Memorable times catching big fish, little fish

I love to go fishing — any time of year.

I have fished in the spring, summer, fall and winter.

Yes, I have gone ice fishing on a lake in Oregon during the winter months. That’s what you do on those lakes because they permit it. I was fortunate to find holes already cut in the ice the times I tried it.

I don’t remember catching anything, though, and I haven’t revisited that lake.

Our local streams and reservoirs produce nice trout in the spring, summer and fall, before the season ends and I have my favorite spots.

Hat Creek is one of the streams that have proven to be pretty successful with a feather-light rod and reel. There are some nice deep holes with fast churning water where some beauties lay in wait of the bait — night crawlers, red worms or red eggs.

I’ve done well with all of them at one time or the other.

The exercise walking the stream is also worth the trip if you are an outdoor enthusiast. There are a lot of recreations that get me out of the house whenever I can spare the time.

We forget what we have in our own backyard here in the North State. I’ve had some of my most memorable times on fishing trips.

There was the time my sisters and I, along with a friend, went to Lake Shasta and caught a limit of Kamloops in the Dry Creek Cove around the bend from Shasta Dam.

It seems Kamloops like the Shasta Sandwich, mini marshmallows and red eggs, a sinker and leader keeping it about 2½ feet to 3 feet from the bottom. The only bad thing about this species of trout is they leave silver flakes behind on the floor of the boat.

They’re good eating, though.

I’ve caught some nice large-mouth and small-mouth bass at Lake Shasta.

One of those was a 3-pounder that hit my hula jig lure on the first cast in a remote cove. I was in my boat and cast toward a peninsula-like point on the shoreline. Boom, the fish hit hard and it was a thrill bringing it to the net.

I still haven’t learned to fly fish. It’s really an art and requires a lot of finesse. It’s only because it takes so much time to get the hang of this fishing technique that I haven’t taken it up yet.

I prefer to use a light leader and fly behind a clear floating bubble. That technique I can handle. But some day I might just take fly casting lessons.

One of the biggest thrills I’ve experienced was fishing from a boat on Siskiyou Lake. Another time it was on the ocean off the California Coast.

On Siskiyou Lake, my friend and I were fishing on the east side near the dam. The water went deep to the bottom and something really big hit my baited hook. I think I had 12 pound test line for trolling, but don’t remember what pound leader I had placed at the end of my line.

This fish was huge and I fought it for at least 20 minutes before it finally made a short appearance at the surface as it rolled over and headed straight down, breaking the line.

My friend and I guessed it was at least a 20 pound channel catfish or a sturgeon, both known for their large size in that lake.

So, look out fish, I could be persuaded to try the ice fishing technique this winter. I guess it’s finding the right frozen lake, and hope somebody has cut an extra hole that I can borrow for a couple of hours.