In Which Ada Catches A Fish

Tuesday, July 12, 2011
The first few weeks of July, before berry season is in full swing, seems to be the time of year when the call of the lake and the boat are most answered. For the last week or so, we've been heading down the lake nearly every night to spend an hour or so at sunset dropping ciscos on weighted lines into the lake's depths and drifting across a reef, waiting for the big one to bite.

Although there are also walleye and bass (et al) in the lake, I've always gone lake trout fishing with Andy. Every time we're out, we get plenty of nibbles, even a fair amount of "robbed" hooks, but during the summer months, I've never seen a fish at the end of my line. (During the winter, I've caught a couple "waterbottle" sized baby lake trout that have gotten thrown back.)

Honestly, I'd started to wonder if this fishing stuff was some really long-winded practical joke Andy was pulling on me. "We never catch any fish," I grumbled to a neighbor who asked after our fishing success on Saturday morning.

But on Saturday evening as we bobbed about, I felt three sharp tugs on my line. I opened my bail, let the fish run with the bait, then yanked up to set the hook and started reeling. When Andy glanced over, his eyes grew wide. "You've got a big fish on there." I'd never landed a fish before and had no idea that when the line makes a terrible cranking noise you should stop reeling and let the fish do its own thing for a bit before reeling some more. With some instruction from Andy, I got the fish to the surface. Andy netted the 4-6 lb beauty and brought it in the boat to inspect. 

"Can we keep it?" I asked.

We did.


I had no idea there was so much meat on a fish. We grilled it up on Sunday evening and I made a simple rice pilaf out of the leftovers yesterday that we'll be eating on for a good long time. I'd always thought trout tasted too "fishy", but this particular "landlocked salmon" was pretty darn tasty.

This is probably the only trout we'll keep all year. They're such slow growing, long-lived beasts that it seems only fair that the vast majority of them spend their days down in the dark, cool lake water. 

Moral of the story? Don't stop complaining.You never know how a well-timed grumble might be answered.


18 comments:

  1. Fishing is one of those things I love to do but only with certain people. Sometimes I want to yell at my fishing partner to shush because they're ruining nature for me. Congrats on your first big fish!!

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  2. Awesome fish, Ada! Fishing is such a peaceful activity. Although I enjoy it, I often am ready to head in long before the menfolk :)

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  3. Oh, fishing! Since I am over here I figure a lot of women fish. In most part of Europe it is rather this father son weekend thing! You can be proud. Have to try this too! BTW, all the bottles of different size and shape I found in Thrift stores! These kind of stores are rather uncommon in Germany and I spent hours there daily!Ada, honestly I do not know about the shelf life of this vinegar! Mostly it is gone within a few weeks, the longest I had was 9 months old! Vinegar and wine keep it going! Store it dark and cool!

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  4. i love the relaxation of casting and reeling in, but ever since i was a kid, i wouldn't let my dad put a hook at the end of the line! the thought of it piercing the lip of a fish freaked the heck outta me.

    that's a sizeable fish, ada! congrats on the big catch.

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  5. Nice catch! I haven't done much fishing in the last couple of years. I have caught a few pretty decent northerns in my day though, and one time on Leech Lake my best friend caught a 50 inch muskie- it took over an hour to reel in!

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  6. Great story and great moral of story too! Pretty sweet fish dish, lol. I've never gone fishing but I used to watch my grandparents.

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  7. Ada, congratulations on your catch! What a beautiful fish (and delicious-looking too). Your evenings on the lake sound sublime, and I'm glad that they've taken a turn for the fruitful as well!

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  8. I'm your newest hop follower, check me out at http://hugatreewithme2.blogspot.com whenever you can

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  9. Excellent job girl!! I love fishing...not good at it, but I always had fun trying! I can imagine Andy was a smidgen jealous :)

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  10. congrats on you big catch!!!!! I actually really enjoy fishing--- it was something i did as a little kid with my dad....

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  11. my hubby loves to fish!

    I'm your newest GFC follower!
    Stopping by from the hop!
    Would love a follow back and say hello!
    http://www.bragallboutit.com

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  12. Yay, good catch! I love fishing, but sadly it's been years since I've gone. Last time I went with three guys and I caught every single fish ha. That dinner looks great, and probably tastes that much better knowing you caught it!

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  13. have never tried fishing, but i love to eat fish! lol. congrats on that mighty fine catch!!! soooo huge!

    hi, got here via I ♥ Blogging Hop and followed you on gfc. hope you'll have the time to follow back.
    many thanks! :)

    mymy
    http://mybric-a-brac.com/

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  14. Love the grumble. I have never actually caught anything myself, either--well, except when Joe From Wisconsin used my fishing limit one winter during an excellent bout of ice fishing.

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