The one that "Didn't Get Away"

My young son, then about 8 yrs old, wanted to go down to the river fishing for pike (yes pike), I told my husband I didn't mind taking him, but suppose he caught one!. Husband says "don't worry, there's no chance he will be catch one". So off we go down to the river, got everything out of the car on the bank, and he set up his rod, while I enjoyed the lovely afternoon. Eventually he was ready, first cast, in the tree, had to laugh, but it took us ages to get down, but eventually he was ready again, moved up the bank (away from the overhanging branches), and you can guess what happened next. Yes, next cast and there was a whooosssh from the river bank and a pike grabbed his bait, great, he was really pleased, but we soon found it was harder to net this than a little perch. Eventually managed to land it on the bank, and it was turning & turning & turning until it was completely snarled in the net! Help, what do we do now, luckily for us a neighbour came down to see how he was getting on, and managed to release the pike back into the river unharmed.
 
Never again, what started as such a lovely fun afternoon, turned into a nightmare. I've been with the family whilst they have fished for pike, and cannot believe how hard it is to catch one, even when you can see them, blended into the river bed.
 
Some say we were lucky that afternoon, but that is certainly not my opinion.
 
Mrs Linda Flatt