Before sunrise I shoveled a light cover of fresh snow from the drive way. The salt truck had already been down the street. After a little light snow removal, I returned to the garage to feed the dogs and to pack chest waders and fishing tackle in the car. It is less than a mile to the community lake where the trout were being caught. The regular trout seasons in Missouri begins March 1, but the urban ponds where trout are stocked and can survive until late spring are standing warm water, unlike the spring fed cold water streams and rivers where trout live year round. It was getting light when I arrived and saw two fisher people at the spot where I had cleared the ic the day before. When I walked close to the couple, I recognized Pat Stafford, but did not know the man with her. Soon my past art student and fellow members of Capital Arts, Pat introduced me to her husband John. The three of us looked at the ice that had refrozen during the night. I stepped out on the ice and broke through. I began breaking the thinner ice. Before long Debbie and John Shellman joined us and John handed me a rake that helped to collect the many pieces of shattered ice floating in the fishing hole. I came out of the water and wished the foursome good luck. I excused myself to leave for a while to purchase some dry gloves and a cup of hot coffee at the nearby Break Time convenience store. Upon my return John and Debbie had caught fish and as I stood nearby watching the action Pat and John Stafford caught fish. I followed suit and soon had three fish. The limit is four and everyone was getting close to their limit, so breakfast plans were made. I was still one fish shy of the limit when I suggested the four go on to breakfast and I would catch up as soon as I caught the last fish for the day. After they left I did not get a bite for a longer period of time than had been the pattern. I hoped they would still be at HyVee when I was able to catch my limit of trout. Then as I was waiting thinking about the fun it would be in the spring to go crappie fishing with these new fishing buddies, I noticed line going out. I let some more line go and tightened up the slack line and set the hook. The bend was heavy the feel different as the hooked fish attempted to swim to deeper water under the ice. Soon the angel of line was precarious with the tension of line at point of ice contact maybe too much for the light line. I did my best to change the rod angle to steer the fish around and back in my direction. The fight went on much longer than with the previous trout and I began to wonder if I had a blue catfish that can be caught in the winter and were in the lake. Finally the fish swirled and came out from under the ice. The last fish of the day was landed! It was a bigger trout!
I took the fish home and put them in a big ice chest on the back patio. I drove to HyVee and my friends bought my breakfast. What a great weekend it had been, I was blessed with the company of new fishing buddies and my supply of trout for the smoker was great.
I took the fish home and put them in a big ice chest on the back patio. I drove to HyVee and my friends bought my breakfast. What a great weekend it had been, I was blessed with the company of new fishing buddies and my supply of trout for the smoker was great.