Fishing Report: Do Fish Feel Pain? Ask Ol' One Eye

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Back to Trout Lake with the float tube.

It was yet another rainy day.

But what a beautiful day.

It rained hard for awhile, but I managed to stay pretty dry up top.

Down below was another story. I had tried my old waders at Cutthroat Lake and got pretty well soaked. Turns out they were more blown out than my new blown out waders. Had to change all my clothes when I got home. So this time I wore my new blown out waders. Turns out they're equally as blown out as my old waders. So I was wet and cold again.

Are you following all this?

Well, I'll figure something out later. I took a break after the rain, regrouped, and started fishing again. I'm fixated on nymphs/soft hackles and indicators for some reason. That reason could be that the few fish I've been able to drag kicking and screaming out of the lake all came on that rig.
Speaking of kicking and screaming, I hooked and netted this little Rainbow.

This fish came busting out of the water in a three foot jump. I didn't even see the indicator dip, had no idea he was hooked until that jump. And he kept on jumping, over and over.

Like he was frantic.
I couldn't figure it out until I got him in the net and got a good look at him. I don't know how he managed it, but he got himself hooked in a very unfortunate place.

Avert your eyes if that famous image of the razor blade in the eyeball gives you the willies. So there he was jumping--and jumping--with that hook tearing at his little eyeball. If you're like me perhaps you can add a soundtrack: AAAHHHHblubblubAAAHHHHblubblubAAAAHHHHblubblubAAAAHHHHH!!!!
I got the hook out without actually removing the eyeball, and he swam away. Do I think fish feel pain? Yep. Do I feel bad about it? Yep. Am I going to give up fishing because of it? Nope.
Then here comes this otter. He came porpoising out of the willows just inches behind a terrified duck quacking frantically and trying to get airborne. Which it did. Then the otter swam past me, blowing great whistling breaths out of its nose, then dove and headed off to find something else to kill and eat.

All I want to do is catch a fish and let it go again.

After that it got calm and beautiful and peaceful and cold and fishless.

But if I have to get cold and not catch fish I'm glad that I can get cold and not catch fish in such a beautiful setting.

One thing's for sure.

It beats a poke in the eye.