Apr 9, 2021 4 min read

Well, here we are, a week past Easter, and the opening of trout season the day before.

I bet you think I’m going to tell you a little fish story this week. You would be right.

Last Saturday was a nice day and normally I might do a bit of fishing in some out-of-the-way spot. This year it was not to be. Due to some family obligations and my daughter cooking a meal that day, I stayed in and enjoyed some good food. But Sunday afternoon, we decided to head out to a spot I know that is usually quiet. Because of my age and poor eyesight, I need some extra assistance, so I took my daughter with me. We took her four-wheel drive as I had a good spot in mind that required a little off-roading. I gathered my trout gear and a chair while she got the licenses and bait out.

The day was very nice; not too hot and clear blue skies. As we negotiated the hill, I had to advise her on the best way there as she was unfamiliar and might have thought I was a little nuts. Long ago, I had obtained permission from the landowner to fish this spot and had many times driven my truck over this bank to the creek.

We parked next to that perfect hole and the water looked pretty good. It wasn’t too muddy, and the water was deep. This spot has a nice amount of cover and a good current. Having fished it before, I was confident that we might have some luck. My daughter situated my chair for me, and I was set. This chair fishing is not my usual style and I prefer to walk up and down using a spinner. But as I age, I must adapt. Translated I had on a rooster tail in my favorite color. I hooked every darn bush, rock, weed and tree in the vicinity and decided to adapt. The second pole I carry magically appeared all set up for bait fishing thanks to wise pre-planning. Ok I admit I might have yelled a bit for Kathy to bring it over.

Either way I was fishing. The stream was sparkling and looked healthy as I flipped my worm out confidently. I saw Kathy out of the corner of my eye walking over to say something about a tree. So, I started reeling the line in and, low and behold, I had cast over the branch of a tree across the stream that was pretty high up off the water. Just as that realization hit me, and the line was about a foot off the top of the water, didn’t a nice size fish jump up and grab that worm.

Now I had been reeling up the line trying to get it out of the tree, so momentum took Mr. Trout up in the air into that tree. I stopped reeling as Kathy sauntered over just laughing her you know what off. I opened the bail and down went the trout. I was still in the tree, so I tried reeling him up and flipping him over the branch to no great success. Eventually, I got the fish down out of that tree and he put up the biggest fight you ever did see. I guess all that oxygen and hanging out in that tree made him mad. When, finally, I got him in after he leaped and fought all over, we both agreed to let him go. He had earned the right to go free. He swam off immediately and both of us had a great laugh.

I’ve written about the old bobber-grabbing tree but just imagine a fish-eating tree. I wonder about all the things that could have happened. What if a bird would have swooped in or how about when the fish went down if another fish would have grabbed it? Now that would have been a great story.

The day ended up fine and I caught quite a lot of fish: a small bass, some trout and a few chubs. All fun to catch and after all fun is the name of the game.