Just something about battling these super fabulous fin slappers that makes me smile. But lately the less than average fish size has turned my shameless fish bragging into tales of “ho-hum”. Just to add a triple scoop of frustration, one of my trips had to be cancelled due to a big fat blizzard that sat down right on top of my fish planning. Instead of doing the early morning gear up I found myself angrily gnawing on a chunk of frustration.
With determination and low expectations the trout bag and one rod is tossed into the truck to play a little slip\slide on the metro scene. I am looking for any open lake or a river section that can be fished. Eventually the truck is pulled into the parking area with only one car shrouded in nearly half a foot of snow. No tracks from human or animal meant zero fishing pressure. At least I have that and a pound or two of flurries falling from the sky. Staring at the one spot of open water I cast across the pool to run the flat to instantly get a solid hit. The hit was so strong the lure stopped entirely making me think for a moment that it was merely a snag.
“Probably a dumb rock.” I say with my focus more on the surrounding winter wonderland than the water. The rod tip bends over and the pole tries to leap from my hands. “Hey…that’s a fish!!!”
Standing on less than secure footing I am a bit frantic as to how and where to land this amazing cutbow trout (hybrid of rainbow and cutthroat trout). Tossing all fear of hypothermia and frostbite aside, I step my boots into the water to land this fish as gently as possible. The area is thick with trees and the camera is set precariously on a snow-covered rock. Grab the shot and hope it turns out. Not enough room for anything more and the importance of getting this fish back into the water quickly is paramount.
Feet soaking wet I toss out a few more casts and then head back to the truck before the digits turn blue. Waders might have made a difference but the least of my concerns at this point. What matters most is that finally I land a trout that is worth bragging up on the blogilicious. Starting 2011 with a catch like this is fairly huge for me. Finally the pressure is off a little bit and folks see that I do actually catch a decent fish once in a while. On the way home all I could manage to say…” ’bout time!!!”
Where did I catch this fish? Answer: In the water. That is where I catch all of my fish. What did I catch this fish on? A lure borrowed from Don. Pure gold.
