coffee. And on the weekends, fished during the day. I always practiced "catch and release" with the exception of snakeheads which you are not allowed to do that. They are an evasive fish that FL deemed unhealthy for it's aquatic life. You catch one - you kill it - then you can throw it back for food for the turtles.

One Friday I am fishing and I catch a small blue gill less than the size of my hand. I looked over to my right and standing there is this BIG bird watching me. He's at least 4 feet tall and that knife like beak is close to 15 inch's long. On a whim, I threw him the fish - he gobbled it right down. Then he move closer to me. Nows he's about 7 feet away from me. I go into the garage and grab the small fish fishing rod and intentionally try to catch more blue gills. Success! Each time I catch one, I toss it to "George." That's the name I picked for him. Pretty soon he's standing literally right next to me watching my bobber in the water. He figured out when it disappears, there's a fish on the line.

OK - enough fishing. I put all my stuff back in the garage and tell George it was fun. Then I go back in the house and look out the window and sure enough - he's still standing there.

The next morning - 6AM - grab my fishing chair with my coffee cup holder, my rod and as I am walking out to my spot, I hear a flutter of feathers. I look up and there's George standing on top of my garage waiting for me. Well I wanted to fish for big mouth bass so he will have to wait. He flies down and once again stands next to me. I can't got over being nervous about his beak and his speed.

About 30 minutes go by and finally I get a hit and it's a big one, 10 inches long. As I am removing the hook George decides he wants this fish and literally takes it out of my hand without hurting me. I am terrified and angry at the same time. I start yelling at him - he's trying to get the fish down his gullet and having problems of his own.

I had to give up fishing for 4 days by the house because each day he would wait atop my garage. Finally he left for good.