Lake Report: Once More and Out

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Once more and out for the early season lake. After Saturday's opener I'll be spending my solo fishing time at the other lake. No homes, no resorts, no paved highway, no motors, no jet skis, no cell phone coverage...

...and no bass, no bluegill, and no perch.

They were really out today. These took a trolled fly. Guess the water's warming up and everything's getting active.

I caught trout, too, I'm happy to say, so many I lost count, all feisty little guys like these.

I have to say, even though this is not my favorite lake, that it has been a good Spring here.

This lake has provided everything I needed to be ready for the opener at my favorite lake. All my equipment is tuned up, as are all the muscles I'll need for paddling the float tube, casting, and playing fish. Seldom have I felt better prepared for a fishing season.

I will be back here with the boys again, so I took care of some unfinished business today. Last Saturday when I was here with them they found a nice lure. Jeremiah tied it on and was having a ball firing it way out into the lake. But the wind took it into a tree, and we had to break it off. He was not happy.

So today I paddled over to investigate and discovered that I could just reach the lure with the tip of my rod. So I was able to wrap my fly line around it and pop it out of the tree. Dad the hero. So we're ready to go again.

 As the afternoon wore away I tied on a Stimulator, apropos of the previous post, and worked the surface.

I got lots of attention with a fairly big green-bodied Stimulator, and had two fish on, but they jumped off the hook. Once I tied on the little orange and black version I caught trout hand over fist. They loved it.

And so did these usurpers. They took that little stimmy right off the top.

I caught a few more trout while paddling slowly for shore through the sprinkles of rain. It was a good way to close out the preseason. Next stop: the real season.