I am a local in North America

Chapter 70: The Dark Horse!

in the following time.

Su Jerry caught a few more bass that met the specifications but were slightly smaller, but he didn't choose to replace the original fish. He mainly pretended to show off his "ordinary" appearance.

During this time, he also relaxed more while recording videos, introducing the surrounding scenery and fishing tips, and even started humming a little tune.

Along the way, we frequently performed free "health scans" on largemouth bass of suitable years.

There were quite a few fish suffering from various diseases, but none of them had any clues related to "obesity," so we couldn't find a more suitable target fish.

It's just a tributary in the local water system, and its potential seems limited. Catching a giant bass that's enough to secure the "largest single-tailed fish" prize definitely requires a bit of luck.

Su Jierui was tired and not in a hurry.

This is only the first day of the competition. There are still two rounds of the "47 to 10" competition and the "10 to 1" final. We can also try our luck in the main river or the vast Lake George.

After that, he randomly picked a largemouth bass that was 13 years old to make up the numbers, and caught the fifth fish that met the size requirements, weighing 9.52 pounds. Although it was not as impressive as the previous four, it was still considered excellent.

Su Jierui placed it in the live water tank and felt quite at ease looking at the five energetic bass whose scales shimmered in the afternoon sun.

"All five are full!"

He checked the time and found that there were still more than two hours until the afternoon's designated weighing deadline.

According to the rules of the fishing competition, contestants can choose to return early or continue fishing. If they catch a larger fish, they can replace the smaller fish in the live water tank.

Su Jierui chose the former.

After several hours of intense fishing, the mental excitement masked the physical fatigue. Only now, as I relax a little, do I feel a slight soreness in my arms and back.

The return journey was slow, allowing the fish to stay in the live water tank longer to maintain their condition. He also wanted to take the opportunity to see what other surprises the magical St. John's River might bring.

On both sides of the main river, many contestants are still busy trying to collect five fish or replace the smaller ones. Unless they are physically exhausted, almost no contestant will return to the dock early.

After all, no one except Su Jerry knew whether the next big fish would be even bigger than the bass they caught before. With a prize of $200,000, honors, and points at stake, everyone was on high alert.

Some contestants seemed to have had a poor showing, their faces showing deep anxiety, while others were elated, clearly having had a good showing.

Su Jerry also spotted Jose Quentin, a farmer from Wyoming, busy outside a reed bed, looking like he had made a harvest.

The two waved to each other from a distance without exchanging words.

A little while later, Su Jerry spotted Raoul Jefferson's A-03 fishing boat again.

The other angler, a star angler in this leg of the competition, was also accompanied by a cameraman who was intently watching the fish finder as he moved back and forth in the open waters of the main river, seemingly still searching for the perfect fishing spot.

Su Jierui didn't disturb them, but secretly felt pleased, thinking:

"It seems this former third-place finisher isn't having much luck today..."

Another half hour passed, and we arrived at a calm river bend not far from the official weighing area. Anchoring was allowed here, and a few fishing boats that had also completed their targets ahead of schedule or were temporarily resting due to accidents had already stopped here.

Everyone kept a distance from each other, busy organizing their equipment and replenishing their water. Some even lay down in the cabin for a nap. The atmosphere was more relaxed than at the beginning of the competition.

Some acquaintances were shouting to each other, asking about their day's gains. Having spent a whopping $6800 on the registration fee, most people there had done quite well since they dared to waste their time coming back early.

It was Su Jierui's first time participating in the competition. He didn't know anyone at the venue, and no one took the initiative to talk to him, so he was happy to have some peace and quiet.

After turning off the engine, I let the fishing boat rock gently with the waves, and then carefully checked the oxygen supply system in the live water tank to ensure the condition of the five "babies".

Immediately afterwards, Su Jierui took out a beverage bottle, drank electrolyte water in large gulps, and ate some energy bars to replenish his energy.

After doing all that, he turned the action camera back on, facing the lens with a broad smile:

"Hey friends, as you can see, I'm leaving get off work early."

The camera slowly pans across the tranquil river bend, the occasional fishing boat passing by in the distance, and the azure sky, continuing:

"Look at this view, if it weren't for the competition, this would be the perfect vacation."

"I love Florida winters. No wonder rich people go to Miami, the Bahamas and other places for vacation every winter."

"You all saw the biggest find just now; it was an absolute surprise. We still have a little time; I'm going back to weigh it..."

He went on and on about a lot of things happening on site.

Anyway, he'll edit it himself when he gets back, so he's not worried about saying the wrong thing. He'll just say whatever comes to mind, and then organize the material later when he has time.

Time passed slowly while waiting.

As evening approached, more and more fishing boats returned to the dock on the river, their engines often approaching from afar, accompanied by laughter or complaints.

José Quentin's B-16 boat is also back, and the white rancher is standing on the boat gesturing wildly, apparently having also caught a big bass.

I guess it's almost time.

Su Jierui calmly weighed anchor, started the engine, checked the fish in the live water tank again, and then piloted boat B-17 into the returning flow of ships, heading towards the official weighing dock.

When his fishing boat docked, the staff were busy helping to secure it.

Su Jierui keenly noticed that many eyes on the dock, including those of the athletes who had finished or were waiting to be weighed, as well as media reporters carrying cameras, were all looking at his boat, B-17.

He was initially a little confused, but then he remembered his conflict with Kells Rivera and how he had deliberately shown the giant thing to him.

