Opening day of trout season was always long awaited because my Grandparents on my Mom's side always invited me to go along when hey'd make plans to fish one or another of the high Sierra lakes.
Taking forever to get to sleep, i'd awaken to the smell of bacon on the pan. Grandma would have a full breakfast ready to serve and no sooner than wolfing that down, we'd be in grandpa's old GMC truck and on our way. I always hated the long drives. Being very young when this tradition started, i recall at least a couple years where i'd make a comfy sleeping area on the floorboard with my head up against the gear shift. I'd always wake when it was still dark outside but i could hear the truck gears labor as we were out of the valley and pulling the hills with fir, cedar, and pine trees around us on both sides of the road
Grandpa liked to troll. The three of us all had our chores in getting his Gregor boat in the water and then once out, we'd decide what to put on to try our luck behind the reliable chug chug chug of his Evenrude outboard motor. We more times than not ended up with our limits. I loved looking at all the different and wonderful lures in Grandpa's tackle box and if i picked one out to try, he'd usually tie it on for me even if he had little faith in it. The best part of the whole deal was when you first got the bite. It could be "the monster" or just a little guy. But when that rod first jerked in your hand, that was really some feeling and even now i never tire of it.
Our fish caught were generally in the 10-12" range with a 16 incher being a really big one. I remember having Grandpa tie on a bass plug for me and we soon all had bass plugs on as mine no sooner got back behind the boat when a monster hit my line. Unlike the others, this guy took s lot of drag and fought well except he never did jump. I was made the hero of the trip when that boated Brown trout tipped Grandpa's scale at 4 1/2 pounds, the largest trout we'd caught for several years before or after.
Now days, i go sometimes and sometimes i don't. Opening day is for amateurs a lot of times. There is plenty of time left in the season and not near as many out tromping thru the waters and leaving their trash. Like as not, while fishing anytime anywhere, i'll remember back fondly of all the trips and wonderful times spent fishing with my Grandparents. I miss them terribly, such is life i guess.
Joey
"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"