I was on the coast working in my storage unit for 4 days last week, cleaning out the household hazardous waste, working out on my bike, and puttering in the storage unit. I took my bike into a shop to have all the cables, brake pads, etc. changed to turn my used bike into a “new” bike. It will be repaired and all ready to go by Friday of this week. I’m looking forward to getting back on a comfortable, now totally rehabbed bike, and not riding around on a mountain bike that gives me constant wedgies.
I was able to get on the water the last two days. I caught one on my first cast on Saturday only to be skunked for the next two hours. Today I landed three fish over two hours: two 14″ and a jumping 16″. I’ve noticed a couple of things when I get back to shore: 1) People ask how I did / how many I caught? (and think I’m lying); and 2) I’m almost always asked if “any of size” were caught.
I find the idea that the standard 13 to 15 inch trout found in Lewiston Lake as “small” or “little ones” to be short sighted. Yes, there have always been very large fish in the lake, and the cage program guarantees many 2 pound to 10 pound fish each year. I know a lot of lakes and streams that a 13 inch fish would be a whopper, and 15 to 16 inch fish even a greater opportunity. At Lewiston Lake they are known as “small fish”. However, these fish are hot! They fight like half pounders in the cold water and about ten to twenty percent of hookups results in a fish jumping multiple times out of the water.
On a big lake a 13 inch fish can look small when brought to the net. However, the fish probably put up a great fight and when in the net: it was a 13 inch trout. The average weight of a 13 inch trout is 3/4 pound, and the average weight of a 14 inch trout is 1 pound (Internet search). When I grew up in the bay area I was thrilled to catch planted 7 to 9 inch trout in streams and lakes in the Sierras. I can tell you that I love hooking a 13 inch or larger trout at Lewiston Lake with a 4 weight rod.
I can’t make people change their minds, but I can be excited about fishing on a lake that has tons of fish with the “small ones” being 13 inches long and 3/4 of a pound. That’s the best I can do and when I lose the enthusiasm of fishing at Lewiston Lake then it will be time to hang up my fiy rods.
Tight Lines!