"It seems the news travels faster than a ship..."

Su Jierui immediately realized that he could see curiosity, scrutiny, and a hint of barely perceptible jealousy in the eyes of his competitors.

Following the competition's procedures, he first cooperated with the staff to conduct a safety inspection of the boat. Then, at the referee's signal, he prepared to weigh the five bass he had caught that day.

A number of onlookers, drawn by the presence of the weighing platform, have already gathered around it.

When Su Jerry used an extra-large landing net to scoop an 11-pound bigmouth bass out of the water with a splash, its broad back and the enormous strength it displayed during its struggle immediately drew gasps of amazement!

"My God!!!" "Look at that fish!"

"Where did this guy fish from?!"

Hearing the commotion, the other official photographers and media reporters, like sharks smelling blood, instantly swarmed around, pointing their cameras at Su Jerry and the giant creature still struggling in his hand!
"Crack! Click!"

The flashbulbs went off one after another.

Wearing a baseball cap and a happy smile, Su Jierui held the large bass steadily in his hands, deliberately pointing its most robust side towards the camera, allowing them to take pictures.

And this is just the beginning.

Under the referee's supervision, he removed the large fish one by one.

Each bass pulled from the water sparked a new commotion and louder discussions, as the expressions of the surrounding contestants and reporters gradually changed from surprise to utter astonishment!
Especially when the monstrous 12.69-pound giant bass finally made its appearance, even the well-informed event staff were stunned and stared blankly at the fish.

One reporter exclaimed in surprise, "My God! There's such a big bass?!"

Although showing off felt great, Su Jierui was worried that he might offend the other contestants if he didn't do it. Hearing this, he just smiled and quickly put the large bass into the weighing box one by one.

"Contestant number 58, Jerry Sue, first fish, weight: 12.69 pounds!"

"Second fish, weight: 9.52 pounds!"

"The third fish, weighing 11.82 pounds!"

"The fourth fish, weighing 11.4 pounds!"

"Fifth fish, weight: 11.51 pounds!"

Each time the referee announced a number, an even bigger commotion erupted in the arena.

"More than one!"

"My God, all four of them are huge, weighing over 11 pounds!!"

"Where...where did this expert come from?"

A professional player stared at the fluctuating numbers on the screen, his eyes wide with despair, muttering to himself, "What the hell... Is today the finals?"

The middle-aged Black man next to him gave a wry smile, sighed deeply, and said to his companion:

"Okay, I feel like my competition was already over before it even started. Every year, a few amazing newcomers suddenly emerge in the competition..."

Their conversation was drowned out by the surrounding noise and did not affect the weighing process.

When the final total weight was calculated, even the usually serious-looking race director was moved. He quickly walked to the weigh-in and clicked his tongue in amazement.

The referee's voice, amplified through the microphone, echoed throughout the dock: "Jerry Sue, first day's total weight... 56.94 pounds!!!"

Almost at the same time.

On the huge electronic display screen, Su Jerry's name and the amazing "56.94LB" instantly soared to the top of the leaderboard like a king being crowned, leaving the second-place professional angler, who weighed 47.45 pounds, far behind!
56.94 pounds!
A dark horse! A super dark horse!
An unfamiliar Asian face achieved a crushing victory in his first competition, even breaking the record for the highest single-day weight in this event!
After a brief silence, the crowd erupted in cheers!

Applause, whistles, and gasps of disbelief mingled together.

The reporters bombarded him with questions—

"Mr. Su! How did you do that?"

"In which area did you catch these giant fish?"

Was that 12-pound fish the biggest achievement of your career?

"..."

Feeling the intense gazes around him and the constant clicking of camera shutters, Su Jierui was filled with a wonderful sense of accomplishment.

At that moment, he reveled in the glory of victory, raising the 12.69-pound giant bigmouth bass high in the air so that all the reporters could capture this iconic moment.

"Congratulations! Amazing achievement, Mr. Su!"

Tournament Director Mike Kelman personally came over to shake hands with Su Jerry, his face full of admiration.

He leaned slightly forward as he shook hands, and lowered his voice to say:

"A perfect start! I'm so glad I accepted your application to participate!"

"Thank you, I had a good day with the fish," Su Jierui replied modestly.

After being weighed and undergoing health checks, the fish were carefully released back into the river by official vessels.

Seeing that the reporter was interviewing Su Jierui, the other contestants nearby, whether they had already advanced or were on the verge of elimination, all cast complicated glances at him.

Many people gathered nearby, eager to hear what this unexpected dark horse had to say and learn some techniques.

"Jerry, how did you find these big guys? Did you use any special techniques?"

A middle-aged, wealthy man who was also participating in the competition couldn't help but ask, his tone filled with eagerness to advance:

"Also, what kind of lure are you using? Can you show it to us?"

There were so many questions that he couldn't answer them all, but fortunately, Su Jierui had a lot of experience participating in the show, and he still had a gentle smile on his face as he began to speak:
Thank you for your attention.

“The St. John River is very rich in resources. I personally prefer to look for places with complex structures, such as fallen trees, deep pits, or the edges of aquatic plants. Today, I was really lucky and stumbled upon a tributary where the fish seemed to be particularly active.”

"As for techniques, it's just basic bait control. Maybe the fish are in particularly good condition today and have a strong desire to attack..."

The other fishermen were speechless. They had also been fishing today, but they hadn't noticed that the fish were in good condition or had a strong desire to attack.

……

(End of this chapter)