March 15, 2010

The weather has been incredible for March so I took advantage of a couple friends and headed out to Kootenay Lake to trawl for some large Gerrard Rainbow trout. Dave and his Dad, Rudy, Mike and myself left early for the lake where Dave's 'Trophy' fishing boat awaited. Once we were rigged and loaded we sent out four lines, two on downriggers and two on the surface. In winter you have to fish slow, like 1.5 mph - trawling is not the most exciting way to fish but is the most effective on large lakes like Kootenay.

By most accounts it was a slow fishing day for everyone. We had one fish on which I promptly lost. It hit, I grabbed the rod, set the hook - perhaps too vigourously - the trout ran, jumped a few times, then was gone. According to Dave and Mike it was a big fish, 15 lbs or so. It broke off shortly into the fight, and for the rest of the day (and who knows how much longer), I had to endure the pointed verbal barbs of Mike and Dave. "Yes, I thought I knew how to fish too..."

I apparently need more practise, so this afternoon I headed down to the Columbia River. The day was similar to the previous day, sunny and warm. Last week I managed a nice rainbow caught on a nymph pattern but when I saw large adult stoneflies floating by en masse and trout rolling, I tied on a stimulator dry and threw to the most recent splash. Sure enough the trout rolled over my fly. I hooked him good, the rod bowed then went slack. I cursed and knew immediately it had broken me off. That was a nice trout. I lost two more that day. Needless to say not a great day but I count them both as good days. Anytime the sun's shining and you have a rod in your hands, sharing stories, laughs, an a few cold beer with friends - well one could do worse.

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