Meet the Author:
W.D. Wetherell was born in 1948. He wrote his first short story on a ping-pong table when he was 19.


Summary:
A fourteen-year-old boy watches a girl from afar and devolops a crush on her. He decides to invite her to accompany him to a concert. She agrees and they take the canoe. The young man throws out a fishing line on his way to pick up the girl. He hooks a huge bass, but Sheila, his date, has disclosed that she doesnt like fishing nor fishermen, so he cuts the line and loses the fish. After the concert, she tells him she's riding home with a guy she met at the concert. Needless to say, it leaves the young man full of regret for letting the monster bass get away.



Setting and Historical Information:
The bass in this story is a largemouth black bass. They are found in New England and enjoy warm, muddy, slow water. They swim deep in shaded areas, but as nighttime approaches, they move to shallower areas.


Words to Know:

unuterably- being beyons the powers of description

suave-pleasant

epitome-to cut short

miraculous-nature of a miracle

seared-to cause drying



Theme:
Passions


Literary Elements:

I was fishing the river for bass. Motif

Four, that Sheila Mant must not know. Motif



Leveled Questions:

1.)What kind of fish did the narrarator have hooked?

2.) If the narrarator had to do this over again, do you think he would try to catch the fish while Sheila Mant was on the boat?

3.) Has someone ever used you just to get something they wanted? What was the situation? How did this occurance make you feel?





Writing Assignments:

1.) Write a descriptive paragraph about the scenary around the lake.

2.) Write a paragraph explaining how would you feel if you were the narrarator and Sheila Mant left with someone else at the party.




Related Readings:
The Islander
Gone with the Wind