Fishing
Finally Catching a Rare Species, Part 1
A local pond was recently stocked with a rare trout species called palomino trout. Palominos are also called "lightning trout" and "bananas." Sometimes, they are called "golden trout," but I think that is confusing because they differ from the original. Palomino trout are a hybrid cross between golden and rainbow trout. Their coloring is mainly yellow and orange, with red cheeks and stripes along their body appearing during spawning season. Unlike another hybrid, the tiger trout, the palomino trout, can reproduce. However, no real data has been collected concerning the viability of these hatchlings in the wild.
Covering the Whole Pond, Part 1
The sun was out, but the wind was biting. The pond was busy, but I still found some trout. Nothing big, but they all were between 9 and 11 inches. Given where I was catching them, I was happy just to be able to get some hooksets. Once I found the fish, I changed my rig slightly to accommodate the situation better. If you find that your rig is a little more than you need and you can pair down to something more sensible, do it.
Rough Weather, Great Day
Back at Mariposa Pond. Some warmer weather thawed the ice on the pond, which was now completely fishable; however, the weather was not cooperating. It was supposed to rain all day, but the temperature dropped, and the rain turned to snow, then it warmed enough to turn back into rain. It never stopped, and I was getting wet and cold every minute. After more than an hour of fishing, I was getting ready to give up when I managed to catch my first fish. It was the beginning of a very good day.
Cold Weather Leads to a Great Day, Part 1
I was just trying to find a pond with some fish. After trying two other ponds without a single bite, I was getting cold (temps were below freezing with wind chill) and frustrated. Mariposa Pond turned everything around. The Powerbait Eggs were the big winner here, but I also caught one on a Honeyworm off a float. The most interesting development of this outing was the difference between two Powerbait Egg colors. I caught bigger fish when using the yellow and white egg combination; however, I caught smaller fish when I switched to yellow and pink eggs.
Wind, Rain, & Rainbow Trout - Part 1
I've tried this pond unsuccessfully, but that was no reason not to try again. I broke out several bait and lure options this trip but found success on my favorite. The weather was not very cooperative, but I endured since I was catching fish. The worst was when the wind and rain were both battering me. I rigged up my umbrella on my back, using my action camera chest mount to hold it. It was not ideal, but it worked well enough during the worst of the weather.