The young angler recently landed a big largemouth bass just a few steps from his Viera home. The fish weighed in at more than 8 pounds, which will make for an enduring fish tale for years ahead.

Before you think the kid must have inherited his skills from his family, think again.

“Pre-COVID, no one ever fished,” said James Baker, Christian’s dad.

When the pandemic arrived, Christian and his friends were looking for something to do during the long, boring days of lockdown. In a lightbulb moment, he looked at the myriad ponds, many of them interconnected, that are an important part of the area landscape, and figured fishing could well be the answer.

“He taught himself fishing by watching YouTube,” said his dad.