The tuna are running only 30 miles off Cape Cod. And they are biting! All you need to catch one is a sharp hook and some bait. And the rewards for doing so are substantial. Rumor has it that Japanese buyers will pay $50,000 for a nice bluefin.

That’s why many would-be fishermen are ignoring Coast Guard warnings and heading out to sea in small boats. What these new fishermen don’t realize is the problem is not catching a tuna—the problem comes after they’re caught. On September 23, the Christi Anne, a 19-foot boat, capsized while doing battle with a tuna. That same day the 27-foot boat Basic Instinct suffered the same fate, while Official Business, a 28-footer, was swamped after it hooked onto a 600-pound tuna. The tuna pulled it underwater.

These fishermen underestimated the power of the fish they were trying to catch. That is what temptation does to us. It takes us by surprise. It looks great on the surface. Only after we hook into it do we discover its strength.