Ten

The results were all tallied by 8:00pm, and everyone awaited the official ranking announcements from the tournament director. The atmosphere was electric with excitement, and the cold edge of competition had given way to an air of camaraderie and friendship. The vendor booths were packed with tournament anglers shopping for tackle to give them an edge in next year's tournament. Eddy was eating a bowl of chicken fried rice from a food truck when the results announcement began. The crowd seemed to hold its breath with anticipation.

The first announcement was the award for biggest single fish. The third place finisher was an angler who brought a catfish with a weight of 15 pounds, a respectably massive specimen. Second place was a bull carp, a monster at 22 pounds. They took their places on the winner's podium looking deflated; they hadn't seen anyone else at the final weigh-in with fish bigger than theirs.

Eddy was announced as the big fish contest champion with his bull carp of 37.5 pounds, and the crowd had mixed reactions. Most people clapped and cheered loudly at the announcement of such a big catch, but others kept their clapping low and cursed their luck. A fish that big would be hard to overcome for the main competition even with the combined weight of five fish.

Eddy took the top place of the podium and hoisted his trophy feeling pure unadulterated joy. He'd finally accomplished something to be proud of, something he worked hard to succeed at, and something he looked forward to doing again in the future. A fiery passion for angling lived inside him that would be impossible to extenguish. This was the feeling of finding your calling.

When the tournament results were announced, no one was surprised to find that Eddy had also taken the top position. He narrowly beat the second place competitor by only three pounds. The five pounder he hooked in the final minutes of the competition made the difference between being champion and first runner-up.

The rest of the evening was a whirlwind. Tournament officials gathered Eddy's information so they could mail out his winnings, a total of $12,500. In addition to the cash prize, he also filled out the paperwork for the professional angler license. In ten to fifteen business days, he would be able to sell his catch at the local market with the half dozen other pro anglers that resided in Hardale.

Once the process of claiming his tournament winnings was complete, he was able to inspect all of the new gear and tackle that came as prizes from the tournament's sponsors. First and foremost was a fully-equipped jetboat rigged for fishing. It was a stunning machine, and worth more than his cash prize by far. The craft sported a fishing deck that encircled the cockpit, allowing complete access to the water at all times. The jet motor allowed the boat to traverse extremely shallow waters and reduced the chance of damage from underwater debris. Eddy couldn't wait to get on the water with this amazing boat.

From other sponsors, he received a stunning array of fishing gear. A full array of conventional fishing rods and reels from one company, and an assortment of fly fishing equipment from another made Eddy's jaw drop. Compared to his current tackle, this stuff was futuretech. Tackle boxes and tackle bags filled to the brim with artificial lures, hooks, sinkers, and fishing line of every type and strength were donated from every sponsor in attendance. It seemed absurd to Eddy that they would give away so much equipment, but the publicity's value far exceeded their investment.

Representatives from a dozen manufacturers and tackle shops approached Eddy offering endorsement deals - use their products exclusively, advertise for them, and he would be paid a reasonable monthly stipend. He took their business cards, delaying his response. If he were to endorse a company, he would have to be sure their products are the best quality - something he could only find out by trying out his newly-won gear.

Entirely overwhelmed and exhausted, Eddy drove away from the tournament hauling his new boat behind the truck, whose bed was overflowing with fishing tackle. The festivities had gone on until nearly midnight, so the feeling of fatigue was substantial. He dropped the boat trailer off in the barn that housed their farm equipment, luckily there was just enough room for it. He parked his truck in the garage and went inside.

His parents were asleep on the couch together, they'd not yet made their way into their bedroom. He woke them and ushered them off to bed, simply telling them that he did "pretty well" at the tournament today. They all needed rest, and he could show off his winnings in the morning. He passed out on his bed fully dressed and fully content.