Yesterday Was a Very Good Day

Courtesy Photo | Sfc. Mario Valenzuela holds up his huge catch from Camp Victory, Iraq, July 26.  

IRAQ

07.27.2009

Courtesy Story

1st Medical Brigade

Yesterday was a very good day. A couple of Task Force 1st Medical Brigade Soldiers, Sgt. 1st Class Mario Valenzuela, Sgt. 1st Class Jeremy Ramsey and Sgt. 1st Class Kelly Seitz decided to go fishing at Lost Lake, Camp Victory, Iraq. This is their story.

They arrived at the lake at about 6:30pm. They rigged up three fishing rods with bait and cast them out. Sgt. 1st Class Valenzuela also rigged a spare rod with a gold rooster tail inline spinner bait that his lovely wife had sent him a week before. He tried about ten casts with the rooster tail, with no luck. Sgt. 1st Class Ramsey also had a try with a lure. He tied on swim bait, but didn't have any luck. Meanwhile Valenzuela had retrieved his baited line to check if it still had bait. Valenzuela cast out with a fresh piece of bait and caught a small asp fish. He then asked Ramsey he could use the spare rod to fish with a lure again. He put the rooster yail back on and proceeded to cast out. After about five casts a fish hit and Valenzuela yelled out "there he is". Ramsey and Sgt. 1st Class Seitz were asking if he was a big one. Valenzuela told them that he felt pretty good. The fish must have been swimming towards Valenzuela at first, but when he came close to the ledge that they were fishing from the fish turned and ran off into deeper water. Valenzuela then realized that this was a big fish. He told Ramsey that this fish might be as big as the "famous big fish" email picture that had been recently circulating. Ramsey replied "no way not on no fourteen pound test". Valenzuela loosened up the drag a little so the fish would not break his line. When he loosened up the fish almost took all of his line (about 120 yards). Valenzuela had about 15 turns on the spool before he was going to be out of line and would lose the fish. He thumbed the spool to slow him down. It worked, he managed to turn the fish and reel him back in close again. This went on for about 25 minutes.

Finally he got him close enough to where Ramsey and a local (that had stopped by to watch the fight), could get a hold of the monster fish. Ramsey was hesitant about touching the fish at first, thinking it would pull him in the water, but eventually they got the "monster fish" out of the water. After they took a few pictures Valenzuela gave the fish to the local and a few of his friends.

Yesterday was a very good day.

• Date Taken: 07.27.2009
• Date Posted: 08.26.2009 15:31
• Story ID: 37992
• Location: IQ