Your Most Favored Fishing Trip

[Enceladus]

I took my family to visit friends in Durango Colorado last spring. Many of the lakes were still inaccessible due to the snow, but my buddy took us to Haviland Lake with the warning, "I've never had any luck at Haviland." My six year old son had been practicing casting his spincast rod in our backyard before the trip and was raring to go.

When we got to the lake, I started to set up his rod with powerbait, but he insisted on trying a dark jig. In my infinite wisdom, I explained that that color jig would work best when it was overcast (blah blah blah), but he still insisted. So, I tie it on and tell him to walk down a little ways - I didn't want to get hooked.

His first cast was perfect and before I had a chance to set up my rig, he yells "I've got one!" Sure enough, he nailed a nice size rainbow trout! That little shit proceeded to catch his limit in about 10 minutes - I never even got my line in the water. Then he said, "Well Dad, I've got my limit. I'll let you catch some, now. You can use my lure if you want."

Someday I'll get a tandem so we can go kayak fishing together. It doesn't get any better than fishing with my son and he catches the biggest or most fish.

[taggermike]

Man, where to start? Bass fish with my dad in lake mead as a kid, kayak trips to baja catching grouper, wide open albacore. Some times the location and company makes the trip, other times it's one big memorable fish. I pulled a 30lb YT out of Piramid Cove on the surface iron. It will be forever in my mind like a video, saw the boils, grabbed the long rod and ran to the bow, made a good cast, and in that clear Clemente water watched that big YT charge the jig and just leave a bomb crater in the water behind the hit. Maybe I should stick with one story but I want to throw this in. One of the things I like most about ocean fishing is that there is always a chance of catching the unexpected. I worked at the WSB hatchery in Carlsbad and was eating my lunch out on the lagoon behind the hatchery. Threw out a live smelt and sat down to enjoy my PB&J. 10lb line, curado 100, a tiny circle hook, and some serious patience. 37lb. Glad I had a gaff. Mike