Chapter 7
745 Words
6 I'd Rather be Fishing
August 23
I got the stove going and soon had coffee on, we bought some sweet rolls at the store, so had something to tide us over until later, as we were sitting at the table drinking coffee Terry spoke up, "I think I'd like to try some fishing today, I've already have a Wyoming fishing license but I'll check over at the store for anything else I might need, maybe we'll have trout for supper." "Are you a pretty good fisherman?" I inquired, "Not too bad, my dad and I used to go all the time but not so much lately. Actually from what that park newspaper says, there should be good fishing not far from here down by the Oxbow, might even see Moose down there as well.
Later we walked over to the store and Terry got some more information and bought a couple flies, we rode down to the Oxbow bend area and while Terry tried his hand at fishing, I headed up a walking trail to Christian pond and Matilda Lake in search of wildlife to photograph. I didn't see any moose but I saw an Eagle over the lake, but it was too far away for a decent picture. The only other birds I saw were more Magpies Whiskey Jays, and ravens, I walked back to where Terry was fishing, no luck for him either. "Lets go up by this Two Ocean Lake, there's a creek feeding it, might be better luck there." We rode up the Pacific creek road to where we were close to the creek and we could pull off. Terry headed down to the creek, while I walked up the other way towards the lake.
I had walked almost a quarter mile along the creek when I spotted a moose over on the other side moving away from the creek, it was getting late in the morning so he was probably finished eating, again too far away for a good picture, but at least I saw one. I took my time getting back to where Terry was, but upon my return, found that he had caught a trout. "Just hang tight baby, I'll catch one more, and we're good for supper. I sat down on the bank and watched Terry work his fly rod throwing out the line, jerking it waiting, tossing, flicking, about half an hour later he caught something, very carefully he reeled it in, a very nice trout. He put it in a small Styrofoam container he bought back at the store along with the other one.
We bought some ice, fry mix, paper plates more soda and some wild rice to go with the trout once we got back to camp, there was a fish cleaning station near the marina so we took our catch there to clean them. (Didn't want any fish remains or odor anywhere near our camp…Bears!) "hand me your knife babe," I gave him my Buck folder off my belt, next to the Leatherman tool I was carrying. Terry laid the fish out on the cleaning table and cut off the head then carefully slit the top and bottom of the trout and working the knife carefully through the fish, I didn't care for the smell so I backed away a little bit as he finished up. He then cut off the tail and separated the two halves and placing them back in the container where he had put ice. In no time he prepared the other one placing it over the ice.
Back at camp we got a nice wood fire going, let it burn to a nice hot bed of coals and Terry showed me how to fry up the trout, while the fish was cooking, I fixed the rice, and we sat down to one of the best fish dinners I've ever eaten, fish caught only hours ago cooked to perfection, I guess I was just going to have to reward that boy. While we were eating, Terry looked at me and said, "What have you decided on tonight's sleeping arrangement?" "Well, if you don't mind, I was thinking of making last night's arrangement permanent." Then quickly adding, "but the rules still apply, any problem with that?" He thought a moment then said "I'm fine with it baby, you just let me know if I go too far, or your uncomfortable with something, OK?" "Deal" I replied.
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