Lightning forward Pierre-Cedric Labrie poses with a pelican he caught while fishing Wednesday.  Photo courtesy of Keith Aulie (Twitter: @kaulie59)

by Steve Carney

You don't expect to hook water fowl when you're out fishing on your day off, but that's exactly what happened to Lightning forward Pierre-Cedric Labrie Wednesday off the coast of St. Petersburg.

Labrie, along with teammates Anders Lindback and Keith Aulie, were casting their lines when a most uncommon creature got hooked.

I cast one [line], and I guess the pelican just went for it," Labrie explained.  "It was epic.  I was just like, 'All right.  Survival mode.  I've got to help him out.'  I just reeled him back, unhooked him, and took a picture with him.  And just let him go.  He was all right, just a little ashamed.  It was pretty funny."

Labrie said he wasn't worried about being bitten by the sea bird.  "I think he knew I was there to help him.

"I didn't get any fish," Labrie joked.  "Just bird."

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