TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Chapter 1: Fish Stories

  Chapter 2: Daniel’s Promise

  Chapter 3: Grandpa Carl

  Chapter 4: Grandpa’s Hat

  Chapter 5: A Prized Catch

  Chapter 6: Big Larry Landed?

  Chapter 7: The Tournament

  Chapter 8: Fresh Fish!

  Chapter 9: Not a Trophy

  Chapter 10: Set the Fish Free

  Chapter 11: Letting Larry Go

  About the Author

  About the Illustrator

  Glossary

  Get Started Fishing!

  Discussion Questions

  Writing Prompts

  Other Books By Jake Maddox

  Internet Sites

  Copyright

  Back Cover

  CHAPTER 1

  FISH STORIES

  Daniel smiled as he leaned back in the boat. This was a great day.

  He was right where he wanted to be, sitting in Grandpa Carl’s fishing boat. They were out in the middle of Lake Werner. It was Daniel’s favorite place to be.

  He’d been there many times before. Every summer for almost all fifteen years of Daniel’s life, Grandpa Carl had taken Daniel fishing any time he wanted.

  Just about every Saturday morning, rain or shine, Grandpa Carl would be at the door. He’d wait for Daniel to come out. They’d hop in the truck. Then they’d drive to the dock. There, Daniel would help his grandpa get the boat into the water.

  They’d spend most of the morning together on the lake. They’d catch as many fish as they could.

  They hardly ever ended up keeping the fish they caught, though. “It’s a lot more fun to catch ‘em than it is to eat ‘em,” Grandpa Carl would say.

  Then he’d unhook a fish and send it over the side. The fish could swim back to freedom.

  Daniel loved everything about fishing. He wasn’t sure what his favorite part was.

  He loved feeling the tug of a fish at the end of the line. He loved putting bait on the hook. And he really loved battling with a big fish until he brought it into the boat.

  The stories that Grandpa Carl told were almost as good as the real thing. And sometimes, they were better.

  Grandpa’s best stories were always about two things. First, he loved to tell Daniel all about the annual Lake Werner Fishing Tournament. He also loved to tell stories about Big Larry.

  Big Larry was the name Grandpa Carl had given to the biggest fish he’d ever seen in the lake. He had many stories about having Big Larry on his line. In all the stories, the fish got away just as Grandpa was about to pull him into the boat.

  “That fish is about as old as I am, I guess,” Grandpa Carl always said. “We’ve had our share of battles over the years. Every time I see him, he’s a little bit bigger than before. I think he’s got me figured out now. Sometimes I see him swim up next to the boat. Seems like he’s almost trying to say hello to an old friend.”

  With that, Grandpa would pull off his old fishing hat. “See this lure here?” he’d say. He would point to the lure hooked to the side of the hat.

  There wasn’t anything special about the lure. It didn’t look like it was swimming in the water like some lures did, or anything like that.

  It was just a small, orange, metal lure. But it was special to Daniel, because of the story that went with it.

  “I used that lure the last time I hooked Big Larry,” Grandpa would say. “Now, that’s a story. Have I told you that one?”

  Daniel always said no, even though he’d heard the story a thousand times. Then Grandpa Carl would start telling the story as if he’d never told it before.

  Daniel didn’t care that he already knew the story. He liked hearing it anyway. He loved the happy look on his grandfather’s face as he told the story of hooking the giant fish.

  “I fought him for more than an hour, and he still had fight in him,” Grandpa always said. He’d smile and describe it all to Daniel.

  The story ended the same way it always did.

  At the last minute, Grandpa had been about to pull Big Larry into the boat. And just before he did, the fish spit the hook out.

  Grandpa would say, “And that’s when the fish hooked me, right in the cheek, just like I’d hooked him!”

  Then Daniel’s grandfather would point to the scar on his cheek for proof. And Daniel, just like always, would laugh at the story. Then he’d ask his grandpa to tell him another one.

