A fisherman's tale comes to us from Sweden.
Swedish angler Joel Lagekvist’s morning at the lake resulted in the most improbable of catches and one whopper of a fish story.
When he was out casting his line with a friend on Sunday morning, Lagekvist thought his lure had snagged the bottom of Lillsjön lake in central Sweden.
But as he started to reel in his line, the 24-year-old realized he had hooked something else completely.
What emerged from the water’s murky depths wasn’t a giant fish or a tree root, but the outline of an enormous elk.
“My first thought was, ‘What the hell do I do if it starts to run at me?’” Lagekvist told the Expressen newspaper, explaining that he wasn’t sure whether the beast was dead or alive when its head appeared with his fishing lure securely fastened to the elk’s antlers.
In a panic, Lagekvist dropped his pole and headed for shore to call authorities, although it took some time before anyone believed his tale.
But eventually a crowd gathered to help drag the 500 to 600 kilogram elk up on shore.
“I improved my personal best by 490 kilos,” said Lagekvist.
Lagekvist and his fishing buddy each took home their own antler as a souvenir from the day’s fishing/hunting trip.
. . .
Police suspect the elk died from fatal injuries after being gored in the groin by another elk.
Lagekvist, however, is looking forward to what he might haul in on his next fishing expedition.
“We’ll see what I hook next, a Russian submarine, perhaps?” he said.
(Note that what Swedes call 'elk' are similar to the US moose, not the same as the smaller US elk.)
Er . . . let's not tell Alaska's Governor (and current Republican Vice-Presidential candidate) Sarah Palin about this. She might get ideas!
Peter
5 comments:
I spent three weeks in Sweden in 1987, riding a bike and camping, and I was so disappointed that I never saw a moose/elk! One of my friends who spent almost every summer in Sweden assured me that they were very common and I was almost guaranteed a glimpse.
*sigh*
Oh, well. There's always the zoo, right?
Actually, Swedes would say "moose" in english, not "elk". The Swedish word is "älg" (pron. "elg") which is probably the source of the confusion. I'd say Swedes in general dont even know the word "elk", they would call elks "deer".
I wouldn't say moose are so common that you are guaranteed to see them, but if you know where to go and are there at the right tims, you have a very good chance. Driving in the countryside at night, you have to keep an eye out for them.
(Btw, I'm still trying to get over the fact that they claim this was in central Sweden. It's like calling Los Angeles "central California") Just a pet peeve of mine :) )
At national parks in the western US and Canada, I've heard park rangers and naturalists refer to North American elk as wapiti, for the benefit of non US/Canadian visitors.
Um, do you need a submarine license in Sweden? Or would that come under catch and release.
LittleRed1
Never heard of a submarine license.
So I figure that as long as you eat it, it's ok. :o)
I wonder what lure he was using? Did he hook it on a spoon, spinner, fly, or perhaps a blood worm or chunk of bunker?
Hey, inquiring minds want to know.
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