John in CA.
10-06-2007, 03:01 PM
This small lake, only 160 acres in size is not known for producing many large rainbow trout. But the bite is generally very good in early spring, or late fall. The water is a cool 48 degrees now, enough to trigger the fish into an aggressive pre-winter eating mode.
Afternoons are good on the west side, and that is where I set up shop at 3pm. You only need very light tackle here, as fish average 12 to 14 inches, and about 1 pound. But even they can be challenging little fighters.
http://photos.imageevent.com/jjmck/fishing/websize/000_1482.JPG
Using 4# line and a spinning reel on an 8' pole, I cast the earthworm out and watched the small flourescent bobber bounce along in the small ripples created by the wind. Life is pretty darn good at this point. A salami and cheese sandwich, some celery, and then a chocolate chip cookie go good with a cup on hot coffee as you sit and watch. Just then the bobber gets sucked under, and starts heading to my right......fish on......
They make you smile, even the little 12 incher like this one. He was thin, and I thought about releasing him, but even they are tasty, and 2 make a good meal, so on the stringer he goes. With a fat & fresh worm on the hook, the wind died down and I got a great cast wayyy out there this time, flipped the bail, loosened the drag, and sat the pole down. It was time for a cigar. Uh-oh, no matches....so back up to the car we go. The pole will be ok sitting there.
The 300 yard walk to get a match only took a few minutes, and when I returned, it was nice to NOT see the bobber anywhere, so I picked up the pole......but was surprised to see most of my line had been stripped off the reel already !! This is not usual. Small fish dont do this. I set the un-lit cigar down and picked up the pole. My watch beeped, it was 4pm exactly. I tightened the drag and immediately felt the pull of a powerful fish that was heading for the deep center of this small lake. I had to relax the drag and let this one have his way for a while, even though addiitional line was a now a precious commodity.
Slowly, I got him at least half-turned, so he was working me left-to-right, instead of "in-and-away". This allowed me to bring in some more line, and let him take longer, lateral runs, which I figured was the best way to tire him. I had to work the shoreline with him, walking up and down in a 50 foot area. This fish could not be muscled like the little guys. No sir, he was going to have to do himself in. My job was to be patient, and follow him.
By now the battle had gone on 8 minutes from when my watch had beeped, and he still was not nearly tired enough to reel in. His runs were long, and were making the reel sing with an accelerated sound. zzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZZiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnggggg!!! The sound of it makes you smile, and yet pray at the same time that you do not lose what may be the Trout of a lifetime. There is suddenly some stress and excitement involved. This is a challenge you really have something riding on, and do not want to lose.
The tide was turning, he was slowly giving up, and I was fortunate he had not broke the surface yet, but then he did, and only 30 feet from shore, but he stayed on, and ran some more, then I gambled, hoping he was near exhaustion, I tightened the drag to a degree I had not tried yet to challenge him again. It was working, he came in tired, and I got him 5 ft from waters edge, then he started to go again!! NOOOO! I tossed the pole down and went in the water to surrround him with my arms (no net), and push him to shore. Finally, he was landed! On the beach, and larger than life. 25 1/2 inches, and 4# 15 oz. A real specimen! My watch said 4:12:40. And it was finally over. The biggest Rainbow for me is in the books. The line was frayed near his mouth. Much more and he would have snapped the line for sure. Here he is next to the first one caught. I believe the record for this lake is in the 6 pound range, but not sure. Near 6pm I caught two more 13 inchers for a total of 4, and rounded out a great day.
Thanks for coming along.
http://photos.imageevent.com/jjmck/fishing/websize/000_1479.JPG
http://photos.imageevent.com/jjmck/fishing/websize/000_1476.JPG
http://photos.imageevent.com/jjmck/fishing/websize/000_1480.JPG
Afternoons are good on the west side, and that is where I set up shop at 3pm. You only need very light tackle here, as fish average 12 to 14 inches, and about 1 pound. But even they can be challenging little fighters.
http://photos.imageevent.com/jjmck/fishing/websize/000_1482.JPG
Using 4# line and a spinning reel on an 8' pole, I cast the earthworm out and watched the small flourescent bobber bounce along in the small ripples created by the wind. Life is pretty darn good at this point. A salami and cheese sandwich, some celery, and then a chocolate chip cookie go good with a cup on hot coffee as you sit and watch. Just then the bobber gets sucked under, and starts heading to my right......fish on......
They make you smile, even the little 12 incher like this one. He was thin, and I thought about releasing him, but even they are tasty, and 2 make a good meal, so on the stringer he goes. With a fat & fresh worm on the hook, the wind died down and I got a great cast wayyy out there this time, flipped the bail, loosened the drag, and sat the pole down. It was time for a cigar. Uh-oh, no matches....so back up to the car we go. The pole will be ok sitting there.
The 300 yard walk to get a match only took a few minutes, and when I returned, it was nice to NOT see the bobber anywhere, so I picked up the pole......but was surprised to see most of my line had been stripped off the reel already !! This is not usual. Small fish dont do this. I set the un-lit cigar down and picked up the pole. My watch beeped, it was 4pm exactly. I tightened the drag and immediately felt the pull of a powerful fish that was heading for the deep center of this small lake. I had to relax the drag and let this one have his way for a while, even though addiitional line was a now a precious commodity.
Slowly, I got him at least half-turned, so he was working me left-to-right, instead of "in-and-away". This allowed me to bring in some more line, and let him take longer, lateral runs, which I figured was the best way to tire him. I had to work the shoreline with him, walking up and down in a 50 foot area. This fish could not be muscled like the little guys. No sir, he was going to have to do himself in. My job was to be patient, and follow him.
By now the battle had gone on 8 minutes from when my watch had beeped, and he still was not nearly tired enough to reel in. His runs were long, and were making the reel sing with an accelerated sound. zzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZZiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnggggg!!! The sound of it makes you smile, and yet pray at the same time that you do not lose what may be the Trout of a lifetime. There is suddenly some stress and excitement involved. This is a challenge you really have something riding on, and do not want to lose.
The tide was turning, he was slowly giving up, and I was fortunate he had not broke the surface yet, but then he did, and only 30 feet from shore, but he stayed on, and ran some more, then I gambled, hoping he was near exhaustion, I tightened the drag to a degree I had not tried yet to challenge him again. It was working, he came in tired, and I got him 5 ft from waters edge, then he started to go again!! NOOOO! I tossed the pole down and went in the water to surrround him with my arms (no net), and push him to shore. Finally, he was landed! On the beach, and larger than life. 25 1/2 inches, and 4# 15 oz. A real specimen! My watch said 4:12:40. And it was finally over. The biggest Rainbow for me is in the books. The line was frayed near his mouth. Much more and he would have snapped the line for sure. Here he is next to the first one caught. I believe the record for this lake is in the 6 pound range, but not sure. Near 6pm I caught two more 13 inchers for a total of 4, and rounded out a great day.
Thanks for coming along.
http://photos.imageevent.com/jjmck/fishing/websize/000_1479.JPG
http://photos.imageevent.com/jjmck/fishing/websize/000_1476.JPG
http://photos.imageevent.com/jjmck/fishing/websize/000_1480.JPG