Arthur Milnes
Northern News Services

FORT SIMPSON (Jun 05/98) - Dwight Sloat will no longer be telling people about the one that got away in the years ahead.

Instead, and unlike a lot of anglers, he'll forever be able to tell friends, family and neighbors about the fateful events of May 28, 1998.

And you'd better believe it when he tells you that this time, the big one sure didn't get away.

"It took me quite a while to land him," he says of the 40-inch, 25-pounder that he caught at Harris Creek.

"It was probably 10 minutes or so."

According to the NWT Sport Fishing Guide for this season, Sloat's pike is definitely above average. The guide says that the average pike in the North weigh in between five and 15 pounds.

However, Sloat shouldn't give up yet. Slew-sharks in the range of 30 to 40 pounds are also brought in up here.

Don't give up yet.

Like many successful area fishers, Sloat, who works as a body man at a local garage and performs a variety of other duties around the village, landed the huge pike using a lure many swear by -- a five of diamonds.

"It was big," Sloat says of the lure that gave him his dream fish.

Now in his 50s, Sloat has been fishing since he was a child back in southwestern Ontario. His first fish?

"It was carp in Simcoe, Ont., when we were kids," he says with a laugh.

Most trips, however, Sloat says he doesn't care in the least what -- if anything -- he catches.

"It's a different world all together out there fishing," he says. "I could go out there for hours and not care if I brought one in or not."

When not reeling in legendary pike, you might find Dwight day-dreaming about his bass fishing escapades back home.

"You might drag that thing (lure) 20-times near the lily pads and they'll grab it on that 21st cast," he says. "Nothing beats it."

Anyone who has brought in a bass in the south -- or a pike up north -- would surely agree.