This is why you should think twice about keeping a tagged trout:

The sun had dipped below the horizon, and the angler, Mike, was alone on the lake, casting his line in hopes of landing a big catch. As he reeled in his lure, he felt a sudden tug, unlike any he had experienced before. The water churned, and he pulled with all his might, heart pounding with excitement.

Out of the dark depths emerged a monstrous trout, its scales glistening in the moonlight. But as Mike got a closer look, he noticed something unusual - a tag protruding from its back. He unhooked the fish and examined the tag, which bore an eerie symbol that sent a chill down his spine.

Ignoring his unease, Mike decided to keep the fish and took it home. That night, he couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched. Strange noises echoed through his house, and shadows seemed to move on their own. He had nightmares of the trout, its tag glinting malevolently, haunting him in his sleep.

As days passed, Mike's once-energetic demeanor faded. He grew pale, plagued by fatigue and insomnia. His friends noticed his distress, but he couldn't bring himself to tell them the truth about the fish.

One night, Mike woke up to the sound of dripping water. He followed the sound to the kitchen, where he saw a trail of water droplets leading to the fridge. He opened the door and froze in horror - there, lying on the shelf, was the trout, its eyes wide open, and the tag pulsing with an otherworldly light.

Terrified, Mike tried to dispose of the fish, but it kept reappearing, taunting him with its menacing presence. He became consumed by paranoia, convinced that the fish was haunting him, seeking revenge for disturbing its slumber.

Driven to madness, Mike sought answers and discovered a local legend about a cursed trout that had been tagged by a long-dead angler. Desperate to break the curse, Mike returned to the lake where he had caught the fish and released it, tag and all, back into the water.

From that day on, the trout disappeared, and Mike slowly regained his sanity. But he would never forget the horror of the angler's catch - a fish with a sinister secret that had turned his life into a living nightmare.