Well here is the end of April.
Like the uncontrollable urges that have invaded the marmot, the wild turkey and Brad Pitt at this time of year, it is a time when an internal alarm goes off in the fisherman.
Unlike those sex-crazed species, the fishermen’s sense of annual duty is aroused by…
….Opening day, trout season.
A time when the trees bloom, the lakes melt and man struggles with that eternal question:
Should I cut the nine inch weeds or go fishing?
To me, that’s like asking if I’d like a hot fudge sundae or a liver transplant.
Of course, as I drive to one of our local fishing waters here in Oregon and pass many of the guys on the liver transplant recipient list, I’m thankful that not all men are of the same mindset as I am.
Otherwise, what was ice and snow a month ago would now be fiberglass and aluminum. In other words, you could cross a lake from one boat to another without touching the water.
To say that the opening day of trout season is usually crowded is an understatement. Both a social event and a fishing trip. If you’re looking for some comfort and reassurance, it’s probably best to tell your wife she’s going fishing and then slip down to the basement for a nap.
At least you won’t have to cut the weeds yet.
But with waters that have generally been closed or limited to ice fishing for six months, the chances of catching some really good trout are pretty good. With no pressure and a tight supply of food during the winter months, the opening day is an ambush with the odds in favor of the fishermen.
This year in Oregon we have been blessed with a year of abundant snow that has found many of the high mountain lakes with more than 300 percent of their usual snow cover. Fishing boats may have to be replaced with snowmobiles, and fishermen may be more like Eskimos than fishermen.
In places where the ice has melted, the water is ccc–c cold. Less than 40 degrees. These are conditions that typically spawn slow, lazy fish and trout that disperse in search of warm pockets of water and fish parkas. However, there will be a hit on opening day and Jack Daniels shares may rise sharply over the weekend.
So if you’re headed to the opening day “fishfest”, good luck and enjoy the festivities.
And if you stay home to cut the weeds, well, I hope you don’t end up with fisher’s liver…