Early Lake Report: A Grand Opening Day

A new day, a new month, and another new season: one of the local lakes opens today. Just one. The rest, including Trout Lake, won't open until the last Saturday of the month. But for now you'll go to the lake you call "Early Lake," the one that's open.

Time to get the float tube up and running after its long winter's rest.

The hand pump isn't in the garage where you thought it would be, but you find it rather easily in the third place you look. You go to work.

You feel pumped up, too, when the tube is finally loaded and ready to go.

You make a stop in town. You check the temp. Amazing.

You go into the sporting goods store. 

With the new month and the new season comes the need for a new fishing license. You get all the paper work done and you're good to go for the next year. Thank you, sporting goods lady.

You go out and check the temp again. Unbelievable.

The lake is well-populated. You're touched by how many people, just like you, have been waiting all winter long for this glorious spring day. The banks are lined with parents and kids and old men with long nets and buckets. Boats move up and down and around. The far west end, what you think of as the "fly fishing water,"  is also in use.

Just like that, you're back on the water again.

You float in the very middle of a big, hot, beautiful spring day.

And you fish. The water is cold and clear, and full of fresh stockers. You troll and strip bead head buggers, and the fish are willing. Later they start coming up to millions of midges on the surface, and you cast out a little dry. They're still willing. You catch all the fish you could want to. Everyone on the bank near you, and everyone who trolls by, are catching fish, too.

It's a grand opening day.