Readers of this page and this strip will know two things:  1)  It’s only of late that Rusty has actually been able to wet a line…  for years going on decades, Mark toyed with the lad’s very core in making promises he could not keep- Mark would return from an “adventure,” promise to take Rusty fishing, and then be called away on an assignment before he could make good on his promise…  and in our own sick way, readers sort of reveled in that disappointment and pain… 2)  Now that Rusty DOES get to go fishing, he has as hot a hand as can be imagined… almost a fishing prodigy- savant, if you will- whether it be Snook or Tarpon or Trout, the kid’s got game…  who the heck needs school when he could probably go on the circuit and earn a living right now…

So yes, in the Trailverse, no one goes “fishing” and gets skunked…  it’s all about “catching.”  Life is good…