Fishing in Alaska can yield big rewards as six-year-old Drayden Nelson discovered. He went ice fishing with his family on a chilly winter day on the Kotzebue Sound and went home with a big prize.
His family always participates in the subsistence fishing program to help provide food for their table. This year, Drayden was able to help pull his weight to feed the family too.
With his little fishing pole and a simple line, he waited by the ice hole for a bite. Drayden felt a tug on the line and looked to his father to see what he should do.
His dad encouraged him to pull. Little Drayden used all of his strength, pulling in the line inch by inch. His mom took the rod to help him, and his dad kept cheering him on.
Drayden laughed at the prospect of reeling in a “big one.” Finally, the fish came to the surface and the whole family was stunned to see how big of a prizewinner it was.
A member of the family hooked a finger through its gills, pulling it out of the water and tossing it on the ice. It was Drayden’s first sheefish and he danced with joy.
The fish measured almost four feet long – the same as Drayden’s height! This little boy should be very proud of himself for putting such a big fish on the dinner table!
Share with your friends because sharing is caring.