  CHAPTER 2

  DANIEL’S PROMISE

  Grandpa Carl loved to fish, and he loved the Lake Werner Fishing Tournament, too. He’d entered the event for more than forty years in a row, but he’d never won it. But every year, he was sure it was his turn.

  “The tournament is this coming weekend,” Grandpa Carl told Daniel as they fished. “One of these years, I’ll pull Big Larry in. Then I’ll be the champ. Now that would be something.”

  Later that morning, Grandpa let Daniel steer his prized boat toward shore.

  Daniel said, “Grandpa, we’ve fished together for years. But I’ve never even seen Big Larry.” He paused. He wasn’t sure if his grandpa was just telling tall fishing tales, like he knew many fishermen did. “Why do you think that is?” Daniel asked.

  Grandpa Carl chuckled. “Now, you aren’t doubting your own grandpa, are you?” he asked, smiling. “Why, I saw Big Larry just a couple of months ago. I was out fishing one morning. You were at school. Sure enough, he swam right up next to the boat. Just like he was saying hello.”

  Daniel smiled. “One of these times, I want to be there when you’re battling him,” he said.

  Then Grandpa’s face really lit up. “Who knows?” he said. “Maybe you’ll be the one to catch him. Now that would be something.”

  “That would be awesome,” Daniel said.

  Suddenly, Grandpa Carl frowned. “Danny boy, you’ve got to promise me one thing,” he said. “If you ever do catch him, you have to let him go.”

  “Okay, Grandpa, I will,” Daniel said. “We almost always let the fish we catch go anyway.”

  “Yes, but Big Larry is extra special,” Grandpa Carl said. “A lot of people who fish this lake want to catch him. They’d like to mount him and hang him up on their walls.”

  Grandpa shook his head, looking angry.

  Then he added, “Big Larry is not someone’s trophy, and he’s definitely not someone’s dinner. He deserves to live out his final years here in Lake Werner.”

  Daniel could tell that his grandpa was serious. He was also pretty sure that Big Larry was real.

  Grandpa Carl liked to tell jokes, and he was known to take a good story and make it a little better by adding some untrue details. But he would never get so serious over something that wasn’t real.

  Daniel carefully guided the boat up alongside the dock. Grandpa had taught him how to drive a boat.

  Over the years, Grandpa Carl’s eyesight had started to get worse. He didn’t like to drive the boat anymore.

  Daniel was happy to get the chance to drive the boat. He loved it.

  They tied up the boat and walked up the dock. At a snack counter, they each grabbed a sandwich. Then they sat down to eat on the worn wooden benches.

  “Grandpa, how will I know it’s Big Larry if I catch him?” Daniel asked.

  “Oh, you’ll know,” Grandpa Carl said with a laugh. “For one thing, he’s huge! For another, Big Larry has a yellow stripe that goes halfway down his side. I’m telling you, he’s one special fish. He’s like an old friend to me.”

  After they finished eating, it was time to go home. But Daniel noticed that something was different about Grandpa Carl.

  Usually, they would spend the ride home retelling the stories from their day of fishing. But today, Grandpa Carl didn’t talk at all during the whole ride home.

  Finally, when they arrived at Daniel’s house, Grandpa Carl turned and looked at him. “Daniel, you have to make me that promise,” he said. “Promise me you’ll let Big Larry go if you catch him.”

  “I will, Grandpa,” Daniel said. “I swear.”

  CHAPTER 3

  GRANDPA CARL

  That night, Daniel had to babysit his neighbor, Brian. He headed to Brian’s house right after dinner.

  Brian was only six years old. He really liked it when Daniel came to babysit.

  They usually spent most of the night playing video games, wrestling, or watching sports on TV. Sometimes, Daniel would tell Brian about his fishing trips with Grandpa Carl.

  Brian had never gone fishing in his life. He wasn’t quite sure what he thought of stories about Big Larry and the fishing tournament.

  The stories didn’t mean much to Brian, but he thought they were interesting and exciting. He told Daniel that he wanted to go fishing too.

