Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Fishin' 2011

The ice went out two days ago. I got my first fish of 2011 this afternoon. A big golden trout grabbed a full night crawler draped on a #4 bait-hook hanging about 3-feet below a tiny bobber on my ultralight rig.

I already had the smoker going with a new batch of venison pastrami, so I thought it would be nice and easy to have smoked trout as an appetizer with dinner.

I must be getting really soft in my old age. The fish was gently hooked in the upper lip. It was big and healthy. It was incredibly beautiful.

Without touching anything more than the hook, I had it unhooked and back in the water as quickly as humanly possible.

(Rainman -- you may have done me in! The trout you brought me last fall are so beautiful and big, I'm not sure I'll have the heart to catch them out.)