As the line tore through the gentle waves, the fish now several yards behind the boat and swimming quickly, it suddenly veered to the left. Any attempt to turn the fish was futile. It was too powerful. Too fast. A glance at the reel showed that at least 150 of the 220 yards of 40 pound test line had been ripped away in an instant.

Just as the motor was started and the boat began to give chase before all line was exhausted, the fishing rod straightened. The line went slack. The anxious fisherman reeled in the line without resistance. Nearly all the line was recovered, but not the steel leader or lure.

Was it a toothy barracuda, one of the fastest and most fearsome appearing fish in shallow water? Or was it an even faster blacktip shark with a much wider mouth and razor sharp teeth?

The ocean, even in water less than five feet deep, doesn’t always reveal its secrets. Fishermen can only guess as to what species of fish could instantly ignite an angler’s senses and then leave him or her wondering what had happened and how it might be possible to change the outcome the next time.

KIM FUNDINGSLAND This very large and friendly manatee made an effort to swim to the boat and announce its presence. It bore large scars on its back and tail, probably from encounters with boat propellers. Many places in the Florida Keys are marked with signs warning boaters to be aware of manatees in the area.

So it is with fishing in saltwater, especially for a North Dakota angler making the adjustment from pursuing freshwater fish like walleye, smallmouth bass and northern pike. It seems every inshore saltwater fish has wicked teeth and is built for speed. The slender and ferocious barracuda swims and attacks at speeds up to 27 miles per hour; sharks at 40 mph or more. For comparison, northern pike strike at 10 to 15 mph, but only for short bursts.

Two other fishermen in the boat took notice at the sound of the fishing line being quickly ripped from the reel. Seconds seemed like minutes. The fisherman destined to lose this battle was confident his drag was adjusted properly and knew a fish would have to work hard against the reliable gears of the reel. But it was no contest. Fish 1. Fisherman zero.

No matter really. Although it would have been nice to get a look at the fish, perhaps even land it, the momentary excitement and display of power made for great speculation and even greater memories. My, oh my what a moment!

The attention-getting episode was just one of several notable happenings during a five-day fishing excursion. A highlight was the catching of barracuda on back-to-back casts. A third barracuda would be hooked a few casts later, all on topwater lures over two to three feet of clear water.

Also that day angler Mort Bank, Bismarck, hooked and landed a very nice Jack Cravalle and several challenging barracuda. It was not unexpected. Bank is a seasoned fisherman with an uncanny ability to entice fish to track and attack his varied presentations.

Kim Fundingsland/MDN The author with a barracuda caught on a surface lure while fishing in three feet of water. Barracuda have a fearsome appearance and can swim at 27 miles per hour. In comparison, freshwater northern pike reach 10-15 mph but only for short bursts.

Another memorable moment occurred with the sudden emergence of a tarpon, a legendary trophy fish of the Keys, in a leaping, out of the water strike at one of Bank’s topwater presentations. The watery explosion didn’t result in a catch but was incredibly thrilling to witness.

The following day found the fish somewhat uncooperative. Out of 28 powerful barracuda strikes only one was landed. While some may believe that meant for an uneventful day of fishing, nothing could be further from the truth. Fishing is not always about catching, and shouldn’t be. Fish visibly striking, making big splashes at the surface, is tremendous fun. There’s other unexpected moments of enjoyment that occur while fishing too. On this day an adult manatee, one of those slow swimming beasts of saltwater, was spotted about 20 yards from the boat.

The trio of anglers watched closely as the big mammal turned toward the boat, actually swimming underneath it, churning up mud from the bottom in the shallow water. Then, after emerging from that maneuver, surfaced at the side of the boat. The manatee was likely seeking a drink of freshwater, something they enjoy but which is prohibited. Florida wildlife officials say providing freshwater to manatees only encourage the gentle beasts to approach boats and docks where they have an increased chance of being struck and injured by propellers.

During his time on the water Robert Miller, Garrison, much like Bank had earlier, experienced an explosive encounter with a large tarpon. It was a moment never to be forgotten. The monstrous fish stuck violently at his topwater lure, surged into the air, tumbled in its momentary flight and disappeared beneath the surface. The tarpon was never hooked but the astonishing leap left a lasting impression on the stunned Miller, a startling reminder that you can never know what will happen next while tossing a lure in saltwater.

While intense encounters with a fishing rod in hand can be expected, a fisherman is never fully prepared for the exact moment of awareness. Huge surprises seem to go hand in hand with saltwater angling. So to do the expected, yet unexpected, performances of nature. Often they are spectacular beyond description.

On the recent trip to the famed saltwater flats off Key Largo the ever-present bottlenose dolphins made numerous appearances, porpoising above the water in playful displays. One dolphin was particularly entertaining, swimming back and forth several times from a mangrove tree covered point of land.

When the dolphin finally changed its frolicsome pattern another figure was visible on the surface. It was a crocodile. For reasons not understood, the dolphin had been interacting with the saltwater croc. Obviously the dolphin had no fear, hence the playful display.

Mullet, a sizable baitfish that is pursued by many species of fish, swam past the boat many times in schools of all sizes. Larger fish would often chase them. At those times the schools of mullet, numbering in the hundreds, would leap out of the water several times in an attempt to escape a hungry predator. It is one of nature’s free stages worthy of a person’s full attention.

Sharks, large and small, are ever-present throughout the flats, no matter how shallow the water. Sometimes they congregate in one area, brought in by their amazing sense of smell that can detect very small amounts of blood in the water from several miles distant. Our fortunate fishermen witnessed such a sight.

At first a lone shark was caught when taking a piece of barracuda meat suspended under a bobber. The small nurse shark, considered one of the most docile members of the shark family, was bleeding slightly from a small wound to its mouth when released. Minutes later the boat was surrounded by sharks – blacktips, broomhead, lemon and nurse sharks among them.

Several more of the incredibly sporty fish were caught over the next hour. Some proved to be too much for hook and line. One large shark, identified as a blacktip, instantly pulled out more than 75 yards of 100 pound test line before dropping the bait. Somehow the shark was never hooked, or managed to come free of the barbless hook. It was yet another mesmerizing moment on the flats, and in two feet of water.

Late in the afternoon of the final day of fishing, the uncharacteristic cloud cover and wind that was present for five days, gave way to sunshine and calm water. But it was time to leave. A few parting casts were made to no avail.

A day later in Minot the welcome sound of Canada geese could be heard flying over the city. Leaves were falling from trees, coating lawns and streets. It’s true there’s no place like home but a fisherman can be excused for thinking about events on the water more than 2,000 miles away, anticipating a return and another chance at the ones that got away.