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earlysecond -> RE: Opening Day of Trout Season Locations? (4/11/2008 7:43:18 PM)
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While the opener used to be a ritual with my friends, it has become much less important to me over the years. Despite the good teachers that I had in my late teens, I never really mastered stream fishing. My fishing and hunting mentor, John (who may be reading this so I need to be careful what I type) waited until the crowds disappaited on Canoe Lake in Blair Co. Nearly every week on Tuesdays from the second week until May, we would sit in a boat on that lake from dawn until lunchtime (or whitecapped waves kicked us off). We had a lot of fun in those earlier years. Of course then, Canoe was the home lake and favored spot of the local conservation officer. For that and other reasons, the lake received massive stockings pre season and in season of decent fish. Additionally there were plenty of trophy sized fish stocked. One time John even caught one. Of course, not being much of a trout fisheman, I had never seen a golden rainbow before. When I was ready to net the fish he had fought for awhile, he asked me what it was. I replied that it was a "big, gold fish" he then told me to get it in the boat! I miss those days and the ability, with fewer, responsibilities and a lighter work schedule to spend time with good friends. Hopefully, we can do that again a couple of times this year and take my son along.
Things that I do not miss about the opener on the many streams we used to fish: crowds of "Wal-Mart" fisherman (those who do not routinely fish but do for the first day you often see them with 3500 series spinning gear loaded with 15lb Berkely Big Game line an hooks the right size to snag a stockie), the typical weather, feeling the need to keep trout although I have only ever eaten a couple in my entire life. Things I do miss: time with the guys who taught me to fish, playing a fish in a 4' wide glorified ditch, the feeling of 1/2 a lb of corn weighing down the pocket in my home made fishing vest!
Have fun and be safe. I enjoy any time on the water but may have to sit this out in favor of doing some stuff around the house that will NOT get done once the crappies turn on big time or Walleye become legal sammich fare again!
good luck,
Brent
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