  “One day, when you get older, maybe your parents will let me take you fishing,” Daniel told Brian. “Now that would really be something.”

  “That would be awesome,” Brian said.

  Later that night, Daniel put Brian to bed by reading him one of his favorite books. It was after 11 o’clock when Brian finally fell asleep. Then Daniel headed back downstairs.

  Daniel took a peek out of the window in Brian’s living room. He looked through the trees at his own house, which was right next door.

  Usually, his parents turned off their bedroom light at 10. But tonight, he noticed right away, his parents were both awake.

  The lights were still on in the house. Daniel could see his dad walking around. It looked like he was talking on the phone.

  Who could he be talking to at this time of night? Daniel thought.

  Daniel brushed away his worry. It was probably no big deal.

  He settled down in front of the TV to play some video games. He knew that would help him stay awake.

  Finally, just after midnight, Brian’s parents returned home. They paid Daniel and thanked him. Then he left.

  When Daniel walked in the front door of his house, he started to worry again.

  His parents were still awake. They were sitting in the living room, waiting for him to come home.

  The fact that they were even awake was weird. The fact that they were sitting there, waiting for him, was really weird.

  Then Daniel noticed that his parents’ eyes were red and puffy.

  “What’s going on?” he asked, frowning.

  “Daniel, we have to talk about your grandpa,” said Daniel’s dad. It seemed like he was fighting back tears.

  “He was out for dinner with Grandma tonight, and he had a heart attack,” Daniel’s dad continued.

  “Is he all right? Can we go see him?” Daniel asked quickly.

  His dad lowered his head. He didn’t say anything.

  “Honey, no,” Daniel’s mom said. “Grandpa Carl died tonight. I’m so sorry.”

  Daniel didn’t know what to say or do. He just stood there.

  He felt sadness growing inside of him, but no tears came.

  “But I was just fishing with him this morning,” Daniel said. “And he was fine. He was telling stories, and talking about the next fishing tournament, and Big Larry, and—”

  Then the reality hit Daniel hard. His body began to shake. He suddenly felt really cold.

  His mom got up and hugged him. That’s when Daniel started crying.

  He couldn’t believe what was happening. His grandpa was dead. Daniel felt like his own life was over, too.

  CHAPTER 4

  GRANDPA’S HAT

  For the next few days, Daniel felt like he was in a fog.

  He couldn’t believe what was happening, and he just wanted to stop it. He felt like he was in a really long bad dream.

  Hundreds of people came to Grandpa Carl’s funeral. Daniel was glad that his grandpa had so many friends, but he still hated the funeral.

  He didn’t like seeing his grandpa’s body in the front of the church. It really bothered him that Grandpa Carl had been dressed in a suit. For as long as Daniel had been alive, his grandfather had never worn a suit.

  He knew that all the visitors meant well, but he didn’t like hearing over and over how sorry people were. And they just kept saying things that bugged him.

  “I know your grandpa was very special to you,” they would say. “I’m sorry that he had to go. But he’s in a better place.”

  A better place? Daniel thought angrily. How could that be?

  Grandpa Carl’s days had been spent either fishing or spending time with Grandma. Nothing could be better than that.

  Finally, one person said, “Think of it this way. Up in heaven, your grandpa can probably fish any time he likes. I bet he’s always making the big catch.”

  Then Daniel had heard enough. He ran out of the church. He sat quietly on the front steps of the church with his head in his hands.

  After a few minutes, his grandma walked outside and sat down next to him.

  “This stinks, doesn’t it?” Daniel’s grandma said.

  “Yeah,” Daniel said. “Grandpa would hate this day. If he were here right now, he’d pull me aside and say, ‘Hey kid, let’s get out of here and go fishing.’”

  Grandma laughed. “You’re right about that!” she said.

  Then she was quiet for a few moments. “Danny, none of us were ready for this,” she said finally. “We just have to keep going. We have to do the best we can.”

