Traveling-with-TLC

Today I sent out invitations to several people inviting them to follow this blog of our trip to the World Taxidermy Competition and Michigan. Lorraine saw it and said “That is not how you sold it to me, you said we were going to see a million tulips in Holland, Michigan and watch birds in Ohio!” So let’s get this straight, we are on a flower and bird watching trip. Period. Any reference to fishing is pure incidental or accidental.

While killing time I happened to stumble into a fly shop. The owner told me that one of the private lakes in the development we are staying at is a trophy trout lake with 10+ pound fish. He said several people had seen 30″ trout swimming by the dam in recent days but wasn’t sure if they were biting. As he was so kind, I volunteered to investigate for him. Of course, Lorraine was soaking in the hot tub as her Physical Therapist prescribed so I went BIRDWATCHING on the dam. I caught a 17″ rainbow and missed several bites. To test for larger fish I tied on a 3″ rabbit fur leach. I got several hits but had trouble setting the hook. Finally, I set the hook hard on a fish and snapped my flyrod near the butt. I tried hand lining the fish in. He came to the surface and I saw his fin, or should I say FLUKE. The fish managed to get off. In retrospect, I’m glad it did because I wouldn’t want something that large near me in a float tube. It could have breached and crushed me and Lorraine would have to continue to Michigan without me. I did see two eagles land in a tree about 100 yards downstream of the dam right near dark. Maybe I should go back tomorrow morning to confirm the eagles roosted there all night, as that is what any good BIRDWATCHER would do.