01-28-2005, 09:44 AM
It was early in the morning when the clock rang out. Looking out my window at the cold grey overcast sky, I said to myself "its a trout day". I packed up my gear and got dressed. Soon after a nice cup of java , some eggs and toast I was on my way. I was heading towards a lake that held the huge Rainbow trout that so many talked about and never caught. I was thinking about all those times I was there and heard those huge fish jumping but never caught. I arrived about 7:30 am.The lake looked wonderfull ,slightly raining and the air was clean and crisp. The loons called to each other that lonesome cry of hunger. Putting on my rain gear so I could do a lil shore fishing was well worth it.Walking around the lake I finally discoved a nice dry spot, hidden in the tall pines where i could manage to light a small fire to stay warm and set up. I sat down and tied on a pickeral rig and adjusted my drag. Opened up the night crawlers and picked the biggest ones.A pickerel rig is a line that has two hooks and a weight on the bottom, not really made for trout but it works.I baited up my hooks with two nice large crawlers and fitted them on the hook to perfection. They dangled on each hook like they were meant to be. As I casted a perfect cast once again, I watched my rig and worms sail through the air,and I kicked over my tub of worms. When my hook landed and settled, I propped my fishing rod up in y stick that was all ready there from fishermen before me. It worked great. I was ready for the trout I thought. Sitting back relaxing, waiting for the trout to bite, I gathered up my worms that were trying to crawl to safety and I lost a few. Hours went by ,not a bite, nothing. I was just about to leave when I seen my rod tip bounce like a freight train hit it. Then nothing at all. Suddenly, I heard a splash!!!from about 15ft out in front of me. I looked out into the lake and I seen the location of the ripples. Scanning the lake i heard another splash!!!This time I seen what was making the comotion. A huge 10+ pound Rainbow Trout rising out of the water, about 3 feet in the air, with my pickeral rig hanging out the side of if its mouth. In excitement, I grabbed for my fishing rod to reel this trout in . But nothing, the line was limp and dead. I reeled faster thinking my drag screwed up and I hoped to take up the slack. But that was hopeless. He must of hit that bait so hard and fast he snapped my line. What speed and force did this fish have? Looking out at the lake with disapointed and glum at the ripples where he had just jumped. Splashhhh!! he jumped again closer this time about 10 feet in front of me!! His scales glistened with water as he was air born and fought with the rig in his mouth. As he glided in the air, he shook his head frantically and it dislodged my rig, and some how it came flying back at me!!Landing about a foot in front of my boots!!.I just stood there shaking my head in amazement. I never in all my life ever seen that fishing before. And I fish alot.This story I tell to you from one fishermen to another. Next time I go out there I'm not bringing rain gear or a base ball cap, I'm bringing a foot ball helmet! just in case I meet up with that trout!. And when I told the wife about it she said it serves you right bugging the fish again.!!
The end.
The end.