  “Yeah, I know,” Daniel said.

  Grandma smiled at him. “Well, I have something for you,” she said. “I know your grandpa wanted you to have this.”

  She pulled Grandpa’s old fishing hat out of her purse and handed it to Daniel.

  “You two didn’t always catch much, but whenever your grandfather came home from a fishing trip with you, he was wearing a smile on his face,” Grandma said. “When you come over tomorrow, you can go through Grandpa’s fishing stuff. You can take whatever you want. Those things all belong to you now.”

  Daniel’s hands shook a little as he clutched the hat. He looked closely at the lure that Grandpa Carl said he had used to hook Big Larry. That’s when he noticed the tiny letters and numbers scratched into the side of the lure.

  BL 6-12-1996.

  Grandpa Carl must have put the date there after his big battle with the mighty fish. The date — June 12, 1996 — must have been when the battle happened. And the “BL,” well, that stood for “Big Larry.”

  CHAPTER 5

  A PRIZED CATCH

  The next day, Daniel and his parents headed over to his grandparents’ house. He was excited to get his grandpa’s fishing gear, but he also felt sad that his grandpa wouldn’t be with him to use it.

  When they arrived, Daniel’s grandma gave him a hug.

  “Hi, Grandma,” he said. “Did you mean it when you said I could look through Grandpa’s fishing stuff?”

  His grandma smiled. “Of course, honey. Most of your grandpa’s fishing gear was in the garage,” she said. “But he had a lot of stuff that he kept down in the basement, too. Some of the older stuff is down there. I don’t know if you want it or not, but it wouldn’t hurt to look.”

  “I’d like to look,” Daniel said. “Can you show me?”

  Grandma led him down to a dark part of the basement. Daniel had spent a lot of time playing down there, but he’d never gone into the dirty, dusty corner where Grandpa’s workbench was.

  Grandma turned on a light over the workbench. “Well, here it is, Daniel,” she said. “I don’t know what’s in those boxes, but you’re welcome to look. Take anything you want.”

  Daniel stood and looked around. On the wall in front of him was a rack full of fishing poles. The boxes under the workbench were full of lures and other fishing gear.

  He looked for a while, but Daniel didn’t want anything he found down in the basement. He wanted to take the gear that Grandpa Carl had used when they fished together. Most of that stuff was in the garage. Daniel decided to go back upstairs.

  He reached for the light. But then he noticed a picture on the wall behind the workbench. It was dusty, but Daniel recognized the man in the picture right away. It was Grandpa Carl.

  In the picture, Grandpa was standing proudly on a dock. He was holding up a prized catch.

  Wow, that’s a big fish, Daniel thought. He paused for a second and studied the photo. He wiped the dust off with his shirt. Then he looked at the picture again. The more closely he looked, the more he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

  His grandpa was proudly holding a giant fish. And that giant fish had a yellow stripe that went halfway down its side.

  It was Big Larry.

  CHAPTER 6

  BIG LARRY LANDED?

  Daniel clutched the picture. He ran upstairs. His parents and grandma were sitting at the kitchen table, drinking coffee and talking.

  “Grandma! Do you know anything about this picture?” Daniel yelled.

  Grandma peered at the picture. “Oh yes. Your grandpa’s had that picture on his workbench for years,” she said. “That was quite a fish.”

  Daniel wanted to hear more. “Do you know when this was taken?” he asked. “And where? And who took it?”

  “Hold on,” Grandma said. “Take a look at the back of the photo. Your grandpa always wrote on the back of them.”

  Daniel quickly flipped the picture over. In his grandpa’s handwriting, it said: “Big Larry Landed! 6/12/96.”

  He looked at the photo again, staring closely at his grandpa’s face. There, on Grandpa’s right cheek, was the familiar scar. But that didn’t make sense.

  Grandpa had always said he got that scar fighting with Big Larry. If that was true, it should have been bleeding in this picture. It shouldn’t have already become a scar.

 

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